All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel
The Best Homemade Horchata is easy to make. You’ll love this sweet refreshing, creamy, dairy-free Mexican drink made from rice, almonds and cinnamon.
NEW SHOWS!!!! NEW SHOWS ARE HERE!!!!!!!
Shoot, I am so excited about getting new shows and my favorites starting up again. So excited.
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I am documenting my second Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come from my first Whole30 (Feb 2015) to this one (April 2015). Plus, I don’t want to fall into any food ruts. Hopefully this will keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Check out all my Whole30 related posts HERE from why I did my first Whole30, why I am doing this one, and food diaries.
Monday, April 13th, 2015
I forgot my phone at home today!! It was terrifying. I realized it when I got on the bus and there was nothing I could do about it.
Breakfast
Lara Bar- Cherry
I really, really like Lara Bars. I am so thankful there is a good, affordable option for a snack or as a replacement to a meal that I was too rushed to make.
Lunch
Salad- mixed greens, veggies, homemade vinaigrette
I enjoyed my salad just as much as this woman was enjoying her’s.
Dinner
Ground Pork Stir Fry mixed with Broccoli Slaw in a Coconut Curry Sauce
This was a ‘I don’t give a crap about cooking right now’ dinner. I threw together some broccoli slaw with pork (that I was originally going to use for breakfast sausage)
Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
Price had a sleep study at night so it was weird to sleep alone, as well as have dinner alone. I def missed him. I probably would have mindlessly had dessert or wine without him, but Whole30 reigned me in. yay!!
Breakfast
2 over easy eggs, diced sweet potato with salsa and Frank’s Red Hot
I made sweet potatoes in advance and it was awesome. It made breakfast (and lunch) so much easier. I am doing to make a big batch of roasted sweet potatoes again soon.
Lunch
Leftover pork stirfry (from the night before) with 1/2 a sweet potato and 1/2 a slice of tomato, pistachios
It was a little bit of everything! It was fine, but not very satisfying.
Dinner
Salad with mixed greens and veggies, topped off with pulled pork tenderloin
Price was not at home for dinner so I only had to worry about throwing something together for me. It’s not to say that I really worry about making a grand meal for us but I care so much less when it’s just me. So I whipped up a salad and tossed some slow cooker pork tenderloin on there and ta-da dinner!
Wednesday, April 15th 2015
HALF WAY DONE!!!!!!
Breakfast
Since I was solo for the morning routine, I didn’t have much time for breakfast (or lunch prep) so I just threw together some left over sweet potato, 1 link of chicken sausage, and roasted broccolini. Then I got 2 over easy eggs from the cafe in my building.
It was a really good breakfast, and huge. It was so filling that I wasn’t too hungry for lunch for a long time.
Lunch
Cashew Cookie Lara Bar and Pulled Pork (not pictured)
How many Cashew Cookie Bars can I eat while doing Whole30? Not enough!!! It’s really my favorite one. I think I could eat one for B.L.D for all 30 days. (I should try that next time… jk…)
I took a photo of my pulled pork tenderloin, but it was super blurry and looked gross, but it wasn’t. It was super yummy. Plus, I might have put some leftover homemade ranch dressing on it. OMG. I loved it.
Dinner
Mushroomy, meaty sauce on cauliflower rice, string beans
The leftover sauce from a few days prior was perfect on cauliflower rice. It basically resembled chili it was such a thick, hearty sauce. It was really good. I made us so green beans too just to add a veggie, not like cauliflower isn’t one…
Great Moment
I made this cake for my coworker’s birthday and I didn’t even have any. No accidental licks of my fingers. Nothing. And damn, it smelled awesome.
____________________
What are your favorite Whole30 recipes? Please share!
Are you considering doing Whole30? Give it a try!
I am documenting my second Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come from my first Whole30 (Feb 2015) to this one (April 2015). Plus, I don’t want to fall into any food ruts. Hopefully this will keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Check out all my Whole30 related posts HERE from why I did my first Whole30, why I am doing this one, and food diaries.
Tuesday, April 7th 2015
I got the change to work from home in the afternoon. I love that! I was able to make a fresh lunch. No leftovers for me! Man, leftovers get so boring. It was nice to have something ‘fancy’.
Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with sweet potato has, guac
We don’t have scrambled eggs often. Hardly ever. I got an herb packet while I was in Seattle so I am going to have to use that next time as they were good.
Lunch
Sauteed fish over salad with tomatoes, red onion, avocado, TJ’s verde salsa
I threw this together quickly once I got back from my final punchlist of a project. It felt like a celebratory lunch.
Dinner
Chicken breast with baby zucchini over lightly dressed greens
Price really likes these baby zucchini, I should get bags and bags of these when I go shopping there. They are quick to prepare and taste so good. I like that they don’t get very watery like how ‘adult’ zucchini tend to get.
Wednesday, April 8th 2015
Woohoo! 1 week through. Today was a rough day, not because of Whole30 exactly, but because I am a moron. Such a moron.
Breakfast
Spinach and Sweet Potato Crustless Quiche served with quacamole and salsa verde; venti cold brew with some cinnamon sprinkled on top
I made my quiche look like cake!!! It has quacamole frosting and a salsa finishing sauce. And I’ve lost my damn mind. It didn’t taste like cake. It didn’t trick me. It just made me more annoyed. I dunno. ha!
