If you follow me on Twitter, you've heard about my insomnia and probably gotten the idea that I'm constantly in hyper-drive. Correct. Never before have I had an issue sleeping though, so when my inability to sleep began to collide with my hyper-drive, I did some serious thinking about what may cause it all. I'm sure you all have your theories (you do too much! you're over involved! you need to learn to rest!) and frankly, you may be right - but it's never affected my sleep before. Your opinions are now invalid.
I also know that my eating/drinking has been decidedly "off season." Victoria had recently completed the Whole30 and had positive things to say about it. I did some googling and some contemplating, and decided that when I got home from Ragnar Wasatch Back, I would dedicate myself to being all about what I eat.
Here is Week 1, brought to you by snark and sugar cravings:
Day 0:
Any type of elimination/restrictive diet really does require some research and planning. I'd spent the week or two before reading It Starts With Food, which is basically a much more in-depth Practical Paleo (another of my favorite resources). I also bought the Well Fed cookbook, which is right beside some of my other favorite cookbooks...and that's saying something. I made a quick outline of what I'd be eating for the week and made a grocery list.
Liz and I met up at Safeway and stocked up to cook. That night, I tripled up on the Italian sausage/spinach and pepper and started brining chicken breasts for Tuesday night. I went to be apprehensive, but excited.
Day 1 (Tuesday):
This day was pretty easy.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, spinach, raspberries, almonds
Lunch: Leftover spinach/sausage/peppers, spaghetti squash, apple, nuts
Dinner: Chicken breasts with a Moroccan dipping sauce, spaghetti squash
I did really want a beer when I finished teaching, and the thought of making it 30 days without having a glass of wine after a rough day suddenly felt reallllly overwhelming (yikes.) I considered looking up AA (mostly joking).
Day 2 (Wednesday):
Still easy...in some cases. Chadd and I had a lunch snafu which wound up leaving me with the same thing for lunch and dinner on Wednesday. I had to work after track practice, so I brought my food. Let me tell you, when I was still dragging ass from Ragnar last weekend, this was a challenge - to not grab a diet coke or dress my coffee up in a manner that doesn't suck.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, green beans, strawberries, almonds
Lunch: Leftovers from Monday (sausage mix), apple, nuts
Pre workout meal: Lara bar (carefully checked to be whole30 compliant - the blueberry bars are fine!)
Dinner: Leftovers from Monday
Day 3 (Thursday):
The first shock of today was that I woke up HUNGRY. I NEEDED breakfast and RIGHT NOW. Once I ate, the other hard parts of the day included avoiding an ice cream party at the office (right around 3:30 - when my sugar cravings have been hitting, curse you, goodbye parties) and watching a friend drink a beer over dinner (I swear, sparkling water is the exact same!)
I do continue to love cooking and pushing myself to try new flavors. It's a welcome relief that these new recipes are healthy and delicious. I don't feel stifled cooking.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, raw spinach
Lunch: Leftovers from Tuesday night
Dinner: Olives, almonds, moroccan lamb meatballs, spaghetti squash, cocoa roasted cauliflower
Dessert: berries with coconut milk "whipped cream" (highly recommend)
Day 4 (Friday):
Highs and lows.
Highs - I found out that if you over sleep and are running late, you can definitely microwave fried eggs, smother them in hot sauce, and put beside tomatoes and avocados and be the envy of the office. Leftover meatballs are also amazing after sitting in their sauce all night.
Lows - The office ice cream surfaced again, as did peanut m&m's, right about the time my sugar cravings hit (which are, apparently, getting stronger). I still hate black coffee. And the office broke out champagne at the end of the day to celebrate a big contract win. I find myself really battling sugar cravings - I've tried to get myself to cheat at least once a day "it's only 1 m&m...." but it isn't. So far, I've stayed strong. Planning things blows. I'm already worried about going to a wedding in two weeks out of town...and I know I'm going to be the biggest party pooper for the next month while I avoid bars, etc.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, avocado, tomatoes
Lunch: left over thursday dinner, strawberries, almonds
Dinner: shepherds' pie, olives, nuts
Day 5 (Saturday):
Another mixed bag, but generally looking up.
This was a bizarre day because it was my first brick workout on this diet. I wasn't meeting up with anyone, so even though I hit snooze a time or two longer than I should have, I made time to eat breakfast. I also packed two lara bars with me for nutrition on the bike, since I can't rely on gu packs or nuun. I decided to do 11 (yes, ELEVEN) loops of Hains Point instead of an out and back, in case there were terrible issues during my ride. Thankfully, no issues. In fact, after my first warm up loop, I felt great. My speed was a little slower than usual, but I expected to be missing some power. The run in the heat was no problem, minus some ankle twinges that required stretching around mile 2.5.
The hardest part of today was actually later when I went to a golf match up at Congressional. By the time the rounds finished, I was starving and there wasn't much I could do about it. It was VERY difficult to not swing by somewhere and pick up dinner. Thankfully, I'd thought about marinading shrimp and doing a quick grill for them and heating up left over veggies. Dinner in 10 minutes. While I was doing my best to keep my hangry under control, I had a handful of nuts and some olives with a bottle of sparkling water and I leveled out.
