Tried and True Mariah's Review and a Real Food Update

Oh my goodness, it's been forever since I posted about our Real Food Diet.  We are still on the wagon.  I have finally emptied my pantry and Lazy Susan of non real food items.  I don't know if you remember me saying we couldn't just throw all of our food away.  (More on that in a minute)  The only food items that come into our house, besides the Halloween Candy, are Real Food.  I want to share some tips with you today, as well as a review of the 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook.  So, let's start with the cookbook review.

I preordered the cookbook and have it in hardcover, but the image that came up was this one.  

I'm going to rate this cookbook at 5 stars. First of all, it is so beautifully done.  The photos and recipes are very clear.  The layout of the book is really well done with a very nice flow.  The first section of the book discusses the benefits of eating Real Foods.  I've followed Lisa's blog for a while now, and I even learned something in that section.  I should also note that I have even read all of Dr. Weil's books so that amazed me.  

The book is divided into the following sections:  The Plan, and The Recipes.  The recipes are very comprehensive.  She has breakfast, school lunches, snacks and appetizers, Salads and Sides, Simple Dinners, Special Treats, and Homemade Staples.  I really love the school lunch section because she provides the recipes and a Lunch Box Packing Chart that breaks it down very simply.

There are a few recipes that she has posted online, but most of them are new recipes.  In a way that disappoints me because I wish she would have put every single recipe into the book.  We've never been disappointed with one of her recipes yet.  That is not really a flaw of the book to be fair.  I realize it would be impossible.  Lisa also offers Gluten Free recipes or suggestions on how to make the recipes Gluten Free, if you are on a Gluten Free diet.

This is really and truly the one cookbook I use on a weekly basis when planning my meals.  It is hands down the best cookbook I've owned.  So many cookbooks are filled with recipes that you will never use because they are far too complicated or not to your taste.  That is just not the case with this cookbook.  One more note I will make is that I usually double or increase the ingredients in her recipes.  I have a family of five.  My husband and three boys just eat a lot of food.  

So, I do encourage each and everyone of you to make this purchase.  You will not be sorry.

Now onto the next topic.  Our Real Food Journey.  

The other day on the radio, I heard that a Whole Foods was going to open in the area.  The radio host said that eating organics and health food stuff is just a way for people to be Uppity and join the healthy eating bandwagon.  He also stated that many organic foods are produced under subsidiaries of the same major corporations selling unhealthy food items.  That is true.  I almost called into the show to discuss this with him.  This is how I feel about the whole issue.  

Eating a Real Food Diet and shopping at health food stores is not an uppity choice for me.  That's just ridiculous.  In fact, this way of living is far more expensive than eating processed foods.  He said people with disposable income eat this way.  Gee, I wish I had disposable income.  The fact is I don't.  I do choose to spend more on our food, with the support of my husband because it is better for us.  I have not purchased or brought anything into our home that is not considered Real Food.  That being said, I do allow the boys to eat candy.  For example, on Halloween, they got to eat it.  We do eat out at restaurants that don't serve Real Food.  I don't want to go all crazy on them and ban every bad food out there.  I feel they are old enough to make some choices when it comes to food.  I feel my husband and I can educate them about our food, and provide them with healthy food at home.

Sometimes its hard to stick to the diet.  I mean who doesn't love Oreos?  I haven't eaten them in about 18 months, at least.  Boy do I miss Cream of Chicken Soup, and Crescent Rolls.  I have to read every single food label.  There are so many times that I put even organic food products back because I don't like the ingredients in them.  It is costly.  To help with the cost of food, I have done several things.  First, we started making our own bread.  It was just too expensive to buy a loaf of bread for $5.  We can go through a loaf of bread in a sitting.  We did join Costco.  My husband and I went together and made the decision to join.  We looked at all of the food choices they offered, and decided to join.  That means, I have to travel an hour away once a month to purchase food there.  We buy their meat, while not locally raised, is organic and antibiotic free.  We don't always eat organic fruits and vegetables.  Do not fall out of your chair.  Sometimes, they are just too expensive and don't fit in our budget.

Why I feel it's important to eat Real Food.

I'm not a scientist or a doctor, but I look around and see many alarming facts.  First, the amount of cancers and diseases in our country.  Children being born with food allergies and a very high increase in Autism, ADHD, and other things.  So many of our foods and meats are banned in foreign countries because they are deemed unhealthy.  CoffeeMate Creamer is made with explosive materials, and dyes they use for coloring plates and dishes.  That just can't be good for you.  I do think about our food a lot.  It would be so much easier and cheaper to give in but then I think:  Do I want my kids to eat this?  The answer is no.  I don't want my kids to eat things that were never designed for human consumption.  So, that is why we continue this journey. I feel that we are healthier and have noticed a change in our life for the better.  I will try to post very soon about some of the products we use in our home.

Happy Sunday!