Sleep

Sleep. It is SO important. I never thought I would value it so much. And, I won't EVER take it for granted. Insomnia started for me (in full swing) after the birth of my second child. Before that, I had trouble sleeping but not like this. I didn't have a clue what was wrong with me when it first started happening, but unfortunately it became my normal.

The last few days for me have been hard. Last night was night 4 of no sleep (roughly a combined 11 hours of broken up sleep over 4 nights). So, as you can imagine, I'm not doing all that well.

Because it has been so long since I had a decent sleep, my body is finding it harder and harder to relax. It is in high alert and will not calm down. It amazes me how you can be so tired but your body will not allow you to sleep. I woke up an emotional mess  and just started crying. Lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your mind and emotions. I watched as my family headed to church without me (which is a first for us) and it hurt to not be able to go with. But I feel weak and tired and thought it best to stay home and rest.

It hurts missing out on things with your family, or just missing out on life in general. But, I am trying to not beat myself up too much. I am using every last bit of energy in me to cling to the promises of God. Psalm 4:8 says "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, oh Lord, make me dwell in safety". Even though I can't see things happening in the natural, I need to trust in Him and His word. He alone sustains me.

My husband keeps reminding me to not give up and to keep fighting. Some days it is hard to fight. But the Lord is my strength, His grace is sufficient for me. And on days when I don't feel like believing that and feel like giving up, He gives me an extra dose of grace and somehow lifts me up and gives me enough strength to push through and keep going.

After not sleeping for this long, your mind starts to tell you that you're not going to sleep and the cycle continues. I am already fighting the thoughts for tonight. My body needs rejuvenation. It needs rest. It needs healing. I need healing. I know my God is able, so I will stand firm on His promises and I will not be shaken.

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62: 1-2

Fighter

I have been on the verge of a full out relapse for over a week now. Well, not sure you can even call it a relapse because I wasn't in remission as it was. But, things have gotten worse than they had been. Unfortunately, that's how this illness works.  The physical relapse had gotten me so down that mentally I had not been doing well, either. But, I am determined to not give up. I went through some dark days but I kept remembering what (who) I was fighting for.

I mean, look at them!! My family (you can even see my amazing husband in the background). When I took this picture. I was in so much pain I could barely stand up. This past Saturday was my youngest's 4th birthday. We celebrated the night before with cupcakes and presents, but I had not been well all day (and thankful the cupcakes had been baked the day before), and by the time grandparents arrived I was barely mobile.
I managed to make it through presents (removing myself once in the middle of it all to conceal the tears that were falling, trying desperately not to show my kids my pain and ruin the party). Once cake was served (which I couldn't even sample), I headed up to bed while the kids were occupied by all of the new gadgets.

I laid there and just wept; I wept from the pain, but also from the guilt I felt for spending my little boy's birthday party in my bed. I felt awful. I felt like a terrible mom. I felt like the kids deserved better. And then my wonderful husband, my hero, came up to lay with me, to let me cry and vent, but then also to talk some sense into me. I am so very thankful for this man.

A couple of days later, I was asked to speak at a Lyme fundraiser. I was so grateful for the opportunity but I was also still not myself mentally. When I got up there, I said what was on my heart. But, once we left, I felt like I didn't say enough. I didn't do enough. I felt like I hadn't done what I went there to do. But, as the evening unfolded and I was at home beating myself up, I received 3 different messages from complete strangers who had heard me speak and it was clear to me that my voice was in fact heard. I learned a valuable lesson: I cannot trust my own thoughts.

Well. I feel like I can't just leave it at that, you need a recipe!! I tweaked this vanilla cupcake recipe that I made for my husband's birthday to accommodate my little guy's request for chocolate cake. I omitted the vanilla (mostly because I didn't have any on hand) and added some organic cocoa and some stevia sweetened chocolate chips.

https://myheartbeets.com/paleo-vanilla-cupcakes/

As you can see, he thoroughly enjoyed them :)

My head is feeling a little more clear and I feel like the dark cloud is lifting. My body is still struggling, but I am thankful I that I feel the ability again to fight. When my mind wanders it's hard to keep pushing forward, but I am a fighter.

