MY STORY

I am sharing this before and after pictures not because I have a magic shake for you or a wrap of some kind to sell, I don't. This was not a quick fix.. this was something hard, that took time and lots of research with hours of reading. So if you see this and want a quick fix, you should probably stop reading.

I am sharing to show what it looks like to have a lifestyle change. For those who don't know, I wanted to share this story with you... 

Why we eat Organic

Why organic?

Here is why, straight to the point no long story. (well maybe a little!)

Non organic food means it has GMO's (Genetically modified organism) The word "Modified" means (From Dictionary.com) "To change the form of qualities of; alter partially; amend:"

Hasn't our food always had GMO's?

No. It first came into our stores in the year 1994. And since then there has been more people facing food allergies, weight gain, health troubles even infertility.

Where are the GMO's?

More then 85 percent of corn and soy crops grown in the United States come from seeds whose DNA has been rejiggered. So look on the back of the boxed food or canned drink in your home and you'll find it.

Certified organic foods leave out GMO's along with pesticides and leave you with actual real food.

Why eat food that is modified, altered or change in quality?

It's cheaper, sorta. You see farmers who grow organic foods have to go through more trouble and money to get their food in stores then non organic companies.

I said sorta because yes it might be cheaper now to buy food that has pesticides or sugar that is causing cancer....  but one day you'll have to pay more in health care cost because of those choices. So pay the farmer now or the doctor later... it's your choice in the end.

So why do we eat Organic foods?

I think I've pretty much answered it already. But here is why.

August 2009

I don't want to be sick anymore. I may not have looked, acted or felt sick the years I was eating Taco Bell every day (Yes, everyday!) But inside my body was suffering. And down the road if I would have kept up, I know it would have affected me.

We want to live full lives. Not half of it. Because eating junk food doesn't mean you're "Living it up" because You Only Live Once.... (That's sad to hear) Cain says YOLO is Carpe Diem (Seize the day) for douche bags haha. Because it actually means you are putting yourself at risk for heart, liver, and digestive problems. And the older you get the more it will become aware of what's really happening to your insides and it will start showing on the outside through pain, headaches and weight gain.

I decided to eat Organic foods not just for myself but for my future kids. Just as I decided not to drink alcohol or smoke when I was just a teenager.  I wanted a healthy, pure lifestyle for my children and that's where it started... and then overtime I realized that I wanted to add a little more to a healthy lifestyle by what I was eating to what I was putting on my body.

Everyday I learn something new that is harmful to me. And I still am not perfect and mess up a lot. But what I want to get out of this is to see my children not suffer from allergies caused by processed foods and to have energy for playing sports, be able to focus while doing school and to live a fulfilling life.

Those things I listed can happen for my future sweet babies, by what I decide to feed them. Now when they are old enough to make their own food choices I hope I can show them what's best by teaching them,  but it's on them in the end. Just like it's on you, now.

We aren't perfect like I've already said. We make adjustments here and there to make it easier on our family and friends. But there is only so much I will give in too.

Have you heard or seen this pictures before?

What it means is what we are eating today, fast foods, GMO's and processed foods is shaping us into what we will be in the future.

Now I have said all that to say... I never have and will never judge or think less of you if you don't buy organic food or even make healthier options just in general. I love my family and close friends and they know where my husband and I stand when it comes to our food choices. They have made adjustments for us and we are so thankful for that.

What we would love to see one day is our families thrive off real food and see how awesome it is to say no to processed food... not because you "Can't" eat it... but because you "won't" eat it. There is a difference and I've learned to love that.

How do we afford Organic food you might ask? I will be sharing that in the next couple of weeks.

We are a very young, newly wed couple who have to make hard choices when it comes to where to spend the little money we work hard for. Priority comes into play when we divide what we make into a budget.

If I can help just a little bit on how to make healthier choices, it means the world to me.

So just be aware, be smart and be healthy.

Mrs. Grogg

How to pack healthy on the road...

When I hear that people say eating a paleo diet or just not eating processed food is a "Fad" .... I can just laugh at what little they know. You see... if you are eating a paleo or a whole foods diet for longer then ...let's say a week. It's no longer a fad because I'm telling you right now. Eating real food, isn't easy.... wells it's easy, it's just not as easy as running through a fast food resturant. We all know when "diets" aren't easy... you don't stick with it so that's how I know it isn't a "Fad"

This is a life style for me. And I am happy to say Cain too! This isn't a "I wanna look healthy so I'm going to eat a salad" life style. I'm all in and won't turn back, because I know what's good for my body. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what we are eating in America today is killing us inside.

And because our country hasn't cared about our food there is MORE unhealthy options then HEALTHY options when going out to eat or traveling. It's been a challenge you could say, just trying to go out with a family member or friend around our town.

So when we decided to make a last minute trip to Florida I joked that the Paleo wife in me was going into battle mode to make sure I had all the weapons and gear to insure that I and Cain wouldn't starve the five days we were gone. Because for me... I would rather starve then eat junk!

