Scattered Sundays

I wanted to take a pause for a moment and say thanks.

And you’re like “take a pause”? This thing just got started.

Shut up.

If you read my post on 2018 in Review, you may remember I mentioned that I’ll be leaning into more paleo and Whole30 recipes for 2019. Not because I think they’re for everyone (they’re not. A lot of times I put cheese all over my serving of the dairy-free meals I’m posting after I take photos), but because I am committed to trying to help Jack figure out some digestive issues he has.

When he was a baby I knew something was wrong with him. He was angry, pukey, and sometimes had streaks of blood in his diaper. Even as a first-time mom, it was obvious that not all was right with this kid.

The sweet little smile hid a lot of pain for poor Baby Jack

When he was four months old, his pediatrician told me bluntly “he has milk protein-induced colitis and since you are nursing you need to stop consuming dairy immediately”. My love of dairy was so strong that I had a moment of “well, do I really? Like really? Couldn’t he just deal with this?” after she said that.

Troy vowed to support me by giving up sugar in solidarity. That promise evaporated faster than a fart on a hot skillet when literally two hours after we left the pediatrician’s office I caught him eating ice cream cake at our niece’s birthday.

For the record, ice cream cake is the only kind of cake I like and I get two slices a year at most.

So, I was dairy-free until after he was one. And then when he had intussusception he was on a low FODMAP diet for a month. He got the go-ahead to go back to normal eating with a warning to watch how he was feeling and reacting.

Troy comes from a linage of delicate little butterfly stomaches who have reactions to certain foods that are bizarre and I constantly make fun of him. “Really Troy, avocado makes your throat itch”?

He will say things like “yeah I remember my stomach hurting every day when I was little” in reaction to Jack saying his stomach is upset.

I’m not a doctor (don’t be shocked), but none of this seems normal to me. But, I’ll be honest with you in that I’ve been dragging my feet on doing anything real about it because it’s harder work than I was interested in doing because he seemed okish. Mom of the year over here.

Still, I committed in December that as of January we’d be shifting to more paleo/Whole30 to try and figure this out. And then this week Jack told me if he had a genie that would grant him three wishes, one of his wishes would be that his stomach didn’t hurt and he could eat whatever he wanted.

And then my heart exploded into 3,810 pieces and the bile-scented feeling of guilt puked itself up into my throat.

If you’re interested, the other wishes are that he could play any video game he wanted and that everything was made of candy. Even the trees.

Don’t try to tell him that Candy Land would be sticky. He’s not interested in reality with this.

So yeah, you’re definitely going to see more gluten-free, dairy-free, blah, blah, blah-free recipes coming from this site. And while the posts I’ll be sharing will be 100% delicious, I’m can’t tell with a straight face that I won’t be adding cheese to my plate in the kitchen or wanting to eat a stick of butter like an apple.

We’re keeping our Friday night popcorn nights. For now.

If this feels weird for you, you’re not alone. Heck, I own a wheat grinder and make my own flour! I am the baker of the communion bread for our church.

This is strange for me and I appreciate your grace as we work through it.

At the end of 2017, I made it a goal to not buy any new clothes in 2018 except for underwear and socks. I didn’t need any new bras because let’s be clear, my bras don’t wear out quickly because they don’t really do any actual work. It would be like getting an elephant a waist trainer – pointless.

I’m proud to announce that except for one purchase I stuck to my guns. What broke me was the need for another pair of fleece-lined leggings to wear under dresses. And I’m not the least bit sorry I bought them because I wear them twice weekly.

I found some amazing “new” clothes at Goodwill, consignment stores, and ThredUp (use this link to get $10 off your first order). And I realized how much I actually hate shopping for clothes. It’s the worst and I’m pleased to keep buying used because it is more affordable and helps close the loop on the wasteful fashion industry.

Side note: if you’re interested in sustainable and ethically made undergarments, I buy from this brand. If you’re interested, use this link and you’ll get 20% off your own order.

I do really need some new workout clothes so I’ll be in the market some new pants and sports bras (again, not really a necessary item…) and then I just keep maintaining and editing my wardrobe to make sure each item is loved and useful.

Yesterday morning I went and got a truckload of free woodchips for the yard. I mucked out the chicken coop yard and hauled sooooo much chicken compost to a corner of their space. I replaced all of it with the wood chips and spread some more in a few places in our garden.

It was a beautiful day and that is the kind of work I love. I would rather my arms feel exhausted and dead from hauling chicken crap than ever going to a gym. And plus I had a little helper who added a lot of “value” to the situation. Like randomly dumping dirt on the walkway for no reason.

