something new, something fresh

This weekend I wanted something new fun and fresh |I can't stop wishing it was spring| so I needed something to make it seem warm outside.. 

and this is what I came up with... Cucumber Salsa and it is sooo very yummy we couldn't get enough of it I've already made it twice and will probably make it again this week! 

Cucumber Salsa:

2-3 cucumbers 

3 large carrots 

1-2 large dill pickles 

1/2 small yellow onion 

1 can of white beans

1 small or medium bag of frozen corn |run under hot water to unthaw| 

2-3 |or more taste to decide| table spoons of olive gardens salad dressing or any Italian dressing 

Salt and pepper for taste 

Cut all veggies up place into bowl. Add unthawed corn and add beans make sure you drain and wash your beans before placing in bowl. Last add dressing and salt and pepper. Eat with some whole wheat tostada chips or fritos |both have no sugar| 

Or eat up as a salad! I couldn't decided if I was going to have it as a salad or salsa it's amazing both ways but we seemed to love it more as salsa. Enjoy! 

Ready To Go, On The Go

I know we all live busy lives and it's not always easy to make these big meals! I came up with a healthy protein packed breakfast or afternoon snack that quick and easy! You can even place it several different baggies or tupperware to grab and go! 

All you need are three simple things! 

1- Vanilla Yogart (or any flavor you love)

2- Granola

3- Strawberries (any fruit would be beyond yummy) 

That's ALL you need put together and enjoy! My daughter and I can't get enough of this one these days! 

ps here are all the brands I've used:

Just recently found this granola at Walmart it's all natural with no added sugar and delicious! 

Any yogurt will do just make sure it doesn't have any added sugar to it. This one is personally one of my favorite and very reasonably priced - always a bonus in my book! 

Any fresh fruit or frozen fruit (unthawed) would be amazing -I believe- in this fast and easy breakfast! 

Enjoy. 

wake up on the sweeter-side

CRAPES 

(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.)

Ingrediance:

2 eggs
1 cups milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla*
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions: 
In a blender combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth, about a minute.Heat and lightly grease a large skillet and pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan. Lift and tilt the pan, swirling batter around so the pan is covered with a very thin layer. Let underside cook for about one minute. Carefully lift the edges of the crepe with a spatula and when crepe becomes loose from the pan, the underside should be lightly brown. Flipand cook for another 30 seconds. 

CREAM FILLING 

Ingrediance:

1 c sour cream

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese SOFTENED

1-1/2 c Splenda 

Directions:

In medium bowl combine all ingredients and blend together and tell smooth and whippie. 

Now enjoy beyond belief! 

I love to add strawberries to to mine but you can add any fresh fruit you would love! 

 

ps- we never eat everything so I just put it all in baggies and tupperware and put it in the fridge for tomorrow! When you go to eat them again simply you warm up your crapes for 15 seconds in the microwave and add filling and fruit! 

Day One - Cleaning Out

To start your life off on Clean Eating or Sugar Free Eating it's all about cleaning out and cleaning up! And what I mean by this is going through all your cupboards, pantries and your fridge and getting rid of anything that has sugar in it! It's probably the hardest part of all of this! At least this is what scared me the MOST! But it has to be done or it will be there to tempt you! 

(ps don't just throw away your food PLEASE take it to a homeless shelter or give it to someone you know could use it!) 

Also if you have kids and you're going to let them eat sugar still that's totally fine as well still go through everything and set those things aside in it's own special spot so you know that's not for you. I have a beautiful babe and my husband and I do not make her eat sugar free all the time if she wants a treat every once in awhile we give it to her. But we try make sure it's only every once in a while so she doesn't come dependent on sugar like so many of us do. So we do have the smallest little spot in our pantry with some sugar. When is comes to eating meals though she eats what we eat. We feel it's smart and healthier for her to learn this now, and she can find a love for these yummy sugar free foods as well! Everyone is different and you decided what is best for your family! 

So what you'll need to do is read every food label carefully as in you have to read all the ingreedance on all foods to see if they add sugars, or syrups that you don't want. If you just look at the sugars you really aren't seeing if it's natural sugars or the sugars you don't want. 

