So, I am on Day 18 of my Whole30 challenge, and it is going great! It's funny because people that know I am doing the Whole30 sometimes ask me, "How much longer do you have ______?" Fill in the blank with things like "to do this" or "to eat this way" or "until you're done". But at some point it hit me that I was no longer thinking in those terms. So, today is Day 18 of my challenge, but I am not thinking "12 more days!" I am not planning my first cheat. I am not looking forward to going back to the old way of eating. This is the new way. For several reasons.
1) I feel great.
2) Cooking is FUN! (but it would be more fun if there was someone here to appreciate it)
3) It is the best thing for my son.
4) I want to be healthy for life, not yo-yo back and forth between eating strict and not.
So, here are the highlights of some of the things I cooked this week that I think turned out the best.
Butternut Squash and Sausage Breakfast
One thing about eating Paleo is of course some of the things that you used to eat are no longer an option. This is hardest for me at breakfast. I pretty much have eggs and fruit every morning, but saw this post on the Whole9 site that I was eager to try for a much needed break from eggs every morning. It turned out super awesome, and it is Eli-approved as well. I love the combo of the squash with the sweetness of the yellow onion and the warmth of the cinnamon and the creaminess of the coconut milk. YUMMY! Although the recipe calls for butternut squash, I am sure any winter squash would work as well. And I used my venison summer sausage again instead of sausage links. Also, I did not have any Tone Chachere's seasoning on hand (actually, I don't even know what it is) so it turned out just great without it as well.
Curry Fried Mahi with Broccoli, Onion & Raisins
This recipe came from Tom Denhams's awesome site, Whole Life Eating. I subbed Mahi for the Flounder and it was great. I had tried making this before, but where I messed up was not adhering to the heat recommendations. Huge difference when cooking on medium heat (correct) vs medium-high heat (NOT good). The broccoli stir-fry combo was awesome as well. I love the sweetness the onion and raisins brought to the dish. One change I made was to use frozen broccoli instead of fresh. I still adhered to the recommended cooking time, which made the broccoli come out with a little crunch still in it, which I like. Like Tom said in his post, I may have fallen in love with broccoli all over again! This was super easy and quick to prepare, so it would be great for those nights when you're in a rush to get dinner on the table!
Let me know if you decided to give 'em a whirl and if so how you like it!
that is one beautiful boy...seriously! And those dogs are pretty cute too! I am super envious of all of that venison summer sausage. Did you make it or did the processor? Thanks again for the info! Oh, and I am so glad you found your wallet!
ReplyDeleteHeather, I found your site through my mother-in-law, Maurine Jones. My husband, David, is studying chiropractic and nutrition right now and she thought I might find the Whole 30 site interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience. I recently started a blog, www.pumpkinspantry.blogspot.com to raise awareness of better heath choices and have been on a similar diet to you since Jan 1 (except only raw fruits and veg and fish as the only meat)...but basically for same purpose- to reset my digestive tract. So glad to find others taking the initiative! Good luck, Eryn Jones
ReplyDelete@Patty. I just had the processor make it. And thanks about the kiddo and the dogs!
ReplyDelete@Eryn-Thanks for checking it out! I am a HUGE fan of chiropractic! Our whole fam goes on a regular basis and I attribute chiro to helping me in my natural childbirth as well. I def wish I had more friends who would take the initiative with me. It would make it much easier at times!