It's also hard to be unable to *really* go out on the weekends. I'm sure I *could* go out for dinner, but frankly, after a billion special requests, I'd be better off in my own kitchen, making a final product I know I'll enjoy.
That said...oysters are on the table 100%.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, broccoli, tomatoes
Lunch: leftover meatballs, spinach, strawberries
Snack: olives and nuts
Dinner: Grilled lime/ginger/garlic/pepper shrimp, broccoli
Day 6 (Sunday):
BUY ALL OF THE VEGGIES, SPICES AND MEATS.
The best part of living in Dupont may be the Sunday farmer's market. Amanda and I got together to scour the market for veggies for the week. I picked up some fruit, as well, since the peaches and sour cherries were too good to pass up.
This was the first time I actually found myself getting emotional, though. In the evening, I was ALL tears. Everything set me off. Trying to chalk this up to the diet and not stress going into the week.
Breakfast: Sleep (yes, sleep for breakfast)
Lunch: Sour cherries, peach, eggplant strata
Dinner: pork tenderloin, broccoli, half a sweet potato
Post dinner "desert": apple with almond butter
The better part of today was that I woke up, looked in the mirror and saw myself in "fighting condition" staring back at me. Not poofy, not in off season. That was the best reward yet.
Day 7 (Monday):
Well shit. What do I say about today. Things started off fine with a normal breakfast and then I got into a bad car accident. Still waiting on the assessment, but likely, I'm in the market for a new car. Danny was my super hero today and came to pick me up on the side of the GW Parkway...and offered me a brownie. Y'all. Danny's brownies are legendary. And boy, if seeing my beat up car spewing out radiator fluid didn't make me want one with my coffee (which survived impact!) But I said no.
I resisted eating a pizza for dinner, grabbing a bottle of wine, and planning my imminent move to a remote part of the country where all I have to do is feed a chicken once a day. I did get in bed at 8:30 and read Texas Monthly while I cried, however.
Breakfast: 2 eggs, spinach, raspberries
Lunch: Eggplant strata, nuts, peach
Dinner: shepherds pie, squash
Week 2 starts today
Showing posts with label Whole30. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whole30. Show all posts
Friday, June 6, 2014
Whole 30 - Week 2
Whole30 - Week 2
My week one ended with a bad car accident. Car totaled, pain pills for neck issues kind of bad accident. But a few things came of this:
1) I am more grateful than ever to be alive and with all functional limbs (minus the toe I bruised up pretty badly)
2) I am overwhelmed by the love of my friends. I had no less than 6 offers from people to pick me up on the side of the GW Parkway.
3) I need a new car.
Day 8 (Tuesday)
This was a ROUGH day. I woke up in a lot of pain, tired and hungover from the pain killers and muscle relaxers. As a result, I had a Lara bar for breakfast, half heartedly ate some more eggplant leftovers between what would be breakfast and lunch, and some veggies, I think. I don't actually remember and I'm writing this on Wednesday. Rough.day.
I got in bed when I got home and was like...eff it. Beer and pizza me. But I did not. Instead, I got up and made indian spiced hamburgers on portabello mushroom "buns."
Breakfast: Lara bar
Lunch: leftover eggplant, squash
Dinner: hamburger on portabello mushrooms
Day 9 (Wednesday)
Another crazy day, but this time I managed breakfast...but not lunch. I swear to you all, I never want to eat eggplant again and I can already tell the biggest problem I will face with this diet is getting sick of whatever it is that I'm eating. Note to self: make leftovers, but not THAT many leftovers.
The real challenge came when it was time for dinner. Tomorrow is a holiday. Chadd and I haven't spent a lot of time together lately, so off we went to Lauriol for dinner. Normally? Chips and salsa forever and bring on the cheese enchiladas and a margarita. Tonight? Yeah, that's not happening.
Breakfast: eggplant strata
Lunch: skipped, I know I know, though I did sneak in an apple and almond butter
Dinner: fried plantains, guacamole, chicken and steak fajita meat and grilled veggies
Day 10 (Thursday)
I feared this day. Well, feared is a strong word, but I was apprehensive about getting through the 4th easily. What is more American than a beer and a burger? Originally, Chadd's dad's family was coming in, but that changed at the last minute, so we were without plans. I am seriously burning out on food. I need to get the energy and motivation to make new foods. Not working out due to the car accident has been a real bummer, too. I just feel irritated and listless.
Chadd did drag my butt to the pool down the street and after an easy 500m, my neck felt better than it did going in, so that was a win.
Breakfast: More sleep for breakfast!
Lunch: Eggplant strata (so help me God I never want to eat this ever again)
Snack: apple and almond butter
Dinner: Stirfry with chicken and veggies and spaghetti squash
Day 11 (Friday)
Yesterday was ridiculous. I wanted to punch someone for a milk shake. I guess we're in that realm of weird cravings. I wanted everything sweet. ANYTHING. Milk. I wanted a huge glass of milk. I don't remember the last time I drank milk straight. Friday, not so bad. I had to be up early to meet with Geico to get my claim check, I still struggle with getting up early enough for breakfast.
