Whole Heart 30: Day 16

Over halfway finished with the challenge & feeling great! I've heard from some other whole 30-ers that the second half really flies by, so here's to hoping! Checkout the grub I feasted on today. Also, I sadly didn't capture a photo of tonight's dinner Jake made, but it was a feast. We had company over and he prepared a big southwestern brisket (no bbq sauce for me!), jalapeno coleslaw (minus any mayo), and a sweet potato casserole with lots of cilantro. Maybe I'll get a shot of my leftovers tomorrow.

Breakfast

Morning meatballs, again. 

It doesn't get any better than starting it off with some good ole protein. 

Lunch

Coconut Larabar Balls

Ingredients 

1 cup cashews

1/2 cup dates,figs, prunes, etc.

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 T Coconut oil

2 T water

Directions to come in a full photo collage of just how I made these tasty treats! And who says you can't have dessert mid-day? 

Whole Heart 30: Halfway Point

Greetings, long lost friends! Please forgive my most recent absence, but I've taken a slight hiatus from some of my technological overuses. It was somewhat of a Post-Easter light bulb moment that I needed to be spending more time in the here & the now, and less time focusing on sharing that here & the now on social media... But I'm back!

Today actually marked day 15 of my challenge! I can honestly say that I feel fantastic. I've never felt better. My skin is glowing (according to my husband & close friends), I've dropped 6lbs (!!!!), and am so much more aware of everything being consumed! I cannot tell you how happy I've been. It's forced me out of my comfort zone of eating into a whole new catalogue of culinary cuisine: natural. The biggest adjustment has been transitioning from lots of fruit to lots of vegetables. Mornings that began with some type of fruit I was also crashing by mid-morning, so I attempted to focus more on beginning my days with protein and a veggie. The results have been so rewarding! See below for today's cuisine & a few of my new favorites that you missed over this week long hiatus.

Some personal favorites from this past Easter below. 

Quick Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

Ramen Seasoning Packet

Thai Basil

Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

Protein (I used an egg bc I had no meat, but improvise!)

Siracha

Hoisin

Directions:

Boil medium pot of water. While waiting for boil, put all ingredients in the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Pour hot water over, stir, and enjoy! 

Sauteed Sausage & Rainbow Chard 

Ingredients

Any sausage

Rainbow chard, kale, spinach, etc.

Garlic

Directions

Literally just sauté everything, serve & look like a Food Network chef! 

Tuscan Soup

Family recipe that I can't share... just yet! 

I'm back for good, friends. Stay tuned for my daily updates on the remainder of this challenge! 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from the Hyde's! We had a wonderful day back home in Florida with family, food, and lots of celebration. What a decadent day it was! Wishing you all a blessed Easter season, celebrating this joyous occasion of our risen Christ. 

Whole Heart 30: Day 5

Happy Easter Saturday, ya'll! What a relaxing Easter vacation it has been these past few days in sunny Florida. My family & I just ran a 5K run this morning to support the Shriners childrens hospital, followed by a long afternoon poolside painting Easter eggs. The Easter egg images are below. I was VERY proud of the outcome of our artistic egg painting - definitely best year yet!  

What a fun afternoon of painting it was!!! And I had some good eats you'll find below: 

Post 5K Breakfast/Lunch

Celery/ P&B & Almond milk Iced Coffee

I was't too hungry post run, so I decided to keep it light. And it was just perfect! 

Dinner 

Broccoli Rabe & Sausage

Following the Easter vigil mass, the fam & I stopped at local pizza place. Of course I was tempted to indulge in a hot piece of sausage pizza, but I kept up with my challenge and was delighted! My order of broccoli rabe & sausage was so flavorful & satisfying! Jake agreed that we'll definitely start incorporating it into our recipe repertoire. 

Whole Heart 30: Day 3 & 4

So sorry to all of you devoted followers who have noticed my brief absence from the challenge. Yesterday was a long, tired mess of a day consisting of packing, working a full day, and hopping on two planes to make it to my parents house in Florida. Suffice to say, I'm alive & well soaking up the Florida rays. So Here I'm posting both day 3 and 4 of the challenge, because today's day 4 was Good Friday and only consisted of one actual meal. 

