FradazHealth

DAY 21

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:09:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Big Yum to fruit!
It was our turn to host dinner for friends tonight so we cooked up a serve of our wrap bread pizzas. Well they were delicious and we gobbled them all up. It was topped off by my beautiful friends fruit platter with the most amazing coconut macaroon dip. It was sensational (Thank you my gorgeous friend). Fruit does not have to be boring or plain it can be spectacular. The combination is fresh seasonal fruit with a dip of choice and you to savor.
I will try sneak the recipe of my friend to post.

Breakfast: Cubbed apple and pineapple and fresh juice.

Lunch: Wrap with salad.

Afternoon Tea: Warm water.

Dinner: Wrap bread pizzas followed by my friends fruit platter and coconut macaroon dip.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 20

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 01:56:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: I am very happy!

There is a warmth in the air and Spring is on it's way. This makes it easier to really get into fruit and salads, because let's face it, in winter it is really hard to feel overjoyed about biting into a cold apple verses a big, thick, rich casserole!!!!

I think my family is really happy about what we are eating now and have settled into our new 'norm'. Cheers to time and persistence, it works!!!

Breakfast: Cubed Apple and Fresh Juice. The girls had Baked Beans too.
Lunch: Kid fun lunch: Corn fritters heads with tomato sauce face.
Afternoon Tea: Coffee on soy milk.
Dinner: Minestrone Soup with wrap bread triangle dippers.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 19

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:58:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Yesterday hubby got in trouble for not sticking to the rules!!!!

It can be really hard to make everyone in the family see the same point of view when it comes to health.

Here are some ideas on what to say to the family as you change up the food:
1) It is very important to look after our bodies, how we eat is going to affect how we perform.
2) We are a responsible family, we have fun, we laugh, and we take responsibility for our health.
3) As the parent, it is my job to make sure you all grow up strong and healthy. I'm not perfect but I will do my best.
4) We will be trying new foods and some of them might taste different but we will get use to them and work out together what does work for us.
5) We are saving all out yummy treat food for special occasions and will really enjoy them on those days: birthdays, occasions out for dinner, family events, etc...
6) Eating healthy is about making a healthy choice when it's hard, we feel tired, or feel emotional down/drained. We need to help each other.
7) Food is not comfort, it's fuel. Comfort is: a hug, encouraging words, time out enjoying a hobby, spending time with a friend, etc...
8) You are an amazing family full stop.

Hope these help and encourage.

Breakfast: Fresh juice and cubed apple and pineapple.

Lunch: Left over soup.

Afternoon Tea: Warm water and a coffee with a drop of soy milk.

Dinner: Rice and vegetables.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 18

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:18:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Domestic Bliss, Dietary Dilemmas and Brain Spasms.

Today Matthew, my husband writes on the challenge from his perspective.

As the male compatriot on this dietary expedition I’ve generally been an enthusiastic co-adventurer with Elizabeth. However, in a tragic display of poor timing, I’ve recently discovered after a spate of cooking with very mixed results, that in true bloke fashion the epicentre of my culinary abilities lays with the frying pan. If I can fry it, I can cook it. This ability includes all your basic proteins from beef to lamb, chicken, sausages, bacon and eggs.
On the food challenge I’ve also broadened it to include fried, er, I mean ‘sautéed’ tomatoes, onions, capsicum, zucchini and leeks. Add to this the occasional veggie stir fry or fried rice and I think I cover most of the basics a man would want or need to eat. However, I did find myself in a spot of bother Sunday morning when it can to making a ‘nice’ breakfast.

Setting the scene, our eldest was sleeping over with friends, our youngest was happily occupied with her bottle, and we were planning a relaxed Sunday morning breakfast before heading to the local beachside park for a pre-school picnic. Into this scene I waded, frying pan in hand, to make a ‘nice’ breakfast while Elizabeth got ready.

Knowing full well the boundaries set by the 30-day challenge I began:

Me (to self):    Fresh pear and pineapple juice – check! Coffee – check! Now for the food.

   (Long pause)

Me (to self):    Umm

(Another long pause)

Me (to self): Ok so I can do eggs, scrambled or poached and I’ll have them with…. Um….nothing! What do you have your eggs with if you can’t have bacon, or sausages, or even toast!

This outcome was clearly unacceptable to me so I proceeded to pull several packs of bacon from the

freezer in clear contravention of the 30 day challenger’s cooking code. Call it a brain spasm, but I had

no idea how to proceed. Undetered by this unforgivable breach of the code and re-assured by the

comforting sizzle of my frying pan I finished the bacon and eggs and called the family to the table.

That’s where it went strangely pear shaped.

She: Why did you make me this!?!?

Me: I was making a nice Sunday breakfast. That’s what we said didn’t we?

She: What about the challenge? You know we aren’t eating this?

Me: Well I couldn’t very well give you fruit again now could I? That’s so ‘everyday’.

She: I like fruit. If you want it to be nice, put it in a nice bowl, light a candle, do something like that!

Me (with a look of utter incomprehension):

Nice bowl?!?

For the sake of brevity we’ll now skip the rest of the scene to get to the key points:

If you are changing up your menu, you need to do some homework on how to cover both everyday meals and also special occasions. Otherwise you’ll fall back into old habits.
Agree with the other people going on the journey of diet change with you what their expectations and ideals are. It may be that a nice bowl is all that is required to mix it up, rather than cooking a three course off menu meal of wonder that is just going to miss the mark and leave everyone with physical and relational indigestion.
If you have a dietary or relational blowout on the journey, talk it out, plan for the future and get back in the saddle.

