Fix-It-And-Forget-It: Simply Beautiful Southern Greens Crockpot #WHOLE30 Compliant

Super Simple Southern Style Mixed Greens & Sausage in a Crock

A few weeks ago, I began a series of recipes based on 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 3 exceptions 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 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. If you’ve missed any of the previous recipes, I’ve included links for each at the bottom of this article.

Coming in at #3 on HealthGrove’s list of best foods for beautiful skin and hair, today’s featured ingredient is – KALE!!! The curly leafy green earns an A+ nutrient rating with incredibly high levels of Vitamins A and C (almost 400% RDA and 55% RDA respectively) with only 40 calories per cooked cup. Kale has become über popular over the last 5-10 years, so I probably don’t need to tell you it’s a healthy food. There’s just a ridiculous number of (often absurdly expensive) kale “health” foods on the market these days. But properly cooked, well-seasoned greens are a southern tradition. I’ve been eating them since I was a little girl. They’re inexpensive and relatively easy to make (relative to say, making your own dehydrated kale chips with raw cashew “cheeze” sauce).

Truthfully, authentic southern style greens are usually made with fresh collards, turnip or mustard greens, not frozen kale and spinach. But frankly, I’m not about to go through the hassle of soaking and stemming fresh greens. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Frozen chopped kale is inexpensive, almost as healthy as the fresh stuff, super convenient and readily available everywhere. As you can see from the pic below, I purchased a couple 1 lb. bags at Wal-Mart (Great Value, Wal-Mart’s store brand), and each bag was less than $1.50 each. Frozen chopped collards (#4 on HealthGrove’s list BTW) are also widely available, and you could use those instead of kale if you wanna be more authentic. But because collards and turnips can be a tad bitter, I wanted to try this recipe with kale first. I DEFINITELY recommend adding spinach to the mix because spinach has the most mellow flavor of all the greens and brings its own healthful punch to the mix (it’s #8 among beautifying foods).

***UPDATE: I tried making this recipe again. But this time I used 3-12oz. bags frozen chopped collard greens in place of the 2-16oz. bags frozen chopped kale used/listed in the original recipe below. Guess what! It turned out just as good. So, if you want a more authentic crock of greens, feel free to use frozen chopped collard greens instead of kale. Just try to keep the ratio of other green:spinach more or less equivalent to the base recipe for best results.***

Super greens short cuts – frozen chopped kale and spinach

I should add that back in the day, my southern Grandmothers would have thrown ham hocks into the crock (instead of the organic chicken & apple sausage that I used), and they would have offset the greens’ bitterness with a quarter cup (maybe more?) of sugar. But ham hocks surely have additives not approved during #WHOLE30 (plus they’re kinda gross IMO). And sugar is most definitely off limits during #WHOLE30. So I used unsweetened (pure) apple juice as the cooking liquid and threw in some applesauce and balsamic vinegar for good measure. As the balsamic cooks down (over that last hour of cook time), it thickens and condenses, becoming sweeter and more intense in flavor. See note below regarding selection of cooking ingredients.+++

Ingredients:

• 2-16 oz. bags frozen, chopped kale
• 1-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
• 1 Tbsp. iodized sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• ¼ tsp. white pepper
• 1 cup pure, unsweetened apple juice (see note below)+++
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (organic if possible, see note below)+++
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce (optional but highly recommended for true southern authenticity)
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic or apple cider vinegar (I used pure balsamic vinegar, see note below)+++
• 12-16 oz. package fully-cooked sausages without sugar or other unapproved additives (I used Aidell’s All Natural Chicken & Apple Sausages)
• 4 pieces fully cooked bacon, crumbled (again, choose a bacon without added sugar, sulfites or other additives not approved for consumption during #WHOLE30. Check out the #WHOLE30 list of officially #WHOLE30-approved brands and products

+++When doing #WHOLE30, it’s so important to check the ingredient lists of any products you plan to consume (actually it’s always important to be aware of what you’re feeding your family, right?). Many processed meat products (e.g. bacon, sausage, etc.) contain sugar, sulfite preservatives, something called carrageenan (thickening and stabilizing agent) and other additives not approved for consumption during WHOLE30 (and which aren’t healthy for us to consume anyway). Some brands of applesauce and apple juice have added sugars (the naturally occurring sugars are fine). And many juices “drinks,” especially those called “lite,” “low calorie” or “low sugar” contain artificial sweeteners to replace the natural sugars removed. Sweeteners of all kinds are off limits during #WHOLE30. Likewise, some balsamic vinegars are nothing more that colored white vinegar with corn syrup added. I know! Frustrating right? But that’s why you gotta be a label reader. For a complete list of #WHOLE30 program do’s and don’ts as well as answers to just about any #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 (N.B. – 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. It’s chalked full of useful info and helpful tips to make surviving the whole 30 days a whole lot more tolerable (pun intended).

