Whole30, let's do this.

It's time to bring in the reins a little.  Even though we eat almost all "whole" real foods at Casa de Bailey, we've gone a little overboard lately with the sweeteners {even natural ones like maple syrup and honey}, smoothies choc full of fruit, and "healthy" Paleo desserts.   I realize that during a tough day of parenting, I reach for the dark chocolate or another sweetened latté faster than I can say a prayer for help.  It's time to take a step back and lessen the hold that food has on my body and emotions.

Enter Whole30 - where you clean up your diet for 30 days straight, eating only whole, real foods.  The focus is on healthy meats and veggies, healthy fats, some nuts and seeds, with a bit of fruit.  No grains, no legumes, and no sweeteners of any kind are allowed, not even Stevia (insert wide-eyed nervous face).   Here are the rules. 

This is going to be hella-hard, but good.  I've done an anti-fungal diet for a month, and it's difficult, but at least I had Stevia so I could still have my beloved coconut milk lattés.  During Whole30, they're going to have to be unsweetened, which makes me shudder...which confirms how much I rely on that sweetness to satisfy myself.

What am I hoping to get out of this?

• Get back to the basics of simple food - taste and appreciate food in its most unprocessed, whole form.
• Loosen the grip of treats in my life, even those made with natural sweeteners.   Recapture the real taste of food without added sweetness.
• Along with strenuous walks and other exercise, get a jumpstart/reboot on toning up my body again, as it's pretty much unrecognizable to me after this last pregnancy.  I know I have a lot of muscle and strength under that fluff, so I'm not freaking out about it.  I'm just doing what I can to be as healthy as possible.

This morning, I went to the grocery store and stocked up on a rainbow of veggies and some fruit {mostly berries} to begin the journey.  This weekend, I'll add more produce from our Urban Acres share, some chicken and grass-fed beef, and Holy Kombucha. 

Whole30 starts tomorrow.  But first, a practice round this afternoon...{unsweetened} iced coffee with {unsweetened} homemade cashew milk and some cinnamon.  It really hit the spot.  I can do this. 

If you've done Whole30, do you have any recipes I must try?  And if you're doing Whole30 now, let's support each other!  We owe it to ourselves and our bodies to set our minds to this and do it fully.  I know I'll feel so much better at the end of this 30 days.  Are you with me?

Favorite homemade nut butter.

This is a staple in our house - homemade nut butter (usually almond) in a mason jar that lasts about 2.5 seconds before it's gobbled up completely. To me, homemade nut butter tastes so much better than what you'll find at the grocery store, and because the nuts are soaked and slowly dried first, it's actually a lot easier to digest.

From Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions…

“Improperly prepared nuts are very difficult to digest without depleting your store of digestive enzymes, making it difficult for you to gather any nutrients from the food you eat. Commercially available roasted nuts are most likely not soaked first which means they still have enzyme inhibitors. To make the awesome storehouse of nutrients in nuts available to you, you can soak and sprout them first."

So here's how I do it...

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic raw almonds or raw pecans (or a mixture)
• Filtered water
• 1-2 Tbs sea salt
• Cinnamon
• About 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

Directions:

First, soak dem nuts.  It takes a bit of planning, because you have to soak the nuts two days before, but it's worth it.  Before you go to bed, put the raw nuts in a big bowl and pour enough filtered water over them to cover all the nuts.  Some of the nuts will be floating on top but don’t worry, they will eventually sink into the water.  Sprinkle sea salt on top.  Cover the bowl with a towel and let soak for 8 hours overnight.

In the morning, simply pour the nuts into a colander or strainer so the water drains out.    Rinse them.  Then spread them onto a large cookie sheet so they are all in a single layer.  Sprinkle all the nuts with more sea salt, as much cinnamon as you want, and a wee bit of cayenne pepper if you want  (this is how I like them).

Then, I put them in my oven’s warming drawer on medium for approximately 24 hours.  If you don’t have a warming drawer, put them in the oven on the lowest possible temperature for around 24 hours.  Check the nuts periodically – they are done when they are perfectly dry and crispy, not chewy at all.

No one wants chewy nuts.

Now you're ready to make nut butter while the nuts are still warm (it makes it easier if the nuts are warm, but it's not required if you can't make them right away.)  You'll need a powerful blender (like a Vitamix) or a food processor.  First, melt the coconut oil.  If you're using a Vitamix, pour oil into the blender first, then the nuts. If you're using a food processor, first add the nuts and start processing them until they become pasty, then add the oil. 

