Oh my goodness, well, the time has come and I’m eager for it and excited to begin the journey of WFPB. Say what? Most of you know what it is but for others it is the Whole Foods Plant Based diet. Bali and I have gone on and off a vegetarian and, sometimes vegan, diet for years. However, now that I’ve turned 50 I feel that my health needs to be the biggest focus.
I’ve been studying my books and watching cooking vlogs, making a grocery list, and watching inspiring stories of others who have gone before. So far I plan on making those carrot dogs I hear such raves about and the nut free vegan cheez.
I have a work out routine for the morning, the dogs and kids get walked later morning, maybe yoga a few times a week for the ol’ back. I’ll be learning a ton of new recipes so as not to get bored. The kids will eat this way plus extra good fats and what ever else they crave that is clean and wholesome. Bali and I will be hard core for a few months and then go from there.
Now, let’s talk about that womb room. Bali painted the back wall, we put up curtains and did some decorating with what we had in the house. I’m pretty happy with it now.
Isn’t that better?! Someone said Mediterranean and it inspired this so thank you!
Back to the diet. I ordered a new Hamilton juicer. I had one that lasted 10 years and worked great. I watched this inspiring video of a father who juiced every morning for years and despite being over 300 lbs, he had great blood pressure and cholesterol. I prefer making smoothies to use everything but I have to admit juicing makes me feel beyond fantastic.
The house is in great shape with all the cleaning and purging. Now I need to focus on other things. I have work to do to get the garden ready for a winter marinad. I want to dump compost and horse manure (without wood chips this time) and just keep adding things and let it all rot and stew this winter.
I finally found the story of Jeong Kwan on Chef’s Table, a Zen Buddhist nun in Korea. Her story is lovely and her ways are soothing. Her garden inspired me completely. She lets it grow almost wild and organic, trusting in the sun, earth and water. I want to do that. Just let my garden find its way, adding good things and having faith that nature knows exactly what to do. We will do a no till garden in the Spring and over the winter we will add leaves and compost and maybe some chicken fertilizer and lime in the Spring to add back what is missing. Then over time we just add natural things and let it do its thing.
I’m going to focus on the cooking. Arjan says I need to step up my game. My food has become dull. He is right. Time for new things. There are so many good cooking videos YouTube to be inspired by. Fresh is what we all crave. More natural and fresh.
I was reading When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron, but to be honest I am getting bored. The beginning was interesting. She talks about facing fear, not running from feelings, surrendering to the many deaths that occur as we heal and change. Now she is going into meditation and I’m ready to move off the cushion and go do a chore (which is the problem, I’m sure). I’m more a walking meditation kind of gal. I do it over washing dishes or sweeping the porch.
The book I find very pertinent to my situation to date is Essentialism by Greg McKeown. It is this in a nutshell; nothing is that important, find what means something to you and focus on that and only that, let go of everything else.
Maybe that isn’t the whole message but this is a good book. It makes me think and I’m eager to read it daily.
I think about my life and how many things I have going; homemaking, mothering, homeschooling, being a wife, tending to old and young dogs, blogging, the channel, writing, researching, learning, gardening…you get the point. I go to bed at night and wonder what is the most essential besides the obvious of my family. My family is the most essential. But for creativity I need one thing and I still can’t decide what to focus on. Once I do that I can let go of all else. Or does every creative thing I do combine with homemaking? Is everything linked and compliments each other?
Who knows. Anyway, for today I am going to make carrot dogs and homemade vegan butter for the family.
Thanks for sharing. We are vegetarian in our house but not strict. My husband who is Indian, eats no meat. I would say most dishes are Indian are end up being vegan and Vegetarian American Food like pasta and veggie burgers.
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Hi Wendy! As you know, many Indian dishes can be plant based. I like plain, Bali likes it spiced up. I’m sure we will eat a ton of Indian beans.
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“Essentialism.” The word itself is very intriguing. And this virus has shown us what is essential and who are essential. Right? I am sure the book digs deeper than that. I will read it. Thanks for the suggestions. Take care. Have fun.
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You are right, this is a time to go deep and find what is essential to us all.
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Hello Kate!!
The room looks more like a dusty rose now, looks much better!! I am glad you are getting a juicer, I love mine so much use it 2 to 3 times a week, I put a plastic bag in the compartment that catches all the peels and bury it in my yard, “composting in place” it has made my soil so rich. It has finally gotten cooler here in SW Florida, woke up to 63 degrees!!!! I was in heaven, because we had a heat wave of a summer, have a great day Kate :0)
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We are having a late heat wave and more smoke but it makes me cherich the cool and clear days.
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We do whole foods here. I made cabbage rolls last night I used lentils for the filling. My family loves sauces to dip things. So, I learned to make all kinds of chutneys, syrups, ketchup, and BBQ sauce. I found a great plant based fish sauce for phad tia it is called Yondu. Amazon has it.
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I will try and remember the fish sauce. I love pad that.
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We do too. My youngest grew everything for Pad thia . I like this sauce because it is plant based. I get a head trip over fish in my products.lol. I can’t even even stand the smell or sight of tuna.
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Congratulations on starting the WFPB journey. You will find so much support in the community.
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Love this post thanks.
Sent from my iPhone
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The best thing for me about WFPB is that coffee is included! xo
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Oh yes, thank you Lord…coffee is life itself! Well, maybe not that dramatic but it’s a thing with me as you know.
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That is a positive for me too.
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Hello Kate,
I think you may have a cookbook in your future to write.
Does anyone in the family have food allergies? Any suggestions or changes you had to make? I am allergic to carrots, fish and nuts so it is difficult to transition sometimes to healthier alternatives.
Thank you,
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Oh, I’m not creative in that area. I still have to look up recipes I”ve been doing for years.
