WHOLE30 Day #29 – Feeling Thankful

WHOLE30 Day #29 – This is the penultimate (I just love that word!) day of our inaugural WHOLE30 journey. In plain English, it’s our second to last day. We can see the end from here. It’s exciting. I already feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment, and I’m grateful that Hubs and I were able to go through it together. But there’s another feeling too, almost a nervousness or apprehension, like I’m not ready for it to end. Gone are the cravings that haunted me a week or two ago. I no longer go to sleep at night counting cream-filled doughnuts. I don’t really want to go back to my previous way of eating. And there are still so many WHOLE30-esque recipes buzzing around in my head that I’ve yet to try.

The one that follows is something that came to me during the period of overwhelming food yearnings. During a rare moment of quiet in our house, I sat gleefully perusing internet food porn while fantasizing about various delicious meals I’d enjoyed in days gone by. I remembered with fondness our annual Thanksgiving feasts, complete with moist turkey, savory homemade stuffing (or dressing if you’re so inclined), gooey sweet potatoes, maybe some mashed potatoes and apple pie too. Then I thought, what if I combined all those flavors into one dish? Something small I could eat with my hands, so I could shove a whole lot in my mouth all at once, something like …. meatballs. Surely, I could find a way to make meatballs taste good using WHOLE30 ingredients. Voilà!

Thanksgiving Meatballs

 Thanksgiving Dinner in a Meatball!!!

Thanksgiving Dinner in a Meatball!!!

As an additional comment (added since the original posting of this recipe), I want to mention something I’ve discovered regarding instant potato flakes. It has come to my attention that some brands contain various preservatives including sulfites, which are not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which are frankly unhealthy for us to eat at any time). I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes. You can purchase this product online through iHerb or Amazon, and it is also available in many grocery stores. The moral of the story – it’s always important to check the ingredient lists of any products you purchase, especially when doing WHOLE30.

Back to the meatballs – I’ll warn you, this is a somewhat labor-intensive recipe but it’s SO worth the effort. This is possibly my family’s favorite WHOLE30 recipe so far. I’m betting your family will enjoy it as well. Be sure and leave me some comments to let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
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• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and cooked
• 2 apples, chopped finely (I left mine unpeeled)
• 9 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained
• 1 pound lean (e.g. 93%) ground turkey breast (uncooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• ½-3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes (dry)
• ¼ cup coconut oil

Hardware:
• large (preferably nonstick) heavy frying pan with lid or electric skillet
• large baking sheet
• food processor

Process:
1. Place sweet potato in microwave on HIGH for about 3-5 minutes (depending on strength/size of your microwave) until cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly.
2. When sweet potato is cool enough to handle, place in canister of food processor along with apples, and pulse until mostly smooth.
3. Remove lid and add next 9 ingredients. Cover and process on LOW-MEDIUM speed until fully blended.
4. Pour mixture into large bowl and fold in ½ cup mashed potato flakes. Stir until well combined.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight is best.
At this point, you may need to add some more potato flakes to thicken the mixture. Try adding 1 Tbsp. at a time to avoid ending up with overly dry
meatballs. If you do need to add more, be sure to stir well after each addition to fully combine.
6. Using clean hands (I wore disposable sanitary gloves), form mixture into individual meatballs about 1/8 cup each in size. Place on well-oiled baking
sheet.

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To cook the meatballs you have 2 options: Fry or bake. I tried both and they work equally well. I’d say that baking was a lot easier for me, but it’s your call.

7. To Fry: Place a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and spray with nonstick spray. If using an electric skillet, preheat to 375 degrees
Fahrenheit. When pan is hot, melt 3 Tbsp. coconut oil and rotate pan to evenly distribute the oil.
Place half the meatballs into the prepared pan and cover pan. Turn heat down to MEDIUM (about 350 on electric skillet). Cover pan and allow to cook about
8 minutes.
Remove lid and carefully flip each meatball over.
Cover pan again and cook about 10 more minutes. Repeat process with remaining meatballs and coconut oil. You may do this ahead of time and reheat them in
a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes if desired.
8. To Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Fahrenheit). Melt coconut oil in microwave (should take about 20 seconds on HIGH) and drizzle over meatballs. Toss meatballs gently to coat with oil.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then remove pan from oven and carefully flip each meatball.
Return to oven and cook about 8 more minutes. Remove from oven and check for doneness. As above, you may prebake meatballs and reheat them in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes just prior to serving if desired.
Serve & Enjoy! Makes about 6 large servings

Verse of the Day:
But I will sing to You and sacrifice to You with a voice filled with thanksgiving; Whatever I promised, I will certainly pay it because deliverance is from the Eternal alone.
~Jonah 2:9 (The Voice)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Have you recently achieved a goal and feel like treating yourself to a Pretty Mommy beautification product? Check out this list of drugstore dupes for high-end makeup products. Use this list to score several products for the price of one. Win, win!

