Gratitude

Hello World! I have come to the conclusion that consistent updates are not my thing, but occasional posts I can do. So here it goes...

I have interrupted my chores, cleaning the dishes to be exact, with the sudden urge to update my blog. I have no real idea what I intend to write about, so we shall see what happens. I was once taught to just start writing and something will come to you, well....

In this moment I am overwhelmed with feelings and I would have to admit that I am deliriously happy. I am content with my life and my life's potential. I get excited when I think about all the possibilities that are life and how my expectations of life may not become my reality, and I don't care. I have a husband who adores me and when I think about him can't help but smile, and family who loves me unconditionally and without reserve, I have had the privilege of knowing some of the most amazing people and making lifelong friends that pay no attention to the distance of space and time, and I possess a spirit of adventure that will take me almost anywhere. As for material possessions...I don't have much, but appreciate the little that I do, and at times wish I could simplify my life even more. I am in no hurry to have children, which slightly surprises me considering I was always playing "mom' with my ridiculously large collections of dolls when I was young. However, I do look forward to raising a family someday alongside my best friend. Everyday I find something to be thankful for, and most days that is my husband :) It continually amazes me how much he loves me and cares for me; I know that he is a man that would move mountains for me or give me the world if he could. He is my best friend who each day tells me how much he loves, makes me feel beautiful, supports my dreams and ambitions, looks at me as if I am the only woman in the world, and is a demonstration of God's love to me. How did I get so lucky? Marriage has allowed me to enter into a whole new world of love, responsibility, compassion, and patience. I always enjoyed being single, and look back on those days with such appreciation. I am amazed at the compilation of events, friends, adventures, and memories that have shaped my 26 years of life. Below is only a small fraction of the many blessings in my life....

Me with Victoria Aldred (Kenyon) at my Uni Graduation party. We were sending off balloons as a wish that we would always be in each others life forever, little did we know in 4 years time we would be sisters.

Lindsey Kondo (Rubel). My beautiful friend that will always hold a special place in my heart. She has been the truest friend anyone could ask for, unwavering and always generous with her time among other things. Such a blessing. 

                                                                                      

Noelle McKinley, bestie turned sister-in-law. Such a blessing to call her family and honored to call her friend.

Melody and Holli are my girls. Us 'rangas'  or 'gingers' have had some serious adventures together. Both are forever friends and to be cherished by anyone who has the privilege to know them.                                                     

These women are all laughs and Liz (on the far right) is my Aussie sister. I am so thankful for her and am so happy Rhema Bible Training Centre brought us together. Although, I am not sure she knows my real name since she only ever calls me by Americano (the only name her family knows me by as well ).

These ladies I will cherish for a lifetime. My girls, they know my heart. I have shared with them so many defining moments in my life and although we are all spread across the world now, there have never been better friends a person could ask for. God ordained friends. 

    

Young Love. This man has my heart....

                                                          forever ....and ever.                                                               

My beautiful parents who I owe everything too...an example of unconditional love. I am forever grateful for all they have taught me and shaping me into the woman I am today. They have only ever loved and encouraged me in all that I do. 

      

          Our families...and the day I gained the best in-laws. So grateful for being blessed not once by my own family, but twice by marrying and having been so welcomed into such a wonderful clan. 

JUNE UPDATE

Since my last post I have failed miserably at completing my 30 Days of Life on Schedule challenge, not updated my blog regularly, and have come to the conclusion that I am kind of over setting thirty-day challenges. I know, I know... it was all so short lived. I feel like I always have ideas flooding into my brain of different topics I would rather discuss on a blog. I am sure they are all fantastic ideas, but trying to find "the one" that I will stick to and be most passionate about is the challenge. I would love to change my blog, maybe keep it a bit more "lifestyle" open-ended blog that would allow for a bit more freedom. I would much rather report on the fun and/or mundane happenings in my life. Any suggestions or ideas on what I should do???? I don't really want to change my blog AGAIN, but maybe I should. I have been tossing around the idea for about a month now. Would love to hear what my readers have to say...