The hardest part of today was working with Danny and not being able to test much of the food we made. I did eat a lot of steamed veggies and proscuitto.
Breakfast: Egg, leftover veggies
Lunch: leftover stir fry
Dinner: veggies, proscuitto
Day 12 (Saturday)
I made some rookie mistakes today. As in. I forgot to plan. Totally, 100% spaced out. I got up, made a late breakfast (more eggs) and then off we went to test drive cars. Out of the city. Away from anything but fast food. Cue dangerous hangry music. After fussing around at CarMax (fail), we wound up grabbing food at a place where I could, not even kidding, only order a chicken breast with tomato and lettuce. And an unsweet tea. And fruit. I was not happy. But I tried to calm the hangry monster inside and quickly ate my gross lunch. I celebrated making it through this with some cashews and sparkling water before we went and looked at more cars.
On the fun side, on the way back into the city, we stopped at Whole Foods and I spent an obscene amount of time with the butcher playing "what is in that sausage." #TWSS
Breakfast: Eggs, veggies
Lunch: grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, fruit cup
Dinner: grilled salmon with green beans and spaghetti squash
Day 13 (Sunday)
Brunch brunch brunch. Every self respecting DC girl enjoys a good brunch. I happen to love brunch, but really hate that it can lend itself to wasting the day with day drinking. I decided it was wise to try brunch at a location that would probably accomodate my odd needs. Chef Geoff's, it was.
I warned the waiter in advance, who very nicely, asked if I had allergies or was just special. Just special, I assured him, as I took out my ziplock container of whipped coconut milk that I spooned into my coffee. Very special.
Brunch: Just egg omelet (really more like a flat mix of egg and egg) over oil sauteed onions, peppers, and spinach. Fruit plate, avocado, and sweet potato. Plus more fruit. Bless our waiter.
Dinner: Chicken with artichoke hearts, capers and lemon, broccoli, and spaghetti squash
Day 14 (Monday)
Today felt like a normal day. I got up, had a left over burger thing and portabello mushroom. This did not seem odd to me. Lunch was normal. I found myself distinctly NOT thinking about the Whole30. Breaking news: I have learned to enjoy black coffee. Old news: I'm addicted to Whole Foods. It's blissful picking up produce and meat there.
Breakfast: Leftover indian burger
Lunch: Lamb meatballs in sauce, spaghetti squash, peach, nuts
Dinner: Grilled flank steak, asparagus, onions and mushrooms, sweet potato, berries with whipped coconut cream
Week Wrap Up:
After the first week, I knew this week (and next) would be the hardest, simply because the excitement would have worn off and it would be harder to avoid "normal" life with the 4th, friends in town, etc. But the week went better than expected. By the end of it, Whole30 felt very doable and I'm pretty certain we'll be sticking to a modified version of it (read: I won't freak out when there is sugar in my bacon).
Positives:
- I feel good. Even post accident, I feel GOOD
- The sleep is black and dreamless and I don't have insomnia or wake up unable to sleep again
- I've never trimmed down this fast - ever. Ever ever.
- Saving money. I know that a lot of people disagree and say they spent MORE going paleo. Maybe we just ate out a lot...
Negatives:
- I can't measure my athletic performance since I can't do anything aerobic
- When you have unexpected plans and you must.eat.right.now.
- Sorry, there is SUGAR in bacon?? Surely you jest.
- The whole foods employees are about to restrict me from accessing the building
- Sometimes, the idea of having to cook for a half day to prep for the week is overwhelming, but once I get started, it's pretty nice and relaxing
Half way!
My week one ended with a bad car accident. Car totaled, pain pills for neck issues kind of bad accident. But a few things came of this:
1) I am more grateful than ever to be alive and with all functional limbs (minus the toe I bruised up pretty badly)
2) I am overwhelmed by the love of my friends. I had no less than 6 offers from people to pick me up on the side of the GW Parkway.
3) I need a new car.
Day 8 (Tuesday)
This was a ROUGH day. I woke up in a lot of pain, tired and hungover from the pain killers and muscle relaxers. As a result, I had a Lara bar for breakfast, half heartedly ate some more eggplant leftovers between what would be breakfast and lunch, and some veggies, I think. I don't actually remember and I'm writing this on Wednesday. Rough.day.
I got in bed when I got home and was like...eff it. Beer and pizza me. But I did not. Instead, I got up and made indian spiced hamburgers on portabello mushroom "buns."
Breakfast: Lara bar
Lunch: leftover eggplant, squash
Dinner: hamburger on portabello mushrooms
Day 9 (Wednesday)
Another crazy day, but this time I managed breakfast...but not lunch. I swear to you all, I never want to eat eggplant again and I can already tell the biggest problem I will face with this diet is getting sick of whatever it is that I'm eating. Note to self: make leftovers, but not THAT many leftovers.
The real challenge came when it was time for dinner. Tomorrow is a holiday. Chadd and I haven't spent a lot of time together lately, so off we went to Lauriol for dinner. Normally? Chips and salsa forever and bring on the cheese enchiladas and a margarita. Tonight? Yeah, that's not happening.
