Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

When to Compromise on Healthy Foods??

by 43 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I always try to make my guests feel like I went out of my way to “treat” them to some good home cookin’, but I will let you know that I do compromise a little on some of the ingredients I use when I’m feeding a very large crowd. Hey, when you’re feeding 40 people five different meals within a week’s time, can you expect a girl to make all the mozzarella cheese and tortillas and bread for every meal? 

Also, I’m not always willing to share some of my home-canned produce. I’d run out of our home-canned tomato sauce real fast if I used six jars to make enough lasagna to feed everyone one meal.

Is this selfish of me? Is it wrong of me to compromise? I don’t think so, but you may (kindly) disagree with me. My own family comes first and while I am very willing to share our good, healthy food on most occasions…I know that my resources are somewhat limited. I can’t just run right out and replace our home-grown organic produce once it’s gone. I have to ration it for the year and be wise with how I use it. 

I still use real butter and in general “real ingredients” when I’m cooking for large crowds…I just don’t always whip out my stash of real maple syrup or sucanat.

I find that in general, people are so used to eating processed foods, that even my homemade food made with what I consider to be compromise food is a treat for them. 

I also don’t feel like eating the occasional “less than the best” foods are going to kill my family. We eat very well at almost every meal. Eating the occasional store bought tortilla or white french bread from the bakery is okay. Really, I think it is.

I think that if I felt like I had to feed all of the extra people we feed our grass fed meat and homemade bread made with freshly ground flour…I would probably drop the whole thing and NOT FEED ANY EXTRA PEOPLE EVER. So what’s the trade off? Should I serve others, or be so worried about compromising ingredients that I never serve ever? 

I will say that in our day to day company…the times that we have just a few people over at a time…I DO tend to stick with our normal way of eating and I do it without a problem. We’ve budgeted in extra knowing that we feed a lot of company, therefore I buy extra meat and can/freeze extra produce to accomodate. But that’s just enough for “regular” company. Its a little different when we’re feeding 34 extra people at one time!!

Oh, and I will also admit that during these days that we’re feeding all these extras…we’re using paper plates. :(  I HATE using paper plates (both because of cost and because of waste) but seriously I don’t think I could stay sane if I was washing all those extra dishes. I’m still trying to get through a school day at home too, ya know? I bought a bag of Solo cups, had the girls write their  names on them and we’re using them all week long. And I did NOT buy styrofoam anything…but still. I hate using disposable and I’m doing it anyway. I know my limits.

Alrighty, well this was a choppy and poorly written post. Let’s blame it on the fact that my week is VERY busy and I don’t have time to concentrate or edit. :)

I’d love for you to share your thoughts on when you compromise on healthy foods and when you don’t. And when do you pull out the paper plates? ;)

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Healthy Beverages

by 31 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

simplesteps

I’ve encouraged you to knock out the soda/pop/coke…whatever you call it. I’ve encouraged you to drink more water. But is there anything you can drink besides water that isn’t bad for you?!

First, I need to remind you that if I can kick my Pepsi habit…anyone can. I used to drink a ton of the stuff. While it’s super hard to give it up…I can testify that it is 100% worth it. 

Now I mostly just drink water or raw milk (more about raw milk eventually in this series!). But occasionally I do have a few other drinks that I consider to be treats:

  • Iced Green Tea   I don’t drink tea very often, but I love it as a treat if we ever eat out…or occasionally I’ll make it at home. I drink it straight…I am not a sweet tea kind of girl. I do like the occasional lemon wedge. (See, I just sometimes like to go ALL out, huh?)  If you do like your tea sweetened, you might try liquid stevia or honey as natural alternatives to sugar. Also, I’d think putting a little bit of 100% juice into the tea might be fun.

 green_tea

  • Homemade Lemonade or Limeade  Ooh, this stuff is refreshing and SO delicious (uh, if I do say so myself). It can get a little pricey though since it’s sweetened with real maple syrup. We have this very infrequently…definitely not often enough according to my children.

 lemonadesm.JPG

  • Mineral Water with 100% Juice   Okay, THIS is what gives me my “soda fix”. You know what I miss most about my Pepsi? The burn.  I just love the fizzy burn of soda. Loved. Past tense. I loved the burn of soda.  I miss the burn. Sometimes now I splurge on mineral water and put in just a shot of 100% juice (grape is my favorite). I usually mix about one part grape juice to 4 parts mineral water. Ooh, the burn is so good. If you’re used to drinking soda, this mixture will likely not taste at all sweet enough for you. However, if you haven’t had soda for a while, you may find that this is just the treat you’ve been looking for. I even find now that the less juice the better. Of course…I’m really just going for the burn. ;)

mineral_water

 

