Whole 30 Days 2,3,4

The past few days have flown by (thankfully) and have been much less painless than the last round I tried to do back in December. Days 2 and 3 I was pretty tired, and on Day 3 I actually took a nap. It was glorious. I have noticed I am already sleeping so much sounder at night. I am actually sleeping through the night. Well until the dog wakes me up at 4am, but I'm go back to sleep without any problem. Anyways, here's the quick of what I have been eating.

Quick side note: On Day 3 I was presented with a challenge. I had to attend a going away party at my mom's house. She had made chicken and sausage gumbo (which is not compliant) and many guests brought over lots of delicious looking appetizers, sides, and desserts. I made bacon "topped" dates so I could have a snack. I even brought my own dinner, but didn't end up eating it until I got home.

Breakfasts- 2 eggs scrambled in ghee, Pederson's sugar free bacon, and a piece of fruit (banana, strawberries, or an orange.)

Lunches- Leftovers of Chicken, red potatoes, and green beans

Snacks- raw pecans, carrot sticks and guacamole, or fruit listed above

Dinners- Garlic and Lemon Chicken with red potatoes and green beans. (Days 2 & 3) I used a whole chicken instead of the chicken breasts and doubled the rest of the recipe.

Day 4- Grass Fed Roast in the pressure cooker with onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, balsamic vinegar, a dash of ACV (to make the broth taste more like bone broth), and beef broth. Sauteed brussell sprouts and baked sweet potatoes with a small dab of ghee.

Whole 30 Day 1 (January edition)

After a fun, food-filled, alcohol-filled, and company-filled holiday season I'm feeling pretty yucky! AND we went to New Orleans to celebrate my brother in-law's big 4-0. We ate and drank, and ate and drank. AND I gained 2 lbs from that trip even despite all of the walking we did for 2.5 days.
Since Russell and I didn't make it past day 5 back in January, we both agreed that we would start again after our trip to NOLA. SO here we are again, day 1.

Breakfast for day 1 was beef and veggie (cabbage, carrots, celery, calabasa squash, potatoes, and zuchinni) soup that my sweet mother in law made us on Saturday. I can't seem to get enough of this soup over the past few days.

Lunch- more soup and sliced carrots with some of the premade HEB guacamole, and some sliced strawberries.

Dinner- Thai Basil Beef with Zoodles. (Russell's favorite.) 

Today I also made one of my favorite snacks, Beef Jerky. Here's how I did it. But feel free to add any spices you make like.
Grass Fed Paleo Beef Jerkey 

2lbs Lean Sliced Beef cut into strips
1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
2 dashes Red Boat Fish Sauce 
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder  (optional)
1 tsp onion powder (optional)
**Red Pepper flakes if you like some spice!

Combine all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut the beef slices into small strips and add to the sauce you just made. Let the beef strips marinate for at least 2 hours. (24 hours is best but I rarely have that kind of patience when I'm making this.) 

Once you are done marinating, put your beef on the dehydrator trays. Make sure to allow some space between the pieces of beef. Turn your dehydrator on high and let cook for 5 hours.  Make sure to not over cook in the dehydrator.  You will get crispy beef instead of a chewier texture.
If you do not have a dehydrator you can do this in the oven. Cook the beef at 200 for at least 4 hours.

My Hard Reset (Caution maybe TMI)

I don't think I've ever been so sick in my 32 years. The stomach virus that is going around this year is intense. All 3 of us got the virus, Kannon first who complained of a tummy ache, had a fever, and was just plain fatigued for 2 days finally threw up on the 2nd night of the illness. I woke up the next morning (Friday) at 3:30 am and vomited and vomited for 4 hours. It was painful. Actually it was coming from both ends. IT.WAS.BAAAAD! But 4 days later I'm seeing the light. I'm still feeling a bit dizzy. I am trying to see some good coming from this. So here it is. I lost 5lbs, and I haven't had a craving for ANYTHING! I now want to try to start on my Paleo journey again. Whole 30 will have to wait until after a vacation in the beginning of January. (New Orleans is no place to try to be on a diet....) So here's my plan. Week days at home paleo, on the weekends I have the freedom to do as I please. I think this is a good place to start. I did this for many months after my Whole 30 in February and this is how I have kept most of the weight off. I will still post recipes that I use. So keep posted for what's to come!!!