On the other hand, here is a quick update:

I am now employed!!! yay I will be working as a Sales Associate at David Jones (I would compare it to Nordstroms in the U.S) The company is a high-end retail store. I have only just finished my first week at work and it is certainly boring, but it pays the bills. I will continue to look for work in Public Relations and/or Journalism here in Adelaide.

Today was a public holiday in Australia, the Queens Birthday, and I had the day off because there are no retail trading hours allowed on public holidays. NO JOKE. The best part about it, I still got payed for working a 4 hour shift anyways. Just one more reason I love Australia.

Now that I am working I will no longer be visiting the U.S.A this month, but will be postponing my trip til November and hopefully be home for Thanksgiving this year.

I have recently joined a gym and am working to build some strong lean muscles; I know they are in there somewhere. ;)  As for now, that is about all that is new with me. Just keeping happy and healthy.

Until Next Time...

Life on Schedule: Sick Day

Well according to my schedule, it is time for an update. Today I am a bit under-the-weather. You know scratchy throat, upset stomach, feeling exhausted, blah, blah the works. Not fun and making it very difficult for me to keep to my schedule. I could feel it coming on yesterday so I went to bed early and slept in real late this morning; I have been unable to go to the gym to workout, and have become a couch potato for the day (hopefully just today). On the upside, I have ample time to post an update to my blog.

I have been debating what to write about all week, and then Tuesday night something insane happened at our house. A car caught on fire!!! Ben and I were in the house and heard a large thud, when I went to go check it out, I saw massive flames. We ran outside to sus' out the situation and saw this....

Thankfully there was nobody in the car and no one was hurt. We believe it to have been a drunk driving accident, and the driver of the blazing vehicle fled the scene. It is still so bizarre. I have never seen a car catch fire like that, especially right in my backyard. We were a bit nervous that the car would explode and cause damage to the house, so we kept our distance in our own little safe zone. Thankfully the fire brigade arrived quickly and put out the fire. I felt bad for the car that had been t-boned, the family who owned the lovely Mercedes was at the nearby restaurant just enjoying a nice dinner and had parked their car in that unfortunate spot. The side of their car that had been hit was completely melted and had to be fully sprayed down as well. One thing I found very interesting though, was people's reaction to the situation. You had your onlookers, your drive by's , those on their phone taking pictures while at the same time asking if anyone had called it in yet, and those running around shouting. In all the chaos, I am just most thankful no one was hurt. It is all just a reminder that you never know what can happen.

As for my challenge update:

The Challenge:  6am-10pm daily schedule.

The Reason: Be more productive with each day.

My progress: Day 11

I have not done very well at all and should probably start the challenge over, but I won't and am determined to give the last two weeks my best efforts.

Life on Schedule: Changing Pace

First I want to begin by giving a shout out to all my readers and those who have given me verbal support in the last couple days, you have really encouraged me to keep going with my blog. Thank you!

Yesterday, I had a brain storming session and came up with some fun topics about Australia and my experiences here in another country, about marriage, cultural differences, and traveling that I am excited to blog about in the coming weeks.

Today, I thought I would begin by blogging about my experience thus far on moving country. Some people find it annoying enough to move house and home within the same city, but moving half way around the world is a whole other experience. If you get the chance, I highly recommend making a major move at least once in your life. Not to say that the move hasn't had its major highs and very much low lows, but it has been an experience unmatched by anything else. Moving country more than anything will open your mind to other cultures, view points, and even more interestingly let you know how other countries view your own world (ie; America). But the assumptions between America and Australia are a topic all on their own.


Below are a couple photos of my backyard here in South Australia.

(This is Semaphore Beach during the winter months, a 10 minute drive from our house. There are also some cute little shops, cafes, and a discount vintage movie theater along the strip next to the beach for a nice day out.)

(Semaphore in the summer months, we like to go for a run along this beach when the weather is warmer.)

