Click Photo For Etsy Shop

I have a big post in the works titled "Why It's Personal" and all the things I've been learning and experiencing in the past couple of weeks since reading Brain Over Binge. I will also explain some of the methods I'm implementing and my goals.

February is looking good! This month I'm working on a Spring Wear it Well e-course to come out March 5th. I've got six new models of all size ranges and styles lined up to be featured in the book, plus 175+ pages of information that can actually be applied to your closet as-is. This is most exciting to me, sometimes I feel like magazines only feature clothes that are not very wearable or way too expensive. My goal is to provide real-life solutions for wearing and transforming what we already have and new ways to go shopping.

For Floyd Imagination Month (FloCoIMo) I decided that my creative project would be baking and cooking 31 recipes. I chose this because it felt easy in a month that started with me wanting to do absolutely nothing. I would already be cooking and frankly, I knew it would be more realistic than signing up for a month of watercolor or illustrations. I also wanted to challenge myself to try new recipes, get in the kitchen more and eat out less. It's the end of the month and I've only eaten out seven times, which is pretty decent considering a normal month for us would be around 12 times. I also wanted to cut out convenience foods and cook more from scratch.

I can say that I loved every single one of these dishes and the experience of making them. Food is a nice way to track memories and events in a month. I can remember an impromptu dinner with one of Josh's friends. Lazy Sunday mornings with pancakes and jam. Recipes followed from a homemade cookbook given to me at Christmas. The cookies that I learned not to eat all of in one sitting. The nourished feeling I had after eating black lentil soup. Understanding the role of grated and very cold butter in the best biscuits ever. Josh's favorite being the spicy bang bang shrimp and making them four other times. I remember his late-night trip out to get nappa cabbage because they just aren't the same without it.  Reconfirming that apple pie needs sour cream to be amazing. Knowing that chick peas and lettuce can make a decent dinner. And most of all, taking the time to care for myself and my husband. Knowing, each night when I cleared off the table, turned off the TV, and put plates down, that I was creating much more than a new recipe.

Loads and loads of dishes later, I've got one day left in the month and only one recipe left. What should I make?

You can see my first post with photos here.

1. Tandoori Chicken Burgers
2. Sweet potato and black bean enchilada casserole (I used kidney beans)
3. 5 ingredient granola bars
4. Pastor Ryan's Chili (I used this as a base recipe. Added mushrooms and carrots to mine, didn't add crackers)
5. Lemon and Raspberry Jam Pancakes and Lemon Pancakes (I added lemon to the batter and used whipping cream+ water instead of milk)
6. Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos (made recipe, placed in flour tortillas with napa cabbage)
7. Baked Pasta with Ricotta
8. Krissie's Mom's Potato Ravioli (didn't use the peppers or onions, added more potatoes)
9. Blueberry muffins (I used frozen blueberries and didn't cook them down, next time I would use more.)
10. Pork potstickers
11. Krissie's Pork and apple meatballs (I served with egg noodles with sour cream, butter, salt, garlic and parsley)
12. Ginger baked salmon 
13. Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies
14. Parmesan Crunchy Fries
15. Peanut Butter, Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
16. Red Lentil Soup (I used black lentils)
17. Granola Cookies
18. Feta Dressing
19. The Best Biscuits
20. Sausage Gravy
21. Kung Pao with Vegetables
22. Southern Goulash
23. Brown Butter Mushrooms with Creamy Noodles
24. Rice Krispie Chicken
25. Falafel
26. Creamy Dill Sauce
27. Naan 
28. Candied Oranges 
29. Smashed Potato
30. Mini Sour Cream Apple Pies

Click Photo For Source

Don't tell Josh, but it's starting to get serious. These cremini (crimini?) mushrooms are downright life changing. I like to say everything that I love is life changing, but these guys are seriously dear to my heart. They are so rich and satisfying. That umami flavor does it for me. And cats too apparently.

I can't tell you when I first tried mushrooms, but I've know about this love for awhile now. I grew up with a mushroom (and egg!) hating mom who I can confirm would never serve mushrooms to me as per my previous post. One day I'm going to get her to love mushrooms. One day mom, just you wait!

If you too love mushrooms then this very quick and easy recipe is for you!

Ingredients: 

brown butter mushrooms: 5 C. chopped cremini mushrooms, 1 t. salt, 2 T butter

creamy noodles: half package of egg noodles (4 C. cooked), 1/4 C. sour cream, 1 T butter, 1/4 t. salt, 1 t garlic powder, 1 T dried parsley (plus more for garnish), 1/2 C. chopped provolone

Directions:

Prepare egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Wash and dry mushrooms and set aside. Heat butter in a large skillet until it begins to turn brown or a light amber color. Add mushrooms to the pan, careful not to overcrowd them. Add salt and stir. Cook until tender.

Put noodles back in the pot on medium heat. Add butter, sour cream, salt, garlic powder, and parsley to the noodles. Stir until the butter is melted and the noodles are heated thoroughly.

