Carrot Cake Muffins

Last night we went to a bbq and I knew it would be a land mine of sweet temptations. So I armed us with  our own treat made with carrots, honey, applesauce, and whole wheat. It definitely helped... we didn't feel too deprived and we were all strong (it might have been the first time I ever turned down a homemade cookies)! Outta sight, outta mind is definitely the best way to resist sugar, but it is possible to say no!

Carrot Cake Muffins (adapted from melskitchencafe.com)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and then combine, mixing only until combined.

Oil muffin tin with coconut oil or use muffin liners. Distribute batter evenly. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top to look pretty. Bake for 18 minutes.

(Makes 12 muffins)

If you like cream cheese frosting with carrot cake (our favorite!), try this healthified version I got from my sister-in-law!

8 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter

Cream together really well and add a teaspoon of vanilla.
Then add sweetener to taste. (I used about 1/4 cup of honey, she used eritherol.)

Add a little milk until the right consistency.  I put it in a frosting bag and piped it onto our muffins.

No Sugar May + Recipes

Some of you have been asking for the recipes I use during our 30 day no-sugar challenge, and if they are too long to post on Instagram I will put them here!

Day 1: Avocado toast! Dave's killer bread, organic good seed variety (from Costco), smothered with organic coconut oil, and topped with half a sliced avocado. I dream about this treat.

I was also eating leftover butternut squash pasta. It was so-so, probably because I used too much onion and didn't have the Parmesan.

Pasta with Butternut Parmesan Sauce

1 butternut squash
8 ounces pasta (recipe calls for penne, I use organic whole wheat spaghetti from Costco)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole milk (or half and half)
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Water as needed to thin the sauce

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place halves in a glass baking dish cut side down. Add 1/4 cup water and bake for 40 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool , and then scoop out the flesh from the skins. Puree in a food processor.

Cook pasta until al dente. Saute onions in coconut oil until soft. Add squash puree milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Add spices, then water until consistency you want. Pour the sauce over the pasta and top with fresh Parmesan.

Day 2: Granola Balls

1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup raisins (forgot)
1 cup rolled oats

Mix well. Scoop into balls with a tablespoon. Refrigerate.

Day 3: Green smoothie + Saturday whole wheat banana pancakes

Green Smoothie

3 cups water
3 handfuls greens (I get organic power greens--kale, spinach, chard--at Costco)
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp cocoa

Makes about 5 cups. Ideally I would drink it all but I usually share. :) This is totally customizable with and type of fruit!

My smoothie guru and healthy eating superstar is greensmoothiegirl.com. She is my go-to source for health news and information. I trust her opinion over almost anyone. 

Pancake recipe is from 100daysofrealfood.com.

Day 4: Wild Rice Stuffed Squash and Mousse Moussetaches!

I served this with steamed cauliflower sprinkled with cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mike and I thought the squash was tasty but the kids didn't love it. Good thing we were making a healthy chocolate mousse for dessert!

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash (adapted from The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell)

3 acorn squash
1 cup wild rice (I used a mix of wild rice and brown rice)
2 cups water
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 stalks celery, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup almonds

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut each squash from stem to tip, scoop out seeds, and place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake about 30 minutes or until soft.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and rice to a boil on high, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until soft. In a small pan saute the celery and onion in the coconut oil until soft. Add marjoram, papper, salt, and nutmeg.


After squash is cool, scoop out the flesh, leaving a little behind to keep the skins from tearing. In a large bowl, mash the flesh and reserve. In a food processor grind the almonds to powder. Add the ground almonds, sauteed mixture, and wild rice to squash bowl and mix thoroughly. Stuff the mixture into the reserved squash shells. Place in a casserole dish and bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until heated through.


Healthy Chocolate Mousse

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup honey
2 avocados

Blend until smooth. Chill and serve!

The Power of FOOD!

I have to admit, in the past I have mostly "lived to eat."

I usually eat healthy foods, but I have never tried to reign in my cravings for sweets. I have a very healthy appetite (and that's saying it nicely). The truth is that I am still known among my high school friends for eating the most... and I often out-eat my husband. To my credit, my thyroid replacement medication speeds up my metabolism, I'm exercising often, and I'm also still nursing--so I'm always hungry!

That being said, I have noticed a gradual shift in my thinking over the past few years to the opposite saying "eat to live." I'm a firm believer that everything you put in your mouth has an effect on your body, and that you truly are what you eat. I love this quote my friend recently shared on Facebook:

So true. I am still on a steep learning curve when it comes to eating healthy, but this idea helps me to see food choices with black and white thinking... it's the gray area that's dangerous. It becomes not, "One piece of chocolate won't add to my thighs," but "This chocolate will raise my blood sugar and acidity levels and feed cancer cells in my body." Do you see the power?

Last winter I saw a holistic doctor for help in treating my thyroid cancer naturally (to avoid re-growth and radioactive iodine). He suggested that I eat LOTS of organic greens (specifically green smoothies and chlorophyll), cut sugar from my diet, and supplement vitamin D3 and selenium. It may seem strange to think that simple nutrition can fight cancer, but as the documentary Forks over Knives states, only 1-2% of cancer is genetic. Did you get that?! In other words, 98-99% of cancers are caused by factors that we have control over, primarily what we eat!

