Sweet-N-Savory Paleo Stuffed Zucchini #WHOLE30 Compliant (Full Recipe)

#WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini

Several weeks ago I posted #WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini 2 Ways as part of my series of recipes based upon a recent HealthGrove study identifying top 30 foods for beautiful skin and hair. As I’ve mentioned in each recipe I’ve shared in the series, 27 of those 30 foods are #WHOLE30-compliant foods (the exceptions 3 being non-soy legumes, e.g. green peas and pea pods). None of the 30 foods from the list are dairy or grains products. I found the study so inspiring that I challenged myself to create and post all new #WHOLE30-compliant recipes with each of the 27 foods from the list (again, not counting the 3 legumes); and thus, the birth of this series of recipes. When I first posted the Stuffed Zucchini 2 Ways, I promised to add two additional posts later on – one for each stuffing option. This post is the first of those two options – the set and savory option. It includes a base ground turkey breast, sweet figs (or raisins if you prefer) along with crunchy walnuts and spices. It makes a lovely light lunch or an impressive dinner entree served along side a tossed green salad. Here is the original post for reference.

So with that lengthy introduction out of the way, this recipe’s star ingredient is #29 from the HealthGrove list of top 30 foods – ZUCCHINI!

Zucchini – #29 on Healthgrove’s List of Best Foods for Beautiful Skin and Hair

Ingredients:
• 5 medium-large zucchini
• 2 tsp. iodized sea salt, divided
• 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey breast
• 1 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, divided
• 1 cup walnuts, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam nonstick coconut oil spray)
• 15 dried figs or 1/2 cup raisins (for #WHOLE30 be sure to use sulfite-free figs such as these or these raisins)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• generous pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 cup instant potato flakes, e.g. Bob’s Red Mill (see note below)+++
• pinch pure stevia (omit during WHOLE30, see note below)+++

+++It’s really important to always check the ingredient lists of any products you plan to consume when doing #WHOLE30. Some instant potato flakes contain sulfite preservatives or other additives not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which aren’t healthy for us to consume anyway). I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes. Stevia and other sweeteners are also not permitted during #WHOLE30. For a complete list of #WHOLE30 program do’s and don’ts as well as answers to just about any and all #WHOLE30 questions you may have, I highly recommend you check out the program rules here and other resources available at WHOLE30’s website to educate yourself prior to beginning your own WHOLE30 journey or whenever you have questions or need some support (the Facebook and Twitter feeds are tremendous sources of encouragement and support). Also, consider reading the book It Starts with Food prior to attempting a #WHOLE30. The book is chalked full of useful information and helpful tips to make surviving the whole 30 days a whole lot more tolerable (pun intended).

A melon baller makes it easy to scoop out the centers of each zucchini half

Hardware:
• 9X13″ Baking Dish or 2 – 8” Baking Dishes
• Medium-large sized mixing bowl
• Melon Baller or small spoon
• Colander
• Potato masher
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board(s)
• Large nonstick frying pan

Process:
1. Wash and dry each zucchini. Transfer to cutting board.
2. Remove stems, and cut each zucchini in half length-wise.
3. Using melon-baller or small pointy spoon, scoop out inside pulp from each zucchini half and place into large bowl.
4. Place hollowed zucchini “boats” into a ziplock freezer bag and store in refrigerator. Place pulp in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt.
Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
5. When ready to cook, place the zucchini pulp in a large colander and rinse well under running water. Shake colander to remove excess water. Then gently pat pulp dry.
6. Spray a large frying pan with nonstick spray then place on stove over MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
7. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil to the pan and allow oil to melt. Add ground turkey breast, zucchini pulp and 1 tsp. salt in pan and brown stirring continuously to break up any lumps. You may need to use a potato masher at the end of cooking to ensure the mixture is broken up into small, even chunks that will fit nicely into the boats. (see pic below).

Mixture should look more or less like this.

8. Pour turkey mixture into medium-large mixing bowl. Preheat oven to 375° and prepare baking dish (or dishes) by lining with tin foil (for easier cleanup), then spraying lined dish(es) with nonstick coconut oil spray. Then set aside.
9. Using clean kitchen sheers, snip figs into fourths and stir into ground turkey and zucchini mixture. If using raisins, simply add to turkey mixture. Next add applesauce, walnuts, vinegar and spices (including stevia if using). Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
10. Remove zucchini “boats” from refrigerator. Take out of bag and place into prepared baking dish(es) in a single layer, cut side up.
11. Scoop stuffing mixture into the zucchini boats. You may need to press mixture down firmly with your hands in order to get all mixture into the zucchini boats. It’s okay if they seem overstuffed. Then cover baking dish(es) completely with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven.
12. Bake for 45 minutes at 375°. Then remove baking dish(es) from oven and increase temperature to 400°.
13. While oven temp is increasing, remove foil cover. Once oven temp has reached 400° return uncovered baking dish(es) to oven, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow to rest, very loosely covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes around 5 servings.

Wisdom for the Day:
~Psalm 127:1-2, of Solomon (English Standard Version)
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to his beloved sleep.
KG’s comment – I love this Psalm from Solomon! It reminds me to refocus on those people and things that really matter instead those little projects and busyness with which I so frequently become preoccupied. Have you been slaving away at anything lately only to find yourself burned out and exhausted with little to no energy left for your family? Perhaps it’s time to take a break and rest. Step away from the projects and rest.
Read more here.

Check out the other recipes in this series:
Easy Cheezy Chicken & Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons
Chicken Tri-Almandine Casserole
Quick & Easy Paleo Lemon Garlic Garlic Salad Dressing
Stuffed Zucchini 2 Ways

And be sure to subscribe to Daily Beauty Wisdom to automatically receive new posts sent directly to your inbox of choice!

Living in the Mommy Moments

There’s a viral video out there about motherhood and how quickly our children grow up, and it’s taken over my Facebook feed in recent weeks. If you’re a mom reading this, I suspect someone has shared Slow Down with you along with the tagline “guaranteed to make you ugly cry.” That rather unappealing promise aside, it’s a beautiful song, and I adore Nichole Nordeman. She’s one of my all-time favorite singers, and the story behind her latest album, The Unmaking, is inspiring. Meanwhile, there’s a super popular post on Scary Mommy right now which is also popping up on my social media feeds with increasing frequency entitled Someday I’ll Wish I Could Go Back. Slow Down and the Someday I’ll Wish article have touched the same nerve with mommies of the Internet world – namely that our babies’ childhoods seem to pass too quickly, like a blur; that we want to savor every moment but life and the worries of every day distract us from truly enjoying each precious moment we have with our children. And we know that someday we’ll regret it.

Given its popularity, chances are you’ve watched the Slow Down video several times by now and boohoo cried over it too. But, if you haven’t read the Someday I’ll Wish article, I encourage you to check it out now. It’s a quick but impactful read. I’ve read it like 10 times at this point and still cry every single time I read these lines: “She was longing to nurture. To pick up a crying baby and be everything that he needs. To hold that warm, soft body and feel the weight of his head resting on her chest.” What a powerful image! As I read those words, I can literally feel my daughter nestled against my chest, her warm breath against my neck and my arms wrapped around her back and bottom. That’s a rare occurrence for me now.

My darling daughter at just one day old!

