Nurture

I hate the feeling of deprivation, and that's how diets usually make me feel.  A Whole Living Action Plan: the 28 day challenge, that I caught wind of this month on Martha Stewart is not feeling like deprivation.   It is not focusing on diet and denial but more like nurturing yourself and taking care of your body, soul and spirit.  Click on Whole Living Action Plan if you want to check it out for yourself.  They started the first week of January, but I just started this week with their week one, and it's all good.  There is ALOT of information on the site.  I really think they are doing a great job though.  You don't have to absorb it all at once.

This is day three for me and by now I am usually cranky about dieting.  This feels so different.  I think first of all the recipes and the food they start you on are what I like anyway.  Lot's of vegetable, fruits, and small amounts of protein.  It is interesting to me that you eliminate all major allergy related foods and then add them back in gradually.  This week has been fun so far.  The recipes are intriguing.  The anti oxidant berry smoothie above is what I am sipping on right now.  Simple but delicious!

This is what I tried tonight for dinner...lucky for me hubby has agreed to eat what I make for dinner.  It is really not his style of food, (meat and potatoes guy)  but so far he is enjoying it.

Almond Chicken Soup.  Yes it did sound weird to me.  I was really hesitant adding in the almond butter into my soup...but it was yummy.  Here is the recipe in case you want to give it a go.

 Serves 4

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (2 cups)
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
• 1 cup collard leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Combine the stock, onion, garlic, and sweet potato in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chicken, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter and 1/2 cup of the soup mixture into a thick paste. Add the collard leaves and ginger to the soup and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the almond butter paste. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls, and squeeze with lime wedge.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Almond Chicken Soup with Sweet Potato, Collards, and Ginger 

1 serving was 352 calories  I used spinach instead of collard greens, and a yam instead of a sweet potato. I loved the splash of lime juice.

Here is a look at the first weeks recipes Click Here if I have got your curiosity up.  I am also trying to stay active, so today I ventured out into the garden.  It was a sunny 48 degrees.  It felt lovely and I got several of my BIG roses pruned in preparation to putting in the fence, that we must add for the pool.
The pool is finally done.  It is all closed up and buttoned down for the rest of the winter, but oh my we have a lot of gardening to do and arrange.  This kind of work out though, I do enjoy!