All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel
Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken Soup is an easy to make healthy soup that is so flavorful from spices and coconut milk.
When you are craving bold, fresh flavors in a healthy soup, you need to make this easy Coconut Curry Chicken Soup. It’s wonderful to make when you are low on time because it has little prep and is made in the slow cooker.
…Meghan Markle’s Zucchini Pasta Sauce packs a lot of summery flavor. It’s slow cooked for 4-5 hours! That sounds crazy, but it makes it crazy good!
This simple pasta sauce is made with just a few ingredients- and none of them are tomatoes! Meghan Markle’s Zucchini Pasta Sauce is a created recipe that uses zucchini to make a great sauce
…Roasted Tomato Soup- A soup that’s full of robust hearty flavors from roasted ripe tomatoes. It’s simple to make but the flavors will blow your socks off.
This soup is a great example of how a few great ingredients can come together to make a fantastic dish. This Roasted Tomato Soup is a healthy example of a flavorful dish that will have you asking for seconds.
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So a few weeks ago Autumn and I went to a farmer’s market a few miles away from my dad’s house, where we are staying. We picked up a few things, but the big hit of the day was the honey we picked up.
She sampled a few kinds and picked out the kind that liked the most and every few days I give her a big spoonful of the local honey. It’s a special, healthy treat that is great for preventing allergies here.
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We’re a week into Whole30 and I am loving it.
And I might just kill you.
It all depends on any given moment.
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Welcome to Taco Tuesday’s!!!!!!
As I’ve done with my previous themes, Sprint Cup Snacks, Thirsty Thursday, The Year of Pies, and Waffle Wednesday, I am going to make a Taco recipe every Tuesday for the year in celebration of #TacoTuesday!!!!
We eat a lot of tacos, but I just don’t blog about them. So I figured I’d dive into this Taco Tuesday adventure to feature the tacos, fajitas, taco salads, tortilla soups, and amazing sides like rice, refried beans, and salsas we enjoy. Shoot, there might even be a margarita in the mix as well!! The recipes I will feature this year will be for breakfast, for lunch or dinner, and there will even be some for dessert!
I’m starting things off with a basic recipe to get the ball rolling. It’s the spice mix that you would use to make your favorite tacos. The ground beef ones that you eat in crunchy hard shells or warm flour tortillas. This recipe is for the classic weeknight taco recipe you grew up with. So yummy!!
I certainly like the convenience of mixes and seasoning packets but when you can make your own spice blend for tacos, you just have to try it once to realize it’s the way to go! Plus, it doesn’t have any additives or preservatives so you can enjoy it while sticking to your paleo or Whole30 diets.
The best thing about making your own seasoning is that you can personalize it to you taste preferences. If you don’t like a lot of garlic, reduce the amount you would use. Or if you love the smokiness of cumin, then add a bit more. I don’t typically like chipotle powder but it is really great in the mix as it gives it a nice smokey flavor. But if you don’t like it, then skip it! You gotta make what makes you happy!
Let’s rock this Taco Tuesday series this year! Woohoo!!
Makes 6Â servings
Ingredients
Process
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.Â
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…
LunchÂ
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)Â sofrito for mayo from me. I can’t wait to use it!
ExerciseÂ
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!
LunchÂ
 
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 riceÂ
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!
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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 Whole30Â 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. Â 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.
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