Breakfast: eggplant strata
Lunch: skipped, I know I know, though I did sneak in an apple and almond butter
Dinner: fried plantains, guacamole, chicken and steak fajita meat and grilled veggies
Day 10 (Thursday)
I feared this day. Well, feared is a strong word, but I was apprehensive about getting through the 4th easily. What is more American than a beer and a burger? Originally, Chadd's dad's family was coming in, but that changed at the last minute, so we were without plans. I am seriously burning out on food. I need to get the energy and motivation to make new foods. Not working out due to the car accident has been a real bummer, too. I just feel irritated and listless.
Chadd did drag my butt to the pool down the street and after an easy 500m, my neck felt better than it did going in, so that was a win.
Breakfast: More sleep for breakfast!
Lunch: Eggplant strata (so help me God I never want to eat this ever again)
Snack: apple and almond butter
Dinner: Stirfry with chicken and veggies and spaghetti squash
Day 11 (Friday)
Yesterday was ridiculous. I wanted to punch someone for a milk shake. I guess we're in that realm of weird cravings. I wanted everything sweet. ANYTHING. Milk. I wanted a huge glass of milk. I don't remember the last time I drank milk straight. Friday, not so bad. I had to be up early to meet with Geico to get my claim check, I still struggle with getting up early enough for breakfast.
The hardest part of today was working with Danny and not being able to test much of the food we made. I did eat a lot of steamed veggies and proscuitto.
Breakfast: Egg, leftover veggies
Lunch: leftover stir fry
Dinner: veggies, proscuitto
Day 12 (Saturday)
I made some rookie mistakes today. As in. I forgot to plan. Totally, 100% spaced out. I got up, made a late breakfast (more eggs) and then off we went to test drive cars. Out of the city. Away from anything but fast food. Cue dangerous hangry music. After fussing around at CarMax (fail), we wound up grabbing food at a place where I could, not even kidding, only order a chicken breast with tomato and lettuce. And an unsweet tea. And fruit. I was not happy. But I tried to calm the hangry monster inside and quickly ate my gross lunch. I celebrated making it through this with some cashews and sparkling water before we went and looked at more cars.
On the fun side, on the way back into the city, we stopped at Whole Foods and I spent an obscene amount of time with the butcher playing "what is in that sausage." #TWSS
Breakfast: Eggs, veggies
Lunch: grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, fruit cup
Dinner: grilled salmon with green beans and spaghetti squash
Day 13 (Sunday)
Brunch brunch brunch. Every self respecting DC girl enjoys a good brunch. I happen to love brunch, but really hate that it can lend itself to wasting the day with day drinking. I decided it was wise to try brunch at a location that would probably accomodate my odd needs. Chef Geoff's, it was.
I warned the waiter in advance, who very nicely, asked if I had allergies or was just special. Just special, I assured him, as I took out my ziplock container of whipped coconut milk that I spooned into my coffee. Very special.
Brunch: Just egg omelet (really more like a flat mix of egg and egg) over oil sauteed onions, peppers, and spinach. Fruit plate, avocado, and sweet potato. Plus more fruit. Bless our waiter.
Dinner: Chicken with artichoke hearts, capers and lemon, broccoli, and spaghetti squash
Day 14 (Monday)
Today felt like a normal day. I got up, had a left over burger thing and portabello mushroom. This did not seem odd to me. Lunch was normal. I found myself distinctly NOT thinking about the Whole30. Breaking news: I have learned to enjoy black coffee. Old news: I'm addicted to Whole Foods. It's blissful picking up produce and meat there.
Breakfast: Leftover indian burger
Lunch: Lamb meatballs in sauce, spaghetti squash, peach, nuts
Dinner: Grilled flank steak, asparagus, onions and mushrooms, sweet potato, berries with whipped coconut cream
Week Wrap Up:
After the first week, I knew this week (and next) would be the hardest, simply because the excitement would have worn off and it would be harder to avoid "normal" life with the 4th, friends in town, etc. But the week went better than expected. By the end of it, Whole30 felt very doable and I'm pretty certain we'll be sticking to a modified version of it (read: I won't freak out when there is sugar in my bacon).
Positives:
- I feel good. Even post accident, I feel GOOD
- The sleep is black and dreamless and I don't have insomnia or wake up unable to sleep again
- I've never trimmed down this fast - ever. Ever ever.
- Saving money. I know that a lot of people disagree and say they spent MORE going paleo. Maybe we just ate out a lot...
Negatives:
- I can't measure my athletic performance since I can't do anything aerobic
- When you have unexpected plans and you must.eat.right.now.
- Sorry, there is SUGAR in bacon?? Surely you jest.
- The whole foods employees are about to restrict me from accessing the building
- Sometimes, the idea of having to cook for a half day to prep for the week is overwhelming, but once I get started, it's pretty nice and relaxing
Half way!
Whole30 Resources
When Victoria did Whole30, I was FULL of skepticism...not that it would work, but that it was possible for someone who is no where near as dedicated as she is.