Friend Of Sinners

Recently I had the opportunity to be a part of a tv crime series based on true crimes that happened in the US. At first I was very excited about doing something like this, but once I was given the role a number of things started to come into play that tried to grip me in fear: What if I'm not well that day? What if I can't do it and let everyone down? These are legitimate fears for someone with chronic illness. BUT there was another fear gripping me, what will people think? Should a Christian woman be playing the role of a victim who was brutally raped and murdered? What will my friends say?
The first fear, the fear of being too sick to perform, is a fear I have whenever I come across anything where I need to be reliable or do any type of task, really. And unfortunately it is just my reality. Whether it's starting a support group for others going through the same things as me or speaking at a marriage conference, the struggles I face can be overwhelming. Thankfully I have a husband that goes wherever I go and helps me in every conceivable way, who makes sure I have what I need and helps me get through it. We've even nicknamed our marriage "Team Awesome". You can laugh, but it's true.
The morning before filming I made sure to rest as much as possible to give my body the best possible chance at being able to make it through the afternoon.Yesterday, on set, the crew was amazing at making sure I had what I needed, and my husband was there watching and supporting me every step of the way. The director was gracious about allowing me a million bathroom breaks since my bladder doesn't allow me to wait long periods of time. The crew was amazing at running to get things for me and not making me walk. The fear of being too fatigued to go on did become a reality, but thankfully by then my character had already died and I was able to lie in the back of a semi truck while they filmed my "dead" body. My part was over within 3 hours, so I made it through then got home and dropped. But the experience was worth it.
Now, the other fear. The fear of what people think. This is HUGE because in the past I've really struggled with what people think. This post is in no way an attempt to sway anyone's opinion on what I did. It is, however, intended to show a different perspective and maybe get you thinking. Should a Christian woman play a prostitute in a film? Should she be part of a re-enactment of a brutal crime, where a woman was brutally raped and strangled to death by a serial killer? I'm not sure where you are on this, or if this post has a place on a healing blog, but this just has to be said.
I got this part because I somewhat resembled a particular victim. Really it was my short blond hair and the fact that, at least on camera, I could pull off a 25 year old female. The excitement of being on a real tv show sort of kept me from thinking about what the actual role was at first. I mean, I wanted to be a movie star for almost my whole life! But once I started to ready myself for the role, I started to think differently. I looked at the picture of this woman over and over, studying her face and imagining what she was like. This woman was a real person, she wasn't a woman who played the role of a prostitute in a movie. She was the real person, I was the actress portraying her. So, let me tell you what I got from this experience.
This poor woman was a lost, hurting soul. She likely had (or felt she had) nowhere to go and no one to turn to. She was desperate. Whether she had put herself in this position or had been put there didn't matter. She was still a person. She felt joy and sadness, she felt pain. As I laid there being strangled by her killer, I kept thinking this woman actually endured this. She died not knowing she had a Father who loved her and didn't care what she had done. A Savior who cherished her beyond anything she could ever imagine. She died lonely and defeated. Nobody wants to sell their body to strangers to make enough money to get by. On the last take of the strangling scene, I actually couldn't breath. I was supposed to struggle and try to fight the man off of me and in doing that I must have held my breath too much and struggled to get air myself. What this woman felt was much, MUCH worse than that. When I woke up this morning I felt like I had actually been attacked because I was (and am) actually in pain from the struggle. What she went through was real, and yet my fake attack left me feeling the affects. So, the pain she went through must have been excruciating. She had no one to yell "CUT", and couldn't ask to "take a break". She offered her services to a man she was hoping to make a quick buck off of and be on her way. She wanted to be hidden, not be dragged across the news as a prostitute who had been murdered, while people would say things like, "well, what did she expect?" No on deserves this.
This woman's face will forever be embedded in my mind and, whether you think it odd or not, I feel honoured to have been a part of bringing her story to light. She didn't "get what she deserved". She deserved to be loved, to be valued, to have someone (like, ahem, a Christian woman??) tell her about a Father in heaven that could wipe her slate clean and give her new life if only she would let Him in. Because, let's face it, we're all dirty. We're all filled with sin. Everywhere you look in the Bible, Jesus spent time with sinners-liars, cheaters, murderers, adulterers, prostitutes. Nobody is too unclean to be saved. I will look at these women differently from now on because I will not see a prostitute, I will always see the face of Tina.
The people I worked with yesterday were pretty amazing. The intention of this crime series is not to parade these victims around and make up stories of what the killers did. In fact, nothing unnecessary is even put into the scenes. The intention is to tell the stories of the victims, to show what they went through, to make the viewer have compassion. The director didn't want anything in the film to be "lewd" (his words). He made sure that everyone involved was completely comfortable with everything they said and did, and if they weren't it would be changed. I was amazed at how everyone conducted themselves and how respectful everyone was. I got into a discussion with the director about the beauty of child birth and spoke about my husband and children as much as possible. My husband watched everything that happened and supported it all. The crew patiently allowed us to watch the scenes afterwards to make sure we were comfortable with the shots. It was truly an amazing experience and I honestly feel blessed to have been a part of it.
So, whether you agree with me or not, or whether you yourself would take part in such a thing, remember this: Jesus is the friend of sinners. He loves everyone, no matter what they've done. Nobody is too far gone to be saved. And, we are His hands and feet. We are here to bring the Gospel to His people, to share His love with everyone.

What's For Dinner

I've said this before-I'm a sucker for potatoes. They're seriously my all time favourite food, in all forms. I know I shouldn't eat them because, well, starch. They're definitely not ideal for someone trying to keep inflammation down. But they're my comfort food so I have to make it work for me. So I wanted to share how I do that!


First of all I try (and I emphasize the word "try") to limit them all together. But when I do eat them, I like to prepare them in a way that gives me the leave negatives and the most benefits.


First of all, I cook them in the instant pot. Cooking them this way turns them into resistant starch (the good starch that is easier for the body to digest). I keep the skins on for some yummy prebiotic goodness, and I add some good fats like grass fed butter and avocado oil. I like to add bone broth and3or homemade coconut milk as well. And I ALWAYS add some raw garlic for more prebiotics, and some shredded cauliflower to get in some hidden veggies. This way I can feel a little less guilty about eating my favourite food.


The whole family has been enjoying shepherd's pie lately, and we're eating it again tonight! It's such a quick and easy meal (which I also love). Throw those perfectly prepared potatoes on top of some grass fed ground beef, add a little (or a lot) grass fed cheese and bake! Oh my word, so good!! Tonight we are pairing this with roasted broccoli, yum!!

I also made this yummy soup the other day using those yummy potatoes. I sautéed some garlic and avocado oil in the IP for a couple of minutes then threw in some potato chunks and cauliflower and sautéed a couple of minutes more. Then I put chicken bone broth in and coconut cream, put in some salt and pepper and turned it on pressure cook for 12 minutes. Once it was done I stuck in my hand emulsifier and creamed that soup until there were no more chunks. This was the best soup ever! We ate it with this grain free pizza crust https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-pizza-crust-grain-free-dairy-free/  topped with grass fed butter and garlic. Of course we topped our soup with grass fed cheese because, well, why not??!! I think this soup would be amazing with broccoli in it as well!

What is your favourite paleo dinner?

Detox

This weekend was a busy one. It was both physically and mentally draining, and I didn't eat as well as I would have liked.  My husband and I attended a wedding on Saturday evening out of town. I ate the best I could, filling my plate with vegetables and salad. But when you're used to an extremely strict paleo diet, even eating a conventional salad dressing is considered cheating. When we left just after the dinner, I became extremely fatigued and a headache soon followed. The next day was a long one. After church we headed to the park to attend a Lyme fundraiser (which was absolutely wonderful) and we were around a lot of people which drains me quite easily. Immediately after the fundraiser we headed to my dad's house for supper. Again, I didn't eat the cleanest, though I tried my best (I'm seriously a sucker for mashed potatoes and gravy). When we got home that evening my hips, legs, and back hurt so much I could barely stand it. When I woke up this morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck. It's amazing what being mentally drained can actually do to your body.


As a family we try to rest and spend time together on Sundays, so when Monday morning comes there's usually a lot to catch up on. This morning I asked the kids to carry the laundry baskets up from floor 4 to floor 1 (why did we buy a house with 4 floors??!) because I just can't carry them up the stairs. As I sat sorting the laundry, I was hurting so much and I just knew I needed to be careful today. I don't always stop myself and often push too far but today I made a wise decision. I finished the laundry then drew myself a bath! Detoxing is imperative for me and, I'll admit, I don't do it nearly as much as I should. I figured it was an important time to have a detox bath because of the not so clean food I consumed over the weekend (even if it was only a small amount) and with the pain I was feeling.