Whole 30 (round 2) Day 4 & 5

I woke up on Day 4 with a clear head thinking to myself "Today is going to be a good day." Then about an hour into the morning I realized I was VERY angry at EVERYTHING. I got very upset at the grocery store about not being able to eat cheese (which I am VERY fond of). I was just very irritable and half way through the day I felt very tired. I also had no appetite. Food in general was just not appetizing. So food wise it was a good day, but mood wise it was bad.

Hand dipped beeswax candles

I'll just go on to Day 5 before sharing my meals because there's no good new here. I forgot to set my alarm the night before maybe because I was so tired but who really knows. Anyways, my day just didn't get off to a good start. I dropped K off at school and his teacher needed some help making some candles for a celebration next week. So I did that and it was very calming. I then got done doing the candles and the ladies setting up a Pop-Up Shop benefiting our school (Great Oak School) were in need of some help with some tasks. I ended up staying at school all day lending a helping hand. I returned home without any lunch only a Lara Bar (no, the real ones, not one I made hehe). On our way home there is this awesome new restaurant on the short cut to our neighborhood that has a big playground and sand pit for the kids. I had the thought "A sandwich and a beer on the patio sounds amazing." Well, Russell didn't object. In fact, he got really excited and agreed. So much for supporting each other. It's more like sabotaging each other. We went, enjoyed our beers and sandwich, Kannon had a blast playing on the playground and COVERED in sand. I am okay with my decision but I do have that twinge of regret.

Winter Pop-Up Shop

So today I start over again. Day 1. Let's see if I can make it to day 6 this week! ;)

As far as meals go this is how my compliant meals went.

Breakfast- Coffee with coconut milk & cinnamon, egg and banana (day 4 & 5)

Lunch- the trusty old Chicken salad salad

Dinner- Simple Roasted Chicken, with purple sweet potato fries (tossed in olive oil salt/pepper roasted in the oven with the chicken for about an hour), and brussell sprouts (sliced in half sauteed in ghee, salt, pepper, & garlic)

Purple Sweet Potato Fries

The Brussell Sprouts were the best part!

Whole 30 (round 2) Day 3

I thought day 2 was bad. Nope, I was completely wrong. Day 3 was not fun at all. My brain was so foggy and I was so hungry, fatigue and a dull annoying headache ALL.DAY.LONG! I did manage to get up and do a few things like run errands, take K to the park, and some things around the house. It took every single ounce of energy I had to get up and have a somewhat productive day. I was so thankful that I had leftovers for lunch and dinner. I thought about caving and getting a pizza but I stayed strong and did not. (Day 3 has been the day I fail in the past.) As far as meals go I made some fresh Zoodles and had leftovers for dinner.

Breakfast- Boiled egg and carrot sticks with almond butter, coffee with coconut milk and cinnamon

Lunch- Chicken Salad salad (anyone seeing a trend???)

Camren Kitty wanted some too

Snacks- pomegranate seeds, a few pieces of dried mango, handful of raw cashews, and a slice of bacon (one of the perks of W30!)

Dinner- Leftover Thai Basil Beef over zoodles. I added a few more veggies (same ones from the night before) and reheated in a saute pan. I also made a fresh batch of zoodles since we devoured them the night before.

Zoodles

I am so happy to have made it through day 3. Onto 4 we go!!!!

Whole 30 (round 2) Day 2

UGhhhhh. Let the food hangover begin. Day 2 was rough. I felt constantly hungry, had no energy, and had a touch of an annoying headache (this is all NORMAL and expected as I am detoxing. See Whole 30 timeline to keep up with what is normal) I ate too many snacks, but I was still compliant and had a successful day. I tried a new recipe for dinner that will be added to the meal rotation because it was amazing and quick and easy. I found it on the Whole 30 daily email that I receive. So let's begin...

