Hello!!!! Long time….trying to get back into blogging now that my stress level from shelter-in-place and the pandemic is lower, and I have my summer off from work. This is what I posted on my blog’s IG page. 😊

So my plan to support local businesses during the pandemic leaned heavily on supporting local food sources. So I bought a share in Rolling Prairie Farmer’s Alliance CSA. I pick up my weekly bundle of locally grown veggies and a dozen eggs on Monday afternoons. I love seeing the different assortments each week and figuring out what to cook with them. I try to buy meat at either Steve’s Meat Market in DeSoto and Leeway Butchers here in Lawrence, KS. This week I made a stir fry out of my CSA veggies, which included Bok Choy, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms with a simple homemade stir fry sauce. I used chicken I got from Steve’s and served it over brown rice. Bok Choy is like a superfood….it is very nutrient-dense. I’ve gotten Bok Choy 3 times in the last month and made different things with it, but this stir fry is my favorite so far. #localfood #veggies #healthymeals #buylocal #communitysupportedagriculture

So, I’m back in 2 wellness challenges to start the year, and back for Day 5 of Keto. I’ve been using my social media lately to hold myself accountable, so there have been plenty of food pictures on my personal FB and IG. Just starting to use my blog FB and IG as well.

Tonight is “wateca” night….or, leftovers. Eating down what I have in the fridge and cupboards. Leftover meatballs and pasta for Joe B and the kids, I made egg salad out of 2 boiled eggs leftover from Monday’s spinach bacon salad dinner for myself.

I was feeling a tossed salad tonight, but not the store-bought dressing made with canola or soybean oil. So I found a recipe on Pinterest for a keto-friendly raspberry vinaigrette. I made this with 1/2 C avocado oil, 1/3 C white wine vinegar, 2/3 C raspberries, 1/2 tsp of Dijon mustard, 2 tsp lemon juice, some Swerve sweetener, and a little salt. Blended it up, used 2 Tbs over 2 cups of salad greens, 2 strawberries, about 6-7 blackberries, and a few blueberries. It was really good and just hit the spot.

I really like making my own salad dressings and want to get back to it more often. I am also trying to add much more heart-healthy fat to my keto recipes and less saturated fat. More on that later. But I got my salad fix and it was worth the little bit of extra time it took to try out the vinaigrette. . #keto #homemadesaladdressing #healthymom #healthyfats

I am just coming off my 1st 36-hour fast. I have been reading up on fasting protocols and yesterday I felt like giving it a whirl. My last meal was Sunday evening, then I had some snacks later before bedtime. I started yesterday morning with just black coffee and then water the rest of the day. I drank some homemade bone broth yesterday evening at the 24-hour mark. Technically drinking bone broth doesn’t break a fast, it extends it.

I didn’t know how I was going to feel doing a 24-hour fast. I felt really good all day! I stayed busy cleaning my house and doing laundry, then did a dance practice for my exercise. I didn’t feel hungry. I was even able to watch Guy Fieri’s show without getting any hunger pangs. Lol. I did have a little trouble getting to sleep….didn’t feel sleepy so I stayed up way too late crafting. 😁 I felt good enough to go the 36 hours.

So here I am this morning breaking my fast, with my parents, at First Watch. Starting with some of their Kale Tonic drink. Then I ordered an omelet with a lot of veggies. Going to go slowly and not eat very much, just ease back into my calories for the day. #intermittentfasting #gettingbacktoketo

*Note: I wrote this last Tuesday after my 2nd day of sick leave from work. The WordPress App wasn’t working and wouldn’t upload my writing. Trying this again today.

Ok, I’m kinda copying an article I just read called “9 Healthy Habits That Don’t Involve Exercising”. The reason it interested me and caused me to write a blog entry, is that right now I’m sick. I have a sinus infection and an ear infection. I’ve not felt well since Halloween, but it didn’t all kick in full blast until 4 days ago when my fever shot up. I have zero energy and my left ear hurts all the time. I’ve missed 2 days of work. I’m laid out at home. And I have a powwow to dance at in 17 days. I’m trying not to stress…but my knee hurts and I’m having back and hip issues as well. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done any type of workout. I’ve been on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as well which hasn’t helped my eating habits either. So here I am. Sick, laid out, but yet still motivated to do something…yet lacking the necessary energy to exercise while waiting for my Augmentin to do its job.

Hence, my interest in the article. I read it and wanted to make my own list of things I know work for me to improve my health that don’t involve exercises. A few are the same as the article, specifically #2 and #7.