When I first came over to Australia I was excited, came with a purpose and for an adventure. I was already familiar with Australia having visited the country twice before making the big move; first in 2007 for a long holiday, and in 2010 for my best friend's (now sister-in-law's) wedding. I figured, if I am going to go to Bible School why not go half-way around the world for it, especially to a place that I already somewhat know and love. Makes sense to me. I moved in January of 2011 to Queensland and studied for the first part of the year (but if immigration asks, I was only sitting in on some short courses at my local church while here on holiday). In August 2011, I moved down to Adelaide, South Australia where I now live. My move to this country was certainly eased by having an Australian family I was already much a part of (who would have though I would become an official family member only a short couple of years later!). Shout out to the KENYONS!!! Connections, I believe, are key when moving country or even traveling, it will make the transition so much easier.But, even without having any connections it is still possible.

I have now lived in Australia for almost 2.5 years. WOW, time flies! It has become home to me; however, I very much miss having my family close. In my time living here I have had the ups and downs of dealing with immigration, job searches, being away from family, the higher cost of living, adventure, other's input,uncertainty, both support and discouragement, and cultural differences. I could share on each of these individually if I had the time, but to keep it short these are all major factors in making a sea-change. The cost of moving so far from the only home you have ever known is both financial and emotional, but a risk worth taking. Maintaining relationships is probably one of the hardest obstacles you will face. I have cried my share of tears, and I have also enjoyed some of the biggest joys of my life (one being marrying my husband). My adventure in so many ways feels like it has just started. I have had 3 different visas while here. I moved over to Australia on a Work and Holiday visa, once that expired I was required to leave the country which at that point I traveled to New Zealand (beautiful country btw, sending love to all the kiwis back home) where I applied for a Student Visa (this was a VERY stressful time of uncertainty). My visa was approved and I traveled back to Australia where I was then required to study for the next year with limited working rights. Now, about $40,000 and two visas later I have finally received the approval of a Temporary Resident visa; now I can live in Australia without the fear of deportation and have full working rights. In two years time, I will receive my Permanent Resident visa and at that time possibly apply for Australian Citizenship.

To use a cliche, this is all just the tip of the iceberg. Making Australia home has been a long road, with lots of paperwork, limited rights, and frustration along with beautiful beaches, long holidays and a wedding. Hopefully I can share more about these experiences in the future, but for now a brief update on my latest challenge...


The Challenge: Life on Schedule

The Reason: Prioritize life and be more productive.

My Progress: Day 4

So far I have managed to keep my blog updated according to schedule, yay me, and have been adjusting to my 6am-10pm schedule. Each day hasn't been quite those exact hours, but that is only because Ben's work schedule changed for the last two days so I shifted my schedule to meet his. I wouldn't say I have been heaps more productive yet, mostly because the change has left me very tired and the winter weather setting in is creating a lot of un-motivation (excuses, excuses..I hear you thinking it ); but I am happy with my progress so far and hoping next week the schedule will start to feel a bit more natural.

Anyone else working on any personal goals or challenges? Anyone have any tips or encouragement to help me out a little????



Until Next Time...

TOO LATE UPDATE

Good morning! Once again I sit down to update my blog several weeks, if not months, since my last post and slightly irritated I let it go this long before getting back to it. I have not forgotten about those few following my blog, and the thought of updating my blog always rests in the back of my mind. Once again, another new years resolution (to keep my blog updated) unfulfilled. Oh well, I am back at it now and hope you enjoy reading...


Although, I have not been providing regular updates to the world through the means of my blog, I have been working on the goals I had set out for 2013 back in the beginning of the year. I can't believe it is already APRIL!!! So quick update:
            1. My 5K training shortly trailed off after 2 weeks (FAIL)
            2. I have, however, finished giving our kitchen a "paint-over" and am currently working on giving our        hallway a complete make-over before moving onto the bedrooms. SO, renovating/redecorating the house (IN PROGRESS).
            3. 30-Days of Insanity work-out program (COMPLETED)
            4. and working on time-management and expanding my blog (IN PROGRESS as of today...)

So, as you can see, even though I haven't been typing out the every detail  of my goals I had previously posted about his year, I have very much been working on them.

Up next, my 30-day challenge will be "life on a schedule". I have decided to put myself on a day-to-day schedule outlining my activities, work-outs, scheduled in blog-update time, etc. My day will go from 6am - 10pm  for 30 days straight, or as close to that time as I can manage. My goal in doing this is to set-up some healthy daily patterns, manage my time better, and be more productive. As today is Tuesday, I am scheduled for this blog update to take place this Thursday, so stay tuned if you want to see how my progress is going...or not going.  ;)

Thirty Dayz Of Training for a 5K: Mental Block

The Challenge: 30 Days of Training for a 5K Run

The Goal: Be able to successfully run 5K without stopping or walking.