My only child is just 7 and ½ months old, but I can already attest to that all too rapid flight of time. My daughter’s first months are just a hazy memory now. Seems whenever I hold her these days, she just struggles out of my arms. I end up wrestling with her most of the time as she fights to gain ever-increasing mobility and independence. Perfectly developmentally-appropriate of course, but frustrating for me because now I really want to cuddle her close. I find myself staring longingly at pictures from her very earliest days in the hospital, when she gladly snuggled up to me and fell asleep on my chest. Pictures like this one:

I wasn’t paying attention at the time. I was too busy reeling from my emergency C-Section; too worried about my milk supply and too preoccupied with fears that I’d never lose the 50 pounds I gained during pregnancy, that I’d never feel like myself again. And now I find myself regretting the time I wasted, the moments I missed and wishing I could go back and hold my placid, tiny little newborn again; longing to recapture and savor those precious snuggly moments I failed to cherish at the time. N.B. I long to relive the cuddles and snuggles with my sweet little newborn NOT the sleepless nights, projectile poops and 3 AM battles with nipple shields. And I definitely do not miss the hours and hours I spent fellowshipping with my breast pump. But those are the things – those nagging nuisances, those pressing have-to-do tasks that go along with parenthood – those are the things that capture our attention and cause us to miss out on the sublime everyday moments with our children we might otherwise embrace. So each night when my husband and I sing our daughter to sleep my voice cracks because I know another day of her childhood has passed. I get tearful because I realize again that a little bit more of our time with her has slipped away.

I recognize that in order to truly enjoy the precious (and all-too brief) time I have with her, I need to live in the moment and stop being so distracted by all the other things that worry and distract me from what I truly value. And I am reminded of the following pre-game speech I once heard from former University of Florida (and current Oklahoma City Thunder) men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan.

He gave this speech just prior to the national championship game, which they won (Go Gators BTW). I love what he says! And it must have been effective because not only did this team win the national championship that night, they went on to win a second (e.g. back-to-back) national championship the following year. Coach Donovan challenges the players to anticipate adversity but still remain focused on the goal – to live in the moment. That same message – living in the moment despite the (very real) daily challenges that distract us from the truly important things like cherishing our children and family – is the key. As parents, we will always remember our children’s various stages fondly. But living in the moment, cherishing each moment is key to avoiding the pain of regret that comes from realizing (after the fact) you missed those precious moments because you were too worried about other, less important things. But again, the question is, how can we remind ourselves throughout the day to “live in the moment” when our minds often wander to other things?

First, understand it’s “normal” for your mind to wander. In 2015, Microsoft released a study (1) which stated, among other things that an adult’s attention span is only 8 seconds long. Basically, our minds wander every 8 seconds. Understand that some of us have an even harder time. For example, I have ADHD. And recent studies (2) have found adults with ADHD suffer from “excessive mind wandering,” (file that research finding in the ‘duh’ category). So, obviously my mind wanders more often than every 8 seconds. The point is, for all mothers, it’s hard to remain present with our children, and for some of us (i.e. me and others with ADHD), it’s REALLY hard. I often find myself feeling antsy or bored, reaching for my phone or the TV remote just while feeding my daughter. It’s tempting to multi-task, even when with our children in the name of “productivity.” But that kind of multi-tasking does not produce meaningful results, and it communicates to our children that they are less important than the phone, laptop, tablet etc. Which brings us to the next point: understand the role technology plays in distraction. That same Microsoft Study (1) found that average adult’s attention span decreased by 33% in just 13 years – decreasing from 12 to 8 seconds when measured in 2000 versus 2013, respectively. Those dates of course correspond to the boom in internet, hand-held technology and social media which now inundate us all, constantly. So it’s important to disconnect from the phone, laptop and TV as often as possible (at least a couple of times per day for at least 15-30 minutes at a time) and just be present with our children, spouse and family.

Here are 2 techniques that can help you tune into the present moment. Before trying either technique, disconnect from all electronic devices (obviously, you’ll need to read through how to practice these tricks first). Simply disconnecting from electronic devices will help tremendously with your present moment focus.

Technique #1 Balanced Breathing – think of your inhale (breathing in) as an arrow pointing upward. Now imagine your exhale as an arrow pointing down. Balanced breathing is when the “up” and “down” arrows are of equal sizes. Your inhale matches your exhale. Another way to think of it is to count silently as you breathe in (say inhale for 4 counts). Then count at the same pace as you breathe out, and match your exhale to the inhale (4 counts). When you first begin practicing Balanced Breathing, you may need to start with shorter breaths, only 3 counts in/out so you don’t get too tired or light-headed, especially if you have any breathing conditions (asthma, COPD, etc.) or allergies. You will soon be able to stretch out your breaths. But always make sure your inhales and exhales are equal or “balanced.” Practice Balanced Breathing at least 5 minutes each day. And soon you’ll be able to use this technique to focus yourself whenever you need to pay better attention. It can also help you feel more energized during the afternoon doldrums and can help you calm down after an argument with your spouse.

Technique #2 Grounding – Grounding uses your senses (touch, taste, sight, sound, smell) to help you return your focus to the present moment by directing your attention to your immediate surroundings. The easiest and quickest way to do this is by using your sense of touch but any of your 5 senses will work. The next time your find your mind wandering, reach out and touch your child’s foot or hand or touch the chair or sofa your sitting in. Feel the texture of the table next to you or pet your dog or cat. As your doing this, really pay attention to how it feels in your hand. Try to describe the sensation in your mind. Is it rough, smooth, furry, cold, warm or coarse? Simple touch is very effective for bringing us back into the present moment, but other sensations work too. Try pouring yourself (and your child/children if applicable) something to drink. Then slowly take a few sips, being mindful to notice how it tastes and feels in your mouth and as you swallow. Next, describe it to your child. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be simple, like “oh that is cold on my tongue and throat.” Ask your child to do the same. Try being very still and quiet for a few seconds and notice what you hear. Can you describe it? Maybe you hear the whirring sound of the refrigerator, or your dog snoring (that’s our house). Pausing for a few minutes to tap into one or more senses is a great way to bring yourself into the present moment, and it’s a useful skill to teach your children too. Try it today and practice it with your kids a few times a week. It will become second nature.

There will always be distractions. As Coach Donovan said, “there’s gonna be adversity and challenges.” We know that in advance. But as moms we know that we don’t want to miss these precious moments. I want to embrace these moments now, not later or after the fact. I want to really live in these “Mommy Moments” each precious day.

Wisdom for the Day:
Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
~Matthew 6:34 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Read more here.

Resources of the Day:
1. Check out this article entitled Rush to Press from the brilliant Functional Dad. Yes, it’s true I’m massively biased. But do remember Functional Dad is PhD with tons experience helping folks perform better and improve their daily lives by applying these very same mindfulness and balanced living skills.
2. This self-help worksheet for anxiety from the wonderful online site Anxiety BC contains more info on relaxation and grounding as well as additional links for skills such as progressive relaxation and tips on healthy living.

The Top 5 Pregnant Lady Nemeses

Pregnancy introduces you to lots of new people – new friends, new medical providers, and of course a brand new family member. Sometimes you meet new characters in the people you’ve known for years. Most of these people are supportive and kind. Some are annoying, but some become all-out nemeses. Below is a list of the most frustrating, critical, and otherwise antagonizing folks you’re likely to encounter while gestating, along with suggestions for how to handle them.