  • Kombucha    I’ve just recently fallen in LOVE with kombucha! It kinda took a few weeks to make myself like it…but now I love it! It’s a little bit fizzy and really refreshing on a hot day. And it is a super healthy, probiotic drink! Right now, a friend of mine and I have a lovely arrangement worked out:  I buy the supplies…she makes the kombucha and shares it with me. We both win! Eventually (although I make no promises that it will be any time soon), I’ll try to go take pictures of her making it and share the process with you. It isn’t hard…I’ve done it before.

Now, I am excited to share a wonderful comment that my friend Serenity left on a post several months ago. I thought it was so awesome to read about how her husband gave up coffee…and to hear about how much BETTER HE FEELS!!! Here’s what Serentity had to say…

My husband is an RN and had a coffee addiction for YEARS. He finally quit this winter when he got the flu and I can not believe how it has changed him. First, he is no longer tired. He was drinking coffee to stay awake (he works nights) but he has found that without caffeine he is actually much more alert and less tired. Second, right after quitting coffee he felt so good that he started exercising. Now he runs 3 times a week for 4-5 miles and lifts weights twice a week. He looks AWESOME! For the first time in our marriage he jumps out of bed each morning ready to conquer the day. For the past ten years I had been bringing him a cup of coffee every morning to wake him up and I would have to coax him out of bed. I am loving my energetic, motivated husband :)

What are some of your favorite, healthier drinks?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Drink More Water!!

by 57 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

simplesteps

Ah yes…we hear this one all the time. They say, “Each person needs at least eight – 8 ounce glasses of water each day.” I’m not sure who “they” is, but no matter. Drinking lots of water is essential for good health!

Some of you may not really enjoy drinking water, so you may not like my next statement:  I don’t agree with “they”. I don’t really think that eight – 8 ounce glasses of water is enough.  That’s ONLY two quarts. I drink that amount before 10 am. If I was only drinking two quarts of water each day, I think my body would be dehydrated. But what do I know? I just know what my body craves…I don’t know anything scientific. And by the way, I’m not really drinking the water because I feel thirsty. I just feel the need for water. I just feel better when I drink a lot of water.

If you don’t really like drinking water, can I just offer you a challenge to suck it up (literally) and drink it anyway? Water is so, so good for you. Your cells need hydration to function properly. There are toxins in your body that need to be flushed out. Your body craves water.

watersm

If you are feeling low on energy…it may be because you aren’t drinking enough water. Simple as that.

In my opinion, drinking lots of water is one of the simplest steps toward healthy eating. And the stinkin’ cheapest. If you’ve made the decision to eat a healthier diet and you’re working to add more fruits and vegetables in each day…try now to drink more water. Force yourself to do it if you have to at first. Before long, you won’t even have to try. Your body will beg for it and you’ll just do it.

Water is basically all I drink (with a few exceptions that I’ll talk about another time soon). I keep a full glass by the sink all day long and I chug the entire thing whenever the mood strikes me. I love it. And yes, I potty a lot. (whoa, too much information.)

Here are some tips for drinking more water:

  • I like drinking my water at room temperature (or just a little cooler than that…like cold tap water). If the water has been in the fridge, I tend to get brain freeze when it’s going down, which makes me not want to drink it.
  • Make sure it tastes good…or rather that it tastes like nothing. When we were out of town recently, I tried to chug down the water in the home I was staying. It tasted SO much like chemicals that I felt I needed to chew it before I swallowed it. I could NOT drink it. If your water isn’t good, get a good filter system. Do whatever you need to do to find a good source of clean water. (Not having done a ton of research on the matter because our water at home is pretty good…we just use a Brita water filter.)
  • If you put ice into your water, be sure the cubes are made from good tasting water. If you make your ice cubes with yucky tasting tap water, it will taint the flavor of your drinking water as it melts. Ick.
  • Squeeze a lemon or a lime into your drinking water. Slices of lemon or lime will make it look pretty and appealing, it will give your drinking water a little zing!
  • Drink water out of a glass. This is just a personally preference of mine, because I simply am not a big fan of plastic. Drinking from a plastic cup makes my water taste like plastic. Find a nice tall glass and fill ‘er up. (Yes, because a tall, pretty glass is a “her”.)