It shouldn't be surprising to me that food is powerful. I've long been obsessed with the power of life possessed inside a tiny seed.
 

It starts as a small shriveled brown speck, and miraculously sprouts into something beautiful... and in most cases, nutritious! Which is exactly why I love growing my own food in the garden.

So instead of sitting back and worrying about the remaining thyroid cells in my neck turning cancerous and spreading, I'm choosing to ACT and "let food be thy medicine." (Hippocrates)

We're drinking green smoothies almost every day (Green Smoothie Girl is my guru!). I'm increasing plants in my diet (specifically trying to eat veggies at every meal), decreasing animal-based foods, and cutting processed and refined foods. This, my friends, means sugar.

It's time to take the bull by the horns. We do pretty well at home because we don't buy processed junk food, but those sweets sneak in all the cracks and crannies! For awhile I was allowing myself to feel better about baking with organic sugar, but the truth was I was still eating baked goods way too often! And the kids get sugar constantly at school and church... I know sweets are satisfying and people use them to show praise, appreciation, and even love. But it's time to take control of my family's health and future.

So May 1st-31st, we are holding an Andrews Family No-Sugar Challenge! We have educated and empowered our kids, set goals and guidelines, and provided rewards. I will be sharing a daily update on Facebook and Instagram of something we are eating or doing that is still satisfying and enjoyable--without the sugar. This will provide me with accountability, and hopefully support and encouragement!

After the 30 days, our goal is to have a family treat once a week. This will often mean baking something together on Sundays, or going to our favorite frozen yogurt place as a family. But the hope is that after realizing we can live without sugar, our desire to eat it will decrease.

I realize that this might be hard, and especially that isn't socially "normal." Birthday parties, social gatherings, and even church activities will be different for us, but that's ok. There are other ways to enjoy life!

I like a quote from Dave Ramsey, the financial guru. I take it out of context, but I think it's powerful in a different way:

"Live like no one else, so later you can LIVE like no one else!"

Happy Earth Day!

The Earth is so beautiful. I love this time of year when everything is fresh and new. It is so fitting that the seasons coincide with the rebirth and renewal we celebrate at Easter. As a speaker at church said on Easter morning, all things testify of Christ!

 

 We had a lovely Saturday working in our little corner of the Earth.

We planted a few new trees, mowed the lawn, got the garden drip system running, and enjoyed the sunshine.

The yard is in full bloom! The weeping redbud is just gorgeous.

The lamium (dead nettle) ground cover has been blooming since February! This is a no-fail, no effort little performer!

The bleeding hearts have doubled in size in a week and are getting buds on them.

The bulbs are getting showy. This is a double yellow tulip.

We have three different varieties of daffodils.

Love the pops of color all over the place.

The flowering pears and spring snow crab apples are also blossoming.

Maddie celebrated Earth Day at school by picking up 100 pieces of garbage!

Garden Outing and Red Potatoes!

IFA is always great for an outing with the kids. We headed there to pick up some more garden seeds and check out what they are selling as spring gears up.

My girls love pansies. They call them "fuzzy flowers" because of their velvety texture.

Of course we had to stop and see the cute chicks and bunny! Perfect timing for Easter.

I found just what I wanted--organic red potatoes. I've never grown potatoes, but there's a first time for everything! I've been told by two gardening friends that red potatoes are the way to go.  My mom always cooked small red garden potatoes with garden peas in a cream sauce... yum, I can already taste it.

The kids enjoyed riding on the wagon and lawn mowers while I admired the plant stock. Spring is such a dreamy time for gardeners... so many possibilities!

Planting the Cool Season Veggies

Last weekend the man of the house got the garden tilled and cultivated furrows along each drip line. What a good guy!

I have to say he is very particular and measures every row with his measuring tape to make them perfectly straight and parallel to each other. I tease him, but I'm secretly happy he makes things exact because it looks so good!

I was pretty antsy to get my seeds in the ground. Ideally I would have planted my peas a few weeks ago, but of course the amending and tilling had to come first! I planted two rows of peas ('Burpeeana Early') 6 inches apart (one on each side of the trellis) and spaced them about 2 inches apart.

Ella Bella was my "pea pusher." Her finger is about 2 inches long (which was the required planting depth) so she just pushed each one into the soil as far as it would go and it was planted! She was a great helper.

I also planted a row each of kale 'Dwarf Blue Curled Vates', spinach 'Space Hybrid', broccoli 'Sun king', and lettuce 'looseleaf blend'. This year I thought I would try something new and I only planted 1/3 of the lettuce row, and in a week I will plant another 1/3, and in another week I will plant another 1/3. I heard this can possibly extend the length of time you can harvest lettuce before it turns bitter. I am not sure if it all goes bitter above a certain temperature, or just according to age... so it's a bit of an experiment. Stay tuned and I'll share the verdict!

Sprouts! --and Amending the Garden

Our anxious watching was rewarded with sprouts! The miracle of green life never ceases to amaze me.

 The tiny oregano sprouts came up first.

The tomatoes were next. I was worried they were planted too deep but they pushed through! Now if I can only keep them alive until planting time.

We spent Saturday spreading a new load of mink manure compost on the garden. When this wet weather dries out a little we will till it in and be ready to plant some spring crops!