Til next time, (raising my carrot stick skyward)

Cheers! Matthew

Breakfast: Weird poached egg sitting all alone on the plate, coffee and fresh juice.

Lunch: Wraps.

Afternoon Tea: Coffee.

Dinner: Pumpkin soup with left over homemade 'wrap' chips.

Day 17

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 06:35:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Don't you think that it is funny that some weeks you seem to have nothing on and then other weeks you have dinner after dinner party?
Tonight we went out for dinner, again!!!
This can make you sweat a bit over the food plan and all those extra calories in the very indulgent food riding your fork all the way to your mouth. When you do have a lot of dinners out, for what ever reasons and you can't control the menu, all you can do is ride it out. Try to eat mostly the healthy options and totally indulge in small tastes of the really fatty, sugary, yumolicious foods.

Ideas:

1) Always order a salad and eat the main meal with it or if at a banquet/buffet just have a taste i.e.'a fork full'.
2) Share a meal with a friend or hubby
3) Share dessert with a friend or two.
4) Drink water.
5) Order entrée size meals
6) Order salad dressings, gravy, sauces on the side.
7) Eat fresh fruit and simple salads the next day. - Eat from beautiful plates and you will feel like you have had a beautiful/elegant/special feast.

Breakfast: Coffee, fruit, and our fresh juice.

Lunch: Cornflour cruskits spread with avocado, then a sprinkle of cheese, grilled capsicum and red onion. - easy.

Afternoon Tea: Passed due to having a big tea for a friends birthday tonight.

Dinner: Asian food banquet. - Yep a dinner out and more indulgence. This week I must get my exercise sorted out and have a very healthy food week, but that is not a drag because it still taste yum and exercise is about building and having a healthy body not a penalty for eating out.

See you tmrw, xx

Day 16

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:04:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Freeedooooom!

You have to do this challenge to get the reward of the 'freedom' that you feel when suddenly your eating is working. - Does that sound weird? - I can't quite explain it, but it's in the do.
Lets face it 'feelings' are a part of our life and what we do in our life, so we need to enjoy those positive feelings verses not being controlled by the negative feelings. - how deep am I today :)
Eating brings feeling and when you do the right thing by your health you get the reward of feeling peace, happiness and freeeedooooom!

On another note, had dinner with friends again and as it was their house they provided takeaway: noodle box. I ate and enjoyed it!

Now you may say to me "hang on a minute, your 30 day 'health' challenge is turning into a bit of a joke with all the takeaway creeping in." - I'm so glad you brought that up!
You see, we modern people of the world like you, hang out with friends! Doing life with others is part of life (a big part) and you really don't want it any other way, (ok some of you do), but for the majority, people need people).

So don't choose staying at home because you have to eat your 'rabbit food', choose friendship and if it comes with takeaway, dig in, jump in, and enjoy - guilt free, indulge, savor, eat till you are too full and then have some more.
Why?
Because tomorrow you will eat your healthy menu and the next day and the next until your next dinner party or hang out, remember it is about eating healthy 90% of the time and then totally enjoying the 'takeaway' or 'indulgent' times when they happen.

( No I did not eat that cake in the pic, it's just an example of indulgence, but I wouldn't mind helping that piece of cake out or 'in' as the case may be - in my tummy! arrrh but see the next line ;) )
You know that if you start to eat takeaway heaps and healthy goes out the window it is not going to do you any favors.
What is sustainable, part of my challenge, is enjoying eating healthy most of the time and enjoying eating that 10% of food blow out.

Breakfast: Our fresh juice, and fruit. I choose to eat lighter meals on the days I know dinner or lunch might be a 'indulgent' affair. - love a good food affair.

Lunch: Salad: Lettuce, roast golden syrup potatoes, beetroot strips, sprinkle of grated cheese and some seeded mustard.

Afternoon Tea: Warm water.

Dinner: Noodle box affair ;) with fun friends.

Recipe:
Potato, Beetroot Salad

2 large roasting potatoes chop into chunks
1 beetroot or can of beetroot
Lettuce leaves
Small amount of olive oil
1 tsp golden syrup
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 Small diced onion
2 tsp seeded mustard.
1/4 cup grated cheese
Salt

In a large bowl coat potato in a touch of olive oil, salt, rosemary and 1 tsp of golden syrup. Spread on a baking tray and roast in oven for 20min or until golden, on high heat.
Meanwhile cook onion in a pan for 1min in a drizzle of olive oil.
Place lettuce leaves in a beautiful bowl and add as much or little beetroot chopped up in strips. Place onion, cooked potatoes, and cheese on top. Gently toss ingredients in bowl and top with the seeded mustard. Enjoy.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 15

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:03:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Half way baby!!!!

Wow - 15 days seems such a long time, yet we are only half way!!!! But I have a plan now, thanks to yesterdays effort of 'planning', and it's working. You simply can not get healthier in the dark, without a plan.

Now, when it comes to bread, which is such a large part of our western life, what are you meant to do? - Particularly with kids!
Here is what I have learned so far from doing this challenge:

1) It's all in the mind. You really can survive without it and so will your family. You have to choose to do life without it and not give in when it gets too hard because it is an easy option.
If you can't go off it completely, save it as a treat food for the weekend or once a month etc... (I mean really, is there anything better then fresh bread spread with creamy cold butter!!!!)