Hardware:
• Crock pot • Cutting board
• Chef’s knife • Kitchen sheers or scissors
• Measuring spoons • Measuring cups
• Microwave • Large microwave-safe bowl(s)
• Crock pot liner (optional but makes cleanup a LOT easier)

Process:
1. Using scissors or kitchen knife, carefully snip small holes in tops of each bag of frozen kale and top of package of frozen spinach.
2. Place one bag of frozen kale into microwave-safe bowl, cut-side up. Microwave on HIGH for 5-6 minutes. Repeat this process for remaining bag of frozen kale and package of frozen spinach.
3. If using crockpot liner, place in pot and turn crockpot on HIGH setting for 4 hours. Add all 3 bags of greens to pot.
4. Add sea salt, EVOO, chopped garlic cloves, white pepper, apple juice, applesauce and (if using) hot sauce. Then add sausages. Stir to combine. Place lid on crockpot and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
5. Reduce heat to LOW setting. Remove lid. Add vinegar and stir to combine. Then recover crockpot and cook on LOW setting for 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour, decrease heat to WARM. Remove sausages and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then cut into bite-size pieces. Return sausage pieces to greens and stir well. Recover the pot, and allow greens mixture to warm about 15-30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon just prior to serving. P.S. – Don’t toss the cooking liquid (known as “potlick”). My Grandma used to drink it like broth. It’s delicious!
7. NOTE: If you need to cook this recipe for longer (say 8 hours or more) you would follow this procedure: Prepare crockpot as above (with liner if using) and turn to LOW setting for 8 hours. Microwave each bag/package of frozen greens for only 2 minutes on HIGH (greens will still be mostly frozen but will be easier to pour into crock). Place all ingredients except vinegar into pot. Add 1 cup water and additional 1/4 cup apple juice to crockpot. Cover and forget it for 8 hours. Then about 1 hour before serving, remove crockpot lid; add vinegar and stir mixture well. Cook for 1 more hour on LOW. Remove sausages and (if desired) cut into bite-sized pieces. Then return sausages to the mix. Stir well. Reduce heat to WARM setting. Recover mixture and allow to rest about 15-30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon just prior to serving if desired.
Servings: Makes about 6 generous servings

Hubs requested his sausages remain whole. He’s sooooo picky 😉

Serving Suggestions: The primary protein in this dish is sausage (recall bacon is basically just a condiment, not a quality protein source). But sausage (even without unapproved additives) is not what the Hartwigs would call high quality protein (see It Starts with Food Chapter 5, for more detail on what constitutes a healthy and satisfying meal. Hint:an effective meal is based around a high-quality protein + good fat(s) and veggies.) So to boost the protein content of this meal I recommend adding a high-quality lean protein to whatever side dish you serve with this entrée. Example, I added hearty portions of chopped, hard-boiled eggs to the tossed green salads I served. I like mine with extra hot sauce and no bacon.

Don’t Miss the Other Recipes in This Series:
Quick & Easy Paleo Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing #WHOLE30 Compliant
Chicken Tri-Almandine Casserole
WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini 2 Ways
Easy Cheezy Chicken & Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons

Wisdom for the Day:
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” ~Genesis 1:29 (English Standard Version)
Read more here.

Beauty Resource of the Day:
Save your money! Why spend the extra $$$ for high-end cosmetics when you can get a cheaper (sometimes better performing) product at the drugstore?
Check out this incredibly in-depth video from the amazing Tati as she compares her fav drugstore dupes to expensive makeup.

P.S. – I don’t usually watch 23 min. YouTube videos either but this one is SO worth it! She literally compares each product side-by-side and tells you the prices of each product and money saved; links to purchase for all products also included. This one is not to be missed!