Amazingly, it wasn't hard. Once I made the decision, I only once or twice had the "ugh why I am doing this" feeling. Looking like this at the end was 100% worth it:
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What I really DID love was all of the cooking. I recognize that I may be alone in loving cooking at night, but to me, there is nothing more wonderful than coming home, having nothing else on my plate to deal with, and spending time making a beautiful dinner. This is my recent, brag-worthy meal:
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Amazingly, it wasn't hard. Once I made the decision, I only once or twice had the "ugh why I am doing this" feeling. Looking like this at the end was 100% worth it:
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That red dress is tiny. I am wearing a slip under it, btw. And no, not spanx.
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What I really DID love was all of the cooking. I recognize that I may be alone in loving cooking at night, but to me, there is nothing more wonderful than coming home, having nothing else on my plate to deal with, and spending time making a beautiful dinner. This is my recent, brag-worthy meal:
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Seared halibut with broccoli, mango salsa, cauli-rice, and paleo aioli
I am already a pretty good cook, at least, I like to think so. I've come a long way from making a too-lemony steak and only having about 2-3 staple dishes. Even better, I've gotten much faster in the kitchen. A good dinner doesn't take 2+ hours, and a quick dinner is sometimes the best food I can make. But even for those of you who are not yet amazing chefs, I think you'll find all of this to be pretty easy.
I rely on a few different cookbooks for inspiration. If you are interested in going Whole30, you should pick up the following resources:
If you follow that link, you can can a free 30 page PDF of the book. You can also check out the other recipes that Melissa has written. I love love love her cookbook and have made some of these dishes several times. Most of them reheat very well and make excellent lunches.
This cookbook has produced some of the best recipes (most notably the bacon quiche, the apple dessert, and the chicken "gumbo.") Again, very very easy.
I've just gotten into this book and I already love it. I've had a miss or two, but some of the recipes are real winners.
My parents gave me this cookbook for Christmas and it is probably my most cherished cookbook. I have hoards of notes in it. This book convinced my that paleo was a) practical (ha) and b) delicious.
I'm still gathering and testing paleo cookbooks, so if you have one, please let me know!
Pantry Staples:
The stranger side of going paleo meant introducing new foods to my pantry as staples...things I figured I would NEVER use again. Wrong.
1) Spices. I had a pretty serious stock of the normal spices, but halfway through Whole30, I found myself walking down to Georgetown to pick up almost $100 of spices from the Spice and Tea Exchange. I strongly recommend buying spices in bulk from a vendor like this (Central Market offers spices in bulk, which is very unfair for those of us living outside of Texas).
Here are a few of the things I go through on a weekly basis:
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Corriander
2) Non-Wheat Flours. I really like something sort of sweet after dinner. I love quiche. I want to bread things. Enter these new flours:
- Coconut flour
- Almond flour
- Potato flour
3) Coconut milk. This goes in so many things - from sauces and marinades to coconut whipped cream to...frankly, just eating the coconut fat out of the can. I have at least 4-6 cans of it at any time. Pro-tip: the blue can (I think goya?) SUCKS. Not nearly enough fat. Stick with the trader joes or whole foods brand.
4) Coconut oil. We'll never use butter or vegetable oil ever again. Seriously. Just go buy a jar at costco. It's all I cook with.
5) Produce. I go through onions, shallots, green onions, red onions, celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach like no tomorrow. Onions especially. They seem to be the base in almost everything I make. I have also been buying an untold amount of cilantro and parsley. For fruit, we're a little light since we try to stay away from sugar in most forms, but we try to eat seasonally - berries and apples right now. And PEACHES.
6) MEAT. Just...go buy all of it. I go to Costco for things like pork tenderloin and ground beef, as well as chicken. I get sausage at WholeFoods, as well as lamb, ground bison (delicious), bacon, steak and fish. The better the quality, the better the result. Btw, please stop freezing your steak. Do not make the mistake I made.
A brief note on the "expense" of paleo. First, you need to be buying high quality food. Go organic (even if only for the dirty dozen), buy free range, antibiotic free, and vegetarian-fed protein. Do you want to eat a chicken that hasn't moved and has sat around only eating another bird's shit until their next grain serving? No? Me either.
I am not a vegetarian because...no thanks. But I do believe in the sanctity of living things. I do my best to honor the animal that I am eating by choosing protein from providers that treat animals well. It's cheap to treat things poorly. It is expensive to care for the life of this earth. Do your part.
Also - I KNOW it is more expensive in some cases. But if you bought a really nice car that required premium fuel, but you only fueled it with cheap gas....what do you expect would happen? Your body is a pretty expensive car. Fuel it with the good stuff.
And finally. If you cook in bulk, buy intelligently and seasonally, you'll probably come out on top.
Going back around on Whole30 a week from today when I get home from Colorado! Do it with me.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Paleo and Whole30 Must Haves and Resources
This Thanksgiving, I attempted to make a full day of meals for my family that were Whole30 friendly so I could demonstrate just how GOOD this food is. While I was going through my grandmother's kitchen, I suddenly realized just how many unique ingredients have become staples in our kitchen at home.
