Hey loves!

Hope you all had an incredible week!

The last two ish weeks for me have been kind of interesting. I have been on and off sick with who knows what and have been feeling suuuuper run down, tired and just plain shitty. I finally decided to go to the doctor and after getting some blood work done we figured out part of the problem. I’m anemic.

I actually knew that my iron was low because the last time I went to give blood (mid-January) I was turned down because I didn’t meet their iron level requirement. I was pretty upset because giving blood is very important to me so I started doing a bit of research and started adding lots of iron rich foods in my diet.

I found that there are 2 types of iron: heme and nonheme. Heme iron is found in animal foods and nonheme iron is found in plant foods.

Nonheme iron > heme iron for this girl.

Some examples of nonheme iron are:

  • lentils
  • spinach
  • kale
  • tofu
  • molasses
  • quinoa
  • broccoli

Because nonheme iron is harder to absorb than heme iron, I have been eating all my iron rich meals with foods high in vitamin C, which enhance iron absorption. I’ve read that drinking coffee and tea with your meal can inhibit iron absorption but luckily I don’t drink coffee and I save tea for bedtime 🙂

Long story short: I started taking iron supplements because after eating tons iron my levels still went down. Obvi there is a reason whyyy my body isn’t absorbing the iron, I just don’t know what it is yet.  So along with the supplements I will still be eating obscene amounts of greens, tofu and lentils. Just the usual 😉

I also have started taking aloe vera shots.

Booya, getting crazy up in hurrrr.

This stuff tastes like craaaaap but the benefits are shweeet!! Check it:

  1. Aids in the elimination of constipation.
  2. Aids in digestion and helps with stomachaches and heartburn.
  3. Helps to regulate blood sugars.
  4. Detoxifies the body and colon.
  5. Helps with weight loss by increasing metabolic rate to burn more calories.
  6. Improves circulation.
  7. Aids in healing damage to internal tissues.
  8. Regulates blood pressure.
  9. Strengthens immune system.
  10. Retards the growth of cancerous tumors.
  11. Helps to reduce inflammation.

{source}

Good stuff, yeah?

Wanna see what I’ve been putting into my body lately? Sure ya do.

❤ Day supper of chili, kale and Lauren’s whole wheat hazelnut & goat cheese biscuits. <——highlight of my life.

The chili was made with Bob’s Red Mill 13 bean soup mix, tons of shredded carrots, many mushrooms and corn.

Money.

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Massive amount of kale w/ vinegar, tofu, toast with PB and hemp hearts and juicy strawberries.

Hemp hearts = another good source of iron.

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Sauteed kale, chickpeas, peso and goat cheddar with oranges and another biscuit.

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More kale, baked cajun salmon with mustard dippage, brown rice with soy sauce, steamed romanesco broccoli and another biscuit 🙂

Please don’t judge the crazy amount of kale I eat. I just crave it all the time! And it’s good for me so no big right?

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Omelette with egg white and yolks <—–iron rich!, kale and grapefuit and oranges.

Looove the color.

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Super wrap fail (thanks Food for Life) stuffed with goat cheese, avocado, lentils and sprouts. Kale, strawbs and Angela’s homemade wheat thins.

This filling was effing awesome BUT…

THESE totally stole the show. I added garlic powder, dill, basil and parsley to mine. DELICIOUS.

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Roasted cauliflower with truffle oil, lentil pineapple pita pizza and kale!! Anyone brave enough to try this pizza yet??

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Veggie burger smothered in mustard, relish and sprouts, wheat thins with laughing cow, an orange and 2 eggs with ketchup.

Fresh sprouts and relish BELONG on a burger. No matta what.

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Kale is not the only green I eat. Surprisingly. I also eat spinach! And lots of it! Only in smoooothie form 😉

One big scoop of Vega vanilla almondilla protein powder, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbsp chia seeds, handful of ice, big handful of frozen blueberries, 1/2 frozen banana, 3 cups spinach and a pinch of guar gum and xanthan gum (totally optional, usually forgotten).

Droooolface.

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Same smoothie, different counter, less blueberries.

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Samesame but different. Vega Choc-a-lot protein to keep it reaal. And add a brown tinge.

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Snack plate with a deep chocolate vitatop smooshed with PB and some granola and strawbs on the side.

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I made soooooup! While I watched The Mask today. Jealous? 😀

Kale and Lentil Soup

adapted from Super Soups with Isabel

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 large red onion, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 red pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 orange pepper, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup green lentils
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • whole head of kale, torn into pieces
  • 6 cups veggie broth
  • sea salt and pepper

Saute the onion, celery, carrots, peppers and garlic until tender. Rinse the lentils and then add to saute mixture with the soy sauce and the kale. Saute all for a few minutes and then add the veggie broth and salt and pepper and allow soup to boil on low, covered, for about 45 minutes. Check the texture of the lentils and cook to your desired taste.

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I also have been thinking about doing the gluten free thing for a bit. In preparation, I have been trying out some new recipes.

I tried raw oat groats this morning that I soaked overnight in almond milk and water. This morning I blended them in the vitamix, added 1 tbsp of chia seeds until they thickened up. Idea from this girl.

Before I added toppings…

And after. Sliced banana, PB and frozen blueberries. Buckwheat groats are something I need to get used to. They’re okay but there isn’t a love like my oatmeal love.

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For supper tonight I had a bowl of soup and these little suckers on the side.

Two roasted pablano peppers stuffed with millet and goat cheese and topped with pasta sauce.

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If you made it all the way through this post, pat yourself on the back. It was a doozy.

It’s waaay best my bedtime….like it’s 2:36am and I wanted to be up by 7am. Think it’s gonna happen?? Me neither.

My mom is here tomorrow!!!! YAY!!!

Have a great weekend! ♥

Paije xoxo

Questions: Do you get obsessed with certain foods and have to eat them all the time??

Anything you want to add on the iron def scoop? Thoughts? Ideas? I know this girl did a great post on it!