A Birthday, a Meal Plan & a Giveaway!

Happy first birthday to Wholesome Bits!

I created this space to unload my ideas and inspiration for living a healthier life. Our family has made changes... drastic changes... over the last 5 years and when you see visible changes with your eyes, it can't be contained. Hence, Wholesome Bits. You can read more about our 3 part journey to health starting here.

I have enjoyed this year's journey with you. I have been humbled by reading some of your emails of how this little blog has helped you in your journey too... Here is a one,

I am almost headache free. I certainly don’t get them every day or even every week but every now and then one creeps up on me. I lost 19 pounds so far. I have more energy. My BM’s are more regular (uh, you’re a nurse, you can handle that, right?), I have more energy. I have more clarity of mind, I can focus and concentrate whereas before, I was unable to even read a simple newspaper article. The other day I noticed another new change, my nails are healthier and stronger for the first time in my life! I’ve always had very thin brittle nails and assumed that was hereditary. Nope. It was lack of proper nutrition! My skin looks healthier and younger. I sleep better at night. I’m not as irritable and cranky. I’ve been enjoying getting out more and socializing. My joint pain is GONE! Ooo, I even convinced my husband to get rid of some of our carpet and install hardwood and ceramic.

And another one writes,

Your Wholesome Bits blog is a big source of encouragement for me... PLEEEESE keep blogging.....I thrive on your posts and links....they keep me motivated.

So this year has been a complete blessing to me to have readers like YOU who have encouraged me along the way as well!

So thank you!

I look forward to another great year of healthy living and hope you will continue to join in the fun too!


Now to this week's meal plan!

This week I am needing to stay within budget and again am trying to force myself to not run to the store. Do you understand the dismay this puts upon a foodie like myself? It's just not natural to not be surrounded by the beautiful fresh foods in my local produce section several times a week. Oh well... I. will. do. it.

Monday
Honey Sesame Chicken
Brown Rice
Roasted Carrots

Tuesday
"Creamy" Tomato Soup from Pretty Delicious Cookbook
Wasa crackers
Blueberry Smoothies

Wednesday
Cinnamon-Oatmeal waffles
Turkey bacon
Homemade applesauce

Thursday
Foil-Baked fish with black beans and corn (thanks to Pinterest for helping me discover this recipe!)
Purple cole slaw

Friday
Grilled chicken sausage pizza with LOTS of veggies! (never tried grilled, but we'll see what happens!)
Spiced pumpkin cookies


Now for the giveaway! I love giving things away and in celebration of Wholesome Bits' first birthday, here's the goodies one person will get!

First, one of my favorite healthy cookbooks is none other than,

Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients.


Written by the editors of Whole Living, this cookbook is organized into chapters on breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, soups, salads, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. The recipes are accompanied by simple instructions and beautiful photographs to keep you inspired to eat well at any time of the day.

The next giveaway is another favorite. A pantry staple I am never without. Great for cooking, baking, frying and even effective in treating eczema, dry skin and much more... 16 oz. jar of extra virgin, organic coconut oil. Here is a more detailed blog post of all the reasons I can't get enough of coconut oil in my life.


And last, how about a bar of shampoo soap?

Its 100% vegetable oil formulation lathers quickly, cleans well, and rinses out and easily, leaving you with healthy, beautiful, and clean hair. It will not strip the natural oils from your hair (there are no detergents) for this reason most people do not need a conditioner! It just smells clean.

So there you have it! Three fun, healthy items just for one person. Please leave one comment saying what healthy thing you will strive do in the year 2012. If you like Wholesome Bits on Facebook, you'll get another entry, just say you do.

Contest will close in just days on Wednesday at midnight.

Due to shipping, entries are limited to those living in the 48 contiguous United States.

Good luck!

Whole Grain and Flax Waffles

I am always on the hunt for a healthy, whole grain breakfast recipe that isn't too dense and dry.

One that my kids will have no clue is healthy for them too. I found this recipe in this month's Self magazine and did a little adapting to my likes. My kids and husband gobbled them down.

Hope you enjoy them too!

Whole Grain & Flax Waffles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 T. ground flax seed
1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t. salt
1 egg, separated
3/4-1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup of mashed banana
1 T oil (preferably coconut oil, melted)

Directions:
1. Blend oats in a blender until very fine.

2. Combine oats, flour, flax seed and spices in a bowl.

3. In a second bowl, beat egg white until stiff peaks form.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, banana, oil and egg yolk until well combined then stir into floured mixture.

5. Gently fold egg whites into the final mixture as well.

6. Pour into waffle iron and cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Add fresh berries, pure maple syrup, slivered almonds, Greek yogurt... the possibilities are endless!!!

Makes about 4 round waffles.

Enjoy!

WB Meal Plan

Do you plan your meals or are you more spur-of-the-moment meal planner? Some weeks I'm super planned and other weeks... I'm scrounging in the pantry at five-ish. This week I needed a kind push to get myself ready for this week. You know when you have lots on your mind, planning food plus going grocery shopping just isn't your favorite thing to do. That was me today (Sunday).

So after a whole day of delaying, avoiding and doing everything else but plan my family's meals... here they are. Oh, and now that it is done, I am actually really excited about them!

Monday:

Turkey Burgers
Sweet potato fries
Caesar Salad

Tuesday:

Salmon & Noodle Bowl (I'm using whole grain cappellini noodles instead of fettuccine.)
Whole grain baguettes
Orange slices

Wednesday:

Black bean quesadillas
Spanish Rice - I'm going to use brown rice instead of white.
Sliced peaches

Thursday:

Greek-style chicken with pickled onions, tomatoes and tzatziki
Zucchini oat bread - I'm going to use whole wheat pastry flour, brown sugar and coconut oil instead of the white flour and sugar and butter.