WHOLE30 Day #27 – I’m So Thirsty!

WHOLE30 Day #27 – Here in North Carolina where we live, Spring is almost over and Summer is on its way. It’s getting warmer and warmer as April draws to a close. This is particularly noteworthy because Hubs and I are in the homestretch of our first WHOLE30 adventure. You’ll notice that I’m referring to it now as our “first” adventure with WHOLE30. It’s easy to envision oneself repeating this admittedly difficult process when there are only a few days left.

One aspect of the program that isn’t often addressed – or at least that I didn’t find a lot of info about – is beverages. At its core, WHOLE30 is a higher protein diet. Generally speaking, higher protein diets result in increased fluid loss. That’s a good thing in the beginning because many of us (especially women) walk around retaining excess fluid. In my case, especially in the early postpartum days, I retained a whole lot of excess fluid, and I was uncomfortable. But I was breastfeeding and figured it would all balance out eventually. To a certain extent, my body did balance out after a few months and with breastfeeding. But once I stopped breastfeeding, I noticed I was still holding a lot of extra fluid. I had headaches. My hands and feet were still swollen, and I couldn’t wear my wedding rings. That resolved pretty quickly for me after starting WHOLE30 (like within the first 2 weeks). But, man am I thirsty! Like all the time. Thirsty! And after a while, plain water got to be … boring. Keeping the house stocked with Perrier proved too expensive for our budget, so I went seeking alternatives.

Hubs drinks green tea, and I’ve always planned to start drinking it “someday.” It’s healthy; loaded with potent antioxidants; proven to help with weight loss, and on and on. I never enjoyed the taste and was skeptical that I’d like it without sweetener, until I decided to add fresh ginger. We also experimented with the addition of different flavored teas. My favorite recipe is listed below and includes a mix of plain green tea and herbal peach flavored teas. I like this mix best for both flavor and caffeine content. Green tea contains caffeine (though comparatively less than coffee); whereas herbal tea does not contain caffeine. Excess caffeine not only makes you jittery, it’s also a potent diuretic (it’s the main ingredient in OTC “water pills” by the way) which you don’t need during WHOLE30.

Play with the amount of ginger to find the exact right amount for you. If you don’t like ginger, alternatives include muddled fruit (like peaches, mango, etc.) or fresh herbs like mint. I hope you enjoy this tea as much as we do!

Refreshing Iced Tea for the Warm Days Ahead

Refreshing Iced Tea for the Warm Days Ahead

Ingredients:
• 1 generous knob fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 sachets plain organic green tea
• 2 sachets fruit flavored herbal tea (I’m partial to peach)
• 2 Liter pure, filtered water

Process:
1. Place peeled and chopped ginger in your pitcher along with tea sachets.
NOTE: Hubs has a fancy schmancy tea infuser which allows us to put sachets into cylindrical tube which I think is designed to hold loose leaf tea if you’re inclined to prefer that form. We put the sachets in the tube but still put the ginger directly into the pitcher for maximum pungency. You don’t need this type of set-up but it’s nice and makes for easier cleanup.
2. Heat distilled water to boiling in teapot.
3. Carefully add boiling water to prepared pitcher.
4. Allow to steep for at least 2 hours.
5. Serve over ice & garnish with fresh mint if desired. Enjoy!
Makes 4 generous glasses

Verse of the Day:
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
~Psalm 63:1 (English Standard Version)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Still need more incentive to drink green tea? Check out this list of 10 evidence-based reasons green tea is beneficial to your health!

WHOLE30 Day #25 – Cheez-It!

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+NOTE: This post has been updated since I originally published it and now includes some additional info as obtained from the WHOLE30 Forums.

WHOLE30 Day #25 –The final week of April has begun, which is particularly noteworthy because it marks the last full week of our first WHOLE30 journey. You’ll notice that I’m referring to it now as our “first” adventure with WHOLE30. It’s easy to envision oneself repeating this admittedly difficult process when there are only 6 days left to endure.

