"You is smart...You is beautiful...You is loved"

What a beautiful day today was!  I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend and got out today to enjoy the gift God gave us today in the form of His perfect creation. Today I was blessed enough to experience one of those "perfect days".  You know the kind I'm talking about?  The kind where from the minute you wake up and set your feet on the floor you just know that each step is going to bring you to a barrage of blissful moments that eloquently knit together a day that can neither be repeated nor topped. I know you've had to have had one, and if you haven't, I'll pray you do soon because its just the sort of day that reminds you how incredibly loved you are by your Creator.

My day began by making a delightfully delicious breakfast for my mom and sister consisting of Coconut flour pancakes with a homemade cinnamon strawberry syrup (no sugar) along with some yummy spinach scrambled eggs and fresh sliced avocados.  Really?! Who can't have a perfect day after that?  As soon as we finished breakfast we headed out. On our way out we happened to pass my favorite lil' farmer's stand and they just happened to have mammoth zuccini's and other produce.  Perfect!  Look at the bounty we collected for only $4.75!

Cannot wait to make some awesome zucchini bread, muffins, cake, and linguini! I'm telling you, buying local is the way to go.  Those mammoth (and I mean MAMMOTH) zucchinis were only $.75 a peice! The cucumber was $.40, the banana peppers were $.20, and the little green pepper was $.40. Couldn't beat it!

After picking up some lovely produce we headed to the Missouri Botanical Gardens and I could not think of a more perfect sunny day to do it. We had never been there but definitely fell in love with it as soon as we walked in...(we even became members haha).  The Japanese Festival was going on this weekend there as well so we were able to take in the last few moments of that.  Lots of food, vendor booths, exhibits, and more. The grounds are absolutly gorgeous and I could not believe how HUGE this place is. If you've never been I definitely suggest you check it out! (I'll post pics as soon as my lovely sister downloads them :) )

We had decided earlier to see a movie but decided to eat dinner at home before going.  Mom had the awesome idea of cooking a crockpot Italian Beef so that when we got home everything would be ready to go. One of my FAVORITE things is walking into the house and smelling Italian Beef simmering in a crockpot and well, I got that today! Along with the Beef mom made a homemade coleslaw (with healthy dressing made by yours truly) and we paired it all with some great green beans.  Dinner was finished off with my sister's amazing black bean chocolate cake (tastes JUST like regular chocolate cake.  You'd never know it was beans.  No texture difference!).  So how could the day possibly get any better?

Add The Help.

This movie was so fantastic that I cannot even begin to assign it words that would apptly capture how much I loved it.  I laughed, cried, was moved, and inspired.  I thought the way the relationships were constructed was absolutely beautiful and tugged at my heart more than once. What was great was to be able to see it with a wonderful group of women I care so much about, my mom, sister, and Mary! Nothing better than seeing a wonderful movie with kindred spirits.

I will say that it's so sad to think that racial discrimination displayed in this movie was from a time not so long ago and what's even sadder is that it still exists in some forms even today.  My heart was broken for the general state of humanity during that time and how it is reflected now.  We've definitely made huge progress but only in so much as we no longer hold domestic slaves...but there certainly are remnants of the attitudes of hate. I choose to live my life color blind and to love people because of who they are and not because of the color of their skin. How about you? If you've seen this movie I would love to hear your feedback as well!



Healthy Ridicule

I was utterly digusted when I saw this story hanging out on Yahoo! News after the VMA's:

Demi Lovato Defends Healthy Weight at Video Music Awards

Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Monday – August 29, 2011 – 2:35pm

Demi Lovato feels beautiful just the way she is, thank you very much.
The 19-year-old singer fought back at critics who ridiculed her healthier, curvier figure on Twitter during Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.
VIDEO: Watch Demi's triumphant return to the stage

"Guess what? I'm healthy and happy, and if you're hating on my weight you obviously aren't," Lovato, who wore a plunging Mandalay mini-dress, wrote.
Twilight actress Ashley Greene, 24, sent Lovato a message of support, reminding the "Skyscraper" singer that she's "beautiful."

"This is why you're my friend," Lovato responded. "Thank you girl."

End.

