Whole30 – Day 8

Day 8 was another day off from work for me, but it was hardly a relaxing day.  I did my grocery shopping and got all of my meals (except breakfast eggs) cooked and ready for the week.  I’m hoping my meat selection is better this week but I still feel like I didn’t buy all that much meat, but more than the previous week.

I’ve learned that I really love roasted brussels sprouts.  Who would have guessed?  Those little things are darn delicious.  I remember my friend D telling me she thought they “tasted like candy” and I always thought she was a little crazy.  It’s okay, I might just be crazy too.  I wouldn’t call them candy but they are pretty good as far as vegetables go.

I thought about something the other day and they forgot to write about it.  This Whole30 way of eating really isn’t so strange.  Our grandparents must have eaten similar to this.  There wasn’t soda, energy drinks, chips, candy, and highly processed foods everywhere.  Not to mention when these things became available they were intended to be a treat, not something people ate every day, every meal, and snacks too.  Of course mass marketing is at least partially to blame and the fact that in most households all adults work rather than one staying home to take care of cooking and cleaning.

Week 2 Meals

From left to right, top to bottom, here’s what I’ve cooked for the week.  Spinach and tomato frittata, stuffed acorn squash (from the popular Facebook video post, find it here)  I omitted the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese to make it compliant.  Crack slaw, egg salad with home made mayo and celery, sautéed green beans and mushrooms, roasted brussels sprouts, cauliflower rice, and Thai chicken soup.

Breakfast

For breakfast I finished off the last bit of crack slaw I had leftover from week 1 and added two freshly poached eggs on top.  I was at a loss for what to eat for my fat so I added some almond butter hoping it might make it a bit like pad thai.  It missed the mark but wasn’t horrible and I got the nutrition I needed so that’s a win in my book.

Lunch

Lunch I had a bowl of the Thai chicken soup I made with a fresh squeeze of lime on top and a serving of green olives on the side!

Dinner

For dinner I finished what I had left from the first week which was some balsamic sweet potatoes with brussels sprouts and cold thai salad.  I also topped some lettuce with the egg salad which was really good.

I feel like my appetite is decreasing lately but it could just be the difference between being home and being at work.  I guess I’ll find out tomorrow when I head back.

I was happy today that my stomach issues are better again.  It’s confusing to me how one day I will be having the worst time and then it just disappears.  All part of the stomach healing and processing new/different foods I suppose.

I know weight loss is not supposed to be my goal, that feeling better is, but dammit I want to lose a pound or two.  I found this on the Whole30 web site and it has given me hope!

“In a survey of over 1,600 Whole30 participants, a full 96% lost weight and/or improved their body composition.  20% lost between 1-5 pounds; 37% lost 6-11 pounds; 21% lost 12-15 pounds and 11% lost more than 16 pounds in just 30 days!  7% reported no scale change, but an improvement in body composition (muscle gained and/or fat lost). And of the 4% who didn’t lose any weight, many weren’t trying – several were pregnant at the time of their Whole30 program, a few reported they were on a “mass gain” program, and some stated they “didn’t have any weight to lose.””

Whole30 – Day 7

One week down!  That’s amazing.  It both feels like it’s gone by quickly and has also felt like forever.  I can’t believe I’ve stuck with it 100% since starting and I’ve also managed to keep up with my blog.  Both amazing feats if you ask me.

Today was a day off which was nice to just kind of relax.  I did get my shopping done and I’ll be cooking tonight.

Look at all this produce.  Never in my life have I bought, and actually eaten, so many vegetables in a week!

My stomach has been bothering me again today…way too many trips to the bathroom and I only managed to eat two meals today.  Partly because of the stomach issues and also because I’m at home and not in my normal work routine I think.  Also, I just wasn’t all that hungry.  I know I’m supposed to eat anyway but I didn’t today.

I posted the infamous Crack Slaw recipe today so go check that out and give it a try.  I don’t know exactly why I’m so obsessed with it but they call it crack for some reason.  And luckily this crack only has positive side effects!