After all of that you'll want to go grocery shopping and find all you sugar free items! You'll be eating lots of meats and produce. Then you'll want to switch out your white flour for a whole wheat flours, almond flowers, coconut flowers and there are sooo many more! And then you'll be switching out your sugars for agave, splenda, xylitol, stevia, honey, etc. 

These are some of my favorite things to bake with! 

It takes time to see what you like best and what things work for you and your family, but you'll figure it out fast! 

Here are some recipies you might want to start you off! 

Home Made Ketchup:

8oz - sugar free tomato sause 

6oz - sugar free tomato paste

2 Tbls - white vinegar 

2 Tbls - cider vinegar 

3 Tbls - Splenda (add 2 at first then sprinkle 3rd to taste , at end) 

1/4 tsp - ground allspice 

1/4 tsp - ground cloves

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Dash of onion salt and a dash of garlic salt 

Mix all together in a small bowl. 

Put in jar with lid. Keep cold when not using. Last 2 weeks or so. 

Pumpkin Bars:

2 cups - wheat flour

2 cups – honey powder or Splenda 

2 teaspoons - baking powder 

1 teaspoon - baking soda

2 teaspoons – cinnamon

2 teaspoons – nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon – salt

1 teaspoon – cloves

1 cup – canola oil

2 cups – pumpkin (one 15oz can)

4 - eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven 350°. Grease a large sheet pan. Combine all ingredients and mix at low speed for two minutes. Pour into pan and bake for 20–25 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:

1 cup - heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons – Splenda or more to taste

1 teaspoon – cinnamon

And a mixer whip cream add Splenda a little at a time. Taste and add more if needed. Add cinnamon, spread over bars. Refrigerate the leftovers.

 

Hope you enjoy! 

Becoming Happier & Healthier

I wasn't sure if I was going to share this or how I should if I ever did. But I decided in the end it needs to be shared. 

At the first of 2013 Landreys type 1 diabetes got really bad to the point of scary bad. We decided it was time to change! And I was ready for a change myself. (My post baby body was not working for me) We both wanted to be healthier and happier but we just didn't know how or where to start. We tried so many different things “diets” so on so forth. To the point of almost giving up because nothing was working for either of us. Then we had a wonderful amazing blessing my aunt and uncle came to visit us in April 2013 from San Fran and we only see them every few years so it's always a treat! Well I got to talking to my aunt Sydney because I noticed she wasn't eating certain things and asked if she was on a “diet” (ps I hate the word diet! Always have always will) she replied saying no that her and Pete my uncle changed their lifestyle b/c Pete found out he had type 2 diabetes, and it was all but gone sense they changed their ways. Of course we wanted to know MORE! We talked for hours about what they do, and it was simple really! They followed the Atkins way. So I went and got the book and started reading. Needless to say we came up with our own life style change and we found that balance of what we where looking for of being healthy and happy! 

We knew the Atkins way was a little too extreme for us and wasn't going to work with Landreys diabetes, we have looked into it before. So what we do is simple we don't eat sugar! I know I know cutting sugar out sounds scary and hard and it is at first but it's so worth it! We only eat natural sugars in fruits and honeys and yummy things like that! PS I make us yummy treats all the time! You really don't miss out on anything at all! It's all about changing how you think and making the healthy choice! I will be posting as much as I can on how we have changed our lives if you would like to try and change your life for the better by the easiest of steps! I will also be sharing my favorite recipes! We hope to bring in this new year with more amazing weight lose and become healthier happier people!

I hope you all got a little something out of this and continue to! You're not alone in wanting to better yourself and your health! 

Landrey has lost a total of 40lbs from April to December 2013
I have lost a total of 26lbs from April to December of 2013 

Landrey and I have never felt better in our lives we both have more energy and more of a love for life! We are both so greatful for making the change in 2013 and we can't wait to see what the New Year of 2014 will bring! 

Landrey hopes to get under 200 he's only 5lbs away!! And I hope to have the healthiest pregnancy to date! And after giving birth to our newest member of our little family I hope to get back to wear I left off before finding out I was pregnant again and getting in even better shape! Here's to the new year!