Honest Simplicity

an Apple Flower is a healthy fun snack that my kids love

Roughly two years ago, I read “Primal Body Primal Mind” by Nora Gedgaudas.  It changed my life.  With enthusiasm, I ditched the starches and sugars embedded in my diet and opted for grass-fed butter and meat, pastured eggs, raw nuts, and lots of organic leafy greens.  My body was loving it all, but I got bored eating the same dishes over and over.  I struggled for more diversity in my meal plan. That is when Sarah Fragoso came to the rescue (though she is certainly unaware of her great influence in our home).  I bought her cookbook “Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook: Real Food for Real Life” and it saved me.  I’ve since bought her first cookbook “Everyday Paleo”.  Most of my family’s favorite recipes are found within these books.  Her recipes include amazing dishes such as her delicious Hungarian Stew, her savory Spaghetti Squash and Meat Balls,  as well as simple tasty treats like Paleo Apple Muffins (see photo).   If I could only have two cookbooks in my house, these would be it hands down.

We try to keep our sugar intake at a minimum in our house, these days.  Everyone feels healthier and happier when their bodies are regularly fed nourishing food, right?  Sugar, when continually consumed, can be devastating to a person’s well-being, both physically and mentally.  I don’t miss the intense sugar cravings, shakiness, and confusion I suffered from years of hypoglycemia.  It was a roller coaster that I don’t ever want to ride again and I don’t want my children to experience the same sugar-induced tug of war.  Gone are the mornings we began with “healthy” bowls of cereal.  Spaghetti squash has replaced our staple of starchy spaghetti noodles.   I’ve said farewell to Sunday morning donut runs, once thinking it was a harmless family routine.  I’m not saying we don’t ever let our kids have a cookie, take them out for ice cream, or let them savor Halloween candy.  We do!  I like to follow the 90:10 rule (eat healthy 90% of the time and treat yourself 10% of the time).  Who doesn’t like a sweet treat now and then?  I’d say in the past, I indulged in my sugar cravings far too much, even though I thought I was being healthy.  Sugar controlled me and now I control it (for the most part).  My experience has been that when I consume fewer sweets, I allow my taste buds to experience the wonderful depth of sweetness found naturally in fruit.  A bite of apple can come to life when my sense of taste isn’t daily inundated with sugary starchy foods.  I’m not exaggerating or trying to sound corny.  When I changed my eating habits, my sugar cravings reduced, my hypoglycemia disappeared, PMS became nearly non-existent, my energy level increased, my emotions leveled out, I gained a deeper awareness of my body, and my overall health improved.  I’m not perfect.  Sometimes I find myself indulging too much, but then I get back on track.  Eating healthy is a gift I’ve given to my body.  It takes work creating new habits and saying goodbye to old ones.  It means letting myself break the rules once in a while.  It means looking forward to years of wellness.  It is a gift well worth giving to my children.  Thank you, Everyday Paleo for your delicious recipes, which have made my family’s journey to better health a tasty one!