A Healthy Approach

Normally I don't do New Year's resolutions, but January 1st does seem to be a good kick off date for a household change. I have slowly been changing our diets over the last several years towards more healthy food. Chips, store bought cookies, and soda, (to name a few) have all been absent from our house for years, fast food a rare treat, and we always ate a ton of fresh fruit in our house, but this year we finally bit the bullet. We cut out all additives, preservatives, pesticides, and artificial junk COMPLETELY. We added more fresh produce, lean meats, whole grains and beans. The kids still get some of the things that they love, but everything has been replaced with a more natural brand or variety. Strangely enough, I found that it was much easier than I thought it would be and two out of three of our kids completely embraced the new eating style. Bug, well, he's working on it. He'd still rather have a cookie or a lollipop than an apple, but slowly he's becoming more accustomed to it and accepting the new menu. And you know what? My kids come in the house after school and gravitate to the fruit bowl now instead of looking for a cookie. We still have desserts a few nights a week, but there is an emphasis on portion control and making good choices. We read the ingredient lists together to make healthy choices and talk about vitamins and what's good for us. I'm not going to lie, eating this way is a touch more expensive, but what we spend now on better food will go a long way towards making us healthier in the long run which is worth every penny. You know what? After about six solid weeks of these changes I honestly don't miss the junk. (I miss my Diet Dr Pepper, but that's a love affair that's been going on since I was 13 so missing it is only natural. Besides, I still have one every now and then. Shhh. Don't tell!) I'm not the only one either, the kids don't ask for the junk anymore and DH is happily eating his way through every vegetable I cook. Plus he got me to cook fish. That is a true miracle. Ask anyone, I am not a fish person. Or at least I didn't think I was, turns out I actually do like fish, I just wasn't exposed to it growing up. You can keep your shrimp though, that stuff still makes me gag.

You all know how much I LOVE Pinterest, and I have been cooking my way through my recipe boards. Tonight, I made a Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi, with a side of roasted broccoli (that I picked fresh from my garden. Yes, in February. I LOVE SC!) a large salad of mixed greens, and carrots. And you know what? It was delicious! The kids ate it all. Two of three loved it, and Bug ate it without gagging. I'll chalk that one in the win column!

And now I've learned to cook fish. Join me in the near future as I venture into another uncharted territory...quinoa.