So, if you are doing the Whole30 warm up or strict Whole30 with me, or looking to grab the essentials for when you're traveling to visit and cook in new and strange kitchens, I recommend the following:
Pantry:
Fresh Produce:
Protein:
Cookbooks:
So, if you are doing the Whole30 warm up or strict Whole30 with me, or looking to grab the essentials for when you're traveling to visit and cook in new and strange kitchens, I recommend the following:
Pantry:
- Almond Butter
- Almond Flour*
- Arrowroot Powder*
- Canned Pineapple
- Cayenne*
- Chili Powder*
- Cinnamon
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Flour
- Coconut Milk*
- Coconut Oil*
- Cumin*
- Diced Tomatos (canned)
- Paprika*
- Red pepper flakes*
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Sea Salt*
- Tomato paste (canned)
- Tomato sauce (canned)
Fresh Produce:
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Jalapenos
- Onions
- Shallots
- Tomatos
Protein:
- Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless)
- Chicken Thighs
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Ground Lamb
- Ground Pork
Tools:
- Crockpot
- Food Processor
- Good Knives
- Julienne Peeler
Cookbooks:
- Elana's Pantry
- Every Day Paleo
- Nom Nom Paleo**
- Practical Paleo
- Primal Cravings
- Well Fed
- Well Fed 2
* If you don't want to fill your pantry with all of these items, at least get these.
** This isn't out yet (I am COUNTING down the days to December 17th) but I am sure it will be amazing
If you're looking to make your family's Christmas shopping easier for you - you can send them this collection. If it looks sparse now, don't worry, I add to it every day. These are books and products I use daily and am not paid or encouraged to endorse. I just like them.
If you eat paleo or Whole30, what are your must haves?
Whole30 Warm Up - Week 1 Menu
Ok, I just talked about doing the Whole30 warm up as the year heads to the end. I got home a few hours ago, poured a glass of wine (haven't started the warm up yet!) and emptied the contents of my fridge and freezer. There was some stuff that REALLY needed to go in there, so out it went.
I was left with a random assortment of stuff and instead of head to the grocery, tired and hungry, I figured I may as well clean out everything we have and plan to start fresh when Chadd gets home.
A note on this week's menu. One of the things that I hear all the time is that paleo and Whole30 is expensive...and that is true, it certainly can be. After this week, I'll be creating weekly menus based on a budget and what is in season and fresh in stores and at the market. What you WILL see this week is how to reuse meals for leftovers and not have wasted food (something we have struggled with)
Here's what our menu looks like this week!
Week One: Clean out the fridge, freezer, and pantry!
Day 1:
Monday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes* (Practical Paleo)
Monday Lunch: Salmon Cakes (Well Fed 2)
Monday Dinner: Pork and Veal Bolognese over spaghetti squash (modified from Practical Paleo)
Day 2:
Tuesday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes
Tuesday Lunch: Salmon Cakes
Tuesday Dinner: Bolognese
Day 3:
Wednesday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes or Egg Cups (Primal Cravings)
Wednesday Lunch: Bolognese
Wednesday Dinner: Lamb Meatballs (Well Fed)
Day 4:
Thursday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes or Egg Cups
Thursday Lunch: Lamb meatballs
Thursday Dinner: Pork Carnitas (Paleo Slow Cooker)
Day 5:
Friday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes
Friday Lunch: Carnitas
Friday Dinner: Beef Stew
Day 6:
Saturday Breakfast: Egg Cups
Saturday Lunch: Leftovers
Saturday Dinner: Pork Tenderloin
Day 7:
Sunday Breakfast: Egg Cups
Sunday Lunch: Leftovers
Sunday Dinner: Pork Ribs
I was left with a random assortment of stuff and instead of head to the grocery, tired and hungry, I figured I may as well clean out everything we have and plan to start fresh when Chadd gets home.
A note on this week's menu. One of the things that I hear all the time is that paleo and Whole30 is expensive...and that is true, it certainly can be. After this week, I'll be creating weekly menus based on a budget and what is in season and fresh in stores and at the market. What you WILL see this week is how to reuse meals for leftovers and not have wasted food (something we have struggled with)
Here's what our menu looks like this week!
Week One: Clean out the fridge, freezer, and pantry!
Day 1:
Monday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes* (Practical Paleo)
Monday Lunch: Salmon Cakes (Well Fed 2)
Monday Dinner: Pork and Veal Bolognese over spaghetti squash (modified from Practical Paleo)
Day 2:
Tuesday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes
Tuesday Lunch: Salmon Cakes
Tuesday Dinner: Bolognese
Day 3:
Wednesday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes or Egg Cups (Primal Cravings)
Wednesday Lunch: Bolognese
Wednesday Dinner: Lamb Meatballs (Well Fed)
Day 4:
Thursday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes or Egg Cups
Thursday Lunch: Lamb meatballs
Thursday Dinner: Pork Carnitas (Paleo Slow Cooker)
Day 5:
Friday Breakfast: Pumpkin Pancakes
Friday Lunch: Carnitas
Friday Dinner: Beef Stew
Day 6:
Saturday Breakfast: Egg Cups
Saturday Lunch: Leftovers
Saturday Dinner: Pork Tenderloin
Day 7:
Sunday Breakfast: Egg Cups
Sunday Lunch: Leftovers
Sunday Dinner: Pork Ribs
Gift Guide for Paleo and Whole30 Lovers
It's that time of year. Temperatures dropping. Christmas trees filling windows...bloggers shilling.
