Bread-less BLAT and Cauliflower "Rice"

I'm week one into my Whole30 challenge and I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm not going to lie, I've cheated a little bit (and by cheated I mean, literally just a bite).  I do not encourage this, I truly believe that one has to be strict and stick to things - however - I'm going to justify my minor cheats in two ways 1.) I already eat really well, I'm just trying to push my limits and since I'm not a crazy snacker or craver, these little bites here and there are not going to ruin this for me, I'm still 98% dedicated and 2.) the premise of a whole 30 progam isn't necessarily just about weight loss or eliminating things from one's diet just to do it, it's to eliminate irritants from one's gut and get them back to a more balanced and detoxified state.  I know my triggers, I cannot do too much dairy, and certain times, I have to watch just how much wheat intake I have. Grains do not affect me negatively, and I also feel that one should not completely deprive themselves, because if you do - you're in for a scary awakening when the program is over.

Overall - I feel great - I already feel leaner and my clothes are fitting looser (woo hoo!).  I did not do a good job of taking measurements/pics so unfortunately, those will most likely be a week into the program versus at the very beginning.

So now, onto eating - it's pretty silly of me to share the "recipe" for my BLATs - but I guess I can at least let you in on the secret of what the "A" stands for...avocado! Also, in order to keep it "healthier" I used Boar's Head bacon which is all natural, naturally "processed" and nitrate free.  Take it another step and do turkey bacon, as long as you pan fry it, it's still delicious! I used red leafed lettuce as my base and campari tomatoes (these take me back to Italy, they're always perfectly red,  ripe, juicy and tender) and then added the avocado slices (1/2 avocado will get you plenty for two wraps).

Now, onto the good stuff. I barely missed the rice (although I did add JUST a little for texture and to make sure that my hubby was filled up enough) - but it was completely unnecessary to the deliciousness of the dish.  I'll be making this to share for a healthy potluck at work tomorrow - hopefully I win for tastiest, healthy dish!

Here's the deal - you can "rice" your cauliflower a few different ways.  Have a Ninja or a Food Processor? Good for you, you're in luck - because this is the EASIEST way to rice it. Remove medium florets from the cauliflower head, throw into food processor or ninja and just pulse until small "grains" are created.  Be careful not to over do it and make it too small. In other words, if you  have some bigger pieces hanging out, you're better off removing those and trying them on their own than trying to make the rest of it too small.  Don't have one of those lovely electronics? You aren't out of luck - you can either knife dice them into small pieces, or use your cheese grater!

Sauteed Onion Cauliflower "Rice"

2 TBSP Bacon grease (you could also add bacon and use olive oil plus the bacon fat)

1/2 medium sweet onion, diced

1/2 - 3/4 c cooked brown rice - optional

1 1/2 C "riced"cauliflower (I used a yellow cauliflower, the taste might be slightly more mild)

salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Heat bacon grease (or olive oil).  Add the onions and cook down until translucent and softened.  Add salt and pepper. Add in brown rice and allow to heat and being to crisp. If you are not adding this, just add the cauliflower.  Cook the cauliflower about 5-7 minutes, or until slightly softened with still a bit of a crunch.  Season with garlic and any additional salt and/or pepper. 

Crockpot Paleo Creamy "Pasta"

I know that eating Whole 30 and challenging isn't the right kind of forever lifestyle for me, but I think it's great to do 85-90% of the time, especially once you've been dedicated for a set amount of time.  I know what you're thinking - "isn't this pretty 'crash diet' focused?", "shouldn't changing eating habits be a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix?", "aren't you all about everything in moderation?".  Yes.  The answer to all of  your concerns and judgment is, yes.  I do think, however, that there are times that one needs a re-calibration of what is realistic for their lifestyle and eating habits and eating whatever one wants and working out and maintaining weight, isn't always the best thing because your body adjusts and prevents one from getting further in their fitness goals.

Image from Steamy Kitchen

All that said - it is so hard to go from eating in moderation anything you want...and then cutting it all out cold turkey. It doesn't work, it won't happen and you will fail.  I decided that there is a moment of ease in this - and with that I eased in with something that completely followed the rules, but didn't taste like it did. I realized that coconut milk...is a God send.  I immediately looked for uses for it and was amazed at what I found. Ok, enough about the food, lets get to it!

Creamy Tomato Spaghetti Squash

Adapted from Stir It Up

2 small spaghetti squash or one medium one

1.5 lbs chicken breast or thighs (I used thighs as I felt they'd give the rich flavor I was looking for) 

1 - 8oz can low sodium chicken broth

1 package all natural chicken sausage (I use Aidell which is all natural and comes in an organic version. I used the chicken and apple but there are a lot of fantastic flavors!)

1/2 c canned coconut milk (this should be thick, not like the coconut milk to drink)

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 c tomato paste for thickening if necessary

1/2 c fire roasted tomatoes 

1 1/2 c fresh spinach

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

 1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp finely grated sea salt, more to taste

Pepper to taste

In crockpot, add chicken and chicken  broth.  Cook on high 3-4 hours, remove chicken and shred, adding back to the crockpot with coconut milk, tomato sauce, tomaot paste, fire roasted tomatoes and seasonings.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees, cut off both the top and bottom of the spaghetti squash and then slice down the middle (hot dog bun way). Lightly brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh down onto cookie sheet. Roast 30-40 minutes or until flesh can easily been scraped into "noodles" (you can do this ahead of time and just save the cooked/shredded squash in the fridge.  Once cooked, add the spaghetti squash and spinach to the crockpot allowing to cook on low several minutes.  If you are adding the chicken sausage, slice thin and fry up - then add to the crockpot and serve! 

