WHOLE30 Day #9 – You Say It’s Your Birthday

Happy WHOLE(30) Birthday to Me! Let’s Celebrate with These Simply Delicious Date Treats!!!

… Well, it’s my birthday too. And as much as I’d like to dive in mouth-first to a great big birthday cake with 3″ of thick sugary buttercream frosting, I’m staying strong. Also, I’m pretty sure that the authors of WHOLE30 would not have a lot of sympathy for me and my birthday cravings. Still, I feel the need for a little treat to celebrate my special day. So I concocted this simple little treat using the following 3 (program approved) ingredients:

3 Simple Ingredients

1. All natural almond butter (no sugar added)
2. Whole pitted dates, unsulphured+++
3. Unsweetened shredded coconut

The result tastes a bit like a coconut almond cookie or candy. It’s very sweet and very satisfying. You really only need one or two (at most) of these treats to really feel as though you’ve just enjoyed a delicious dessert. Good thing too, because according to WHOLE30 program rules, these kind of sweets should (for the most part) be avoided during the program. I reasoned that these little treats were acceptable this once because 1.) I used all approved ingredients (hopefully, see note below regarding dried fruit). 2.) I was not trying to recreate any specific naughty traditional dessert (e.g. these are NOT paleo pecan pie bars); and 3.) the healthy fat helps to blunt the impact of the sugar in the dates; and 4.) lastly because this type of small indulgence is important for me to remain motivated and enthusiastic about staying the WHOLE30 course.

If you’re interested in recreating my birthday treats, be forewarned, it can get a bit messy. But the results are deliciously worth it! So here’s the process:

1. Stir almond butter so it’s smooth and has a consistent texture.
2. Spoon several Tbsp. of almond butter into a plastic sandwich bag. Try to keep the butter closer to one bottom corner of the bag.
3. Refrigerate the almond butter baggie for at least an hour (this makes it easier to work with).
4. Place about 10 dates on a plate. TIP: Take out a few more than you expect to make. Invariably, a couple of the dates will be smushed and unusable for this recipe.
5. Snip one end of the plastic bag and roll the almond butter portion of the bag into as narrow a cone-like shape as possible.
6. Pipe the almond butter into each date, smoothing out any that leaks out.
7. Gently roll each date in coconut flakes and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

These delicious little treats are the perfect way to celebrate health with someone you love!

Thought for the Day:
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
~Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
Read more here.

+++ After posting this recipe, I read about approved and unapproved additives during WHOLE30 as I continued to educate myself on the program. I encourage anyone considering WHOLE30 to begin reading and researching the program rules and to familiarize yourself with the wealth of free info and tools available at the WHOLE30 website. Anyway, the dates I used in this recipe (e.g. Sunsweet brand) do not include sulfites on the ingredients list nor do the manufacturers indicate sulphites included during processing (even on the Sunsweet website because I looked). But neither the bag nor the website states the product is sulphite-free which is a pretty big selling point among dried fruits, so I’m left to wonder. Sulfites are definitely off limits during WHOLE30 so when in doubt, choose a brand that clearly states “unsulphured” or “sulphite-free.”

WHOLE30 Day #6 – The Great Mayonnaise Fiasco

I love salads. Salads are a huge part of my meals, especially dinner. I eat a salad every single day. Maybe it’s because I’m from Florida where it’s hot so much of the year. Perhaps I’ve grown accustomed to eating a cool, crisp salad in the evening as a refreshing closure to a hot, sticky day. I don’t know how it started for sure, but I know I love them. And I almost always enjoy them – with one caveat. Salad dressing. Salad dressing is key! If the dressing is bad, the salad is bad. Certainly the quality and condition of the greens are important too, but the salad dressing makes or breaks the salad. You know I’m right. So when we began our WHOLE30 journey a big concern for me was “what the heck am I gonna use to dress my salads?”

