Lickin' the Batter: returning to a whole

seven and a half months in, finally feel comfortable in this room (i'm sitting at that desk now, yes, with a chair lol). it's a wonder to me and very telling that we put everything but ourselves first, and it's only when we physically and mentally notice how much we've taxed ourselves that we focus on self-care.

i'm trying currently to tweak my diet to an optimal one for the way my 33-year-old body works. it's not as resilient as in the previous decade. i know i'm also more in tune with the way i work, too, so that can be why i tend to notice changes more. all this focus in the press and on other blogs regarding wheat and gluten, i've been wondering does it affect my health too? So I'm really cutting down on the wheat to see. I want to eat more "clean," so much less emphasis for me on processed soy meats, corn, dairy. i've noticed that i have more sustained energy and feel "clearer" all around when i eat a diet rich in WHOLE foods -- basically produce, legumes, and non-wheat grains like quinoa, oats actually work for me too (i know there can be controversy there). also, drinking tons upon tons of water and switching from coffee to green tea for weekday mornings. sugar has never been a problem for me, or salt (although i do crave cheese and chips a lot), so the afore-mentioned should be all i need for now. i'm also re-committing to vegetarianism after a year off experimenting with other ways to eat. i won't go into detail. it's just what's "right" to me for so many intimate reasons.

i bought some watercolors and supplies yesterday, along with a very nice work lamp to reduce eye strain while crafting or knitting. i'm hoping the watercolors become a nice way to unwind after a long day at work.

i'm going to spend most of the rest of the day painting, watercoloring, writing a letter to a friend (Ari!!), and menu planning for the week ahead. we'll probably do slow-cooker chili again with sweet potatoes and beans.... i might take a hot bath later, too. we'll try some organic brown rice pasta with organic spaghetti sauce, leftover fake sausage, and mushrooms for dinner.

by the way, here's a great smoothie i've been enjoying lately:

one frozen banana

1/2 c each non-dairy milk and water

a few sprinkles of cinnamon

a bit of honey or maple syrup

1-2 tbsp chocolate hemp protein powder

a few small kale leaves

1-2 tbsp peanut butter or sunflower seed butter

here is some pretty pyrex i picked up this week (on sale!):