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Bullied for her weight as a kid, Lovato developed an eating disorder that turned into a lifelong struggle with food. "That's kind of what I've been dealing with ever since," the singer admitted on 20/20 earlier this year. "I was compulsively overeating when I was eight years old. So, I guess, for the past 10 years, I've had a really unhealthy relationship with food."

Disney teen-princess Demi Lovato removed herself from the iconic Disney kingdom last year to enter treatment for a long term eating disorder and self-harm.  It took quite a bit for this young woman to come forward and express her struggle, and not only that, but to also take leave to take care of herself.  She emerged from the chaos dawning a beautiful new self confidence along with a stellar body. Much healthier than her once anorexic frame would suggest, Demi's first public appearance showed her body sporting a curvy effervescence...HOWEVER, in typical media form, she was attacked for having gained, what "Media elite" conferred was too much weight.  So first she's attacked for having an eating disorder and representing a poor body image to her young fans....so she went and got help and got her life back on track and now she's attacked for being healthy and curvacious?!  REALLY?!

Since when did it become the social norm to be ridiculed for being healthy?  I mean, if Demi Lovato is overweight, then I'm a cow.  Just sayin'  This girl, though now at a healthier place, is still like only a size 2-4 and weighs maybe 120lbs....NOTHING about that is overweight.  Our social media, television, printed media, and Hollywood are setting such a scewed standard for what is healthy and beautiful.  It is no wonder that girls as young as 6 years old are developing eating disorders!  These girls are taught that they must live up to an unachieveable standard...a standard that says skinny is beautiful, but not too skinny or you're a freak....a standard that says if you have any meat on your bones your an obese heffer and might as well jump off a bridge.  Rough? How about it's worth than you think. Let me take a moment to count some more celebs that have been subject to the burning light of the "socially acceptable" weight microscope:

-Jessica Simpson (who, by the way, at her largest was a size 8...Not even double digits!)

-Carrie Fischer (Princess Leia herself battled an eating disorder, gained menopause weight, and is now the spokeswoman for Jenny Craig. She lashed out at bloggers "from the bottom of my heart encased in fat" after reading one comment online that said she "used to be hot" but now "looked like Elton John.")

-Kelly Clarkson (one who is actually proud of her weight and laughs at those who criticize her for not being a size 2)

-Cheryl Burke (from Dancing with the Stars fame was nicknamed "Hogzilla" by a harsh critic.  This tight and toned dancer is a mere size 4, maybe smaller now, and looks beautiful!)

-Jennifer Love Hewitt (A self proclaimed size 2 was criticized for a photo of her in a bikini that was less than flattering.  Over the years she's been featured more than once in the "who looks worst in a bikini" stab articles.)

- Kate Winslet (This Titanic actress struggled with weight as a child and was even nicknamed "Blubber" in gradeschool. In my opinion she is one of the most beautiful actresses of my generation and her ability to carry herself so well is so admirable.  She's a perfect picture of the average healthy woman!)

- Mischa Barton (another small actress who is criticized for her "curvy" frame. In reality, she's a small, thin girl.)

- Khloe Kardashian (pegged for being the "chubby" Kardashian sister, Khloe does wear her weight differently than her booty poppin' sister Kim, but is by no means carrying an excessive amount of weight. Poor girl even launched a dangerous diet pill with her sister Kim a few years back but it was removed from the market due to FDA concerns.  'After hearing critics constantly comparing her to her sisters, Kim and Kourtney, she recently spoke out: "I will never look like them. No matter how skinny I am, that body will never be mine." ' She is now married to a beautiful basketball player.)

- Tyra Banks (This "Fierce" supermodel has admitted that though she is no longer in her top form and proudly wear "Spanx" but is thankful for the ability to say that she IS healthy.)

- Serena Williams ('Growing up, "everyone called me fat," she recently told Tyra Banks. "Every paper, the headline was 'fat, fat, fat.'" Even today, "sometimes I read things [that say] I'm too fit or my arms are too muscular, but that's how I am." ')

- Kirstie Alley (A once self-proclaimed "Fat Actress", Kirstie has ridden the rollercoaster of weight difficulties...losing 75 only to gain back 83.  She finally got tired of being the 'butt' of jokes and made a serious committment to her health, forming the health and wellness company "Organic Liason" which features an all-natural healthy drink supplement as well as other such weight loss-aiding components.  Did any of you see her transformation on Dancing with the Stars?  By the end of the show she had lost 30 lbs.  She may not have won the show but she won another battle for sure!)