After some internet research, we found Tessemae’s All Natural Dressings , several of which are WHOLE30 approved. According to Tessemae’s website, their products are available for direct order from the company and at a number of retailers like Whole Foods and Amazon.com. Prior to starting WHOLE30 we made the trek to the nearest Whole Foods and bought a couple bottles of their Zesty Ranch (which is delicious, but which we finished all too quickly). But we were disappointed to learn we couldn’t purchase the mayonnaise at any of the retailers listed in our area (and believe me, I’ve been to all of them in the last few days). Now, I could just order some mayo online, but for some reason that seems lazy to me. For some reason I believe I should be able to make my own mayo, like they did in the olden days or something. There’s plenty of recipes online for homemade mayo so I assumed mayo-making is an easy thing to accomplish. Not so, my friend, at least not in my experience. (In case you’re wondering, I felt compelled to have mayo available because it’s required for yummy things like tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad etc. And mayo can be used as the base for my favorite salad dressings including ranch and Caesar. But it’s nigh on to impossible to find a mayo in your grocery that is NOT made with soybean oil or other nasty ingredients shunned by WHOLE30.)

So I dove in using this recipe as a basis, replacing the vinegar with lemon juice and equal parts EVOO and liquified coconut oil (e.g. the coconut oil that has been modified to remain liquid at room temperature). I then decided to dismiss Hubs’ offer to assist me, convinced I could whip up a brilliant mayo very quickly using a stick (immersion) blender just like Alton Brown. Sadly, I got a little off balance as I tried to manage the blender, slowly drizzle in the oil drop by drop and hold the large measuring cup I was using to hold the emulsion. Not sure exactly what happened but suddenly half my concoction was all over the counter top and I was screaming. Disaster! Hubs sprang into action and helped me rescue most of the wayward emulsion. We transferred it to a more appropriate bowl and continued drizzling in the oil and used a more appropriate hand mixer to finish whipping the mixture. Here’s my result:

Tastes great, but a little thin

Unfortunately, the mayo never reached the expected thickness. I’m not sure which of my missteps caused this result. I’m confident I can still find a usage for my “creation.” But I’m also sure I’ll be purchasing some more Tessemae’s Dressing soon. Life’s too short and WHOLE30 is too hard to go through this again!

Lessons Learned:
1. Use a bowl and not a measuring cup when making mayo.
2. Ask for help instead of trying to do it all yourself.
3. Coconut oil is always a health choice. But in hindsight, the modified liquid version may have prevented the end result from thickening as expected.
4. There’s no shame in simply ordering approved products online. WHOLE30 is challenging enough. Why make it harder on yourself?

Recommended Resources:
1. Shop Tessemaes Online
2. Tessemaes on Amazon

Thought for the Day:
Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall, But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.
~Proverbs 11:14 (Amplified)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #8 – One Week Down!!!

Well, we’ve completed a full week of our WHOLE30 journey. Seven days down and 23 more to go. As I pause to take stock and savor this accomplishment, I am struck by one overwhelming realization – I am completely and totally exhausted. I mean I’m tired like down into my bones. I’m so tired sometimes it feels like extra work to sit in the chair and breathe.

My primary job every day is taking care of our nearly 6-month old baby, cook and take care of the home, etc. I’m also blessed to have the help of my mother who lives with us. Her assistance is especially wonderful these days with my energy waning. I find myself craving a nap every day and trying to power through with alternate nostril breathing and coffee. It takes all the strength I’ve got to complete my daily yoga sessions, and I seem be more sore afterwards. Luckily, I’m still able to do my MUTU Core Exercises every day which is extremely important to me because I’ve seen such amazing results in reversing my diastase recti (AKA the “mummy tummy”) I developed during my pregnancy.

I can’t imagine how Hubs is managing his work load. I am grateful for his attitude. He continues to encourage me through the process and reminds me that according to the WHOLE30 authors, this fatigue has arrived right on scheduled and is expected part of the 30-day timeline.

Wisdom for the Day:
Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
~Psalm 54:4 (NASB)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day#5 Delicious Dinner in a Hurry – Turkey Cabbage Skillet

WHOLE30 Dinner in a Hurry

So our WHOLE30 journey continues and today was pretty hectic for me. I was out most of the day – running errands, dealing with maddening traffic and frustrating people. Basically, all the typical stressors everyone encounters. But I was left with very little time and almost no energy to prepare the elaborate WHOLE30 dinner I had planned for the family.

Plan B, what can Mommy throw together in a hurry using WHOLE30 approved ingredients that happen to be readily available in the kitchen right now? Ground turkey breast, check. Now for a veggie. Something quick. Ready-to-use cole slaw – score! Now, something to add extra flavor and pizzaz. As I stood there wondering, what is WHOLE30 sanctioned and goes well with cabbage, my eyes landed on our fruit bowl, and I suddenly flashed back to several recipes from Hubs’ German heritage. Apples, excellent! Done and done.