1. Ms. All About-Me:
All-About-Me swoops in early in your pregnancy and seems so excited for you. Soon you realize All-About-Me’s not excited for you – she’s excited for herself. She announces your pregnancy on Facebook (on her Facebook page); she tells all her friends, relatives, coworkers, etc. the big news and all before the end of your first trimester. She insists on throwing you a baby shower; she wants to help you decorate because she already has a theme picked out for the nursery. She even presents you with a list of baby name suggestions. You have so much on your plate, after all. The problem is that it’s tempting to allow All-About-Me to take over, especially if you are: 1) feeling ambivalent about the pregnancy; 2) feeling too awful from morning sickness to get very excited yourself; 3) too busy with other children, work, etc. to plan for the new arrival; or 4) not financially able to do all the things All-About-Me promises to do for you and the baby.
How to Deal: In the immortal words of Barney Fife:

… nip it. Nip it in the bud. Thank All-About-Me for those things you accept then clearly and directly state which are deal-breakers.

2. The Worry Wart:
Poor well-intentioned Worry Wart just wants to share in your miracle, but doesn’t know anything about pregnancy and says all the wrong things. For example, Ms. Wart may tell you how she talked to her friend about your pregnancy and that friend “who is a nurse, by the way (as though that immediately guarantees expert credibility status), wants to make sure you are eating enough foods with folic acid and are taking your vitamins.” Wart then launches into several cautionary tales about not consuming enough folic acid to further emphasize the point. This is serious, Preggers! You don’t want to have a baby with an extra arm in the middle of its forehead, do you? Since you’ve been dutifully taking prenatals since before you got pregnant and are forcing yourself to eat 3 servings of green veggies every day despite crippling nausea, these helpful hints are seriously annoying. When Worry Wart reminds you (for the 5th time) not to miss your OB appointments, you may be tempted to fire back: “Nah we’re skipping the whole prenatal care thing. We’re bettin’ on a genetic crap shoot and a diet of Cheetos and Mountain Dew!”
How to Deal: Redirect Worry Wart’s nervous energy toward a specific project. Ask for help finding the safest travel systems or best deals on diapers etc.

3. The Constant Caller:
The Constant Caller tends to arrive near the end of your pregnancy. She starts calling and texting you with increasing frequency in those latter weeks “just to check in.” My own Caller Nemesis began reaching out to me around 32 weeks, asking how I was feeling, if I needed anything, etc. It was all very flattering. Then, Caller dropped by to see me around 34 weeks. Utterly appalled by the size of my belly, Caller immediately (and repeatedly) declared that I was “huge” and proclaimed that I would most certainly not carry to term because I was “so big.” I was incredibly uncomfortable and already very self-conscious about weight I’d gained, and I secretly hoped she was right, that I’d deliver early and put an end to my suffering. Thankfully, my baby had other ideas. By week 38, Caller was calling and texting several times a week, and I was literally praying to have the baby. By the time my due date arrived (with no baby and no signs of impending labor) I was going insane. Caller’s incessant texts asking if I had “anything exciting to report” only served to remind me that I was probably going to be pregnant for the rest of my life. The only thing I had to report was another 5 pounds gained so I chose to cut off all communication with her in order to avoid a profane texting outburst.

How to Deal: Constant Caller wants to be in the loop. Reassure her she’ll be among the first to know.

A trick I learned from BTDT moms is to tell people an estimated due date 2-3 weeks after your actual EDD.

...Okay I didn't actually do that. But it made for an awfully satisfying fantasy!

…Okay I didn’t actually hurl things at Horror Queen’s head. But it made for an awfully satisfying fantasy at the time!

4. The Horror Story Queen:
The Horror Story Queen has the scariest birth stories around (and it seems to grow more elaborate each time she tells it). Horror Queen will seek you out, poor pregnant Mama, because you have to hear… so you’re prepared, just in case. “I was in labor for 72 hours. I passed out 6 times. The epidural didn’t take, and I had a third degree vaginal tear. Blah, blah, blah. Oh, I’ve already told you that one? Well, my sister’s, daughter’s, best friend’s delivery is the grossest, most terrifying story ever! You need to hear it too.”

Here’s one I actually heard while pregnant: “Oh you’re not delivering at [unnamed] hospital! You know what they say about that place don’t you? That’s the hospital where people go to die. My niece delivered there, and her baby died…I’m just saying.” To which I responded “And I’m just saying, duck!” as I hurled 5 lb. bottles of prenatal vitamins at her head!

How to Deal: Run away! Okay, you can’t run, but waddle away as fast as you can!
Avoid the Horror Queen at all costs.

5. The Creepy Stranger:
As a Preggo, you can never be sure when you’ll encounter Creepy Strangers. They’ll appear as if out of nowhere, and usually when you least expect it. Creepys have finely honed covert skills, skulking up silently with arms outstretched, ready to touch your growing belly, often without asking. The Creepy Stranger also prides herself on being able to predict the gender of your unborn child just by assessing the shape of your belly, how you’re carrying, the condition of your skin, the position of the moon and so on. Creepy will ask you all sorts of personal questions like the number of children you’ve had, your age, your plans for pain management during delivery, if you’re married and etc. If you happen to be very pregnant when you encounter Creepy, expect to be informed as to how easily you could induce labor by simply taking a few laps around your house (this is especially annoying if you’re already desperately marching your pregnant behind around your neighborhood like a band in a parade everyday without so much as a single real contraction or cm dilated); how you should be having sex every night to induce labor (not terribly appealing since that’s how you got yourself into this mess to begin with); and (in vivid detail) the results Creepy had using castor oil to induce.

How to Deal: Honestly, it’s hard to completely avoid Creepy Strangers, so I encourage you to either take a mixed martial arts class before becoming pregnant so you know how to defend yourself, or consider purchasing several of these:

Thank you for not Touching Maternity Dark T-Shirt

by
Jeanette Chase
Find more
&
unique gifts at CafePress

Take Home Mommy Wisdom: The truth is that none of these folks is really your enemy. They’re definitely annoying, especially when compounded by the ordinary hormonal swings and discomforts of pregnancy. It can be very difficult to graciously deal with a Creepy stranger touching your belly or the power plays of All-About-Me. When tempted to explode, take a deep breath and try reminding yourself that each of these folks is excited for you in his/her own misguided way. Enlist the help of your significant other in dealing with any particularly annoying family members. If you absolutely cannot maintain your cool when dealing with one of these folks, then limit contact as much as possible (texting is a useful means of maintaining communication without too much contact) until after you’ve had the baby. Also, try to remember that this is a blessed time (yes, you are blessed in spite of the heartburn, hemorrhoids and ankle-swelling you’re experiencing) and these characters just wanna share in your moment of joy.

Still, God, in His faithfulness, will deliver (women) through childbearing as long as they remain in faith and love and holiness with self-restraint.
~I Timothy 2:15 (The Voice)
Read more here.

Karen Dietrich is a new full-time mom and a long-time beauty junkie. She spends her time loving her baby, laughing at her husband and wondering if she’ll ever again fit into her pre-pregnancy jeans. For more from Karen and her relentless quest for beauty and wisdom in everyday life, be sure to subscribe to her blog: Daily Beauty Wisdom.