These names I mentioned don't even begin to cover the gamut of those who have been publically humiliated by the press for carrying a healthy weight. Oh, something else, when I looked up the pictures to use for this post, the keywords that came up with each actresses name was "(insert name) fat". When will we as a people start standing up against these injustices and teaching the upcoming generation what being healthy really means?! It's time to make a change.

Leave me some thoughts!

If You Like Colada

In an attempt to switch things up for dinner tonight I created an Advance-plan-friendly coconut chicken that rocked my world! I thought since I enjoyed it so much I would share the love and give you all my recipe.

Coconut Chicken:

Ingredients:
- Organic free range Chicken Breasts w/ skin (The kind I bought at Whole Foods still had the ribs attached which actually provided extra meat.  It took some maintenance to separate the breast from the ribs but it was worth it!)
-2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 2/3 C. Coconut Flour  (So far I have only been able to find one manufacturer that makes this and it retails for $7.99 at both Whole Foods and Dierbergs. Bob's Red Mill is the name you're looking for)
-1/3 C. Unsweetened Organic Shredded Coconut
-1 Cage Free Egg (can use white or brown.. I currently have brown so that's what I used)

1. Prep the chicken breasts.  If chicken breasts have ribs attached use a sharp serated knife to gently remove meat from rib.  I was able to make the rib meat yield a few extra pieces in addition to the 2 actual breasts in the package.
2. Mix dry ingredients in large mixing bowl, insuring that flour and shredded coconut are evenly distributed.  You may add whatever spices you like to this mixture.  I personally added a Monterey Chicken spice by Weber.
3. Crack egg and place into bowl.  Use a meat basting brush to brush the egg wash onto the chicken breast.
4. Coat egg washed chicken breasts in the dry flour mixture and place into pan coated with coconut oil on medium heat. Cook until brown and crispy!

ENJOY!

I also made a terribly yummy broccoli and cauliflower salad that I'm sure you'll love as well.  The recipe came from the Max Living book but I made my own little creative adjustments.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad:

Ingredients:
1 C. Broccoli Florets
1 C. Cauliflower Florets
2/3 C. Veganaise (You may use regular Mayo but note it does have wheat gluten...hence why I couldnt use it.  Veganaise is carried at most grocery stores and Whole Foods and contains no eggs, gluten, or sugar but tastes just like Mayo, if not better!)
1/2 C. Shredded Cheese (optional)
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (May use red wine or white wine vinegar if you prefer)
1/2 C. Raisins (May use dried cranberries...which I would have but had none on hand)
1 C. Raw Sunflower Seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Clean and prep both broccoli and cauliflower florets and place into large salad bowl.
2. Mix Veganaise and apple cider vinegar into florets until all florets are evenly coated.  Using a spatula to mix works really well!
3. Add raisins, sunflower seeds, cheese, and seasoning.  Mix thoroughly.
4. Place in refrigerator to chill for 20-30 mins or overnight to increase flavor.

SO Yummy!

So here's my grocery store gripe for the day.  I went into Dierbergs tonight after my chiropractic appointment to pick up a few necessities for dinner and more than once went into sticker shock over the price of produce! Some of their prices were reasonable but, can I tell you, they wanted $6.99 for a medium sized container of strawberries, $3.99 for a tiny container of blueberries, and $2 a piece for colored peppers!  I was really blown away.  I guess that's what happens to fruit prices when things start to move out of season.  This is why I love purchasing from farm stands and fruit markets because I can usually get a better bang for my eco friendly buck.  There is a great little stand on Manchester that is set up Tuesday-Sunday in front of the Wonderbread store, right next to Dickie's Bar-b-que.  They are a family owned farm but tend to have great farm stand prices.  Struckmeyers in Fenton is also a pretty good stop and they grow much of their own produce, although some of the produce that ISNT theirs is sold for much higher prices.  My favorite stand, so far, however, is a tiny one right by my house that is set out everyday by this couple who own a farm.  You can literally get a bundle full of things and just put your cash in a little lock box and there you go!  They usually always have huge things of garlic ($.40 each), Eggplant ($.75 each), Zucchini ($.75 each), Banana Peppers ($.15 each), and various tomatoes ($.45-$.75 each).  So convenient and yummy.  The tomatoes I picked up from them last time I went were a beautiful ruby red on the inside and soooo flavorful.  If you live in Fenton this quaint little stand is worth a stop! 