Friday:

Homemade pizza

Have a great week!!

30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge

I have put this off long enough. I have watched my portions and still incorporated lots of fruits and veggies in my diet, but the white stuff has crept in...

white stuff: processed flours and sugary foods... cakes, pies, crackers, pasta.

So thus begins a 30-day Green Smoothie Detox.

So are YOU up for this challenge too? If you think you don't need to, then answer some of these questions.

1. Are you sluggish after waking up from at least 7-8 hours of sleep?

2. Do you have dark circles around your eyes?

3. Do you have blemishes on your face, neck, back or chest?

4. Do you have achy joints?

5. Are you constipated or having loose (ribbon-like), foul-smelling BM's?

6. Do you have dandruff or itchy scalp?

7. Do you suffer from mid-afternoon slump?

If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, I believe you need to join me on this challenge. It's easier when you are accountable to someone and know others are in on it with you!

If you're still hesitant in joining me, let me just give you some quick benefits of doing a 30-Day Green Smoothie Detox

1. You will regain energy in a few days.

2. You will feel rested when you wake up in the morning.

3. You will quickly lose those cravings for sweet, carby foods.

4. You will begin to see regular BM's that are soft and not as "foul smelling".

5. You will not be as moody. (Trust me on this one!)

6. Your nails and skin will be more radiant.

and more than likely you will lose some pounds and inches.

Who wouldn't want all that??

So here's whatya do!

You can use any combinations of fruits (berries, banana, pineapple, oranges, mangoes, kiwi), but the added greens should come from a vegetable... spinach, kale or romaine, preferably. (If you are new to green smoothies, you might want to start with baby spinach. It has a mild taste and then work your way up to kale). Here is a sample of what my green smoothies look like...

2 cups of green vegetable (usually kale or spinach)

1/2 very ripe banana

1 cup of frozen berries (or other frozen fruits of your choice)

1 cup of cucumber

1 whole kiwi

a spoonful of coconut oil

1 cup of water

6 ice cubes

Blend thoroughly for 2-3 minutes... drink immediately, but slowly over 15-20 minutes. (In other words, don't save it in the fridge for later. You want those active enzymes in your body and if you wait too long the enzymes begin to oxidize.)

So who's in? I need some buddies to encourage me! Leave a comment saying you're in :) Starting tomorrow... October 5 and ending on November 3rd ~ just in time to look great for the holidays.

30 days... you can do it!

Side Note... It is entirely up to you when you want to do your smoothie... breakfast, lunch, etc... it's up to you and your schedule. I will do mine in place of breakfast. In my opinion, breakfast is best. Also, I am avoiding "as much as" the white stuff as I can. I am the type of person that is all or nothing, but sometimes that can backfire on me. I end up getting too frustrated and give up. So I know there are birthday parties and Halloween coming up... so moderation is gonna be key! But the more you avoid the white stuff, the better your results are going to be.

Why I Love Coconut Oil...

I was thinking on Fridays I will highlight one of my favorite things that I believe help contribute to our family's journey to being wholesome and well. Items that I almost always keep on hand in our house and feel are worth sharing.

I will start this Friday with my #1 favorite item that is always stocked in my home... right-hand cabinet over the stove, to be exact. Its something that I use to make eggs with, throw into smoothies and even dab a little on my crow's feet... can you guess??

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil...

It has so many health benefits, I don't even know where to start. To give you a little taste of how beneficial it is, it contains a prize-winning ingredient ~ lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid ~ the same component found in human breast milk. When lauric acid is introduced into the body it will act as an antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal (infection). So not only does it totally give the immune system a huge boost, some of the other benefits include the following:

1. Helps balance out cholesterol levels (increases HDL; lowers LDL).

2. Gives a 48% increase to your metabolism (in a 24 hour period). One study (mercola.com) recognized that an individual lost 24 pounds in 6-8 weeks after adding coconut oil to their diet.

3. Can supply the body with energy similar to blood glucose.

4. Contains many antioxidant properties that are excellent for premature aging and preventing degenerative diseases.

5. When applied to hair (best overnight), it will treat dry, damaged or an itchy scalp.

6. Apply to the face for acne treatment, facial moisturizer, make-up remover and to treat diaper rash, eczema, rosacea and dermatitis. Also helps to treat dry hands, feet and elbows... who wants dry elbows???

What non-drug item found in your local grocery store can do all that for around $10??

When you go searching for this "miracle in a jar", look for the following words on the bottle... unrefined, extra virgin and if possible, organic. Brands I have used and like are Nutiva, Nature's Way, and Garden of Life.

So its good to put on the outside and ingest for the inside. Ideas for ways you can take it internally are... for sauteing vegetables, frying eggs, throw in a smoothie, in place of oils in baking, use to make a salad dressing with and I've even read some people drop a spoonful in their morning tea. Anyway you do it, it won't be wrong and it will result in pure goodness for your body. Children can have 1-2 tablespoons a day and for adults, to get the full range of benefits, 3 tablespoons are recommended.

Here's a great smoothie recipe:

1 c. frozen unsweetened strawberries

1 very ripe banana

3/4 -1 c. (or more) almond milk

1 T. EV Coconut Oil

5 ice cubes

Blend until smooth... enjoy!