Turkey Challenge

Tim has taken on a "lean turkey challenge" through his boot camp recently which has got us eating better than we ever have before. It's definitely challenging, but as I've heard other people say, it's almost as if I am learning how to cook all over again! Because of course if Tim has taken on the challenge, we have taken on the challenge right!? So far we have explored lots of new vegetables and we are really stepping out of our food comfort zone. Giving up tortillas, cheese and all of our quick go-to meals is the hardest part (we miss you pizza), but we feel good and hopefully we'll be able to tell the difference come Thanksgiving!

So far our favorites are sweet potato's and this Southwest Meatloaf.  My spaghetti squash "noodles" still need a couple more tries to perfect, but I think we're getting there.  It's making us do a lot of prep work and grocery shopping on the weekends and it's funny how we're skipping almost half of the grocery store all together since we're cutting out so much of that processed stuff.

I am curious to see how things change once the challenge is over though. I have a feeling that by Thanksgiving a lot of this will more or less be habit. I don't think we'll forever say goodbye to tortillas or sandwiches, but I can tell you that I think there will be a lot less junk and "filler" in our world. I don't think I'll be able to give up pizza for the rest of my life, but it may be a treat that we give ourselves once in a blue moon...assuming that our bodies don't go in to total shock when we eat something it went without for so long of course.

If things stick, our new lifestyle will be really good for Little B too. I mean so far he's digging the carrots!

I don't want to embarrass Tim by blogging too much about it, but I'm really proud of him. The kid who lived in what his friends called, "the little debbie snack house" and really didn't like many fruits and vegetables is trying new things and making a huge effort! I mean look at this guy -- what a stud!

(I stole this picture from here.)

You know something is a brewin' when In A Benton World there is far more protein than beer in the fridge.  We're finding our balance around here and we would certainly like for healthy to be a part of it.