by KimiHarris on January 26, 2012

It’s time to share your frugal and nourishing tips and recipes! Where do you shop for quality food at a lower price? What recipe saves a penny? How do you balance a budget with nourishing food? Share here.
Please read through the three simple rules for those participating. This helps keep the quality of our carnival. Please read them through before linking and thanks again for your continued participation.
[click to continue…]
by KimiHarris on January 24, 2012

Was one of your New Year Resolutions to cut back on sugar? Have you been meaning to cut back on desserts or wean yourself off of refined foods? Do you feel that you are too addicted to even naturally sweetened foods? Well, the Sugar Cleanse Challenge might be just the thing for you!
For the last couple of years, I’ve done a sugar-free challenge, inviting you to join in cutting on refined sugar and flour, and, for those who feel they need it, even unrefined sugar. It’s been a community project with accountability and support from those doing the challenge with you.
This year the sugar cleanse was a little late in coming because of some scheduling conflicts (that is, I was trying not to schedule it when we were on vacation). If I am honest, perhaps there was just a little hesitation on my part as well. After the holiday sweets, I remembered that I do indeed like sweets! But it’s time. Both my five year old and I need a break from sweets, even naturally sweetened ones. Maybe you are in the same boat as us. In fact, several of you mentioned to me this last week that you needed to cut back on sweets!
So what is the Sugar Cleanse Challenge? Here’s the plan. For 2 weeks (just 2, mind you), we will be all giving up all forms of refined sugar and white flour. Some can choose to give up all sweeteners, others to limit it. Here are the categories.
Category 1: No refined sugar or flour (this includes white flour, white sugar, corn syrup and agave syrup)
Category 2: Only 2 teaspoons of any natural sweeteners per day. (Read about the 2 teaspoon rule here)
Category 3: No sweeteners of any kind. Fruit can be cut out as well.
If you have any health issues related to yeast, two weeks will not be enough to heal you. However, doing the two week challenge successfully will get you started in the right direction. For me, I find that if I strictly adhere to the no sweet rule for two weeks, my taste buds adjust and I no longer crave sweets in the same way. That means that I find doing a two week challenge helpful for long term results. I am going to be giving information, encouragement, and resources for the challenge. Meanwhile, if you’d like a little push to do the challenge, read this article, Is Sugar Toxic?
For inspiration, read how taking out refined sweets changed one woman’s life. You can read other encouraging stories here.
Stay tuned for more resources, and when you are ready to join the challenge, sign up by leaving a comment below saying what category you are committing too.
Sugar Cleanse Challenge
1. Kimi Category 3
2. Elena-Category 3
3.Michele-Category 3
4. Jenny ~ Category 3
5. Flo Makanai-Category 3
6. Jessica G.
7. fern-Category 3
8. Tonya Scarborough-Category 2
9. Keri -Category 3
10. Kim and daughters-Cat 3
11. Cait-Cat 2
12. Shiloh-Cat. 2
13. Shannon-Cat. 1
14. Sarah-Cat 1
15. Jennifer-Cat 1
16. Allison-Cat 3
17. Laura-Cat 2
18. Ki Vick-Cat 2
19. Bethany@ Grafted Vine-Cat 3
20. Aneta-Cat 2
21. Katie Ellen@ A Humble Harvest-Cat 3
22. Dani-Cat 3
23. Stephanie R.-Cat 1
24. Nancy-Cat 2
25. Amy-Cat 2
26. Brooke-Cat 2
27. Allison-Cat 1
28. Kelly Powers-Cat 2
29. Jen-Cat 2
30. Amber-Cat 3
31. Christina-Cat 2
32. Jane-Cat 3
33. Vanessa-Cat 3
34. hillary-Cat 3
35. Betsy- Cat 2
36. Nicola-Cat 2
37. Liz-Cat 1
38. jacqui-Cat 3
39. Leigh-Cat 2
40. Wendy-Cat 2
41: Meghan-Cat 1
42: Sarah Jess-Cat 2
43: Karen B.-Cat 1
44: Pat-Cat 3
45: Jean-Cat 3
46: Amy M-Cat 3
47: Janina-Cat 1
48: stephanie-Cat 3
49: Shanna: Cat 2
50: Amy Carter-Cat 3
51: Lisa-Cat 2
52: sammiejo-Cat 2
53: Kathy Thierry-Cat 3
54: Daisy-Cat 1
55: Christina-Cat 3
56: Jenny Odegard-Cat 3
57: Meghann Milton-Cat 2
58: Beverly-Cat 3
59: Elisabeth-Cat 3
60: Kristi Cooke-2 1/2
61: Kelly R.-Cat 3
62: Ann Q.-Cat 3
63: Jenn Best-Cat 1
64: Jen B-Cat 3
65: Emi-Cat 1
66: Kei- Cat 2
67: xtina-Cat 2.5
68: Elena-Cat 3
69: Ruth Avery-Cat 2
70: Mellow-Cat 2
71: Sharon-Cat 2
72: Esther-Cat 2
73: Rebecca-Cat 3
74: Nance-Cat 3
75: Vikki Kay-Cat 3
76: Jennie-Cat 3
77:Kellie-Cat 2
78: andreab-Cat 2
79: Emily-Category 3
80: Renee-Cat 2
81: Celena-Cat 2
82: Tania Berg-Cat 3
83: Jamie-Cat 2
84: Katie @ Mexican Wildflower-Cat 2
85: jani-Cat 1
86: Emily-Cat 3
87: Jen C-Cat 3
88: Kathy-Cat 3
89: Sharon-Cat 2
90: Amanda-Cat 1
91: Becky-Cat 2
92: Sarah Laughlin-Cat 1
93: Stephanie-Cat 3
94: Naomi – category 2
95: Stephanie Marchbanks-Cat 2 1/2
96: Tonya Daniels-Cat 2
97: Sheila-Cat 2
98: Stephanie-Cat 1
99: Judee @ Gluten Free A-Z-Cat 1
100: Sara- Cat 3
101: Lauren-2 1/2
102: Colleen -Category 1
103: Giselle-Cat 3
104: Sharon-Cat 2
105: Jess-Cat 3
106: Andrea-Cat 2
107: Teresa-Cat 1
108: Kimberly-Cat 1
109: Ami-Cat 3
110: Jaime-Cat 1
111: Anne-Cat 2
112: cindy-Cat 2
113: Jessie-Cat 1
114: Rachel-Cat 2
115: Leala-Cat 2
116: Sarah-Cat 2
117: Meredith-Cat 1
Your turn now! Who wants to join us?
by KimiHarris on January 19, 2012

It’s time to share your frugal and nourishing tips and recipes! Where do you shop for quality food at a lower price? What recipe saves a penny? How do you balance a budget with nourishing food? Share here.
Please read through the three simple rules for those participating. This helps keep the quality of our carnival. Please read them through before linking and thanks again for your continued participation.
[click to continue…]