Clean Eating

Carmel Fat Bomb

July 18, 2018 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Clean Eating Leave a Comment

As long as the vice of gluttony has a hold on a man, all that he has done valiantly is forfeited by him: and as long as the belly is unrestrained, all virtue comes to naught.

~Pope St. Gregory the Great

Celebrating feast days with a food-related item is one of our favorites. It’s simple, serves a double purpose when it’s the meal, and draws the children in. We try, as much as possible, to limit the “treats.’ We’ve come a long way from our old ways, 2010 was CARMEL Frap with all the sugar and added chemicals. Yikes!

This year we planned to make a Keto Carmel Frap for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She is a namesake for myself and Sparkles. She’s also a family patron.

We ended up scraping the coffee since we waiting to celebrate with Dad and it was too late in the evening. Since everything was already made for the Keto treat, Sweetie put together mini-fat bombs in Dark Chocolate Cordial & Toasting Cups (that my mom found at Raley’s in the natural-food’s clearance section.)

They were so yummy and satisfying, one was enough for everyone.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, ora pro nobis.

ENJOY!

Keto Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tsp of Monk Fruit or 1Tsp of Powdered Stevia (to taste)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

If you just plan on freezing and don’t want it wipped, add your fats.

1/2 cup coconut butter
2 Tbsp coconut oil
Use 1 can (5.4oz) coconut cream instead of the cream. Or cut them both in half for.

Instructions:

Pour all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until you reach a consistency you like. I handheld mixer works fine.
You can store this whipped cream, but it will start to liquefy, so you can freeze it if you don’t plan to use it quickly.

Notes: We recommend filling the cholate cups while the whipped cream is fresh. Then freeze it. Drizzle with Keto Carmel Sauce when you’re ready to serve. They’ll be slightly frozen if you eat right away but it tastes just like a BON-BON. I also keep frozen and scoop with an ice cream scooper. It tastes like Vanilla Ice Cream.

Nutrition Facts for Keto Whipped Cream: 1 serving (makes 40 servings) —

Calories: 40.5|Total Fat: 5g|Cholesterol: 16mg|Sodium: 4mg|Potassium: 25mg|Carbohydrates: 0g|Dietary Fiber 0g|Sugars: 0g|Protein: 0g

Keto Carmel Sauce

Ingredients

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tsp Monk Fruit
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Melt the butter in a small pan and let it cook until golden brown. This will give the caramel a deeper flavor. Be careful not to burn.
Pour in heavy cream and stir until combined. Lower the heat and simmer for a minute.
Add in sweetener of choice, we used erythritol. Let that dissolve for a minute. Add a pinch of salt as well. If you’d like to make salted caramel, add more salt.
Let it cook until you see it getting thicker and stickier.
If you see your butter and cream are separating, you can pour the mixture in a wide-mouth mason jar and mix with a handheld blender to help them combine.
Once it has been transferred to a glass container, continue to stir while it cools and thickens more to ensure your sauce is not two layered.
To use right away, pour over your dessert of choice! You may also refrigerate the caramel for later use, but it will harden and will need to be softened to be pourable/dippable.

MACROS PER 2 TABLESPOONS (makes 4): 163 Calories |17g of Fat|0g of Protein|0.5g of Carbs

Postpartum Health & Fitness

April 23, 2013 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Baby, Clean Eating, Fitness, Health, Postpartum, Wellness Journey 10 Comments

Bouncer at 8 weeks 12.5+lbs

I’m currently 8 weeks postpartum. The homebirth was wonderful. In fact it was my shortest labor yet, only 18 hours. The problems didn’t surface until after the delivery. According to a friend (mom of 7), I have officially joined the “sisterhood of mom’s of large babies.” Trust me, this is one sisterhood that you do not want to join.

I now suffer from pubic symphysis separation (PSS) due to the labor of BabyG3.

Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) is a condition that affects pregnant and/or postpartum women. The symphysis pubis is a joint in the very front part of the pelvic bone structure. There is cartilage that fills the gap in the bones. During pregnancy, hormones such as relaxin soften this cartilage allowing the pelvic bones to be more flexible for delivery. Some women, however, have too much play in the pelvis causing a large gap between the bones. This makes the symphysis pubis area extremely sensitive to touch. The pain is a result of separation of the symphysis pubis.

SPD causes pain in the front of the pelvis when touched. You may also feel pain in the lower abdomen, hips, inner thigh and groin areas. Marked increased pain with activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting your legs, or any other large movements involving the pelvis are key symptoms. You may even experience a clicking type noise with movement as well.

SPD is most often a a temporary situation and one that will resolve itself once the cartilage softening hormones decrease. Although there is no “cure” and it cannot be prevented in subsequent pregnancies, it does not mean that you will automatically experience SPD each pregnancy or birth.

