What is on your menu this week?

Hi friends!  This week's menu post is going to be a little different.  It's been a while since I've shared about my high cholesterol and quest to eat healthier.  So, here's what's been going on lately.  Lots of random thoughts. My husband was out of town last week and most of this week, which left me a little bit more free to be a more flexible for dinner (aka me eating the same thing three nights in a row and letting my kids eat what they think sounds good, within reason).  Actually my husband is a good sport when I don't make dinner.  He just asks for oatmeal.  Good man! I've also had lots of time to think about food.  About my relationship with food.  Good and bad.  Here's what I've been thinking.  I really love to eat, like most people do.  I do have a bad habit of checking instagram or other things on my phone while I eat, which causes me to not really think about how much I'm eating.  And, sometimes I ...

Hi everyone!  I'm starting out the week right by menu planning.  (I'm actually writing this on Sunday evening.) Hope you all had a great weekend!  This weekend was great!  We had beautiful sunny weather on Saturday for soccer and football games.  Sunday was our yearly children's presentation at church (or you could call it the "primary program").  I get to work with the kids at church and look forward to this Sunday all year.  Even my three year old had a part.  He said "I can choose the right by not hitting or kicking" in his weird silly voice.  And he added some emphasis my jumping when singing the chorus to Scripture Power!  This year the theme is "I know the scriptures are true."  It's been fun to focus on reading the scriptures and I can tell a different (good one) in my life when I study them often. It was my husband's birthday last week and we celebrated with him by making our favorite chocolate bundt cake....

Well, I went to the doctor for another checkup to see how my cholesterol levels have changed since my last visit in July .  (I've been trying to eat much more heart healthy since then which I posted about here and here .) And the lab results said.... That my cholesterol levels went down!  Good news! But the bad news is that they are still high!  Ugh.  What this means for me is that I am recommitting to eat even better.  My doctor said that some of my levels could be lowered by exercise and I laughed.  I asked her if I was supposed to run 10 miles a day instead of getting my average 19,000 steps.  I don't think being inactive is my problem. (I really don't get 19,000 steps every single day, but that's my fitbit average.) Anyway...she doesn't want me to put me on statins just yet, which I agree with.  I'd like to see how things are after another 6 months.   I was listening to a talk by Quentin L. Cook   the oth...

In an effort to lower my cholesterol , I've been trying new foods the last six months and trying to eat much healthier.  I've found some new favorite meals and foods that I've eaten over (and over and over).  I eat them over and over because they are yummy!  And pretty healthy too.   Breakfast I usually have a smoothie made out of a frozen banana, combination of almond milk or soy milk (I can't decide which I like better), this protein powder  and either cocoa or Nesquick.  It is one of my favorite breakfast, snack and even dessert.  The frozen banana makes it frosty and thick and is like a dessert shake.  I've been adding protein powder since I've been cutting so much dairy and meat out of my diet. If I don't have a smoothie, then I usually have oatmeal.  I make it with quick oats, almond milk, water and top it with a few raisins and a little brown sugar.   Lunch I eat a little single serving of hummus (from Cost...

It's been six months since I went to the doctor to talk about my high cholesterol .  I went back to the doctor after two months and we talked more about trying to lower my cholesterol levels with healtheir eating before we talk about cholesterol medication (statins). I just made a " my cholesterol journey " page  ↑  with links to all my posts and a run-down of my story.   It's been an interesting and kind of stressful six months as I've made a few changes, given up a few of my favorite foods, discovered new favorite food, etc.  I've defintely improved on several things and still have a few downfalls, which I feel guilty about when I indulge in them. Here are a few good changes that I've made. Very little cow's milk.  (I've been using almond or soy milk for breakfast and water at other meals.) No eggs (except in baked goods). Very little cheese. Less butter, more oils. Very little meat, especially red meat.  (I either make my por...

Hi guys.  I went to the doctor yesterday for my followup about my high cholesterol.  I feel like I need to vent a bit.  Is that okay? See, here's a picture of me, right now.  We're talking face to face.  Fun, right? So anyway...yesterday I went to the doctor for my followup from my last visit two months ago (when we talked about my high cholesterol numbers and my doctor told me that I needed to change my diet to see if it lowers my numbers).  So, the last two months I've been "trying" to eat better. (I've blogged about my high cholesterol diagnosis here.   Then three weeks later, I posted a  3 Weeks Healthy Eating Update .  I've also been sharing healthier eating pics on Instagram too.  I love Instagram!) I've definitely not been perfect, but I've drastically reduced my meat and dairy intake.  I've been baking less, so the sweet treats aren't here to tempt me.  I've mostly just felt more guilty when I've eaten a ...

Hi guys!  Well, it's been a little more than three weeks since I decided to make some changes in how I eat so I can (hopefully) lower my cholesterol. I tried to convince myself that these chocolate crinkles were "healthy" since they are made with canola oil instead of butter. Here's a little update of how it's been going and what I've been doing.  I'm definitely not on a "diet" and I'm still eating some foods with cholesterol in them.  I'm just trying to eat better overall.  I've definitely had some good days and some bad days. Here's the GOOD: I eat oatmeal almost every day for breakfast.  I had been doing this couple of years and lost a bit of weight last year (but that might have been because we were working feverishly on finishing the remodeling project on our house).  I make 1/2 c. of quick oats with 1/2 c. water, 1/2 c. milk and top it with a little brown sugar, cranberries, raisins, and diced apple.  I had oatme...