Coming up soon (eventually, someday, and whenever I actually get around to it):  Other beverage choices, what not to drink, how to replace pop and other liquidy type items of interest.

After reading through this water filled post, I just bet all of you need to go potty now.

Just curious, do you like drinking water, or find it hard to drink enough each day?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

A Peasant’s Feast eCourse (+ a Giveaway!)

by 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Interested in learning more about healthy eating, healthy cooking and doing it all on a limited budget?

friedrice[1]

Kimi at The Nourishing Gourmet is offering a 13 week eCourse called A Peasants Feast: Nourishing Food on a Budget. In this course, you will learn:

  • what to shop for
  • how to save
  • how to cook
  • what to buy
  • how to save on poultry, beef, and seafood
  • how to sprout
  • how to soak grains
  • how to make sourdough bread
  • how to make homemade yogurt
  • how to stretch one pound of beef into a meal for many
  • how to stretch one single chicken into several meals
  • how to stretch high quality seafood
  • how to make your own salad dressings
  • how to lacto-ferment vegetables
  • the benefits of making your own chicken broth
  • how to menu plan 
  • more!

By the end of the 13 week eCourse, students should have a firm foundation of what to shop for, where to find good local food, and how to prepare it!

If you’re interested in participating in this wonderful 13 week eCourse, you’ll find more details here. Hurry though because you need to sign up by June 27!!

If you’d like to WIN a free chance at participating in the eCourse, click here to sign up!!!

Psst…I have signed up as an affiliate for A Peasants Feast: Nourishing Food on a Budget, so if you sign up, I will be compensated a small amount. However, I feel like Kimi’s work is wonderful and compensation or not, I would have told you about the eCourse anyway. :)

This giveaway is now closed. Read about how you can purchase the eCourse at a discounted rate here.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Simple Steps Toward Healthy Eating, Part 1

by 42 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

simplesteps

When I finished telling you about Our Healthy Eating Journey, I told you I wanted to begin a new series to help break down some specific things you can do if you would like to begin your own journey toward healthy eating.

You may already feel great about where you are on your healthy eating journey. You may already be eating a wonderfully healthy diet. If so, great! I hope you’ll still join us during this series, leaving your own helpful comments and ideas on each post!

But, if you are just beginning your journey toward healthy eating and would like some practical tips and attainable advice on how to make this journey simple and do-able…stick around. I don’t promise to write this series very quickly. I may only be able to post a new “simple step” once every few weeks or so. But, that may be just the pace you need to begin making changes in the way you and your family eat and think about food. If you want to move faster, that’s just fine…but making too many healthy changes too quickly may be overwhelming to you and can certainly make a husband or child want to run away to find the nearest Cheeto. 

Take small steps. Take simple steps.

But do take steps. 

It is important for your health and for the health of your loved ones that you start taking some simple steps toward healthy eating. Our bodies need nourishment. Start doing what you can to fill your bodies up with great nourishment! It isn’t as hard as you think! You can do this!

Here is what I am going to suggest as a first small step toward healthier eating:  Focus on eating more fruits and vegetables.

That’s it. All I’m asking you to do is eat a grape.  See? I’m totally reasonable and practical. Nothing weird. Nothing freaky or icky. Just focus on colorful fruits and vegetables.

Here are a few helpful tips and ideas to encourage your fruit and vegetable intake:

  • Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are the most nutritious. Canned is better than none at all. Organic is best, but if that isn’t a step you’re ready to take yet, don’t worry. Just eat fruits and vegetables. 
  • Look for fruits and vegetables that are on sale…but try very hard not to focus on how difficult it might be to spend money on produce. I’ve heard people talk about how they just can’t stand to spend $3.50 on a fresh pineapple…but they’ll turn right around and throw a big bag of potato chips into their cart that costs the same amount. Let the fruits and vegetables replace some of the processed snacks that you normally buy and you won’t even feel the financial difference.
  • Stock up on your favorites. I personally can’t stand red delicious apples from the store. They taste grainy and nasty to me, so if all I have in the house are red delicious apples…I will not eat them. BUT put gala apples in the house and I’ll eat three. Each day. I LOVE gala apples. Get your favorite fruits and veggies, get your husband’s favorites, get your kids’ favorites. You are all much more likely to eat them if you love them.
  • Try something new. Have a little fun trying fruits or vegetables you’ve never tried before. Try fixing your old favorites in a new way.
  • Hide them. If you haven’t tried these Strawberry-Peach Slushies (that secretly have raw spinach in them) you are missing out. My whole family devours these slushies and never think twice about the fact that there is something green hiding within. 