1. Establish a Morning Routine

My morning routine consists of waking up with 30 minutes to enjoy my coffee and to read my daily meditations before getting the girls up and getting myself ready for work. The house is quiet and it helps me start my day by being intentional with my time. If you know me and are close to me, you know I like to share readings or meditations that I find meaningful. I haven’t been doing this for a few weeks, and I am looking forward to getting back to it. I always feel good each day that I make time to do this.

2. Drink Water

Every morning for the last 20+ years, I have woken up and taken my thyroid meds with 2 full glasses of water, totaling 24 ounces. Every single morning without fail. I was doing this long before I read that drinking 16 oz of water every morning was one of the healthiest habits to have. When I am being mindful of drinking water, I will fill up a big cup of water in the morning at the office and then a second one in the afternoon. This is another habit I’ve let slide that I can get back to and notice the benefits fairly quickly.

3. Be Silly

As my sister likes to say, “Shelley is a straight-up fool.” 😂 I love being silly, and I really, really like teasing people. I love to laugh and hearing other people laugh. Sharing goofy memes, sending text messages to my family and my close friends, cracking on my sister, blowing up my husband and my kids’ phones….these are some of my favorite things to do. It breaks the monotony of my day and helps wake me up at times. Also it helps keep things light, and being in the mental health field….lightness of mind and heart and being is a blessing. Sometimes it’s what I need to get through the day.

4. Drink Coffee

Drink coffee. Every day. Without fail. The world is a better place, and I with it, when I have coffee.

I would like to add that along with drinking coffee, do NOT listen to anyone that tries to tell you that coffee is bad for you. It’s not. Several studies have shown the health benefits of black coffee. But just don’t listen to the coffee nay-sayers. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life.

5. Give Frequent Hugs

I think I read somewhere that when you hug someone for a certain number of seconds, it boosts the serotonin in your brain. Meaning your mood improves. You get the warm fuzzies. I’m a hugger. So I give and receive daily hugs from my family and my big puppies.

6. Get a Dog In Your Life

Rescuing my big puppy Mickey in 2016, and then Sissy in 2017 from two local shelters was one of the best things I’ve done in my life. They are the sweetest life forms ever….there is nothing like coming into the house and receiving the welcome a big puppy gives you. I can sit next to Mickey or Sissy and pet them and just feel any stress I have melt away. The Center for Disease Control published a list of physical health benefits that having a dog provides as well, and that’s not counting walking them. They just make me feel happy.

7. Read For Pleasure 

I love to read. I was a big bookworm growing up. So I enjoy any time I make to read. I love Louise Erdrich, Stephen King, and a multitude of authors and books. I even helped start a book club over the summer which was amazing. I got to do 2 of my favorite things…read and spend time with my friends visiting and drinking coffee every two weeks.

8. Cook At Home

I grew up with my mom always cooking. So that was the norm. I like to cook healthy and I have my favorite comfort food recipes. I figure anything I cook at home is going to be healthier than going out or eating takeout. Plus when I cook at home, Joe B often helps me prep food so we get to spend that time together. Or one of the girls helps me. And I love the whole cooking process. It’s a type of mindfulness because I need to be present when I’m chopping veggies and working with high heat. I like to say that cooking is one of my “love languages”. It’s one way I show my family that I love them beyond measure.

8. Be Gentle and Accepting Of Myself

This has been a tough habit to develop. To just allow myself to be, and to feel. To hold space for myself and allow myself acknowledge whatever I’m feeling…to sit in that for a bit and accept it, whatever the emotion is. And then being able to process it and let it go. I spent too many years trying to ignore how I felt so I could get stuff done, so I could keeping going and doing. And holding on to resentment for not feeling good and for feeling out of sorts. But that doesn’t work for me anymore. I don’t know that it ever did. I like this way much better. Acknowledging how I am feeling physically and emotionally gives a level of respect to the energy I give to my life and all in it.

You know, I probably could have come up with more than 9 things. But I like this list. It’s a good reminder of what I can do right now while I’m recuperating.

Ok, so I’ve been off and on-keto all summer, and currently I’m on. I wanted to fix a late breakfast today and I’ve been craving pancakes for awhile. However, I have not been a fan of the flat almond meal pancakes and I don’t want to go back to sugar-free pancake syrup.

