Italian Veggies with Goat Cheese and Day 2…

Here’s a pic of last night’s yummy feast. I’m not sure if any of you are fan’s of butternut squash. I didn’t think that I was until I sauteed it in some good olive oil. What we have here is some sauteed onions and garlic with butternut squash, zucchini and mushrooms spiced up with some dried oregano and fresh basil and topped with some really good quality hard goat cheese. This is easy and simply yum!

I broke a couple of “rules” yesterday including having a slice of banana bread made with some white flour and having a glass of coffee and some tea but no bigs, right? I was up late studying with Abel for his ordination exams that are in progress as I type this. I’m SO looking forward to passing this milestone and celebrating all of his hard work up to this point. You know, once he passes ordination exams we will really have to celebrate because this is like the crowning jewel for all of our time in seminary and starting this new ministry here in Ashland. I’m still trying to figure out what to get Abel as a gift(s). He honestly seems to want a new X-Box more than anything, silly boy! I love that my hubs loves to have some play time.

This morning, I didn’t juice but simply had some fresh fruit. It’s definitely taking me some time getting used to not having my morning joe or cup o’ tea to start things off. Both coffee and tea aren’t really advocated in Natalia’s plan. Let’s see, what does she say about these two: They have a “negative effect on your adrenal glands…[and] put a strain on your immune system during a time when you want to give it all the support you can.” She says that if you have to have your coffee that you should do it on an empty stomach otherwise it will “acidify everything it is taken with” but herbal tea is fine anytime. For lunch, I had some of the leftover Italian veggies I made from last night sans goat cheese because a protein coupled with a starch is not a “Quick Exit Combination” that Natalia talks about. I’ll talk about what this means in a sec’. Last night when I topped my veg dish off with goat cheese I was breaking one of her rules but she does say that if you’re going to have a poorly combined meal that the best time to do it is during the evening meal since your body will be digesting that for several hours until you wake up and take more food into your body. I guess this is a good place to introduce to you her concept of Quick Exit Combinations. Here are Natalia’s categories of foods (Note: She says that vegetables combine well with ANY of these categories):

STARCHES: This category includes the whole grains that she mentions are okay 1-2x/week including millet, spelt, kamut, Ezekiel/sprouted grain breads—high quality, easily digestible grains–as well as brown rice and pasta from high quality grains; sweet potatoes; avocados; cooked corn (raw corn combines as a vegetable); and young coconuts.

FLESHES: Fish; eggs; organic chicken and other organic meats; game; shellfish; and raw goat cheese. In Detox for Women, Natalia doesn’t really advocate eating organic meats like chicken or other meats but in her first book, Raw Food Detox Diet, she says it’s okay depending on where you are in your transition to raw food. If anyone has questions about this, let me know!

NUTS/SEEDS/DRIED FRUITS: Raw nuts; raw seeds; raw, unsulfured dried fruits; almond butter; and mature coconut (small and brown). Again in her book Detox for Women, she doesn’t suggest women eat nuts.

FRESH FRUITS: Citrus; bananas; plums; nectarines; grapes; berries; and other fruits. In her book for women she recommends low-sugar fruits only on occasion.

Again, she says that any of these categories combine well with veggies but they shouldn’t be combined with one another to ensure proper digestion and quick elimination, thus they’re called “Quick Exit” Combos. I have to say that I’m definitely feeling a lightness in my gut and I’m on the throne many more times than normal. Until now, I didn’t really notice how bloated I usually am when I just eat whatever and however I want, even though I’m a pretty healthy eater, but I can definitely say that my mid-section is much less inflated. I’m liking this!

Dinner tonight wasn’t anything special but properly combined and pretty darn good. I’ve noticed that this way of eating really simplifies my shopping list and my recipes in general. Uriah can eat most of this stuff too. This way of eating isn’t just for big people. Natalia has great suggestions for food for babies, kids, preggos and even dudes. She doesn’t emphasize the Quick Exit stuff and properly combined meals for kids though in order to allow for more flexibility. She talks about something she calls “baby shakes” which are basically fruits and veggies blended together for babes. Uri’s dinner tonight was a whole banana with an avocado and some almond milk all blended together. He LOVED it. I liked the taste or two that I sneeked as well!

Well, if any of you are ready to start feeling better in many different ways, let me know! I’d love some company on this new path! Kepp checking back here for yummy recipes. Love y’all!!