In addition, my back felt as though it was broken in several places for the two weeks after delivery. I was in P-A-I-N. The pain was far greater than I’ve experienced with the previous five pregnancies, labors, and postpartum. It was borderline disabling. I was in so much pain that I actually took heed to the medical advice that was offered – bed rest, no excessive stair climbing, and wait the full 4-6 months before returning to active exercise. NO excessive stair climbing, how is that even possible when I live in a two-story home and have little ones? Active exercise for me at this time includes anything more than a short walk at a pace that puts me in a sweat. The advice was given by a midwife who appreciates that I am open to life and will most likely have more babies. She informed me that the relaxin, a key player to my aliment, will continue to be produced in my body for up to 4-6 months. The ultimate goal is to allow my body to properly recover from a major life event, labor & delivery, so I do not have to live with long-term crippling pain and all it’s ramifications.

Taking things slow postpartum is not easy for me. I “bounce back” rather quickly from labors and almost always have returned to my pre-pregnancy routine within days of delivery. I believed that I was an exception and was eager and willing to forgo the necessary recovery that is recommended for new moms. I strongly believe that many of my current aliments (in addition to those listed in this post) stem from pushing myself too hard too soon postpartum. I was warned but I’ve learned the lesson the hard way.

Praise God that I had improvements at around three weeks postpartum. I’m sure the bed rest and resisting a desire to return to my normal routine as I have done with previous babies helped the healing process.

I began to walk at four weeks postpartum for a min of 15min. once a week. This amount of exercise is not impressive unless you have experienced any related pubic symphysis issue. It has been humbling for me, to say the least. I logged one of my first postpartum “workouts” in my DailyMile and was reminded of where I left off a little over a year ago, a high-intensity workout. It’s been another opportunity for me to ditch my all or nothing tendency.

Recently I took a 1.78 mile walk. I strapped on the baby (all 12.5lbs. of him) in a front carrier and headed to the clubhouse for a swim team meeting. The walk may have set me back. I must admit that I made several mistakes during my walk. My first mistake was leaving 20min too late to make the start of the meeting. My second mistake was trying to speed-up to compensate for my late start. I was not ready for an increase in pace. It compromised my foot strike and caused blisters. The third mistake was to put on shoes, thinking it would ease the blistering and help me speed up. Instead, the shoes caused immediate back & IT pain. As if that weren’t enough, my pain returned from my PSS. I was somewhat of a wreck.

I’ll have to scale back a bit and get some quality recovery before heading out again. Also, I will most likely not be carrying Baby G in the front carrier for long walks.

I’ll continue to dial in my eating and nourish my body with real food.

pictured from left to right: short-ribs with quinoa berry salad and roasted asparagus. sweet grapefruit. eggs with salsa and avocado. mixed eggs, salsa, and avocado. bruschetta chicken. baked cheese tomatoes. apples and chicken. ground turkey with homemade taco seasoning with lime cilantro rice, homemade guacamole and salsa. steak salad with feta, avocado, and homemade dressing.

ALL FOR!

Kombucha Tea

March 20, 2012 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: 7 Day Challenge, Clean Eating, Drink, Lent, Probiotic Leave a Comment

I’m grateful for a little blog encouragement. Michele introduced me to the 7 Day Challenge. I needed another re-start and have gladly accepted the challenge. I’ve applied to the challenge to my physical Lenten program.

Today was Day 1 for me since Monday was the feast of St. Joseph, also known as dad’s day in my home. I was called to a day of prayer and fasting for healing and reparation. I share that with others only to give glory to God. It is through fasting and prayer that I am brought closer to Him. His grace is poured over me at my times in the desert.

I have said it many times before, this journey that I have been brought to is much more than physical. I desire a complete healing if it is His will for me. Most of of all, I desire to completely and joyfully surrender to Him. I must keep my eyes on Him, for I can do nothing without His grace.

—

Up until now I have eliminated many items from my diet and that of my family’s. I have been gearing up to add nutrient dense items back into our diets. I’m fighting my nature and trying to take it slow. I don’t want to become overwhelmed or zap what little energy I currently have. Instead, I want to enjoy the process of restoring my health and patiently follow His lead. I do it all in prayer.

My most recent addition to my diet has been kombucha tea.

Kombucha is a living health drink made by fermenting tea and sugar with the kombucha culture. The result can taste like something between sparkling apple cider and champagne, depending on what kind of tea you use. It’s not what you’d imagine fermented tea to taste like.

Many of the benefits reported include improvements in energy levels, metabolic disorders, allergies, cancer, digestive problems, candidiasis, hypertension, HIV, chronic fatigue and arthritis. It ‘s also used externally for skin problems and as a hair wash among other things. ~ Seeds of Health

I started brewing kombucha at the start of Lent. I had planned for my kombucha to brew for 20-25 days but decided to cut it short in efforts to kick-start my Lenten program renewal – 7 day Challenge. My kombucha brewed for 15 days.

