the daniel plan.

since christmas, i've been struggling feeling pretty lousy.  physically, emotionally and spiritually.  just going through a rough spell... low motivation and battling fatigue.  i've known for a while i needed to make some changes... but when you're struggling with motivation, it's hard to become motivated to make a change.

anyone with me?

much easier to stay in your sweatpants and continue to sit right where you are.  but, i couldn't take it much longer and as they say, the pain of staying where i was began to exceed the cost of actually doing something to change.  so, with god's help, i did.

while on a recent trip to texas, some of my girlfriends and i decided to participate in the daniel plan for lent.  although i am not catholic, i started participating in lent a few years ago.  i find the practice of self discipline both needed and rewarding and i think it can be very powerful in our journey to grow closer to Jesus and become more like him.

if you haven't heard of the daniel plan, it's a book co-authored by pastor rick warren, dr. daniel amen and dr. mark hyman.  basically, rick warren (who pastors saddleback church in lake forest, california) felt convicted at his state of unhealthiness and vowed to his congregation that he would not only be a better example to them but also talk to leading experts in the nation to develop a plan for them to follow in this quest.

i happen to be a fan of rick warren's.  when i was part of the counseling staff at my church in dallas, we took a trip to his church in california for a conference on their celebrate recovery ministry.  while i jokingly labeled their church campus "the disneyland of churches" (it's HUGE... and also had music being piped out of artificial rocks in the landscaping), i think they are doing so many things very well.  one of the most unattractive qualities about christianity and church today is hypocrisy and in-authenticity.  we tend to talk a big talk, but not walk a big walk.  we say we're all about something, and yet our actions prove the opposite.  and that's why i really like pastor warren.  from what i have observed, he's real.  he's humble.  he speaks truth in grace.  and he leads by example.  i'm a fan.

anyway, i picked up the book while in dallas and started reading on the plane ride home.  i had about a week before ash wednesday, when i was set to embark on the dreaded ten day detox.  i read, researched and made long grocery lists.  i picked out recipes, planned meals and ate a big pancake meal on fat tuesday: true story.

i went to the grocery and loaded up on fresh veggies, beans and lentils, eggs and natural peanut butter and organic coconut oil.  stocked my freezer with shrimp, fish and chicken and my pantry with brown rice and quinoa.  and then detox began.  no dairy.  no wine.  no gluten (for this bread lover... HUGE hurdle).  no coffee (the worst part).

day one was awesome.  why does everyone think this is hard?  i thought as i snacked on nuts and ate salad for lunch.  and then came days two and three.  and i was brought to my knees.  yep, this is why everyone thinks it's hard.  caffeine headaches, exhaustion and fatigue, just all around crumminess.  my whole body just hurt.  i felt like i had been hit by a truck.  it was awful.

i consulted some fellow daniel-ers and decided that what my body really needed was rest.  i didn't realize how run down i was until i cut out sugar and caffeine and then completely crashed.  so, that night i went to bed at 9 and woke up feeling like a new person.  i slept the most soundly i had slept in months and noticed my head was clearer and my joints felt better.  i made sure i was eating enough carbs--brown rice and quinoa--as well as fats: nuts, nut butter and avocado.  soon, my cravings were quite reduced and i realized how GOOD real, whole food was... and that helped me as i resisted the other things that i used to crave.  although my daughters had soft pretzels for an on-the-go lunch at target today and i had to wipe some drool as i stared longingly at them...

fast forward a few days to a two-day suicide intervention training i had to do for work.  on monday, i sat in a room for 8 hours listening to people instruct on the topic of suicide.  no coffee.  let me repeat that: NO COFFEE.  i came home and the minute i collapsed through the door, i told nick "i feel  horrible".  i decided it was time that i add coffee back in.  seven days without coffee was too much.  the next morning, i arrived for the training and poured myself a steaming cup of liquid energy.  and it was amazing.

i ended the detox strong, losing five pounds in only those ten days!  and gaining a whole bunch of knowledge about myself and my body.  i realized: all i needed was a little coffee and life was good.  i'm just not cut out for doing life without it.