If you've never had a detox bath it is a great, easy, and relaxing way to draw the toxins out of your body. I like to dry brush before I get into the tub. Not only does this stimulate your lymphatic system but it also clears your pours to let those toxins out. Get a good quality soft brush (not a synthetic one) and brush your dry body starting at your feet and hands and brush towards your heart. Once you are done you are ready for the bath!


All you really need are some Epsom salts (make sure to choose one that has just the salt in it). I like to add some non aluminum baking soda which also helps draw out the toxins. I also add some lavender essential oil ( add it to the salts first and mix, as the oil will not mix in the water), and also a dash of ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C) because this will neutralize the chlorine in the tap water. If you don't have a whole house filtration system you might want to consider adding this to your bath so you're not bathing in chemicals. I add all of this to a warm bath and soak for at least 20 minutes. And, listening to some music is an important addition to my detox bath because I have a hard time relaxing for that long!

Do you have a good detox routine?

Limits

Life with chronic illness comes with limits. Whether I'm cooking, teaching, or cleaning the house, I am limited in what I can and cannot do. This often, I'll admit, frustrates me but I'm learning to navigate this new way of life the best that I can. As a family we like to go for evening walks in the summer and it is something I really enjoy. However, I can't walk like I used to. My family has learned to slow down for me, but sometimes I feel like I am doing just that- slowing them down. And not just in the form of making them walk slower or for shorter distances, but in life in general. And some days this frustrates me more than others and I push to be able to be the wife and mom I so desperately wish I could be. Some days I push to play on the basketball court with my oldest son (if only for 5 minutes), or run down a grassy hill with the littlest and watch him as he squeals with joy. Afterwards my body pays for it but I do what I can to try not to miss out on absolutely everything.

Some friends went out for coffee the other evening and I knew I wouldn't be able to join, even though a lovely friend offered to drive me. I knew I would be too tired and it would be very difficult for me so I sadly declined. Some days I push more than others, but I am learning to understand my limits.

I read something amazing the other day that made me look at this whole illness a bit differently. I spend a lot of time being angry with myself, with my body. Why won't it work the way it's supposed to??! But then I read that I should take care of my body and appreciate how hard it actually works for me. My immune system works harder than a healthy person's to try to fight  for me. Now that's pretty amazing. I want to learn to value my body and what it does for me. God made us so complex. He gave our bodies the ability to fight sickness and infection, to literally heal itself. My body may be limited in what it can do, but it is still pretty amazing.

As I was baking yesterday morning, I had to sit down at the stove while I was cooking some yummy coconut custard  (this is something my husband pushes me to do daily, to SIT instead of stand while I'm doing something). It is hard for me to stand even for short amounts of time so this is important for me to do so I don't end up in bed for the rest of the day. I am so thankful for a husband who takes such good care of me. And I am so thankful I am learning my limits.

Of course, I had to snap a selfie of me sitting at the stove

I am trying hard these days to not be so upset about these limits but instead to find ways to make it work. I am not going to stop living or stop enjoying my family. We will still go for walks, but at my pace. I'll play when I can and my loving hubby will be right there if I accidentally play too much. I'll make the kids a yummy dessert, even if I have to sit to do it. We will take a trip this summer as a family and make memories  and we will figure out how to make it work, taking as many breaks as I need and having family with me for support. We will make it work because life is too short to allow these limits to stop me.

Ok. Enough of the talk. You want to know more about this coconut custard, right?! This is our new favourite healthy treat and you're going to love it!

I have been craving coconut cream pie lately which is odd because I never really ate it all that much in the past. But, for some reason I just had to have it. I came up with this yummy custard and it really goes with everything. The kids like it with berries, or we will eat it with my homemade grain free granola. We have put it on grain free pancakes and yesterday we ate it with shredded coconut and sprouted pumpkin seeds-yum!! But my absolute favourite way to eat it is with this yummy grain free "graham cracker" crust: http://glutenfreefix.com/easy-graham-cracker-crust/ then topped with toasted coconut!

Coconut Custard

Ingredients:

One can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream

(or you can skim the cream off of the top of your homemade coconut milk, this is my favourite)

you can find that tutorial here http://thehealingmama.blogspot.com/2018/03/coconut-milk.html

3 Tablespoons of Tapioca starch

Approximately 5 Tablespoons of pure maple syrup (to taste)

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla

1 egg lightly whisked

Put all ingredients in a small pot on medium low heat (except the vanilla). Whisk until it starts to thicken, then take off the stove and whisk in the vanilla. Let cool. Enjoy!

Don't forget to lick the spoon ;)

Are you struggling to know your limits?

My Story

Recently I was encouraged to tell my story- to share the journey that brought me to Christ. I struggled, at first, to see how this story fit into my healing journey. I wasn't sure if it had a place in a blog about healing. But, after much thought, I decided that this too is a part of that journey. Physical healing is important. But without the spiritual healing my body can't fully heal. And even though I have been a follower of Christ now for 14 years, I've never really told my story-the whole story. Perhaps the reason this is so important to tell is because many wounds have followed me into my adult life and some have even inhibited me in many ways. Though this testimony is not directly linked to the actual illness it certainly plays a huge role in how I perceive things, how I deal with struggles, and thus how I heal. So, I'm ready. I'm ready to be vulnerable; to tell the world a story of a girl who so desperately wanted to be loved, who had hurts nobody could heal but a Savior she had never heard about, who sought a kind of hope she didn't know existed, and who one day found it. A story of pain, of sadness, and of redemption. A story of the journey that lead me to this moment in time where I would have the opportunity to share with others how the Lord healed my soul, and continues to heal my soul as I allow Him in daily. How this same God has given me the hope I need to press on and push forward even on days when my whole body screams in pain or my mind wanders to places it has no business being.


So, bear with me as I navigate through this and please be gracious with me...


