It’s probably a good thing the weather let up enough that kids could return to school on this, my first day on Whole30. Now that sugar’s off-limits, I’m constantly reminded how much sugar there is in the house: the creamer in the fridge. The pop-tart crumbs everywhere. The cocoa mix. The peanut butter.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm peanut butter….
I was ready to help myself after making the kids their school lunches, but I couldn’t touch it. Not a spoonful. Not a nibble. Not a bit.
You can imagine the crabby demeanor that came over me then.
BUT.
I am doing this for Bo. For my littls Bs. For me.
It’s just 30 days.
I can do this!
And so far on this Day 1, I am doing this. I’ve kept myself to veg and meat for my meals. I’ve had black coffee or water. I’m going to try cooking some Whole 30 dishes this weekend, so if one of them turns out, I’ll let you know. For now I’m going to keep it simple for Bo’s sake with meat’n’potato type stuff. That’s usually a bit kinder on the wallet, too. Did you know clarified butter costs 10 bucks??? Nooooo thank you, I’m going to make my own.
Which, if my venture into canning is any indication, should prove to be, um, interesting.
In the meantime, the first of my free monthly fiction installments is here! If you head on over to Free Exclusive Fiction from the Wilds (you should see a link in that menu bar thingey towards the top of the page) you’ll see a link for a short story I wrote. No, it’s not related to River Vine; it was inspired by an artist’s photo a long time ago. The story hit me so hard I had to get it down…and then it sat. And sat. And sat. Unread, unloved.
This is the perfect opportunity for me to share it with you! I do hope you’ll share your thoughts on it with me. I’m tempted to explore that universe some more, but only if there’s interest among you, awesome readers.
Don’t forget my novel’s on sale! Spread the word among your fantasy-lovin’ friends!
Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!
Jean Lee's World 
You can make your own peanut butter if you have a food processor. Grind four cups of roasted, unsalted peanuts. Add oil (veg or olive) a tablespoon at a time until you have the consistency you like. Add salt to taste (1/4–1/2 teaspoon?) and process.
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Alas, I can’t make the peanut butter. Whole30 is also anti-legume. 😦
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Oh darn.
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I know. Oh I know. sigh…
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Jean. Hat’s off to you. I don’t take much sugar but I can’t do without it. AS for chocolate, peanuts and wine… let us not go there xxxxx
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Thanks! Yeah, I have a feeling I’ll be quite the cantankerous cuss this month….ooooo boy….
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LOL!!! YOU would never be that.
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xxxx 🙂 xxxx
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Yes eating healthily is not cheap. Hope you hang in. The peanut butter will taste oh so much sweater in 30 days.
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That’s what I’m planning: Skippy Natural Creamy with Honey. De-lish. 🙂
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So then, Ms S you really are going for ‘Around the Blog in 30 Days’. Insanity. Best of luck with that, you have my respect. Many years ago I lost 8 stone in 7 months on a complex carbohydrate vegetarian diet. Weight maintained for the last several hundred years and out of the diabetic zone the last 200 years. ‘Tis also a hellish cheap diet to live on.
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Uffdah, I would say so! This Whole30 seems to be one of the strictest diets out there. Even the “Paleo” diet–aka the Caveman Diet–allows nut flours and things. Nope. Can’t touch’em.
But if it helps, Bo, then that’s what matters. x
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Aw, man, really interested to know how this works for you, Jean. Sugar is my go to and my Kryptonite so this would be tough. I’ve been experimenting with gluten-free recipes for the last year since a good friend can’t eat it and we have a lot of meals with her and her husband. I’ve never once thought about giving up peanut butter though, so kudos to you, you Wonder Woman! Good luck and do update us!
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Oh I shall, my friend!
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😍
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If it’s any consolation (and it probably isn’t) I’ve found as I’ve become older that me and sugar increasingly don’t get on. It makes my joints and back ache, turns me crabby and makes me forgetful and unfocused. It might be tough at first, but you may feel a whole lot happier, more productive and bouncier without the wretched stuff… Good luck!
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Oh it’s true! I’ve learned that about things I once loved: sheet cake, for instance, or a good fish fry. Turns out the oil used just twists my gut, so I’ve got to start watching those things. I’m going to stay focused on the brighter side, and hope that kicking the chocolate chips will help me sleep better and relax my body properly.
(I want my peanut butter back, though!)
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We now use the Whole Earth organic peanut butter without any salt or sugar added and it’s a lot tastier. So we don’t need to spread it so thickly…
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But Skippy Natural Creamy with Honey is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!!…..sigh…..
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