My Progress: Day 9

So far I have been keeping up with my workouts and my training schedule. Yesterday was a toughy. My training required me to run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute, then repeat. It was pretty hot outside when I decided to go for my run, but nevertheless I completed the task. My first 15 minutes of running was pretty solid, SLOW, but no stops. I wish I could say the same for my second 15 minutes. I probably only really ran about 12 minutes all together. I have found that for some reason when I come to what seems like a good stopping point, like the end of the block or a stop sign, or some landmark I want to quit. Every time without fail. For all those runners out there, do you get what I mean? Maybe I am the only one.

Since I began running, I have usually been able to make it about a mile without any stops. But THAT IS IT! After about a mile, I want to stop everytime. It doesn't matter if I am running really well, or if I'm not tired; my brain thinks, this is a good place to stop, you have achieved a reasonable amount of accomplishment and I quit. I say all this, to help you understand that in this last week that has probably been the hardest thing to get over. Running dictated by a timer has made it impossible to let myself just stop at the next 'good stopping point' but rather push myself to run harder, stronger, and farther than I have before. I have had to mentally get over it, although, I must admit I am still working on it. Does anyone else struggle with mental blocks while running? What's yours? Do you also like to stop at the first available sense of accomplishment or do you push yourself to go further? I would love to hear your running stories. Please share in the comments section.

Until Next Time...

30 Days of 5K Training: READY, SET, GO!

The Challenge:  Train for a 5K run.

The Goal: Successfully run a complete 5K in 30 days time.

My Progress: Day 1


This morning I laced up my new jogging shoes and hit the pavement. I have always wanted to run a marathon or attempt a tri-atholon, but I am a long way off from achieving either of those goals. That is why I have decided to start from ground zero and train for a 5K fun run.

My sentiments exactly.

Let me provide you with a little background on just how horrible I am at running and exactly how difficult of a challenge this is for me. When I was young I hated to run. While most kids could run for hours on end, no that wasn't me. I was a gymnast, a competitive athlete, but when summer rolled around and everyday we were required to run a mile outdoors before practice I was always the last one back (30 minutes it would take me). I don't have asthma, nor have I ever (trust me, I got checked for asthma while at Uni trying to look for any excuse for my inability to run) but for some reason I could conjure up the biggest and baddest hyperventilation attacks while running when young. At the time in my life when I was in the best physical shape I will probably ever be in, working out as a gymnast 5 days a week, 4 hours each day, I still could not run a simple mile.

As I got older, things did not get better. I always dreaded the mile run day in P.E. classes all through middle school and high school. Volleyball was my sport, it did not require much running. I played basketball as well, and all though I was fairly decent I am pretty sure I was the slowest one on the team. I was always the last to be back at the other end of the court, needless to say my defense was a bit less than stellar. And, there was no way I would ever even give soccer a chance, how much running is necessary in a sport? seriously!? When I was in High School the track coach attempted to recruit me for the team because I was tall, well first appearances aren't everything, later he saw me run in P.E. (he was also my P.E. teacher) and I am pretty sure after that I never heard him ask me to join the team again. So with all this being said, you can see I have never enjoyed running, nor have I ever been decent at it.

As I have got older I began to run much more, for the sheer fact that it is the cheapest workout I can get and it can always fit into my schedule. I don't have a home gym, or a membership, so for me it is the easiest way to get in a good heart pumping cardio workout. I have become slightly better at running, but in no way would I call myself a runner. I max out at probably a mile every time  so for me to run a 5K would be a major accomplishment. Today's goal on my 4 week training regimen  which I downloaded, was to run 10 minutes walk 1 minute and repeat. I wish I could say I accomplished it, but I ran 8 minutes, stretched out my leg that was cramping then walked a minute (3 minutes total), then ran another 7 minutes. I shorted myself 5 minutes
:(   I will try harder tomorrow, promise. So here is to the next 30 days....