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Savory Paleo Stuffed Zucchini Boats #WHOLE30 Compliant (Full Recipe)

#WHOLE30 Stuffed Zucchini

A few 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 3 exceptions 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 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 savory, Italian-esque stuffing. 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! The stuffing features ground turkey breast along with crunchy walnuts, tangy tomatoes and several other veggies and seasonings. It’s super yummy and sure to please.

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
• 2 Tbsp. organic coconut oil, divided
• 1 cup walnuts, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam nonstick coconut oil spray)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, well drained (be sure the brand you buy has no added sugar or unapproved additives)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or 4 garlic cloves, minced)
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup instant potato flakes, e.g. Bob’s Red Mill (see note below)+++
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. nutrient yeast
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel (optional)
• ½ tsp. seal salt (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. nutrient yeast (optional)

+++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. Then wash and dry pan to prepare for reuse.
9. Drain canned tomatoes well and add to turkey mixture along with walnuts, garlic, oregano and 1 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, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Then test for seasoning, adjusting to taste.
10. 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. Remove zucchini “boats” from refrigerator, 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. (At this point, I sprinkled the savory zucchini boats with a mixture of 2 Tbsp. nutrient yeast + 1/2 tsp. each grated lemon peel and sea salt, but that’s totally optional. I didn’t notice it made much difference in terms of flavor. Looked like this (see picture at right) before I put it back in the oven for the final bake.)
14. 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!

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)+++

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

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.

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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.

Easy Cheezy Chicken & Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons (Paleo & WHOLE30 Friendly)

Mmmmmmm soup!

+++This post has been updated including a modification to one of the original ingredients and an added comment below.

Ever since I wrote about the recent Healthgrove study identifying the top 30 foods for beauty, I have been a little annoyed with myself. Here I am writing a blog about beauty, with the goal of helping women feel more beautiful every day through diet, and wise choices for health and home. And, because of the amazing WHOLE30 experience, I’ve been able to share some great recipes (at least I hope they’re great). But I realized that only a few of the recipes I’ve posted thus far included ingredients listed among those top 30 foods for beauty. So I’m challenging myself to create at least 1 new Paleo (and WHOLE30-friendly) recipe for each of the 27 foods in that list (not including the 3 legumes).

I chose to start this challenge with a difficult ingredient right out of the gate – BROCCOLI. If you’ve read any of my recipes previously, you’ve probably noticed my references to Hubs’ utter abhorrence for 3 specific vegetables – namely, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and (you guessed it) broccoli. He calls them “the 3 deadly veggies.” Prior to WHOLE30, he’d positively refused to even taste any of them, claiming even one bite would cause him to “hurl” (his word not mine). That’s why I considered my Oven Fried Sprouts and Paleo Chop Suey such victories – because he not only ate but actually enjoyed Brussels sprouts and cauliflower (respectively). But broccoli still eluded me, until now.

Hubs “deadly” trio of vegetables – cauliflower, brussels sprouts & broccoli

The secret to this recipe is the cheese-like flavor imparted by the combination of nutrient yeast, pumpkin and mustard. The coconut milk contributes extra creaminess and that certain satisfying something that saturated fat always provides. When Hubs pronounced it: “super delicious” and suggested the recipe be posted under the title “heavenly chicken yum fest,” I knew we had a winner! If your family members are also broccoli-phobic, may I humbly suggest this recipe as a means of sneaking this beautifying veggie into their meals without the usual complaints and dramatics. May you enjoy in good health and peaceful dinner times!

Ingredients:

• 1-40 oz. (2.5 lb.) bag frozen chicken breast tenderloins, no need to defrost
• ½ sweet onion chopped
• 1 14oz. can coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen Organic)+++
• 16 oz. homemade or organic chicken broth (be sure to use broth without unapproved additives)
• ½ cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix, be sure no added sweeteners)
• ½ cup instant potato flakes (see note below)+++
• 1 tsp. iodized sea salt
• ½ cup nutrient yeast
• 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard+++ (not dijon, be sure that the mustard you use does NOT contain white wine, other unapproved additives if doing #WHOLE30)
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
• 12oz. bag frozen broccoli spears or florets, no need to defrost
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Sauce