Breakfast

Breakfast was spinach and scrambled eggs topped with ranch dressing.  Nothing fancy as I’m finishing up what’s in my refrigerator.  I finished off my third 10oz bag of spinach with this meal.  I don’t know about you but I’ve never eaten that much spinach before in my entire life.  I really like it wilted in coconut oil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Dinner

Dinner was crack slaw and my last avocado which has seen better days but wasn’t actually bad yet.  I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here…literally.  I do have more hot sauce in my life now after shopping though and that makes me happy!  I’m a hot sauce fiend, especially for Frank’s Red Hot Sauce it’s my favorite and it’s compliant.  Sometimes you get lucky and the things you already loved you can still eat.  I can’t wait to cook tonight and have more new yummy foods to try.

Even with the stomach issues today was not too bad of a day.  Grocery shopping was pretty easy because I mostly stuck to the produce and meat sections and saw little temptation.  I did see some amazing looking spiced cider and a caramel apple that both caught my attention for a brief second but my willpower prevailed.

I’m not sure if what I’m feeling is a Whole30 side effect or just some random thing but my breathing feels different.  I’ve never been a loud breather and my sinuses are usually pretty clear but for some reason I feel like I’m breathing better.

I did have one disappointment today however.  During Whole30 you aren’t supposed to weigh yourself.  I didn’t break the rules but I figured taking some progress pictures would be okay.  Now I totally understand why you’re not supposed to weigh yourself.  When you’ve been trying so hard for a week (or however long it’s been) and have been doing so good and you compare yourself to where you were the week before and you don’t see a difference at all….yeah, that’s a letdown.  I’m not discouraged but I am confused.  Here I was thinking my pants felt looser (and maybe they are I don’t know) but I swear I couldn’t see any difference in those photos.  Lame!  I won’t be doing that again until day 31.  I’ve learned my lesson.  When they say comparison is the thief of joy they couldn’t be more right.

Crack Slaw

Here is it folks!  What you’ve all been waiting for, the infamous crack slaw recipe.

This is not my recipe, I found it on Facebook somewhere and there seem to be a lot of variations online.  This version I’m posting here is not Whole30 compliant but I made the changes to make it compliant.  So I’ll post it exactly as it’s supposed to be and then in parenthesis tell you what I changed to make it okay.  I love this recipe so much I’m making it again this week, for the second week in a row.  It’s so versatile I can literally eat it for any meal.   One of my favorites is breakfast with a runny yolked egg or two on top.

Crack Slaw

1lb ground beef

1lb ground turkey (my store has 20oz packages so I use the whole thing)

1 package cole slaw

1 package broccoli slaw (I could only find a kale broccoli combo, it’s so good)

4-6 tbsp of soy sauce (no soy allowed on Whole30, you can use coconut aminos but I can’t find any in my area so I used the juice of one lemon)

3-4 tbsp of sriracha sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Sauce since it’s compliant and Sriracha isn’t)

Cook the ground meats in a pan and add seasoning, then add hot sauce and soy sauce or lemon juice (whichever you are using), lastly add in the slaw mixes and cook until it becomes soft.

Here’s what it looks like…pure amazingness!

Jalapeno Lime Shrimp

I know what you’re probably thinking right now, “You cooked twice in one week, let alone in one day?” You must be feeling feverish right? Well, I’m just trying to get ready for a week back to work after 10 whole days off. They weren’t completely off since I did still have school, but it was relaxing none-the-less. I worked out a ton (crossfit rocks, I’m sure I’ll be doing a post about that real soon too), read a few books (currently really into the Stephanie Plum series), bought a new/used beach cruiser and actually had sunny enough weather to use it, and did homework.

I found this recipe through Pinterest. The original can be found here on the Alaska from Scratch blog.