I searched Pinterest and found a recipe for fluffy almond flour pancakes. I liked the ingredients list so I gave it a whirl. Then I started searching for something like a natural PB syrup or sauce to use as a pancake topping. All is saw was several recipes homemade sugar free pancake syrup that required xylitol and xantham gum. Frustrated, I wondered if I could come up with something on my own. But THEN I remembered a favorite keto recipe called Peanut Butter Mouse that has heavy whipping cream, natural PB, vanilla extract and 5 drops of liquid stevia.

So I made the pancake batter according to the recipe. Mixed it up in my Ninja kitchen blender. I discovered fairly quickly why the recipe calls for making smaller sized pancakes when cooking…they don’t hold together like regular pancakes made with flour. They are flimsy even when browned before you flip. So I made my adjustments accordingly.

Also, I got so excited about trying the PB mousse on pancakes that I overmixed the cream and PB. When you overmix it starts turning to butter. So I had to toss that batch and try again. This time I added a little cinnamon to the mix. I topped my 2 pancakes with about 7-8 Lily’s dark chocolate chips.

The end result??? DELICIOUS!!!!!! Putting that PB Mousse on pancakes was one of my best ideas everrrrrr. And the pancake recipe made about 15 decent sized pancakes so I have extra for my lunch tomorrow or to freeze for later.

Here is the link to the pancake recipe.

https://www.ketofamily.net/blog/2018/12/22/almond-flour-pancakes-recipe-keto

And here are pictures of the book I got the PB Mouse recipe from.

The recipe calls for 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/4 C natural PB, 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla, and 5 drops of stevia. I added some cinnamon. Beat with a mixer until peaks form. I only had to mix for about 2-3 minutes.

I’m always so happy when new experiments turn out. 😊

So, the plan for dinner tonight is chicken tacos. I bought chicken on sale at HyVee last week and froze it. I also had almost a full pack of taco shells at home. I defrosted the chicken and threw it in my InstantPot with some taco seasoning mix and chicken broth. While that is pressure cooking, I headed to ALDI’s to get the rest of my fixings.

Here at the store, I got some avocados, a package of salad mix for taco salads for me and Joe B, full fat, an extra box of taco shells for leftovers or to just have on-hand, taco seasoning for a future batch of chicken tacos. I got some grape tomatoes and cucumber, bell peppers and snap peas for a little veggie plate to accompany the tacos…I hold out perpetual hope that my kids will one day love to snack on raw veggies.

I had good luck in the produce department so I tried my luck with some other things we needed. Found string cheese because we love string cheese at my house and ALDI’s didn’t have any when we came here last night. I found some blueberries and blackberries, and scored a container of full fat Greek yogurt…for my favorite snack, and so Sara can make some more fruit and yogurt pops tonight. And I picked up a dozen eggs, thinking ahead to the weekend…we are traveling and I’m planning how I’m going to stick to my keto during a powwow weekend.

$32.46 guys!!!!!!!! This would have cost me easily another $20 at another store here in town. Whooooo!!!

#winning #ballinonabudget #keto #healthymom #aldi

My work lunch today. I’ve been in the mood for the crab salad from Golden Corral, and I found a copycat recipe. But since imitation crabmeat has a lot of starchy fillers, I looked and found this Paleo/Keto friendly recipe using canned crabmeat.

Whenever I try a new recipe, I’m careful to only add half of the seasonings it calls for. My family has pretty sensitive palates, so it doesn’t take much seasoning or spice for it to taste overwhelming.

This recipe I found on Pinterest, and it calls for 2 cans of crabmeat (12 oz.), 1/4 C avocado mayo (I like Primal Kitchen products), 1 C chopped celery, half a tsp of Old Bay seasoning, celery seed, and black pepper. It also calls for a little bit of Stevia. Add it. It does a lot for the flavor.

I’m going to scoop it up with celery. I have some avocado for more healthy fat and my little dish needed some color, so a few raspberries and blackberries. I wanted to see some red and yellow bell pepper slices in there, but I have none in my house at the moment. The plan is to go to ALDI’s at some point today to get my groceries. We have a double header tonight for our softball girls, so the field trip we are taking today with my work will have to suffice for my exercise. I am really, REALLY sore from yesterday anyway, so some light walking as part of my recovery will be great. ❤️

Here is the link to the recipe.

https://lowcarbyum.com/crab-salad/

#keto #packedlunch #healthymom #healthyfats

After 2 sports physicals, a 35 min weights workout, 30 min walk/run, a therapy appt, testifying at a probable cause hearing, and running a 2.5 hour softball practice…this is finally my 1st real meal of the day. 3 egg spinach, mushroom and Colby jack cheese omelet with a little over 1/4 of an avocado on the side. I’m hoping I will sleep good tonight

I was feeling over the weekend like I was catching a summer cold. Whatever it was, I feel like I’m on the mend. Days like this, when my husband and I are both exhausted (he had to help with transportation and signing forms today), the dishes can wait. The TV awaits…I’m too tired to even read. But it was a really good day. Got good news overall, both my girls are in good health and cleared for school sports, and got my 1st probable cause hearing under my belt.

