Sugar Detox Week 2 & 3: No White Flour & No Desserts

So... I got a little busy last week and couldn't do an update on week 2 of our current detox.  Week 2 was No White Flour.  Now we're on week 3, which is No Desserts.  Let's start with last week since it was rather eventful.

On Sunday last week my husband basically had a melt down because he thought there was nothing to eat in the house and he couldn't go get a burger or burrito to ease his hunger pains.  If this detox teaches us nothing else, it will at least teach us to wait for our food because preparation takes time.  We are having to get accustomed to making food when we are hungry, or at least preparing it.  That was the first problem of the week.

On Monday last week I spent the entire day in the kitchen making "snacks" for my family because apparently fruit doesn't count as a snack.  Who knew?  Oh what a day it was!  I then proceeded to spend the rest of my week trying to keep up with my family's appetite.

The biggest problem that we seem to run into is that we run out of bread pretty quickly.  I make our bread, so it is a 4 hr process for me to make some more bread.  I plan to begin making the dough in larger batches so that I can freeze the extra and just thaw it when we need more bread, but I've been holding off until I have made some sprouted flour.

Another difficulty I have run into is that I have yet to find a decent tortilla recipe that doesn't break a part when I try to make a burrito.  I guess I get to experiment with that next!

This week we began no desserts.  No big deal for us, at least at the moment.  I have found myself craving chocolate bars lately, but that could always just be a hormonal thing :-)  No desserts is any form of dessert including candy.  I've been getting my night time sweet fix with a little bit of fruit and some raw yogurt.

Next week we will be removing all refined sugar from our diets.  I've basically done that already, but there are still a few things that I'll need to make adjustments on.  That also means that I need to go buy some more organic unrefined sugar for our pancakes and oatmeal.  Don't worry, that'll be omitted soon enough!

As for right now, I'm working on perfecting a couple things so I can do some how to's and I'm currently photo recording my first attempt at making sprouted wheat flour.  Stay tuned for things to get interesting VERY soon!

In the mean time, how often does your family eat dessert and what is your favorite kind?

Sugar Detox Week 1: No High Fructose Corn Syrup

I'm sure that most of us are aware of the fact that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is not good for us.  If you're not, a simple Google search can remedy that :-)

The question becomes, how bad is it and should I completely avoid it?

The answer to that question is up for debate, but with the research I've done and the medical problems we struggle with in our family, we've chosen to cut it out!

I will start by saying that for the next 7 1/2 weeks we are continuing a Sugar Detox that I found on a wonderfully informational blog called Naturally Knocked Up.  While I do have fertility problems that I am learning to deal with and hopefully correct, that is not what led me to this site.  I happened across it while Googling something having to do with non-soy eating.  What a co-in-ki-dink, huh?

This is going to be kind of my journal of the process from now until the end.  Once we are done with the detox, I hope to not have any type of refined sugar or flour in my house, but that doesn't mean we won't eat elsewhere simply because the food isn't ideal.

We go to potlucks and we have family dinners with my in-laws.  We enjoy a nice dinner out and occasionally want to splurge on some delicious Marble Slab Creamery ice cream.  I guess for me the rule is: If it's real, I'll eat it.  If it's scientifically made/fake, It's off limits for me.  My hubby isn't quite as picky as me, he's more concerned about taste (at least that route usually means it's real!)

Anyways, back to HFCS...

I have chosen to completely avoid HFCS in any way shape or form, but I do LOVE Dr Pepper.  I may have to purchase a stash of the old school DP that is made with cane sugar.  It's still off limits for now, but once the detox is over, I may have to have a stash for an occasional treat.  Once again, I digress...

I have PCOS which makes me a higher risk than normal for diabetes.  I need to completely stay away from HFCS and pretty much all refined sugar.  That is why this is an important part of my journey to simplicity.  No more hazardous foods means I'm less likely to need hazardous medications :-D

So we began our detox this past Sunday.  My husband was not thrilled when I threw out his BBQ sauce because it had HFCS.  Nor was he happy about the brand new jar of jam that got tossed too.  Well, he got over it and I've since replaced the BBQ sauce.  I have yet to make a replacement jam, but it IS on my To-do list!

The amazing thing was that I didn't have to throw as much out as I thought I would have to.  My fridge and pantry are looking rather bare since cleaning out all soy-containing foods.  The actually removed A LOT of the HFCS.  What does that tell you about the products we are eating that contain soy?  A topic for another day...

On Monday we went to Whole Foods to replace the ketchup, BBQ sauce, and to purchase some stuff I needed to make chicken stock (perhaps another post?)  I also purchased a massive gallon of honest to God apple juice (you know the expensive, organic, just juice kind?) for only $8!!! Yeah, you read that right!  And yeah, I really said it was at Whole Foods!

So, step one in the process was done, there is no HFCS in my house!

Then came feeding my family...

We had some delicious meals.  BBQ chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans was on the top of my hubby's faves for this week.  Yesterday was leftover night.  Fortunately, I had planned on starting this detox and so the week before I didn't make any meals with HFCS, therefore all of our leftovers were keepers when it came time to clean the fridge out.