Cain has given himself a lot more freedom when it comes to the food choices he makes. When we go out to eat he makes the best choices he has there and gives himself the grace to eat something not so healthy sometimes. I give him that grace too because with him being in the Military he won't be given options for a healthy meal (MRE's) and his body should be adapted to that, I think just a little.

If I was to eat, let's say.. Canola Oil right now... my body would reject it and I would be in bed for at least two days. Canola Oil is in most processed food and is one of the worst Oils out there for you to have. Because I have been clean from it so long even the littlest bit of it will send my body into attack mode. It's not good haha

Chocolate covered organic peanuts

Lara Bars

Boiled eggs

Dried Mangos

Cashews, Pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts 

Sunflower seed butter 

Homemade chocolate chip cookies

So here is what I packed for our short trip to Florida. (We knew we would have a fridge everyday but the days we were on the road, so that helped)

Breakfast: (Packed, store bought and organic restaurant)
Boiled Eggs
"Nut Cereal"
Mixed Fruit
Strawberry muffin
Pasteurized Eggs
Bacon
"Urban Juicer"

Lunch: (Packed and organic restaurants)
Ezekiel bread with my "Just Peanut Butter" and homemade strawberry jelly (Cain)
Deer burgers (thanks to Matt and Betsy!)
"Wild Cow"
Earth Fare's lunch buffet


Dinner: (Packed leftovers and organic restaurants)
PB&J sandwich (Cain)
Deer Burgers
"Burger Up"
"Burgerfi"
All natural Turkey with avocado

Snacks: (Packed)
Pineapple
Banana
Apple
Peanut Butter
Sunflower seed butter
Dried Mangos
Cashews
Sunflower seeds
Madamaon nuts
Grapes
Mixed Fruit
Homemade Chocolate chip cookies (Cain's favorite cookies... mine too!)
Homemade chocolate covered peanuts (Cain) (With enjoy life chocolate chips)
Lara Bars

Drinks: (packed)
Water
Coconut water

There you have it! Just pretty much sums up all that we had. Nothing grand, besides when we ate out.

coconut water

I would have packed more meat and veggies if I thought we wouldn't be able to be going out to eat. And like I said we had a fridge at both Cain's aunts house and Betsy's house so that was a plus for us.

Here < is the link to the post about our trip to Florida!

I want to encourage you to try and pack ahead on your next road trip, or family event. Don't wait to get there and hope there will be something good to eat. MAKE something good to eat and bring it.

Every healthy food choice you make is putting you one step closer to living a full life with less disease, heart troubles,  diabetes and so much more!



Be aware, be smart, be healthy!

Mrs. Grogg

Frozen Strawberry Strudel Pie

Being married has been amazing. I love my time with Cain everyday and enjoy every minute being his wife! I have had a couple days off the past two weeks so that has left me with time to get the apartment more organized!

Today though I just couldn't clean, organize or change anything else in the apartment! I had about 3 cups of strawberries left that I picked to make jelly last week that needed used. I searched online for some paleo or raw strawberry recipes.... everything looked amazing, but I was without at least one or two ingredients from my fridge or didn't have a spring pan to make it in! I have a spring pan, it's just still at my parents house!

I could have ran to Kroger's just a mile away to pick up the things I needed, but I decided that I wanted to try something on my own.

It doesn't take a genius to make up a desert I thought, what's the worse thing that could happen with strawberries!?

I wanted to make something raw. Now for the longest time when I heard "Raw" I thought meat. Then I realized it could mean something else once I started eating right. Raw to me means, fresh. Most like it's self and whole.

When you cook things, even healthy foods you lose some value. When things go under heat it loses some nutrition. Nothing to bad, unless you are frying it. Now that's bad.

So back to Strawberries and wanting something fresh!


I have enough nuts in this apartment to last a life time so I started with the crust of this "Pie"

I added dates....

And mixed them in the food processor ...

Now, the strawberries for the creamy layer...

and raw cashews...

Frozen Strawberry Strudel Pie:

Crust:
1 cups Almonds
1/2 cup Pecons
1/2 Hazelnut 
14 Dates
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup 

Strawberry layer:
2 cups Raw Cashews
2 cups Strawberries
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup

How too:
Processe the nuts and dates until to becomes a think flour texture. 
place the nuts in a glass pan and pressed down making it a crust. 
set in freezer. 
Next process the cashews and strawberries until it becomes a smooth cream.
then pour on top of your crust and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
top with strawberries 

Now you may be wondering where I got the name? Well tonight when I let Cain be the first one to taste test, this is what he said .... "Baby! It taste like an toaster strudel!" .... Me: "WHAT?!" I hurried up and took a bite..... And yes, it really did. It taste like a cold strawberry toaster strudel.....

WITHOUT all the poison Pillsbury likes to sell you. Take note: Pillsbury is selling you poison in your food. Don't believe me? Let's talk!

So, there you have it.

Be aware. be smart. be healthy.

Mrs. Grogg

Weekly food diary

You are what you eat, eats.