(Anyone with my on this challenge?)

Until Next Time

Happy New Year: 2013

Happy New Year to all those out in the blogosphere!!! I can't believe it is 2013. It seems that the older I get the quicker time goes. I have been considering for some time what to write in this blog...(ie; what challenge to start, new years resolutions, my big plans for 2013? ) I was debating all this while trying to figure out which topic would keep my readers most interested...sheesh! blogging is tough (said with a hint of sarcasm). So with all that being said, I have decided to do a quick briefing of my 2013 goals to kick off my "30 Dayz Of..." blog for the year. Throughout High School and University I would set 5 short-term and 5 long-term goals each year, and was amazed that by the end of each year I had accomplished, if not all, most of the goals I had set...even if I never revisited the goals after writing them down. I am now convinced that setting goals is an important part of achieving results, so I figure that is a good place to begin for the start of my blog for the year.


Short-Term Goals: 2013

1. Get Fit (ie; become leaner and more for our 1 year wedding anniversary): After 2 months of traveling, eating out, and holiday foods, I have managed to add the weight of a holiday turkey, several servings of mash potatoes, slices of cake (yes plural), candy, wine, and oversized meals to my waistline and thighs. I had managed to get fairly fit before I left for the USA, and now it is time to get back to it. I feel like I am starting back at square one, and allowed myself 2 months of post marriage 'letting myself go'. I say, TOTALLY WORTH IT, but no more.




2. Get a job (ie; career): I am soooooo ready to be working in the field of communications. I have been in career limbo for a few years now, whether it was taking a year to save money to move to Australia, or to become a student again so I could stay in Australia to be near my now wonderful husband, and for whatever other reasons my career has been put on hold. I'll admit this has been an area of major frustration in my life and I honestly hate answering the question 'what are you up to now, are you working?' as if I am being interviewed for my place in society's hierarchy. I always feel the need to validate what I am doing, my studying, or why I'm not working and ramble off my resume to convince those asking that I do have goals and ambition for a career. But, this year is my year, I just know it...well at least I figure it has to be!

3. Run a 10k: This one is pretty straight forward. It has always been a 'bucket list' goal of mine to run a marathon or attempt a tri-athalon at some point in my life. I know that a 10k is far from either, but it is closer than where I am now. I once told my mother my goal, and she laughed at me...which is fair enough considering I HATE running and always have since I was young. I have also never been any good at running. Her laugh, however, has inspired me to accomplish the task. By the end of 2013 I will call my mother and tell her that I have successfully completed a 10k and ran the entire race. (It's a start)

4. Decorate and Design the living room and kitchen: I have a wonderful husband who has provided us with a home that he purchased almost 1 year ago, however, I do believe it needs a woman's touch. We have half done projects, little to no furniture and other than the few pictures that are scattered around the house we have no real cohesive decorations to pull the house together. This year I would like to change all that. As soon as I have accomplished goal number 2, get a job, we (I) will be able to decorate the house and buy the essentials like a couch.

5.  Grow My Blog Readership: I started this blog to get me back into writing. This year I hope to be more consistent with my blog posts, expand into facebook, and create a more interactive blog where people participate with and suggest various 30 Day Challenges.





Those are my 5 short-term goals for 2013. I wouldn't call them New Year's Resolutions, because we all now how far we get with those. But I do aim to achieve each of these goals in time and keep them in mind as I go throughout the year. In a later post I will address my more long-term goals.

On Monday I will be posting my new 30 Day Challenge :)

Until Next Time...

Thirty Dayz of (Fill in the Blank)

What should my next challenge be???

I have now accomplished two 30-Day Challenges including; eating clean and fitness. Now I am trying to decide on my next, and I thought who better to ask than my readers! If you have any ideas of a challenge you think I should try for 30 days please leave a comment and let me know. I have considered 30-Dayz of Photos, 30 Dayz of Dinner Salads, 30 Dayz of Fun Food Finds, 30 Days of Recipes, 30 Days of Leg work- outs, etc. I have thought of several, but am wanting to know what my readers would like to see me try. If you have a creative idea I would love to hear it. In the meantime I plan to take a break from challenges until January 1st since I have a wedding coming up and would like to focus my time and energy on that. I also will be posting random updates of what I'm up to as well, so keep reading and let me know what challenge to take on next. 