When I was 8 years old my parents divorced. Very early on into the divorce I made the decision to no longer visit my dad. Looking back  I now know that this was my way of shutting down and not dealing with the emotions I was feeling. Instead, I ran from them. This would later become the theme of my life. My brother went to live with my dad before I was 10 and we no longer associated with each other; we became 2 separate families. My mom's boyfriend started coming around more and told me not to tell anyone (since he was still living with his wife). I didn't think anything of it, it had just become normal. By the time I was 10 he had left his wife and moved in with us. The friendly man who had once tried to impress me had transformed into a man who made it his mission to not allow me to get in the middle of him and my mother. The day he moved in he and my mom got into a really bad fight. I remember them screaming and yelling at each other. I stood in the kitchen frozen. I literally couldn't move. I stood there just crying intensely and he looked at me and said "what are you crying about, this is all your fault". I thought maybe the fight meant he wasn't going to move in after all, but I was wrong.


He mentally and emotionally abused me every day. There wasn't a day I wasn't sad. I hated myself. The insecurities this caused me later in life were unbearable. I didn't know it at the time, but he also sexually abused me (I didn't even know the things he did and said were actually sexual abuse until I was a grown woman because I thought that it was just the way he was). He hated me and he made sure I knew it. I remember when I was 14 years old I was standing at the top of the basement stairs while he screamed in my face, and in my mind I said "just push me". I would sneak in the bathroom while my mom was taking a bath to plead with her in secret. He had moved us out to a secluded farm and I had become a prisoner, I couldn't even talk to my mom without sneaking around. My mom worked Saturdays and I was left alone with him on the farm. These days were terrifying and I never knew what to expect. He would leave the farm for short periods of time to haul water or do something at the farm next to us. I would sit on the couch and watch out the window for the old blue scout to start back down our winding dirt road. And when it appeared I would sit in fear, wondering what was next. And I sat there alone just waiting.
When thinking about how I was going to tell this story I really couldn't decide what to tell and what not to tell from this chapter of my life. I wanted to accurately convey the hurt I went through in this period of time to show the pain I was saved from. But, I also don't want to dwell on the negative things that happened so I will leave it at that.


I'll never forget the day we left. I was 15 years old. We packed up my mom's Buick while he wasn't home. As we were about to drive away he showed up and we sped away passed him. I was terrified.


Life was very hard after that. We had nowhere to go and I felt so alone. My mom had changed so much and I didn't even know her anymore. My great grandmother ended up taking us in and I remember my mon and I sitting on the bed in her guest room. My mom revealed to me that she was thinking of going back to him. I told her I wouldn't go with her and she said "then where will you go?" She had actually considered going back without me and I felt the ultimate betrayal. Thankfully, she never went back. But her and my relationship had been wounded so much that it took a long time for it to recover. I became so full of hurt and hate that I withdrew in every way. I shut myself down so I wouldn't get hurt anymore and wouldn't allow anything or anyone in.


And that became my life. I spent the next 5 years trying to fill the void that had been left inside of me. I started to drink and party. When I discovered that I could be a different person while under the influence of alcohol I became drawn to it even more. I used it to mask my insecurities about myself and drown my self hatred and lack of self worth. I started to date and would stay with someone for just a few weeks or even days then break up with him because I would never let anyone get close to me. I would move on quickly from one conquest to the next, trying desperately to feel better about myself. But, I never did. I was living in a world of self destruction.
My mom became a Christian when I was 16. Instead of that being a turning point for me I became even more angry, believing she was a hypocrite, and it put more of a wedge between us than ever before.


At 17, after another break up, I laid in my bed that night and accepted Jesus into my heart. I'd love to say that I finally got my life together but unfortunately I didn't. I continued living the way I had been living. At 19 I started dating someone that changed me ( I'd like to say for the better, but it wasn't). I became more lost than ever. I was so insecure that I tried to become who I thought he wanted me to be and completely lost myself in him. It was the longest relationship I had had so far and when it ended I finally had a turning point. His parents were Christians and before we had broken up his mom had invited me to church. We broke up before that Sunday so when Sunday came around I didn't want to go with her so I told her I was going to my mom's church instead. So, that's what I did! This was just a few months before my 21st birthday. I went to her church and literally made the decision right there to change my life. It was a pretty amazing transformation. But, just a few short months in, I received a call from a girl I used to party with who told me she was a nanny in the States and asked if I wanted to come there and work. So, I went. I fell back into my old ways. We started to drink together and I started to date someone again.


I always tell this story by saying this guy was Mr. Perfect. And, in many ways he was. He was the perfect gentleman. He was tall, dark, and handsome. He had an amazing relationship with his family. He was a 26 year old man who owned his own business, lived at home because he was saving to buy a nice house, and had never even kissed a girl. But... he wasn't a Christian. I thought maybe I could just accept that. Maybe I could even marry him and we could just keep that separate. But, God had other plans...


I had been church hopping every Sunday and found myself at a little old country church one Sunday morning in New Jersey. The Pastor's sermon was all about how important it is to be equally yoked; why a Christian should be with another believer. I just froze in my seat, trying desperately to find a way to justify my position. I had just read about Gideon in the Bible and decided to lay out a fleece. Right there I prayed quietly to myself: "Lord, if you're speaking to me I want that Pastor after service to call me back to him by name." Ha! Impossible, right?! He didn't know my name, so I was safe. After service I was determined to get out of there as quickly as I possibly could. The Pastor beat me to the door and was shaking people's hands. When it was my turn I sheepishly shook his hand. He asked me my name... I told him my name, then turned and started down the front steps. "Sara!" He called after me. "Come back!" I froze. That Pastor had just called me back to him by name. Then he said, "I wasn't supposed to preach this sermon this morning, it was meant for next week. Something made me change my mind at the last minute and preach it today. Now I know it was for you." By this time, tears were streaming down my face. God had called me by name. He had shown me that is was Him that could fill my void and nobody else. That He loved me more than anyone could. I went back to the vehicle and just sobbed and told Him I would never turn my back on Him again. Within the week, I had broken up with the guy and flown back to Canada to begin my new life.


When I got back, God completely turned my life around. I started to study what God's word had to say about how to be a Godly wife and mother. And, that winter I met my husband. We celebrated our thirteenth year of marriage in April and have 3 beautiful children together. The person I once was became transformed and I truly became a new creation in Christ.
Life still hasn't gone as I had planned. It's much harder than I ever imagined. Becoming a Christian doesn't make life all of a sudden become perfect. I have had major health issues for almost my entire marriage. But what committing your life to Christ does do is give you hope. He gives you hope. He gives you self worth. He gives you security and safety. He gives you love. He fills the void that nothing and no one else can fill. He heals your wounds and makes you whole.


