Day 3: Reboot, Recipes and Random Pics

So...I'm thinking this is not half bad! It's not strictly juicing but, mostly juice along with veggies to snack on and grill or bake for dinner. so there's some substance to it all. Most amazing results so far would be the healing already taking place. Admittedly, I was seriously skeptical. I knew we'd feel better...but I didn't really think in terms of healing diseases....such as eczema. Tanning has eliminated most of it but the few stubborn, deep stops remaining on hands were proving painful and water induced. As in, my hands will never be out of water as they need to be to heal until kids are no longer little. So, that part was looking a little hopeless. Resignation to live with the few spots still left was reached. When I say I have eczema it 's not just the little nuisance type. It's the in your hair, on your feet, and all over your hands painful kind.  And no amount of melalueca, steroid or anything else was controlling it. All the info you ever wanted about my personal life, huh???

So it is that, as of day 3, the finger of it still remaining is completely healing and greatly shrunk in size. Kinda wish I'd taken pics now. Didn't quite think in terms of anything like that taking place. Still hurts and is sore, but swelling has decreased and I can actually bend it and I have some definite range of motion now. And I can hold a pen and pencil! Making progress in areas I never really thought about it!

As for allergies, reaction to mold has not lessened any. Not sure it ever will. But...ability to cope is being strengthened. After 21 months of living with no smell or taste those senses are beginning to return in small increments throughout the day. Kinda weird. After continuing to work out excessively while sick with a sinus infection that turned into bronchitis when little twins were 3 months old I ended up with rabdo. It was later believed that concoction of Benadryl, excessive exercise regime and upper respiratory infection created quite the setting for body being overtaken with what happened.

And I am just fully aware this is the most boring post ever...but I find the the juicing results, so far, to be a little bit interesting. Little bit of a science experiment going on around here.

But, since having had rabdo and all that occurred when babies were 3 months old, I lost both taste and smell senses and never regained them. We were told they may never return until I have sinus surgery again, and, even then, ENT could not promise anything. According to medical profession, this was part of the "deterioration" predicted. But, as of this morning, I have tasted pumpkin coffee and all juice so far. Smell has also returned and seems to be a bit in hyperdrive. There have been a few brief periods in time over the last 21 months that it would briefly return, as in...just enough to get a little taste of a bite or whiff of a  smell.....but, it would just as suddenly vanish as well. So, be interesting to see if it lasts. So far, I've had taste and smell since waking at 6:30. Who knew what a straight vegetable diet could do! Pretty impressive....if it lasts.

And....5 lbs down. As of now, assuming that is merely water since no person can lose 5 lbs in 3 days unless it is water related. I've definitely peed enough to lose 5 lbs in 3 days. I know......just what you really wanted to know.

So, science lesson of the day....figuring out exactly why, after a lengthy 21 months, my taste and smell have returned with a strictly vegetable diet. And no...I have no plans of conforming to vegetarianism. Thinking that if I do a juicing meal replacement twice a day and then eventually throw in a decent Paleo dinner.....I may be on to something. Let the pumpkin candles burn!!!......just not on the stove.


I had every intention of taking pics every time I put this thing in motion and documenting the different colors. So yeah....I've done it once so far. But it's a cool green! And yes...children are drinking everything I make. They're quite amused by the foreign fruits and veggies now taking up residents within our home. Our frig.....pretty much looks like a garden puked in it. We now place bets on what produce will be the next to roll out and greet you upon opening it.

To even further the benefits...I have put healthy back into full swing. Kids got spinach chicken spaghetti for dinner last night. And yes...I cooked it. I just told them it was regular spaghetti that had been colored for fun. Green spaghetti is way more fun to eat than the plain kind. All but one were of the exact same mindset! It consisted of throwing together 2 lbs of spinach spaghetti noodles, 1 lb of shredded chicken, 2 cans of organic cream of mushroom and 1 can of cream of chicken soup, a lot of whole milk, and 1 lb of colby and mozarella mix cheese. I didn't bother putting it in the oven. Just heated it all on the stove until the cheese melted and they had a good dinner. Served with steamed zucchini, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. And....they ate it!....except for picky 12 year old who could happily live on Dum Dums and Blue Bell her entire life. Needless to say....she went hungry until breakfast.

