Picking up the pieces........

It seems just like yesterday that I was going to start this weight-loss journey and yet here I sit still on it. I can say one thing, I am the healthiest I've been in a couple of years. I have to thank my dear friend, Sarah Moore, who is my guide. It was over the summer that she told me about a book called Woman Code and highly recommended it. I purchased the book and was instantly hooked. It made sense for once in my life and it was like a light bulb went off in my head.

Just like every major event, I took a picture to put on Instagram and little did I know a friend would blow up my picture and by the book for her Kindle. We both were getting our Flo on and she convinced me to cleanse according the book. We named our cleanse group the FloGirls and planned to start our clean on the FIRST day back from summer break. I needed a cleanse like nobody's business. I had spent the majority of the summer eating shit foods, drinking cokes/diet cokes/sweet tea and eating bowls of froyo. Eek. July 29, 2013, I started eating REAL foods and eliminating all the crap out of my diet.

Those 4 days were pure HELL, but I managed to make it through without killing anyone. Praise God!!! I think what helped this time around was I had the support of three other teacher friends that were cleansing with me. We made a pact that we were going to cleanse the last week of every month and we've stuck to it. Getting in the right path has lead me to my next goal, being a Mom again.

If you know me, you know I've always wanted another child. Its something I struggle with on a daily basis, but I know He has a plan for me and if it was going to happen, He would make it happen. Well, I discovered in mid August I was pregnant, 8 weeks pregnant to be exact. What? No Way!!!! Yep, I discovered on a Thursday night I was pregnant and then three days later I had a miscarriage. I was completely devastated, but I also know that everything happens for a reason. What reason? I have no idea, but I can only think that possibly my body needs a little more work. Once all of this happened, it made me really focus on what I want and what I want is to be HEALTHY!!!

So, here I sit, going on my 3rd month of eating pretty damn healthy and making the right decisions. Go Me! I have a LONG road ahead of me, but it's a road that I am willing to be on. I am bound and damn determined to reach my healthiest ME possible. I've really started to get into the Paleo lifestyle. I have completely given up ALL dairy and have eliminated gluten from my diet. Its been so darn hard, but I take it one step at a time. One cookbook I've discovered is Against All Grains and I promise I make 4-5 recipes a week from there. My current FAVORITE breakfast are these YUMMY muffins. They are so easy and delicious! I do add raisins to them and they make them taste even better.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

* 2 cups blanched almond flour
* 3 tablespoons coconut flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/4 ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon cardomom
* 1/4 teaspoon cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
* 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
* 2 large eggs at room temperature
* 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* optional add-ins: 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or 2 tablespoons chopped pepitas (I added raisins)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350*.
2. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
3. Place the almond four, coconut flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine.
4. Place the remaining wet ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until combined, or use a hand mixer.
5. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until smooth. 
6. Gently mix in the chocolate chips, pepitas or raisins, if desired. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way full. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.