Have any suggestions for reasonably priced organic produce? Let me know!

Even though I walk through the valley of sweets...

I did it!  I made it through the weekend without once succumbing to the temptations of grains, sugars, or caffeine.  Though I was literally faced with a homemade eclair dessert, baked spaghetti, and fried chicken, and pancakes... I fought the good fight and stuck to the plan.  One weekend down... and I think the rest will get easier.

How did I do it you ask?  Saturday morning, instead of having pancakes with the girls (which I can't have obviously) I pre-made a power smoothie to enjoy.. They did end up making some turkey sausage which I had as well with a hard boiled egg.  Lots of good protein!

Power Shake:
-Almond Milk
-Almond Butter
-Flax Seeds
-Full Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
-Handful of Blueberries
-Handful of Spinach
-Ice

For lunch we had an open buffet of veggies, salad and sandwhich fixings and lots of options.  So I made a lovely organic blend salad topped with tuna and veggies with a side of nuts.  Dinner got a bit more interesting when NOTHING that was made was I able to have and options for fixings were limited so, you guessed it, another salad....this time a faux taco (minus the shell and badly processed pseudo-meat) salad with grilled ground turkey, tomatoes, cheese, more veggies, and vinagrette.  Thought life was easy street until a MASSIVE dessert came out and was literally placed right in front of my face.  Are you all for real right now?!  Sometimes the best way to get away from temptation is to run in the other direction.  So needless to say I got up, did my dishes, and went back to work...away from dessert and desert of distruction. After having to eat salad 3 times in 2 days,  I was feeling fairly rabbit like and new I would need to switch something up to survive the next day so I scrounged up some of the leftovers from dishes I had made earlier in the week and made those my lunch and dinner for Sunday.

All in all my first weekend of Green and Clean at work was a success and I'm definitely looking forward to cooking up some delicious offerings this week to be able to have for next weekend as well!

In other news, I couldn't possibly share all of this new journey without introducing you to the team that set me on it.  Everything changed the day I met Dr. Jerod Posey and Dr. Nick Barnes from 212 Degrees of Wellness.  It began as a meeting with Jerod to discuss Mercy's 5K and has turned into a journey to full wholeness and wellness.  212 serves not only as a wonderful chiropractic practice but the Dr's want their patients to not receive a "quick fix" adjustment but a "life fix" adjustment in which the individual achieves healing from head to toe, mind to soul. 212 works in conjuntcion with Maximized Living (which you should totally check out) to bring whole body healing through the 5 Essentials of Wellness.  For more information on the 5 Essentials check out this link!: http://www.212degreesofwellness.com/Health-Essentials/5-Health-Essentials-Overview.aspx

In the time that I've been seeing Dr. Jerod, I have seen a significant decrease in neck pain, tension, fatigue, and overall lag.  I was horrified to find out upon initial exam that I have an extreme reverse curvature in my neck, have subluxations throughout my spine, and have a worsened scoliosis but thanks to Dr. Jerod and some hard work, those things are getting worked out!  On top of the chiropractic services I receive, I also receive incredible insight on all things health related from what I'm putting in my body (Nutrition) to what I'm putting on my body (P.s. your skin absorbs anything you put on it like a sponge...ladies, check out your chemical laiden makeup!) and have learned what it means to live truly healthy.  Being a part of the 212 family means experiencing the care of 2 Doctors who unabashedly answer to the Ultimate Physician and who want nothing more than for their patients to be whole, healthy, and equipt to live a pure life in a toxic world.