i also realized: i can do without bread!  we'll still have pizza night once a week, and i will enjoy bread here and there, but it feels empowering to know that i'm not a slave to gluten like i had once thought.

now, i continue to follow the basic principles of the daniel plan.  lots of fresh fruit and veggies.  lean protein like shrimp, chicken and fish...also low fat cottage cheese, eggs and beans.  an occasional glass of wine after a long day... and yes, i drink my coffee every morning.  although i'm a recovering creamer addict, so i'm trying to learn to drink it with only a bit of almond milk.

in an ongoing effort to cultivate a better sense of self discipline and help myself feel the best i can, i also signed up for the twenty one day fix challenge through beachbody.  nick's cousin is a coach, so i've been working my hiney off (that's the goal, anyway) working out every day, and continuing my healthy eating in a group of women that help keep me accountable.  my motivation is not so much weight loss (although that's a nice benefit) but more so feeling good physically, emotionally and spiritually.

i only have one life to live and one body that god has given me.  i want to make sure i'm taking the best care of it, and living in a healthy balance.  if you're looking for a good read and some motivation, check out the daniel plan!  i'll be posting some recipes on here of things i've enjoyed along my journey.

what i'm loving.

a few things i'm loving these days...

-  cut and seal sandwich cutter from pampered chef.  makes those almost-daily pb sandwiches a little bit more fun.

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-  college basketball.  final four this weekend... every year i get sad when it is over.
-  catalina mist spray paint by krylon.  i'm obsessed with this color and can't seem to find it anywhere, which makes me want it even more.

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-  vintage tablecloths.
-  grilling burgers with the mr.  doing it for our dinner tonight and i am so excited.  it's the little things.
-  these ikea planters.

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-  country living magazine.  especially whilst drinking a cup of coffee.  when the house is quiet.
-  emmy's oh-so-cute birthday dress.

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-  my newest shows: revenge and nashville.  love live tammy taylor.

-  barn lights.  and edison light bulbs.

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-  almonds roasted with sea salt.
-  super why.  bella's latest show obsession.  do i mind?  no way.  beats barney (what doesn't, really?  oh, beside the wiggles) and she now knows all of her letters.
-  katie daisy prints.  she is my fav artist and i am slowly collecting her prints around our home.  my sis just got me this one i've been wanting for our entryway.  she's the best.

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-  winter melting into spring.  love the reminder of *hope*.
-  planning my garden and flowerbeds... someday.
-  daffodils.

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-  groopdealz.com.  if you don't subscribe, you should.

-  this swimsuit for my 3 yr old bathing beauty.

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-  hangin at the park.  the best.
-  trader joe's tomato&basil hummus.  especially with their whole wheat pretzels.  delish.
-  my colorblock dress.  nick calls it my "hippie" dress.  i love it, though.

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-  side braids.  my hair is waaaaay too long these days, so i've been having to find creative ways to wear it back.  haircut coming soon.  can't.hardly.wait.

-  trader joes masala simmer sauce.  quick, tasty dinner and a pleasant surprise?  my kids love chicken tikki masala.  even better.

clean eating for us.

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so, if you've been following my blog these days, you've most likely picked up on the fact that we have been making some changes in our eating.  we've always eaten pretty healthy (most of the time) but we have cranked it up a notch around here lately.

why?  well, i'm so glad you asked.  here's the scoop.

as i said, we've always eaten relatively healthy.  and in recent years, i had started trying to buy less processed foods, make things from scratch (like our bread and coffee creamer) and just made little changes here and there like swapping out the aunt jemima for real maple syrup.  however, there were still a lot of changes we could be making that just got swept under the rug because of time and money.

this summer, while trying to buckle down and start losing some serious post-pregnancy-poundage, i was sitting with a few of my good girlfriends discussing the 100 day challenge, which is a commitment to eat whole, non-processed foods for 100 days.  this discussion stuck in my brain.  not only was i wanting to start shedding unwanted weight faster than i had been, but we were in the middle of a battle with bella's health that lasted much of the summer.  she has pretty bad eczema and i was determined to try anything to help my sweet little girl.  i knew cutting out processed foods wouldn't cure her skin, but it definitely couldn't hurt.