Place noodles on a large serving platter and top with provolone cheese. Add mushrooms to the top of the noodles and garnish with parsley. Serve with a side salad and enjoy!

I make vegetable kung pao with peanuts at least once a week. Josh loves it, I love it, and it's quick and easy to make. I'm pretty sure I could make it with my eyes closed. I sauté two or three cups of celery and one chopped onion in 1-2 T sesame or olive oil. Cook until tender. I add fresh or powdered garlic, white pepper, a few pepper flakes, and one or two shakes of chinese five spice. Then I add about 2 T soy sauce, 2 T rice vinegar, 2 t sugar or honey, a shake of cornstarch and then 1/2 - 1 C. chicken of vegetable stock. Add more soy sauce or garlic to taste and about a cup of salted peanuts. Top off with chili sauce and serve with basmati rice.

Before dinner I did 40 minutes of Insanity and I swear during the whole thing I had Bob in my head yelling at me to work harder. I think it's because of Gail. And you know what? I worked harder! Thanks Bob (and Gail.)

Today's lunch reminds me of my mom and home.  I used Bobby's Goulash as a base recipe because it's the closest to my mom's goulash.  My version only had one pound of ground beef, I used diced tomatoes and an open jar of spaghetti sauce, I replaced two pounds meat with 3 cups of diced cremini mushrooms, and I used worcestershire sauce instead of soy sauce.  Aside from the mushrooms, which remind her of snails, I think she'd approve!

I ate this meal almost three hours ago and I'm still sufficiently stuffed. It looks like dinner won't be for a few more hours.

Time to get my Insanity on!

This morning's breakfast: whole wheat toast with butter, local eggs (these guys were huge!), and a little fruit salad of cherries and clementines. I'm taking time to eat a filling breakfast in an attempt to eliminate the need for a snack before lunch. If I just eat cereal or something lighter, I'm hungry one or two hours later. Sometimes I'm just not satisfied and I find myself looking for something else to eat regardless of hunger. I'm thinking this will tide me over for at least four hours.

Eating three filling meals a day helps with clearing my mind. I don't have to worry so much about eating when I'm not truly hungry because it's more clear this way. And eating enough to keep me full for hours is so helpful.

I should note that I don't think snacking is a bad thing for most people. In the past, snacking for me, leads to more snacking and eating without hunger. I'm finding that if my meal is filling, I really don't need to eat between them.

Do you eat between meals?

I pulled this graphic from the Blog of Impossible Things (one of my favorites!)

This message resonates with me especially on days when my journey or path isn't clear. I'm finding that my biggest obstacle in life is me, and being too much in my head. I can talk myself out of anything.

I recognize the feeling as discomfort. The same feeling I have when I resist the urge to eat more. It's the same one that tells me not to act, not to participate, and not to make goals and dreams a reality. It can be small from putting off doing the dishes until tomorrow, or not flossing before bed, to not balancing my income and budget. It's the slight twinge that pulls me back.

And so often I  have to stop thinking and just do. Getting out of my head is the best medicine for me. Sometimes I'm so afraid that acting without thought will be the mistake, but inaction is often even worse.

How are you getting out of your head today?

Figuring out what I want is key. Any time that familiar voice tells me "Well you could eat a pint of ice cream. No one would know. You could just start over tomorrow. You deserve it." I have a back up plan, and that plan is my mission. My mission is to do what is good for me, not what I think I deserve momentarily.

Binge eating takes me away from my mission. My mission is to be the best version of myself every day. To be present and engaged, to create, to be good to myself and my husband, to be good to others, to spread and share creativity and hope.

When I eat too much I can't participate. I can't be there for myself or anyone else. I have no energy, no hope, and no will to create or follow through with my mission. Food in excess robs me of time and I'm a firm believer that time is the most precious thing we have. How I spend that time is crucial. Not seeking perfection, but giving myself the best possible chance.

The struggle these past couple of weeks is knowing the difference between binge eating and frequent vs. occasional overeating. And being okay with this part of the journey which has not been completely effortless. But, I trust it eventually will be.

When I'm challenged I do two things. One, I realize that my desire to eat too much is just that, a desire. Acting on that desire means nothing more than getting out of the discomfort of having the urge. I don't force it away, I just sit with it. I also remind myself of my mission and the decision becomes more clear. Binge eating (or even frequent overeating) is not apart of my mission and the bigger picture of what I want for myself.

Do you have a mission?

(I made lemon and raspberry jam pancakes this weekend! Check out my other blog, Beautiful Layers, for the easy recipe.)

This week I'm adding a little more structure to my weight loss efforts. I feel like I'm getting the hang of my new, no-binge eating habits and now I'm ready to add exercise and a weekly weigh-in.

This week my goal is to do four hours of cardio and one hour of strength. On Friday's I will post my exercise tally and on Sunday's I will do a weigh in. I feel good about this.

I also want to start adding outfit posts on a regular basis. I want to do this to push myself to get dressed on busy at home days, and also to track my weight loss through photos.

So there's that! How was your weekend? Things were pretty quiet around here. Lots of cooking and working on projects.