Until Next Time....

Rebecca

30 Dayz of Clean Eating: Finished.

The Challenge: 30 Days Of Clean Eating

The Reason: To create a healthier, fitter me.

My Progress: Day 30

The Clean Eating Challenge is OVER!!! I would give myself an overall grade of 88% , a B+. I didn't stick to the rules as strictly as I had hoped, but I was overall very proud of my efforts and accomplishments throughout the challenge. The last week was by far the worse. I was just so over it. I ate out a few times and started treating myself to chocolates and little treats here and there. I did my best not to overindulge, but found despite my best efforts my challenge was starting to take a turn for the worst. I was happy that it was coming to an end; however, I do believe every night for the past 2 weeks I have eaten salad for dinner. My pattern became, eat chocolate - feel guilty - eat 2 massive bowls full of salad to make myself feel better. I don't think that is too bad of a ritual do you?? ;) I have always liked a good salad, and now I am just absolutely loving them. I have become so creative with the each salad that they have not become old or boring, but new and exciting for each meal. Now that my challenge is over and I reflect back I would say that I ate about 90% healthy and 10% indulged, which to me is a success. I gave myself the 88% overall just because I know there were plenty of times I could have done much better or refrained from eating goodies. Now with my wedding only 1 month away I am even more focused on my eating habits and know they can't get too crazy, because well I sorta need to be able to fit into my dress come December 15th.

How did everyone else do? Please leave your comments below.

ALSO - any suggestions for my next 30 Day Challenge????? leave a comment and let me know :)

Thanks for reading!

Rebecca

30 Days of Clean Eating: Confessions

The Challenge: 30 Days of Clean Eating

The Reason: Add more fruits and veggies into my diet to create a healthier me.

My Progress: Day 21

I had purchased a cake mix only a couple days prior to the start of my challenge (first mistake) and it had been just sitting there in the pantry taunting me during my challenge. I had been going along feeling so good about my progress and my daily rejection towards the cake mix. I was tempted many times, but never gave in. I had successfully been working out those willpower muscles, until day 15 of my challenge. I was half way through, feeling good about myself, doing really well with my clean eating habits and then it hit me....boredom. How often is boredom the source of overeating or overindulging? All too often. There was nothing on T.V., I couldn't be bothered to do homework, Ben was out of town so spending time with him was not an option, what was I to do? Bake the cake of course!

I pre-heated the oven, gathered the ingredients all the while ignoring the little voice in my head saying, 'don't do it." I whipped up the cake mix and before I knew it, I had a cake baking in the oven and I was sitting on the couch licking out the bowl that held the glorious left over cake batter. Thirty minutes later the timer went off and I cut out a massive slice from the middle of the cake and topped it with a large helping of frosting. After my slice was eaten, I am ashamed to admit I had another. I knew I couldn't keep going back for more so I actually threw the rest of the cake away. Do I at least get points for that??

Day 15 was only the first day to  a week of slip-ups and bad eating choices. I don't recall all that I ate, but I do remember that it wasn't my best week of the challenge. I let things slide, wasn't nearly as strict with my diet, ate chocolate and take-away and felt the worse for it. Anytime I have attempted to eat sugar during my challenge, the aftermath was sickness. My stomach has become so sensitive to the foods I choose to feed it. I see this as a positive.

Although I haven't been perfect on my cleanse,  I have noticed that my sugar cravings have subsided and my need for coffee is gone. In fact, when I often consider getting a coffee it is no longer appealing and I end up with a fresh juice instead. This last few days I have been devouring various salads and have found that eating a salad doesn't mean having to eat the exact same thing each time. I have been experimenting with greens, using beetroot for the first time, adding fetta cheese, discovered a new truffle infused olive oil that has livened up my salads, and am getting more creative. I am now heading into my final week of the challenge, and am overall happy with my progress so far.

How are you doing?

Thirty Dayz Of Clean Eating: Sweet and Raw

The Challenge: 30 Days of Eating Clean (ie; no junk food, no saturated fats, no sugar, no coffee, etc)

The Reason: To add more fruits and veggies into my diet and create a cleaner, healthier me.

