You guyyyyyys, Just call me Julia…Childs over here!!!  Ever since I started this allergy/food elimination plan, I have been cooking up a delicious storm in my neck of the woods. What’s that sound you ask…oh that’s just my smoke detector going off like errrrrrrry 5 minutes #sensitivesally but the ear piercing screeching has all been worth it!   I basically can’t eat out at all for the next 30 days and there are so few things I can eat, I have to get really creative so I don’t lose my mind with the disgusting breakfast porridge I made!  It has also been a really fun way to be with family and have really healthy dates!  Friday night my sister came over and I made a butternut squash stew with chicken, brown rice, zoodles, roasted broccoli and cauliflower!  Sooooooooooooo good and comforting in a healthy way.  We also had sea salt, pepper and turmeric (a natural anti-inflamatory) roasted asparagus and a shredded brussel sprout salad with an avocado basil dressing!  All homemade! I have been educating myself on leaky gut syndrome and with the help of my chiropractor/health guru/nutrition enthusiast, I plan on healing mine!

So healthy and so good!  If you ever want to feel amazing, cook something for Kelly!  She is so appreciative and complimentary.  It feels like 1 million dollars! She likes to say yummmmm over and over and it makes your new to cooking experimentation heart soar!  We spent the rest of the night talking about everything on earth…all the things we’ve been learning, and working on and wanting to change and achieve.  Look at how cute we are!  We are both in a good place with wanting to eat healthy and exercise.  I feel like our time together is so positive when we are both putting healthy things into our bodies and moving more.  Love you did.

I love you Kelly, can’t wait to do it again!  Then Saturday, I went and saw my new zen bff, Nancy at Bliss Body Yoga and got my Warrior  and Chair pose on!

Yoga has me filled with so much gratitude.  I think it is the first thing that I have ever done that isn’t so goal oriented.  Yoga asks only that you be in the moment.  I think that is something that we are all so disconnected with.  We are obsessed with our phones.  I remember one time I was hanging out with my nephew bunnies and they were both like NO MORE PICS!  They just wanted to play and for me to pay attention to them and listen to them.  That is the least I can do.  There is literally nothing on Facebook more interesting than their sweet faces and I need to remember that more.  It was another wonderful class.  This woman I found on instagram is my inspiration with yoga. #oneday

After yoga, I packed up a ton of fresh ingredients and headed to my cousin Kristina’s house to cook her a late birthday dinner!

Kris is a great food experimenter and she loves to cook too so what better way to spend time together and to celebrate than making healthy, delicious food for her family.  What’s cooking good looking?!

On the menu tonight was: Rustic garlic chicken with gravy, zucchini with mint, basil and pine nuts and whipped parsnips!!!  It was pure chaos in this kitchen!  It is so hard to stay organized when you are volleying between three recipes on pinterest! (If any of these dishes sound good to you, they are on Twomeatballsgetfit under the Kristina date board)  But we managed and caught up on life together.  I just adore her and spending time together is the gift.

After an hour of sweating and laughing and playing with the kids,

this was the finished product!

I had the leftovers later than night with the salad from my Kelly date!  Heaven!

Cheers Kristina…lets make this a monthly thing!  I love trying new things with you and I just love you so much!

Even the kids loved it!

Her kids eat so healthy you guys!  It blew me away…talk about setting your kids up for success!  Buddy, I love you so much.  The parsnips won the night!  So f-ing good!  The next morning I went to Pure Barre and it was a Paige class.  She is the cutest and she said, y’all are going to hate this and no you cannot leave!  My new pb pals, Camilla and Melissa were there and it’s so nice to  be able to chat before class.  I even met a new friend, Kristen!  We had a blast and I got my Pure Barre ledge kicked!

Then I heard Jennys voice in my mind.  She always talks about how you feel like being more active when you stay in your workout clothes and it was so true.  I went to Target and Trader Joe’s.  I cooked some more and organized my spice cabinet and ended up cleaning the house!!!  I was also craving something sweet so I made some shredded coconut, nut, apple and cashew butter cereal with unsweetened coconut milk!

Totally hit the spot.  Then I made some crock pot coconut turmeric chicken thighs, shredded them and added brown rice!

I also roasted some asparagus and made my meals for the next two days.  This was super comforting. Then I capped off the beginning of the work week with a lovely family dinner OG Beard style.

We cooked together and laughed the night away.  I think for most families, food will always be the center of the heart.  But this heart will be healthy. #robinS #communisT #sarayourdressistooshort #iloevALLofyou

 

I have really found that I can still find comfort in food but that it can be healthy and I can feed my body the things that will ultimately heal what ails me.  I can feel a real change.  I haven’t felt this good all year and it really feels like a blessing. I can finally breath and that means so many things.  I feel like my face is less bloated and my skin looks good again.

Jenny has so many amazing non smiling faces and I’m always trying to pull one off, but the truth is I look better when I smile and why not!?

But seriously that skin!?!?!  Why do I ever stray???

It is nice to feel so connected to my body and my mind and everything in between.  Instead of mindlessly shoveling pad thai into my mouth and trying to fill a void that will never be filled with processed food.  I love cooking and thank goodness for that.  More yummy recipes to come. And don’t worry, a total mess was made every.single.time.

Love you all.  Feed your bellies and your minds. XO

More exercising and cooking together tomorrow!