I love fall for the colours, the sunshine, the rain, the amazing transformation nature goes through. Today I took my boys to the park and as we were walking in the warm sunshine, I looked around and discovered we were immersed in gold – the richness of nature was all around us. And to enjoy it you just have to stop and breathe and smile 🙂 My boys kept saying: “Mama, beautiful!” And yes, was it ever?! 🙂
I also decided that today I am going back to eating Whole30. Or should I say back to eating whole because I will try to keep this healthy eating habit for as long as I can. As you know I did the program for a month in August and I felt great. I loved it. So I thought that was it! I can now go back to being “normal”. Well… let me tell you wow! What a difference. I quickly went back to my old bad habits of eating sugary foods and breads without even thinking about what I was doing. And in September I felt terrible. I felt heavy and cranky and moody and I couldn’t focus on one thing. The stress of my son starting pre-school did not help either. I couldn’t believe how much my body changed. So now that things are a little bit settled I decided to go Whole again 😀 I like it better and I know that cutting sugar and processed foods is better for me. So here I am… again 😀
I was so hungry today and I had a fridge full of food to choose from but I was craving something … something I couldn’t quite pin down. I didn’t know what it was (typical for me!). So then it clicked… how did I never thought of having a potato salad? I love potato salad! It’s so easy and quick to make. So here’s what I did:
- 6-7 medium size potatoes
- 1 small sweet onion (sliced thin)
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- the juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)
I boiled the potatoes (make sure you check them every once in a while; I got distracted and overboiled them a little but I don’t mind). Let them cool. Meanwhile I sliced my onion and placed in a big bowl. I peeled the potatoes when they were cool enough not to burn my fingers. I cut them in cubed (not too small) and placed them on top of the onions in the bowl. I added the olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. I mixed everything carefully making sure I don’t break the potatoes too much. And voila! If you prefer some extra flavour you can add spices, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, garlic, etc. Yum!
Funky Air Bear 
Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos. And for acquainting me with Whole30. I’m going to look this up and see what it’s all about. I’ve got to do something about weight!
I am really happy I did it. And thanks for commenting because I realized I forgot to add the links to the Whole30 😀 So please check the post again. I have linked it to my initial posts and recipes for each day of the challenge. 🙂 And do let me know how you feel if you get to do it yourself 🙂
Thanks for the link. That’s the easy part. Actually doing anything takes effort! 🙂
LOL I know exactly how you feel. It took me almost 6 months to convince myself to do it. So in August I finally took the plunge and I’m glad I did. 🙂
indeed, it’s gorgeous! 🙂
Lovely photos. It looks beautiful. Mind you it’s always beautiful there.
Thank you. It really is. I have lived in Vancouver for 14 years now and I’m still amazed every day
Great photos! Such amazing colours 😊
Thank you. It’s magical, isn’t it?
I’m trying to change the way I eat, too. I said goodbye to chocolate about two weeks ago, and that was hard. I’m staying away from sugar as much as I can, and pretending there’s no such thing in the world as crisps… The pain!
I don’t think I could go without grains – how hard has it been for you?
And thanks for capturing how beautiful Autumn can be. Mother Nature sure knows how to put up a show, huh? 🙂
Ahhh chocolate! My all time favourite. I have to admit that was a hard one for me. 🙂 But overall it hasn’t been too difficult to give up all those things.
And let me tell you… I LOVE baking. I am Bulgarian and bread is the most basic and important thing in a household. It’s not just food, it’s a symbol. We have many sayings about bread and they all have the meaning that if you have bread in the house, you’ll never go hungry. So baking is very essential in our household. I make all kinds of breads and rolls and cakes for my boys. I completely substituted sugar with maple syrup and honey about a year ago and I never looked back. But flour is something I buy on a weekly basis. However, I have come to realize that when I start eating grains (breads, etc.) I gain weight very quickly. I couldn’t believe it at first and I thought it was just about amount of calories I eat. But I’ve noticed that the moment I stop eating grains, things get back to normal. Same with sugar. So as hard as it is I decided that’s the way to go.
Another favourite of mine is dairy. I grew up on yogurt and milk. My grandfather had sheep and cows so clean milk (no hormones, additives, etc.) , home-made butter & yogurt, home-made cheese were staples in my childhood. But unfortunately today’s dairy products are very different from what my grandfather used to produce. You never know what’s in them. And most cheeses are highly processed. So as much I love dairy, I came to the realization that it’s just not the same as I remember it.
Anyway… it took me a long time to change my way of thinking about food. But I do feel much better now. I somehow feel lighter. And it’s not because I’ve lost weight necessarily. It’s just a lighter on my stomach, digestion, and even mood 😀
And yes, fall is the absolutely Mother Nature’s perfection 🙂 I love it! 🙂
I know what you mean about bread. It’s also a staple where I come from (I’m Portuguese), so not eating it is hard! I love making bread. Cheese I can do without, as long as I don’t have it at home… and forget pizzas exist. Blimey, food is complicated!
I got a chocolate craving today but managed to stay strong. I’ll have to try going without grains for a while and see if I feel different! 😀
Good for you!! Way to go not giving in 🙂 (y)
Beautiful fall colors. I love how you got shots of the sun playing in the leaves.
Thank you! I love going for walks and seeing how the trees change. Fall is magical 🙂
Those colors are beautiful. Our trees are still green, but you can see them starting to darken up a bit.
I love the transition 🙂 It’s amazing 🙂
Such vibrant colors. I miss seeing that during fall.
Beautiful pictures! I love Fall too, and today you can definitely feel the change of seasons here. The cooler temps and changing colors really seem to spark my creativity too 🙂 Good for you for taking control of your diet too! I’ve been off sugar and just about all processed foods for a few years now and I’ve never felt better 🙂
Thank you. That’s so great to hear. It’s still too early for me to say that I’ve made a completely lifestyle change. I would love to make this way of eating permanent. I guess I can consider myself “converted” after 6 months haha 🙂
Amazing colours!