Dr. Nick Barnes and Dr. Jerod Posey

In future posts watch for me to be posting insights from Advance Talks (informational seminars put on by the docs on various health and wellness topics), Maximized Living Webinars, and various topics that I am passionate about in this arena.  I cannot even begin to stress how vital chiropractic therapy is to your life.  Did you know that a subluxation in your spine (a deviation in the spinal alignment which causes disruption to the nerve supply of the central nervous system) can cause heart disease, heart attack, stroke, obesity, infertility, high blood pressure, and even sudden death?  When your central nervous system is unable to function correctly, the blood pulsing through your body is unable to make it to the appropriate vital organs as it was created to do, causing all sorts of maladies.  You could be sitting on your couch reading this right now, completely unaware that your body is physiologically "on the ropes".  You don't have to be obese or cancer ridden to be unhealthy and have one foot in the preverbial grave.  And just because you're eating organic and avoiding any sources of high fructose corn syrup does not make you exempt from disease either.  It takes everything coming into alignment and your spine is where it starts.  If you're reading this from the St. Louis area then I have one piece of advice for you... RUN, don't walk, to 212 Degrees of Wellness in Wildwood and allow Dr. Jerod and Dr. Nick to show you the way to a healthier life.  Check out their wonderful website at www.212degreesofwellness.com.  If you do not live in the St. Louis area, check out the Maximized Living website to locate a Maximized Living physician in your area!

A full day/week lies ahead so I must put a wrap on this for tonight but look for an update tomorrow as my sister joins Team Green and Clean tomorrow!

Living the Dream,

Ashlee

First Green Weekend at Work

Working weekends and having NO control over what is being prepared for meals makes living on Maximized Advanced quite a challenge so in an effort to make it work, I am planning ahead. On Fridays I accompany the residents to the mall...which means, you guessed it... MALL FOOD.  Not a lot of options for a woman on a no-grain, no sugar, no junk food kick.  Fortunately my good ol standby, Sarku Japan, was willing to make my "yummy yummy" chicken terryaki WITHOUT the terryaki sauce, completely cutting the sugar.  I ended up with a lovely plate of steamed veggies and grilled chicken.  Crisis averted!

Then came dinner...Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Paninis.  Ok, so I can make the soup work but the carb loaded panninis, not so much.  Instead I made myself a lovely oragnic mixed greens salad with sliced yellow squash, tomatoes, a little bit of tuna, sliced almonds, a little bit of cheese, and topped it off with a great new organic dressing (less than 1g of sugar) that I found (at Walmart of all places!).

So needless to say, I made it work....today.  Kidding! I plan on making it work ALL weekend.  I already know they've planned to have delicious, I mean KRYPTONITE, pancakes for breakfast in the morning. My plan?  Eat BEFORE work.  I might just even make my own Coconut Flour pancakes (as per the Max Living recipe)!  Lunch should be simple as its very light and filled with options like fresh cut veggies, cheeses, tuna, nuts, etc.  Dinner...Unsure.  Will let you know!

I have had quite a few requests for various recipes I have used thus far into my journey and I am more than happy to share! Here's the first for you: Kale Chips!

Kale Chips:
1 Bunch of Kale
1 Tbsp of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Sea Salt (to taste)

-Pre-heat oven to 375*
-Thoroughly wash the kale and dry.  Separate kale leaves from stalk and rip into sizeable pieces.
-Place pieces of kale onto a cookie sheet.  Drizzle pieces with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt (you may sprinkle sea salt on after baking if you so desire).
-Place cookie sheet in oven and back for 10-15 minutes or until kale is lightly crisp.  If you overdo them, even if not to burnt, they will taste burnt....trust me!

Now don't go expecting these to be your guilt free scapegoat from potatoe chips... because, well, they dont taste at all like potato chips and take a few bites to get used to texture and taste but they actually are quite good!  The best place I have found, so far, to get kale in bunches is Whole Foods.  I was able to get a big bunch for $2.50 and didnt even use the whole bunch for the chips.  A few stalks yielded quite a few chips so just keep that in mind!

The finished product. This wasn't MINE per-se, but I liked the way the picture capture the essence of the kale. :P

Well kids, I must say adieu as I am due for another day of this adventure in a few small hours! I pray you are all having a wonderful week.  Try the Kale Chips and let me know your thoughts or suggestions for how they can be further dressed up!

        

      Peace and Greens! - Ash

Going Green... A New Way of Life!