I grabbed this cold brew on the way into work. I was so excited that I had a moment to get a coffee and to try cold brew. I sprinkled some cinnamon on top. It was so good, but then…
Lunch
Salad- mixed greens with 2 hardboiled egg whites, sweet potato hash, (leftover) chicken breast, 1/2 avocado, with homemade ranch
I was in need of this salad. I felt so off from the caffeine bomb from the cold brew. I would have preferred something like a burger and fries, like when you ‘soak up’ booze after a night of drinking, but my salad was my only real option.
Snack
I had a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE headache from my caffeine crash. I thought I was going to throw up on the bus ride home. I had a bunch of water and this bag and started to feel better. UGH.
Dinner
Roasted Chicken with roasted green beans and grape tomatoes with a ‘special sauce’
I started to roast the chicken but then had to go to the gym so then it was Price’s job to take over. He finished it up and broke it down for our dinners and lunches coming up. It was really yummy.
I made a ‘special sauce’ with some homemade mayo, Franks Red Hot, and spices. So good!
Food Swap!
My friend Kellie is also doing Whole30 with us. She swapped (Puerto Rican) sofrito for mayo from me. I can’t wait to use it!
Exercise
I went to the gym!! I was supposed to meet with a trainer after work to create a program but he was sink or something so I met with the assistant manager who was nice and showed me some arms stuff to do. Looking forward to meeting with a train to create a real program and doing it.
Thursday, April 9th 2015
No coffee for me today after yesterday’s mishap. ugh!!
Breakfast
Spinach and Sweet Potato Crustless Quiche served with quacamole
We didn’t like this quiche much. Maybe it was the sweet potato but not our favorite. Blah!
Lunch
Clementine with chicken breast and string beans, homemade mayo
My lunch felt boring but it was really good. I feel like I take too big of a serving of chicken but if I don’t eat much then I don’t feel full. And I don’t think it’s a volume thing as a protein thing.
Clementines are da bomb…
Dinner
Stir fry of shaved pork & baby bok choy on cauliflower rice
I really like cauliflower rice now. I don’t miss regular rice. I do like sticky, tart sushi rice but regular rice- blah.
I need to get more coconut aminos. It was missing form this dish. I have to be better prepared next time!
____________________
What are your favorite Whole30 recipes? Please share!
Are you considering doing Whole30? Give it a try!
I am documenting my second Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come from my first Whole30 (Feb 2015) to this one (April 2015). Plus, I don’t want to fall into any food ruts. Hopefully this will keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Check out all my Whole30 related posts HERE from why I did my first Whole30, why I am doing this one, and food diaries.
Saturday, April 4th, 2015
The weekends are hard for me. I don’t experience the time crunch that I do during the work week, necessarily, but I want to snack more. And I miss the big carb-y breakfasts. I want a waffle damn it!!!
Breakfast
2 Over-easy eggs over sweet potato hash
I wonder how long it will take for Price to bitch about sweet potatoes… ha! I gotta focus on changing things up for breakfast.
Update: First Sweet Potato comment: Day 9. ha!!
Lunch
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas over cauliflower rice, with tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, and guacamole
I whipped up a batch of cauliflower rice as it’s so easy to do, and it would be a great base to the pulled pork. Nice and filling.
Dinner
Adiele’s Chicken and Apple Sausage with sauteed broccoli and kale sprouts
This was a 1 pot meal. Perfectly low maintenance and quick. I first cooked the veggies, then added the sausage. Price had 3 sausages and I had 2.
Sunday, April 5th, 2015
Easter!! I wanted all the chocolate candies! Gimme all the Peeps and Cadbury eggs!!
It was such a great day with family. Plus, they were so sweet to make the effort to make compliant food. Awesome.
Craving: Buttery rich coffee cake with tons of cinnamony crumb on top. OMG couldn’t stop thinking on it.
Brunch
Crudite with homemade ranch dip, hashbrowns, scramble eggs, buffalo chicken wings
I made the crudite with fresh and flash steamed veggies. I made the buffalo wings too- Price’s favorite! I jsut made a big batch of ranch dip and used it for both. So good. perfect nosh food. We also had eggs & hashbrowns that Catherine made for us. yum!!!
Dinner
Bun-less hamburger with sweet potato oven fries. Burger served with lettuce, tomato, guac, mustard, homemade mayo, Frank’s Red Hot
This was such a good dinner to end the weekend. The burger was great as it had all the same ingredients I’d normally eat on a burger, just no bun! Plus, I made baked sweet potato fries. They barely had any oil. I just lightly misted them with olive oil and baked them at 450 for 15 minutes.
Side note: I love hash but the fries were so good as I used less oil than I normally use to make hash. Plus, I ate much slower as I ate them individually, instead of inhaling them with a fork.
Monday, April 6th, 2015
Glad we are 5 days in, 1/6th of the way through! I feel good with the progress. I like this challenge.
I have noticed that I am having trouble getting up in the morning. Not sure why it’s so difficult now when I’m getting more sleep than I was when I was nursing. Maybe it’s a deeper sleep so it’s hard to get out of it?
Breakfast
2 eggs over easy on a bed of sweet potato hash and asparagus, lots of Frank’s
I should have peeled the asparagus, it was still a little too woody for my preference. But it was a decent breakfast.
Almost lunch snack
100 calorie mini Lara Bar- Apple Pie
These are great to have on hand when I am starting to crash and I’ve done a loop around the office and have had some tea for a pick me up, to stay hydrated.
