Another warm and muggy day; and I am enjoying it. Yes it's muggy and most people are complaining, but I would rather it be hot than cold. 
Decided to make a new vegan dish tonight; Chickpea Ratatouille. 

A good meal with lots of veggies. Hubby thought it was a little bland as did I but hoping it will be more flavorful as leftovers tomorrow. The only seasoning used in the recipe is salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh basil at the end. May want to spice it up a little more. I also find many vegan dishes make very big serving sizes. This recipe states 4 servings but I got 6 good-sized portions :)

I always try to buy local when possible. It's not always easy and I know some people get turned off due to the usual higher prices for many local products. I would rather support local people whenever possible and also get a superior product (usually). I would love to get all my groceries locally but unfortunately that's just not possible in our climate and location. I guess I could if I lived off of root vegetables and moose, lol :)
I have had some trouble getting good local beef in the past. Usually the cuts are not great; guessing it's not being butchered properly. It's often tough and just no good consistency for beef I've tried. Then I found Coates' Farm at the Farmer's Market; funny as the farm is minutes from my house :) Tried a steak cut into strips for a stir-fry tonight and it was fantastic. The meat was great! Butchered properly, great tasting, very lean after trimming, and not tough at all :) Will be buying more!

Sorry, haven't posted in awhile. Here's a quick update on what's been going on the last few weeks.
1. Had a bunch of tests done and saw a few different doctors. Still awaiting a couple of tests but so far everything is fine. The only problem they can find is I have high inflammation markers (blood work) but no cause has been found.
2. Food does affect me. It may not be the cure-all but I know when I eat certain things or eat "badly" for several days that it will make me feel worse. I get aches and pains; muscles cramps, joint pain and stiffness, headaches. I feel much more tired and even depressed. Overall I end up feeling pretty bad. When I eat "better" I start to feel better.
I put badly and better in quotes because I am not referring to bad food vs good food as a non-changing group that is the same for everyone. Everyone is different. Some foods that make me feel better may not work the same for you and that is the same for the bad foods. You have to find what works for you. It takes time and can be a long struggle but it is starting to become clearer for me. 

So, been having a bit of a holiday and definitely in holiday mode. I'm off for summer break and Hubby took some time off for a stay-cation. Very little cooking went on here and a lot of restaurant eating. I mean a lot! Afterwards I felt pretty horrible, as I normally do after doing this. Need to get back to meal planning and cooking more at home. Need to do this to feel better. I am not doing this for weight loss. Let me repeat, I am not doing this for weight loss. Now don't get me wrong. I am overweight, but after years and years of dieting I have given that negative mentality up. It has warped my mind; how I think, how I feel, and even how I look. Years and years of dieting and I'm bigger than I ever was. Two years of no diets at all (eat what I want when I want) and I have pretty much stayed the same. I say pretty much because I also gave up the constant weighing (everyday) to I may weigh every few months. I mainly know how I feel in my clothes so pretty much the same.

Trying to eat "better" for me can be difficult at times because I easily fall back into that diet way of thinking. Food rules, all or nothing mentality, sense of failure; not for me anymore. I am keeping it simple. Here are my guidelines (not rules). I try to follow them as best I can and if I don't that's ok as well :)
1. Try to eat more veggies. I always thought we ate pretty well overall but when I look back at food pics there never seem to be enough veggies.
2. Try to eat more fruit. I am not worried about fruit and sugar. I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic.
3. Try to eat more foods that are anti-inflammatory.
4. Limit wheat. (This is a food that seems to cause me problems according to a food intolerance test and my own observations).
5. Try to eat more whole foods and less processed. This would good for everyone. Many processed/packaged foods are not even food anymore.
6. Try to move more.
This is what I am trying to follow because they seem to work better for me. Your guidelines may look different.

Some things I have made lately to try and follow these guidelines :)
Making a juice of apples, grapes and celery to drink for the anti-inflammatory properties. Eating more veggies with meals. Trying to snack more on fruit and nuts.