The life of this blog is about to take a dramatic turn.  I have started out on a new journey to health and wholeness and have decided to *gasp* BLOG about it! Many have asked me various questions about what I'm doing and this is my place to answer those.  Many have asked for the recipes I have recently started using and this will be my place to post them. Be assured that I will also post many link to interesting "green living" websites, articles, and more.

 I am by now means an authority on this... I'm simply an everyday woman seeking to live my life to the best of God's glory, which means living as clean and simply as possible.  It's all about treating your body as His temple. He hasn't created us in His image for us to abuse that. Nor has he made our bodies the "temple of the Holy Spirit" for us to go around vandalizing it under the socio-acceptable motto of "live for today because we might not get tomorrow."  We have a a responsibility as human beings, as God's creation, to honor him by honoring our bodies...meaning, we NEED to take care of ourselves! 

This doesn't mean skipping out on fastfood here and there or trading your favorite Coke for a Diet (which is killing you slowly, by the way).  It doesn't mean hitting the gym 2-3 times per month...it doesn't mean doing just enough to "get by".  It means pursuing whole health and wellness, both physically and spiritually, with excellence. Excellence takes work....but nothing that was ever worth having came easily. 

This IS your life.  This IS your moment in time to make a difference.  Are you who you want to be?  If not, guess what?  YOU CAN CHANGE.  Starting right here, right now.  Make a life altering decision to depart from the overwhelming status quo of just existing and join those of us who want our lives to make a difference and who really want to enjoy all the best God has for us.  Join me as I wander out of the high-fructose corn syrup sarcoffagus I've inhabited most of my life and seek the high-quality natural solution lifestyle that will serve as my fighting force against the genetic terrorists I'm faced with (heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, arthritis, lung issues, high blood pressure, and more...bet your family could be found with alot of these as well!).

So here we go friends...into the wild GREEN yonder!  The time for change is now.

Back in Action

I realize that it has been a hot second since I last updated my own blog, so my expectations of anyone reading this are fairly gauged at "low" but am hoping to build this back up.  I have been a bit more focused on Java Journeys with Kacy and have been LOVING it.  If you havent had a chance to visit that blog, please head over and check it out. We visit coffee shops all over St. Louis and review them and can I say, we've had a blast! I think you'd enjoy it. www.javajourneystl.blogspot.com

Between March (my last post) and now not much has been missed.  Infact the only thing of note that happened during this time was Joy's (my mini dachshund) emergency spinal surgery after finding she had a herniated disk in her back.  Her 2 month post-surgery date is swiftly approaching and I'm excited to say that she is doing wonderfully and has regained function in her back legs (she had lost it completely pre-surgery).  She is getting stronger each day.  God has definitely shown Himself faithful in all areas of this situation.

I'm extremely excited and expectant for what God is doing in this season of my life.  I have taken on the planning of the Run for Mercy 5K and Family Run this year and have already been so amazed at what God is doing with me and my team during this process.  I just know that this event will be the biggest in RFM St. Louis history and will move this event into a new exciting place for the years to come. You will most likely hear much about this through the next few months, so bare with me and pray for me!

I have just recently started a Wednesday night Beth Moore study "David: Seeking a Heart Like His" and for any of you that have done one of her studies know that she is just an awesome vessel of knowledge and wisdom on Biblical matters.  She exegites like none other. Her zeal for Truth is inspiring.  I have been so blown away already by this study and am day by day feeling my passion for Truth further burn.  If I could offer any piece of advice to you right now, it would be to dig into Scripture through a study like this.  Allow yourself to step out of your Sunday School comfort zone and be challenged to plunge deeper into His-story.  If you've never done a study, don't be intimidated by the thought of it or think "that's too advanced for me".  If you're faithful to it, He will be faithful to reveal Himself to you in portions that are sized out just for you.

Here's more about this specific study:

I have so much to touch on regarding this study but I am going to end the post here, as I must be getting ready to head to the gym. Can't miss some great stretch in Body Flow (yoga/pilates/tai chi). No lie, this class is my new favorite.  If you live near a Gold's Gym here's what you need to do.  Run, don't walk, to it. Get signed up and head to this class.  They offer it at nearly all Gold's.  Yee are now without excuse. :)

Blessings!