Quick & Easy Paleo Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing

Today’s recipe continues the series of recipes based on a recent HealthGrove study identifying the top 30 foods for producing beautiful skin and hair. As I discussed previously, all but 3 of the 30 foods on that list are #WHOLE30 foods, and the 3 foods on the list not technically considered Paleo or WHOLE30-compliant are legumes (i.e. beans), not dairy or grains. In case you missed my previous entries based on the beautifying ingredients from the HealthGrove study, you will find links at the bottom of this post for prior recipes. So, be sure to check those out and definitely stay tuned to Daily Beauty Wisdom because I’ll be posting all new recipes for each of the remaining 27 #Paleo / #WHOLE30 ingredients from that list (I think I’ve got about 22 or so ingredients left to cover).

Today’s beautifying ingredient – LEMONS (food #23 from HealthGrove’s list).

LEMONS - Delicious & Pretty, Both Inside & Out!

LEMONS – Deliciously Pretty Both Inside & Out!

Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C, a very important vitamin. Vitamin C helps the body synthesize collagen, a key component of strong skin and hair. You’ve probably heard Vitamin C referred to as an anti-oxidant. It helps counteracts the “oxidative” action of stress, toxins (like tobacco smoke, smog, etc.) and the sun’s UV rays, so stabilized forms of Vitamin C (e.g. L-ascorbic acid, or simply ascorbate) are often added to cosmetics and skin care products for that reason. But it’s also important for us to consume Vitamin C in the foods we eat. One lemon provides almost 75% of an adult’s daily requirement for Vitamin C. Read more about Vitamin C here.

This recipe developed out of necessity. Basically, we ran out of salad dressing. In an effort to keep Hubs eating salads every night, we had done a great job of keeping the house stocked with plenty of Tessamae’s Lemon Garlic salad dressing – that is, right up until our recent Memorial Day road trip which turned into quite an ordeal due to some unforeseen weather and traffic headaches. As a result our trip was extended an extra day and we returned home too tired to even consider heading back out of town to shop for salad dressing (I’ve written previously that we cannot purchase WHOLE30-approved dressing near our home. And I’ve done a poor job of pre-planning when it comes to ordering ahead. Scolding self internally, “Bad wife. Bad.”) So after my previous catastrophic mayonnaise fail, I decided to give it another go at making a dressing, this time with something easier, a vinaigrette.

I’m chalking this recipe up as a big win for the following reasons. Reason #1 Hubs said the dressing was “really yummy,” and “just as good as the stuff we were buying” (Tessemae’s). Not sure I’d go that far, but I’m thrilled to have successfully (and quickly) whipped up a suitable replacement with one of the HealthGrove beautifying ingredients. Reason #2 – My daughter “participated” in the preparation of the recipe by sitting on the kitchen island in her fabulous Mamas & Papas Baby Snug chair listening intently as I narrated the whole process. Anybody else have one of these chairs? We love ours! And it was a breeze to travel with. So much easier than trying to pack up a full-size high chair! And Reason #3, this was win because I was able to combine cooking with beauty products. Specifically, I used this nifty little hair color applicator squeeze bottle from Sally’s Beauty Supply. This little guy cost less than $2 (actually around $1.60 with my Beauty Club discount). It’s washable and reusable. You could use the gradations on the side for measuring ingredients. It comes with a tight-fitting lid that makes combining ingredients super easy, and it dispenses the dressing better than a wide mouth bottle that may allow too much goop to come pouring out and drown your salad. AND the narrow spout (guess that’s what you’d call it) prevents any large chunks of garlic from escaping the bottle. In this case that’s a good thing because this recipe uses raw garlic – good for flavor, but not really something you wanna chomp down on in a salad. Okay, enough rhapsodizing about the bottle, on to the recipe…

Quick & Easy Paleo Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing

….Served Along Side a Luscious Summer Salad

Ingredients:
• ¼ tsp. grated lemon peel
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. iodized sea salt
• 10 cranks freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp. Dijon or yellow mustard (use yellow mustard if doing #WHOLE30)+++
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice from 1 small lemon)
• ½ Tbsp. Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Sauce
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme, crushed
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
• pinch dried oregano, crushed (optional)
• 1/3 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. chia seeds

+++Most prepared dijon mustards contain white wine which is not approved for consumption during #WHOLE30. So if you’re actively “doing a WHOLE30,” be sure to substitute plain yellow mustard and (as always) be sure to check the ingredient list of any prepared product you use prior to consuming.

Hardware:
• Microplane
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Squeeze bottle or other dressing dispenser

Love this Squeeze Bottle from Sally’s Beauty Supply Repurposed for Salad Dressing Application!

Process:

1. Wash and dry lemon. Transfer to cutting board.
2. Using microplane, grate lemon peel then transfer to whatever bottle you will use to hold, dispense dressing.
3. Next finely chop (mince) garlic and add to bottle.
4. Add salt, pepper, mustard, thyme, lemon juice and Coconut Aminos sauce as well as any other herbs you are using.
5. Shake bottle gently to combine ingredients. Then pour in oil all at once along with chia seeds.
6. Place lid tightly on bottle and shake vigorously for about 2 minutes.
7. Taste for seasonings and adjust for taste.
8. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. It’s best to refrigerate at least 3-4 hours before using.

Serve This Tangy Dressing over Crisp Salad Greens and Revel in the Compliments!

Wisdom of the Day:
“…and (God) said to humankind: ‘Look, the fear of the Lord is wisdom; turning from evil is understanding.”
~Job 28:28 (Common English Bible)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Sleep is a key component in any beauty regimen. You simply cannot look or feel your best without sufficient sleep. For most adults, that means at least 7-8 solid hours of sleep per night. Struggling to fall or stay asleep? Check out this list of things that may be impending your sleep:
6 Things that Can Steal Your Sleep from ShareCare (P.S. I’m totally guilty of #6)

Previous recipes from this series include:
Easy Cheezy Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons
#WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini Boats 2 Ways
Chicken Tri-Alamandine Casserole
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WHOLE30 Lifestyle Hits the Road for Memorial Day

Loaded Turkey Burgers in a Tasty Salad Make for a Delicious & Comforting Meal on the Go!

Hubs and I finished our first WHOLE30 just over 3 weeks ago. With only a few hiccups, we’ve survived reintroduction and transition to a WHOLE30-esque lifestyle. He is now eating gluten-free grains without any problems. I’m still grain-free. Neither of us is consuming any dairy or legumes. Hubs eats what he describes as “a minimal amount of sugar” (which translates to a few spoonfuls of coconut sugar in his coconut oil coffee each morning and the occasional gluten-free cookie after dinner). And I’m still using a little artificial sweetener (primarily stevia), but avoiding all forms of refined sugar. All in all, this plan is working well for us. It’s sustainable. We’ve maintained the results we achieved during the 30 days and we don’t feel deprived or have any major cravings.

We had planned to host family this Memorial Day weekend. But plans changed due to the sudden illness of a family member. So we’re packing up our baby girl (and ALL her accoutrement) and hitting the road. This will be our daughter’s first road trip and our first WHOLE30 traveling experience.