In the past two days I have realized how incredibly difficult this challenge is when traveling. So for all of you interested whole heart's out there, be mindful that if you travel often this will be hard! Our travel began around dinner time yesterday directly after work, so there was really no time to head home and prepare even a quick dinner. I packed some mixed nuts and water as travel snacks, but no actual dinner plans. Luckily, we stumbled upon a nice relaxing restaurant that just opened in DFW with lots of healthy options. I chose a simple, fresh salad and Jake went with a Tuscan sandwich on ciabatta. Gosh, his ciabatta looked SO tasty! 

Upon arriving at my parents house I've also noticed that there aren't necessarily lots of whole heart options, but I've made do just fine thanks to my supportive family. Because it was Good Friday today I've only had light snacks throughout the day and one regular meal. Some cashews and fruit throughout the day, and the delightful salmon and asparagus dinner to end the day. I'm hoping the rest of the trip manages to be somewhat easy to find healthy options, but I'll be sure to keep ya'll posted! 

Breakfast

Leftovers from the sweet potato skillet from the day before

Lunch 

Grilled chicken, avocado, and sweet peppers.

Dinner 

Airport salad consisting of:

Mixed greens

Pine Nuts

Craisins 

Grilled chicken

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice 

*I had to ask for the olive oil and lemon to substitute the sugary dressing, and to hold the goat cheese. Both would have been the best part of the dish, so this part was tough.*

Good Friday (Day 4) Meal

Salmon & Asparagus

Salmon

Dijon Mustard

Parsley 

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice 

Whole Asparagus 

Salt & Pepper 

Daily Bible Reflection

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." 

John 3:16-17

On this day in the church, what better passage to reflect on? Today is a day of remembrance. A day of mourning. A sad day in the life of a Christian. But a sad day that becomes so joyous in knowing that the Son of God was sent to save each and every one of us. Both you and I alike. What more can we say other than thank you? Thank you to our Lord God for sending the only Son to save us. 

Whole Heart 30: Day 2

Hey all, so sorry I didn't check-in yesterday with my day two status update on the challenge! We were in a mad packing frenzy in the Hyde household before we depart for Florida for Easter. So I've stolen some time this morning and am going to update ya'll on my second day of Whole Heart 30!

It was honestly pretty easy, like the first. I barely had any cravings all day... until 5:00pm. The minute I left work all I wanted was a glass of red wine to unwind from the long day. And it was even harder when I saw the open bottle of my favorite red wine in our fridge...just staring at me. But don't worry, I refrained! Instead of myself drinking it, I made the husband finish off the bottle so I wouldn't be tempted down the road. Meals were super tasty, and SUPER simple! I drank about 60oz of water throughout the day, and then a few glasses of soda water & lime (personal favorite). Checkout the day of good eats!

 Breakfast

Sweet potato hash topped with avocado and hot sauce

1 Large Onion

1 T olive oil

2 lbs meat (I did half ground beef, half chorizo)

2 Large Sweet Potatoes

1 T kosher salt

Green Onion

Cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper

Smoked Paprika

Chili Powder

Heat the oven to 450F. Peel onions and slice them up into half moons. Throw in pan of olive oil over medium heat, to caramelize and reach a nice dark brown color. While the onions are cooking, place your meat in another pan over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through and a nice brown color and crispy texture. Drain excess fat.

While onions and sausage are cooking, dice up your sweet potatoes. Tip (if they are too hard for you to cut, throw in the microwave for a few seconds to soften). Throw diced cubes of sweet potato in a mixing bowl with olive oil, seasoning, and chopped green onion. Once onion and sausage is finished cooking, add to the mixing bowl. 

Place mixture on a cookie sheet (or even better - cast iron skillet) and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until crispy and ready to enjoy! Your results will be HEAVENLY! I promise! 

Lunch

Leftover Spinach, grilled chicken, pepper salad with lime cilantro dressing

Dinner

Leftover Sweet Potato Casserole Hyped up 

Just added spinach, more avocado and a fried egg & it was dinner! Quick, easy & so cheap! 

Bible Passage for Reflection: 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. 

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will provide you the way of escape, that you may be able to endure. 

1 Corinthians 10:13

What more encouragement do we need to succeed in life in being assured of His omnipresence? He will not leave us to fail in this world of constant temptation to sin. Be comforted in knowing we're not alone on this challenge, or at all in life. We are loved and cherished by a Father who loves us more than we even know. He will not forsake you. Let that resonate on your heart and find peace throughout your day. 