 Mean Green Juice

My juicing companion. Looks a little statuesque.

And....the result!

Dinner.....roasted and stuffed acorn squash! Stuffed with sauteed onions, basil, and portobello mushrooms in olive oil. I was more than a little sick of being in the kitchen by that time so chefly husband sauteed the stuffing for me. I was kinda done at that point. So sooooo good! Or maybe it's just cause I haven't tasted in 21 months. 

And life beyond the Breville. My cold, rainy day, errand running, hot chocolate loving buddies. This is some pretty sweet and humorous company sitting right here. And son....did you wanna straw there in your cup???? My opinion....looks a little like husband I sitting right there together. Can't quite beat having one of each of you. And, from the looks of it, the next little duo is shaping up to do the exact same thing.

My new dream! 450.00 OBO on craigslist in the town right next to us! It can sit on free craigslist pallets in basement! Pretty awesome! Says it's in great running condition with 3 yr old compressor. I am in love. 

 So proud of their new basketballs. Craigslist resulted in 2 little tikes basketbell goals. One smaller for indoors, one larger for outdoors. Too little to join the big guys on the street they spent the majority of their day crying att he gates. As of this picture, they are two happy little basketball playing campers. They sleep with their balls every night. 100% boys. I'm fairly certain I have never in my life slept with a ball.

 Birthday love from the mail lady. 20.00 to each boy resulted in some impressive military gear. As a result, they now spend their days defeating the unseen foe.

 Tis the season to be pumpkin!! I didn't give up my morning cup of coffee with creamer in the juicing experiment. However, I generously donated the 3 remaining muffins to kids. The clear, unsweetened, pumpkin syrup.....still haven't figured out what to do with that stuff.

So...brand new dryer to us, only 4 years old, newly serviced with papers...still failing to dry. This is exactly how we burned the other dryer out. This is our lovely dryer vent that we have not been allowed to touch. Handyman husband finally cut slits in hose to at least allow increasing condensation, that resulted in standing water, to drain. The dryer has become a bit of a steamer, rather than a dryer. It took no less than 3 cycles per load to dry on high at the longest setting.....til we burned it out. Landlord stubbornly maintained dryer functionality...or lack thereof, had absolutely nothing to do with vent hose. Lint was so thick within hose mold had successfully taken over the inside of the hose as well. In all of my infinite handyman, household knowledge and out of some mounting frustration with it all when new dryer failed to dry even after 3 cycles...I saw fit to remedy the situation. It worked!

Old hose vent system

 From ceiling on left to outside wall on right

And...my solution!!! Hoping heat will vent straight down now and help dry the leaks and mold growth. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone!

What vent now heats. Black on base of staircase, base of wall, and on floor would be.....mold!

Stripped bare. All the loss. In all of my minimalism I have parted with absolutely everything in life, except 4 childhood sentimental keepsakes. My Granny made dolls, handsewn over months for each grandchild. I kept my brother's and mine. Yep...she made him a doll too...only grandson out of 6 grandchildren so he got one too. He never played with it so his boy doll quickly became the fraternal twin of my girl doll. I also kept 2 others...beautiful, lifelike newborns  that I nurtured for years. Boy/girl twins that I saved for months. At the time they were high end, difficult to find, French dolls. And they are still the prettiest dolls ever made. Of course, I saved for two and they were boy girl twins. Think God was preparing a little girl heart for what He had in store for her childbearing future. In all of the basement ruins...lay these 4 dolls. So, as compassionate husband and I unearthed the last of boxes we found these that had been submersed in water for weeks...only sentimental things in life left. Only 4 pieces of childhood remaining now lay in ruin. And so I cried, and I cried and I cried, spent the next day being wholly and totally pissed off at both landlord...and some more at God....as this is so obviously a plague. At the time of box placement it was the only high spot in basement that had always remained dry. Boxes were neatly stacked after they had been dried out and all clothing washed. As soon as boxes were placed there...water began to spray there also. And so I spent the entire night crying over the loss and wondering what in the world I have done so wrong to deserve the hell that is being rained down. So now here we sit...3 days out of my absolute meltdown...and life is good once more. Not sure if they are even close to salvageable. But in the grand scheme of life...they are JUST fabric and plastic DOLLS. And life goes on. So I went back upstairs, held my real life babies and my real life two sets of twins and regained some perspective....again. So...we move on...with one less box and 4 less dolls!