I’m not sure which has me more nervous. I’m probably equally anxious about both. Of course, I want things to go smoothly as we travel with our daughter and I don’t want to derail our new healthier WHOLE30 lifestyle. We are blessed beyond all measure with a daughter who is calm, good-natured and easy-going. She basically adapts to anything we do with her. Plus, like most new parents, we’ve over- packed for all contingencies, so she should be well-occupied during our 9+ hour drive (each way).

Speaking of that drive, we’re definitely gonna have to eat at least a few meals on the road. The WHOLE9 / WHOLE30 folks (The Whole9 Guide To Navigating a Restaurant Menu) and others (for example: Life Health HQ WHOLE30 Restaurant Guide) have provided some great resources for eating out during the program, but I feel like (especially when you’re eating at chain restaurants as we will) you can never be truly certain that your veggies and proteins are cooked in approved oils; that no refined sugars were included in the salad dressings; etc. So I’m taking the same approach to our meals as we’re taking to traveling with our daughter – plan for all contingencies and pack our own – our proteins and veggies at least. We also have a hotel room with a full kitchen. So that will allow us some additional control over our meals.

In the meantime, here’s what I’ve packed just in case:
• Loaded Turkey Burgers To Go (recipe follows)
• Grilled Aidell’s Chicken Apple Sausages
• WHOLE30 Deviled Eggs Florentine (recipe follows)
• Pre-made tossed salads
• 2 Boxes of Wholly Guacamole Minis
• Homemade Trail Mix (mix of walnuts, pecans, cashews and unsulphured raisins)
• Bananas
• Bottled water + Ginger Green Tea
• Coconut oil

So that’s it. A little preparation makes Mommy feel a whole (no pun intended) lot better before hitting the road. Plus the turkey burgers are really delicious! Hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend as well!

Loaded Turkey Burgers To Go

Ingredients:
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled
• ½ cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1.5 tsp. iodized sea salt
• 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1 lb. Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast (98% Lean)
• 1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey Breast (93% Lean)
• 5 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used Carrington’s brand organic extra virgin)

Hardware:
• Potato masher
• Potato peeler
• Large mixing bowl
• Large nonstick frying pan or skillet with lid

Process:
1. Cut sweet potato into 3 roughly equal pieces. Then wrap in a paper towel. Microwave on HIGH for 4-5 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. Carefully remove from microwave and place on a small plate, then transfer to refrigerator. All to chill about 1 hour or until cool enough to handle.
2. Remove sweet potato from refrigerator and using your hands, “shmush” the pieces into smaller pieces over a large mixing bowl. Next add the applesauce.
3. Using a potato masher, mash the mixture until more or less smooth with no large chunks visible.
4. Add salt and spinach to mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Next add turkey and walnuts. Then use your hands to thoroughly combine mixture and form into patties of roughly equal size. I made 12 patties.
6. Place a large nonstick skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil and allow oil to melt and then rotate pan so oil covers the entire pan.
7. Place 4 patties in hot oil and cover pan. Then allow patties to cook about 6 min before flipping. Cook an additional 5 minutes (uncovered). Then remove to a platter and repeat twice with remaining patties and coconut oil.
~Makes about 12 burgers.

#WHOLE30 Deviled Eggs Florentine

Deviled Eggs Florentine Are the Perfect Cooler Snack!

Ingredients:
• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chilled
• ½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted and very well drained
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. WHOLE30-approved mayo (e.g. Primal Kitchens Mayo, or Tessemae’s Mayo)
• 2 Tbsp. DBW Paleo Cheez It Sauce (optional) or additional 1 Tbsp. Mayo
• Optional garnishes – sliced black olives, smoked paprika, sliced almonds, etc.

Hardware:
• Small paring knife
• Cutting board
• Small-medium sized mixing bowl
• Spatula or fork

Process:
1. Place each boiled egg on cutting board and cut in half horizontally (see picture below). Cutting the eggs this way allows you to store the deviled eggs in an empty (dozen) egg container. If you’re planning to serve your deviled eggs in a traditional deviled egg platter, you will want to halve your eggs vertically.

Vertical cut on the left. Horizontal cut on the right.

2. Place halved egg whites into whatever container you will serve them. Because I’m taking my deviled eggs to-go I placed them back into a an empty egg container which I had cleaned and dried.
3. Carefully scoop the yolks into a mixing bowl (you want to avoid breaking the whites). Using a form or spatula, mash up the yolks until no large lumps remain.

4. Next add the spinach (you can save the left over spinach for some other use), salt, mayo and Cheez Sauce (if using). Stir all together until well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if desired.

5. Spoon filling into halves and decorate with garnish as desired. I piped the mixture in using a pastry bag just to be all fancy, but that’s totally unnecessary.

N.B. This recipe makes an excess of filling. I’m not wasting the filling. Hubs and I are packing filling up and taking it with us in a small Tupperware container because it makes a tremendous salad dressing!

~Makes 12 deviled egg halves.

Wisdom for the Day:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
~Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Check out the wonderful and informative Paleo Hacks Blog and be sure to sign up for one of the free recipe guides!

WHOLE30 Lifestyle Hits the Road for Memorial Day

Loaded Turkey Burgers in a Tasty Salad Make for a Delicious & Comforting Meal on the Go!

Loaded Turkey Burgers To Go

Hardware:
• Potato masher
• Potato peeler
• Large mixing bowl
• Large nonstick frying pan or skillet with lid

#WHOLE30 Deviled Eggs Florentine

Deviled Eggs Florentine Are the Perfect Cooler Snack!

Hardware:
• Small paring knife
• Cutting board
• Small-medium sized mixing bowl
• Spatula or fork

Vertical cut on the left. Horizontal cut on the right.

5. Spoon filling into halves and decorate with garnish as desired. I piped the mixture in using a pastry bag just to be all fancy, but that’s totally unnecessary.

~Makes 12 deviled egg halves.

Wisdom for the Day:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
~Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Check out the wonderful and informative Paleo Hacks Blog and be sure to sign up for one of the free recipe guides!

A Truly One Size Fits All Facial Cleanser? Olay 4-in-1 Sensitive Daily Facial Cloths Review

A Truly One-Size-Fits-All Cleansing Cloth? Almost!

Remember how your mother (or grandmother) taught you to wash your face every night by telling you horror stories about what would happen if you slept in your makeup – like how your eyes would be swollen shut the next morning due to some terrifying affliction nobody’s ever heard of, or that you’d develop giant blackheads that would get infected just in time for the big homecoming dance? Yeah, I never got that.

Here’s how I learned to take care of my face – my mom told me how she had acne as a teenager; how awful it was; how she was dragged (kicking and screaming apparently) off to see diabolical dermatologists where she received painful treatments she loathed. She told me she hoped I would avoid this fate and the plague of acne, but Mom never role modeled good skin hygiene. I never observed her washing her face every night. I’ve never caught my mom wearing a sheet mask; never known her to splurge for a facial.