It’s funny that a kid who doesn’t ever want kale on his plate will totally eat leaf after leaf directly from the garden. Check out the kale ‘stache.

With the United States government entering its fourth week of the shutdown, I wanted to take a moment and remind everyone about the huge impact that targeted kindness can have. Regardless of your political affiliation, chances are you or someone you know will be or has been impacted by the shutdown.

If you’re in a place to help others, donations to food banks/pantries can be especially helpful, including toiletries. Many churches (including ours) have resource offices that help distribute food, emergency funds, and other items to the broader community.

Dropping off some gift cards, canned goods, or new socks can mean a lot to the recipient of those items.

And if donating isn’t in the plans right now, think about the people in your life who may be struggling. Is there a neighbor who is required to report to work without the promise of a paycheck? Maybe a family member who is furloughed without pay? It is fairly painless to invite them over for a big meal to catch up (and then send them with leftovers) or bring by an “extra” batch of soup you made.

There was a four-year streak where Troy and I were really broke. We were never poor (we always had access to food, I had a job with health insurance and we were able to afford necessities) but we were definitely broke and stretched thin. A well-intentioned meal or random gift of necessities that seem like luxuries meant so much during that time.

Let’s look out for one another m’kay?

Comment/Review of the Week

This week’s review of the week comes from Karen who left a five-star review on Chicken Gyro Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes:

OK, you wore me down and I purchased an Instant Pot (6 quart). Holiday sales, coupons, and gift cards got me to a price I could live with.

Made your tortilla soup first (yummers) and then made these chicken gyro/sweet potato thingys. My word, they are soooo good and of course fast. So for now since it’s properly winter here in Connecticut, I’ll be working my way through your soup options. I don’t recall how I found your site (back when it was at the OG ‘Frugal’ address.) but it’s been just amazing. Really enjoying it and your Instagram feed. I know it was a big step to do this full time, but well done!

You can all see that Karen learned an important lesson here. I’m tenacious and like a dog with a bone when it comes to convincing people to do what I want them to do. It’s just a matter of time before the rest of you are all rocking Instant Pots! You’ve been warned.

Drink the Kool-Aid; it’s delicious.

On Sustainable Cooks This Week

21 Easy Instant Pot Recipes For Beginners – 21 healthy and delicious Easy Instant Pot Recipes For Beginners to help you learn to make amazing quick and simple meals. Tasty dinner, soup, breakfast, and other recipes to get you started on the road to Instant Pot expert. {Pin this}.

Chipotle Instant Pot Turkey Chili {Whole30, Paleo} – Cozy up to a bowl of this amazing and easy Chipotle Instant Pot Turkey Chili! This recipe contains no beans for a Whole30 compliant and/or healthy paleo meal. Thanks to fast pressure cooking, your delicious turkey chili is ready in a flash. It’s like a hug in a bowl! {Pin this}

Instant Pot Paleo Beef and Broccoli {Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free} – A hearty takeout copy cat, Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli is the perfect weeknight dinner. This easy and healthy dish is Whole30 compliant, paleo, and gluten-free. {Pin this}

The Five Most Popular Posts This Week

We have a new guest in the top five this week! Check out those zucchini chips making their first ever Scattered Sundays appearance! Is it zucchini season in the Southern Hemisphere?

1. Instant Pot Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe {Whole30}                   {Pin this}
2. Best Ever Trader Joe’s Whole30 Shopping List                          {Pin this}
3. Healthy Orange Chicken {Whole30, Paleo, Instant Pot}          {Pin this}
4. Whole30 Bruschetta Chicken {Paleo, Whole30, Instant Pot} {Pin this}
5. Healthier Fried Zucchini Chips                                                      {Pin this}

Hop in the DeLorean

Last year the top post from this week was: How to Make Simple Beginner Quilts {Pin this}

Meal Plan

Monday:: New recipe I’ve been working on.

Tuesday:: Chicken Gnocchi Soup, but I’m reworking it make it dairy and gluten-free. And in the Instant Pot!

Wednesday:: Fritatta and salad.

Thursday:: Leftovers (or breakfast for dinner if there aren’t enough leftovers.

Friday:: Popcorn, leftovers, and movie night.

Saturday:: Whole30 Potato Soup with salad on the side.

Sunday:: Family dinner

What We Bought This Week

Trader Joes: $14.16. The cauliflower was free because the stuff I bought last week went bad within a day. They comped me this stuff, no questions asked.

Butcher Box: $129. We got our Butcher Box order this week (monthly grass-fed, pastured, and organic meat delivered to your house) and it was a good haul. Right now they’re giving away 2 pounds of wild Alaskan salmon with all new subscriptions. {Click here to get the deal for yourself}

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