Don't be afraid of the coconut oil!  Keep mixing and add a little more oil to make it the consistency you want.  If it’s crumbly and doesn’t hold together, there’s not enough moisture.  If you just want thick, pasty nut butter, you don't need as much oil.  I like mine creamy.

At the end, I add about 5 drops of Vanilla Crème Stevia or about a Tbs of honey to add a bit of sweetness.  You don't have to sweeten it though.

You could also add more cinnamon and cayenne pepper for a kick.  I've also seen people add dried unsweetened coconut flakes and blend them into the nut butter.

Done!  Scoop with a spatula into a glass mason jar with a tight lid and store it in the pantry.  It doesn’t usually stay uneaten for long!

The art of self-care {after baby #2}.

"Sacrifice crosses a line into martyrdom when it's not balanced with self-care. Our kids don't need a martyr; they need a mother. A martyr gives up her life to the extent that she no longer exists – she loses who she is while taking care of everyone else. A mother cares for her family and cares for herself. She allows motherhood to expand her experiences and her understanding of herself. A mother models the art of self-care for her children when she pays attention to her need for rest, nutrition, and exercise. She shows them how to find a Friend who understands when she takes the time to pray and read God's Word. She strengthens their faith when they see her turn to God for answers to her own life. Following the example of Christ we can learn to sacrifice without losing ourselves along the way." ~ from Real Moms, Real Jesus by Jill Savage

Almost 4 months in, I'm finding what the "art of self-care" means with two children.  Awhile ago, I learned my lesson that self-care cannot fall by the wayside after having kids.  Sure, it's more difficult and maybe looks a lot different than it did before {say, a 5 minute shower with a baby in the Bumbo at your feet}.  But for me, it's non-negotiable to get in some self-care time however small, so I stay both sane and healthy.   The goal here isn't perfection, as if that were even possible.  A little goes a long way.

Here are some ways I've been practicing self-care lately...

• Making time for reading and tea early in the morning.  It doesn't happen every morning and sometimes it's for only 15 minutes before the first little voice beckons me, but when I start my day this way, I feel much better.  Usually it's my beloved coconut milk latté and my Bible Study Fellowship notes, or just one of the books I'm currently reading.
• Taking my vitamins.  I continued taking Evening Primrose Oil and Red Raspberry Leaf capsules for 3 months postpartum, and I feel like they kept my mood even keel for awhile.  Now I'm done with those and my regimen now includes Garden of Life Vitamin Code for Women, Carlson's Vitamin D-3 drops, liquid iodine to support my thyroid (just 1 drop a day), and Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil blend.
• Drinking lots of water.  An easy way to get in enough water?  This glass 2 gallon crock filled with naturally-flavored water to drink throughout the day.  There are few things more refreshing than cucumber lemon water - just slice a bunch of cucumbers thinly with a knife or mandoline, add some fresh squeezed lemon juice or lemon slices to ice water.  You could try all different kinds of flavors - add melon slices, berries, limes...Having it ready and in sight makes a difference.

• Using my essential oils.  I've been building an arsenal of doTerra essential oils, and I use them practically everyday.   Here are some ways:
  • Wild Orange on the back of my neck for rejuvenation
  • Diffusing Balance, Purify, or Elevation in the air
  • Rubbing Lavender or Roman Chamomile on the back of my neck for relaxation
  • Inhaling, diffusing, or rubbing Clary Sage on my skin - love the scent of this oil, probably because it reminds me of Norah's birth.
  • Adding 3 drops of Lemon to my water (make sure to use a glass container).
  • Something I've been wanting to try: oil pulling with sesame oil and a drop of OnGuard.

• Taking a shower.  Mmmkay, time to shift expectations.  Gone are the days of long, luxurious 30-minute showers that use all the hot water.  What's realistic now is a few minutes of hot water pouring down on me, but afterwards I'm clean and feel much better.  Most of the time, I'm rushing to dry off to pick up a crying baby or barely get my clean clothes on before someone wakes up, but it's a step in the right direction.
• Getting dressed in "real" clothes.  Yoga pants are practically a uniform for moms of small children, amen?   I ain't ashamed to wear them.  However, I feel a bit better when I actually get dressed in something that resembles "real" clothes - lately I've been loving the Threads 4 Thought skirts you can get at Whole Foods along with a tank top.  I have 3 of them, and they're made of super comfy t-shirt material (I'm wearing the Hanover skirt as I type this).   And they're great for a postpartum mama who still can't fit into some of her "transition" clothes from the last pregnancy.
• Eating well and often.  I've been trying to stick to healthy meats, tons of veggies, some fruit, and healthy fats, skipping the grains except for our Sunday suppers each weekend when I know I'll get to have noodles, homemade pasta or pizza or something deliciously carb-laden.  I just feel better physically and emotionally limiting/eliminating the grains, dairy, and refined sugars.  I've also been trying to have more healthy snacks around.  I recently tried Sara Snow's Energy Sustaining Breakfast Bars.  They're great to grab when you need a little snack, although I don't love the chewy texture from the chia seeds.  I'll probably use flax seeds next time.