I could take all the medicine in the world, all the treatments and supplements , all the oils. I could eat the most clean, healthy diet on the planet. I could do absolutely everything right but if I don't have Jesus I can never be truly whole. He really is the key to our healing. Because without Him, even if things go great for us and we are healed from an illness and we give the glory to doctors and medicine, where are we when something doesn't go great? Because life is never perfect. Without Him, we have no hope. We just have nothing. Nothing to turn to. People will fail us but He never will. I have learned to lean on Him and trust in Him more and more through the things I have had to face. It could have pulled me further from Him but instead it made me cling to Him as He helps me through each day. I am so thankful for how far God has brought me- from a girl who trusted no one and felt unloved and unworthy, to a woman of God who puts her trust in Him, a beloved daughter of the King of all kings.

Lyme Awareness Month

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. I have been thinking a lot over the last year about my illness and what it means for me. I have had the privilege of being able to see God use it for good, and I'm so blessed by that. I have seen my story impact others and even lead others to answers for their own health. I am so thankful that God can take something horrible and make good come out of it. That is so God, isn't it?! And this disease, let me tell you, is just that; it is horrible. I would not wish this on anyone.

This weekend we had an amazing guest speaker come to our church; a young Pastor who has the gift of speaking such truth in a way that really makes you listen. I was both blessed by his testimony as well as challenged by the words God had given him to speak. He talked about how Jesus came not only to save us, but also to give us abundant life. John 10:10 says "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (ESV)

I have often felt like this disease has stolen my life from me; that it has not only stolen my health, but also the very person I am. But, what this man spoke made me see that the enemy can only steal what I allow him to steal. He can only destroy me if I let him. Jesus came to give me LIFE to the fullest. So, it is all in how I view my life. It's all in how I see things and who I'm letting control my life. I must choose to allow God to be in control and not the enemy of my soul, who is a liar and a thief.

I can choose to feel sorry for myself and allow the devil to steal my life, my family, my health. Or, I can choose to allow God to use me and my story, sickness and all, to impact others, bring awareness, and change me from the inside out.

God has been so good to me. He has transformed me from the person I once was and I am so thankful for that. He has given me new life. And even though it is not what I expected, I trust He has a plan. God never promised us an easy life. In fact, the Bible says in John chapter 16, verse 33 "In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV) Yes, in this world there is sickness and pain. But, He conquered the grave. He defeated death. This life is hard, but I put my hope in Him. He gives me the strength to make it through the hard times. I can choose to be miserable and give up on life, or I can choose to see where God is moving and focus on the many things He has done for me.

 I will be sharing my testimony in the near future right here on my blog. I believe this is crucial to my spiritual healing; sharing how far God has brought me is part of my healing journey.

I want to challenge you today-how do you view the challenges and obstacles in your life? Are you allowing the enemy to steal from you, or  have you surrendered your life to the One who promises you abundant life?

Paleo Breakfast!

When you have a lot of dietary restrictions, food prep becomes your best friend. I like to have breakfast ready and waiting for me in the morning because when I get up I have to take my herbal meds and it's very time consuming. I have herbs to take before I can eat. Then, I have other herbs I have to take with food. It's this big ordeal every meal time. And when I first get up in the morning the last thing I want to do is cook. I want to take my meds, eat, then take the rest. Period. So, since we don't eat grains and oatmeal and cereal are both out, I have to prepare ahead of time so I can have healthy breakfasts at my finger tips (or at least in my freezer). I try to spend one day a week in the kitchen preparing foods that can stay in the freezer and be taken out the night before as needed. This is quite difficult when you have an illness because I get fatigued quite easily and standing on my feet is tough. Thankfully my wonderful husband is such a big help to me.
I try my best to have variety and change it up as I go. My toddler asks me each night at bedtime what's for breakfast and again in the morning. It's like a surprise each day. Here's a glimpse of what it takes to feed us breakfast for the week.
We call it "baking day", and typically it's on a Tuesday. This is actually very strategic, as I pick a day of the week with nothing else going on. I have to be very careful not to plan more than one thing on any given day because once I've done one thing, I'm pretty much down for the count. "Baking Day" usually starts off with making coconut milk.

This is because many of my breakfast recipes require it, I need it for smoothies for the week, and it's a great fat! Search my blog for my coconut milk how to!


Once the coconut milk is finished I start the baking process. I try to double recipes a lot to cut down on time...mostly our favourites get doubled.


Here is one of my favourites, banana bread! (this recipe is also on the blog)

We eat this with grass fed butter, yum!

Here is another of our favourites, blueberry muffins! These are lightly sweetened and have lots of that yummy, fatty coconut milk.

Now, even though these are one of our favourites, I don't make a double batch (well, actually I do, but a double batch of these only makes 12 muffins because the original recipe makes only 6). But, I only make the 12 because they have a lot of almond flour in them and I try not to consume too many almonds. It's easy to consume too much when using almond flour. We also do not make them every week but they're a great treat in the morning.

Here is the recipe!

https://livinghealthywithchocolate.com/desserts/paleo-blueberry-muffin-grain-free-gluten-free-low-carb-997/

I tried something new this week... I made this chai coffee cake, but instead of adding the topping from the recipe, I just sprinkled it with blueberries because I felt the topping would be too sweet for a breakfast. I think the topping would be delicious, but I would sub maple syrup or honey instead of the coconut sugar. https://www.theroastedroot.net/chai-spiced-paleo-coffee-cake/

The last thing I made for breakfast this week was a yummy grain free "granola bar". I totally need to do this more! And, I need to make a bigger batch. I love that I didn't have to bake it so I made it while I had something else in the oven and cut down on time. This will also be great for summer when I don't want to be running the oven so much.

We will eat these in the morning with a side of berries. I didn't use a recipe for these, just threw together a little bit of almond flour, sprouted sunflower seeds, tons of shredded coconut, almond butter, ground flax, coconut oil, and raw honey. Mix until it's the consistency you want and add things as needed. Easy peasy. Press into a glass dish greased with coconut oil. So good.

Well, that's what it takes to feed the kiddos and I breakfast for the week. My oldest has been asking for me to make cereal so I plan on mixing up some grain free "granola" soon.

I'm always looking for new ideas; do you have any great paleo breakfast recipes to share?

Just Part of the Journey

It's been a rough couple of days in this house. When you have an autoimmune disease, and people in your house come down with the flu, extra precautions are taken to keep it far from you. So far it's working...