The recipe that follows is quick and can easily be thrown together while you manage other tasks like preparing salads, helping the kids with homework or any of the other myriad items on your evening to-do list. And it happens to be darn tasty, if I do say so myself. Enjoy!

Turkey Cabbage Skillet

Ingredients:
•1 lb extra lean (98% lean) ground turkey breast
•1 pkg. ready-to-use cole slaw mix (not including dressing)
•2 medium red apples, sliced
•1 tsp. salt
•1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
•1 Tbsp. coconut oil
•1/8 tsp. garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)
•1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
•pinch tarragon leaves, crushed (optional but highly recommended)
•a few generous sprinkles white pepper (again optional but recommended)

Process:
1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and add ground turkey.
2. Sprinkle salt and other seasonings (except mustard) over meat while stirring continuously as meat browns.
(N.B.: Meat will keep covered over LOW heat for about half an hour if needed while you prepare the remainder of your meal.)
3. About five minutes before serving, turn heat to MEDIUM and stir in cabbage mixture and apples.
4. Stir to combine.
5. After about 2 minutes, turn off heat. Stir in vinegar, then cover skillet.
6. Wait a couple more minutes then stir once more before serving.
NOTE: This makes about 5-6 servings so it’s great if you need leftovers for lunch the next day. Here’s a pic of Hubs’ Turkey Cabbage lunch from our WHOLE30 day #6. He said it was even better the next day. Score!!!

Perfect lunch leftovers!

Recommended Resource of the Day:
Grace Gifted

Thought for the Day:
The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
~Proverbs 16:9 (NASB)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #4 Prepping Breakfast for the Week

We began our WHOLE30 journey over a long weekend. But alas, all good things come to an end, and Hubs returns to work tomorrow. That means, we need to figure out what he can eat every morning for breakfast instead of his beloved Honey Nut Cheerios. The first few days, there been plenty of time to make leisurely brunch-style meals, but work week mornings are hectic and require advanced planning.

After hunting around for a while, I finally located this recipe from Gal on a Mission and used it as the basis for our casserole. I made a few modifications from Gal’s original recipe including: replacing the whole potatoes with ready-to-cook hash browns (which I also partially pre-cooked in the microwave before adding to the casserole); I used leftover turkey and roasted chicken instead of sausage; and I added chopped red bell pepper and spinach for extra nutrients and fiber. The result earned high praise from the Hubs. He says he enjoys having something hearty to start off his day and that it’s easy to pack up a second helping for a mid-afternoon snack. Best of all, he hasn’t once complained about missing those Cheerios!

NB: I have since revised this recipe at Hubs‘ request. You can find the updated recipe (which Hubs prefers) here. Now, weeks after we completed #WHOLE30, he still requests this casserole every Sunday for his weekday breakfast. It’s also a simple and elegant brunch dish as shown here with a side of asparagus, but the possibilities are endless. I personally love this casserole anytime of day (it makes a terrific light dinner entree) and prefer mine served with a dollop of guacamole. It’s creamy, tangy goodness helps expedite the sense of satiation; while the healthy fat provides an extra dose of satiety to get you through the morning! 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.

Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
•8 extra large organic eggs
•4 oz. leftover Turkey Tenderloin
•4 oz. leftover roasted chicken
•1 pkg. ready-to-cook hash browns (plain shredded potatoes)
•1 red pepper, seeded, diced
•10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed of excess moisture
•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 all eggs together in large mixing bowl.
4. Fold in meats, vegetables (including potatoes) and remaining seasonings. Stir well to combine.
5. Pour into prepare baking dish. Cover dish with foil, and then carefully place in the hot oven.
6. Bake 45 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.

Recommended Resources of the Day:
1. New Beauty Product Reviews & Awards
2. Meatified – Paleo, WHOLE30 & Autoimmune Healthy Recipes

WHOLE30 Day#3 – The Struggle Is Real & the Search for Substitutes

The revised pop is the one on top 🙂

Day #3 of our WHOLE30 process, and I’m feeling some ambivalence – sort of frustrated but still motivated to move forward. After yesterday’s foiled attempt to conceal my illegal coffee creamer consumption, I’ve decided to view this as a process and am no longer expecting perfection from myself. Not sure if that’s a cop-out or a wise perspective to adopt moving forward. Nevertheless, I’ve chosen to keep the coffee creamer for now, with all its artificial ingredients with the goal of giving up the creamer by the end of our WHOLE30 process.

