My W30 - Week 4+

The final week and 2 days of Whole 30.  Here we go...

Breakfast:  By this point, sausage and potato oven baked hash are the easiest, and we both enjoy it!  But, to not get burned out, I did finally buy myself a quality nonstick skillet.  We have finally enjoyed some eggs, scrambled and omelet!

I find myself needing to scrounge one morning for breakfast.  Scrounging on Whole 30 is not easy.  But, this was tasty and it kept me full for quite a while too.  

A banana slice with almond butter (love Trader Joe's almond butter!)  Don't worry about the large portion of almond butter; you can't eat almond butter with my one year old around without her taking big bites as well.

I didn't take a picture of the first soup of the week, Vegetable Soup with Emeril's Essence-seasoned chicken.  So good!  Possibly Will's favorite.

On Saturday, I made an old favorite of ours, Vegetable Soup.  I changed up the vegetables a little based on some leftover vegetables I had in the fridge.

Dinner

Monday:  Lemon Garlic Chicken with roasted green beans and roasted squash and tomatoes

 Tuesday:  Omelet bar (sauteed mushrooms, wilted spinach, tomatoes, bacon) with roasted broccolini

The kids LOVED this!!

Wednesday:  Hamburgers with a French Onion gravy, roasted potatoes and carrots

Have you ever taken the time to caramelize onions?  You have to.  Seriously, have to.  They are easy, just require some babysitting.  This night, I sliced 3 onions.  Started sauteing in some olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium heat.  Lower the heat to medium-low, put the lid on.  Allow to slowly cook for 15-20 minutes.  Remove lid and stir periodically until they start to brown.  Once caramelized, I added enough beef broth to make like a gravy.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

 Thursday - Chicken roasted with diced tomatoes, red pepper, and capers.  Served with roasted rainbow carrots (the kids thought this was awesome!) and sauteed brussel sprouts.

Friday - Grilled Romaine with Shrimp for appetizer.  Steak and a spinach salad with warm bacon vinaigrette.  

Saturday - We had soup for lunch and then a barbecue for some friends that evening.  Since we couldn't eat much, we ate some left over grilled romaine with shrimp.

Sunday - One Pan Teriyaki , this night was our new vegetable night - bok choy!  We will absolutely have it again!

Monday - We had a whole host of veggies left in the fridge that went into the planning of this night's supper,
Pork Tenderloin with Seasoned Rub, all roasted in the oven:  squash, green beans and okra, carrots

This pork tenderloin was wonderful!!  I totally plan to use this rub again in the future - on pork as well as chicken!

Tuesday - DAY 30!!
Butter chicken over cauli-rice and wilted spinach with roasted broccoli

And that makes 30 days!

My W30 - Hosting Friends on W30

We have been eating dinner with a couple from church for nine years now.  It was time to enjoy dinner again.  They are kind, and decided they were up for it!  So, just to prove that good food can be had no matter what diet you are on, here is a look at what we did.  We did miss our cheese course, wine, and cake dessert, but seriously

this was good! 

Appetizer:  Grilled Romaine with Shrimp

 Ribeye Steak and Spinach Salad with warm bacon vinaigrette

The steak was cooked in a little bit of ghee and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Cooked on the stove top in cast iron skillet. 

The spinach salad was made with spinach, tomatoes, boiled eggs, bacon, and bacon vinaigrette.

My friend was kind; we normally enjoy a drink together.  She made up a Whole30 approved drink for us to enjoy.  It may have been indulgent thematically, but it was ingredient-approved.  Pureed mango with orange juice, pineapple juice, and a splash of seltzer water.

We were going to enjoy a dessert of pureed frozen banana and berries with coconut milk, but I forgot to peel the bananas before freezing them.  I will not make that mistake again.  When I offered to grill some pineapple slices, we all agreed we were content.  Can't argue with that!

I may look forward to my next bite of pie, but this supper did not lack for delicious!

My W30 - Week 3

We started Week 3 with proof that we are foodies who tend to go after hobbies with full attack.  What did that mean for us this week, during Whole 30?  It meant it was time to make our own breakfast sausage!