My Progress: Day 10


So I am a little over a week into my 'Eating Clean' challenge and so far I have to admit I slipped up but only once. Today I sooooo needed a coffee. After a night of no sleep due to rainy-super windy-stormy conditions that kept me awake and with every noise making me paranoid that someone was outside, I could not keep my eyes open this morning while volunteering at my church. They offer free coffees to the volunteers, and I just could not pass up the opportunity. I justify this by telling myself the coffee was SUPER weak and I added no sugar, so honestly I am not too upset about it.

Other than my coffee mishap, my diet has consisted of primarily vegetables, some fruits, and plenty of whole grains. The first week I had massive headaches, most likely from caffeine withdrawals, but those have now subsided. This week I am opting for more protein in my diet and have portioned out chicken and salmon for the week. Since I am still trying to work out quite regularly,  I am hoping that my energy levels will boost with some added protein. That has been my journey thus far. I have 20 days left and my fridge is stocked with plenty of vegetables including; beetroot (which will be a first for me to cook and prepare for a salad). Let me know if you have any suggestions, since I really don't know where to begin with beetroot.

Now let's get to the good stuff.  I had mentioned on Facebook that I was going to start a new segment to this challenge - Sweetly Raw Wednesdays. Well I haven't been the best keeping up with making these delicious raw desserts on Wednesdays; however, I have made two recent raw desserts that have, in my opinion, been a huge success. So if you are wanting a sweet treat without all the refined sugars, saturated fats, and unhealthy ingredients - opt for RAW. Try these simple recipes and let me know how you go. :)

Of course my first recipe I tried was chocolate!!!! This is a really rich dish and would be perfect with a cup of coffee.

RAW Brownies with an Almond/Walnut Crust

Recipe:

The Raw Brownie
Ingredients:
2 cups whole walnuts
2 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup raw cacao 
1 cup raw unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
¼ tsp. sea salt

Directions:
1. Place walnuts in food processor and blend on high until the nuts are finely ground.
2. Add the cacao and salt. Pulse to combine. 
3. Add the dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it is running. What you should end up with is a mix that appears rather like cake crumbs, but that when pressed, will easily stick together (if the mixture does not hold together well, add more dates). 
4. In a large bowl (or the pan you plan on putting the brownies in), combine the walnut-cacao mix with the chopped almonds. Press into a lined cake pan or mold. Place in freezer or fridge until ready to serve (it is also easier to cut these when they are very cold). Store in an airtight container. 

This recipe was found at: http://mynewroots.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/raw-brownie.html

This week I was really craving maple pecan (probably because of all the fall Facebook posts from people back home). I give you...

Amede Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup RAW Pecans, soaked

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup raw agave nectar/honey/ or *I used pure organic raw maple syrup

1 1/2 cup madjool dates, pitted ( you can use other dates as well, if not fresh you may need to soak for 1-2 hours)

1/2 Tbsp almond Extract ( I used vanilla)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Crust: 

2 1/2 cups RAW macadamia nuts

1/8 tsp sea salt (do not omit) 

Topping:

2 cups raw pecan, roughly chopped

Crust Prep:

1. In the food processor, using 'S' blade, process macadamia nuts and salt to dough like consistancy. Don't over process, this releases too much oil

2. Press "crust" in spring form pan.

Filling Prep:

1. Blend pecans to a fine dust, stop before it gets too pasty. Set aside.

2. In food processor add; water, agave (or sweetener of choice), dates, almond extract, salt, cinnamon, cayenne.

3. Add in the pecan meal.

4. Blend to a paste.

5. Layer filling on top of crust. Add chopped pecans to top. 

6. Chill for a few hours...cut and serve!

ENJOY!!!

This recipe was found at http://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipies/bars/amede-pecan-pie-bars/

How is everyone else doing with their eating challenge? Have any good 'clean eating' recipes you would like to share? Please leave a comment!

Thirty Dayz Of Eating Clean: Fun Food Find

The Challenge: 30 Days of Eating Clean

The Reason: To incorporate more veggies and fruits into my diet and eliminate unhealthy fats, sugars, etc.