I started my kombucha with a scoby that was gifted to me by a friend from church. It’s been fun to have another family at my parish who gets what I am trying to do for myself and family. But I digress, I followed the recipe found at Cultures for Health and my team (Dad, Rose and I) watched their video – How to Make Kombucha Tea.

Little is needed to brew kombucha.

The process was much easier than I had anticipated.

I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of kombucha tea. It was not as vinegar-like as I had anticipated it to be. I will definitely be having a glass or more a day. As for my kids, the reviews are mixed.

Can you guess who likes it and who doesn’t?

Like: Sweetie – 6 and Dragonfly – 20 months

Dislike: Sparkles – 8

Tolerate: Rose – 16

Absentee: Papi – 4

(He is still dramatized by his bout with organic apple cider. I have the children drink small amounts of ACV on a regular and as-needed basis. Papi must have experienced temporary amnesia because he demanded that he be served more. Dad honored his request. Papi was thrilled that he was being allowed to have juice. He downed the ACV without a breath in his flurry of excitement. I’m not sure how long it will take for him to recover from that episode.)

I plan to add the kombucha tea to smoothies, dressings, and anything else that I can think of. I also, have plans to flavor my kombucha tea. My second batch is brewing as I type.

Getting the Kids on Board

February 25, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Clean Eating, Education, Kids in the Kitchen, Lent, Resources

I knew that my family needed another push in the way of healthy eating so I used a gift card to purchase Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship. The book was intended to excite children about a healthy lifestyle of eating fresh, whole, unprocessed foods.

Piper, Phoenix and Parker are not ordinary children, they are super heroes that travel the land helping other children learn about living the healthiest, most exciting, most super lives possible. They are known as The Paleo Pals, and this is a story about how they help out Jimmy, a little boy who is not sure if eating paleo food is even one tiny bit exciting or super. Climb into the carrot rocket ship, travel to brilliant green farms, and live Jimmy’s exciting adventure with Piper, Phoenix and Parker, The Paleo Pals!

It’s always my goal to teach my kids why we do what we do, whether it be our faith, dress, daily diet, or etc… It’s important to me that their hearts and minds be cultivated to discern what is good and pleasing in all areas of their lives.

I had managed to educate them the best I could since the start of our clean eating. I would simplify what I was learning to guide them in our journey to a restoration of health and optimal nourishment. They began to question the food that was being offered to them by friends and family, politely declining when needed. They even became pro-active and would pack their food for outings. My kids truly desire to eat what is good for them. Still, I find it necessary to step up their nutrition education.

My husband and I found it fitting to incorporate nutrition into our Lenten Plan – Health & Fitness. Dad began reading Paleo Pals to the kids during afternoon snack on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. He will continue to read it throughout the first part of Lent since it is rather lengthy for the littles to get through in one sitting.

I have enjoyed listening to the reading sessions and seeing my kids excitement. They are thrilled to see other children eat the way they do. The boys are especially tuned in to the superheroes. There are challenging words and concepts, none of which are foreign to my children. I did find the book to be a bit on the propaganda side, at times. Dad and I take the time to discuss the images and story line.

the littles snacked on their carrot rocket ships – organic carrots fresh from the farm.

There has also been an opportunity to discuss other issues such as attitude, obedience to your parents, giving thanks for what you have, table manners, and other things of the like. Dad and I have woven in our faith so that the littles can better appreciate why we are choosing to eat the way we are – to glorify God with all that we have, given the means that we have! ALL FOR!

~~~

my littlest guy has been making some great improvements. he is slowly venturing away from his pureed squeezies. wednesday it was carrots and friday it was fish mixed up in shredded cheese, of course. we’re taking baby steps!

‘Food’ Purge

February 24, 2012 by JOYfilledWELLNESS Filed Under: Clean Eating, The List, Wellness Challenge 3 Comments

It’s Day 3 for the Wellness Challenge in my home. The pantry and fridge are in need of a quick purge. I have allowed some items in that don’t belong. I did so out of convenience and celebration of a feast day—what was I thinking? I’m offering it up and moving on!

I will be using this check list below to get my pantry back in order.

Wellness Mama Challenge – Purge the Pantry

As a general rule, if it comes in a package, box or bag, it counts
If it contains grains, sugars, chemicals, ingredients you can’t pronounce or has a color that doesn’t exist in nature… it counts
If feeding it to a small animal could induce a diabetic coma… it counts
If it says “low-fat” or “Heart healthy whole grains” – it definitely counts
If it is in a can and has ingredients other than fish (tuna, sardines, etc) or vegetables- it counts
If it is an oil that comes from a food that does not produce an oil when squeezed (corn, soybean, canola, etc) it counts

As long as the vice of gluttony has a hold on a man, all that he has done valiantly is forfeited by him: and as long as the belly is unrestrained, all virtue comes to naught.

~Pope St. Gregory the Great