Welcome to the 2014 FOOD EXPERIMENT!

Hello 2014!!

I know we are half way through the first month,

but it is still brand new, and exiting!

I still love my new Day Planner.

The weather (even in Florida) is still fresh and cold enough to have

windows open, long sleeves and a jacket on.

I promise to stop welcoming the new year on February 1st.

I have really been loving this year so far.

It is my year to FUEL MY BODY.

I am choosing to focus on eating for energy.

So this is the year of the great 

FOOD EXPERIMENTATION.

I want to see how I feel.....

Will I really have more energy?

Can I truly make it through a day with out a 2:30 pm crash?

Am I really what I eat?....and what do I want that to be?

What does my body thrive on?

What does it really crave?

Will my family be as excited as I am about this experiment?

Since returning home on the 3rd of January,

and really even on the ride out and back,

I was testing my new outlook on food.

The idea of eating for energy and seeking nutrition that my 

physical body really thrives on.

I have been able to answer all of the questions above, 

easily and clearly.

 Some I am still figuring out, they are on going and will develop 

throughout the year.

But two of the biggest so far are that:

YES!  I definitely DO have more energy!

Yes!! I can, and have made it trough EVERY DAY without need 

for a nap late afternoon.

(Sundays do not count....total day of rest....the whole family digs nap time : )

I have been gobbling up books, and recipes, and am really enjoying

the journey so far.

I believe the difference before,

when considering eating more healthy on a permanent basis,

was that I was viewing health food more like deprivation.

I had viewed not being entitled to eat cake all day as some kind of rip off.

Or thought: Why do I work out so much if I can't eat whatever, and whenever I choose.

Well, I can choose that if I like,

and maybe I won't even gain weight because of working out.

But when choosing processed, heavily refined, lots of baked goods,

and any other crap for the past certain amount of years.....

have I been happy with the way my body repays 

me for doing so?

No.

I have been bloody tired!

I was sooooo tired.

Now, somehow, this year.....2014 

Things have finally clicked into place.

I am mentally ready to go all in.

I am able to see this eating journey for what it truly it....

A wild, fun, exciting, surprising, daily part of what makes 

life so flavorful and delicious.

I am able to see the blessings and benefits that come from feeding my body 

the best foods.

Not only once a week,

or something healthy each day....

but more of a life style change that will gradually unfold,

detail by detail 

as I learn, figure out, and try new things.

New Eyes.

It has taken me a long time to get  the concept.

So, now we are in this together.

Me and my body are teammates.....

my body and I.

No longer fighting......

we agree that we are seeking the same exact goals.

I am excited to share my finds and what I am doing that is working, 

and paying "feel good" dividends.

This first post is focused on juicing.

My wonderful parents were no longer using their 

Jack LaLanne Power Juicer (I sort of suspected this), 

so when I asked if 

I could purchase it off them over Christmas break,

they said no, but you can have it for free.

Whooohooo! Christmas dreams coming true!

Thank you!!

After some research and digging around online a bit,

I figured out how to run and take care of my new little baby.

I feel like I want to cradle this little guy in my arms,

I am really enamored by him, and am tickled by the results he produces.

I will be honest.

In the past I have been a little bit of an anti juicer....

thanks to my Love of my Vita Mix Blender,

I thought juicer's were huge wasters.

ALL THAT PULP!

However, after reading for 30 + hours out and back to Utah,

and really taking a look at the benefits of juicing....

and then FEELING them for myself.

I am a fan.

That does not mean I love my blender any less....

or that smoothies are not on the menu,

just on the back burner a bit while we have fun juicing.

The kids have been great sports,

and in fact, Ethan has been asking for them each morning.

He needs to have his power and energy up for baseball tryouts!

I love it..... another mom win!!

Here are some of the basics I have learned over the past two weeks

of our juicing journey.

First, there truly is a LOT of pulp.

Here is an example: 

This amount of fruit, dispatches that amount of pulp.

Now, at first I was saving every scrap of pulp that came out of my new baby.

"Waste not want not".

I put it in baggies and straight into the freezer.

I have heard that if you get cheesecloth, you can put your pulp in that and squeeze 

it over your cup and get quite a bit more juice!!

I have not located my own cheesecloth yet, but I do plan to try this.

I have also heard that you can add the pulp to many recipes....

I have only attempted one so far.

I added a bag of pulp to one of my smoothies....

I was really pumped and felt smart and clever for sneaking in yet 

MORE nutrition than ever to my families drink.

Well......

it was pretty hideous.

It turned very thick like yogurt,

I kept trying to fix and modify, but it was soon at the top of the blender.

It was hard to get through.

I'm not giving up on adding pulp.....but first try was definitely a fail.

I have also heard that many people make their own vegetable stock out of their

frozen pulp.

Love this idea.

Please share if you know stuff!!

So bottom line, I am still freezing my pulp, but not all of it, 

and not every time I juice.

Helpful Tips: 

Make sure your cup fits all the way under the spout,

and that it is not hung up at all....

(you will waste a lot of juice and make a giant mess if you make this mistake....trust me)

You shouldn't force things that don't fit into the drop zone.

If you forget to put the pulp catcher in place at the back of the machine,

your pulp WILL FLY all over the kitchen,

to include bouncing off the back splash into your hair.

These are just some simple tips I thought might help you avoid a few pitfalls.

This amount of fruit = that amount of juice.

We make what I like to call "Power Juice Shots"

The kids like the name, and we ALL BELIEVE we can feel the 

energy and power going straight into our muscles and directly into our blood stream.

I'll show the cups next time,

but as you can see, there is not a TON of juice,

however, there is the perfect amount for shots....

and truly, 

at this stage in the game the smaller cups are perfect for the kids.

(Choffy sample cups, or bathroom dixie cups also work great)

My friend Jessica Jones is apparently a juicer extraordinaire!

She has shared some of her favorite recipes, and given me a few tips.

This one is pretty awesome.

Great immune booster recipe:

1 apple

1 lemon

decent size chunk of ginger

Juice, then add hot water and honey, stir and enjoy!

Lawson has been under the weather, and my throat had started 

to feel scratchy....we have made this the past two days.

Very good!

I have found CARROT JUICE IS DELICIOUS!

I'm serious.

Even just by its self.

You will see carrots are a main juicing focus at the moment....

my mom says to be careful because they can start to pigment your skin.

Eh.....we'll see.  

I will let you know if that happens.

Here are a few other recipes we have tried, all involving carrots.

(juice your carrots last....they are great juice machine cleaners - Thx Jessica!)

4 carrots, 1/5 pineapple, 1 grapefruit (just cut off very outer edge of skin)

4 carrots

2 oranges (peel just the outer orange peel, leave all the white you can)

1/2 inch ginger chunk

..........

4 carrots

1 pear

3 celery stocks

1/2 lime

............

I never even knew where to find fresh ginger in the store until

this past week.

I had not purchased a leek, etc. etc.

This is going to be a fun adventure!

 Hope you stick with me and 

SHARE YOUR HEALTHY TIPS!

Please consider subscribing to my blog.

You will get each new installment.

I have some fun plans up my sleeve.

I will be going over the top POWER FOODS in detail!

I anticipate making bulk purchases of some of these said 

POWER FOODS....

if you want in on some good deals,

subscribe and share.

We will chip away at the mysteries of healthy eating together.

Details that are right before our very eyes.

Always have been......

we just choose to see them now : )