I've Got A Fever ... But Cowbell Isn't Going To Be Enough ...

I woke up with a fever of 102.6 this morning.  Blargh.  These fevers are really starting to piss my off!  It stinks when your body is not cooperating when your mind and attitude are ready to take on the world.  I am pretty used to them by now though.  I have been having fevers 3-5 times a week for the past two years.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, I think my docs are very close to figuring this out.  That is very good news!  Today, however, we are not quite there yet.  So, I am at home.  For those of you who do not get the title of this post, it it referring to one of my favorite Saturday Night Live skits with Christopher Walken.  ;)

So, while we wait for the docs to figure all this out, I am working on my own treatment.  NUTRITION.  I have been going strong since the first of the year and can tell that there have been some improvements.  I continue to have less pain.  I do not feel like I am retaining so much water.  I no longer have any acid reflux.  I have more energy some days.  I think I may be sleeping a bit better too.  My night sweats are not so drenching.  Things are looking up!  I am becoming a big advocate for eating whole, organic, nutritious food.  It has been fun to watch my family and friends give it a go as well.  I am very much starting to believe this quote I saw the other day:

I just ordered the book Forks Over Knives by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., Ph.D.  I have heard nothing by rave reviews.  It seems to go along with all that I am learning about the power of nutrition.  I can't wait to read it.  I'll let you know what I think!  It is also a documentary for those of you that don't like to read...

I started the morning with another awesome green smoothie.  They do give me energy and get my days off to a good start. I call this one my "Razz-Tastic Green Smoothie".

Razz-Tastic Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1-2 cups of greens (today I used some romaine, kale, and spring mix)

Preparation Instructions:

Blend and enjoy.  Here is a new tip for all this green smoothie goodness.  If you have leftovers, pour them into an ice cube tray or muffin tin and freeze them.  Then, pop them out and add them to smoothies in the future.  Brilliant!

When I went to make my salad for lunch last night, I couldn't figure out for the life for me why I chose the recipe.  It looked boring and not at all appetizing to me.  But, I had already bought the ingredients and I am not one to waste (especially with this kind of food!).  So, I made it, but I was not at all excited.  It turned out to be absolutely delicious.  I will definitely make it again.  It is so nice to have very different tasting salads every day.  This is a good one.  It is adapted from this recipe I got from the Fitness Magazine Website. 

"Egg-cellent Asparagus Salad"

Ingredients:

• 8 small asparagus spears
• juice of one lemon (bottled will work fine too)
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 hard boiled egg
• 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

Preparation Instructions:

• Put asparagus in microwave safe dish with lid.  Squeeze lemon juice on top of asparagus.  Put 1-2 cloves of garlic through a garlic press (or mince it) and put on top of the asparagus.  Microwave about 6 minutes to cook.  Slice into one inch pieces once done and cooled a bit.
• I don't eat eggs very often and don't make a lot of hard boiled eggs at once anymore.  I have this egg shaped contraption (pictured below) that allows me to hard boil 1-4 eggs at a time.  It is perfect when you don't want a bunch of eggs around.  You can buy your own from KitchenEmporium.com for about 10 bucks.

• Put greens and alfalfa sprouts in a bowl.
• Top greens with crumbled hard boiled egg and asparagus.  
• Whisk olive oil and balsamic vinegar together and toss with salad.

It was surprising really good!  It is great to mix it up every now and then ...

Dinner was another very simple recipe adapted from The Gracious Pantry Website.  I am falling in love with using a Crock-Pot.  What can be more simple than throwing a bunch of ingredients in the Crock-Pot, walking away, and coming back to a delicious hot meal?  Genius invention, I tell you.  So, here is tonight's recipe...

"Clean Eating Slow Cooker Chicken and Spinach"

Ingredients:

• 3 large chicken breasts
• 1-2 pounds fresh spinach
• 6-8 garlic cloves put through garlic press or minced
• 1 28 oz. box of diced tomatoes (see below for more info)
• 1 18 oz. jar organic marinara sauce (without any additives, etc.)

I only use Pomí brand chopped tomatoes.  The following pictures should make it clear why.  The ingredients list has one ingredient ... tomatoes.  Perfection.  You can this at most grocery stores in the canned vegetable isle.  

Ingredients: tomatoes

As for the marinara sauce, I used Fresh Market's organic marinara sauce.  It is all natural, unprocessed, with no additives, preservatives. etc.  Love it.  I am sure you can find something similar at Whole Foods and other grocery stores that have a good organic food selection.

Preparation Instructions:

• Put all ingredients into the Crock-Pot with the chicken breasts on the bottom.
• Turn Crock-Pot on low and cook for 6-8 hours.  Dinner is done when the chicken falls apart.

Another good day of healthy eating.  Woot woot!  Until next time, keep up the good fight and keep make an effort for your own health! I'm right beside you every step of the way!