I have decided instead to focus on finding a healthy and natural substitute for my beloved sugar-free tropical (artificially) flavored popsicles which are full of unpronounceable chemicals and dangerous food dyes. I recognize that according to the authors of It Starts with Food, would not recommend frequent consumption of fruit juice. However, to my mind, swapping out acesulfame potassium, locust bean gum, red and yellow dyes for pure unsweetened, unadulterated fruit juice seems a step in the right direction. Here’s what I did:

WHOLE30-ISH Juice Pops:

Ingredients:
•2 cups unsweetened organic pineapple juice
•1 cup pure cranberry juice (check to ensure no added sugar or additives)
•2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

Process:
1. Stir all liquids to combine and pour into a storage bottle (you will have extra liquid).
2. Lightly spray popsicle molds with coconut oil spray to prevent sticking and ensure easier removal.
3. Pour liquid into molds and insert sticks. Then simply pop the molds into the freezer for several hours or over night.
4. When frozen, allow the molds to sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before removing. Then place popsicles in freezer bag.

This recipe makes roughly 24 popsicles at about 17 calories per pop.

Wisdom of the Day:
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
~Proverbs 16:24 (NASB)
Read more here.

Recommended Resource for the Day:
Imperfectly Paleo

Quick & Easy Crispy Potatoes

Crispy Potatoes served with Eggs & Bacon

Ingredients:
1.5 lb. Baby Red Potatoes, washed (unpeeled)
1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (I used extra virgin)
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
Dash Oregano Flakes

Process:
1. Wash and dry potatoes but do not peel. Cut them into more or less uniform size pieces, which for me was into halves and thirds depending on the size of each potato.
2. Place the potato pieces along with all remaining ingredients in a bowl. No need to stir just yet. Microwave on HIGH for 5-7 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave.
3. While the potatoes cook, preheat over to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit), and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray (I used coconut oil).
4. Remove potatoes from microwave and stir well. Then turn mixture onto prepared cookie sheet, being sure to distribute evenly on sheet.
5. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until desired crispiness.

Salty, Crispy and Soft in the Middle – These Potatoes Are Guaranteed to Chase Away Any Potato Chip Cravings You May Be Experiencing

Makes 4-5 servings.
NOTE: These also make great hash browns!

Wisdom of the Day:
This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 (NASB)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #2 – Busted!

So our WHOLE30 adventure continues. I’m embarrassed to admit that it only took 2 days to reveal some rather ugly aspects of my character. I woke up to the baby crying and fantasies of chemical-laced coffee creamer and artificial sweetener. So I “generously” offered to let Hubs sleep in while I got up to take care of our baby. Even as I prepped her bottle, I knew what I was going to do and planned to very quietly retrieve the sweeteners out of the corner of the pantry where I’d hidden them just days before.

A few minutes later, Baby Girl changed, fed, burped and happy, I sprung into action. I brewed up my coffee and stirred in that delicious white “creamer” powder full of mystery and unpronounceable chemicals. Yum! I paused. “Hmm, better at least try to use fewer packets of sweetener. I’ll go with half.” I then experienced momentary guilt for cheating on our commitment, but I tell myself Hubs will understand. Didn’t he describe black coffee with no creamer and no sweetener as “like drinking a cup of fresh brewed hatred”? Yeah, he’d understand. Besides, he won’t know.

I’d just sat and taken my first sip when Hubs came out of the bedroom. He took one look at my cup and launched into a lecture about all the reasons we chose to do the WHOLE30; how we want to be healthier for our daughter; how the current discomfort is only temporary and will result in long term benefits. He reminded me of all the things we had discussed before we decided to take this journey. And I felt guilty. But I also felt uncertain. Perhaps I was never really committed to this process; otherwise I would not have kept those items so readily accessible. This reminded me of the scripture below. As a result of this lesson, I’ve had to rethink my commitment. I’ve also realized that we need to be willing to totally dispense with those items or habits we wish to get rid of. It’s not enough to kind of commit to stopping while still permitting easy access to those things, while still keeping them around. Too bad for me it took a little shaming to learn that lesson.