• Smoothies everyday.  We usually end up making a smoothie everyday in some form or fashion.  If it's a green smoothie day, it's a great way to get my 3-year-old to actually eat some greens.  Lately, I also add some Zija Prime90 protein powder.  I've tried so many different protein powders, and this is the best-tasting one I've ever had, hands down.  It's mostly protein from the amazing moringa plant.

• Skin dry brushing.  This is my new favorite healthy habit.  Skin dry brushing is a simple, quick way to cleanse and get the lymphatic system moving.  I bought this Yerba Prima skin brush on Amazon and take about 3-5 minutes to brush my skin before I take a shower.  It feels so good, especially behind the knees for some reason (there are lymph nodes there, right?).  I feel totally rejuvenated afterwards, and my skin already feels softer and tighter.  This is a great tutorial on how to do it effectively.

And then there are those crazy days when you got in zero self-care, no matter how hard you try.  So you end up at "happy hour" at your friend's house at 5pm.  While your kids play together, you drink a glass of red wine and color unicorns and rainbows in your friend's kid's coloring book.  And that's okay too.

Releasing to embrace.

Today is the first day of the Lenten season.  Admittedly, I've never really observed Lent.  But this year, I felt compelled to.  Adding another baby to the family has made our lives wonderfully full.  And with that fullness there is no longer room for everything that was there before. 

The above challenge from my Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) lecture two weeks ago has totally stuck with me...release anything in our lives that prevents us from following Him wholeheartedly.  What should I be releasing?  Following Christ right now means serving my family - my husband and two children - and serving them wholeheartedly, not distractedly.  As I prayed over this, I realized something specific I need to change.  While I love Instagram as a tool to embrace life, I've been scrolling through my Instagram and Facebook feeds mindlessly lately, using them as an escape or distraction.  It's time to take a step back, and this is the perfect time.  So I'll be off Instagram and Facebook until Easter.  I might even quit Facebook altogether when this is over as I've been considering it for awhile.

At any rate, I'm excited about what this frees up for me.  I plan to blog here a bit more - I've really missed it. This time is about sitting down at my computer intentionally to write rather than checking social media mindlessly all throughout the day.  It's a choice that helps me embrace my life and creativity rather than taking away from it.

Our lives right now are beautifully imperfect, yet I feel so peaceful.  Like I said, wonderfully full.  My husband just turned the big 3-5 on Sunday, and we had a homemade pasta dinner {christening his new pasta attachment for the KitchenAid mixer} to celebrate.

He has completely mastered the art of homemade pasta.  I might crown him an honorary Italian.  As we sat down once again with friends around our farm table that he made with his own two hands, I was grateful again that sharing meals together is an important part of our lives, our story.

And this photo taken the same day just makes me smile. No matter how often I tidy up, our living room is chaos, with toys and car seats and burp cloths strewn on practically every surface.  I took a moment to sit on my husband's back with our baby Norah while he did a magnetic world puzzle, and it's just so totally and completely random.  But it's our crazy life that I love.

I hope you'll continue along with me during Lent as we seek to embrace these days more fully.  And please share any insights you have about taking life more slowly - I'd love to know what that means for you.

Help us bring the farm to Dallas!

I couldn't be more proud of our Urban Acres team (and my hubby!) for putting together this incredible video and campaign.  We're using the Kickstarter website to raise $30,000 by August 5th to build a one-of-a-kind farmstead in the heart of Dallas.  Our current market will move to the new location (still in our beloved neighborhood) and add features such as an open kitchen, Texas cheese counter, chicken coop, and aquaponics greenhouse.  I'm particularly excited about the outdoor patio with the communal farm table!

In case you're not familiar, Kickstarter is an "all-or-nothing" deal, so if we don't get $30,000 pledged by the deadline, we don't get any of the money.  Please, watch this short video and if you feel led to give at all to help us reach our goal, that's great!  You don't have to live in Dallas to contribute. 

And most importantly, thanks to all of you who have supported our dreams throughout the years!

Bread & Wine.