so, i began researching.  two websites that totally helped me in my quest to know more about the concept of "clean eating" were 100 days of real food, and the gracious pantry.  both are great resources for more information about this dietary change, but also some fantastic recipes and even meal plans and shopping lists!

during my research, i read that it was recommended to 1) define what clean eating is for you.  there can be different levels/degrees depending on what works best for you and your family and what you can stick to.  and 2) decide what "cheating" means for your clean eating plan.  i was on board for that.  something with no wiggle room or space for some freedom doesn't suit our family too well.  it needed to be realistic on so many levels.

so... here's what i stick to (and my family basically does, too, since i do most of the cooking/grocery shopping).  and keep in mind, i am certainly no expert!  this is just what i've found that works for our family.  i'm sure it will change and grow over time, but for now, this is it.

1) what clean eating is for us: because of time and budget constraints (i'm in school part-time, i work part-time and i'm a wife and mama of two young girls... so this was important to take into consideration!) there are a few things we are going to have to still purchase that are not organic or non-processed such as condiments... and i do stock our pantry with cans of beans and corn as a time/money saver.  however, here are the main points we follow:
            * no (to little) white sugar: i use a bit in my morning coffee (because our purchasing of maple syrup and agave was getting out of control!) but that's pretty much it.  i have used brown sugar in some of my baking, but i just cut the amount called for in half.  for the majority of my baking i use natural sweeteners such as honey, agave or maple syrup.  unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin and ripe banana work well as sweeteners in baked goods too.
            * no white flour: i use king arthur's white whole wheat flour... don't be confused by the "white" part; it's still a whole grain flour, but just uses a variety of wheat that's lighter in color.  i also love organic whole spelt flour.  i prefer it for baking, as it stays lighter and fluffier than the whole wheat.
            * no white pasta, rice, etc: whole wheat pasta and brown rice all the way.
            * no processed breads: i bake our own.  two loaves covers our sandwiches and toast for a week.  and the best part is: it's super yummy.  my brother-in-law found me an awesome bread machine at a yard sale this summer, so it's a huge time saver.  i use it to mix the dough and to do the first rise, and then put the dough in my breadpans to do the second rise and bake them in the oven.  so so easy, i'm not lying i promise!  i also want to start making tortillas and pizza crusts from scratch as well.
            * no processed snacks: each week i try to make at least two snacks for our family.  my staples are nutrigrain bars, hummus, granola, cheese crackers and graham crackers.  i'll be posting recipes on my blog, but they are all super delish and most of them are bella-approved, which says a whole lot.  in my research, i did find that triscuits were the best of all processed crackers, so i do buy boxes of those occasionally as well as multigrain rice crackers to eat with hummus.
            * no "fake" butter: i used to always buy the "i can't believe it's not butter!" with olive oil because it was low in calories and fat.  but what i didn't understand is that in order to be low in calories and fat, it was filled with all kinds of fake crap.  i also used to buy blue bonnet "butter" sticks for cooking and baking because they're like seventy cents for a package of four sticks.  oh well.  hello, real butter.  it's more expensive, but it's real.  and also super delicious on homemade toast in the morning.
            * no more bottled coffee creamer: i'll be honest, this totally bums me out.  i admittedly loved bottled coffee creamer (maybe sometimes more than the coffee itself).  but i've gotten used to either making my own creamers, or just using half&half and a bit of sugar.  a fun little fall trick is to add some pumpkin pie spice to the coffee grounds before brewing.  yum.

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2) what "cheating" looks like for us:  well, this is a tough one.  the weekends, honestly, are hard to stick to any strict eating regiment.  when we're on the go taking roadtrips for the day, getting together with friends, date nights at our fav restaurants or having family dinners it's hard to stick strictly to eating clean.  so on the weekends, i stick to it as much as i can, but allow for some non-clean indulgences.  like mcdonald's french fries we had last weekend, or homemade doughnuts i want to make some weekend coming up.  let's keep it real, folks.  oh, and i still totally have wine a few evenings here or there.  i know for myself i need some freedom in order to stick with anything!