It's my first annual, Diets Are Crap gift guide! Today's gift guide is a rough iteration of my recent Whole30 resources post, but a little more paleo friendly.
Note: I'm not popular enough to even be asked to shill, so take this post for what it is worth (free and unsponsored love of products).
It's my first annual, Diets Are Crap gift guide! Today's gift guide is a rough iteration of my recent Whole30 resources post, but a little more paleo friendly.
Note: I'm not popular enough to even be asked to shill, so take this post for what it is worth (free and unsponsored love of products).
Gift Guide for Paleo and Whole30 Lovers
1. A Good Set of Knives ($149.95) - I have a set of J.A. Henckles that I like a lot. I don't know if they are the exact set I have here, but your paleo loved one needs a good set of knives.
2. A Good Slow Cooker ($39.99)- My slow cooker is no where near as fancy as this one, but a slow cooker with a temperature reader and timer for under $40? Sign me up. This Hamilton Beach model is pretty solid. My brother has used it frequently with great results.
3. MEAT. (Variable) - I'm *almost* kidding here. If you have done a Whole30, you'll know that it is nearly impossible to find bacon without sugar. US Wellness Meats answered the call for sugarless bacon and a host of other grass fed, antibiotic and hormone free, and sustainable farming practice sustained protein. I haven't tried them yet - but they are on my 2014 must-try list. I hear nothing but wonderful things about them and if Whole9's folks are good with them, they're good with me. Go with a gift card wrapped in bacon.
4. Julienne Peeler ($8.21) - I have been skittish about making any type of "noodle" out of veggies because it seemed like such a hassle. I finally picked up a julienne peeler and was fascinated and enthralled by the results. I should have taken photos. I haven't tried other models, but why bother - this one is fabulous from Zyliss.
5. Cuisinart Prep Plus Food Processor - 9 Cup ($126.65) - If you do not have one of these, just go ahead and put this in your Prime, overnight shipping basket on Amazon. I use mine probably daily, if not twice daily. This is the best for making mayo, sauces, pie crusts, making almond flour (yup, you can do that), creating pestos....the list goes on. Just go get one.
6. Paleo Magazine ($29.95 for 6 issues) - This is on this list because I am dying to subscribe. That, and Melissa from Well Fed (see #7) is a guest writer.
7. Well Fed 2 ($16.73) - If you don't have Well Fed, the original, then, add that to the list, but if your paleo loved one has been paleo for any length of time, they probably already have Well Fed. This is an excellent Whole30 and Paleo resource. Delicious, fast...you name it, it's here.
8. Gaining Ground ($12.88) - I had the opportunity to meet Forrest when I was at my farmer's market a few months back. I bought the book and let it sit on the shelf for way too long. Forrest is a local DC area farmer who believes in sustainable farmer and really lead the movement here in DC. I finished the book in a matter of hours. It's well written, incredibly passionate, and just a fantastic read for anyone who cares about where their food comes from. You can buy it on Amazon.
9. Nom Nom Paleo ($22.14) - I haven't paged through this book yet because...it isn't released! However, Michelle is publishing this on December 17th, so just in time for those last minute gifts. If you want a sneak peak of the cookbook, check out her blog!
10. Ninja Blender System ($99.9) - There are a variety of Ninja blenders with different attachments. I bought this system for my brother for his birthday at the recommendation of my chef-friend, who said this would stand up against a Vitamix for literally a third of the cost (sometimes, a 5th of the cost!). I think this was something like what I bought for Will. Just make sure it's a Ninja. You may find if you get the set that comes with a smaller bowl, you'll not need a food processor.'
11. The Stick ($27.45) - This is basically the best/worst tool for any person with any type of activity in their life. Chances are, if your gift receiver is paleo, they are also active. My crossfit box had about 5 of these laying around. I have two at home. My Ragnar team travels with several. It's worth it's weight (and more) in gold. Experience self myofascial release with this stick.
I've just had a request for a Gift Guide for the Paleo Kitchen...so, stay tuned for that later in the week!
What am I missing above? I need to fill out my own Christmas list!
Just a reminder: one one paid me or asked me to post any of the above. These are products I like, I've used, I've wanted or gifted.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Whole30 - Round 2 - Week 1
2013 sucked for me in many ways. Injuries, stress, family health, car accident, job market fun for me and Chadd. So now that I've said that, we can move onto the more positive things going on in 2014!
First, I started a new job. In general, I try to avoid talking about my professional life on this blog, so take it from me when I say I'm expecting to work a lot of hours and have to get creative with working out. Hint: it rhymes with shmearly shmorning schmorkouts....