We used Alton Brown's recipe, and it has been good!  I also tried pairing our morning sausage with kale.  I really enjoyed it.  Will prefers the potatoes. 

And, I can easily admit:  throwing several sausage patties and some diced white or sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and then walking away for 30 minutes is the definition of easy!

For this week's soup, Alton Brown's Garden Vegetable Soup.

So good!!  I had never cooked with leeks before but definitely will again!  I really can't decide which soup has been my favorite.  In that way, Whole30 has definitely been successful.  I have found lots of easy soups to add to the lunch go-to list!

Dinner

Monday - our first repeat Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with roasted green beans, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes

Tuesday - Zucchini Boats with brussel sprouts (for these brussel sprouts, I sauteed them with olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar and then added dried cranberries and pecans for the last 5 minutes.

Wednesday - This was my new recipe trial day.  Easy Thai Baked Chicken (Clearly, I made a ton!  Leftovers the next night and I froze some to be shredded and added to a Thai soup or just brought back out for later)

I served the chicken with roasted okra, these glazed carrots but added fresh ginger to the pan while they simmered, and riced cauliflower heated with diced jalapeno and chopped basil

Thursday - Leftover Thai Chicken, riced cauliflower, glazed carrots with ginger, and roasted broccoli

The weekend was spent at my parents house.  We found an omelet on the drive home.  Then had scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage for breakfast.  I made a vegetable soup for my parents to enjoy after we left and for our last lunch.  We made the Mushroom and Beef Soup to host some extended family, serving with rice, roasted vegetables, and fruit.  

Below was our Saturday lunch.  Roasted chicken, peppers, and onions topped with compliant salsa, served with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli.

For some reason the end of week 3 was my and Will's hardest.  We taunted each other with dreams of Blue Bell ice cream several times!  But, instead, off we go to Week 4!

My W30 - Week 2

Week 2 is over, so we are almost halfway there.  Will and I both continue to agree that the diet is hardest if you allow yourself to get hungry.  I also admit... I like to cook.  I read cookbooks for fun.  But, I am missing being able to plan for some easier things like spaghetti, Asian chicken or quick stirfry with rice or Sunday night cereal night, With that confession, here is Week 2.  

Breakfast

I like that breakfasts have already fallen into a bit of a routine.  Almost every morning, we eat sausage and potato hash.  One morning, I decided to get fancy and fix wilted spinach, a fried egg, and sausage.  But, what I want in the mornings is easy and that has proven to be the potato/sausage hash.

Lunch

Pioneer Woman's Italian Meatball Soup

A wonderful soup!!  I fixed this Sunday night and then we ate on it for the week.  Though, if you look on my meal plan, when we ran out of soup and any leftovers, Friday's lunch plan was "scrounge."  Will had meatballs and yellow mustard with a pickle, fruit, mixed nuts.  I had an apple with almond butter and then an hour later mixed nuts.  (Will, on Whole30, has gotten everyday fruit, nuts, and whatever soup or leftovers we have.)

Dinners

This week's dinner menu has some old favorites with some new try-out's.

Monday - Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with glazed carrots, roasted purple carrots, and roasted asparagus 

I only treat our house to pork tenderloin every now and then.  But, when I do, this recipe is favorite!  And, glazed carrots are a go-to around here.  Carrots are cheap and this recipe is easy and requires no babysitting.  We used this recipe to try out ghee (well, because we are foodies or food-nerds, whichever description fits, ha!)

Tuesday - Hamburger with guacamole, roasted okra, and jicama, cucumber, mango salad

Wednesday - Riced Cauliflower

Trader Joe's riced cauliflower, found in frozen section, has been one of my favorite convenience options.  If you are doing Whole 30, go and get at least 2 bags!  Add something to it, like slivered jalapenos this night, absolutely makes it quite more enjoyable.  It's fine without anything, but it's good with something in it (garlic, or onions, or ginger, or peppers).

Butter chicken over riced cauliflower with roasted aspargus

This was a try-out, and it was good!  This is the first night on Whole30 that supper felt heavy and the portion was almost too much.  (These leftovers were also super delicious the next day over wilted spinach.) 