Lunch
Salad made of mixed greens, tomatoes, asparagus, some hardboiled egg, with homemade ranch dressing, guac
I managed to eat some yolk of the hardboiled egg. Amazing. They are so gross to me but I wanted to try to get over it. Going forward I will still stick with the egg whites but at least I tried it.
I love this ranch dressing!!!!
Dinner
Spiralized Turnip, Mushroom, and Tomato Risotto
This was really good. It called for 1 Cup of grated cheese in the recipe but I skipped it making it vegan and complaint. We both really enjoyed it. It would make this again, maybe add some sauteed kale too! (and def make it post Whole30 with cheese!!)
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What are your favorite Whole30 recipes? Please share!
Are you considering doing Whole30? Give it a try!
I had learned about Whole30 from people I followed on Instagram during the spring of 2014. I was intrigued about it as I was seeing people eat great food during the month and then they would reveal some amazing before and after pictures and stats. I knew I had to look into it more as it seemed like it was something that was really transformative.
Ultimately, Price and I decided to do Whole30 together as a way to transform what and how we eat. We wanted to enjoy the holidays, our cruise in January, and then buckle down in February. I picked for us to start after Super Bowl Sunday as I knew we would want to enjoy some last fun foods and beers before starting. It also gave me time to purge out the cabinets and properly prepare after our cruise.
There were times when Whole30 was a struggle but at other times it was easy and enjoyable. I still craved cookies like crazy throughout the process. And, of course, Price missed beer. But aside from that it was not too difficult. The mornings were the worst as it was hard to cook and eat at home while trying to get ready but it was not the end of the world.
…
I am documenting my second Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come from my first Whole30 (Feb 2015) to this one (April 2015). Plus, I don’t want to fall into any food ruts. Hopefully this will keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Check out all my Whole30 related posts HERE from why I did my first Whole30, why I am doing this one, and food diaries.
Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
Here we go again!!
Like last time, the first day didn’t seem like it was such a hardship and I still felt normal. I’m awaiting my slump coming up in a few days. But the first day went perfectly. It felt great to start again.
Breakfast
Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche and Homemade Bacon
I couldn’t resist making bacon to kick off this Whole30. And damn, was it good!! It was filling after I ate it and kept me satisfied for a long time. Of course,
Lunch
Simple salad with a sauteed pork cutlet. A Fruit bar
The greens for the salad were from a bag from Trader Joe’s, but it had butter lettuce in there that was really nice. I threw the salad together quickly so I forgot to put cucumber in, Bummer! But I took the time to make pork cutlets. We shared 1 large chop for our salads.
I then had the apple and strawberry Fruit Bar. yum!
Dinner
Beef with roasted fennel, onion, and tomatoes
I had to go back to work to get some stuff done so I focused on making a quick dinner. I did the roasted veggies as they are pretty easy to prep and taste really good. The beef was just reheated from a bag I got from Costco when I went shopping on Sunday. I love that as it’s a quick complaint option for busy lunches or dinners.
Late Night Snack
Since I was awake and (mentally) active later that normal I had some nuts as a snack. I had about 20. I love pistachios!
Thursday, April 2nd, 2015
Today felt good. It felt good that I was already 1 day into Whole30. I like mentally crossing them off the calendar. Getting through each day is a great accomplishment.
Breakfast
Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche with Roasted Veggies
I ate this at work and it worked out well. I really like to eat breakfast there. Anyway, more quiche with leftover veggies from the dinner before. Really good!
Lunch
Salad with a hard boiled egg, roast beef, & guacamole
It was a big salad. I think all salads should be big salads. It was nice and filling from the volume of it and protein in it. I used up the leftover beef from the prior dinner. I heated it up since cold meat on a salad gives me the willies. I love fresh avocado on a salad but I didn’t have any at home so I used a 100-calorie cup of Wholly Guacamole. So good! I don’t like the yolk in a hard boiled eggs so I only eat the white park.
Dinner
Sauteed fish (seasoned with Adobo) with garlicky asparagus and tomatoes
The fish was from a Trader Joe’s. I don’t remember the kind, but it’s from a blue bag. It’s light in texture, and thin, allowing it to cook quickly, which is great for our busy schedule. I peeled the asparagus and then put it in with the fish so it was a 1 pan dinner! I added the tomatoes just a few minutes before the fish was done to heat up enough to just burst.
Friday, April 3rd, 2015
Today was the toughest so far, and it honestly wasn’t that bad. I wasn’t really craving anything but I was hungry. Very hungry.
Breakfast
Spinach and Mushroom Crustless Quiche with slices of Homemade Bacon, Smothered in Frank’s Red Hot
We finished up our quiche by having a slice each. And I made the rest of the bacon too (divided up between breakfast and lunch). The morning was rushed so I basically ate my bacon while showering- no joke. ha!
I honestly think I couldn’t survive Whole30 (or life!) without Frank’s Red Hot. I buy it in bulk from Costcos!
Lunch
Salad with homemade bacon and hard boiled egg white, a clementine, and mini Cashew Cookie Laura Bar (not pictured)
This was a damn good salad. Good flavors and textures. I loved the crunch from the bacon (leftover from what I made in the morning) and the softness from the egg white. Dressing was quickly thrown together with a complaint herb seasoning packet. It was pretty good! And I had a 100 calorie Cashew Cookie Laura bar. It got me over the hump that I was feeling about 45 minutes after eating lunch.