It’s also easier to envision repeating WHOLE30 when you can point to several specific rewards gained from the program. Both my husband and I have noticed positive physical changes in the last few weeks. Hubs has lost inches off his waist which was his primary physical goal entering WHOLE30 and is, according to multiple studies an important health marker, especially as we age. To read more about Hubs’ experiences and results, check out “I’m at a Loss,” at Functional Dad.net.

I didn’t use measurements for my pre-WHOLE30 goal-setting. I probably should have, but I developed a significant aversion to that yellow measuring tape while I was pregnant. The trauma of seeing those ever-increasing numbers of my girth was just too much for me. My goal has, for many months now, been quite simply to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes. So for me, a major accomplishment was comfortably fitting into several pair of my pre-pregnancy work pants and – drumroll please – getting into a pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans. True, they don’t fit like they used to, but I got them on. And that’s a huge deal for me! Huge.

Despite these significant and tangible achievements, we’ve still got 6 days and nights worth of meals to get through. According to the handy, dandy official WHOLE30 Timeline (which if you’ve been following this blog, you’ve seen repeatedly by now), we should have been pretty tired of eggs in all iterations by about day 10 or 11. So you can imagine that by days 24 or 25, we need something to jazz up our stand-by omelets. Here’s where my years as a vegan came in handy. I remembered a recipe I’d made a long time ago using cashews and nutrient yeast to make a kind of cheese-ish sauce. Full disclosure here, I’m not 100% sure if the WHOLE30 authors would technically approve of nutrient yeast (I couldn’t find it on any approved or disapproved food list so I’m making a judgement call. +++UPDATE: I was finally able to find some additional info regarding nutrient yeast in the fabulous WHOLE30 Forums. See additional comments at bottom of post.). And as I’ve discussed before, I’ve intentionally decided to avoid my natural predilection toward perfectionism in order to increase my own likelihood of completing the “whole” WHOLE30 days (pun intended). The recipe below was just what we needed to add a little punch to our egg meals. As a bonus the “cheez-ish” sauce goes great on just about any protein dish (try it on plain baked chicken, turkey, pork or beef); adds zing to baked or roasted potatoes and livens up any salad. Hope your family enjoys it as much as we did!

Cheez-ish Sauce the Awesome Omelet Topper

Cheez-ish Sauce – Delicious Topper for Omelets, Potatoes, and All Manner of Assorted WHOLE30 Goodies!!!

WHOLE30-ish Cheez-Ish Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1 cup “raw” cashews
• 1 whole red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup nutrient yeast
• ½ tsp. prepared Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. iodized sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. turmeric

Hardware:
• distilled or filtered water
• high-powered blender (e.g. Nutribullet, Vitamixer, etc.) or food processor

Process:
1. Place cashews in canister of blender or food processor and cover with enough distilled or filtered water to completely cover cashews.
Soak cashews for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
2. While the cashews soak, wash and core the bell pepper, cutting into large chunks so it will puree more easily.
3. Strain cashews and retain some of the soaking liquid.
4. Place cashews, about 2 Tbsp. soaking liquid, chopped pepper and remaining ingredients in canister and puree until very smooth.
You may have to add more soaking liquid but do so very carefully, adding only about 1 tsp. at a time to avoid breaking the mixture.
5. Blend or process until very smooth and no pieces of original ingredients are visible. Store mixture in the refrigerator. NOTE: It’s best to allow mixture to “rest” in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Serve & Enjoy
~ Makes a whole bunch, about 12 (2 Tbsp.) servings

Verse of the Day:
You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips..
~Psalm 63:5 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Read more here.

Resources of the Day:
1. If you lack my particular aversion to having your measurements taken, you’ll find this article from Weight Watchers extremely helpful and informative!
2. Here’s a quick video tutorial on taking women’s measurements in case you prefer to gain new skills from You Tube…

If you’re like me, you’ll rely on old school measures of weight loss!
Just remember, Pretty Mommies, sometimes the jeans are just too skinny!
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+++ For those of you who are interested in following this program according to the letter of the WHOLE30 law, I highly recommend you check out the Forums page on the main WHOLE30 site and specifically that bookmark the “Can I Have” page which contains a wealth of info on practically every topic you could think of. By doing a quick search, I was able to find the following discussion regarding nutrient yeast from 2012. While this is not a definitive approval, it seems the general consensus is that “nooch” (as the vegans call it) is a far better option than dairy or soy-based cheeses and therefor approved if used in moderation. Yippee!