2) Substitutes: You need a replacement for bread so try: gluten free, rye or cornflour wraps, rye or cornflour crackers, wheat reduced breads which leading supermarkets are selling now, and also gluten free varieties too. Steamed rice is also a good tummy filler and children tend to love the stuff. The important thing here is to eventually slowly cut down on these flour types too, even if they are wheat/gluten free. It's all about increasing the veggies and fruit.

3) Time.Give yourself enough time to 'get over' bread. Sounds silly but it's true. Soon it will get easier and everyone will adjust and wonder why they ever ate so much of it. - Don't underestimate patience and the power of giving time.

4) Encourage your family to try and keep trying new tastes. It's also important to explain that bread is a 'treat' food as this will establish a great approach in their minds to health, particularly for your children as they tend to grow up doing what we have established (mostly ;))

5) Do not deny yourself - not eating bread is not about going hungry.

Here is my day:

Breakfast: Fruit and fresh juice, rice thins. (Yes we were going a bit hard on the pikelets so we've backed off.)

Lunch: Salad with a poached egg. It was lettuce, onion and capsicum with a lemon mustard dressing.

Afternoon Tea: Cup of tea.

Dinner: Salad Wraps: Lettuce, carrot, a sprinkle of cheese and capsicum with a touch of bbq, chilli sauce.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 14

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:26:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Phew I'm tired. I sat down today and really went through the food plan menu. I was becoming very overwhelmed and bored with what we were eating and I had total brain overload in coming up with new things to eat. - You take out meat and wheat and dairy and you realize how much they add diversity to each meal.
The last thing you need on a healthy food plan is to come up short because then 'take away' sounds mighty good and taste even better.

So to make life easy and diverse I have dedicated a certain 'type' of food to a certain day. i.e. Rice meals on Monday nights, soup on Tuesday nights, and on... I'm bringing back the diversity baby! :)

Also because we are being healthy that means lots of salads. Now, salads can get really boring and old, quick. This is also a complete de-motivator. The trick to these leafy meals is to break them down and build them up again simply and with different tastes of the bowl:

1) The base: Cos lettuce, or spinach, rocket, or general salad mix, even cabbage, ...

2) Add ONE main salad item as the star of the dish - grilled capsicum, or mushrooms, some roast pumpkin.

3) Next, add a sprinkle of friendship, around 2 types: grated cheese and shallots, or toasted nuts and mango slices, feta and semi dried tomatoes, snow-peas and alfalfa,or...

4) Then add a drizzle of dressing to have a 'salad delich': pesto, or a vinaigrette, yogurt, or...

Do these four and you get = salad delicious! - With no 'salad burnout' and a different type to try and/or look forward to next time.

Breakfast: Rice thins with honey and our fresh juice. - twas a bit light on today.

Lunch: Salad wrap.

Afternoon: Gluten free cupcake and a coffee.

Dinner: Went to friends house and ate salad with a touch of chicken, I won't tell you about the choc-mint ice-cream we had for dessert!!!!. (Thank you my friends it was lovely.)

Day 13

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 01:48:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Today we are back on track.
It felt really good to get back on the food challenge plan and I had the fleeting thought that maybe a new habit was forming? Could it be that now that its a 'feast'

Now some of you may have noticed that I don't have a morning tea spot, that is because I don't eat morning tea. My girls do though and I usually give them fruit which keeps them going til lunch.
I find if I have a great big, filling breakfast it keeps me well and truly going - this is just me though!

On another note, hubby and I sat down to a movie and this always gets the taste buds a hankering for some chippies or chocolate - your junk food of choice!
We simply popped some organic potato, very thin sliced, in the oven and then munched away on our healthier option.

Breakfast: Breakfast Pikelets. You can add anything to them: 1/4 cup almond meal, fruit pieces, oats,...http://fradazhealth.blogspot.com/2010/08/day-2.html

Lunch: Kids fun Lunch: Pirate ships carrying treasure! Cos lettuce cups filled with honey soy fried rice with corn, capsicum and peas and a carrot stick mast. Fried rice is a great way to get rid of any left over, unused, veggies too.

Afternoon Tea: 1 gluten free mini cupcake with a touch of icing -remember I said to make something yummy healthy nice to help get back on the wagon.http://fradazhealth.blogspot.com/2010/08/day-12.html

Dinner: Vegetable soup.

Movie Snack: Roast Potato thins with sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Day 12

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:01:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Yep, yesterday I completely fell off the food plan wagon.
The fall was delicious. We all have our 'oops' days and when it comes to eating healthy, we are going to have days when our cravings really do get the better off us.
I am learning that, if you eat well for 90% of the time then when you have a delicious, 'fall off the wagon' moment the damage is not going to be huge and you can indulge guilt free.The challenge is not to start compromising on what else you might get away with, because before you know it you've put on 5 kilos and the eating plan is non existent. It happens really quick! - I won't mention the chocolate I ate either, big dope!
You simply get back on the food plan wagon and keep going.

3 tips to help you get back on:

1) Cook and eat your favorite yummy health plan foods. i.e. Wrap pizzas, your fav salad,...

2) Ask your hubby or friend for some encouragement, tell them what you need to hear. i.e."You can do this", "You are looking great", "I'm in this with you", "That big old cheeseburger is going to make you feel heavy inside and line your throat with grease", ...