Ever think about that? I sure do! I choice to eat meat, but I will NEVER eat meat that has been injected with hormones and chemicals inside it. Why would you want to eat that stuff? I did at one time but to be honest I had no clue what the animals ate. I saw the cows out in the fields and just thought that's what kind of meat I was getting at fast foods and restaurants. WOW was I wrong! They are in factories next to animals with diseases. So tightly close that they aren't able to walk around. Sometimes they die before they can butcher them due to their illnesses.

Oh that doesn't sound to appetizing? That's funny because you forget about that and still choice to eat that meat everyday. It's to expensive to but organic meat and produce? Well so are the clothes we buy half the time, the places we vacation or the movies you go see. Cain and I choice to afford the better meat and do give up other things to do so. But I rather put healthy things in my body then wear name brand clothes or have a new TV.

Everyday you decide where your money goes and I can't say you're wrong for not choosing the better meat.  But maybe you should not care about what I say but what your body is saying "WHY ARE YOU PUTTING CHEMICALS INSIDE ME!" We weren't made to eat fast food, yet our bodies have to try and survive with being feed that stuff.

I'm not perfect I still make mistakes but I try my hardest to eat what I know to be right! And I eat a lot of it!

So people think eating healthy means not eating a lot of food. Tell me this isn't a lot of food!

Salad (without dressing) green beans and roast.

I never really knew what a poached egg was until my mom said that she saw a way to cook my eggs that I might like to try. It was poached eggs! I asked how to make it and they turned out great! Better then frying them! Which if you are going to do so, make sure it is Olive oil or Coconut oil.

Those are roasted carrots that I had with my eggs that morning.

Last week was when we went to Indy to shop and eat out BroSo Cafe! This is what Cain got..

And this is what I got! It's call the Super Food Salad and I love it!

My second green smoothie bowl turned out amazing, again! It had mango in it.

So last Monday I cooked my fist whole chicken at the apartment. Before putting it in the oven I called my mom to make sure I did everything right. I said "There was a pad on top of the chicken with bloody stuff inside it, I can throw that away right? She said "Yes, and you might want to look inside the chicken and get the guts out.... ."

I screamed "WHAT?! Oh no, oh no I won't be doing all that" Hahahaha...

Of course I put those big girl pants on and dug in and got the package of bloody guts out!

I had my first Papaya this past week!

 The beef vegetable soup I prepared for Cain's week at the apartment. I ended up getting to have some once he came home for the weekend! It was goooood!

Simple taco salad.

Spinach omelet with onions, carrots and cabbage on the side!

Sometimes I get hungry in church, I will pack a trail mix to hold me over until lunch. Almonds, pumpkin seeds and goji berries!

Another week down, the rest of my life to go!

Be aware, be smart and be healthy.

Lanette

What motivates me

Since the snow is still on the roads and it's so very cold I haven't been able to take another walk outside since that one day a week ago where it was actually half way descent (It was like 39 degrees!) That leaves me running the treadmill, which can be a nightmare at times. 

I love having the treadmill here at my house, just right outside my door but I long for the fresh air and hard ground. But I do love the feeling after a good run, so I run even on the treadmill. But to make sure I stick with it, every week for the past couple weeks I've been rewarding myself with something little for every mile more I run a week. 

This week I am rewarding myself with this book!

I can't tell you how excited I am about it! I've heard great things about it from the blogs I follow. 

Next week I'm upping my miles and going to rewarded myself with a new workout shirt that says something about being a future Mrs. Grogg or "Workin it for the dress" I'm not sure yet. But I have already decided seeing how it's Cain's Drill weekend I will also treat myself to some healthy cookie dough! Maybe I will post the recipe on here so you guys can kind of enjoy the treat with me ;) Because we all know us Military spouses needs some comfort foods once in awhile!

But what I'm REALLY looking forward too is in 2 weeks we are planning a trip to Indianapolis! Why am I so excited about going to Indy? Well first of all.... We will be going to Trader Joe's! Because we don't have one in Fort-Wayne it's a special trip to go. I love that all Trader Joe products are GMO free and most all organic. It's like a play ground of food for me! 

But then... hehe, so excited... we are going back to the restaurant we went to the night we got engaged! It's called "So Bro Cafe" And it's AMAZING! There are ton of vegetarian, vegan and meat options that are healthy, whole foods. I will probably most likely get what I got last time, their Super food salad! It's heavily. Cain already knows it's the Bison burger again for him. This trip there though my parents are coming along so that they can get in on the wonderful food and my mom is also just as excited as I am for the Trader Joe's shopping day!

Sometime in the next month I will also like to get this book... 

I've followed this girls blog for quite sometime now and when I saw she was writing a book I knew it was a must! I am actually planning on making a cheesecake out of the book for our wedding day! Something I can enjoy :) 

Miles seem like nothing when I treat myself. I won't do this forever, because that would get to be a lot of gifts for myself. But this is until I can get my feet on real ground and not need the extra motivation. Hey believe me, it's not easy sometimes to be motivated to run... I am human and fail a lot of the time. But I NEVER will give up the healthy lifestyle I love so much. I don't run to lose weight like I once did, I run to be active, to keep my bones healthy, to get my heart pumping! Even just walking is a wonderful exercise we should all do daily for our health.

Be aware. Be smart. Be healthy!

Lanette