Growing Pains

“Mommy I want to wear it, I want to wear it Noooowwwwww,” my Juno wails tears exploding down both cheeks. We’re about 20 minutes into this performance and  I’m kind of blind-sided. Before we left the store I thought me and my 3 year old had a totally legitimate discussion about not wearing her Halloween costume until Halloween.

The second we get into the car I find myself in the midst of total toddler meltdown. I have a teensy-weensy wiggling feeling in the back of my mind that buying a princess dress from the store and being able to wait two entire weeks to wear it might be a trifle more challenging for a three year old than I had first anticipated.  Somehow I thought she would be totally satisfied to hold the box containing the princess dress in her hands, admire it while fondly anticipating the day she would make her entrance as Princess Juno at her Halloween Party.

Okay I was acting totally, completely, utterly cray. Was I drunk? high? insane?

That aside by now we are about 20 minutes into this full-scale meltdown and I’ve never seen anything like it. I expect it to subside in about 10 minutes and cheerio we can go home and have a hot chocolate but no cigar. I‘m extremely tempted to give in at this point but my higher self prevails and I realize to do so would go against the advice of every parenting book every written; I envision myself being publicly dunk-tanked by Super Nanny.

In desperation I contemplate distractions I can offer: playdo, painting, tablet, tap dance anyone? Should we go for lunch? Would it be wrong if I let her wear the dress for just today?

Yes.

At this point the decibel level is really starting to grate on me and with each new wail I feel my emotional tank slowly draining; I briefly envision myself running far, far away……very, very fast. I think of the chocolate bar I have hidden from my husband deep in the freezer.

Its really hard to let those we love most in the world feel pain.We live in a world where there are literally thousands of distractions from uncomfortable emotions; we have tablets, cell phones, games, apps, fast food, wine, cheap toys and of course there’s always Netflix. Instinctively as parents we want to protect our children from all possible hurt.

But its completely inevitable that our kids are going to have letdowns and if we always distract them from their uncomfortable emotions how will they ever become resilient adults ready to take on life’s challenges instead of always seeking to avoid possible hurt in every circumstance.

My daughter continues to sob “I want to wear it” over and over for probably about 100 more times. I breathe through it allowing her to feel the full depth of her pain with every shaky sob.  When she awakens  I know the first words out of her mouth will be “I want to wear the dress,” but she will want it a little less. She will have processed her disappointment instead of being unable to withstand the pain of it.

And at the end of the day just having this experience together is the most valuable thing we could do together. We’ve each grown a little; it usually hurts a bit.

You know how you always feel a bit better after a good cry? Well in this moment I find myself wrapped in gratitude instead of discomfort. I hope we will have many more moments, exactly like this. In fact, I find myself looking forward to it.

The Home and Happy Housewife

Delicious Sugar-Free Banana Pancakes with Date Syrup

So the Sugar-Free Battle? Am I winning the WAR (and people its like a real war zone here let me tell you)? Sugar gave meaning to my day; it was like that little treat I looked forward to consistently each day so I seriously felt like I did when I had to quit smoking with my firstborn...total withdrawl - yeah it was bad people.

I won't say that there haven't been weak moments; I won't say I haven't succumbed to temptation and had the odd bit here and there (like an unfinished child's ice cream cone - oh yeah I did the that). However overall I have made a drastic transformation in the amount of sugar I consume. How hard it has been has convinced me what a drug sugar is. The first week is the hardest and then it gets easier and easier.

However you have to find something to substitute. The hard part for me is in the middle of the afternoon and the evening. I make a half pitcher of vegetable juice with a bit of fruit and greens in it. This makes me feel super-powered. You want to change your habits you need to find a substitute whether it is drinking water or fruit juice, chewing gum, painting toenails, etc. And you have to keep it up for 30 days because that is how long it takes to change your habits. And you gotta keep moving forward and get over your messups and mishaps. Just try to do better the next day!

So that being said my sugar-free recipe of the week is pancakes! Yay! Who doesn't like them some pancakes?

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I make a big batch of these with "help" from kids and we put a piece of saran wrap in between each one and throw them in a zip-lock into the freezer for a quick microwaveable breakfast during the week (Not the best but hey you gotta give youself some leeway for those weaker mornings during the week). My recipe uses barley and whole wheat flour and doesn't sacrifice any of the fluffy factor of white flour.

Going sugar-free myself has meant big changes in the amount of sugar my kids consume in their diets as well as mine - and that is that little carrot that keeps me going!