I focused on staying hydrated at work so I had a black coffee, water, and iced tea. Staying hydrated just helps me feel good, but helps with hunger too!
Dinner
Thick cut pork chops (cutlets?) with roasted veggies, served with whole grain mustard
I don’t know the difference from pork chops and cutlets. I should look into that. Anyway, these were really thick – about an inch! – boneless chops/cutlets. I seasoned the pork with Adobo and used the leftover bacon fat from the bacon I made in the morning to cook these bad boys. They were super thick so they took awhile, but I multi-tasked well and talked to my dad (feel better from your eye surgery!)The flavor from the bacon fat was so good!!
For the veggies I cut up fennel, onion, and kale sprouts. I got the Kale Sprouts from Trader Joe’s. It was the first time I had them so it was fun to try something new. Rounded out a really good dinner.
Late Night Snack
I was busy working on my laptop from having to leave early to get Autumn and I was crashing around 9.30pm (2 hours after eating dinner) so I had a heaping spoonful of crunchy almond butter. I started to feel better about 10 minutes later and go through my work stuff!
____________________
What are your favorite Whole30 recipes? Please share!
Are you considering doing Whole30? Give it a try!
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Sunday, March 1st
It was a good/bad food day. Good in that it was Whole30 foods, but bad in timing of eating. I grazed most of the morning and early afternoon picking at a recipe I was trying to develop for the blog. At least dinner was awesome.
Brunch
(Failed) sweet potato waffles with a berry sauce (no sugar!)
I was trying to make my waffled hashbrowns but with sweet potatoes and it just didn’t work out well so we ate the waffles that sorta survived.
Dinner
Salad with steak, with a homemade mayo based ‘ranch-y’ dressing, topped off with salsa and guac (Holy Guacamole)
This was so good, and not just because it was delicious, but because we all sat down to dinner together. It’s pretty rare for us to eat with Autumn as she eats so early (5.30) but we get out act together today and had an early dinner together. So nice. I really need to put that effort in on the weekends. Plus, she loved the steak. kept asking for more and more, as well as humus. Adorable!
Monday, March 2nd
In the home stretch! I felt good all day and then crashed and had a banana at night as a snack/dessert. It was really good then but annoyed with myself later. I need to get better about fighting urges like that. Blah.
Breakfast
Eggs over a potato hash with salsa and guac
I overcooked my eggs and was pissed so I made myself new eggs. Annoyed to waste food, but I should at least be able to enjoy the eggs I am eating, no?!?!?
Lunch
Salad (romaine, carrots, tomatoes) with some yummy leftover steak, with EVOO & vinegar dressing. Almonds.
Awesome salad. I got the almond from a job walk through. They were giving them out to promote heart health instead of junky snacks. Love that.
Dinner
Leftover Roasted Chicken with potatoes and green beans
We finished up the chicken from the Mayo Crusted Roasted Chicken that I made on Saturday night. It was basic but quick and it works some nights just to get dinner out of the way.
Dessert
Banana with some almond butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon
Super hungry. I shouldn’t have given in but I’m all over the place with being hungry/not. In a moment of weakness I grabbed the banana. Kinda pissed about it but I have been weird/blah/whatever since getting my period post-baby & post-breastfeeding. My body is just freaking out some days. AHHH!!!
Tuesday, March 3rd
It’s our last day!!! Kinda exciting, kinda bittersweet. I know I can extend it but I need to take a break from it to test things out and just have a damn cookie. It was a crazy busy day but a good one.
Breakfast
Egg scramble with mushrooms, topped off with salsa and guac
I’m tired of eggs, I don’t care anymore. I am very thankfully for picking up the organic salsa from Costco though.
Lunch
Mixed greens salad with berries and prosciutto, EVOO & vinegar dressing
This has to be my favorite salad, at least currently. I freaking love the berries in the greens. Nice mix with the salty prosciutto
Snack
Cherry Pie Lara Bar
Lunch was great but it left me hungry. I need to up the protein in my salads.
Dinner
Chicken skewers with mixed veggies (peppers & mushrooms) in a sunbutter sauce
Price made this as I was at a planning board meeting (my first one!!) so he made dinner for us. He was bummed he didn’t make a dipping sauce for the chicken but I was starving after the meeting and going to Trader Joe’s (for Autumn’s goat milk). It was really good. I can’t wait for all the snow around our grill to thaw and for Price to start grilling again!
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I’m so proud of us for doing Whole30 and that we did it together. I know that this experience has taught us both about our eating and drinking habits. It’s been very eye-opening. I’ve noticed changes throughout the process about cravings,
I’ll do a follow-up with our lives post Whole30 soon!
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Thursday, February 26th
People are commenting on all the weight I have been losing. I am happy it’s noticable and I feel better about it as it’s been a signifcant amount – about 55+ pounds. I am looking forward to weighing myself when Whole30 is done with to see what I lost in this month.
I see a big change in Price as well. It’s nice that the work involved with sticking to Whole30 is paying off. Of course, it’s more than just losing weight but it is a big factor for us.
Breakfast
Chia Pudding (made with complaint cashew milk) with blueberries and chopped pecans
I’ve missed variety in breakfast, like having oatmeal or a quinoa bowl, so this helps change things up from eggs, eggs, eggs. But it doesn’t get cold, like I run the risk of eggs getting cold if the morning or crazy. Also, its nice to have it all prepped out in the morning as making eggs can be a pain in my ass.