“…and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
~Romans 13:14 (NASB)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Meal of the Day (dinner)
Simple Roasted Chicken with Caribbean Roasted Root Veggies & Salad

Recommended Resources:
Functional Dad
MUTU System to Lose Your Mummy Tummy

WHOLE30 Day#1 – What Was I Thinking?

It’s 7:30 on a Friday, and I’m not happy. I have a splitting headache, a pretty wicked case of PMS (or whatever it’s called when your period has actually started) as well as a really weird taste in my mouth, and I’m not all that interested in dinner.

Ordinarily, this is my favorite day of the week. Hubs comes home early from work and helps with baby care. We have “breakfast for dinner,” and we watch a movie. The weekend stretches out before us with the promise of extra sleep and free time as a family. But tonight it’s different because Hubs and I have undertaken the WHOLE30 challenge for the month of April 2016. Neither one of us is in a very good mood, and neither one of us is terribly excited about breakfast for dinner without buttery toast with jelly or pancakes. We’re both having cravings. Hubs is seriously craving sugar. I’m seriously craving artificial sweeteners which I’ll admit to having consumed in ever-increasing quantities over the years – sprinkling those little packets over everything from coffee to fruit to salad (Don’t judge! A little Stevia mixed with dijon makes a mighty fine low-cal honey mustard dressing, but I digress). I’m also yearning for my beloved sugar-free “tropical” flavored popsicles with their neon (artificial) colors and bizarrely satisfying chemically concocted tartness.

As I sit here, pondering my suffering and feeling terribly sorry for myself I happen to glance at my daughter happily playing beside me in her little infant chair. She giggles spontaneously as she tosses her beloved butterfly toy and it makes a noise that delights her. Suddenly, I am reminded by my daughter’s laughter as to why we committed to the WHOLE30, what we were thinking in the first place. We wanted to invest 30 days of effort and discomfort in order to feel better in the long run, in order to build ourselves up and equip ourselves for the long haul of parents. That’s my motivation. That is my intention. I want to be a healthier, more energetic mother. I am willing to do without some things for 30 days. I am willing to do the work to prune away the bad habits and unhealthy junk that I’ve accumulated in order to become a better mom in the long term.

The wise woman builds her house. But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
~ Proverbs 14:1 (NASB)
Read more here.

For more information on the WHOLE30 plan, check out this link: The WHOLE30

Recommended Resource:
Daily Audio Bible

Weeknight Pasta Salad Entree

Ever find yourself wandering around the kitchen at 5:30PM (or later) with absolutely no idea what to have for dinner? I was in that situation last night. To make matters worse, the weather here was pretty frightful, and I had no intention of braving the cold to make a grocery store run. Fortunately, I was able to throw something together using a few pantry and fridge staples. And the result received rave reviews. The ingredients below are probably hanging around your kitchen too. Consider this recipe your ace in the hole for those nights when you’re wandering aimlessly around your own kitchen in desperate need of a last-minute meal idea. P.S. it tastes even better the next day!

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup raisins
4 stalks celery, chopped
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
¼ cup mayonnaise of choice (I like Nayonaise brand)
Pinch tarragon (optional but really tasty)
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Salt if needed

6 oz. gluten-free pasta, cooked and drained (I used Ancient Harvest brand elbows)
Cooked protein of choice (chopped chicken breast; chopped Gardein “chicken” strips; chick peas; etc.)

2 small apples, chopped (I prefer to leave my apples unpeeled for max nutritional benefit)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ cup chopped walnuts

PROCESS:
1. Stir together the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl while cooking pasta.
2. Immediately add drained pasta to raisin mixture and stir to combine.
3. Next fold in protein choice and taste for season. Add salt and pepper if desired.
4. Just before serving, chop apples and toss with lemon juice. Fold into salad and stir well to combine.
5. Top salad with walnuts and serve.

NOTES:
May also be served warm.
Goes well with butternut squash or other soup, cooked green veggies or tossed salad.
Finally, if you discover that apples are not among your kitchen staples and you need a reason to start buying them, check out these articles for a
little apple motivation:
An Apple a Day….
15 Health Benefits of Apples
The Health Benefits of an Apple

Daily Beauty Wisdom

Walk in wisdom : grow in beauty: live in love

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