Healthy Mom! Healthy Life!

What does it mean to me to be healthy.  It is so much more than just exercise and eating right. I want to have healthy relationships with my husband, my sons, my extended family and the people around me (not just friends but the people I met each day).  I also believe you need to have a relationship with Jesus. Without a healthy relationship with Jesus nothing else will be truly healthy either. 

Even in our most disciplined behavior we will stumble. That is why Jesus came to die for us in the first place. We are all sinner s, Romans 3:23 says, for all ^[ahave sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This fact is not to condemn us but to make us realize that we need a savior, that is something only Jesus can provide.  Romans 5:8 states: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. If we trust in him, them and learn about what God expects of us and follow after Jesus then the other aspects of our lives will fall into place.  We will still have struggles and we will still stumble but if we are looking at the goal of becoming like Jesus (by having a relationship with him)  and showing that love to other then we  are moving to a fruitful goal in this life. 

I will leave you with one of my favorite verses:

Philippians 3:12

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Recipe of the week:
This is a slightly modified version of the one found on the Engine 2 diet web page: to see the original check out: http://engine2diet.com/recipe/spelt-blueberry-pancakes/

Wheat and Oatmeal Blueberry Pancakes
Photo from: http://engine2diet.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups oat flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
•  2 tablespoons ground chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk 
• 4 tablespoons applesauce
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups blueberries

Instructions:

Whisk the flours, baking powder, flax meal, and salt together in a large bowl.
Combine the wet ingredients in another bowl.
Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened: it will seem very thin, but it will thicken.
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes (whole wheat flour takes a little longer to absorb liquids). If you can’t wait, your pancakes won’t be as crisp.
After the batter has rested, fold in blueberries.
Heat a dry skillet until a drop of water dances on its surface. Spraying the skillet once should allow for three batches of pancakes.
Ladle a large scoop of batter into the pan. Several pancakes can be cooked at once if you’re using a large skillet.
Cook until the batter begins to bubble and the bottom of the pancake is golden.
Flip and cook on the other side until both sides are golden.

My Big Struggle: Food

 Proverbs 23:2

"and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony".

Ok, let’s face it I have lots of struggles. But for today let’s focus on one, healthy eating. I have been focusing on eating healthy, since becoming an independent Beachbody coach. I have always considered myself a healthy eater, but recently I have seen where one exception has lead to another, and another tell my once healthy diet is now mediocre at best. So I have decided that starting now tell Easter I will be posting about my journey to eat healthy and the changes that I see. Sunday the 17^th, was the first day that I made a commitment to change. Sunday, I had only veggies, Shakeology (limit 2) and fruit. This is going to be the pattern every Sunday tell Easter. All other days I am going to stick to a 99% McDougal plan, this is a vegan lifestyle that involves lots of whole grains and veggies. The 1% cheat is for the Shakeology and minor dairy in baking and chicken broth in soups.  You can follow the McDougall plan at: http://www.drmcdougall.com/free.html

Breakfast this morning: whole grain vanilla waffles.

Here is my tentative meal plans for the week:

Monday:

100% whole grain waffles w/ ½ grapefruit

Garbanzo bean, tomato, avocado, spinach salad

Barley salad with black eyed peas

Tuesday:

 Baked potato with 1 tablespoon ketchup

Tri-color bean salad

Corn and Okra soup

Wednesday:

Wheat berries with fresh fruit

Bean Burritos 

Pasta with peas

Thursday:

Oatmeal bars

Garbanzo bean, tomato, avocado, spinach salad

Spinach rice casserole

Friday:

Whole Grain muffins with fruit

Garbanzo bean, tomato, avocado, spinach salad

Flat bread with Garlic and veggies

Saturday:

Oatmeal Bars

Subway veggie delight Sandwich

Coconut Crusted tofu.

Sunday:

2 Shakeology drinks any veggies and fruit I want. 

SNACKS: everyday but Sunday

Apples with Peanut butter, Celery with Peanut butter, nuts, Air popped popcorn, misc fruit. 

All For the Glory Of God!