Team Lunch at Blue Bird Bistro

We had a team lunch at Blue Bird Bistro, an organic and all-natural restaurant in a quaint little part of town. We were all extremely hungry and ready to try all the delicious meals on their menu. Among the group, we all ordered different items, with two people who decided to split their sandwiches to try even more. 

It was a wonderful and healthy lunch. We all not only enjoyed the food but also the company. The pizza overall seemed to be the best, with the bison burger at a close second. 

Scott taking a bite of the Bison Burger

PIZZA

Sweet Potato Hash - Yum!

Splitting the burger and chicken wrap

Jane went with the salad

Jeff enjoying his livers

Going Green

So I'm doing a bit of a beverage overhaul....several months ago I made an effort to stop drinking diet soda because it is so bad for you, and I'm doing pretty good. I now only have the occasional one now and then - I love the carbonation!

Then, per my previous post, you'll see that I've started the hot water/lemon/cayenne mixture in the mornings - I really love this. So many benefits, and I definitely notice a boost and a sense of clarity/energy from drinking it.

My other new beverage of choice is Green Tea - I know, nothing revolutionary. But, it is new for me and I'm trying to make it a habit. I have been a coffee addict, and with the brewing debate as to whether coffee is good for you or not, I've decided to give it a go on swapping my Joe for tea. With all its health benefits - the antioxidants and metabolism boost. I also like having the hot drink that I can sip on, and it helps me not think about any cravings I may be having. I like it - currently I'm doing a cup a day, which I may or may not keep up, but either way I will definitely make sure that this is a regular part of my daily intake so I'm reaping all the benefits!

Let Food Be the Medicine

As a group we watched the documentary Forks Over Knives. It was very eye-opening and made me rethink some of my food habits. It connects many of the more serious diseases (cancer, heart, etc) with the foods we eat, especially those on an animal based diet. I usually limit my meat intake, but might start having more meatless days in my diet. One thing I don't think I will be able to cut out is milk, but if I do drink it, I plan to continue to buy organic.

Here is a link to their blog, with a lot of additional articles: http://www.forksoverknives.com/articles/

And tonight, I plan on going home to make these sweet potato fries - yum!

New Heath Tip - Hot Water + Lemon w/ Cayenne Every Day

One new health tip that I've found and tried out is drinking hot water with lemon (and sometimes cayenne) everyday. I've mostly been doing the lemon part since I don't always love cayenne in the morning. Accordingly to this blogger, you should drink this mix every morning first thing, 30 minutes before you eat anything. I've done it for several days now and am hooked.

Below is her post about all the benefits of this morning concoction. Check it out!

http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/27/habits-for-the-new-year-and-beyond-1-drink-lemon-water/

Wheat Free Diet - Day 5

For the past several months I've felt sluggish, tired,  had terrible allergies, was crabby and found myself  constantly craving sweets. I've also been eating a lot more carbohydrates and less fruits and vegetables than my typical diet. Knowing that my cousins have a sensitivity to gluten, I considered going on a wheat-free diet. At about the same time we kicked-off our "holistic immersion" project at VML and one of the items was to incorporate a new healthy step or approach to your lifestyle. So I thought... why not give it a try? 

On day 5, I've found a few things difficult - saying no to the piece of cake at work or the boxes of Kashi granola bars. I'm also finding it hard to determine if everything has wheat. I was happy to be able to snack on Indigo Morning! I've replaced a lot of the carbs with potatoes, squash, nuts, seeds and oats to keep me full and add variety to my diet. Last night I made spaghetti squash with light butter, salt, pepper and spices! And lunch today tried quinoa and veggies at Cafe Gratitude with the team. Yum! 

I've done some research and know that I shouldn't expect results right away or really until 3-6 weeks after starting. I've also reduced the amount of soda that I drink to 0-1 cans per day. Whether it's the wheat-free, reduced caffeine or placebo effect, I already notice that I am more energetic, despite the fact that I haven't worked out as much as usual or gotten as much sleep as usual this week! 

My goal is to try to follow the diet for at least 3-4 weeks to see if I notice any results. I think my biggest challenge will be Thanksgiving & the holiday season. Wish me luck!