WHOLE30 Day #24 – Cleaning Up

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Much of our family’s focus this weekend has been on cleaning our home in preparation for visitors this coming week. With a baby in the house, we tend to clean more reactively than proactively. “Oh there’s a mess over here. Let me pick that up before the baby gets into it…The baby spilled her bottle over there. I need to mop that up before get into it and turn it into an even bigger mess.” We vacuum before our daughter does tummy time but not on a regular schedule (sad but true). I dust when we’re expecting company not because that’s just what I do every Tuesday.

So as I cleaned, I began thinking about WHOLE30 and how it’s been kind of a metaphor for spring cleaning, a reset if you will. I discussed it with Hubs. We talked about our individual experiences; how our initial WHOLE30 journeys are coming to an end; what we’ve learned; etc. We also talked about how we want to move forward, the aspects of WHOLE30 we definitely want to maintain, pitfalls we want to avoid during the transition from such a strict eating plan (binging on pizza anyone?) and such. More on this topic in the days ahead…

Shortly after this conversation I checked my email. I had received my daily e-devotional from Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Points. In case you’re unfamiliar with Turning Points – it’s a wonderful program that sends you 6 emails a week (1 per weekday and 1 for the weekend). Each email contains a short devotional with a foundational scripture, a brief discussion often based on the life story of some historical individual and an additional suggested Bible reading for follow-up. During my days in the full-time, traditional work force, Turning Points emails were invaluable for helping me establish a daily devotional routine. These days, with an erratic full-time mommy schedule, Turning Points serves to ground me and remind me every day of the peace and love God provides. I’ve pasted a portion of this weekend’s devotion below because it speaks so clearly to this issue of spring cleaning, and how we should remain continually in a process of resetting and reassessing our progress toward our goals.

…Why should we live without having our affairs in order? Why shouldn’t “getting our affairs in order” be a continual process of assessing and resetting instead of an end-of-life challenge? We know the reasons: procrastination, busyness, resistance to change, unwillingness to make hard choices, fear of the future, and more. And yet we eventually get to that place: We clean out the garage and basement, we go on a diet, we start exercising, we begin investing resources in healthy relationships, we start spending daily time with God, we fine-tune our financial matters . . . we do those things that we know will allow important priorities to rise to the top and less important ones to fall by the wayside. Is it time for you to get your spiritual and practical affairs in order? Make it a continual process as you press toward the goal of knowing Christ Jesus.

Verse of the Day:
But one thing I do . . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 3:13b-14 (NKJV)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Click here to register & begin receiving Turning Points e-devotionals automatically delivered to your inbox!

WHOLE30 Day #21- 2nd Day Dinner…Done!

WHOLE30 Keep Calm Banner
WHOLE30 Day #21 – So last night for our main course protein, we had rotisserie chicken, AKA “the go-to fast food meal of Paleos.” It was delicious, and perhaps more important, it was convenient. But as is always the case in our household, we had more than half the chicken leftover afterwards. I suspect you’ve had a similar experience with whole chickens unless you’re serving a family of 6+ in which case my heart goes out to you! In the old (pre-WHOLE30) days, I would have easily used the leftovers to generate some sort of chicken and rice dish, but alas rice is no longer an option. So when my mother suggested I make a stir-fry for the second-day meal, my initial thought was: Ugh, impossible without rice! Then my next thoughts were of all the ways to mimic rice; how I should run to the store; purchase some cauliflower and try out that cool ricing technique I’d seen on so many Paleo blogs recently. But Hubs detests cauliflower and he’d surely see through that trick, I reasoned. Plus, I’d already pushed my luck with him only a few days ago with the fried sprouts adventure. Probably best not to force him into eating two such dreaded veggies in close succession.

After too many minutes spent pondering the issue, I went to refrigerator and stumbled upon my first tip for success when “doing” the WHOLE30.
Are you ready? Here it is:
Keep as much fresh produce in your house as you can (or have room for), even if you don’t know how you’re going to use them (that is, even if you have no particular recipe in mind for them).