I had to figure out the whole skincare thing for myself. It’s like my mother had enough of it as a kid and wanted no part of all that washing and scrubbing, cleaning and clarifying jazz. I’ve always nagged my mother to “at least take off your makeup before bed.” Sometime she would; usually she wouldn’t. We agreed to disagree. My husband is a similar battle. Having also struggled with acne in his teens and endured his own unpleasant interaction with the dermatologic profession, he has no interest in going through a bunch of facial cleansing rituals every night. Each time I rev up to preach to him the importance of washing his face at night, he simply rolls his eyes and walks into another room. Even my baby girl ducks and dodges when I go in to wash her little cheeks and nose. It seems I’m the only one in the house who actually enjoys a good face wash.

Mommy & Me - She may not have taught me to wash my face, but she taught me everything about being a mother!

Mommy & Me – She may not have taught me to wash my face, but she taught me everything about being a good mother!

Another struggle – just about everyone in our household has sensitive skin. My mother has extremely sensitive eyes. My husband and daughter have very reactive skin. So finding a facial cleansing product that won’t irritate has not been easy. I found these highly rated cloths while searching for a potential solution at Paula’s Choice / Beautypedia.com. I almost always agree with reviews of the Beautypedia team, and I highly recommend this website as a resource for anyone looking to save money and make wiser beauty purchases. Seriously, check it out! You’ll be amazed what you can learn about the cosmetics industry and the products you already use or have considered purchasing.

Anyway, after checking a couple of drugstores, we located these cloths at a local Wal-Mart and immediately purchased. I was surprised when I opened the packaged because these cloths (unlike the majority of ready-to-use wet cleansing wipes) must be dampened with water to activate. Not a huge deal but it does add an extra step to the process. And it means these are not the wipes you’d keep on your bedside table for a quick swipe before bed, at least not if you expect any results. It is also worth noting that you do have to rinse off the suds that these cloths produce. Again, not a major deal, but it means you’ll need to use these cloths in the bathroom or at least near a sink and/or with a damp wash cloth handy. And that again adds another step to the process which kind of defeats my purpose (e.g. to make face washing as easy as possible for people who openly hate the whole process).

I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the cloths. They’re very large, too large in fact to use on my daughter’s tiny baby face. So I cut them into quarters which is easy to do since they come (conveniently) folded that way. Honestly, even my mother and husband can get away with using half a cloth. My mother reported easily removing all her makeup with halved cloths (she uses no eye liner or mascara) and reported no eye burning or sensitivity. Hubs likewise had no complaints or reactions and reported the (halved) size was satisfactory. My daughter never cried or exhibited any problems when we washed her face with the cloths. I always follow up by wiping her face with coconut oil (as I discussed here) which helps keep her skin calm.

Cleansing cloths cut into quarters, halves and full size

I found that I only needed half a cloth to remove almost all of my makeup (more on that shortly). And used in this way (i.e. cutting the cloths into halves or quarters), you really get a ton of product for less than $7, which is a great bargain! My one complaint is that it takes a fair bit of scrubbing to remove waterproof eye makeup with these cloths. If you’ve read my eyeliner post (BTW if you haven’t read it yet, you really SHOULD! Check it out here), you already know I’m a huge fan of waterproof eyeliner. In fact, I really only use waterproof eyeliner because I find the regular kind just smudges and runs all over the place. Not only does that annoy me to no end, it wastes my time. And I’d much rather spend my time with my daughter or on more enjoyable activities than fixing messy makeup! I digress, having to scrub too hard around the eyes is NOT good for several reasons. Reason #1 it risks damaging the sensitive eye tissue which has less oil glands and is more vulnerable to stretching and wrinkling than other skin on the face. Check out this article to learn more. Reason #2 is that scrubbing and tugging the delicate eye area can cause loss of eyelashes and eyebrow hairs. This hair loss happens naturally as we age. So the thinner your lashes and brows, the older you appear – not good! Basically this means, if I use these cloths, I have to add a step – eye makeup remover first, then cleansing cloths. Since I purchased this product for others and not myself (I already have a cleansing routine I’m very happy with), this is only a minor strike against the product. I’m deducting 1 star. It may be a fatal flaw for you, especially if you’re seeking a 1-step product to remove your own really stubborn makeup.

Summary: These cloths work well for sensitive, reactive skin and are gentle enough to use on baby skin. They are reasonably priced given the amount of product. However, in order to “stretch” the product, you’ll need to invest a few minutes cutting the cloths into halves or quarters (no biggie). These cloths are not wet upon arrival and each cloth must be damped before usage. You will also need to rinse your face after using the cloth, so this is not a one-step face cleansing product. Finally, while the cloths remove most makeup quickly and effectively; waterproof eye makeup is a challenge and requires more effort than you may want to invest when other products remove it more efficiently.

Price: $6.96 (33 large cloths)

Daily Beauty Wisdom Rating: **** 4/5 pearls of wisdom

Wisdom for the Day:
She considers a field before she buys or accepts it [expanding her business prudently]; With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. ~Proverbs 31:16 (AMPLIFIED)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, you really need to check out Paula’s Choice / Beautypedia. It’s a fantastic resource full of 1000’s of unbiased product reviews, general info articles and the phenomenal cosmetics ingredient dictionary.

Chicken Tri-Almandine Casserole #WHOLE30-Compliant

Chicken Tri-Almandine Casserole #WHOLE30-Compliant

Today’s recipe is the 3rd in a series based on the list of the 30 foods identified as best for producing beautiful skin and hair in a recent study by HealthGrove. As I have previously written, all but 3 of the 30 foods on that list are WHOLE30 compliant. I also think it’s worth pointing out that the 3 foods on the list not technically considered WHOLE30 compliant are legumes (i.e. beans), not dairy or grains; and that none of the legumes are soy or soy derivatives. That is both fascinating and frustrating, because as a reformed vegan myself, I totally bought into the soy-as-health-food myth for so long. For more on my journey away from the land of faux meat patties and into the freedom and tremendous #NSVs I discovered through WHOLE30, check out the hot linked articles above or listed below.

In case you missed it, previous recipes include: Cheezy Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons (#20 from the list) and #WHOLE30-Compliant Stuffed Zucchini Two Ways (#29 from Healthgrove list). Today’s beautifying ingredient is ALMONDS (#26 from the list)!

Almonds are a great source of biotin (one of the B vitamins necessary for cell growth and often recommended as a supplement to strengthen hair and nails; source), Vitamin E and Manganese. In fact a 1/4 cup of sliced almonds provide almost 50% of your daily requirement of biotin for only 132 calories (source). Pretty beautiful, indeed! I’m really excited about this recipe because it uses not one or two but three different forms of almonds – whole almonds, unsweetened almond milk and almond flour. If you’re looking for yet another way to sneak these super healthy and beautifying little nuts into your diet, consider almond butter. Almond butter is a delicious and healthier alternative to peanut butter as detailed in this article, complete with a quick and easy DIY recipe. Be sure to check it out!

This would be a great time to try out the WHOLE30-approved brand New Barn almond milk if it’s available near you, or you can obviously use homemade almond milk or other approved variety. If you can’t find almond flour, it’s easy to make. Just toss about ¼ cup whole almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor and process until no lumps or chunks remain.