 Sugar Free Barley Whole Wheat Pancakes with Date Syrup

1/2 cup barley flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP baking powder
1 pureed mashed banana
2 eggs
1 cup soy milk(or milk or milk substitute)
2 TBSP coconut oil(or grapeseed or other light oil)
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch nutmeg

1) Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg.
2) Beat eggs and mix together with milk, banana, oil and vanilla.
3) Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until mixed together
4) Heat pan over medium heat with 1 TBSP coconut oil or other oil or butter.
5) Cook until bubbles appear and then flip.
5) Puree 1/2 cup dates with just enough water to allow it to mix into a syrup like paste.
6) Serve pancakes with date syrup.

I'm not saying this is I-HOP quality, but it is seriously a pretty delicious recipe if you are going sugar-free. Kids love love loved it too!!! Did I mention I'm down two pounds this week?

xoxo

The Home and Happy Housewife

Amazing Sugar Free Banana Bread Muffins - Yum!

These Muffins are deeeelish and frankly they're getting me through the HARD HARD sugar free-times right now; they're my crutch. They are totally sugar free without any stevia, honey or artificial sweetners.  I don't have a problem with stevia generally, but if you start using it to sweeten up everything all the time it just seems like you aren't getting that far from the issue. Good quality raw honey is a good choice for baking and sweetening if you aren't going sugar-free. You can find some good deals on it if you buy it in larger quantities. Always remember that foods in their natural state are great but once you start heating them and processing them and refining them they quickly lose their food value (even so called "natural foods"). And seriously unless you are looking for a dose of cancer please don't use artificial sweetners EVER. 'Nuff Said.

Now back to these delicious muffins. They are  amazing. My entire family LOVES them (include that grinch my anti-health hubby....ha ha...jokes). I just baked them yesterday and they have all been gobbled up. THESE ARE A MUST MAKE: they don't even taste like they don't have sugar in them. So without further ado:

AMAZING Sugar-Free Banana Bread Muffins:

3/4 cup barley flour
3/4 whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 very ripe bananas
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup coconut oil (you can substitute grapeseed oil)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1) Mash your bananas up, blend or mix with the vanilla, egg and coconut oil

2) Mix your dry ingredients including the spices
3) Fold your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until mixed.
3) Spoon into a greased muffin tin or into cupcake cups in a muffin tin (saves scrubbing) - makes about 8.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 21 minutes until just starting to brown on the tops, or do a toothpick test.

EAT, EAT, EAT - try not to eat them all! Yum. Not gonna lie I ate like 5 yesterday. They freeze well and if you have kids these are a great one for them to take to school because they have no nuts!

xoxo

The Home and Happy Housewife

Cheap Raw, Natural, Organic, Vegetarian, Protein Powder - Stop Paying High Prices for "Organic!"

Ever the impure purist, I'm a part-time vegetarian and raw foodist. Ha ha. I do eat meat mostly chicken and turkey but not alot of it and always focus on raw fruits and vegetables in my diet. I married a total meat and potatoes carnivore, so I feel like our household at present is about as healthy as it can get. My hubby has come a looooong way. I don't think I could ask him to give up all meat. Its also an issue of time: its really fast for me to prepare a healthy meal that involves meat and vegetables, whereas vegetarian food does require more preparation  and doesn't meet my protein needs for the kind of training I'm currently doing.

That being said when it comes to my protein I feel that Raw Organic (if possible) Vegetarian Protein is just a cleaner, healthier, more alkaline protein in my opinion. I guess I would consider meat a "dirtier" protein. 

A raw protein like hemp is a complete protein thats really easily digested by your body, ditto for brown rice protein. I love mixing Manitoba Hemp 50 (raw - but not organic)  
<iframe src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=naturalbitch-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00FDQO8K4&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
with Growing Naturals Vanilla Raw Organic Brown Rice Protein <iframe src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=naturalbitch-20&o=15&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00CVVG082&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>

I have searched high and low and compared ALL natural vegetarian brands across the spectrum (Vega, MRM Veggie Delight, Nutiva, Sunwarrior, etc) and this makes the cheapest, healthiest protein I can muster without breaking the bank (lets face it protein is expensive if you are using alot of it). The Growing Naturals is about $50 for 2 lbs but its still coming in slightly cheaper than Vega which isn't raw (about 30%), or entirely organic, and does list a lot of ingredients outside of the basic protein. They both pack about the same protein punch per serving (24 g). My goals here are raw, organic, natural, vegetarian and high protein. I like to have a little bit of flavor to mix with the hemp as the nutty taste can kill you when you are consuming it 3 times a day and I don't always want to mix it with a banana and juice (especially if you are watching carbs at all). I also feel it is good to get a bit of a variety of protein.