+++The original version of this recipe listed “dijon mustard” instead of spicy mustard among the ingredients. Upon further review, I discovered that most dijon mustards contain white wine which is off limits during #WHOLE30. Oops! So I’ve updated this recipe to more accurately reflect the #WHOLE30 program rules. This is an example of why it’s so important to read the book It Starts with Food and familiarize yourself with the #WHOLE30 website before beginning your own #WHOLE30 journey, to avoid mistakes like I made. It’s also 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. Also, be sure to check your coconut milk to be sure it contains no sulfites (a type of preservative commonly used in canned coconut milk which is listed among those additives off limits during the WHOLE30 program). For a complete list of #WHOLE30 program do’s and don’ts as well as answers to just about any #WHOLE30 questions you may have, I highly recommend you check out the program rules here. Don’t miss the 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). And again I encourage you to read the book It Starts with Food. It’s chalked full of useful information and helpful tips to make surviving the whole 30 days a whole lot more tolerable (pun intended).

Hardware:
• Crockpot
• Crockpot Liner Bag (optional)

Process:
1. Place liner in crockpot (if using) and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Next add chicken tenderloins, chopped onions, broth, coconut milk, pumpkin and seasoning to pot. Stir to combine and place lid on mixture.
2. Cook on HIGH setting for 2 hours. Then stir in instant mashed potato flakes. Stir well to combine.
3. Cover pot again and continue cooking on HIGH crockpot setting for 1 more hour.
4. Remove lid and add broccoli. Again stir well to combine. Turn heat to LOW.
5. Cover pot and allow mixture to cook 30 minutes more. Then turn heat to WARM. Soup will keep like this for up to 90 minutes but continue stirring occasionally.
6. Just before serving, stir in Coconut Aminos sauce and test for seasoning. Add salt, pepper etc. as desired.
7. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and serve with crispy potatoes sprinkled on top as croutons (recipe follows).
Makes about 5 servings.
N.B. This soup is fairly thick. You may “thin it out” by adding additional broth, water or coconut milk. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasonings if you choose to add more liquid.

Crispy Potato Croutons

Ingredients:
• 1.5 lb. Baby Red Potatoes, washed (unpeeled)
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, melted
• 1 tsp. Salt plus additional salt
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• Dash Oregano Flakes

Process:
1. Wash and dry potatoes but do not peel. Cut the spuds into more or less uniform size pieces (halves or thirds depending on size of each potato).
2. Place potato pieces along with all remaining ingredients in a bowl. No need to stir just yet. Microwave on HIGH for 5-6 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave.
3. While the potatoes cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees (Fahrenheit), and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray (I used Pam nonstick coconut oil).
4. Remove potatoes from microwave, add all remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Be sure potatoes are evenly covered with oil and seasonings. Then turn mixture onto prepared cookie sheet, being sure to distribute evenly on sheet. Sprinkle mixture lightly with additional salt.
5. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until desired crispiness.

Creamy, yummy, tasty goodness!

Resource of the Day:
Do you have sensitive eyes that get red, itchy and irritated? My mother suffers with this problem and has avoided wearing mascara as result. Sad because mascara is probably the single most impactful eye makeup product. Check out this list of the best mascaras for sensitive, allergy-prone eyes. Mom and I like Clinique’s High Impact Mascara. For my money, it’s one of the top 3 best mascaras on the market, and I don’t have sensitive eyes!

Wisdom of the Day:
The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
~Psalm 145:15-16 (New American Standard Bible)
Read more here.

WHOLE30 Day #27 – I’m So Thirsty!

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

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

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

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

Refreshing Iced Tea for the Warm Days Ahead

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

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

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

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

WHOLE30 Day #21- 2nd Day Dinner…Done!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resource for the Day:
Bible Gateway Plus

Daily Beauty Wisdom

Walk in wisdom : grow in beauty: live in love

#PALEOFOOD

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Chicken Tri-Almandine Casserole #WHOLE30-Compliant

Easy Cheezy Chicken & Broccoli Soup with Crispy Potato Croutons (Paleo & WHOLE30 Friendly)

WHOLE30 Day #27 – I’m So Thirsty!

WHOLE30 Day #21- 2nd Day Dinner…Done!