My Progress: Day 3


One thing I enjoy about this blog and these challenges is the new and exciting health facts I have been able to discover. I research for countless hours online and flip through countless articles to not only educate myself on healthy habits and find new recipes, but so I can also share my finds with you! Today's fun find I thought I would share is Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), the organic kind with what is called "mother" in it ( 'mother' is formed from the pectin and apple residue and contains many nutrients). I don't know how many of you have ever considered drinking ACV or cooking with it, but the health benefits are quite numerous. I had been told once that mixing a tablespoon of ACV with water helps with digestion and fights against bloating, so naturally I went and bought some. Why not it was only $2.

It has been a while since I have touched the stuff, but today I came across a fitness blog, toscareno@blogspot, and was convinced to incorporate ACV into my daily diet routine. The writer, who is a fitness guru/body builder, discussed how adding 2 tablespoons of raw ACV into a glass of water before every meal in conjunction with her clean eating diet was able to see noticeable changes in her ab definition within a few short weeks. Now I don't know about you, but that sounds great to me. So today I dusted off the ACV from the back of the pantry and gave it a try. I know its only been one day trying this method, but call me crazy I feel like I am noticing a difference. No not in my ab definition, at least not yet, that would be amazing though. IF ONLY! Right? I am, however, feeling much less bloated after my meals. I plan to stick with it as best I can for the rest of my clean eating challenge and see how it goes. What's the worst that could happen. Besides these claims of waistline shrinkage by incorporating ACV into a healthy diet are not the only benefits this vinegar boasts. See Below.

What's Good About Apple Cider Vinegar?

Several ingredients found in Apple Cider Vinegar serve to enhance its reputation as a true health benefit. Calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, malic acid and pectin are several of the minerals which it has in perfectly balanced amounts, which gets most people's attention.

• Potassium – to avoid runny nose, hair loss, brittle teeth
• Malic Acid – to fight infections from harmful bacteria and fungus
• Acetic Acid - accounts for the sour taste of vinegar; lowers the blood's pH levels thereby creating an inhospitable intestinal environment for bacterial & fungal infections.² ³
• Pectin – facilitates regulation of blood pressure and removal of bad cholesterol

(source: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/nutrition/apple-cider-vinegar)

If you do decide to give it a try, make sure you purchase the organic natural ACV with 'mother'.

All The Best!

-me

Here is the link to Tosca Reno's blog: http://toscareno.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/raw-apple-cider-and-ab-definition.html#.UH_iCW_A-ok

Thirty Dayz Of Clean Eating: First Day Focus

The Challenge: Thirty Days of Eating Clean (ie; no sugar, no trans-fats, no fast food, no coffee, and LOTS of fruits and veggies)

The Purpose: To incorporate more fresh produce and whole foods into my diet to create a healthier me.

My Progress: Day 1



This morning I woke up ready to take on today - day number one of my eating clean challenge. I did some prep work and went to the Central Markets yesterday and loaded up on fresh fruits and veggies for the week. We'll see how long they last me. Eating clean does not mean starvation, in fact eating clean is the exact opposite and if you try it you will find that you end up actually eating more often. Today I am attempting to fit in between 5-6 small meals through out my day, this means eating every 2-3 hours and drinking plenty of water. I have not found myself to be hungry yet. But then again, its day one and everyone knows that day one is full of all the optimism and hope and determination for any challenge. I plan to take it 1 day at a time so each day I hopefully continue with this same 'First Day Focus.'  Below is a photo meal diary of my day 1. Enjoy :)

(FIRST thing in the morning - 2  full glasses cold water)

Breakfast  10am- oat granola bar (I plan to make my own in the next few days, but in a bind prepackaged will have to do.)

12:30pm - Small Tossed Salad

2:30pm - Poached eggs and green beans

4:30pm- handful of almonds

6pm - A little treat! Warmed Fresh Vanilla Bean and Cinnamon Almond Milk

7:30pm - A HEAPING bowl of tossed salad with avocado YUMM!

Let me know if you too are participating in this 30 Day Challenge!!! and don't forget to subscribe to my blog  :)

-me