3) Try all the clothes that don't fit in your wardrobe - this will defiantly get you back on the wagon. Be warned it may leave you feeling down and reaching for the chocolate anyway!!!! lol

4) Have a picture on your mirror of what you want to look like (realistically) and know that each healthy step you take, you are one step closer to the goal.

I am also learning that if you are having a moment when a big old ice-cream, cream sundae has tempted your taste buds try and look for the most healthy option if you can to help satisfy those buds. Try my recipe below.

Breakfast: Rice Thins with honey, cubed fruit and our fresh pineapple and pear juice.

Lunch: Salad.

Afternoon Tea: Homemade cappuccino made on 1/2 Zymil and 1/2 Soy milks.

Dinner: Rice-paper parcels with asian broccoli, peanuts, radish, onion and water chestnuts. Sweet chilli drizzle.

RECIPE:

Tempting Sunday.

Fruit of choice: mango, berries, peaches, pineapple, ...
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/4 cup whipped cream.
Gluten free cake cubes
Toasted nuts of choice: almonds, pistachios, macadamias.
Honey.

Mix 1/2 cup of the Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of cream.
Place your fruit in the bottom of the glass then sprinkle some nuts and honey over the top. Next, place 2 cubes of cake on top and follow with a dollop of the yogurt, cream mixture. Place more fruit, nuts, and 2 cubes of cake on top and follow with more yogurt. Do this until the glass is full with the yogurt cream being the last layer. Sprinkle with nuts, honey, and then eat.

Gluten Free Cake. - For Cake Cubes
1 cup gluten free self raising flour
2 eggs
80g soft butter
1/3 cup of milk with a squirt of lemon juice in it
1/2 cup castor sugar.
1 teaspoon of vanilla or vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of custard powder (optional)
2 tablespoons of almond meal (optional)

Place all ingredients into a bowl and beat on high until mixture is smooth. Spread mixture out into a square or rectangle slice tray. Place in oven and cook until top springs back or golden on top (around 10 - 20min). Remove from pan and allow to cool then cut into 3cm cubes.
Note: you can freeze the remaining cake cubes ready to use another day.

Both recipes, Copyright 2010 Elizabeth Findlay.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 11

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:14:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: No comment!!!

See you tmrw. xx

Day 10

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:48:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: I blobbed around at home all morning in my pj's and with a good book = I love the weekend.
I have to be honest though I felt lazy and this reflected in our food today. We ate lot's of pizza!

Yummy, homemade, pizza for lunch and again for dinner, it was that good.
Funny, by dinner we were just not sick of it: Mushroom, capsicum, rocket, onion, basil, pine nuts, and a sprinkle of cheese cooked in the oven on a cornflour wrap.

On this plan, I am learning, it is about being flexible and not 'sweating the small stuff' (one of my beautiful friends said to me the other night.)
It's so true though, being healthy means at times you have to be flexible and if you stick to the plan 90% of the time, then when the little things: like a bit of dairy in your tea made by a friend unknowingly, or a bit of wheat is in your wrap bread, and even pizza at every meal because it was easy and yummy... - it all = OK.

Also, the other day when I went shopping, I found this great milk at the shops called Zymil - gluten and lactose free. It is now in my fridge and has brought back coffee time.

Breakfast: Fresh juice, fruit and rice thins spread with vegemite.

Lunch: Homemade wrap bread pizza

Afternoon Tea: Homemade Coffee made on 1/2 soy and 1/2 zymil milk. I had two marshmallows with it to make it special, with a piece of tropical, glut free slice. Saturday dessert night for arvo tea!

Dinner: Pizza, lol

RECIPE:
Pizza Wraps.

Tomato paste
Rocket
Mushrooms
Capsicum
Onion
Toasted Pine Nuts
Basil leaves
Small amount grated Cheese - 1/2cup
Cornflour Wraps
Salt to taste
2 tsp Olive oil.

Preheat oven at 200 degrees. Dice mushrooms, capsicum, onion and rocket and place in large bowl. Add pine nuts, basil, cheese and olive oil and mix all ingredients together. Place wrap breads flat on a tray and smooth on some tomato paste. Sprinkle generously pizza topping from bowl over the top. Place in oven and cook for 15 -20 mins until the cheese has melted. Eat!

See you tmrw. xx

Day 9

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:26:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Yummo!
Last nights dinner was delicious and all very friendly to my challenge. My beautiful friends had cooked Indian curry veggies with rice and gorgeous trimmings: sultanas, banana, coconut, peanuts, mint yogurt. It was a wonderful time. Did you know that poppadoms are made on 'lentils'? Welcome to the food plan poppadoms.
Dessert was sweet. Strawberries with coconut macaroons - really simple and very elegant. Thankyou my friends. mwuh x

I am noticing today, that I am becoming a bit slack in the challenge and creeping in is a few stray pieces of chicken, you know the ones, the bits that don't end up on the plate of hubby and the kids. Hmmmm need to watch this and re-focus on the 'why' - the reason, the goal and the 'feast' in it all.

Miss 5 had a playdate with a friend today. I needed to take something to share so I cooked a chocolate cake slice. "what!", I hear you say, "chocolate, you're not allowed it!"
Arrh but I have discovered coco - sugar free and dairy free. Just two teaspoons in the gluten free mixture and another in the simple icing and you have lick your lips, I am missing out on noting, bliss. (just eat a little though and really savor it.)

Breakfast: The kids begged for pikelets so out came the pan and the beater and away we went. Lucky they are so easy to make. Our fresh juice is always delicious.