The 2.2 kg. tub of Manitoba Hemp that I buy for $60 off amazon is not technically organic but it is really, really affordable. Interestingly enough their website claims: "Our natural products come from seed that’s grown conventionally. No pesticides or herbicides are licensed for use with hemp, so the plants themselves are not sprayed." 

So to my understanding all hemp products in Canada would technically be organic...as no persticides or herbicides can be used according to the law. Good to know, good to know. When looking at hemp products in Canada I guess you don't have to be picky about paying extra for organic. Now theres a life hack that I love! I challenge you to find a cheaper, raw, vegetarian, natural, organic protein with a bit of flavor to it.  If you do, please let me know!

To check out more of my favourite, natural and healthy protein powders at great prices, check out:
http://astore.amazon.ca/naturalbitch-20

xoxo

The Home and Happy Housewife

30 Days No Sugar for a Full-Fledged Sugar Addict

Home Sweet Home Sweet Home Sweet Sugar. I love me some sugar. Hollarrrrr!

 As long as I can remember I've always had a sweet tooth. My Mom always put like a butter tart or hostess cupcake or one of those awesome fruit pies that you buy at the gas station in my lunch (lets face it she was an awesome Mom but not much of a baker). 

When I lived in Vancouver - serious capital of coffee shops with amazing cinnamon buns and ginormous muffins - I truly put on the like the Freshman 25 due to all the temptation that was before me. I was a twiggy kid so I never had to worry about what I was putting in my body until I hit my 20s (I remember eating a chocolate bar, bag of chips and a Fruitopia for breakfast in High School on a routine basis). Suddenly I was this young girl ready to take on the world but my body was sabotaging me....and I couldn't understand it.

Luckily I was able to learn about true health and I was able to reprogram myself to love the taste of healthy foods and vegetables. However to this day I am still a sugar addict. You wouldn't know it - its balanced by my love of working out and nutritious food like salads and protein shakes but put a bag of cookies in my house or a cheesecake and it will disappear, faster than I'd like to admit. I survive by keeping household sweets to minimum but I would say I definetely eat at least one sweet treat (or two!) each day. 

I don't drink, I am a very healthy eater and currently I'm powerlifting (after a stint of crossfit) which has brought some amazing changes to my body, but I'd really like to see how I look and feel without sugar. Recently I read Cameron Diaz's book "The Body Book" which is fabulous. 

Its really no-nonsense and common sense and just gives you a wake-up call like "Hey I know I'm a Hollywood celebrity but I don't look like this purely due to genetics. I actually don't eat crap. I eat to fuel and respect my body." She eats meat, and whole grains and fruit, but very minimal sugar (no artificial sweetners which skew your sense of what sweetness should actually taste like), lots of vegetables, good fats, lots of protein - but proper portions of meat, no carbs late in the day, fruit for sweet tooth cravings. She packs her own food everywhere so she'll be prepared (like we're talking cold rice and beans in tupperware). I always had this vision of Hollywood celebrities getting to eat at really awesome restaurants all the time and having personal chefs whipping up amazing food, swigging back champagne. 

Not so, not so. They have to work hard and they brown bag it just like the rest of us.

So hey I'm not saying I'll never hork back a ginormous piece of cheesecake again in my day but lets try this and see where it leads. 30 days no sugar for a full-fledged sugar addict (and I’ll throw in no eating after 7:30 just for fun). I'll take before and after pics(did I really just say that?) and keep you posted. If you want to jump on board send me a shout out in the comments. Be prepared: I expect some weak and dire moments. And you know misery loves company.

xoxo

The Home and Happy Housewife.

Quick Recap 

1) No sugar (this includes white breads and pastas as well, because these are immediately turned into sugar when you eat them. I won't exclude fruit because it isn't the same as refined sugar)
 2)No food after 7:30 p.m. in the evening.

Thats it!

WEEK SO FAR

Day 1: No sugar, however piece of late night cheese. Bahahahaha...its true! 
Day 2: No sugar, however ate after 7:30 p.m. - so far the late nite eating is killing me! Tonight I will succeed!

Why Its Time To Check Out Crossfit!

A Better Butt than This! (Freephotos.net)

1) The Butt You've Always Wanted: People who crossfit have the best derrieres. Just Sayin'.

2) Christmas Abbott - be you guy or girl, She's Hot. Nuff said (google it).

