Anyone want to join me in a challenge?

[WiseOwlKnits]

I've been thinking about something for a while and finally mentioned it to DH and the kids last night. I was impressed how agreeable they all were to it so I thought I'd share my idea and see if anyone else wanted to join in!

 

Starting Wednesday, we're going to try radically changing the way we eat...for one week. (We're starting Wed. because we're going to see grandparents tomorrow and it's pointless while we're there, LOL!)

 

The rules are going to be: You can eat anything that grew in the earth or on the earth. But, if it doesn't come directly from/on the earth, it's off limits. That means - no pasta, no bread, ice cream, cereal, sugar, etc. If it comes from the earth and is minimally processed - like olive oil - it's also ok.

 

Jarred spaghetti sauce and things that undergo a lot of processing before we buy it to change it from how it came out of the earth aren't. That's not to say that we won't make spaghetti sauce from scratch...but I want things to have as few transformations between the earth and our table as is possible.

 

Anyone want to join in? :)

[Liz CA]

I am pretty much aiming for it, other than meat, I suppose.

If you bake your bread from flour derived from wheat grown in the earth you can even eat the bread. :)

[Guest Cindie2dds]

If you bake your bread from flour derived from wheat grown in the earth you can even eat the bread. :)

 

Glad you mentioned that. We grind our wheat from wheat berries, so that counts, right? If so, I'm in. :D

 

OP: Grandma doesn't realize vegetarian does not include chicken fried steak! :lol:

[i.love.lucy]

It's a good idea. What about dairy? It comes from an earthbound animal? I don't think I read in your post that this is a vegan challenge is it? Is organic greek yogurt processed? We also like oatmeal but it's pretty true to form. I'm sure we eat lots that's processed so I bet if I tried the challenge for one week we'd survive and find some great things we like.

 

Will put it forth to the tribe. Not sure how my ds will live without goldfish crackers though!;)

[Food4Thought]

I'll join in! We eat very little in the way of processed foods since going gluten-free, but I'm sure there are a few more things we can cut out.

 

Now is a good time for it too, with the garden producing some wonderful fruits and veggies right now. :)

[WiseOwlKnits]

Glad you mentioned that. We grind our wheat from wheat berries, so that counts, right? If so, I'm in. :D

 

OP: Grandma doesn't realize vegetarian does not include chicken fried steak! :lol:

 

Yep, that would count. :) And HAHAHAHAHA on the chicken fried steak. That's SO my MIL!! I <3 her, but she's the type who believes the high fructose commercials and thinks that there's no such thing as too much of a convenience food.

[alpidarkomama]

We are not exactly doing that, but this month I decided to only buy things at the grocery store that have one ingredient. It has been a fun experiment so far! :)

[WiseOwlKnits]

It's a good idea. What about dairy? It comes from an earthbound animal? I don't think I read in your post that this is a vegan challenge is it? Is organic greek yogurt processed? We also like oatmeal but it's pretty true to form. I'm sure we eat lots that's processed so I bet if I tried the challenge for one week we'd survive and find some great things we like.

 

Will put it forth to the tribe. Not sure how my ds will live without goldfish crackers though!;)

 

We're still doing dairy. I make my own yogurt so we're still doing yogurt too, but I don't know how processed I would consider it after seeing how it's made. I'm still planning for oatmeal too, but with honey and fruit instead of brown sugar. :)

 

It's not a vegan challenge, although you could easily make it that if you wanted. For me, it's a realization that our diet has slipped more than I'm comfortable with over the last few months and I'm seeing this as a way to pull us back to where we want to be. And, like you said, I'm thinking we might find some great new things that we haven't yet discovered!

 

I remember a time not long ago where withholding the goldfish would have caused a massive riot in our house. :) I hope you can convince them to join us!

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I remember a time not long ago where withholding the goldfish would have caused a massive riot in our house. :) I hope you can convince them to join us!

 

Yep, we are still in that phase. Although we just ran out, so I can hold off for a week and have them make their own out of bread dough or something creative like that. I made soup for dinner out of our garden delights and some chickpeas, so I am really trying to go the whole food route as much as possible.