so, what does a typical day of eating look like for me?  well, here you go (some of the meal categories have a few ideas:

breakfast
- coffee w/half&half and a bit of sugar
- fruit
- slice of homemade bread, toasted
- homemade granola w/milk or greek yogurt
- eggs (mostly egg whites, with one or two whole eggs added)

lunch
- salad: organic spring mix w/black beans, corn, diced tomato, avocado and salsa
- a good, homemade soup

snacks
- handful of raw almonds
- a piece of fruit or berries
- celery/carrots with hummus
- rice crackers with a couple slices of cheese
- apple and peanut butter
- homemade tortilla chips (coat whole corn tortillas with a bit of canola oil, sprinkle with salt and bake until golden and crispy) with salsa

dinner
- a quiche with a homemade whole wheat crust and a side salad
- chicken or fish breaded with homemade bread crumbs and baked with a side of vegetables
- butternut squash mac&cheese

so, basically: i stick to my definition of clean eating, allow myself to cheat here and there, and feed my family things that i've made so that i know what's in it.  i also try to be more intentional about reaching for vegetables and fruit as snacks or sides to our meals.

i know it sounds like a lot of work, and i'll be honest; it is.  but i've gotten into a pretty good routine of making 2 loaves of bread, a batch of granola and two snacks each week for our family.  i enjoy spending time in the kitchen and it's a great activity for me to share with bella (and someday emmy) so i've just tried to incorporate the food prep into our everyday life/routine.

i've weighed myself each week since we started eating more cleanly and i've lost close to ten pounds pretty quickly.  obviously i can't totally chalk it up to our way of eating since i'm still shedding pregnancy pounds, but still.  pretty encouraging.

so, for those of you wondering and asking, here's our eating plan.  i'll keep recipes coming your way!  if you're interested in making some changes in the way you're feeding your fam, totally check out the websites i gave at the beginning of this forever-long post!

in closing...

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ten things {restaurants in dallas}.

i think a side job i would like to have is to be a food critic. i mean, i love food so then i would love working! so... what's not to love? as we are getting prepared to leave dallas in a mere three weeks (ahhhhh!!) i've been thinking about all the things i will miss. besides people (obviously) and our church, i think the restaurants will come in near the top. if you live here--or plan on visiting any time soon--check out this list. seriously some of our *favorite* places to fill our bellies. YUM. along with some great memories. as julia child would say...bon appetit!

1. eno's pizza (bishop arts district, oak cliff).

nick&i were first introduced to eno's at a first baptist academy staff christmas party two years ago. i was then with child, so the experience of having unlimited mouth-watering salad, pizza and pasta was especially fantastic. what we love so much about this place is not only their oh-so-delish thin crust pizza, effort to use locally grown, fresh ingredients and yummy root beer floats, is the rustic, laid back vibe. not to mention it's location in the cutest area of dallas which really feels like you're walking around in a normal rockwell painting in the 1950s. i am seriously in love with this place. be sure to try: central pie, harvest pear salad, gotham kitchen and homegrown sandwiches. also have a great beer selection and, as previously mentioned, outstanding root beer floats!

2. chuy's (knox/henderson, dallas).

ahhhhhhh chuy's. just that word brings to my mind brightly colored, festive decor that just puts you in a good mood, 50s diner-style seats, queso and fixins served out of the back of a plastic cadillac and really, really good margaritas (especially at happy hour when they are like three bucks). i. love. this. place. in my single days, i came here allllll the time. i have fond memories of summer days spent laying by the pool, deciding on a whim we felt like chips and jalepeno ranch, throwing on shorts and tshirts and heading straight there, sunburned skin, wet hair and all. be sure to try: tortilla soup, mexi-cobb salad, fajitas, baja tacos, big as yo face burritos aaaaand you *must* request a side of jalepeno ranch dressing with your chips for dipping. i want this in a permanent iv running through my veins at all times.

3. eatzi's (oak lawn/lemmon, uptown dallas).

feel like going to europe but can't afford a plane ticket? a trip to eatzi's just might hold you over until you can. with it's wine, bread and cheese selections, fresh flowers, bakery, specialty foods and classical music billowing in the background, eatzi's instantly transports you to a world beyond dallas. located near dallas seminary, i may have skipped a few classes on a nice afternoon to go grab lunch with a friend. don't judge. you would have too :) a stop at this italian market is a must for a picnic date, lunch with a friend or just a change from the ordinary. be sure to try: a made-to-order sandwich on the signature bonebread... soooo yum, basil cream spread, southwest chicken salad, hummus or a made-to-order salad with anything you can imagine.