On Tuesday night I put my toddler to bed ( he still sleeps in my bed) and after he had been sleeping for a couple of hours and I headed up to bed myself, he started to cry. This was just as my head had hit the pillow and I was ready for rest. I tried to console him and then he sat up and threw up all. over. my. bed. I quickly rushed him into the bathroom to clean him up and my hubby came to help. He kept our little guy occupied while I cleaned up the mess. Then, I brought him back to bed hoping for some of that rest I mentioned earlier. But, after only a few minutes in the nice clean bed, he threw up all over again. Let's just say, it was a long night.

Wednesday, our middle child wasn't feeling well (thankfully no puking from that one). And Thursday the oldest was hit.

I've had the diffuser going non stop for the past few days. Thieves is my best friend at the moment and I've got my trusty Digize on hand at all times. I absolutely love my oils!! I'm convinced that these life savers have kept this illness from lasting longer than it could have.

Here is my little guy taking one of MANY showers over the last couple of days. He's such a trooper, the poor thing. He kept telling us he didn't want to puke anymore and he just broke my heart. But, he's thankfully right back to normal. My husband and I have been super dosing ourselves with vitamin C and are determined to not catch this bug.

My amazing husband stayed up half of the first night doing the laundry for me while I tried to rest with the toddler. So, today I finally got to the folding and putting away of the mounds before me. Mom life can be so glamorous sometimes, right??!

I'm hoping and praying that we're at the end of it all. But, I'm still pumping the house full of Thieves to purify the air, keep germs at bay, and strengthen our immunity. I've been walking around with my spray bottle of Thieves cleaner, spraying down everything in sight. We've been taking daily walks to get fresh air and eating right as always. I'm super thankful it has passed everyone so quickly and I'm convinced it is because of proper care.

I'm being extra diligent about taking care of myself right now because if mom gets sick, well, not a lot is going to get done. So far, so good. Hoping for a more restful weekend :)

Keeping it Real

When I first started this blog I promised I'd be sharing the good, and the bad. I sometimes worry that I'm inaccurately portraying my life as something it isn't by my posts: beautifully plated food pictures, wonderful recipes, nutrition facts, and tips.  But the reality is far from perfect. I don't want to make it seem as though this is easy for me, or that I've got it all figured out. I'm not well today, it's nearly 6:00 in the evening, I haven't fed my family, and I'm sitting in my bed blogging while the kids watch Netflix on the iPad. Like the title of my post says, I'm just keeping it real.
I haven't been well for a few days...this illness is unpredictable and presents itself in many forms and has its own schedule it seems. It doesn't wait for my work to be done to rear its head. And, on top of that, I recently started a new protocol of meds that's been hard on my mind and body. I've been so blessed with amazing people in my life that help. My husband  has been keeping the house clean, helping with the kids, and emotionally supporting me. My mom came over yesterday and did my laundry and took me to get a few things I needed. She's been stopping by with groceries, and even cooked an amazing Easter meal for all of us this afternoon and kept the kids at her place for the afternoon while I rested at home. Friends have been understanding that I've been unable to keep plans, and hold me up in prayer.
It has been a tough week and I've really been struggling. But, I'm making it through because I know I'm not alone. And, I'm learning that a big part of my healing is taking the help when it's offered and allowing myself to take time for myself. Nourishing food is so crucial to our healing. But, so is rest and taking care of yourself emotionally. As a mom, it's hard to take time for yourself without feeling guilty. But, we're no good to our family when we are sick or just plain burnt out. I'm learning that. I still need to be told to stop, or to slow down. And, I don't always listen. But, I'm trying to listen more because I'm starting to understand how important this is to my healing.
I'm trying to live one day at a time (sometimes one minute at a time) and understand that I can't do it all or be it all. I don't need to because He is. This post is quite fitting for today. Today we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. Because He defeated death on the cross, we are given new life in Him. And, because of that, I don't need to be everything because He is everything. I don't need to depend on my own strength because He is my strength. When I can't make it through, He gets me through. I'm so thankful for that. I'm so thankful I serve a God who makes a way when there seems to be no way and gives me hope for another day. So, when I'm feeling like I just can't go on anymore, He reminds me that in Him I can do all things.

Paleo on a Budget

So, as I have said before, I've had many people tell me that they think it's great that I eat the way I do but that they never could. One of the reasons people think they couldn't do it is because they cannot afford it! We are a homeschool family of 5, and let me tell you, we are not rich. We sacrifice other things because food is important to us- food is life; it is our medicine, because without nourishing food we would be paying in other areas for sure. We often laugh that our grocery bill is higher than our mortgage, and it's true. However, we definitely have to be wise and stretch our food to make it work or I'm sure I could spend far more. Can you be paleo (or primal, keto, healthy) on a budget? Absolutely!!
Today, I want to share some budget friendly meals that are both nourishing and affordable. Eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank. The key is to include a protein, healthy fat, and some good veggies to each meal. Think about the money you'll save from eliminating soda, junk food, pastas and breads, and processed food; that stuff adds up!! You really can do it, and you can't afford not to.
If possible, try to find grass fed beef and farm grown chicken and eggs. If you look around, you can find some great local sources and save money by not shopping in the stores. I've developed some great relationships with local farmers that will deliver right to my door! If you can't afford to buy all organic produce, check out the "dirty" and "clean" list to determine which fruits and veggies have the least amount of pesticides and purchase non organic produce from that list. I hardly ever buy organic avocados for this reason.

Ok, so... let me show you what some great, healthy, affordable meals look like.

 When I started this journey, I was NOT about to give up comfort food. So, I tweaked everything I could to meet the criteria that was important to me. Here is the classic "Spaghetti and meatballs". Looks great, right??!! This dish is so simple and everyone loves it. And, there's a lot of variations as well. Bake your spaghetti squash (or throw it in the IP which is a.maze.ing. Cause it takes like 6 minutes in that thing!!) Make your sauce (with or without meat, or if you're really feeling adventurous, make some yummy meatballs), and DONE! You can puree some steamed spinach into your sauce, or I really love to bake this with some grass fed cheese to make lazy lasagna! YUM!