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Sounds like an interesting culinary journey you are starting! Hope you will take us along for the ride, and show us what you learn. The room looks nice, I like the vibrant hues 🙂
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essentialism is game changer! also listen to his podcast! so many inspirations to find what’s truly essential for us.
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I’m really into this book. I go to bed every night pondering life and what I need to cut out. What to focus on whole heartedly. Still have no answers.
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The room turned out lovely!
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It works! Thank goodness…
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If you need help with the Starch Solution I did the 10 day program in December 2016.
I’m so glad you restarted another blog. I think I have all your books and I love your frugal inspiration.
Have a lovely day. Erin
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You have been with me for years! I made carrot dogs today and can’t wait to try them tomorrow.
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Didn’t you do the 10 days at the McDougall center in Santa Rosa with a friend years ago?
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Well, I got good news, I found 48 canning jars at City Market. I needed them so bad to finish up stocking the pantry. This year our garden did crazy well.
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Kate, this is just my observation, but from watching your videos and reading your blog post and books, for a few years now, I see that you thrive on change. Your mind thrives on experimenting and trying new things. Sure, you are probably overloading yourself a bit, but I think it’s just your nature. So maybe instead of trying to narrow things down, you could take a page from your yard and go free form. I think if you try to box yourself into just a few projects, you won’t be happy. I think it’s okay to embrace your love of change and new experiences. You, like your children, are vibrant when you are challenged and passionate about what you are doing. Like Jeong Kwan’s garden, you’re living life fully in a wild and organic way. Enjoy it and celebrate that this your way of living.
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Bev Treadway, You described that well. I’m not sure about Kate, but some of us are like that. I realized a few years ago that I am. My commitment to most single things is 18 months. I realized this from my jobs. By 18 months I had mastered my job so well it was boring and I felt boxed in, so I was then looking for a new one. Sometimes it only took moving to a different department to satisfy me. But I’m finding this is true for other things also. It’s been a little over 18 months since I bought my fixer upper and I gave myself 3 years to finish it. But I’ve found I feel so frustrated that I am hiring people to finish certain parts that I can’t seem to get done fast enough. My point is it’s nice to know this about yourself and accept it so you don’t feel like you’re fickle or just always changing your mind. I am not flighty, just a free spirit.
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OHIOGIRL217, life gets a lot easier, doesn’t it, when we stop being so hard on ourselves! I’m so glad for you and I bet your fixer-upper will be lovely.
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Spot on. Parts of me are the same way. I have the attention span of a hummingbird and I don’t mind change. Things get stale and need freshening up. It’s the other people in my house that get bent out of shape if I change stuff around. “Waaah, what happened to the X, I loved the X.”
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Lol, thanks Bev. You get me.
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The womb room looks great! I knew you’d come up with a fix . Doesn’t even look like a womb anymore. Btw Clyde ( from the latest video) is adorable.
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I have found the book the Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples to be very inspirational. I use the butter recipe from this book and many others and have found them to be easy and tasty! Carrot dogs are really good. I think that they taste so much better than fake hot dogs.
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I’ll look this up, thanks!
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I just ordered it. Looks valuable! 🙂
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I feel so happy for you and your family as you embark on your new eating journey. I recently got the cookbook by Dr. Michael Greger, The How Not To Die Cookbook. The recipes are so nutritious and easy to prepare. The pictures are inviting. Maybe you can find it. I really like the way the guest bedroom turned out. It has a wonderful appeal.
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I have that same cookbook. I love it.
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I need to find this cookbook!!
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Kindle has it
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I love this post! I love the term ‘essentialism.’ I also love your room! It’s so warm and beautiful, and I agree with whoever said ‘mediterranean.’ We eat whole foods, and probably 90% plant based. We don’t purchase animal products because I’m very against industrial farming of animal products. We have chickens and quails for eggs. I would absolutely love to know your carrot dog recipe! I love reading all about your dietary adventures. My daughter says she’s a ‘flexitarian.’ I like that term.
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Oh! Also after watching that one video you did awhile back about the book ‘How to Live on Nothing’ I finally found a copy of it on thriftbooks!! and it was only $3 I’m looking forward to reading it 🙂
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That was a fun book.
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Ah-ha, now I see. It’s a warm-tone of coral pink. That’s why it reminds folks of the Mediterranean or Haiti. There is a strong tropical vibe to this hand-blended shade. I could totally see bamboo blinds and white gauzy curtains and a ceiling fan in here.
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We are vegetarian, not Vegan, but our eggs come from the happiest, most loved chickens in the world [we even have a seperate area for our old, retired girls. wish my retirement was that plush!] and fresh raw milk from our Nigerian Dwarf goats [the cutest, sweetest, but most stubborn goats in the world] On rare occassions we will still be eating meat. But, I have been eating far too many processed junk foods. I was even hoping that you would put more an emphasis on healthy eating, because a task is easier when done with others. And though I am not vegan, it will be fun to participate in a community health program. I would love to see more Indian recipes, and, actually most ethic foods.
We have utilized lasagna gardening as you seem to be doing and it makes for incredible soil. goat poop and “worm tea” help too. it is now October [in Colorado] and my roses are bloomimg even better than they were mid-summer and we are getting tons of tomatoes every day [covering them with tarps at night.]
And Kate, that room! I love the color!
If you had stayed with your “womb” walls, you could have rented the room out to new mothers and their babies to help make the transition to the “outside world” a little easier. [just kidding]
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I still get eggs from a fantastic farm where the hens run free (literally) for the boys. Meat happens now and then for the boys and man too. I’m just really into this right now and hope to continue.
I will be posting a blog today about healthier and made from scratch food. We are going in deep and letting go of the packaged stuff. You will be pleased, we all need companions in the journey.
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