Thursday - dinner at church, mostly compliant

Friday - Carnitas Salad

Pork Shoulder in the crockpot, pulled and then served over salad greens with roasted peppers and onions, roasted sweet potato, and dressed with salsa.  This was a great weekend meal to have around! 

Saturday - Mushroom and Beef Soup

I tweaked a recipe of Pioneer Woman's and came up with this.  Served with roasted potatoes.  This was so good!  I also loved how much the kids loved it, seriously loved it!  After W30, totally gonna make this again and serve with a scoop of rice in the middle, or over egg noodles.

Sunday - leftovers

My W30 - Dinners

Quick snack note

Following the diet strictly, you are supposed to give up snacks.  I have given up snacks about 90%.  If I find myself getting 'hangry' because my portion at one of the meals was too small, I have allowed myself a snack.  No mom should parent 'hangry!' ha!  

These Nut and Fruit bars were what I made as a good snack or dessert if I can tell that breakfast or lunch especially were portioned too small.  

Monday Night

I started the week with comfort food.

Beef stew 

(Roast cubed and then browned.  Saute chopped carrots, onions, parsnips.  Add back beef and beef broth to cover.  Season with salt and pepper, thyme, a bay leaf.  Let simmer as long as you can! (like 1-3 hours)  Served with sauteed brussel sprouts.

Tuesday

Leftover beef stew over riced cauliflower (Trader Joe's freezer section or use box grater to grate a cauliflower, then saute either til heated through) with roasted potatoes and roasted green beans

Wednesday - the family's least favorite

Ratatouille Bake with Chicken, I took the ingredients of ratatouille (zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions,...) and chunks of chicken.  Threw them all in the same dish with olive oil and seasonings and then roasted them in the oven.  I enjoyed it! but the rest of the family was not impressed.

Thursday

I was very glad I had made meatballs before this started!  I fed the family meatballs, sweet potato fries and green beans.  I went out to a birthday dinner for my sister and stayed about 75% compliant.  (Pre-whole30 arranged, so I was fine with that  percentage!)

Friday - my experimental day

experimenting with Coconut Aminos

My youngest has a sensitivity to soy protein, so no soy sauce for her.  For the sake of her sensitive system and trying to keep Asian in the Whole30 rotation, we wanted to try Coconut Aminos.  

Chicken Breasts in a dish, add oil, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, and red peppers.  Bake.  

Served with riced cauliflower and roasted broccoli.

It was good!  It tasted like healthy Asian, but it was good and the whole family enjoyed it.

Saturday

Shrimp Scampi (sauteed in olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic) over wilted spinach with roasted green beans and carrots

Quite possibly might favorite flavor night.  But, not at all enough to keep me from being hungry later.  Maybe add roasted potatoes next time with one or two more shrimp.  But, absolutely delicious!  This was our hungry day.  We did the Thai Chicken Salad at the pool for lunch with fruit on the side.  Then this for supper.  We were hungry in between.  Maybe the problem was that it was light meals for both lunch and supper.  Lesson learned.  Keep away from hangry becca.

Sunday
We always eat out for Sunday lunch with the extended family (Mami Noras this week).  We are finishing lunch at 2.  So most Sundays we only have a snack for supper.  Worked perfect this week; we ate the light Thai Chicken Salad leftovers for supper.

Week 1 done, on to week 2!

My W30 - Breakfast and Lunch

Our first week of Whole 30 went well!  We both had our normal triggers for snacks, but as long as we ate enough to not walk around hungry, we were okay.  So, lesson #1 - make portions that are truly sustaining.  (Uummm, day 5 may have been rather Hangry around our house!)

Quick notes:  when applicable, links to recipes will be in their titles.  Some outside links and some links within my blog.  Also, I didn't read the book.  I looked at information on their website.  I in no way claim to be an expert, but I figure I get it mostly right!