Along with the greater blogosphere, it seems, I've decided to do another round of Whole30. If you want any information at all about Whole30, I recommend a) the Whole30 website or b) the past few posts on my blog, where you'll find resources I recommend, my experience, and my favorite photos of myself post Whole30.
I'm on Day 3 right now, and the only side effect I have right now is an incredibly stuffy nose. I've mentioned that I wanted to achieve "inexpensive" meals to prove that paleo is affordable. That information will slowly be added into the blog as it requires the maths and we all know how much I love numbers.
Here's a recap so far of what I've been eating, how I've been feeling, and all that nonsense:
Day 1: Monday, January 6
Breakfast: Quiche (almond flour crust, eggs, veggies, bacon filling) and half a Texas grapefruit
Lunch: Moroccan meatballs, grapes
Dinner: Chicken gumbo (which we think tastes more like pot pie filling, less like gumbo), broccoli, peach/cherry crumble for Chadd's "birthday cake"
Feeling:
I have never noticed how terrible and poofy I've felt until this day. I vaguely recall feeling similarly self conscious on day 1 of the last round. I went to bed feeling like 30 days was a long time - not because I couldn't do it...but because it felt like 30 days was so long to wait to feel so good.
Day 2: Tuesday, January 7
Breakfast: Quiche, grapefruit
Lunch: root veggie bisque, grapes
Dinner: Big salad with Chinese-style "peanut" dressing
Feeling:
Why can't I stop peeing? TMI. Why can't I sleep? My stomach feels horrible, but more like I was coming off a hangover (I wasn't).
Day 3: Wednesday, January 8
Breakfast: Quiche, grapefruit
Lunch: Root veggie bisque, cucumber "noodle" asian salad
Dinner: Shrimp with lizard sauce (red sauce), steamed veggies
Feeling:
Aside from feeling like I'd gotten hit in the head when I woke up this morning, noticeable improvements in poof factor. Track practice felt amazing, minus the constrained breathing from the cold.
Right now, my goals are pretty simple for the first 30 days of my job (along with Whole30):
- Make track practice every week
- Crossfit or strength workout once a week
- Yoga once a week
- Long run every week
- One swim or cycle workout/week
It's not a lot, especially as compared to what used to be my training schedule, but I know that at least once a week, I'll have to put the hours in at the office or I'll just want to be home, decompressing. If I do more than that, I'll be satisfied, but I won't stress it.
So. Who else is doing Whole30 with me?
First, I started a new job. In general, I try to avoid talking about my professional life on this blog, so take it from me when I say I'm expecting to work a lot of hours and have to get creative with working out. Hint: it rhymes with shmearly shmorning schmorkouts....
Along with the greater blogosphere, it seems, I've decided to do another round of Whole30. If you want any information at all about Whole30, I recommend a) the Whole30 website or b) the past few posts on my blog, where you'll find resources I recommend, my experience, and my favorite photos of myself post Whole30.
I'm on Day 3 right now, and the only side effect I have right now is an incredibly stuffy nose. I've mentioned that I wanted to achieve "inexpensive" meals to prove that paleo is affordable. That information will slowly be added into the blog as it requires the maths and we all know how much I love numbers.
Here's a recap so far of what I've been eating, how I've been feeling, and all that nonsense:
Day 1: Monday, January 6
Breakfast: Quiche (almond flour crust, eggs, veggies, bacon filling) and half a Texas grapefruit
Lunch: Moroccan meatballs, grapes
Dinner: Chicken gumbo (which we think tastes more like pot pie filling, less like gumbo), broccoli, peach/cherry crumble for Chadd's "birthday cake"
Feeling:
I have never noticed how terrible and poofy I've felt until this day. I vaguely recall feeling similarly self conscious on day 1 of the last round. I went to bed feeling like 30 days was a long time - not because I couldn't do it...but because it felt like 30 days was so long to wait to feel so good.
Day 2: Tuesday, January 7
Breakfast: Quiche, grapefruit
Lunch: root veggie bisque, grapes
Dinner: Big salad with Chinese-style "peanut" dressing
Feeling:
Why can't I stop peeing? TMI. Why can't I sleep? My stomach feels horrible, but more like I was coming off a hangover (I wasn't).
Day 3: Wednesday, January 8
Breakfast: Quiche, grapefruit
Lunch: Root veggie bisque, cucumber "noodle" asian salad
Dinner: Shrimp with lizard sauce (red sauce), steamed veggies
Feeling:
Aside from feeling like I'd gotten hit in the head when I woke up this morning, noticeable improvements in poof factor. Track practice felt amazing, minus the constrained breathing from the cold.
Right now, my goals are pretty simple for the first 30 days of my job (along with Whole30):
- Make track practice every week
- Crossfit or strength workout once a week
- Yoga once a week
- Long run every week
- One swim or cycle workout/week
It's not a lot, especially as compared to what used to be my training schedule, but I know that at least once a week, I'll have to put the hours in at the office or I'll just want to be home, decompressing. If I do more than that, I'll be satisfied, but I won't stress it.
So. Who else is doing Whole30 with me?
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