Celebrating Change With Steak & Beetroot Wine

My meals are certainly changing around here! It's a whole new world in my kitchen and I'm loving every moment of it.

Tonight I seared my first steak (yes, steak) in ooh I don't know, my entire life. When I was fifteen years-old I gave up read meat, due to a sporadic yet strong interest in vegetarianism. As my Mum barbecued steaks and roasted lamb with fresh rosemary, I firmly pushed back my plate and stuck out my tongue. No way hoesay. My parents didn't really understand why, let alone where my decision came from, but they were relieved I was still eating a variety of fish, chicken, and eggs. Several years later I gave up chicken, followed by fish and eggs, as I wholeheartedly explored a vegan diet. I put my all into a vegan lifestyle, but it didn't nourish my body the way I wanted it to.

After a difficult year, struggling to achieve my optimum health goals, I really listened to my body and knew what I had to do. I eliminated legumes, grains, and dairy, welcomed animal protein and transformed my life. My digestion is optimum, I sleep like a baby, and my sweet tooth cravings are at an all time low. I'm no longer snacking between meals or waking up as if I haven't slept. I am blown away by the instant and positive changes.

Tonight I made Elana's paleo friendly goji power bars, with a twist, which I'll share with you soon ;)

But first, I'd like to make a special toast to embracing change and living an organic, holistic, and flexible lifestyle.

Spicy N' Full Beetroot "Wine"

Yields approximately 3-4 glasses of 'wine'

Ingredients:

• 4 small beets, including leaves 
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 apple (I used an organic pink lady apple)
• 3 stocks celery
• 2 leaves kale
• 1 linch ginger

Method: Wash veggies and juice with a juicer. Pour into a wine glass and serve cold.

Beetroot is packed with Betacyanin, which is the beautiful dark pigment that gives beetroot its colour and has serious antioxidant properties. Beet greens are an excellent source of calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C, and iron. Yup, I'll cheers to that!

Look Mum, my first steak! And I really could have used your expertise... aka I googled "how to cook and season steak" several times over. Lucky for me, it turned out delicious.

Sipping on my 'wine' I feel proud and strong to have honoured my self and my body.

Cheers to optimum health,
xo

Transformation

I've been procrastinating this blog post, largely due to fear and partially because of an incredibly busy three weeks. what would my readers think? what would I tell my Mom, after snubbing her classic turkey dinner? Fear and self-judgement fogged my brain while pesky procrastination kept me from writing. With Brian Tracey ringing in my hears "Eat that frog, Jess!" it's time I came clean, eat my frog, and share my major transformation with you all.

Brian Tracey describes 'your frog' as your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don't do something about it. It is also the one task that can have the greatest positive impact on your life and results at the moment (Tracey, 2007).

I eat meat. Again.

Yes, five weeks ago I reintroduced meat - fish, chicken, and a little red meat - into my diet. And you know what? I'm really happy I did. I neither believe in "diets" nor calorie counting, but I firmly believe in listening to my body, and my body alone. With an impressive library of holistic, fitness, and healthy recipe books, sometimes it's easy to believe what others deem as 'optimum health'. And it very well may be, for them and a select readership. Sometimes we search outward for answers, when we need to seek inward.

After two years of struggling to balance a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, I decided to listen a little closer and rethink my diet. With the help of my Naturopath, I made the decision to eat animal protein again. After various tests and weeks of detailed food journaling, it was clear that my hormones were imbalanced, muscle quality was low (especially for the amount of weight training I do), and protein sources (an abundance of legumes, grains, tempeh) wasn't enough.

More specifically, stimulating sugars such as cacao, legumes, and excess grains are not only are hard for me to digest, but they slow down my workout recovery, muscle quality, natural detoxification process, and overall energy levels.

It was time for a change.

Inspired by Paleo and customized with my ND, I reduced the following foods: legumes (especially chickpeas), lentils, oats, dried fruit, and natural sugars (dates, cacao, agave, high-sugar fruits). Due to various levels of intolerance, I also eliminated the following foods: wheat, rye, unsoaked nuts, unsoaked oats, cow dairy, and soy products (expect for organic tempeh and miso).

I happily introduced more fish, organic eggs, organic free range chicken, and endless veggies, both raw and cooked. Reducing my beloved bananas, mangos, and cacao energy balls has been the most challenging, but for now it's what I need.

An average day looks something like this:

• Breakfast - smoothie (protein, almond milk or water, 1/2 avocado, blueberries, chia seeds)
• Lunch - Two poached eggs, steamed spinach, and tomato chutney 
• Snack - Fresh veggie juice (carrot, beat, ginger, celery), 1 scoop protein + water, or veggie sticks
• Dinner - Grilled chicken with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli  

Every day is a little different. 

Mantra: I am flexible and allow room for creativity, growth, and change.

With spring in full bloom, my transition compliments the beautiful season of rebirth and new beginnings. I'll be honest, cultivating a new path, routine, and kitchen inspiration hasn't been all daises and sunshine. After I decided to eat animal protein, I promptly bought two chicken breasts, from The Organic Meat Specialist. However, as I unwrapped the uncooked slabs of meat - with vegan cookbooks glaring at me - I felt defeated. Where did I go wrong? I worked along side many specialists, read every book under the sun, and attended a slue of vegan workshops. In the midst of squeezing lime and rubbing cumin onto my new dinner - chicken breast with steamed spinach roasted red peppers - I realized that I did everything right. A vegan diet simply did not work for me and my needs. I honoured this fact and carefully did a 180 turn.

My number one health goal has been and always will be optimum health. If eating a little meat will help achieve my health goals, then light up the barbecue! 

After five weeks of my omnivorous ways I feel lighter, stronger, and more satisfied after a meal. With a range of new supplements, I'm healing my body on a cellular level. It's an exciting transformation, even after just over a month.

And I continue to embrace the changes with open arms.

I feel better after 'eating my frog'. It wasn't so slimy afterall.

Love and light,

Love Your Inner Goddess

Did I mention I'm detoxing, and for the past 3.5 weeks? Surprised? Me neither.

I've been working with my lovely ND to rejig my diet and improve my workout recovery and natural detoxification process. My kidneys, liver, and digestive tract have had quite the kick. Like any detox, some days are better than others. I much prefer the good days, but without those off-days we wouldn't know the importance of balance now would we? ;)

I want to feel strong, vibrant, energetic, and weightless each and every day, but I'm not quite there yet. And that's okay. I'm enjoying the process and learning to love me, right now, just the way I am. But I certainly didn't wake up in that headspace. It took me until 3pm to shake off my veil of bleh and admire my determination and resilient detection to optimum health. Despite a few hiccups and hurdles along the way, I always stand for my health. Reality check: I'm not superwoman. Reminder: I'm strong, healthy, and on a path to greatness.

Whew, that's better.

Sometimes we need just need to shake it off, do a little dance, and sip some green juice to reignite our inner green goddess. PS I bought a juicer (on sale and totally worth it). PPS Apparently shopping also improves a bleh detox day.

Green Goddess Juice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach, packed
• 1/3 cup kale, packed 
• 1/2 cucumber
• 2 stalks celery
• 1/3 lemon 

Method: Juice ingredients and enjoy.

Light, crisp, and loaded with nutrients, just as a goddess juice should be.

Listen to your body and fuel with it both green juice and loving words.

I now acknowledge my body with more affection and respect.
I am now able to achieve all that is necessary in a calm and peaceful manner.
I am divinely guided to my inner-self and I discover my own rhythm.
I am now celebrating my unique strength and beauty.
I am becoming more loving and accepting of myself.