Lunch
Salad made with romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers topped off with prosciutto, EVOO & vinegar based dressing
It was simple and got the job done.
Dinner
A baked seet potato (actually made in the microwave) topped off with pulled pork carnitas, diced avocado, and some garlicly mayo
Price didn’t eat all of his. I ate all of mine. I felt fat…
Friday, February 27th
Today started off well but ended poorly. We got a BIG HUGE bill from the stupid nutrionist that we had to take Autumn to (per her Dr’s suggestion & referal). The one we didn’t even want to take her to because we aren’t worried about her low weight has she eats well and eats healthy foods, but we took her anyway and got a big bill for like $860. WTF. I called insurance to check it and found out we would be getting another for about $150 or so related to the appointment. I wanted to light the hospital on fire and punch them in the face as they ran out. At that moment I was glad we were doing Whole30, or I would have split a bottle of wine with Price and bitched and bitched about the bill.
Breakfast
A scramble made of eggs and potato hash
It was boring. I wanted a bagel.
Lunch
Salad with pulled pork carnitas & an avocado, then I had a Lara Bar
The salad was on the light side. I did eat most of it before taking a picture, but it was still a pretty small salad. And salad is a stretch as it was just some romaine for the pulled pork. Like the day before, it got the job done.
Dinner
Aidell’s Chicken sausage with broccoli
I’d say this was similar to a stir fry but I’d have to say that I miss having a rice or quino base to it, mostly quinoa. It was good but boring as it was basically just sausage and brocolli, but it was friday night and I was feeling lazy about cooking. Normally I’d have just ordered pizza. Umm, pizza…
Saturday, February 28th
The biggest change in things is our weekend breakfasts and my approach to snack food. I’d previously make something like pancakes or waffles or go out to get a bagel or donuts. I miss all of that but it’s nice that the breakfasts don’t feel so heavy. I’m happiest that my snacking has been eliminated. Esp, when we are out, like I’d happily eat a sample at Costco, but now I can’t/won’t and that definitely helps out with calorie cutting.
Breakfast
2 over easy eggs over a hash made of potato, Aidell’s sausage, and tomatoes
I used the extra sausage link I had from the night before and added it to a diced potato and I then threw in some grape tomatoes too. I love blistered tomatoes- so freaking good. The eggs were nice and runny.
Lunch
Apple with some Almond Butter
I wasn’t really hungry from a big breakfast and just being busy meant that I’d eat lunch at 3.30, and I knew we’d be having a great dinner so I didn’t want to ruin my appetite for it.
Dinner
Mayo Crusted Roasted Chicken with accompanying roasted veggies (carrots, potatoes, onions) and string beans
I need to roast chickens more often in general, but this Mayo Crusted Roasted Chicken is awesome. I’m thinking of changing up some of the spices next time just to have some fun with it, but it’s a great base recipe to work with.
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We’re in the home stretch!!!! It’s exciting to be so close to the end. Truthfully, part of me wants to continue but part of me is really glad for it to come to a close as it has been so limiting and I need some variety in things. Granted the cooking is fairly simple as it’s what I hae time for. Plus, I want a god damn cookie! Plus, I want to actually enjoy going to Seattle and doing Whole30 while out there would make things boo-hoo boring.
I haven’t felt any big changes- no extra energy, no decreased joint paint, no less aches- but I didn’t have anything that was greatly effecting me, like other people who have stuff like arthritis or eczema. No tiger blood for me,but I didn’t have a big fog in the start either. I’m still tired, but I think that is my nature and I just need more sleep. Clone me and I think I will start to feel better. ha!
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Monday, February 23rd
This is really feeling like routine now. I miss things like toast with eggs and chip with salsa or guacamole but I generally like the change.
Breakfast
2 eggs, leftover potato hash, bacon, and 1/2 avocado
It was a really generous breakfast but I always seem to need a bigger breakfast on Mondays to kick start the week.
Lunch
Chicken soup with a Cashew Cookie Lara Bar
I feel like I should have used eaten more soup or stews because they are so good. I still miss rice or pastina in chicken soup though. Since it felt pretty ‘light’ I also grabbed a Lara Bar from my stash in at my desk.
Dinner
Aidell’s Chicken and Apple Sausage with a mix of sauteed peppers and mustard
I was feeling rather lazy so it was all just thrown together. The mustard really made it work though.
Dessert
1/2 Banana with Almond Butter
Super hungry around 8.30 so we shared a banana with some almond butter. Not ideal to do but pacing around the kitchen so something had to be done.
Tuesday, February 24th
I worked from home so that I could go to a meeting… that I ended up missing. UGH!
Breakfast
A mixed veggie egg scramble with some guac and our homemade bacon
Not much to say… it was good!
Lunch
Salad with romaine, radishes, tomatoes, prosciutto, hard-boiled egg white
I made a big mess of a salad. I’m getting used to having salads without cheese but I still do miss it at times. Like this could have used feta.
Dinner
Chicken with roasted string beans and tomatoes with baked potato, served with ghee
I could easily eat meals like this all the time. Although having some sour cream on the baked potato wouldn’t hurt. ha!
Wednesday, February 25th
Back to work. Less than a week to go. I’m so happy that we have decided to take this journey together. It has been a struggle but it’s been good to have support with each other.