 Side note here.....pictures do not even begin to do the damage justice. The mold is so thick in some places that it stands out from everything and has some fuzz going on. Some places on basement floor on blanketed in fuzz. Powerwashing with bleach seems to keep it down now...but not entirely at bay. Point of this...not really even sure....other than to be able to see some of the damage. Which, in essence...is...wait for it.....

Yes!!!

More griping!

Anyway...dealt with it and have moved on. But...some of what life entails right now...as we deal with basement one last time. Everything has now mostly been hauled off and taken away to dumpsite. What is left to go through has been raised on free wooden pallets....once again....gotta LOVE craigslist here!! Once that is conquered the basement will be completely empty and relegated to 1500 sq ft of absolutely useless space since mold conditions make it an unsafe playspace and it has proven to be way too wet even when not raining to store any type of anything down there.  But it feels good to know what we own is now completely housed in 1500 sq ft and not one inch more! We have now successfully taken minimalistic to a whole new level. 13 people and all possessions within. That, my friends, is quite the feat and a noteworthy accomplishment!

And the recipes so far.....

Apple-Carrot-Beet
2 apples
4 carrots
2 Beets
2 handfuls of spinach or kale (I alternate or do a handful of each)
1" ginger root

Juice and drink!


Great Green Blend Smoothie
2 handfuls spinach and/or kale
1 banana
1 apple
1/2 pear
10 strawberries
1 cup coconut water (the fresh water/milk within a coconut)

Liquefy in blender. (NOT juicer)

Purple Power Juice
6 cups red and black grapes (I did 3 of each)
1 apple
2 2x2 pieces ginger root
1/2 c blackberries

Juice and drink!

V28
3 large beets
2 med carrots
2 stalks celery
4 tomatoes
4 cups Parsley

Juice and drink! (It calls for 12 red radishes and 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, but I cut that crap out)

Mean Green
1 cucumber
4 celery stalks
2 apples
a ton of kale
a ton of spinach
1/2 lemon
1" ginger root

Juice it!

The Gazpacho
4 tomatoes
1 lg cucumber
2 celery stalks
1 sm red bell pepper
1/2 sm onion
2 cups parsley (you have to for the onion I'm assuming)
1 lime

Juice it up!

Blackberry Kiwi Breakfast Smoothie
1/4 lg pineapple
1 cup blackberries
1 Kiwi
1 banana
1/2 pear
1/2 c fresh coconut water/milk
1 bunch mint (about 30 leaves)

Blend in blender...not juicer!


Minty Fresh Berry Juice
2 cups blackberries
2 Kiwis
16 strawberries
2 cups mint leaves

Juice!

Sunset Blend Juice (due to name I made it to go with dinner)
1 lg sweet potato
1 med/lg carrot
1 red bell pepper
2 lg beets
2 apples
1 orange

Juice it!

And lastly for now...

Roasted and Stuffed Acorn Squash

Printable version here

1 medium Acorn Squash
1/4 tsp sea salt (more for taste if needed)
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (more for taste if needed)
6 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
1 lg Portabella  mushroom, chopped
1 sm onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh sage

Preheat oven to 450.
Trim off each end of squash and split lengthwise. Scoop out pulp and seeds, discard or preserve seeds for roasting later. Arrange cut sides down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast squash until flesh is tender and edges are golden brown, apprx 23-35 minutes. Remove from oven, flip halves over and set aside.

While squash roasts , heat olive oil in medium saucepan on medium high heat. Saute onions for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add mushrooms, sage, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften. Fill squash halves with sauteed mixture and bake for 10 more minutes.



And I have no time to reread this for typos and errors, forgotten words, and sentences that don't make sense. I'll come back to it. For now...ignore it knowing that we're out playing in 67 degree weather at the park!