Breakfast- Coffee with coconut milk and a dash of cinammon, 1 boiled egg and leftover turkey soup from Day 1

Snacks of raw cashews, pomegranate seeds, a few pieces of dried mango (I realized around 2 pm that I was snacking so much because I forgot to eat lunch. oops!)

Lunch- Chicken Salad Salad (Here's the recipe)

Dinner- Thai Basil Beef from Whole 30 daily email Here's how it goes. Add any veggies you'd like or subtract any veggies you don't like. Make it your own. Russell and I found this to be delicious! It wasn't the prettiest meal I've ever made, but we cannot wait to have it for dinner again tonight!

Thai Basil Beef

Thai Basil Beef
2 tbsp coconut oil
1lb of Grass-Fed Ground beef (or protein of your choice)
1/2 small yellow onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper sliced
small handful of bamboo shoots (optional)
small handful of water chestnuts cut in half (optional)
Fresh or dried basil
2-3 tbsp Coconut aminos
1 dash Red Boat Fish sauce (optional)
Red Pepper flakes (optional) *I like mine spicy

*Serve over ghee sauteed zucchini noodles (or in the paleo world "Zoodles")

Melt your coconut oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and season with a little salt/pepper. When fully cooked add your chopped onion. Cook until the onion is translucent. Then add your bell pepper and other veggies cook 2-3 minutes then add your coconut aminos (and fish sauce if you are using it.) Also add your basil (and red pepper flakes) at this time and let cook for just a few minutes. When the veggies are cooked to your liking (I like my red bell pepper soft) serve over zoodles or eat alone. 

Whole 30 (round 2) Day 1 the Prep

I forgot a few things about Day 1 that I did to set myself up for success. These are things other than the cleaning out the fridge and pantry for my triggers.
For those who don't know what Whole 30 is, go here to learn more.

First off, GHEE!! Beautiful, golden, ghee! Or as some may know it, clarified BUTTER! It is just butter that has the dairy parts removed.
Instead of paying $9.99 for a small jar of ghee I pay $3.25 for Kerrygold Grass-Fed butter and I make my own ghee in 10 whole minutes. The stove and pan do all the work. All you have  to do is keep an eye on it for when it is ready. I use NomNom Paleo's recipe for ghee. (You will notice I have my favorite blogs for referencing all that is W30 and Paleo.)
Here's the link. Nom Nom Paleo's Ghee

Second, I forgot about my 4-5 days worth of paleo chicken salad. Now this one is a bit more complicated. This requires making your own mayo which is way easier than anyone could imagine.  This is Melissa Jowlan's Mayo video, check it out for paleo mayo instructions. It is the most delicious mayo you will ever taste.


I do a roasted chicken (recipe here Simple Roasted Chicken). Then take the meat off and put it in my mixer with a paddle. It shreds the chicken quickly and easily.  I then add celery, onion, garlic powder, green onions, parsley, pink himalayan salt/black pepper, and lastly fold in the mayo. Make sure to let this sit in the fridge for a few hours for the flavors to intensify.

 Chicken salad salad

I like to make this recipe weekly and then I have no excuse for not having lunch already made. I love putting the chicken salad over a green salad, adding any veggies I have around (carrots, celery, cucumbers, radish) and raw unsalted sunflower seeds. Then I dress with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I also like black pepper, and a dash of salt. 

Here's what you'll need:

Meat of a 3-5lb whole roasted chicken
1/2 stalk celery
2 tbsp of grated onion (white or yellow will do)
1 tbsp of garlic powder (more or less to fit your taste, I like a lot of garlic!)
2 green onions chopped
3 tops of fresh parsley chopped
~2 cups  mayo or one recipe from above
Salt and Pepper to taste

-Mix all of this together and let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours for the best taste.  And then ENJOY!!!