4. daddy jacks (denton tap rd, coppell).

we are *huge*--huuuuuuge--daddy jacks fans. nick worked there all through our first year of marriage as he finished up his undergrad, and occassionally still will pick up a shift here and there. this is one of the best date places to go because it's so small, candlelit and intimate and of course because they have a-mazing food. aaaand we happen to think the owners are pretty great :) i have tried a lot on their menu, so bear with me as i rattle off a list of must-tries: goat cheese bruchetta, ahi tuna, shrimp and grits, hummus, lobster bisque&tomato soup, bistro salad, blue cheese hashbrowns, baked stuffed shrimp, beef tenderloin tips, and they also have a menu with your choice of meat, just brushed with olive oil, sea salt and lemon and grilled for your health-conscious decisions (because you will definitely want dessert). for your sweet tooth: their creme brulee is oh-so-scrumptious, but our favorite is the chocolate bag; a "bag" made out of hardened chocolate and filled with cubed poundcake, berries and chocolate. ummmm... yes please.

5. seven salsas (macarthur blvd, valley ranch).

this place is not only great because of their fantastic-mexican-fare-that-doesn't-break-your-wallet, but it is also special to nick&i because it is where we had our first date (everyone say it with me now "awwwwww"). yes, that's right. this is where we first spent time together, where we first knew we liked each other and where i first ate off his plate. yes, yes i did (to my mother's dismay). oh well. guess it didn't scare him off, did it?! needless to say, we love it here. their salsa (no big surprise if you note the name) is amazing; and sometimes they will bring out a platter of--you guessed it--seven different salsas to sample. delicious. laid back, authentic and just good, good food. be sure to try: cadillac fajitas, chicken soft tacos, ground beef nachos, sangria swirl margaritas.

6. breadwinners (mckinney ave, uptown dallas).

one of my all-time favorite places to eat in dallas... especially for brunch. when i was training for a half-marathon with a couple of my friends, we would do our long runs on saturday mornings... a couple times with the motivation that it would be immediately followed by a brunch at breadwinners. this place not only has amazing food, but a unique, artsy, fun vibe and is perfect for everyone... but especially perfect for girl time, i must say :) be sure to try: homemade granola, nature pancakes, san fransisco cobb salad, waldorf chicken melt or california turkey club sandwich. their flavored iced tea is amazing and so are their homemade potato chips. yum.

7. cafe brazil (many locations in the metroplex).

i was lucky enough to live close to a cafe brazil when i first moved to dallas and was a seminary student. it was open 24 hrs, so when my roommate and i would get hungry we would sometimes make a trip to cafe brazil. it's eclectic, unique style is not only evident in their decor but also their food. aaaaand they have a bottomless coffee bar with flavors like "vanilla colada" and "butter pecan". yesss. be sure to try: veggie deluxe sandwich, their version of a grilled cheese which is complete with every cheese under the sun, make-your-own crepes, not just another egg sandwich, breakfast migas, and pancrepes. you'll never go to another place like it.

8. trinity hall (mockingbird station, dallas).

a couple of summers ago, this became a favorite hang-out-spot for our group of friends. the perfect place to go sit for a few hours, have a drink or two, people-watch, chat and maybe get some food. an old-world-ish irish pub set in trendy mockingbird station, trinity hall is always a-buzz with live bands, sporting events and trivia nights. a really, really fun place to go with friends. voted "best beer selection in dallas" in 2010, it also has great irish fare. be sure to try: fish&chips, irish soda bread, shepherd's pie, irish chicken enchiladas, and for dessert? steamed bread pudding. super scrumpsh (i just made up that word).