It's arrived!  I'm happily in the midst of reading Shauna Niequist's latest book, Bread & Wine.  Shauna's people have once again been kind enough to include me in the group of bloggers reading and reviewing advance copies of the book, and I can't wait to officially share about it here once I'm done.  But let's just say this - this book speaks my language in every way.  I nearly wept reading the intro alone.  As if I should be surprised...

Shauna's first book, Cold Tangerines, taught me that "this pedestrian life" is the best life I've got.  Cold Tangerines began my love story with living more deeply - stopping, pausing my frantic, busy, married working-girl life to be more present in the details, to tell my story and invite others into it.

Her second book, Bittersweet, was read shortly after I became a mother, at a time when I could not be experiencing change more deeply, in the beautifully exhausting hours of caring for a newborn.

Two-and-a-half-years later, I still can say along with Shauna, "I’m so thankful to live in this physical, messy, blood-and-guts world." (Bittersweet)

How I love some bread and wine in my life on a regular basis - yes, I do love bread (hello, I'm Italian) and wine (apparently I also love white wine, who knew?) but together, "bread & wine" is communion.  Community.  This introvert loves having people over, sharing meals around our table.  It's all part of this year's purpose of embracing who I really am. 

Our home is centered around one very large, rustic farm table that my husband built from salvaged barn wood.  In just a few years, I cannot even count the memorable meals we've shared around that table, crumbs falling through the holes in the table's imperfect surface, elbows touching, glasses being filled and refilled.  So far, Bread & Wine resonates with these passions perfectly. I've already written the name of my friend "Linda" in the margin on page 13. And "Aunt Lucille" in the margin on page 14.

We're off to a good start, friends.  More to come...

* This post includes Amazon affiliate links.

The joy of keeping chickens.

Someone gave us this book to read awhile back, but I was a little skeptical.  Although keeping chickens seems rather trendy right now, and we own an organic farm market, I still thought it would be too much extra work and trouble. 

Then, last minute, we happened upon three chickens who needed a temporary home until our new Urban Acres store is finished this spring, where they will eventually live.  "Just for a few days" became a few weeks, and now they're happily living in our back yard.

Dolly, Polly, and Lolly

Let me tell you, there really is a joy about keeping chickens.  The excitement begins with their muted balking that we can hear through the bedroom window first thing in the morning.  Yet, they wait patiently to be let out of the coop.  Once the door is open, they walk out slowly, calmly, single-file and go about their morning, pecking and grazing all day long.

Right now, they're living in a makeshift, rickety coop that my husband threw together with old wood pallets and wire, beacuse the much more fashionable coop they came with didn't fit through our gate.  But these girls don't care. There's covering, a place for them to roost, and a door.  They could care less if it's a Pinterest-worthy dwelling. 

Each day, we look forward to our family scavenger hunt around the yard, looking for eggs.  Here's the first one we got - isn't it beautiful?

Chickens are easy enough that our 2-year-old can help take care of them, giggling and smiling as she spreads chicken scratch and other kitchen scraps on the ground.  She can even do it in a ballerina dress!

Sabbath. (30 days of thankfulness - day 11)

"If busyness can become a kind of violence, we do not have to stretch our perception very far to see that Sabbath time – effortless, nourishing rest – can invite a healing of this violence. When we consecrate a time to listen to the still, small voices, we remember the root of inner wisdom that makes work fruitful. We remember from where we are most deeply nourished, and see more clearly the shape and texture of the people and things before us." ~ Wayne Muller

How thankful I am for Sundays - our Sabbath, our family time together.  The book Sabbath by Wayne Muller changed me, and now I must have our quiet, laid-back Sundays to remember who I am, who we are together.

We've now enacted a rule of no TV, DVDs, iPads, or any other form of visual entertainment on the Sabbath.  After fielding about 55 requests from our two-year-old of, "Mommy?  Can I watch sump'in?" I think she's finally catching on that the TV goes night-night on the Sabbath.

There is so much more I want to do as a family to embrace this special time of the week, but at least it's a start.

As I said in an earlier post about Sabbath, "The point is taking my hand off the plow, knowing I can't do it all. Knowing that God can and will work through me, that His strength will be the life that courses through my veins. And that by keeping my focus on the rhythms He gave us in this world, I can truly find rest."

Tonight we ended our Sabbath with a candelit meal that my husband prepared - buttery spaghetti squash smothered in savory meat and mushroom sauce with crusty bread.  It was perfect.

~ ~ ~

During the month of November, I'm practicing "30 days of thankfulness" - will you join me?  Use your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to voice your thankfulness for something every day in November.  My hope is that this daily routine will create in me a heart of thankfulness and gratitude, no matter the day or month or situation.