Lunch: Homemade potato wedges with three dips: Sumac avocado, garlic aoile and sweet chilli to taste.

Afternoon Tea: One tiny piece of glut free chocolate slice.

Dinner: Wrap bread pizza with tomato paste, avocardo, capsicum, mushroons, onion, basil and taosted pinenuts.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 8

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:38:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: I am out an about.
Cheerful sun, lots of happy people, and it's lunchtime! Uh oh, what do you get when you are on a no meat, dairy, and wheat food plan??? - Luckily there is always a salad!!! - Most cafes and takeaway joints have them.
The hard bit is choosing the salad when "grilled chicken burger" and "salt and pepper squid" are distracting your taste buds. I ordered my salad with avocado and a poached egg and then when it came, it arrived, unknown to me when I ordered, with a complete side of chips!!!

Now normally I would just chomp those delicious tasting saturated fat sticks up without even thinking or pondering the fact that the next time I get dressed I will scowl at my love handles - their handiwork.
What I did, was to simply take a few and really enjoy them for what they were (i'm sorry, I could just not resist, major moment of weakness - yep i'm human). Then I got stuck into my salad, which was delicious. Afterwards, I did not feel deprived, or resentful (food restricted resentfulness, lol), I simply felt that a taste had been enough.
I am learning on this challenge that a simple, small taste is a thing of joy. A small taste is actually enough. A small taste is about being grateful for what you have. This is a very beautiful feeling.

Tonight we are going out for dinner and I was worried about having to tell my host that I was doing this challenge. I did not want her to feel any pressure, or make extra work for her in regards to what I could eat.
But, you know what, she was so gracious and simply stated that she would make sure there was food I could enjoy. Never be afraid to state it how it is! (Plus you can always suggest that you will bring your own specific food to help out.)

Breakfast: Pancakes with honey and our fresh juice.

Lunch: Big salad of lettuce, carrot, cucumber, capsicum, red onion, a poached egg and drizzled with a lemon mustard dressing with a few fries, just to taste.

Afternoon Tea: Warm water - I was still full from my big salad.

Dinner: - I will tell you tomorrow what I ate, for I shell be sitting around my friends table after this is posted.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:50:00 +0000

The 7:54 Moment: Well it is official, hubby has made it a week on the 'no meat plan' but judging from his gloomy mood and vague non-focused look he needs to get back on protein.

So he is joining the girls and having small portions of chicken and fish added to his meals. The challenge is for me is to cook it, serve it, and watch them eat it without joining in.

Anyway, In light of this I decided to cook my own roast chicken.
I usually pick up a bbq chicken from shops, chop it up and freeze bag fulls of the meat. It is very convenient to just pick up a chook!
At the shops this morning I choose my uncooked bird, prepared it with onion, thyme, garlic and a bit of butter and placed it in the oven to roast. You know what, I really enjoyed it.
For some reason I have always felt intimidated by roasting my own full chicken but it was so simple and is the plan from now on. – plus it’s cheaper and healthier (if you watch the butter, that looks like a lot of butter in the pic but it was a small bird, and only 30g of crisp me up goodness).

While I was at the shops I totally caved and gave my 1 yr old a small packet of chips. She was whinging and refusing to sit in the trolling, making shopping a nightmare (you mums know what I mean), they were the first things I saw and I knew she would eat. Arrgh, unhealthy wins this round. She contentedly munched away while I continued to have an easy shop - and no I did not have one!
Do you think it is worth 'bribing' your child, who refuses to eat the dried fruit bars and give them chips so you can shop??

Hubby would like to say: "This has been empowering because we are eating healthy rather then just eating 'habits of history'. "I am surprised and I am feeling better, apart from my attack of vagueness and the muffin I sneaked on the plane to Sydney yesterday!"

ME: "You sneaked a muffin!!!!"

Breakfast:Stewed pears with cinnamon, rice thins with vegemite, and our fresh juice of pineapple and pear.

Lunch: Left over soup from last night = easy

Afternoon Tea: Greek yogurt with apple puree

Dinner: So delicious!!! Cos lettuce cups with potato, grilled capsicum, corn and onion topped with avocado and my sweet chilli sauce. Feeling very satisfied with this meal.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:54:00 +0000

THE 7:54 MOMENT:

Guess what? I am not feeling so crabby!!! Lol,

Ok - I am not a 'crabby' or angry person but being female I am subject to fluctuating hormones. I have noticed today I feel more settled - it's the perfect word. More settle in myself, more settled to cope with and get into all the demands of my day. I really do put it down to being off meat, wheat (except for that bit in the wraps) and dairy.

Hubby went to Sydney today for work and was a good boy and ordered the 'pumpkin and pine nut salad', he said it had a touch of chicken in it, but not much, which he ate...No did not envision him chocking on his chicken!!! - Much!!! (Joke)

I was proud of him for mostly trying to stick to the rules.

Big But: He brought me a gift, isn't that nice, wonderful, arrrh love. I looked at the cute little bag and joy flooded my soul: jewellery, a cute book, candles... - IT WAS CHOCOLATE!!!

The smile fall from my face along with all the love, praise and affection I was about to bestow on him.

"Darn you" I heard myself cry at him..."Why???" "How could you???" and "What were you thinking???"

He simply replied, as men do, "You'll just have to wait 24 days."

He was totally unaware of the forbidden love coursing through my veins as I imagined what that smooth, creamy, the only amazing brown colour in the universe there is, chocolate would taste like, there in the gift bag...from hell.