Having spare fruits and veggies in the house has saved me on multiple occasions when trying to figure out dinner (see Turkey Cabbage Skillet as but one example). In this case, I rummaged through the fridge and found some fresh ginger root, extra celery, a couple of bell peppers and some colorful baby carrots (listed in the recipe as just carrots), etc. And I keep unsweetened pineapple juice on hand for making my WHOLE30-ish popsicles (see recipe here) as well as various forms of coconut – oil, aminos, etc. because I’ve become so fond of cooking with coconut (as I discussed in this post). So I decided to just give it my best shot with creating a stir-fry that would be satisfying on its own without rice.

WHOLE30 Rotisserie Chicken Stir-fry

WHOLE30 Rotisserie Chicken Stir-fry – Delicious 2nd Day Dinner Option

The result garnered rave reviews from the family and is pictured below. I’d encourage you to experiment with other veggies that may be favorites around your house. I think zucchini or broccoli would be terrific. But we had no zucchini on hand, and Hubs abhors broccoli (noticing a trend here?). One word of caution, don’t tempted to skimp on the veggies or to omit the eggs. You need the fiber, texture and crunch provided by the variety of vegetables, and the eggs provide additional protein and bulk to the mixture. Lastly, I did add a half packet of stevia to mimic the sweet and sour flavor of take-out stir-fry, which is not strictly WHOLE30 approved. You can omit it if you are a perfectionist. I think it’s better with it, but that’s your call.

Ingredients:
• 1 Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
• 2 Tbsp. liquid coconut oil (I used Carrington’s brand)
• ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple or orange juice
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh, peeled ginger
• 1 whole red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 whole green bell pepper, sliced
• 5 large carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks or thick slices
• 5 ribs celery, cut into large chunks
• 2 whole eggs, beaten
• ½ cup pineapple chunks
• 1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. coconut aminos (e.g. Coconut Secret)
• ½ packet stevia sweetener (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped cashews or sunflower seeds

Process:
1. Remove chicken meat (be sure to get both white and dark meat) from the bone and try to remove any visible fat and skin. Set meat aside.
2. Place a large skillet or wok over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and add coconut oil and pineapple juice, then add salt, garlic powder and fresh ginger. Stir to combine and allow to sauté briefly.
3. Next add peppers, carrots and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes while stirring continuously.
4. Add chicken and eggs to the pan, again stirring continuously. You want to scramble the eggs and make sure the whole mixture is combined and the eggs coat the mixture evenly.
5. When the eggs are cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in the pineapple and the next 3 ingredients. Toss lightly to ensure even distribution of oils and seasonings.
6. Cover the mixture for a few minutes (5 minutes should do the trick).
7. Just before serving, sprinkle with sweetener (if using) and stir to combine. Then sprinkle with nuts.
Serve & Enjoy. Makes about 5 generous portions

Verse of the Day:
Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Read more here.

Resource for the Day:
Bible Gateway Plus

WHOLE30 Days #17-19: Brace Yourself….Here Come the Cravings!

My Evil Pizza Fantasies...

My Evil Pizza Fantasies…

WHOLE30 Days #17-19…. I posted a few days ago that I was somewhat frustrated by my slow progress with respect to the projected WHOLE30 timeline, specifically that I seemed to be lagging behind, not yet experiencing any surges in energy or cravings for foods off-limits during the program. Well, I’m happy to report that I seem to be catching up, at least as far as cravings go. Yeah, it’s been a whale of a weekend in the food fantasy department…hmm, whale. I wonder what whale tastes likes. No, I’m not that desperate…yet!

Shamu is about the only thing I haven’t found myself dreaming about eating these last few days. I’ve literally gone to bed at night with visions of pineapple pizza pies dancing in my head. More than once I’ve dreamt about food. On Saturday night (technically it was early Sunday morning), I dreamt that I was finishing off a huge plate of chocolate chip pancakes (with butter and syrup on top, thank you very much) when I was suddenly awakened by my daughter crying for her own breakfast. I was so disturbed by her screams and the thought that I’d so disastrously broken with the WHOLE30 protocol, that I started shouting. Poor Hubs had to shake me to wake me from my semi-comatose, food-hallucinating state. At various points during my waking hours (usually during the mid afternoons), I find my thoughts turning and returning to such dastardly fare as Oreos, onion rings and fast food hamburgers. And I don’t even like hamburgers as a general rule. It’s all pretty weird but to be expected according to the WHOLE30 experts.