Here’s the recipe:

Jalapeno Lime Shrimp

Ingredients

            1 tablespoon olive oil

            2 tablespoons butter

            1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

            1 small onion, chopped

            1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

            2 cloves garlic, minced

            2 tomatoes, chopped

            1 cup chicken broth

            1 pound shrimp, peeled (I removed the tails, but that is up to your preference)

            1 lime, zested

            juice of half the lime

            3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

            salt to taste

            lime wedges, for serving

           

           

Instructions

To a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. Stir in the red chile flakes. Saute the onions and jalapeño until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, but not browned, about 1 minute. Toss in the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices, another 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Then, add the shrimp to the skillet and season with salt, cooking and tossing until shrimp just turn pink and are cooked through but still tender, being careful not to overcook. Add the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Serve promptly with crusty bread, or over rice or noodles.

I served mine over cauliflower rice (paleo friendly). The next time I make this I will attempt to try to remember that it is worth it to spend more on the shrimp and not have to peel them yourself, what a pain! Also, I’d opt to use ½ cup of chicken broth rather than a whole cup because mine turned out much runnier than the original picture. It’s very good though, very limey and of course I added extra garlic (because that’s what I do)!

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

I’ve recently ventured into the world of paleo eating/cooking. I’m not exclusively eating paleo, but I am as much as possible (or when I’m not cheating). I recently ate nothing that wasn’t part of the paleo diet for about two weeks and noticed a big drop on weight, not to mention the fact that my stomach would no longer tolerate the “bad” foods. But, I’ve been on vacation (at home, a staycation if you will) and although I’ve managed to do pretty good I did have a few cheat nights.

Tonight I’m cooking for my work week. Getting ready to get back into the swing of things. My friend G posted this recipe on his Facebook the other day and I wanted to try it out. It’s a repost from another Facebook page called $5-10 Dollar Meals – Cheap Eats which you can find here.

For some reason my local grocery store doesn’t carry one pound packages of chicken breasts, and the smallest I could find was just over 1 1/2 pounds. So, I adjusted the spices ratio accordingly and made the entire package. For the record, I was able to purchase everything (except the garlic powder, I was out) for $12.95. Not within their $10 range, but our grocery store here is insanely expensive. If you live somewhere that is not out in the sticks you could probably make this exact recipe for $8 or less.

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

Oven Baked Fajita


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips


2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp chili powder


1 1/2 tsp cumin


1/2 tsp garlic powder


1/2 tsp dried oregano


1/4 tsp seasoned salt


1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)


1 medium onion, sliced


1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips


1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

I’m also thinking it would have been better to let the chicken breasts marinate in the oil/spice mixture, but it was still really good!

Cauliflower (California) Pizza

Well, I started school again after a semester off.  So far so good.  But, in classic college student fashion, I want pizza!  The only problem with that is that I’m still trying to lose vacation weight.  It’s slowly but surely coming off, but pizza is not in the diet plan.  After a little searching on the internet I came across a pretty awesome blog called Rabbit Food for my Bunny Teeth, and found this recipe. 

The only thing I did to alter the original recipe was that I wanted to use up the entire head of cauliflower, which made six cups of shredded cauliflower.  I made that into two pizzas and just added 1 1/2 times the amount of everything called for, except for the eggs, I added two to each “dough”.  It’s kinda hard to half an egg, lol.

I keep trying to call this Cauliflower Pizza, but my mind keeps thinking California Pizza.  I think that’s a good name for it!  Maybe I just have California on the mind.  It’s highly likely.

I highly recommend you give this a try.  It’s not exactly regular pizza, but it not far off either, and you would never know you were eating cauliflower if you didn’t make it yourself or someone told you.  There’s surprisingly quite a bit of flavor that comes from the spices you add into the crust and it makes the whole house smell good once it goes into the oven. 

I’ve read some complaints about other cauliflower crusts, how you can’t pick it up like regular pizza and that it has to be eaten with a fork.  I assure you that I didn’t have this problem at all…even though I was armed with a  fork just in case.