...I made him change Arden - Grace's big stinky whooper of a nappy!

Moving on, Tuesday is also my child friendly lunch day. I try and make something fun and interesting for the girls. I used my new found lunch freedom - store bought healthy wraps (70% corn flour and a touch of wheat.)

Breakfast: Pikelets using my mums amazing recipe with a drizzle of maple syrup and warm apple and canned pineapple pieces. http://fradazhealth.blogspot.com/2010/08/day-2.html\

Lunch: Tuesday fun lunch for the kids = Farm Barns! Wraps with 'hay'- grated carrot and a small amount of grated cheese, with left over rice from last nights dinner. With toasted pine nut 'mice', all topped with a smige of mayo for flavor. The girls loved it. To mine, I left of the mayo and added avocado - my kids won't eat avo, yet!

Afternoon Tea: For the girls, left over breakfast pikelets spread with a thin amount of butter and dipped in hundreds of thousands.

I had a warm green tea.

Dinner: Soup. Lentil, spinach and mushroom soup. So yummy and very filling.

Here is how to make our 'Farm Barns' wraps!

RECIPE:

Farm Barns

Wrap breads of choice.

Grated carrot

Small amount of grated cheese
Cooked rice

Toasted pine nuts

Mayo

Avocado

Heat wraps in microwave or oven. Spread wrap down the middle with avocado and/or mayo. Place grated carrot, a small amount of cheese and rice on top. Sprinkle pine nuts over the top. Fold or roll up wrap and serve.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:36:00 +0000

THE 7:54 MOMENT: Phew, spent the day thinking of every recipe I had and how I could tweak it to be glut free, meat free and mostly dairy free. This is hard work. I feel exhausted.

To eat this way you have to be super organised and planned and this is tiring. I am also feeling a lot of pressure because I am blogging about our meals. I feel I have to come up with fresh ideas for each meal time - Yikes!!! The good news is that repetition is ok. Eating the same stuff, that works and is yummy is perfectly fine and normal. Repetition, It's like a breath of fresh air - who knew. Get ready for some repetition.

Have had no luck with a bread substitute however I cooked an apple loaf for breakfast made on glut free flour and both my girls scoffed it up, that is a win in my book. I can make it with banana apricot, pears, spice, herbs...and on, my recipe still needs tweaking but I will post it when I get it perfect-ish.

I also brought some 'Mountain Bread Wraps' made on cornflower (70%) and with a touch of wheat. I needed to take the stress out of lunch times. - I did look for the glut free variety but they had none, I will look again.

But this is exactly why I am blogging about our experience because I want it to be real. When your a busy mum sometimes you have to settle for the 'not so perfect'. So I am taking the good (70%) with the imperfect on this one, it will be OK, it's still healthy. - As long as we don't gorge on them everyday. These wraps are affordable, make for an easy lunch and fit my busy schedule rather then me try and make wrap breads from scratch everyday that just taste chomppy.

...Oh and as I type this right now I would give anything to have a coke....sigh - sugar you leave me hurting.

Exercise: 20min of 'tready' and bike riding in the 'rec' room with hubby.

Breakfast: Apple loaf, needs a bit of tweaking but I finally feel we are on the right road with breakfast. Fresh juice and warm apple and pineapple.

Lunch: Saffron, Corn and Potato soup. Soups are very yummy and filling and suit this type of food plan.

Afternoon Tea: Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey.

Dinner: Rice and Curry. Was ok, need to work on the curry flavors.

Here is our lunchtime soup recipe!

RECIPE:

Saffron, Corn and Potato Soup.

3 cubed medium potatoes

1 cup baby corn kernels

1 medium diced onion

saffron

1 crushed garlic

1 tsp sugar

4 cup of chicken stock

Parsley

Salt to taste.

Steam potatoes for 5min in steamer.

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in saucepan and add onion and garlic, cook for 2min. Add in a pinch of saffron and cook for 1 min. Add the chicken stock and sugar, bring to just boiling. Reduce heat to simmer and add the corn, cubed potato, and salt to taste. Cook for 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Add parsley and serve.

See you tmrw. xx

Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:20:00 +0000

THE 7:54 MOMENT: BIG WHOOPS!!! Went through the McDonald's drive through to order 3 hash-browns while waiting to hook up with hubby. Realized as the service girl asks me to place my order that we are not eating this food!!!! What was I thinking - that's just it, I was on auto pilot.

So guess what I did, yep, ordered 2 hash-browns for my girls (could not disappoint). I on the other hand sat scowling at the 'golden arches' as they gobbled mummy's drive through mistake.

Not happy deliciously smelling hash-brown, and no you can not woo me, ok for a second but then it's over.

I do ask, how much can we totally live on auto pilot when it comes to food and end up at the wrong destination with our health???? - Heaps! To be healthy takes 'consciousness' ;) lol

So I've done it! I pulled on my sneakers, yesterday and today, and went for a walk with hubby around the 'hood' and on the tready in my 'rec' room.

Our hood has a beach and it was lovely walking over the crunch of the sand and just being out in nature. Now you may say "Well, you live at the beach, it must be real hard going for a walk!!!!" - sarcastically with your arms cross and rolling your eyes ;) lol.

But the truth is, whether you live at the beach or in a concrete jungle, have a home gym or just a tread machine, a pretty inland tree city ( lived here until quite resent), even the dry outback, it take the same motivation and the same choice to get up and do that walk. It's the same choice for everyone no matter your environment.

