Back To Basics

So, um, I went on this juice feast. I kinda wrote about it a lot. Then 40 days went by, and I finished it strong, and I broke the feast, slowly and carefully, like you are supposed to. And all was well in HeatherLand. And then.

I had this GREAT plan: I was going to eat really simply during the day, and make fabulous, gourmet dinners for me and the teens. I had my menu all planned out and I got all excited about it. In fact, I got TOO excited about it.

You see, the meals came out awesome. Too awesome! For my newly juicy, nicely cleansed palate, the food was an overload of flavor and deliciousness. It was also heavy on the nuts and seeds and salty stuff like nama shoyu.

Raw gourmet can be one of the tastiest, most exciting cuisines imaginable. Last Sunday, I went to Sunday Supper. I had a wonderful raw dinner catered by an amazing chef. It was wonderful. TOO wonderful. I wanted to eat and eat.

Monday, I made delicous raw tacos: I dehydrated some tortillas, and made "refried beans" from soaked and seasoned sunflower seeds, and I had lots of avocado, and I made sure to include lots of veggies by making my own wonderful salsa (tomatoes, sweet onions, a milder red jalapeno, the juice of one tangerine, cilantro and some mango.) The good news? They turned out great! The bad news: they turned out great! I couldn't stop eating them!

Tuesday, I made zucchini noodles with a simple marinara that was just freshtomatoes, sun-dried (non-oil packed) tomatoes, a little sweet onion, garlic, a date or two for sweetness, some Italian herb seasoning and a lot of fresh basil. I served it with a big green salad. And? No problem. It was all light, all veggie, and it didn't make me want to overeat.

Wednesday, I ate leftovers and my MIL brought over some SAD vegetarian food for the kids. I found myself hugely tempted (but not so much I gave in. Thank you God! But I'm no angel or superwoman. I get VERY tempted. I am just sayin'.)

Thursday, I made an attempt at super-fancy raw Asian cuisine. I made cilantro-lime pate (sunflower seeds, cilantro, lime, celtic salt, flax seed oil). I made Asian dressing (tahini, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, nama shoyu, sesame oil, seasoned rice wine vinegar.) I took some kale, grated carrots, and sea vegetables and marinated them in the Asian dressing. Then I took a raw nori sheet and put some of the pate, and some of the marinated veggies and a cut up avocado into it and made sushi. Then I made kelp noodles. I made a broth for them out of almond butter (I made my own in my awesome juicer!) and miso, and it was really bland so I added a lot of the Asian ginger dressing and lo, it was awesome. All this took me, oh, forever. It was past 8pm and we were all starving. I plated it all up fancy-like, snapped a picture or two for my facebook (lol), and we fell on it and snorked it down like wolverines. And again, it was yummy. Too yummy! And it felt heavy and salty. Again, I had a hard time knowing when to stop feeding my face.

By Friday, I realized that my plan of all-raw but gourmet dinners wasn't really working for me. But I had dehydrated these wonderful corn chips and some amazing onion bread. I hogged out on chips and salsa and the raw pizza I made with the onion bread. Saturday, I drank smoothies all day, then hogged out on the raw pizza again.

Now it is Sunday, and I am saying, ENOUGH. I have no desire to keep over-eating, raw or not! Some people can handle all these delicious raw gourmet meals and fancy desserts. I wish I was one of them, but I am not. By the grace of God, I have been relieved of my compulsions. But I also know that for my highest good, there are places that I should not let me go. Do you know what I'm sayin'? Can I get an Amen, my brothers and sisters? 'Cuz Mama always said, "If you don't want to slip, stay off the ice."

Last week was way too slick for me. All that heavy food was reawakening cravings in me for the SAD, and for the least healthy of the raw as well. I have been 400 lbs, and I have a healthy fear of it. I ain't a-going back there!

So new plan, which is really my old plan, the one that I used to release 125 lbs in the first place: green smoothies, blended green soups, salads and fresh fruits. Lots of fruits and veggies, just a wee bit of nuts and seeds, and no more than one avocado a day makes a Happy Healthy Heather.

The moral of the story for me? Keep it simple. Now I am singing the Shaker song in my head:

"'Tis a gift to be simple,
'Tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to come down to (come up to!)
Where we ought to be.
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of hope and delight!"

This Sunday, I am thanking God for good friends, good simple food, and so many blessings my heart can almost not contain them all. Have a beautiful and blessed week everyone!