On a positive note, my overall energy level has improved. I won’t say that I’ve surged into the “boundless” department, but I’m no longer tethered to the sofa struggling to find the strength to remain upright. I find that I can more quickly respond to my daughter’s needs, which is of course my top priority. And my daily yoga sessions are less of a chore. My balance has improved, which is a really good thing because toppling to the floor from a simple triangle pose was really starting to get me down (literally and figuratively)!

I even had some energy leftover this evening to try out a new recipe for dinner – Oven Fried Sprouts (pic below).

Oven Fried Sprouts

Crispy & Delicious Oven-fried Sprouts

This took some creativity on my part because the main ingredient is brussels sprouts, Hubs’ all time most hated vegetable. Here’s the scoop:

Ingredients:
• 9-10 oz. shaved Brussels sprouts (I used Green Giant)
• 1 Tbsp. liquid coconut oil (I used Carrington’s brand)
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• pinch allspice
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
• ½ packet stevia sweetener
• 3 pieces crisply cooked bacon, crumbled

Process:
1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray a 9X13” cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray (I used coconut oil spray).
2. Spread sprouts on prepared pan in a thin, even layer. Then sprinkle evenly with salt, allspice and garlic powder.
3. Top mixture with both oils then toss lightly to ensure even distribution of oils and seasonings.
4. Bake in preheated for about 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and stir.
5. Return to oven for about 10 more minutes, keeping an eye to ensure your sprouts don’t get too brown. You want a nice combination of dark crispy pieces and bright green leaves.
6. When you are satisfied that the sprouts of done, remove from the oven. Just before serving, sprinkle with vinegar, sweetener and (if using) hot sauce. Then toss well to combine, and top with crumbled bacon.
7. Be sure to serve these in a pretty dish (presentation is important when serving a vegetable your family has historically rejected). If anyone asks, these are “fried sprouts,” just leave out the Brussels part. And emphasize the “fried” part because isn’t everything better when it’s fried.

I’m proud to report that Hubs actually ate these and announced they didn’t taste like Brussels sprouts at all. Unfortunately, he’d been with me at the grocery store when I purchased them so I couldn’t fool him completely. But my mother (who also hates Brussels sprouts) ate two helpings and said she’d really enjoy having them more often. All in all, I’m calling this recipe a success, and I hope your family enjoys it too!

Verse of the Day:
Someone who is full refuses honey, but anything bitter tastes sweet to a hungry person.
Proverbs 27:7 (CEB)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #15 – Desperately Seeking Dinner

Aidells Organic Chicken & Apple Sausage; Fully Cooked; Gluten Free; Made with All WHOLE30-Approved Ingredients

Aidells Organic Chicken & Apple Sausage; Fully Cooked; Gluten Free; Made with All WHOLE30-Approved Ingredients

So this weekend promises to be a hectic one if today (Friday) is any indication. With Hubs recuperating from a minor medical procedure; the baby still fussy from teething and recovering from her somewhat traumatic 6-month pediatrician visit yesterday; and my mother busy with several church activities. I’m left to figure out dinner with very little time and my still-depleted energy levels.. Hmm…I’m noticing a theme here.

Fortunately, I’d discovered these fantastic sausages at our local Wal-Mart earlier in the week while searching for something new to offer the fam for dinner. They’re all organic, made with chicken and apples. Plus they taste great! And check out the ingredients above. Notice anything? Hint – there’s no added sugar and no funky chemicals like MSG, nitrites, nitrates etc. Plus, these little beauties are 100% gluten free – which is huge for our family! My mother is not doing the WHOLE30 with us but does have Celiac (Coeliac) Disease, so we are always a gluten free household. Best of all (at least today), these beauties are fully cooked on arrival. Hallelujah! I prepped ours in the oven and served along my favorite crispy roasted green beans. An even faster preparation would be to grill or sauté the sausages and then add them to some steamed cabbage, seasoned with salt and clarified butter. Maybe with some unsweetened applesauce and good German mustard along side…yummy!

Ready in Minutes - These Sausages Are Delicious + Gluten-free, Sulfite-free and Sugar-free

Ready in Minutes – These Sausages Are Delicious + Gluten-free, Sulfite-free and Sugar-free


One caveat: sausages of any kind are not what the Hartwigs would call high quality protein. So I augment the protein content of the meal by adding hard-boiled eggs to the tossed salad I serve with dinner every night. What’s that you say? You’re not having a salad with dinner every night? You should really remedy that pronto. Here’s to happy eating and a healthy weekend to all!