So far, I haven't really missed my DP.  I did for about a half hour last night think it sounded good, but I held my ground.

While we have cut out the HFCS, apparently we are not ready to cut the caffeine.  I have made a 3 qt pitcher of iced tea nearly every day this week so far.  I enjoy it and my husband will drink it since there is no soda.  I have yet to open up the apple juice mainly because I'm not sure how to fit it in my fridge, but I'll work on that soon.

Now I'm preparing for next week which will cut out refined flour.  This is something we've already done in our house, but that means no muffins from Winco, and no pastries in the Grazing Room at church on Sundays.  We'll have to stick to cheese and fruit... Not even crackers! Perhaps I'll make my own and sneak them in in my purse?

Since finding out my daughter is allergic to soy, I've had to start baking all of our bread.  Well, I could have continued purchasing bread for my husband, but if I'm going through the trouble, I might as well make his too!  Not to mention that I'm happy to cut the soy oil from HIS diet too :-)

Back to bread, I've been researching a lot about soaked and sprouted grains (another e-book available from Naturally Knocked Up called 'Is Your Flour Wet?').  I've decided on sprouting wheat and making my own flour.

At the moment I don't have the items I need, but they are on their way as I type (VERY EXCITED!).  For the time being, I figured I'd better get baking and find a recipe I like so I don't waste my sprouted flour.  I finally found a recipe that I and my husband LOVE.  I'll share that next week in my update on switching to whole grains :-)

You are welcome to join in on the detox and share how it goes for you!  I would love to hear your thoughts on the sugar addiction crisis here in America...

Perfect Portions

Last month we found out that our daughter is allergic to soy.  While her allergy is mild, we have found that cutting soy greatly reduces her allergic reaction to our cats.  Therefore, until we find homes for our cats, she will be without soy always.


With this new found knowledge came a whole new world of challenges:

First was realizing that most processed foods have some form of soy in them.

Second was finding out that there may very well be soy in something, but the manufacturer doesn't have to report it because it is a certain form or a small enough amount that the law doesn't require it.

Third was realizing that even the butter we buy has soy in the hidden form of "natural flavors."

Fourth was coming to the conclusion that the only way to be sure she didn't consume soy was to make her food ourselves.


A short time after that, I concluded from hours upon hours of research that we as a family needed to change our eating habits.  I have certain medical conditions that normally require a great deal of prescriptions and semi monthly doctor visits, but we don't have insurance.  Therefore, I have gone without knowing that it could be detrimental to my health and I have suffered a great deal because of it.  However, I do not WANT to be on medications and I do not want to rely on doctors that took immensely longer to figure out what I had than it took me.  (Seriously, I told my doctor what I had and he dismissed it.  My other doctor diagnosed me after reading 1 test result!)

After a lot of thought and research, I found that changing our diet to be organic, raw and whole foods was actually doable within a reasonable budget.  I will have to join several co-ops within my local area (I'm actually very excited to get involved with other people who are as passionate about good eating as I am).  I will also have to obtain several different types of kitchen tools/ equipment that I don't own.  But when you get down to it, I CAN DO THIS!

(BTW, our whole house is starting an 8 week sugar detox next week.  Check back for updates on how we cope with our new found fountain of health!)

I'm viewing these circumstances as God pushing me closer to the simple homestead lifestyle that I've longed for.  What a blessing it is to have your desires confirmed by God's direction and divine intervention in your life!

The first step for us was to purchase a freezer.  With Ali being allergic to soy, we no longer have the option to "go get something quick" if I'm busy or sick.  My husband doesn't cook, so the burden falls on me to always do it.  I don't mind, but I have to plan for the inevitable sick day!

So I search Craigslist like a mad woman, day after day.  I had hoped to only spend $50, but I began to lose hope.  Then, last Sunday, I saw an ad for a deep freezer for $50!  I told my husband and text the number and planned to go pick up the freezer the following evening.  Well, as my days have been lately, my plan got ambushed by last minute work schedule changes and I was without a truck, a lifting helper, and childcare.  A dear friend lent me her husband, his truck and by the grace of God my hubby got home in time to watch our daughter.  We drove clear across town, purchased a $500 freezer for $50 and praised the Lord for His blessing.

Now all I have to do is fill it up!  That's what this post is all about!

I spent the past several days sprouting some pintos and cooking them up :-)  If I keep them in the fridge, they'll spoil before we use them up so I devised a plan!  I put my beans in a nifty silicone mini loaf pan.

 

Then I put them in the freezer over night and removed them.  You see, one mini loaf pan is the same amount that I typically use to make refried beans for burritos!  How perfect is that!

 

Then I just popped them out and put them into a labeled freezer bag!

 

Now they have been added to my deep freezer!  Yay!  I will also be doing this with soups and stocks.  The size is about the same size as a standard can, so it's the perfect portion for individual servings! 

How do you prepare for the inevitable sick or busy days?