9. johnny b's (southlake blvd, southlake).

this family owned burger joint is one of our *favs*. my father l-o-v-e-s this place and would seriously consider flying to dallas just to grab a hamburger (and see his granddaughter) and fly back. just kidding, but maybe. this in-and-out-burger-inspired-hole-in-the-wall establishment is just so cute... and you just feel good knowing you're supporting a family by bringing your business here. right? yes. their signature sauce (like i said, similar to in-and-out) and their fresh baked, slightly sweet, buttery hamburger buns are hard to beat. be sure to try: their BURGERS! (duh) and fries. and the shakes are out-of-this-world, too.

10. fireside pies (knox/henderson, dallas).

love. this. place. they not only have mouthwatering pizzas, but just-as-delish salads, appetizers and really, really yummy drinks. aaaand you can eat outside on a patio when the weather's nice and it just makes you love this place more. perfect for a girls night out, a romantic date for two, or a dinner with lots of friends. i mean, who doesn't love a good pizza? yeah. everyone. be sure to try: fireside fondue, fireside cheese salad with chicken (one of the best salads that has ever blessed my tastebuds), peta pie and any cocktail i've had there has been really, really tasty. yum. now i'm hungry.

ten things {in my pantry}.

here are ten things that are always (or almost always) in our fridge, freezer or pantry. the cornwell essentials we can't live without. i can honestly say we have all of these items in our kitchen right. this. second.

1. turkey bacon.

an absolute staple in the cornwell household. ever since we were married, every saturday and sunday morning, nick makes turkey bacon and scrambled eggs. even if i make waffles or cinnamon rolls or something else of the sweet variety, he still will make his faithful tb&se combo. love him. and loooove turkey bacon! only 35 calories per slice. please and thank you.

2. blueberries.

not as wonderful as fresh maine blueberries, but we always always always have a carton in our fridge. i'm obsessed with blueberries and cheerios these days. my daily weekly breakfast. and i'm super determind to make bella like them too. i don't really know why. but more importantly, i don't know why she is weird about them right now. i ate anything with blueberries allllll the time when i was pregnant. number one: blueberry pancakes. oh. yum.

3. steam-able veggies.

we eat these almost every night. if you open up our freezer, it is always packed with these lovely little packages of veggies. just pop 'em in the microwave and voila... you've got servings of vitamins and minerals within minutes.

4. yellow saffron rice.

we keep these yummy lil rice packets in our pantry as a staple to our weekly meal of tilapia, rice and veggies. so easy and suuuuuper delish. bella loves it too!

5. real maple syrup.

waffles love to make a saturday or sunday morning appearance in the cornwell household and we love our maple syrup. we always used to use light variations of hungry jack or aunt jemima until we watched jamie oliver's food revolution when he specifically talked about how much garbage is in that man-made-brown-concoction-of-stickiness. thank you, jamie oliver. and you are right: the real stuff tastes sooo much better.

6. hazelnut coffee creamer.

i *have* to have coffee creamer in our fridge. it's a must. i go on kicks in terms of my flavor preference. for a long time it was vanilla. then it was caramel-vanilla. then it was the holiday-inspired creamer. now it's hazelnut. i just love it. can't have my coffee without it. which is probably unhealthy but i don't care. it's one splurge i can live with, that's for sure.

7. tofu noodles.

these are my most recent discovery and i am in love! low in carbs, fat and calories these lil noodles are awesome. just be sure to rinse thoroughly and they taste great! i love adding them to a stir fry with fresh bok choy, carrots, garlic, ginger, broccoli, water chestnuts and a little soy sauce and honey. hungry yet??

8. laughing cow cheese.

i first discovered this lil gem when i did weight watchers a few years ago to burn off some extra graduate school weight. only 35 calories per slice. spread 'em on some crackers and they are simply delightful. perfect pairing? try wasa crackers... high in fiber and protein and low in fat and calories. also like whole wheat flatbread with them too.

9. cheerios.

oldie, but a goodie. especially necessary when you have a nine-month-old. as i said earlier, this is my breakfast staple. a bowl of these sprinkled with some fresh blueberries or banana? the perfect combo.

10. pink grapefruit.

when i was pregnant with bella, this was definitely my biggest craving. pink grapefruits... but more specifically pink grapefruit juice. weird, i know. but i still love them even when i'm not with child. a perfect breakfast side or a mid-afternoon snack. and good for you, too. what's not to love?