This recipe also caused a minor sensation in our household because we could not agree on our preferred protein. I made this recipe twice in 2 days, and we literally ate it for 4 straight meals (not counting breakfasts). The first time I made it, I used 2 lb. ground turkey breast. The second time, I used chicken tenderloins (as below). I personally preferred the ground turkey version, but then I (always) prefer turkey to chicken. Hubs preferred the chicken version, and my mother was undecided. If you happen to prefer one over the other, just know that both proteins work equally well. And if you happen to have about 2 cups of leftover cooked, diced meat available, you can skip several steps (1,2,and 5) which is good. As I also noted below, you can prepare this recipe through step #8 ahead of time and keep it tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days before completing and serving. And it makes a ton, definitely enough for dinner and several lunch servings.

Ingredients:
• 2.5 lb. bag boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (e.g. Tyson), defrosted
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used Carrington’s Organic Extra Virgin)
• 2-10 oz. pkg. steam-in-bag haricot vert or whole green beans (I used Pictsweet brand)
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 cups whole almonds (raw or oil-roasted)
• 2-8 oz. pkg. sliced mushrooms
• 1.5 tsp. salt, divided
• ¼ tsp. garlic or 1 garlic clove, minced
• Nonstick spray (I used Pam nonstick coconut oil spray)

For the Sauce –
• 2 whole eggs or 1/2 cup egg whites
• 3 heaping Tbsp. canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 can Thai Kitchen Organic coconut milk
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, homemade, or WHOLE30 approved e.g. New Barn
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Secret Aminos sauce
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• ¼ tsp. mustard powder
• ½ tsp. dried turmeric
• 2 Tbsp. nutrient yeast (optional)

For the Topping –
• 2 Tbsp. potato flakes, e.g. Bob’s Red Mill+++
• 3 Tbsp. almond flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• ½ tsp. salt

Hardware:
• Large nonstick skillet
• 9X13” baking dish or pan
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Tongs
• Aluminum foil

Process:
1. Place frying pan over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add coconut oil and allow oil to melt. Then add chicken tenderloins and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Brown chicken stirring and turning occasionally, until cooked through (about 15 minutes).
2. Remove chicken from pan and allow chicken tenders to drain on paper towels.
3. While chicken is cooling, add another 1 Tbsp. coconut oil to skillet and turn heat to MEDIUM. When oil has melted, pour both packages of mushrooms into pan along with ½ tsp. salt and garlic powder or minced garlic clove. Cook mushrooms over MEDIUM-HIGH heat stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Then lower heat to MEDIUM and cook about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and remove pan from stove.
4. While mushrooms are cooking, place green beans in microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for approximately half the time required for two bags. (Example: I have a high-powered microwave that should have cooked both bags in 8 minutes according to package directions so I cooked both bags together on HIGH for 5 minutes).
5. When chicken is cool enough to handle, move to cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces.

6. Spray a 9X13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and preheat oven to 375° and begin adding in the following order:
7. First place chicken chunks at the bottom of baking dish or pan. Next carefully pour green beans into dish. Then add almonds, drained water chestnuts and cooked mushrooms.
8. Sprinkle casserole ingredients with remaining ½ tsp. salt. Using tongs, gently toss vegetables to combine.
N.B. You can prepare casserole through this step up to 3 days in advance and keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator.
9. Next, prepare sauce as follows: Place eggs into large (should hold at least 3 cups, or 48 oz.) measuring cup or bowl and gently whisk until beaten (if using whole eggs). Next add pumpkin and stir until smooth. Then pour entire can of coconut milk and almond milk into mixture and stir until thoroughly combined and smooth in consistency. Then add next 6 ingredients and stir until well-combined. Then pour this sauce over casserole as evenly as possible. Then using tongs, gently toss casserole ingredients again to distribute sauce. It will look something like this:

10. In a small cup, stir together potato flakes, almond flour and salt using a fork. Then sprinkle mixture evenly over top casserole. Cover casserole with aluminum foil.

Here’s the casserole ready to be covered and baked!

11. Bake (covered) for 45 minutes at 375°. Then remove from oven. Increase oven temp to 400° and remove aluminum foil.
12. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer (uncovered) at 400°.
13. Remove from oven and allow to rest uncovered for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

+++ NOTE: this recipe uses potato flakes, canned coconut milk and almond milk. It is important to always check the ingredient lists of any products you purchase and consume, especially when doing WHOLE30. Some potato flakes and canned coconut milks contain sulfite preservatives, and some brands of almond milk contain carrageenan (a thickening agent), which are not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which aren’t healthy for us to consume anyway). I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Potato Flakes and Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk. And I highly recommend you check out the WHOLE30 list of approved and unapproved additives and the other resources available at WHOLE30’s website to educate yourself prior to beginning your own WHOLE30 journey and anytime you have questions along the way.

Wisdom of the Day:
If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of our benevolent God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.
~James 1:5 (AMPLIFIED)
Read more here.

Resources of the Day:
Planning on taking a road trip this coming Memorial Day? Us too. And we’re probably gonna have to eat at least 1 or 2 restaurant meals along the way. Check out these resources for tips on how to stay the WHOLE30 course while traveling this summer.
1. Life Health HQ WHOLE30 Restaurant Guide
2. The Whole9 Guide To Navigating a Restaurant Menu

BTW: The post I referenced in the intro describing all the positive results I gained during our first WHOLE30 (known as Non Scale Victories or #NSVs) can be read here: WHOLE30 Post Script I. And my discussion about my journey from faux-meat-addicted vegan to dedicated WHOLE30-er may be accessed here: All In – Making a Lasting Commitment to the WHOLE30 Lifestyle.

WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini Two Ways

Several days ago I wrote about a study from HealthGrove identifying the best 30 foods for beautiful skin and hair. The researchers compiled the list by creating an algorithm based upon the top vitamins and minerals to support skin and hair health and calculating which foods were highest in those nutrients and lowest in unhealthy, pro-inflammatory factors. As I explained at the time, all but 3 of the 30 are WHOLE30 foods, the remaining 3 being legumes (i.e. beans). I then issued myself a challenge to create all new Paleo / WHOLE30 recipes with each of the 27 foods.

In case you missed it, my first attempt was based on #20 (broccoli) from the list of beautifying foods. Incidentally, that recipe and this one both use instant potato flakes. It has come to my attention that some brands of instant potato flakes contain various preservatives including sulfites, which are not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which are 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 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.

#29 on Healthgrove’s List of Best Food for Beautiful Skin and Hair

So with all that said, today’s mystery ingredient is (drum roll please) – ZUCCHINI! I love the green summer squash for it’s mild flavor and versatility.

The following recipe offers you two high protein, vegetable-heavy main-dish treatment options for stuffed zucchini. The great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare both options using 5 zucchini and 1 pound of ground turkey breast plus a few pantry staples. Both treatments received rave reviews from my family. None of us could choose a favorite, so I am sharing both. Option #1 is savory with an Italian flavor and seasonings. I served the savory zucchini boats with my Paleo Cheez Sauce along side. The tangy, creaminess of the sauce provided a wonderful compliment to the tomato and turkey stuffing. I also think the Cheez Sauce makes this option a bit more kid-friendly.

Option #2 is savory/sweet with what my mother described as “an almost Persian taste.” I’m not sure about that. I suspect she was referencing the flavor and texture of the figs. If you or your family don’t like figs – or you just don’t happen to have any in the house at present – you can certainly substitute raisins or prunes for that matter. I wouldn’t use dates for this recipe, however. They’re just too sweet. Also, if you’re actively doing WHOLE30,
remember to always be mindful to avoid any dried fruits preserved with sulfites which (as noted above) are off limits during the program. If you’re on the fence about figs and need a reason to give them a try, check out this link to find out why figs are among the world’s healthiest foods and one of the best guardians of health.