#keto #healthymom #busymom #softballcoach #intermittenfasting #socialworker #monday

I’m currently in Oklahoma City, sipping some coffee, waiting to get ready for family time at the zoo.

It’s been a busy week. And I think I’m in denial of how stressful it’s been. But here’s the rundown:

1- I’ve been busy every single evening of this week. Monday – softball practice, Tuesday – softball game, Wed & Thurs – crisis screens at the hospital for my after-hours emergency screening job. Every night of the week since last Friday – cleaning and dressing my daughter’s 2nd degree burns on 2 fingers. Friday, travel to OKC.

2- My days have been busy as well. Monday – weight training and work at home, Tues-Thurs – helping run psychosocial groups for middle school and HS kids (weight training Wed & Thurs morning), Wednesday – going with my mom to her 1st consult with a new provider, Friday – meeting for work to review changes to our schedule, and taking my daughter to the Burn Center at a hospital an hour an away. And completing an extensive and exhaustive ADHD screen.

I planned to consciously make time for me and for social stuff this summer. I helped start a book club and we had our first meeting on Wednesday. I made it to 3 workouts with my trainer Travis this week. And I got spend the afternoon with horses on Tuesday. But I wanted to read more this week and make my Al-Anon meeting, and neither one of those happened.

Yesterday I felt very rushed and anxious. It felt like every time I tried to focus on the present, my phone went off with a text message or an email. Every time I tried to be present, there was another demand placed on me. I felt bombarded. The energy around me at my work this week felt tense and it felt like it made several individuals more concerned about being heard than listening. I tried deep breathing, prayed, but I felt tense all day.

Preparing for this trip, my brain would not shut off. All I could think of was the work I’m behind on, my beading and sewing and dentalium shell orders that need to get done, stress about food in the fridge spoiling that I bought to cook this week, but cooking didn’t happen because I was working 12 hour days Wed and Thursday. And then for some reason while I was packing for this trip I started watching “When They See Us” and I was in tears halfway through the 1st episode. #WhyyyyyDidIDoThat

I truly miss running when I feel like this. I grieve for my pain-free running days before my hip arthritis. I know this doesn’t help because I’m living in the past when I think about how I used to be able to run off my stress. But I miss it so much. I could do it now, but my diet has been crap with how busy I am, and the inflammation in my hip flares when my diet is out of whack.

Sooooo…this weekend is my reset weekend. I am here to see my adult daughter Samantha and my grandchildren Jayden and N’ivy. If anyone knows me, they know I ALWAYS travel with something to work on…usually my beads, but in the past it’s been my laptop or sewing or shells. But Joe B strongly encouraged me to leave my beads at home and just bring a book. ONE book, and nothing work related.

I am going practice full disclosure and say that I felt anxious when I was packing up and saw my beads just staring at me. I seriously considered bringing them. But then my rational brain took over and I thought to myself: 1) it will be too dark to bead soon after getting on the road, 2) I will be too tired to bead after spending the day with my kids and grandkids, 3) I should just relax on the drive home to prepare for the week. So I just brought my book-club book and my daily meditations books.

I fell asleep shortly after getting on the road and it’s a 5 hour drive. I slept the entire way here, and fell back asleep as soon as we got into our room. I feel like I could take a nap right now. Lol.

I’m going to do my best to turn my work brain off for today and tomorrow. I will practice intuitive eating instead of obsessing about keto. I will listen to my body and be present. I will enjoy the time with my kids and grandbabies and husband. I will read my daily meditations and pay attention to how good my coffee tastes. I will take my vitamins, and I am noticing how inviting the elliptical machine in the workout room looks for an easy workout. I am actually going to put a little bit of make-up on, fix my eyebrows 😂, and do something with my hair besides my “mom bun”.

My husband does a good job at putting things in perspective for me. He is a wonderful support. And my kids are great supports as well. I have one empathic teenager and one teenager who I swear is a budding social worker. And I have an adult child who is an LPN and I’m amazed at the time she makes for her loved ones as busy as she is with her career and small children.

This weekend is my RESET weekend. I’m well overdue for a reset and the time is now. 😊