strawberrypeachslushy4sm.JPG

fruitfriends2sm.JPG

Focus on how packed full of vitamins and wonderfulness fruits and vegetables are! Work on eating them as an incredible way to improve your health and the health of your family! What a perfect first step toward healthy eating!

So tell me…what are your favorite fruits and vegetables? Think you can challenge yourself to eat just a few more?  (Nod your head yes.)

Right before publishing this, I asked my husband what HE would recommend as the first, most important step a person should take toward healthy eating. I found his answer so very interesting and insightful…as well as completely different from what I was thinking. Want to know Matt’s advice and idea for a great first step? I’ll write about that next in this series!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Our Healthy Eating Journey, Wrapping it Up

by 60 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

healthyeatingjourney

If you missed them, please catch up on
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 , Part 7, Part 8 and Part 9.

I had finally accepted and realized that our bodies needed nourishment. Eating food wasn’t just about filling a hole. Eating food was about providing our bodies with all of the right nutrients, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fats.

I re-read Nourishing Traditions. I asked millions of questions of my friends who knew more about healthy eating than I did.  I got completely overwhelmed.  I began throwing processed foods out of my pantry. I pretty much turned into a Nazi about healthy eating. If it wasn’t organic, raw, fermented, grass fed, soaked whole grain or cultured…I was scared to let it pass our lips. We would probably die! We would for sure get cancer! Malachi’s eczema would get worse! My asthma would get worse! We would all get terribly sick!

This way of thinking turned me into a nervous wreck anytime we went anywhere. If I was at home, I could control what we ate. But if we were at a friend’s house or out of town visiting family or if someone offered my children candy…I was scared to death to let us eat! Those foods were poison!! It sounds crazy (because it was) but that’s how I was when I first learned about eating nourishing foods. When you’re first learning about the harmful ways animals are raised for meat and milk and how many pesticides are sprayed on produce, it can make you want to run away screaming. 

It took me a few months to come around. Part of it was that I just needed to wrap my brain around this new lifestyle. I had to figure out how to eat and serve my family a healthy diet. I had to learn where good food sources were. I had to learn to spend money on food (and figure out where that money was going to come from). I had to learn how to grow my garden organically. I had to learn how to cook and bake differently.

But I had to learn to CHILL OUT.

I learned that while we could try our best to eat the best foods we could most of the time…we could never eat perfect foods all of the time. And guess what? That’s okay! The stress of trying to eat perfectly, and the fears I had developed when we couldn’t were probably more harmful than the occasional store bought pizza or non-organic apple we might eat.

And so I discovered a healthy balance. More importantly, so that our children would come along with us on this journey and not be afraid that Mommy would be serving them yet another weird dish that they’d never heard of and that they hated…I learned to re-create all of our favorite foods. Now, we could eat all of our favorites (Pizza, Mac and Cheese, Tacos, Nachos, Spaghetti, etc.), but they were made with healthy and wholesome ingredients! The kids were happy. The parents were happy. Our bodies were happy.

So that’s where we’ve landed. We don’t eat a perfect diet…we just do the best we can. Our journey continues, because that’s what journeys do, don’t they?

Now my goal is to continue to develop more healthy and tasty recipes that my family loves and share them with you!

I’m wrapping up this series about Our Healthy Eating Journey today, with plans to launch into another series of sorts in which I’ll share some simple steps you can take toward healthy eating if this journey is new to you. I’ll share specific information about healthy meats, dairy products, eggs, spices, grains, produce, fats, etc. More importantly, I’ll give you ideas and tools for where to start. You DON’T need to change everything all at once!

My goal is to help you know that eating healthy is a possibility for EVERYONE. No matter what your budget, your cooking ability and experience, your understanding of nutritious food. You can do this!

Healthy eating tastes so good! Learn along with me that changing over to a healthy lifestyle is simple, affordable and delicious!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!