More Food Friends

January 1 was day one of the Best Me 2015 Challenge.  It was the first day of a drastic reduction in my sugar intake.  So far, so good.  I entered all my food into My Fitness Pal, and I had calories to spare at bedtime.  However, I didn't feel at all hungry, so I feel really good about that.

I want to share a few more food friends today, but as I continue to share these friends I want you to remember what I said about choosing your battles.  I don't always make everything from scratch.  I don't always buy the healthiest option.  I certainly hope you don't judge me or anyone else for her food choices.  I want this challenge to inspire you to make healthier upgrades to your pantries and refrigerators and not inspire sanctimonious food shaming of others.  

I like to have healthier convenience foods on hand to prevent me from going to a drive thru.  See what I mean by choosing my battles??  

These burgers are great when you're having an Indian food craving.  They don't need a bun at all.  

My kids have tried every single type of organic macaroni and cheese, and these two are their favorite.  Trader Joe's also carries a couple of tasty all-natural macaroni and cheeses that aren't organic but are free from artificial colors and flavors.  

Even my meat-loving husband loves these burgers.  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against beef hamburgers, but they require a lot more time, effort, and mess.  Also, limiting consumption of red meat really brings down my grocery bill.

Seriously, that's a great looking vegan burger on a homemade bun with a little mayo.  

Another great snack time or breakfast time food friend is the smoothie.  One of my kids' favorite is what I call a monkey smoothie: frozen bananas, powdered peanut butter, and whole milk (or non-dairy milk if you want).  It's basically like eating ice cream.  The older three can make smoothies all by themselves, and they love adding nuts, unsweetened coconut, cocoa powder, and spinach to their smoothies.  My personal favorite smoothies are made with coconut water (I freaking love coconut water...but it has a lot of sugar, so it's off the menu right now).  

Remember my food friend the roasted chicken??  Well, she comes back as another food friend: chicken broth.  Homemade chicken broth is not only versatile, but it also imparts lots of nutritional benefits.    It's really nothing more than veggies, salt, water, and chicken carcass.  I dump it all in the slow cooker and let it cook overnight.

Good morning, beautiful.

I have a great straining system set up with a large measuring cup/bowl, a fine mesh colander, and a bowl for scraps.

Strain the broth, put it in WIDE-MOUTHED glass jars (or it will explode), and put it in the freezer.  

Remember that bowl in the photo filled with all the bones and veggies and chunks from the broth?  Guess who gets to eat that?

It was cold and snowy, so the girls didn't want to come outside...

...until they realized the delicious treat that awaited them!

Yes, we feed our chickens chicken bones and meat.  Chickens are NOT vegetarians, and they will, in fact, kill and eat other chickens that are sick or injured. Why would I throw away bones and scraps when the hens could eat them?? 

See, I give the scraps from one of my favorite food friends (broth) to my favorite friends who give me food (hens).  It's the circle of food friends.  Haha