Whole Heart 30: Day 1

Well folks, I made it through day one alive & well! This is definitely going to be a challenge, because today was by no means easy. There were several moments when I was so tempted to reach into my pantry and grab that piece of dark chocolate, or that mediterranean hummus that I love so much, or that half and half in my coffee. Sigh. But I made it without eating any of that!

Biggest thing learned today: drink more water than every humanly thought possible! Because this is such a big adjustment to your body, the detox period can be ugly. I've been flushing out my system with as much water as possible to expedite the ugly phase and move on to the better stages. I took some pictures of my start to Whole Heart 30, so enjoy! And best of luck to all of you who have joined me on the endeavor. It's going to be such a fruitful one!

Spinach, shallot & egg skillet

Breakfast

Spinach, shallot & egg skillet paired with a coconut milk latte. 

Heaping of Spinach

1 Diced Shallot

1 egg

Splash of Olive Oil

I simply sauteed spinach & shallots in olive oil before creating little craters for my eggs. Then over medium heat, I cracked an egg, sprinkled fresh sea salt & cracked pepper on top. I covered the skillet for approximately 5 minutes before removing from heat. It was so simple & so yummy! 

Lunch

Two hard boiled eggs, sliced sweet peppers, and sliced apples with almond butter. 

I admit, I hadn't grocery shopped yet and FULLY prepared for this challenge with our upcoming Easter travel, so my options were limited. But the great thing about this lunch was how simple, affordable & high energy it left me feeling to make it through the remaining work day!

Half homemade guacamole burger & citrus side salad

Dinner

Half a ground beef patty topped with homemade guacamole. Side salad with grilled chicken, sweet peppers, and a homemade fresh cilantro lime dressing (no sugar, no preservatives)

Bunless Burger/Guacomole

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 egg

seasoning of choice (for burger & chicken)

1 avocado

Dash of crushed red pepper

1 freshly squeezed lime 

Side Salad

2 chicken tenderloins 

4-5 mini sweet peppers (found in bulk at TJs & Kroger!)

Dressing:

A bundle of cilantro

1 shallot

1 large lime

Splash of apple cider vinegar

Spoonful of dijon mustard

Splash of olive oil 

Dash of salt & pepper

I could probably eat this dinner every single night of the week it was so fresh & tasty! It let me feeling so incredibly satisfied & ready to enjoy my night without the full, heavy feeling a regular (delicious) burger can do with a side salad tossed in a sugary, store bought dressing.

All in all, a GREAT start to my Whole Heart 30 Challenge. I hope that you are feeling inspired to join me. It's really not as hard or daunting as it may seem - promise! Let's just hope Day 2 can be done as effortlessly!

Whole Heart 30 Challenge

Hey folks, I'm sure you've all been seeing "Whole 30" posts, pins and recipes galore lately because I've been bombarded! I've been so bombarded that I finally caved. I'm giving the latest & greatest fitness challenge "Whole 30" a try, but with my own twist. 

My reason for wanting to do this may not be for the same reason as others, but rather with more of a spiritual purpose at the core. Since I started this Lent, I've been realizing more and more how I focus so much on self. What is comfortable? What do I want? What do I need? Me, me, me. I've realized this Lent that I need to deny myself of little pleasures on a regular basis, not just during liturgical periods that encourage self denial, sacrifice, etc. Every single day I want to be reminded of the ultimate sacrifice in order to more fully appreciate the gifts in this world. 

I personally am going to deny myself of dairy, grains, sugar, alcohol, and soy these next 30 days. Along with each day of focusing on improving my bodily health, I plan on focusing on improving my spiritual health by reflecting on a scripture passage. I will be calling this challenge "Whole Heart 30." The passage above is what really helped inspire me in beginning this challenge. Psalm 119 "Blessed are those who seek Him with the whole heart." Crazy thing is that this passage was on my heart all week when thinking about beginning this challenge. And tonight I opened up Jake's Bible that was gifted to him years back, and look what passage is quoted in his parents' inscription to him!!! Looks like there was some serious intervention in the formation of this challenge!

So here's to the next 30 days of denying myself of some of my absolute favorite things: cheese, wine, fresh bread, and dark chocolate. This is not going to be an easy one for me, but with the support of my husband and those around me who have linked in, it's going to be a fruitful one! Contact me if you care to join us and we'll begin improving our whole self one day at a time. Whole heart 30 here we come! 