Wisdom of the Day:
But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
~Psalm 31:14-15 (English Standard Version)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #13 – Where’s the Friggin’ Energy I Was Promised?!?

Day #13 and according to my trusty WHOLE30 (official) Timeline, I should be experiencing boundless energy and bizarre cravings right about now. I am not, repeat NOT, experiencing anything remotely close to boundless energy. My “energy” ain’t even in the same vicinity as boundless. It’s in a whole other country from boundless, on a separate continent, in a different hemisphere really. My energy currently resides somewhere in the realm of utterly absent, near the neighborhood of completely devoid. It feels like I’m putting in extra effort to scrape myself off the couch in order to attend to my daughter, who is by the way teething and trying to crawl right now. So, you know, I need that boundless energy I was expecting. I’m literally too tired to have any bizarre food cravings. Just trying to conjure up images of delectable, forbidden foods like pizza or doughnuts takes more effort than I have available. I’m using everything I’ve got to sit here and keep myself upright after a day of childcare. I don’t really care what we eat for dinner or how it tastes. I’m just barely holding on ’till bedtime.

There’s no denying it. I’m definitely lagging behind the expected milestones. I’m just now experiencing the misery and bloating predicted for days 8-9. At this rate, I probably won’t reach “Tiger’s Blood” (AKA feeling great) phase for another 10-12 days, at least. I’m bummed! And I’m uncomfortable. Did I mention I’m tired?

It is possible that I’m running behind the curve, so to speak, because I’ve been intentionally imperfect in my adherence to the program. Could my beloved powdered coffee creamer at last be causing me problems, delaying my WHOLE30 progress?

At this point, I figure I have 2 choices. I can continue to purposefully, if selectively, break with protocol and take my chances in terms of achieving the positive results I’d initially wanted when we committed to this program. Or I could throw comfort and caution to the wind and really dive into this thing by – horror of horrors – forgoing my franken creamer. I’m not sure I can face the morning with nothing but straight black coffee to greet me. But I have a 6-month old, so forgoing coffee altogether is not an option! So I’ve decided to try the concoction we worked out for Hubs.

1. Start with freshly brewed coffee, then stir in 1 Tbsp. pure (unsweetened) cocoa powder. I find that the cocoa dissolves best if you stir it in to hot coffee. You should have something that looks more or less like this:

We like to mason jars because they can be sterilized and are reusable.

We like to mason jars because they can be sterilized and are reusable.


2. Once combined, refrigerate the mixture at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. In the morning, add unsweetened coconut or almond milk or drink it straight if you prefer.
I like mine over ice.
IMG_1560

The end result tastes a bit like a protein shake without the sweetener. But it sure beats the bitter hatred that is straight black coffee. I’m ready to give this a try for my AM drink and see if I don’t begin to experience the predicted WHOLE30 benefits in a more timely manner. I’ll keep you posted. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this healthier chilled coffee drink in good health, joy and peace. Cheers!

Wisdom for the Day:
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
~Proverbs 3:7-8 (ESV)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #11 – Sometimes You Feel Like a (Coco)Nut

Mango Tango Chicken
Day #11 of our WHOLE30 Journey. And according to the authors of It Starts with Food and the WHOLE30 official timeline, these are the hardest of our 30 days. Here’s hoping that holds true for me. I’m really tired, unnervingly cranky and surprisingly hungry, like all the time.

Interestingly, I’ve become extremely fond of all things coconut these days. I’m chalking this up as progress, since the Hartwigs and others (see this article for example) rate coconut oil as one of the healthiest fats for consumption, especially for dieters and those looking to improve their skin (see chapter 15 of It Starts with Food). Um, rich yummy taste and prettier skin? Yes please!
IMG_1531
So tonight’s dinner features coconut in each dish. The menu:
Mango Tango Chicken (recipe below)
Crispy Roasted Green Beans (also pictured below)
Toss Salads with Fruit & Nuts
Birthday Date Treats for dessert

Mango Tango Chicken

                                                                   Mango Tango Chicken

Ingredients:
•1 (2.5 lb.) bag frozen chicken tenderloins, (e.g. Tyson)
•1 tsp. salt
•1/4 cup unsweetened dried mango slices, crumbled
•1 sweet red pepper, seeded, diced
•1 sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia), peeled and diced
•1/4 tsp. hot sauce
•1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, crushed
•1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
•1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
•1/4 cup lime juice
•2 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes

Process:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit).
2. Lightly oil a 9X13″ baking pan with coconut oil and add tenderloins to pan in a single layer.
3. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt.
4. Top with mango, onion and pepper. Then evenly sprinkle on additional seasonings.
5. Stir together pineapple and lime juices then pour over all.
6. Finally, sprinkle the top of chicken mixture with coconut flakes. Then cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
7. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until internal temperature reach 170 degrees.
8. Remove foil and turn oven to BROIL. Return pan to oven and broil for about 5 minutes or until nicely browned.
NOTE: This step is optional but makes for a nicer presentation.
9. Allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

I served with Crispy Roasted Green Beans, that roasted in the oven along side the chicken.

Crispy Roasted Green Beans - simply seasoned with garlic, salt, lemon juice and (natch) coconut oil!

Crispy Roasted Green Beans – simply seasoned with garlic, salt, lemon juice and (natch) coconut oil!

Wisdom of the Day:
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
~Psalm 23:5-6 (English Standard Version)
Read more here.

Recommended Resource of the Day:
21 Unexpected Beauty Uses for Coconut Oil

WHOLE30 Day #10 – Breakfast Casserole Revised

Updated Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

The weekend is over, and a new WHOLE30 week is before us. Hubs is returning to work, and that means I need to prepare something he can take for breakfast each day. While he says that he really enjoyed my first make-ahead casserole, Hubs requested I make another this week with a few modifications. I’m posting the revised and updated version as a separate post because the tweaks make it sufficiently distinct, and Hubs says “better.”

As I stated in the original post, this casserole is really versatile. Serve it as simple and elegant brunch dish, as a light lunch along side a salad or take it along to pot-luck type social function (you’ll be guaranteed a complete protein, some healthy fats and carbs). I personally love this casserole anytime of day and prefer mine served with a dollop of guacamole. The creamy, tangy goodness of the guacamole really helps to expedite the sense of satiation; while the healthy fat provides an extra dose of satiety to get you through the morning (or rest of your day or evening) without energy crashes or cravings. For more on the intricacies of satiety and satiation, be sure to check out It Starts with Food (pay particular attention to chapter 4). The science-y information provided is easy to understand and will help you get through the tough early-middle days of a #WHOLE30.

What’s New:
•Per Hubs’ request, I decreased the amount of potatoes by half because he felt the original version was a bit spud-heavy.
•He also requested “more eggs” so I added a half cup of pure egg whites for more eggy flavor and to really ‘up’ the protein content.
•I used to heartier meat this go-round which Hubs reports imparted greater flavor.

What’s the Same:
•I still used leftover meat, in this case ~8 oz. grilled beef/bison burgers. I really prefer poultry in the casserole, but my family prefers red meat.
•I wanted to keep the spinach and red peppers because I believe the extra fiber and nutrients are important
•The seasonings and preparation remain essentially unchanged from the original entry found here: Original Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
•8 extra large organic eggs
•1/2 cup liquid egg whites
•8 oz. leftover (cooked) beef, crumbled
•1/2 pkg. ready-to-cook hash browns (plain shredded potatoes)
•1 red pepper, seeded, diced
•10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well drained
•1 tsp. salt
•1 tsp. Dijon mustard
•1 tsp. hot sauce

Process:
1. Toss hash brown potatoes with salt and place in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 5-7 minutes (depending on size/power of your microwave).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit), and spray an 8X8″ baking dish with coconut oil spray.
3. Whisk eggs and egg whites together in large mixing bowl.
4. Fold in meats, vegetables (including potatoes) and remaining seasonings. Stir well to combine.
5. Pour into prepared baking dish. Cover dish with foil, and then carefully place into the hot oven.
6. Bake 55 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove foil to test for doneness (a knife inserted in the middle of the casserole should come out clean).
7. Allow casserole to cool at least 20 minutes or overnight before serving.
Makes roughly 9 large servings.

Wisdom for the Day:
God destined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ because of his love. This was according to his goodwill and plan 6 and to honor his glorious grace that he has given to us freely through the Son whom he loves.
~Ephesians 1:5-6 (Common English Bible)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
12 Favorite WHOLE30 Recipes from The Kitchn

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