Adventures in Eating: The Joy of Juicing

Hello again. Just wanted to update you on the liquid diet.

The last two days were not so good. I had lots of food. I mean LOTS of food. We had Zoe dedicated at church on Sunday and we had a fellowship lunch after the service. I ate alot there. Then of course yesterday was Memorial Day and we had some friends over for BBQ. So I ate alot yesterday too. Who can pass up BBQ on a holiday? Come on...

Well needless to say I was very sick last night and it just reaffirmed why I have to continue on this path.

A sweet friend of ours let us borrow her juicer and I juiced for the first time today. It was DELICIOUS! I juiced 2 apples, a few handfuls of spinach and about ten baby carrots. It didn't look pretty but it was so good!

No pics for this one though, sorry maybe next time. I can't wait to try to juice more! If I keep this up, I may want to invest in a juicer for our household. The benefits are great!

Adventures in Eating: No Ice Smoothie

Since this liquid diet is in effect that means smoothies for breakfast.

We had a small bag of tropical fruit blend in our freezer and I thought I would give it a whirl. Har har.

Easy No Ice Smoothie Recipe
1 small bag fruit (I used mango, papaya, strawberry mix)
1/2 cup almond milk (for the lactose intolerant)
3/4 cup orange juice (I'm technically not supposed to have this on my new diet but we did not have apple juice)
1 1/2 cups of water
A pinch of raw sugar or applesauce for a little extra sweetness

Turned out really great! I have to make a store run tomorrow for more ingredients and produce for the juicer.

Adventures in Eating: Gastroparesis and Reflux

Yesterday I had an endoscopy. I have had digestive issues my whole life. A few years ago I went to countless doctors for answers and after about a year of testing and no answers, I quit. No more doctors I said! I was tired of being a pin cushion with nothing to show for it.

Well with a recent diagnosis one of my friends received, I decided to try one more time. I talked to a new doctor and he scheduled me for an endoscopy.

After all was said and done, I have an answer! I have gastroparesis and reflux. Gastroparesis is when the smooth muscle of the stomach does not move your food through to your intestines the way it should. Basically what I ate yesterday could still be in my stomach today. GROSS!!!! and most of the time painful. Coupled with that is severe chronic reflux. Basically heartburn 80-90% of the time. Hooray!!! (Hooray for diagnosis, not actually having it.)

So now I have put myself on a liquid diet for two weeks to see if I can get those muscles moving more efficiently and the doctor prescribed a high dose Zantac twice a day. And there is a LOOOONNNNG list of foods I have to avoid from now on. BUMMER! I love food =(

A sweet friend of ours loaned us their juicer while I'm doing this. So that means I will post some pics and recipes of different juices I'm trying.

Here's hoping this works.

Adventures in Eating: Outtakes Pt. 1

I thought I would share some random pics with you from Zoe's adventures in eating. These are the pictures that are not quite main post worthy, but too cute to get rid of.
The "Really?" face. She is so expressive.
Oh the unfortunate-ness of this picture. I love it cause it's so sleepy and weird. Hahahah! Of course this was caught in mid blink or she was about to sneeze, I can't remember which. But it's too funny to delete!
And this one is just preciousness. Love this little girl. Check back later today for another post regarding my adventures in eating.

Adventures in Eating: Avocado Yumminess

So we started avocado yesterday. We were too busy to take pics, but we got some today. Zoe is ready!
Ummmm, what's this? She made a sour face at first that I didn't get to get a photo of =(
Avocado dribble on the face. Hey give that back! It's mine! She was a fan of the avocado. We decided to just be in the diaper so that it would make it easier to clean up afterwards. She gets super messy. It's adorable, but lots of laundry after. She has her rice cereal feeding at night now that we know she isn't allergic. It fills her up for the night and she sleeps beautifully! It's pretty wonderful.

Have a great week!

Adventures in Eating: Two Feedings a Day

Daddy got in the rice cereal adventure yesterday and got to feed Zoe with a spoon for the first time. I just love how they love each other! Zoe get's this look in her eye when she sees her Daddy and it melts my heart.

She is so cute covered in food!
She keeps trying to "help" when we are feeding her by grabbing the spoon and "guiding" it to her mouth.
Then she grabbed the spoon away from Daddy. And fed HERSELF!!! WHAT???? She is only 4.5 months!!!!

And then looked at Daddy for approval.

She is now up to two rice cereal feedings today. I am going to make avocado puree today and freeze it, so in a few days we can add avocado to the mix. I hope she likes it... Oh and if anyone is curious, she is eating Gerbers Organic Brown Rice Cereal. Have a great day!

Adventures in Eating: Easy Organic Chicken Noodle Soup

Hello all, I'm cooking dinner and thought I would share one of my favorite quick recipes (well quick to assemble that is).

Easy Organic Chicken Noodle Soup (for 2)
1 Lrg. Container Organic Chicken Broth
2 Cubed Natural Chicken Breasts
1/2 lb Organic Baby Carrots (whole or diced)
3 Stalks Organic Celery (diced)
Enough Organic Wheat Pasta for Two (not sure how to measure that yet, we seem to always have a ton, lol)
3-4 cups of water (most of this will evaporate and you will need plenty of liquid for the noodles)
Salt and Pepper to taste (I like to use garlic salt because I love me some garlic! YUM!)

Basically throw all the ingredients minus the pasta in a pot on medium high heat on the stove and let cook for 40 minutes. You will cook for about an hour total. When the 40 minutes are up, reduce heat to medium and put in the noodles and cook another 20 minutes. Each noodle is different. Egg noodles take about 10 minutes. Regular noodles take 15 minutes. Wheat noodles take a bit longer from 15-20 minutes.

Then ladle and serve. Goes great with French bread!

Hubster gave it 4 out of 5 stars. He said it was a little salty (which I love). Need to try to reel it in on the garlic salt... =\ But overall it is a favorite in our house.

Adventures in Eating: Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron: Review 1

I have been reading this book for just a short time so I am not all the way through it. I have basically gotten too the part of feeding your baby before the age of 6 months. I believe I will do this review in parts as I read for each age level.

Thus far, it has great tips on how to feed your baby before the age of 6 months and what are some good starter foods. One of Zoe's first foods (other than rice cereal) is going to be avocado then moving onto sweet potatoes. Both these foods are more easily digested by a baby's immature digestive system.

We are liking this book and all the great nutritional information and insight it is providing. I would recommend it to any new mom!

Adventures in Eating: Welcome!

Hello anyone who may read this blog... possibly no one. In that case, I'm talking to myself. Which is totally ok.

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle our family's journey to healthy eating and living. We have the desire to transform our lives through God given food and to take the step away from packaged foods.

I will periodically share our stories and pictures of what we are up to. Some other things you will find here: recipes, long term food storage, gardening, food prep, exercise, and anything else that comes we feel led to share.

Hope you enjoy!

Adventures in Eating: Firsts

For my first post on this blog, I will share my daughters first rice cereal experience. Hey why did you stop with the bottle and put me in the bumbo? Oh well I can smile at you from here!

Wait... What is this? I'm so confused.

Huh?

Here it comes again? Ok guys... Am I being punked? You're joking right?

Totally messy baby. Love it!

Hey this rice cereal isn't half bad. And the spoon thing is kinda fun too!

YAY! Again!And Daddy got to be home for the entire thing! I'm telling him all about what a big girl I am.

I will be back in a little while with a few more posts. We are going to wait 4 days to up her rice cereal intake to two meals, then another 4 and introduce avocado! I have a feeling this adventure in food is going to be fun.