Lastly, I am adding back cheese to out diet. The kids love it and they will eat there veggies with a little bit of cheese. I would rather my girls eat veggies with some cheese then not eat veggie at all. - I am making sure however that it is not a smothering of cheese but a sprinkle.

Breakfast: Started with cubbed apple mixed with tinned pineapple, heated to warm, and our fresh juice. Finished at McDonald's but happy I did not give in, even if the girls got a nice dose of saturated fat :(

Lunch: Sunday roast!!! Roast potato, roast pumpkin, roast onion, roast carrot, with champagne vinegar and seeded mustard dressing.

This was so yummy and fun as we sat around the table and all shared something that made us happy this week, a true feast!!!

Afternoon Tea: Sliced strawberries, delicious.

Dinner: Boiled eggs with onion flat bread fingers to dip in (found a recipe for flat-bread). - The kids thought this was great!

However the flat-bread was chewy and thick and made me feel very heavy in the tum after (Next recipe).

See you tmrw. xx

Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:11:00 +0000

THE 7:54 MOMENT: Yep, movies were a challenge – no butter popcorn, no coke, and no chocolate!!! (Groaaaan.) Water and dried apricots where no substitute but I deliberately chose to enjoy them for what they were, and you know what – I survived. (I also survived having to be organized by actually having them ready to take, lol.)

The other drag today was our breakfast. We usually have eggs and bacon or croissants, for our Sat morning start (mouth is watering as I write this...sob). I missed this food particularly as our effort to make something ultra yummy was a disaster. I am hitting the recipe sites TODAY!!!

Sat is also our dessert night and I was really happy, evident by the ‘BIG YUM’ with how it tasted.

Last night and tonight, after dinner and the kiddies have gone to bed I am comforting my sugar/chocolate crave with warm water. Sounds weird but the whole reason I was addicted to chocolate is about the night ‘my time’, ‘kid free time’, ‘tired’ time moment!!!

Shamefully, I think... "did I even enjoy the taste of the chocolate???" I think it had become a gobble ‘thing’ rather than a real savor moment. The warmth of the water is actually comforting to hold, and doing my insides good too.

I think it is ok to want comfort but not in the form of senseless, no feeling, gobble activities, what do you think???

This is why I am stripping our food back to the simple and enjoying the moment, really being in it for what it is - that is the feast! (does all that make sense?)

Breakfast: We decided to have scrambled eggs on glut free wrap breads. Oh dear me, the wraps did not work for whatever reason, temperamental little dudes aren’t they!!! – Ever chomped on cardboard?

And, we never got to the scrambled eggs as we wasted too much time trying to figure out what had gone wrong with the wraps.

Our girls ended up having left over rice from last night (they love rice), I had an apple, hubby had –he’s not sure... hmmmm... (Suspicious moment). We all had our yummy fresh juice.

Lunch: Was great. Rocket, boiled eggs halved, cucumber, onion and toasted almonds, all tossed in a bowl drizzled with a splash of olive oil and plated with a dob of greek yogurt, oh and a few basil leaves thrown in for luck.

Afternoon Tea: Ok I am so over soy milk coffee!!!

I am not a soy fan outside of cooking with it. Hmmm might need to try rice milk but kids are loving it, maybe I am just over all types of milk.

Dinner: Oven roast potatoes in jackets, cooked in olive oil, oregano, and a touch of paprika spice. Side salad of lettuce, tomato, cumber A little splash of light Italian dressing. - very cute in homey bowls.

It was so yummy, I'm learning and loving, already, simpler types of food just as they are on there own, Usually you eat a potato with bacon and bolognese and cheese and sour cream...all piled high! It was a nice experience to experience the baked potato just as humble and tasty as it was. - Let’s see if it keeps hubby full though.

Our Sat night dessert is: Apple crumble pie. Very rustic, yet no custard, cream, or ice-cream (that was a tense moment for hubby who loves his ice-cream).

Yet we both found the 'feast' was in the cinnamon apple and enjoyed every mouthful. YUM!

The crumble we made from almond meal and macadamia nuts, cornflour and a dob of butter.

See you again tmrw. xx

Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:27:00 +0000

The 7.54PM MOMENT: Feeling ok today about this whole thing, I’m just not thinking about mm's chocolate – no really.

Tonights dinner was a mix’s of frustration and fun - not being able to rely on the always popular mac cheese, or chicken drumsticks that please everyone - but it was fun coming up with a great idea or experiment. I would appreciate some Friday Night meal ideas -glut free, meat free, diary free??

To eat healthy is so far taking more conscious effort and a touch more time but that is not a bad thing. I don’t feel like this challenge is a hard slog because it’s not a ‘diet’ and we are not depriving ourselves of 'everything'.

I actually feel peaceful - strange I did not know you could feel peaceful when you are trying to be healthy. Wow - this is what happens when you do right by your body. (It helps that hubby is on board and not complaining - yet.)

Breakfast: Gluten free thin pancakes made by my amazing hubby (he’s the morning person in our house), with a touch of maple syrup (honest it was just a touch.) They are such a hit with the kids they are now permanent on the breakfast menu – hey it works and with kids that is do, do, do.

Hubby likes to cook bread but the gluten free variety turned to soup in the bowl overnight. Hmmmm need a wheat free bread solution, any ideas?

Pineapple and pear, our juice of choice for breakfast, is total yum.

Lunch: Yesterdays soup, it was not any better but the kids did not complain and it was filling. I added a small tray of toasted nuts, and watermelon balls and dried apricots to share.