3) Get out of Your Cardio Rutt (I don't mean to call you out but we both know its not working). Stop spending hour upon boring hour on the treadmill trying to kill calories and start getting in shape sister!

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4) Personal Training - without paying someone the big bucks; A new challenging workout every day with an entire community to motivate you.

5) Its Addictive. Ever had that problem before....Being addicted to your exercise program?

6) Theres No Excuses. You can do a crossfit workout at home or on the road with little to no equipment. 

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7) Break Through Your Plateaus. You will always make gains with crossfit. You will also almost always be sore (but thats how you know its working).

8) You will Eat Better. You just will. You didn't work that hard doing 150 wall balls to go out and down a double cheeseburger or eat half a cheesecake at 10 p.m.

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9) You'll stop weighing yourself and start counting how many burpees and double unders you can do

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10) The Group Dynamic: you will always push yourself harder in a crossfit class than you will doing the same workout that you've been doing every day for the last 3 months. I guarantee it.

"Gee Doris I've been doing my workout every day. How come its not working?"(Freephotos.net)

11) You'll do things you never thought possible. You will see a workout written on a board. It will seem impossible. But you will do it. Because it is written (and hey you can't exactly leave halfway through).

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12) Guy or Girl, It will make you feel powerful to Lift Big

13) You will have the Best "Crossfit High."

14) You will be in the Best Shape of your life (while likely spending less overall time working out!)

Check out Crossfit. It Rocks!

The Home and Happy Housewife

Suck It Up, and Down a Green Smoothie!

Over Christmas we watched a number of documentaries including "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" which I definitely recommend. The star of the film sat on a precipice - he could change his eating habits and live, or continue on his path and die young. What struck me about the film was the sense of entitlement to eat shitty food. Many of those interviewed felt that they would rather eat crappy food and die young leaving behind children and spouses because they were unwilling to change their habits, because it took too much willpower to be healthy and they were somehow ENTITLED to eat crappy food (this sense of entitlement that you see everywhere in the Western world may be at the heart of the obesity epidemic we are battling!)

The overweight man embarked on a 60 day juice fast - pretty extreme but by the same token what he had done to his health was pretty extreme as well and really did call for some drastic measures. Nothing but juice for 60 days! It made me feel appreciative of my own health, and also reminded me that it probably wouldn't be that painful for me to throw in a couple of green smoothies a day - that maybe didn't taste the greatest (by that I mean on par with a booster juice or your favourite protein shake recipe) but that were super-good for me.

I already eat a ton of vegetables but this spot-shot of extra green and protein goodness is a great addition to my diet, very affordable and awesome for the Mom on the run. Plus if I eat a crappy dinner or have an overindulgent day I feel I can redeem myself by upping my green smoothie quota.

Cheap Raw Food Green Protien Smoothie:

Basic Recipe

1 small gala apple
1/2 cup apple juice
2 - 4 TBSP raw pumpkin seeds
3 spears celery 1/2 cucumber
2 cups + of greens of your choice
sprinkle of sea salt

There are many variations on the greens: kale, swiss chard, spinach. I pack as many in as I can fit. I always add a couple of spears of celery and up to a full cucumber if I have it on hand to make it more filling (sometimes I thicken it up with some avocado). Then for sweetness I usually use about a 1/2 cup of flash pasteurized apple juice (not the greatest, but its a conduit for all this other great stuff and it really is super-quick and convenient). The sprinkle of sea salt is key, sounds counterintuitive but it actually acts to sweeten up the whole shake (like a shake of salt in oatmeal).Then I put in about 2 - 4 TBSP of raw pumpkin seeds, or another great source of raw protein.

On a SIDEBAR - RAW PUMPKIN SEEDS - one of the greatest and cheapest sources of raw protein that ever lived. About 18 grams of protein in 200 calories of seeds! That beats even hemp which is also an amazing source of raw protein and super-energizing, chia seeds and flax come next. I think its great to include a range of protein sources - plus all of these seeds have great health benefits. If you are always making the same smoothie with say kale and hemp seeds you are mono-dosing yourself with nutrients. Its like my skin care regimen - some days I use coconut oil other days, olive oil, sometimes argon oil - it pays to mix it up so that you are getting different things from different sources (on a sidebar coming next, my complete, natural, DIY, home skincare regimen!)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy my green smoothie recipe. If you are having trouble motivating yourself remember, at least you don't have to drink nothing but juice for 60 days! Suck it up! Your health will thank you.

Cheers,

The Home and Happy Housewife