Since I have become more committed to living a healthy lifestyle, I have a greater appreciation for our garden. One of my biggest goals with my eating is to consume more vegetables. Our garden provides plenty of those.
I started out on a strict Paleo diet, but have since added back some foods. The Paleo is the basic blueprint for me, but I have some flexibility. Protein is an important component, but it is more important for me to eat more vegetables.
I recently learned that I have high cholesterol. It came as a big shock, but it certainly motivates me even more to live a healthy lifestyle. Even though my LDL cholesterol is quite high, I also have high HDL. I credit eating well and exercising for that. The high HDL lets my body deal with things in a better way, but I am still working to lower my LDL.
Over the summer and even now, marinara sauce with spiralized zucchini or squash has been almost a weekly staple. There has been no shortage of tomatoes, peppers and onions to make a healthy marinara sauce. Earlier in the season, we had plenty of squash and zucchini. We don’t miss regular pasta at all. I feel good with this healthy homemade meal.
Another major meal for us has been vegetable stew. Even in the summer, I just found it so easy to make in the Crock-Pot. It is a yummy way for me to get my vegetables. It has been a healthier way to consume our okra and a good use of our Asian beans. We have so many peppers growing and they make a nice addition to the stew as well.
As our fall garden is getting started, I look forward to adding radish, cauliflower and Jerusalem artichoke to my stews. Since I have been more committed to a healthy lifestyle, I am more open to adding a variety of vegetables to my diet. In the past, I ate very few vegetables.