Breakfast
A banana and a Cherry Pie Lara Bar
It was a hectic morning so I just didn’t get enough time to make us breakfast. I grabbed a banana to bring to work, which I had with a Lara Bar.
Lunch
Chicken Soup with some salad (mixed greens with avocado & prosciutto)
Since I was still hungry after having soup for lunch on Monday I decided to have some salad with it instead of having a Lara Bar, as I was having one with breakfast. Smart- as it felt like a complete meal. Soup and Salad is a good combo.
Dinner
Butternut squash noodles with marina sauce
I got to get a mani, pedi so Price prepped dinner by peeling and spiralizing the squash. It was nice to have the mani, pedi but to also have the help in the kitchen. I sent Price the link to Ali’s how-to so he would have some help with it. And ta-da it was all done when I got home! So I just tossed in some olive oil, salt, and pepper and under the broiler it went.
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One thing that I have been struggling with is staying hydrated. I don’t really understand why as it’s not like I used to drink much soda and now I’m adjusting to life without soda. It’s just one of those things I’ve noticed. I think I should get some more seltzer so do a better job for the remaining portion of this Whole30 as I really like seltzer and sparkling water.
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Friday, February 20th
Survived another work week! Another pod breakfast day. So many bagels, breakfast burritos, and pastries all around. ALL AROUND!!! But I made it through the minefield and didn’t stray over to grab a delicious Boloco breakfast burrito. (SIGH/YAY!). The day was good, except for Autumn getting sick & having to be picked up from daycare, but it was a good food day.
Breakfast
Chia breakfast pudding with banana & (1/2), blueberries, and chopped pecans
I really should I made chia pudding more often because it was a nice refresher from eggs, eggs, and more eggs for breakfast.
Lunch
Crustless quiche made with sauteed kale, onion and mushrooms; pistachios
Not my favorite quiche, but it worked for lunch. I had to run home to get Autumn from daycare because her cold hit hard during the day, so I inhaled this. Not ideal but at least I got to eat it hot instead of not having lunch. So we spend the afternoon cuddling, and she slept in the Baby K’Tan for about 2 hours.
I freaking love pistachios now. I mean, I always loved pistachios, but have purchased them 2x now while on Whole30. They are so good, and what I really like about it is the process of eating them. At least I don’t shovel them into my mouth like goldfish crackers or another snack.
Dinner
Sauteed fish over salad (romaine, celery, avocado, grape tomatoes) with a lemony tahini dressing
Price was out for poker so I made myself this dinner. It was quick, which was good with taking care of sicky Autumn, filling, and delicious. I ate it while sitting on the floor in the bathroom while Autumn took her bath. ha!
Side note- I made Price food to take to poker so he would have dinner there. Everyone else ate pizza but I made him pork cutlets, roasted veggies and sauteed kale. And he took a San Pellegrino with him too.
{Day 20}
Saturday, February 21st
It was a busy day cooking. I love days like that, but I did miss the baking element to it. I felt like I got a lot done, which was a good feeling. I prepped plenty of Whole30 meals by making the chicken soup, which will last us beyond this Whole30 adventure.
Breakfast
Homemade bacon, 2 over easy eggs, some pear
I’m of the feeling that you really need something to soak up all the delicious runny yolk goodness, which was missing from this breakfast. But it was still good as the bacon is killer. I can’t wait to get more pork belly to make more.
Lunch
Homemade Chicken soup
It was really good but I did miss the rice that I normally have with chicken soup. I didn’t mind it without it but it just felt ‘light’ to me without rice or pastina.
Dinner
Oven roasted fish with roasted fennel and tomatoes, squash
This was a perfect meal. Easy to prep, healthy, flavorful, and easy to clean up.
The squash was a bust since I had left it in the oven after I had turned it off so it was pretty dry. Blah.
Sunday, February 22nd
Another day of cooking! I love weekend likes this. I had missed the baking the day before so I made muffins witht Autumn. Sad to not have any as they looks and smelled so freaking good
We also watched the Daytona 500 and the Oscars. I missed having some beer and wine while watching them.
Breakfast
Potato hash, homemade bacon, over easy eggs
I learned my lesson from the day before and made a quick potato hash to help soak up that blissful runny yolk goodness. And the bacon was still on point. I was thinking about doing it with some coffee grounds next time.
Lunch
Buffalo Chicken Tenders, 1 Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas taco
Ever since I made Pricer the Bufflao Wings from Against All Grain, he has been talking about them over and over again. So it was time to make them again so that he could enjoy them with watching Daytona. I made myself some tenders with chicken breast as I don’t like to eat wings.
I was making my post for Secret Recipe Club so I made 2 tacos using Boston bibb lettuce, some thinly sliced radishes, sliced grape tomatoes, guac, and cilantro. We each had one. So yummy!
Dinner
Spaghetti squash with homemade meat sauce
I made the sauce to be similar to my Four Meat Italian Gravy, with the exception of the sausage and meatballs. I could have used a complaint sausage and made my own meatballs, but I was feeling ‘lazy’ since I was already making the chicken soup and pork carnitas over the weekend. Ether way it was still really good. I am 110% sure that I am going to put ribs in my sauce from now on. Dear short ribs, I love you.