Southwest Breakfast Casserole

This is what we ate the first three days for breakfast!  I prepped the shredded sweet potato and diced jalapeno the night before.  Then, the next morning it was easy to do the little bit that was left and slide into the oven.  My only complaint, 3 days in a row was too many.  I made one again and lessened the recipe for only  2 days worth.

Easy Oven-Roasted Breakfast Hash

This has been what we actually have eaten the most.  I dice potatoes and throw them in the oven with a high quality sausage.  Then, I can continue to move about the kitchen getting Will's lunch ready or sit down for my Bible study while the oven does the work!  (In the morning pictured above, I added diced apple for the last 5 minutes the easy hash cooked.)

Scrambled Eggs and Sausage

I don't have a pan that I love to cook eggs in.  (Read:  I hate cleaning up after scrambling eggs.)  So, the obvious breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon/sausage has not been my go to.  This was our Saturday breakfast when we would both be home to vote on who got to do the clean up, ha!

Lunch

Vegetable Cacciatore Soup

Yum!  Soup as the main lunch item has been a major winner!!  One day it was soup only with 3 added meatballs.  One day it was a half portion of soup with roasted broccoli.  The day the soup was almost gone, I cooked zucchini noodles (used my vegetable peeler to create long thin strips of zucchini, then sauteed for 3-4 minutes or until soft) and then ladled soup over the zucchini noodles.

Wilted Spinach 

I love wilted spinach!  I will serve almost anything on top of wilted spinach.

We had leftovers (Ratatouille Bake) that I warmed and put on top of the bed of wilted spinach, yum!

Typiclally on the weekend, we eat out and fast meals at home.  So, I tried to plan something that could go out with us easily or be easy at home.  

Thai Chicken Salad

I left the honey and fish sauce out of the dressing.  This was super yummy!  Easy to carry to the pool one day and for a picnic at the food court a different day.  (I planned it so that I could double the chicken in the night before's recipe and that would be the chicken for this salad.)

My Whole30 - My Why and My Approach

Well, we did it.  My husband and I decided to do the Whole 30 program.  

Our Why:  I wanted a diet reset.  After 7 years with 3 pregnancies, almost 3 combined years of nursing, and just life, it was time to create some new defaults, find some new ideas for our breakfasts and lunches.  We will absolutely enjoy chocolate cake, ice cream, sandwiches, etc when this 30 days is over.  But, by following someone else's rules, it forces me to find some new go-to's.  Those new go-to's can balance forever-love's like cookies!  Will says he is game for my reasons, but he is also approaching it with the scientist's mindset:  will I really have more energy like everyone says I will?

My Goal:  I like carb-loaded breakfast.  From Raisin Bran to donuts, pair it with my black coffee, favorite breakfasts.  But, that is not my best health.  And, there is not much stick-with-it-ness for the morning to follow.  No shocker there.  So, huge goal, figure out a high-protein breakfast that I can enjoy.

Another huge goal is lunch.  After packing Will's lunch and the kids' lunch, I can be lazy about my own lunch.  So, what if I could find a lunch that Will and I both like?  A lunch that is tasty, filling, budget friendly, and that we both enjoy?  Create a better health for Will and a non-neglectful lunch for me.

Results:  Not yet.  I type this on day 8.  But, after 30 days...

will we have increased energy and lower brain fog?  

will I have found lunches and breakfasts that help create balance and better health?

will I have found some budget-friendly ways to achieve the latter goal?

and, of course, will I have lost the last of my baby weight?

My Approach:  one, a lot of my family is trying to create better health for themselves.  Because we all have different goals, we are going about it several ways.  One other house is doing Whole 30, which makes it fun to commiserate with someone!
To get ready for it, I spent two weeks planning recipes.  As day 1 approached, I made 3lbs worth of meatballs (about 72) and shredded a couple chicken breasts and put it all in the freezer.  By doing this, I would have a go-to for a supper if I got caught with too little time or too little desire to cook!  and, my best idea for lunch was vegetable soups and then add shredded chicken or meatballs to the bowls for the protein.
So, basically my approach was prep and plan, looking for repeatable options (both on enjoyment and budget) to try now and hopefully add to the normal repertoire later.

8 down...22 to go...