Here’s some drool-worthy pics for you to check out:

 

The crust before and after it’s cooked.  You can see it starts to resemble a dough more after it’s been cooked.

And the final product!  I’m going to be honest here, it tastes even better than it looks!

Bubble Up Pizza

I’m stuffed!  So much for not cooking for a week in preparation to leave for a month.  I cleaned out the refrigerator and everything but having absolutely no food in the house sucks.  So I made a quick trip to the grocery store today for just enough stuff to make a recipe I found on Pinterest.  Find the recipe here.

Here’s what the final product will look like, or close anyway….

I generally love all things vegetarian, but I’ll be honest, I had fully intended to pick up some pepperoni while I was at the store and totally forgot.  So, this is a veggie version.  1 can of artichoke hearts chopped, sliced pickled jalapeños (like for nachos), 1 can of sliced olives, 1 can of mushrooms, nearly an entire bag of spinach, and lots of cheese!  I ended up having to bake this much longer than the site suggested.  I’m not sure if it’s just my oven or the fact that I couldn’t find biscuit dough that came in a size of six biscuits, the smallest I found was packages of 8.  It still turned out really good though.  So much easier than rolling out dough. 

Quinoa Mac & Cheese

 

I found the most amazing mac and cheese recipe on Pinterest the other day and finally got around to cooking it up today.  This uses quinoa rather than macaroni, therefore making it gluten free if that’s a concern for you.  It’s not for me, I just prefer to eat healthy and try new things!

Check out the recipe here!  Give the rest of Leanne’s blog a look too.  It quickly becoming one of my favorites!  She has tons of great recipe ideas.

I used the recipe as a guide and changed it up how I wanted to, but not much really.  Everything is the same except that I took a bag of frozen cauliflower florets and boiled them until soft, pureed them in the food processor (which sadly died during the making of this meal, it will be missed).  After pureeing I added the milk/cheese/egg and blended it all together.  Then I transferred the quinoa and cheese mixture to a large bowl and stirred it all up.  Lastly I cooked up a bag of frozen broccoli and stirred that in before putting it all into the oven.  The only other real change was that I added two cups of cheese rather than the suggested 1 1/2 cups.  You can never have too much cheese!

Before Baking

After Baking

 

And, the final product!  It is really good!  I guess I’d say that you can tell it’s not your standard mac and cheese, but it’s too good to care.  Give it a try, especially if you’ve never tried quinoa before.  I think you’ll really like it.

Gruyere Macaroni and Cheese

I made this recipe as an adaptation from a blog written by Katie, which you can check out at: http://parkerkatiecasey.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/272/

The only thing I did a bit differently was to puree the cauliflower with a bit of milk in my food processor after it was done cooking.  Then I added the cauliflower puree to the cheese sauce once it was all melted.  So good, and you can’t even tell there’s cauliflower in there for any of you picky eaters!

Crock-Pot Turkey Corn Chowder

I thought I’d share one of my favorite, easy recipes, at least of the moment.  I’m making some now and it’s the second time this month, so you know it’s pretty good.  The fact that it doesn’t take much prep time, or ingredients helps too!  Plus, living alone, I can make this and bring it to work for dinner a couple of nights which saves me from stopping at the grocery store on the way to work!  It would be delicious  served in a sour-dough bread bowl…but then, what isn’t? Ingredients: 1 lb ground turkey (I like to use the spicy type) 3 cups frozen diced hash browns with onions and peppers (I never measure, just dump in the whole bag!) 2 medium carrots chopped 1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 15-16 1/2 ounce can creamed corn 2 1/2 cups water I usually cook the turkey and make sure it’s broken into small pieces, plus drain out the fat before adding it to the crock pot, but you don’t have to. Add everything into the slow cooker, give it a stir, set to low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours and forget about it.  Delicioius! Here’s a picture of what it looks like.  Keep in mind this just went in the crock-pot.  It’ll look much yummier after it cooks for 8 hours! Update:  Here’s what it looks like after cooking for about 8 hours!