South Congress Avenue

Does this wall look at all familiar? It's simple love note was written on the wall of popular Jo's Coffee shop on South Congress in Austin, TX back in 2010. The message was a love note from a local musician to girlfriend, and owner of Jo's coffee shop. The message has become an iconic landmark in the colorful neighborhood of SoCo. 

Last fall I ventured on a girls weekend in Austin, so I naturally had to bring the girls to this spot. It just makes for the best photo-ops! The wall was actually vandalized a few years ago, but since been repainted in a public way when the couple proclaimed their love for one another. Such a beautiful reminder to all passing by. What other way should one live?

Take Heart

Lately I've been turning more and more to a favorite by Hillsong United, "Take Heart." Just as the title conveys, shouldn't we all take heart and let His love lead us through life? In times I need Him most, I find myself straying away and becoming distant from the one who knows me most. Sharing these lyrics with you to help remind each of you the need to take heart.

"Take Heart" 

There is a light 

It burns brighter than the sun 

He steals the night

And casts no shadow

There is hope

Should oceans rise and mountains fall

He never fails.

So take heart

Let His love lead us through the night

Hold on to hope 

And take courage again

In death by love

The fallen world was overcome

He wearas the scars of our freedom 

In His Name 

All our fears are sweaoy away

He never fails 

All our troubles 

And all our tears 

God our hope 

He has overcome

All our failure 

And all our fear 

God our love 

He has overcome 

All our heartache 

And all our pain 

God our healer 

He has overcome 

All our burdens 

And all our shame

God our freedom 

He has overcome

God our justice 

God our grace

God our freedom

He has overcome 

God our refuge 

God our strength 

God is with us 

He has overcome 

The Beer's Knees

One of Jake's favorite things to do is search the internet for new culinary ideas. He's naturally an incredibly gifted chef, with exquisite taste, but also a yearning to try new things. Recently, he came across an article consisting of 10 Great Beer Cocktails. What a find! Last night we experimented with our first just based on ingredients found in our fridge. Think a new & improved version of Summer Beer! See below for more details! 

Ingredients Needed to Create Perfection:

-1 1/2 ounces Gin 

-1 ounce Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice 

-1 ounce Honey Simple Syrup 

-3 ounces Hefeweizen

-1 Lemon wedge to garnish 

 

Mix honey & water in saucepan & bring to a boil. Squeeze lemons into shaker along with honey simply syrup (once cool), gin, and ice. 

Shake vigorously & strain into glass of choice. Top with a lemon wedge to garnish. 

Enjoy!!!!! 

Throwback Thursday

Throwback Thursday time, friends! To that one summer (not too long ago) where my family was spontaneously feeling adventurous and we swapped homes with a British family! That's right. We lived in two houses for a few weeks: flat in London and country cottage in Henley. More to come on this trip and economical idea for family travel!

The Hines clan soaking in England while touring the Tower of London

On Life, Womanhood, and Love

One of my Lenten resolutions this year has been to focus on building a community around Jake and I. I've been hoping to really focus on the loved ones around us and building further relationships with neighbors, fellow church parishioners, coworkers, etc. As part of this Lenten resolution, I've started a book club we have named The Dallas Literary Socialites. Last week was our first meeting. We dived straight into Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "A Gift from the Sea" discussing her reflections on life, womanhood, and love. What a rich evening it was as my apartment filled with conversation about women and our place in the mid twentieth century compared with today. Each of our backgrounds, philosophies, and places in life brought such depth to the evening, leaving my palate so satisfied! 

One of the biggest reflections we as a group appreciated of Anne's was her statement that women are commonly torn to pieces - broken. We find ourselves so often wanting to give and give of our entire self to those around us. Daily we find new ways to serve our husband, our children, our parents, etc. And we feel gratified, fulfilled, purposeful thru this act of service - unconditional love. But at the expense of oneself? 

I know I have hit rock bottom, feeling absolutely worthless from exhaustion, over extension, and an array of wild emotion. And this is simply because I was lacking the balance needed to love others while loving and filling my own tank. As women, let us always remember to keep that tank full of His love for us, knowing that we can do all things in Him. You have a very special role on this earth, ladies, so be sure to cultivate your gifts, not deplete them. Take yourself back to the ocean, and old conch shell, the smell of the saltwater, to reflect on how changing the waves and tides may be, but you are rooted in the depths of the sea of life.