Speaking of comfort food, check these out!! When I think of comfort food, I think of "fried" food... which I don't eat! So, here are some great ways to give into that fried food craving, without the frying part. On the left are some "chicken nuggets"; Farm chicken breast dipped in egg, then into an almond flour coating. You can either "fry" them in a pan of avocado oil, or drizzle with the oil and pop in the oven. And, of course, you need to have fries. I always use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point. Cut up some regular or sweet potatoes, toss in the oil with a sprinkle of good quality salt, and bake in the oven! On the right is one of my favorites, burgers! I make my own patties with some grass fed beef, mix with an egg, a bit of almond flour, and some spices  (I also make a delicious homemade BBQ sauce for these babies). Then I wrap mine in lettuce but the rest of the family enjoys these just as a patty and eat them with a fork and knife. Either way, these are soooo yummy! And, you save money by not buying buns ;)

Another really budget friendly meal is cauliflower rice. Now, when I first heard about this, I was quite skeptical. BUT, you'd be surprised how good this actually is! Especially paired with some honey garlic chicken. You just take a head of cauliflower and throw it in your food processor and VOILA! You have rice! Fry that up in a pan with some garlic and avocado oil, sauté for a few minutes and add your veggies. DONE! Easy, right?

Now you might be wondering, why not just eat rice? It's healthy isn't it? Well, no. Now, I understand that not everyone has the same goals as me and that's ok. But, I'm just giving you the info and you can do what you want with it. Everyone has different goals. BUT rice has what's called phytic acid, or phytates  (as do all grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes) which are antinutrients (they interfere with the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Properly prepared (soaked or sprouted) these types of foods can be great. And, I do make sprouted rice on occasion. BUT, we're talking about budget friendly meals, and the cauli rice is definitely easier on your wallet. Skip the soy sauce and drizzle with some coconut aminos, or your yummy honey garlic sauce from your chicken.

Next up, who doesn't love a good pot roast??!! The great thing about a pot roast, or a good roasted farm chicken, is you're going to get more than one meal out of that sucker for sure. Pair that with a good healthy carb like some sweet potatoes tossed in avocado oil and some veggies, so good! I also like to do some yummy garlic mashed potatoes. Now, I need to eat these babies sparingly as they are starchy and convert into glucose in your body. But, since they're my favorite, I eat in moderation and have also found a way these can be healthier for my family and I.

Cooking potatoes in your instant pot turns a large portion of the starch into resistant starch, which is a healthier starch that isn't fully digested but is used by the body like fiber. Need another reason to eat some potatoes? If you leave the skin on, you've got yourself some prebiotics which promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut!

When talking about healthy, cost effective meals soup is definitely going to make the list. After you've made your whole chicken, don't waste those bones!! Make some nourishing bone broth and then use it for a yummy soup! Such a great meal, and we love to pair them with these grain free rolls

paleospirit.com/2013/paleo-dinner-rolls/

Here is another classic: Caesar salad. I always make my own dressing (mayo, avo oil, garlic, spices). Throw in some chicken, and here I've also added some cheese crisps! Shredded cheese formed into a cookie like shape and baked in the oven until crispy and then cooled. Now, these aren't actually paleo. But, I can source a really good quality cheese (locally made and from grass fed cows) so we will eat this on occasion.

Here is the last dish I'm going to show you; we like to use butternut squash noodles. There are so many things you can do with these. We often do a stir fry with these and add either beef or chicken and whatever veggies I have on hand. I've also made an alfredo sauce from coconut cream and made these into "fettucine alfredo". It was to die for.

There are so many things you can do on a budget. We almost always have raw, organic veggies on the side of most dishes. A smoothie packed with protein and healthy fats is served with lunch daily to nourish and fill growing bellies. It's really not as hard as you'd think. Find your groove, what works for you, and never stop learning :)

Toxin Free Mama

My journey began with a huge lifestyle change. But, I certainly didn't do it all at once. First, I started off eliminating gluten and refined sugars. That actually wasn't that hard! I relied heavily on raw honey and gluten free oats. Over time, we've adopted more of a paleo diet; we eat organic, whole food and are grain free with the occasional sprouted grain, refined sugar free, as well as dairy free except for grass fed butter and cheese (which isn't paleo, more primal because primal includes raw dairy, although what we consume isn't raw because it's not available where we live).
I've recently begun  working at eating sprouted nuts and seeds, but we're not completely there yet (I have found sprouted seeds for a reasonable price, but not nuts... but I have soaked my almonds). It can be so overwhelming! I feel like once I've tackled one thing, I learn something new and I'm at it again.
One of the things I'm currently working on switching over is our household cleaners and other household staples. I'm working on being a toxin free mama! There are so many nasty chemicals in all those household cleaners you find at the store. I've started using essential oils and I'm loving them; they are quickly replacing the conventional medicines and my "medicine cabinet" is now filled with healing oils. I've also been using an essential oil infused cleaning product that I'm absolutely loving! I love that it contains no chemicals and my kids can use it to clean the house without breathing in the toxins. And you know what that means, less cleaning for mom!!
This week I  started using a few other products as well, and I'm feeling good about my home becoming a toxin free  environment. :)

What steps are you taking to rid your home of chemicals?

Banana Bread!