We were talking about how we don’t miss pasta. Still miss some grated cheese on top, but don’t miss pasta. Sure, we will have it from time to time in the future, but don’t feel the need for it. Although, I could destroy a bowl of ravioli right now…
Dessert
Chia pudding with some whipped coconut cream with berries
Still not a fan of whipped coconut cream. I think I’m missing the vanilla flavor. Maybe if I had a vanilla bean to scrape in I would like it more?
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Everything has been going well. I am happy to have reached the 2/3 mark.
I’m feeling good which is good, especially since Autumn got hit badly with a cold on Friday. I ended up the with the sniffles over the weekend but not a cold, which is really good. So if that is a Whole30 thing, then yay!
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Tuesday, February 17th
I worked from home today as I had a mid day site meeting for a project. It is just more efficent to work form home in the mronign and go directly there and backhome as I would be spending a lot of extra time driving to go to work, plus parking there is crzy $, regardless of being reimbursed. So it was a nice morning at home. I decided to try eating out at lunch as it was lunch time while I was at my meeting and I didn’t feel like getting home and then starting on making lunch. I got Chipotle… meh. At least Dinner was awesome.
Breakfast
Waffled hashrown (leftover from my Waffled Breakfast Egg Sandwiches), 2 over easy eggs, breakfast sausage, blueberries, and some guac (Wholy Guacamole)
This was awesome. I liked the mix of the savory potato with the egg, spicy sausage, and sweet fruit. Plus, guac always wins!
Lunch
Chipotle Salad with Pork Carnitas and Fresh Tomato Salso, Tomatillo- Red Chili Salsa, and guac.
I always get salads at Chipotle, but I get them with Barbacoa, lettuce, Fresh Tomato Salso, Tomatillo- Red Chili Salsa, cheese, sour cream. Sometimes guac. Always, no dressing. The Barbacoa is just the best! Sadly, it’s not allowed while doing Whole30 because of the ingrednets used: Beef , Water, Chipotle Chile, Rice Bran Oil, Cumin, Garlic, Oregano, Black Pepper, Salt, Cloves, Bay Leaf, Sunflower Oil. Damn you Rice Bran Oil and Sunflower Oil. DAMN YOU!
I thought that the carnitas had little taste. And I missed the sour cream. It was tolerable but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get Chipotle while doing Whole30 again, esp for $10!
Dinner
Sauteed chicken breasts with roasted broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Served with a Tahini based sauce.
This was the first time I used Tahini. I freaking love it. I’m looking forwrd to making dinners like this again.
I do know that you should limit sunflower seeds, and related products, but I’m happy to have used it anyway to change things up from the typical mustard or mayo. Plus, now I can make my own version of Annie’s Goddess Dressing… the best dressing (besides Hidden Valley Ranch) ever.
Wednesday, February 18th
Back to work. Back to the normal routine. I keep saying to price how I will be glad when we can eat breakfast at work again. I enjoy that so much more than eating at home. It saves money but I can’t wait for the option to be able to easily grab something on the way into work.
Breakfast
Hash made with potato and kale, fried egg.
I seriously question if I could do Whole30 without Frank’s Red Hot sauce. I really do put that shit on everything.
Lunch
Leftover chicken with leftover roasted broccoli and tomatoes
A reapeat from the night before but still really good.
Unfortuantely, I didn’t cook some of the chicken enough the night prior (Autumn was haivng a rough night getting settled, so I was distracted) so I only ate 2 of the 3 pieces I brought.
Dinner
Bunless burgers, coleslaw (made with homemade mayo), avocado, Claussen pickle halves
I made mayo!!!!!!!!! It was so much fun and easy too. I didn’t have mustard powder so I just put a squeeze of mustard in but I’m going to buy some now. I love Hellman’s mayo but I definitely see myself making mayo again and again.
It felt good to make the mayo and then the coleslaw as it felt ‘normal’. Like I could do Whole30 in the summer with salads, grilled veggies, sausages, grilled chicken and steak, and coleslaw. It felt good to have some ‘normalcy’.
Thursday, February 19th
I feel run down but Autumn is starting to get sick. I have been knocked out with her sickies in the past so I’m curious if I get just the sniffles or a whoop you on your butt cold.
I had to work really late today so I had to properly plan for it so I would have food for myself for dinner so I wouldn’t have to go to Chipotle again. No thanks!
Breakfast
Cruistless quiche made with kale and mushrooms, Kiwi
I put WAY TOO MUCH tobasco Sauce on it.
Lunch
Salad with Sauteed Chicken. Made with romaine, grape tomatoes, carrots, broccoli
Really good but I could have eaten more. I need more chicken next time. I need to also make Annie’s Goodress Dressing too!
Snack
Cacao Macadamia Budi Bar with some On Guard Beadlets (DoTerra)
Okay, so the beadlets aren’t a snack (ha!) but I took them with the budi bar as I was super hungry after lunch. The salad just wasn’t enough. Glad to have had this on hand. They are so good!!
Dinner
Bunless burger, coleslaw (made with homemade mayo), roasted veggies and pears.
I had to work really late (11.30) so I ate this at work. I had made the burger in the morning so I would just have to reheat it at work. The roasted vegies and pears were leftovers from a wine and cheese event held at work, that I didn’t attend.
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A good few days. But so happy that I am halfway through. Happy there is an end in sight and that I’ve gotten this far without any slip ups or horrible throughts about wine, buttery mashed potatoes, grilled cheese, or ice cream sandwiches. Actutally, that last part is a lie… But I’m happy to have stuck to my guns have have followed the Whole30 rules.