 

The hard thing for me will be my heavily-processed, corn syrup ladened and yummy coffee creamer. :glare:

[5wolfcubs]

The rules are going to be: You can eat anything that grew in the earth or on the earth. But, if it doesn't come directly from/on the earth, it's off limits. That means - no pasta, no bread, ice cream, cereal, sugar, etc. If it comes from the earth and is minimally processed - like olive oil - it's also ok.

 

We're doing this! Sort of, anyway. My oldest got a book from the library a month or so ago on eating only raw foods. Now we have raw food books 5 from the library. Dh bought us a juicer and we drink "green lemonade" 1st thing each morning (kale, romaine, lemons, apples) and then eat just fruit til mid morning. Even dh is doing this! He drinks the green lemonade and then takes containers of fruit to work (this morning was cantaloupe, apples, blueberries & bananas).

 

Mid morning I make something more traditional for "brunch" to satisfy the boys who don't like this way of eating :lol: -- yesterday was raw granola (oats, oat bran, flaxseed meal, olive oil, maple syrup) -- mix and eat.

 

Lunch was salad and cooked sweet potatoes. Dh takes a salad, almonds and cheese to work every day.

 

Afternoon snack is nuts or cheese and raw veggies.

 

Dinner was a raw corn salad made with corn cut off the cob, red peppers, green peppers, mung bean sprouts, and green onions on a big pile of spinach. The dressing was mushrooms marinated in balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil.

 

We had popcorn (made on the stove w/ olive oil and sprinkled with salt) as an evening snack.

 

I think we've been doing this 3 weeks now. It was a rough start for dh & I -- both of us felt bloated and irritable and had headaches. We were in detox from what I've read. That has all passed but I still don't feel fabulous. No sudden boundless energy or reversal of some chronic illness (I don't have one). But I'm very happy about what we're putting into our bodies!

 

My grocery budget is not so happy though. I have to shop every 3-4 days and was spending my weekly budget each time. I still have to shop as often but I'm gradually reigning in the spending as I figure out what I need to feed us all.

 

Sorry for going on and on. I'm just so excited about this! We're moving cross country in two weeks and won't be able to have our green lemonade until the juicer gets to the new house...but we're going to stay as raw as possible.

 

Please share how your week goes!!!

[WiseOwlKnits]

We're doing this! Sort of, anyway. My oldest got a book from the library a month or so ago on eating only raw foods. Now we have raw food books 5 from the library. Dh bought us a juicer and we drink "green lemonade" 1st thing each morning (kale, romaine, lemons, apples) and then eat just fruit til mid morning. Even dh is doing this! He drinks the green lemonade and then takes containers of fruit to work (this morning was cantaloupe, apples, blueberries & bananas).

 

Mid morning I make something more traditional for "brunch" to satisfy the boys who don't like this way of eating :lol: -- yesterday was raw granola (oats, oat bran, flaxseed meal, olive oil, maple syrup) -- mix and eat.

 

Lunch was salad and cooked sweet potatoes. Dh takes a salad, almonds and cheese to work every day.

 

Afternoon snack is nuts or cheese and raw veggies.

 

Dinner was a raw corn salad made with corn cut off the cob, red peppers, green peppers, mung bean sprouts, and green onions on a big pile of spinach. The dressing was mushrooms marinated in balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil.

 

We had popcorn (made on the stove w/ olive oil and sprinkled with salt) as an evening snack.

 

I think we've been doing this 3 weeks now. It was a rough start for dh & I -- both of us felt bloated and irritable and had headaches. We were in detox from what I've read. That has all passed but I still don't feel fabulous. No sudden boundless energy or reversal of some chronic illness (I don't have one). But I'm very happy about what we're putting into our bodies!

 

My grocery budget is not so happy though. I have to shop every 3-4 days and was spending my weekly budget each time. I still have to shop as often but I'm gradually reigning in the spending as I figure out what I need to feed us all.

 

Sorry for going on and on. I'm just so excited about this! We're moving cross country in two weeks and won't be able to have our green lemonade until the juicer gets to the new house...but we're going to stay as raw as possible.

 

Please share how your week goes!!!

 

 

That sounds really interesting! I'll update you if you update me. :D