This last week has been hard. I warned you, I'll be writing about the good and the bad...well, this week has been bad.
Last week a snow storm hit our city and covered us with a blanket of heavy snow. It snowed for days and, though the kids were so excited to see the white stuff that they really hadn't had a lot of this winter, I did not share in their enthusiasm.
Now, I can't blame the snow for my troubles, but it certainly didn't help being stuck in the house. I couldn't drive on the roads myself so I mostly stayed in. Kids' activities were cancelled so there were some restless kids with cabin fever as well since they weren't able to get out and play in the snow until the weather permitted.
But after the storm had passed and I thought my spirits would lift, I was hit. This Lyme thing is no fun, illness often comes without a warning. I've been fighting insomnia since last week, and it has done a lot of damage to my body. I'm tired. I'm weak. I'm just plain exhausted.
Our daughter had ballet tonight and my wonderful hubby drove her to class before heading to his men's group at the church. My mom picks her up after class which is such a blessing to me. I usually stay in with the two boys until grandma returns with my daughter and I get everyone to bed. Grandma stopped by tonight before heading to ballet and saw me struggling to keep the boys occupied while cleaning up supper and making coconut milk for tomorrow. So, she graciously offered to take the boys along for the ride. So, I'm sitting in a peaceful house blogging!! These moments are rare but when they happen, I really just need to be still.
Being this tired is very difficult. My work doesn't stop just because I'm not feeling well. Each week I try to spend a day baking our breakfasts for the freezer so that I'm not baking all the time. I try to do 6-7 breakfasts in one day and it is quite tiresome. But I do it so I'm not baking daily. Though we can't eat processed foods like cereal, I still try my best to keep it simple. We are grain free so even oatmeal is out. We do a lot of eggs for lunch, so those are out for breakfast as well. So, I've found that the best thing for us is to have some yummy paleo baked goods, like muffins and loaves, in the freezer and I just grab something from the freezer each evening and it's ready for the morning! Well, tomorrow is baking day... ugh. I'm praying for rest tonight so I have the energy and strength to bake in the morning.
I push myself too hard a lot of the time. In fact, it was baking day last week that set me off. After spending the day in the kitchen I started to not feel well, and it was a tail spin after that. So, perhaps I need a new game plan. I often forget that I can't push myself like I used to and that's tough. How do you go from being the kind of person who just goes all the time, to someone who just can't? I don't know. But, what I do know is I need to learn when I need to stop.
Anyway, enough of the "bad", let's get to something good!! Because I need to be prepared and plan ahead for breakfast, I like to have easy recipes that I can make lots of. One of our favorites is this paleo banana bread. it's super yummy, and its grain, dairy, and refined sugar free! How great is that?! It's super moist and tastes great with a ton of butter.


Ok, so just to make you come back for more, I'm not just giving you a picture of the banana bread. I'm giving you a picture of some other goodies as well ;)  you'll have to stay tuned for more recipes!

Ok, onto the recipe...

Paleo Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

3 eggs

1/2 cup of almond butter

1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

*optional 1 tsp vanilla

* optional 1T raw honey (tastes great even without any sweetener!!)

1/2 cup of almond flour

1/2 cup of coconut flour

2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of baking soda

1/4 tsp of salt

The how to:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it with coconut oil.

Ok, this is great. Take those wet ingredients and put them all in your food processor or blender and mix it up. Easy, right? Mix together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour the wet into the dry and combine. I've also mixed the wet first in the processor and then added the dry to the processor as well and combined it in there and it works too. But, I always double the recipe to make two loaves at a time and I cannot fit it all in the processor at the same time.

Pour into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour (if you double the recipe and bake the loaves together, bake for an extra 15 minutes or so, but check to see if they need more time after that).

Make sure to cool completely before slicing or putting in the freezer. So, easy and so good!! I DO NOT recommend mixing it and not baking it right away as the coconut flour will absorb the liquid as it sits so its best to bake it right away.

Ok, the kids are back! I better get back to reality. If you try this recipe let me know what you think!

Coconut Milk!!

I get told all the time, "That's great that you can eat so healthy...I could never do that." Ok. First of all, that is ludicrous! I tell people all the time: If I can do it, you can do it. And, here's why...

I used to start each morning with coffee, full of pasteurized creamer. Then, I would drink that all. day. long. And, basically I would barely eat. And, when I did, it wasn't good. I snacked, I ate sugar and carbs, and I very rarely ate a veggie. It was bad. Anyone who knows me knows that I had terrible eating habits. We lived out of town for years, and the kids knew that every trip to town started with a trip through the Starbucks drive thru for a sugary latte. They had my order down pat. 

So, what changed? Well, if you've been following my journey you'll know that I was diagnosed with a pretty serious autoimmune disease that really forced me to take a look at my bad habits. And it was really this reality check that forced me to change. I'm not saying it has been easy, but it's absolutely necessary for my healing. I've learned so much over the past year and a half, and I'm excited to learn so much more.

So, if I can do it, trust me, so can you...

So, I've really had to change A LOT. And, because I had such unhealthy eating habits, I really had to find great alternatives to things I did enjoy (since there weren't many things I did) or I knew I would never stick to this new way of life. I'll post more on my wonderful treat alternatives. But for now, I'm going to show you this super simple way to make homemade coconut milk.

So, one of the things I chose to eliminate from our diet was pasteurized dairy. And since we cant legally source raw dairy here, I had to find an alternative. A huge part of our daily routine is smoothies. This stuff is excellent in a nice, creamy smoothie!

Why make your own? Great question! Store bought coconut milk (or any dairy free milk for that matter) is filled with additives like carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, etc. What are these things exactly? Well, that's just the point. If you can't pronounce it and don't have a clue what it is then its probably not safe to consume. These additives used as thickeners and preservatives are not meant for our consumption and are harmful to our gut. And, making it yourself saves you money so it's a win-win, right?! 

Ok, the how to:

You don't need anything fancy to do this; a blender, some coconut, a glass jar, and either some cheese cloth or a nut bag (I HIGHLY recommend investing in a nut bag as it is easier, saves time, and will give you more milk).

You'll want to use 1 cup of shredded coconut to 2 cups of warm water (heat the water in a pot on the stove (you'll want it fairly warm but not boiling). Put the shredded coconut into the blender and cover with the water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to hydrate the coconut.

 

While the coconut is sitting, I like to get my jar ready. Put your nut bag (or cheese cloth, which is trickier) into your jar and secure at the top with a rubber band.

Blend your coconut for 2-3 minutes, then pour into the nut bag.

Once you've poured all of the milk in, carefully remove the bag and tie the top (for cheese cloth you'll need to carefully secure the top with your hands and be much more gentle as you squeeze out the milk). Now, squeeze the bag like you're milking a cow :)

And, VOILA!

Look at that creamy goodness! This should keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days, but we use it up so quickly I've never gone longer than that ;)

Now, I don't like to waste. So, I dump that coconut pulp into a bowl...

You can throw that pulp into your baking, OR you can dehydrate it for coconut flour!

I use my dehydrator and leave it in there for about 6-8 hours.

You can also use the oven (though I haven't personally done this). You'll bake for about 10-15 minutes at 250 degrees F on a baking sheet. Then, throw it back in the blender and grind into fine flour.

No waste!

We use the milk for smoothies everyday as well as to replace milk in a cream sauce, in place of milk in recipes, with homemade grain free granola, and more!

Coconut flour is great, though quite finicky, so only use it in a recipe that calls for coconut flour (do not replace it for other flours, as it absorbs a lot of liquid.

I'll be sharing recipes that call for coconut flour too, so stay tuned!

What do you use coconut milk for?