Unlike Price…
He has stuck with the diet 100% but cheater cheater weighed himself on Day 16! how dare he!!! At least he is super happy with all the work he has put into sticking with Whole30 as he has lost 8 pounds in 16 days. That’s awesome. But cheater cheater!!!
I am documenting my Whole 30 journey to help me see how far I’ve come and to keep me inspired through the whole process. I’m looking forward to the transformation in how I approach food, cook with it, and enjoy it. Read why taking on this challenging dietary adventure is so important to me HERE.
Saturday, February 14th
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
We had a nice day together as a family. We went to the Natick Mall to do some shopping and just get out of the house… hello cabin fever… before more snow dumped on us. So we spent a few hours there, even having out first Whole30 dining experience. I think I did a good job of picking out salads for us. For dinner I made a yummy Valentine’s Day dinner for us. Truthfully I missed the chocolate!! And wine!!!
Breakfast
A Big Ass Sweet potato (Costco!) with 2 fried eggs, wholly guacamole, and Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde.
This was really good but so much. The potato was crazy big, but yummy. I didn’t eat all of it. Next time I would just make 1 potato for us to split.
And Costco has the best sweet potatoes, so much better than Trader Joe’s. But Trader Joe’s rocks the salsa.
Lunch
Salads at California Pizza Kitchen: Roasted Veggie & Moroccan-Spiced Chicken
I did my best to avoid the non-compliant Whole30 things by requesting no dressing on the salad and to get oil and vinegar instead, and by omitting things like cranberries. I figured that if I slipped up, then I slipped up, but I’m not starting over. Maybe the dates had sulfates but if I left out every questionable thing then we would have just been eating lettuce and more lettuce. Either way, the salads were good, but damn I wanted pizza so badly.
* photos above from CPK website, our phones were dead
Dinner
Steak with coocnut flour crusted sauteed shrimp, roasted potatoes, and spaghetti squash
I tried to make a good dinner that would be sweet and romantic for Valentine’s Day since we were staying in and doing W30. I went with the surf and turf theme with the steak and shrimp. I think it worked will for the night.
I do not suggest using coconut flour to coat shrimp. It burned off very easily and the kitchen got smokey! I will just roast them in the future.
Dessert
Strawberries and Blueberries with Coconut Milk Whipped Cream
I really missed something sweet for Valentine’s Day so I whipped up come coconut milk to make ‘whipped cream’. It was good but would have been better with some vanilla extract, at the very least some vanilla bean caviar. I would try to make the whipped cream again.
Sunday, February 15th
Another snowy day. Price sent over 2 hours outside shoveling with our neighbor’s visiting son, his husband, and another neighbor who parks in a spot in our driveway. It was such a bummer for him to do that again. On the other hand I enjoyed my day inside cooking. I made a roast by searing it on all sides and then roasting it in the oven for several hours.
Breakfast
Waffled Breakfast Sandwich with sausage and guacamole
So freaking good!!! I really have been missing the fun breakfasts I normally make on the weekends so I had to come up with a version that would work, so, of course, I turned to the waffle iron to make a thicker version of my Waffled Hasbrowns to substitute as the bread. It was yummy but messy, still so worth it!
Recipes here…
Paleo WaffledBreakfast Sandwiches
Homemade Paleo Breakfast Sausage
Lunch
Meat sauce with spaghetti squash
I loved the meaty sauce that I had the other night so I used up the rest of the leftover spaghei squash from dinner the night before. I could eat this 3x a week, easily, but I do miss the cheese.
This was Price’s lunch…
He had been craving wings so when he found this recipe from Against all Grain I had to make it for him. He really enjoyed them and has already requested them again. They were quick to make and the dairy free ranch was good, although I winged it sinc eI didn’t have everything on hand.
Dinner
Pork shoulder with cauliflower rice
Oh man, this was so good. The pork was tender and so flavorful.
ItT was the first time I made cauliflower rice. It was really good but next time I would use olive oil to sautée it vs the coconut oil that I used. It just didn’t jive with the other flavors, but I liked the texture a lot. I will be making it again!
I made the pork shoulder by searing it on all sides, then putting it in the oven with some carrots, celery, and onions and a large can of diced tomatoes. I cooked it at 325 for about 4 hours. So tender!!
Monday, February 16th
Half way through!!! So exciting!
It was President’s Day so I had the day off with Autumn (price had to work.) I’ve been enjoying the extra time with Autumn, plus it is nice that I get to cook at home. I’m most proud of this experience that I have been able to resist noshing during the day, especially on those darn tasty Goldfish crackers.
Breakfast
Quick version of Waffled Breakfast Sandwiches with some strawberries
I had made extra ‘buns’ when I made them on Sunday so I just reheated them while I made an egg. I used a generous amount of guac on the ‘buns’.
Lunch
Sauteed pieces of chicken breasts on a salad with radishes, celery, and grape tomatoes
Autumn liked this as well. She, of course, had already eaten her lunch but decided she wanted this as well. So we shared 🙂
Dinner
Pork shoulder with roasted green beans and grape tomatoes with leftover cauliflower rice
I love roasting green beans and tomatoes like this. It is quick to prepare and so delicious.
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Things are going well. The hardest part during these few days was trying to eat out. I am glad that we are doing Whole30 as it made us stick to salads instead of getting pizzas at CPK but I miss cheese. It was the first time I really missed cheese. At least we are half way through now!!
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