Afternoon Tea: Green tea with orange and apricot blossom paired with 10min for me was so delightful. You have to try it.

Who knew, just enjoying a bit of sunshine and a pretty cup to hold my tea could be better than a square of delicious creamy chocolate (ok it would have been better if chocolate was included, arrrh chocolate!!!).

4.30pm: ...Should be hitting the walking machine with a 30min walk. It is hard to get the motivation, I feel tired and the kids are at me. Ok I pass!!! (yep pathetic, I know ;) )

Dinner: Friday night dinner in our house is all about fun, the meal I've is: Sticky sushi rice balls rolled in sesame seeds, drizzled in my honey soy sauce. On the side: cornflower tempora broccoli, capsicum and carrots crisped in a small amount of olive oil (yes, I am watching our oil consumption).

Here is our breakfast (or any time of the day recipe)!

RECIPE:

Our Pancake/Pikelets

1 cup of gluten free flour

– for pikelets add 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 teaspoon of bi-carb soda

2 table spoons of sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon of vanilla

½ cup of soy milk

2 teaspoons of melted butter

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together adding more soy milk till you get the consistency you want.

Add spoonfuls of the size you desire to a 'medium' heated fry-pan and flip when bubbles appear on surface.

Remove when cooked and drizzle with you choice of topping.

See you Tmrw. xx

Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:14:00 +0000

The 7:54 moment: I have survived the first day except there was no exercise grrrrrr!!! Tomorrow out come the sneakers!!! All in all we are happy but I am wondering how long it will take to run out of recipe ideas...

...oh and please we need your help 'save hubby' and share your polenta recipe.

I am so excited about this challenge. However it is easy to want to be healthy, it's the 'do' that's the hard bit.

Having to make the disciplined choice when takeaway would be easy because I'm tooo tired or indulging in my favorite chocolate because I can, hey I'm an adult - we can do what we want???? No! We are the ones who have to make the choice for ourselves and for our children to be who we want to be.

I want to be healthy, I want to be confident about my body, it's not perfect, but I can help it be the best it can be. I want my children to be healthy and to grow up with a respect for food and exercise and go on to make their own great choices. I want my hubby to have a partner who is looking out for his health too. We are off and running.

Breakfast: Found these cute glasses at the shops last night to inspire us to drink our fresh juice - 'juice happiness'.

At $2 each they were worth it and my girls loved drinking their juice out of the bright cheery cups this morning. Ok, so did I and hubby too.

So we had fresh pineapple and pear juice, it was yummy happy. The stewed pear was ok, properly should cook it for longer. Honey on cornflour pikelets the kids gobbled up while hubby went solo on his disgusting mushy polenta.

Lunch: Soup and homemade gluten free flour flat breads. The soup tasted slightly better then dog water, but was saved by dipping my hubbys yummy flat breads in it.

1.58pm: Really want a big old sugar rush..right now... sob oh well air will do.

4.00pm: Had a homemade 'Soy' Cappuccino - interesting.

Dinner: Roast pumpkin, rocket with pine nuts, basil, a drizzle of greek yogurt, and onion = delish. - I could eat this every night.

See you tomorrow. xx

Arggh - do I have to eat that!!! 30 Day Challange.

noreply@blogger.com (Fradaz) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:04:00 +0000

Last night, at exactly 7.54pm, I decide to commit to 30 days of healthy eating. - No takeaway, no lounging in my fav cafe', just healthy home cooking. Right now I am thinking why???? Why???? WHY????

It's not that I think eating out and having a great morning at a cafe is wrong it's just that I really want to get healthier, shed a few kilos (that hang around forever baby weight), and feel good on the inside physically.

It is time to 'start' doing what I have to and achieve the results I really want. Got to do to have.

So for 30 days, my hubby and I with the kiddies are embarking on:

'Do I have to eat that? - Yes, cause it's healthy'.

The goal is to simply be healthier and the challenge is to find the 'feast' in our healthy chosen food.

We are simply cutting out three food groups: Wheat, Diary, and Meat (except for the kiddies who need their protein and maybe hubby - depends how thin he gets, lucky thing.)

Most of all, it has to be sustainable, easy on the budget and not full of grocery items that I can't even pronounce or get from the main supermarkets - standard fare!

I want real results that fit busy family life and which my children will eat too.

Here is what we can eat:

Fruit

Veggies

Cornflour

Gluten free flour

Water

Soy products

Rice

Nuts

Eggs

Coffee - no dairy milk

Tea - no dairy milk

Greek yogurt - ok it's dairy but the main protein in dairy is broken down by the 'culture'.

Spices and natural flavorings.

A touch of butter and sugar where appropriate. i.e. in wheat free cake, but I will try and use honey and olive oil where I can or other appropriate substitutes.

Cheese - added back in at day 4.

Mountain Wraps - 70% cornflour with a touch of Wheat, added in at day 6

Now, I am no doctor, expert, and this is no 'diet' or 'detox' it just simply about making healthy choices and actually doing what it takes to be healthy-ish.

This will not be a perfect 30 days and I'm sure I will make many mistakes but it is about the doing rather then being perfect.

So farewell my best friend chocolate please don't hate me and remember me, I'll see you at the end...maybe!

Hello to fruit and exercise, effort and saying no to chocolate...'arrrh chocolate' "no"- dope, no already!!

....oh and feel free to join if you dare

or try/share recipes, and encourage...we may need it.