One final note, this is not a difficult recipe, nor are the ingredients terribly exotic or tough to come by. It is, however, time-consuming as you may have guessed if you skipped ahead to read the process. This is the type of recipe that is likely to impress guests and is sure to please even those not following special dietary regimens. For those reasons, I would suggest saving this for a weekend meal or some day when you have a little extra time to prepare dinner. Wishing you good health and delicious meals!

Ingredients:
• 5 medium-large zucchini
• 2 tsp. iodized sea salt, divided
• 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey breast
• 2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, divided
• 1 cup walnuts, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam nonstick coconut oil spray)

For Savory Stuffed Zucchini

• 1 can diced tomatoes, well drained (be sure the brand you buy has no added sugar or unapproved additives)
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder (or 2 garlic cloves, minced)
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ small sweet onion, diced
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• ¼ cup instant potato flakes, e.g. Bob’s Red Mill
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
• 2 Tbsp. nutrient yeast (optional)

For Sweet-N-Savory Stuffed Zucchini

• 10 dried figs or 1/3 cup raisins (for WHOLE30 be sure to use sulfite-free figs such as these or these raisins)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• pinch ground cloves
• pinch pure stevia (omit during WHOLE30)

Hardware:
• 2 – 8” Baking Dishes
• 2 – small/medium sized mixing bowls
• Melon Baller or small spoon

A melon baller makes it easy to scoop out the centers of each zucchini half

• Lemon zester
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board(s)
• Large nonstick frying pan

Process:
1. Wash and dry each zucchini. Transfer to cutting board.
2. Remove stems, and cut each zucchini in half length-wise.
3. Using melon-baller or small pointy spoon, scoop out inside pulp from each zucchini half and place into large bowl.
4. Place hollowed zucchini “boats” into a ziplock freezer bag and store in refrigerator. Place pulp in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
5. When ready to cook, place the zucchini pulp in a large colander and rinse well under running water. Shake colander to remove excess water. Then gently pat pulp dry.
6. Spray a large frying pan with nonstick spray then place it over MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
7. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil to the pan and allow oil to melt. Then place ground turkey breast, zucchini pulp and 1 tsp. salt in pan and brown stirring continuously to break up and lumps. You may need to use a potato masher at the end of cooking to ensure the mixture is broken up into even chunks that will fit nicely into the boats. (see pic below)

Mixture should look more or less like this.

8. Divide this mixture equally into 2 large mixing bowls. Then wash and dry pan to prepare for reuse.
9. For Savory Zucchini Boats:
Drain tomatoes well and add to turkey mixture along with ½ cup walnuts, garlic, oregano and ½ tsp. salt. Place frying pan over MEDIUM heat and add remaining 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. Heat oil until it melts. Then add pepper and onion. Cook veggies over MEDIUM heat until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent burning (N.B. If you’re lazy, like me, you can save time and cleanup by tossing the peppers, onion and oil into a microwave-safe bowl and nuking on HIGH for 4 minutes. Then proceed as above). Add cooked onions and peppers to turkey/tomato mixture and stir to combine. Next add dry potato flakes, nutrient yeast, lemon peel and juice. Stir to combine and test for seasoning, adjusting to taste.
10. For Sweet –N- Savory Zucchini Boats:
Using clean kitchen sheers, snip figs into fourths and stir into ground turkey and zucchini mixture. If using raisins, simply add to turkey mixture. Next add applesauce, remaining ½ cup walnuts, vinegar and spices (including stevia if using). Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
11. Preheat oven to 375° and prepare baking dishes by lining both dishes with tin foil (for easier cleanup), then spraying lined dishes with nonstick coconut oil spray. Place 5 zucchini halves in each baking dish.
12. Scoop savory mixture into the 5 “boats” in one baking dish and repeat with sweet/savory mixture in second baking dish. You may need to press mixture down firmly in order to get all mixture into the zucchini. It’s okay if they seem overstuffed. Then cover both dishes with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven.
13. Bake for 45 minutes. Then remove baking dishes from oven and increase temperature to 400°.
14. Meanwhile, remove foil cover from baking dishes. (At this point, I sprinkled the savory zucchini boats with a bit more nutrient yeast, but that’s totally optional. I didn’t notice it made much difference in terms of flavor.) Once oven temp has reached 400° return dishes to oven. Cook for 15 minutes longer.
15. Remove both baking dishes from oven. Allow to rest, very loosely covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes 5 servings

N.B. In case you prefer one version over another, note that I will shortly be posting links to each option above using full pound of meat.
Check back soon!

Wisdom of the Day:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:6-8 (NASB)
Read more here.

Resource of the Day:
Curious as to what exactly constitutes a well-stocked WHOLE30 pantry? Check out the WHOLE30 Pantry Stocking Guide.

#WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini Two Ways

#29 on Healthgrove’s List of Best Food for Beautiful Skin and Hair

So with all that said, today’s mystery ingredient is (drum roll please) – ZUCCHINI!

I love the green summer squash for it’s mild flavor and versatility. The following recipe offers you two high protein, vegetable-heavy main-dish treatment options for stuffed zucchini. The great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare both options using 5 zucchini and 1 pound of ground turkey breast plus a few pantry staples. Both treatments received rave reviews from my family. None of us could choose a favorite, so I am sharing both. Option #1 is savory with an Italian flavor and seasonings. I served the savory zucchini boats with my Paleo Cheez Sauce along side. The tangy, creaminess of the sauce provided a wonderful compliment to the tomato and turkey stuffing. I also think the Cheez Sauce makes this option a bit more kid-friendly.

Hardware:
• 2 – 8” Baking Dishes
• 2 – small/medium sized mixing bowls
• Melon Baller or small spoon

A melon baller makes it easy to scoop out the centers of each zucchini half

• Lemon zester
• Potato masher
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board(s)
• Large nonstick frying pan

Process:
1. Wash and dry each zucchini. Transfer to cutting board.
2. Remove stems, and cut each zucchini in half length-wise.
3. Using melon-baller or small pointy spoon, scoop out inside pulp from each zucchini half and place into large bowl.
4. Place hollowed zucchini “boats” into a ziplock freezer bag and store in refrigerator. Place pulp in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.
5. When ready to cook, place the zucchini pulp in a large colander and rinse well under running water. Shake colander to remove excess water. Then gently pat pulp dry.
6. Spray a large frying pan with nonstick spray then place it over MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
7. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil to the pan and allow oil to melt. Then place ground turkey breast, zucchini pulp and 1 tsp. salt in pan and brown stirring continuously to break up and lumps. You may need to use a potato masher at the end of cooking to ensure the mixture is broken up into even chunks that will fit nicely into the boats. (see pic below)

Mixture should look more or less like this.

Makes 5 servings

N.B. In case you prefer one version over another, you can find the full Savory Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe here. And I’ve posted the full Sweet-N-Savory Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe here.

Resource of the Day:
Curious as to what exactly constitutes a well-stocked WHOLE30 pantry? Check out the WHOLE30 Pantry Stocking Guide.

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