Plain Egg Whites and Black Coffee - Straight Up

I'll post before and after pics and measurements later,  but since I usually leave before Steve in the morning it was hard to actually get someone to take pictures. Unfortunately, they will be 4 days in.  I thought I'd share my meals and workouts this week (or at least a general idea) as well as a recipe that I really recommend for a clean eater who is too busy to make meals every day or have a huge prep day.  No food pics, sorry - I can't do everything :).

This week's workouts:

• Sunday - Jaime Eason's LiveFit Day 4 Shoulder Workout+ high pulls + Chest Incline Press
• A note on this Jaime Eason workout - she is ridiculous.  Steve and I did this together and it was challenging, quick, and effective.  We both were pretty wiped out and sore afterward!
• You can access her whole program HERE - I plan on following a few of her workouts throughout my whole 30 challenge
• Monday - Running program - 10 minute run at increasing intervals starting 6.3 and ending at 6.8. 15 minute of sprint/walk intervals changing pace every minute, increasing sprints up to 11mph. 5 minute jog at 6.3 mph, cool down
• Leg Daaaay! Started with a pyramid: 20 squats, 30 lunges, 40 toe touches, 50 second wall sit, 100 jumping jacks, and then back up (we just did the down so we could lift too)
• Leg curl - 25x1, 15x3
• Squats - 15x3
• Sumo Squats - 15x3
• Straight Leg Deadlifts - 15x3
• Leg Extensions - 25x1, 15x3
• Tuesday - "Rest" Day - 2 mile walk, 1 hour of softball
• Wednesday - Power Spin - Angel's class is INSANE.  We completely fogged up the studio halfway through. He structures it so that we do power sprint intervals and never take down the resistance.  This is certainly no ride in the park and I love it
• Thursday - Bis and Tris + Cardio
• TRX Trainer Bicep Curls
• TRX Trainer Tricep Extension
• Bicep and Tricep circuit with abs
• Incline Terrain - 25 minutes
• Friday - Full Rest Day - went shopping instead :)
• Saturday - planning on doing interval sprints for 30-35 minutes plus Back and Chest followed by a massage 

I'll keep the food basic with some general meals and snacks unless there were deviations:

• Breakfast - as the title suggests, I ditched my splenda, my truvia, my almond/coconut milk..my everything and went full on black coffee to pair with my egg whites.  In the beginning of the week I eased into blandness and had egg whites with sauteed onion, green pepper, mushroom and tomatoes and added one packet of splenda and a splash of almond and coconut milk to my coffee
• Snacks - smoked salmon on cucumber slices, all natural chicken sausage (sometimes added to egg whites), small apple, fruits and veggies as I had them and needed them, cashews, almonds, pistachios
• Dinner - protein and veggies is all you realllly need to know, BUT I'm going to be sharing a recipe for Creamy Tomato Spaghetti Squash that I had for dinner one night.  I also had a breakfast skillet of sweet potatoes topped with poached egg and had a salad from Potbellys and egg white breakfast one day for lunch

Enjoy! TBC....

Whole 30 Challenge - Days 1 and 2

I decided to embark on a Whole 30 challenge - AKA Paleo lifestyle for at least the next 30 days.  I'm a pure glutton for bad weekend binges and one too many calories from beer and decided that if I wanted to truly challenge myself, that I would have to be strict and realistic.  I have done Paleo before, but also bent the rules as I saw fit.  Before my wedding, my diet was mostly starch free and fast, fried food free, alcohol free- the whole gamete. I figured, why not see if I can push myself to my limits and embark on both a mental and physical challenge.

I had been asked several times in the past few months if I had ever considered competing in a figure competition.  The questions intrigued me and got me curious as if I could put myself through such a strenuous and strict routine.  Based on when I would want to compete and our heavy wedding season, I deemed it unrealistic for this year and decided to at least see where I could go being almost as strict as if I were competing.  The concept started in which I was going to do the 21 day Beach Body Challenge.  After research and looking at what restrictions there were, I came to the conclusion that the 21 day challenge mostly eliminated things that I already avoid for the most part.  Enter the Whole 30 Challenge.  In this capacity I will be restricting the following for 30 days (I have already scheduled one day, a friend's bachelorette party, that I MIGHT have a glass of wine):

• No Alcohol
• No White Starches
• No Grains (not even ancient grains, i.e. quinoa)
• No Legumes or beans (with the exception of sugar snap peas and green beans)
• No Sugar (I am to avoid even artificial, for the first week I'm trying to just put a little in my coffee and then hopefully eliminating from there)
• No Fast Food/Processed food
• No Dairy (bye cheese, I'll miss you!)

So what exactly am I going to be eating? Meats, veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts - cavewoman style.  I'm on day two - I had kind of a rough day yesterday and wanted just a little bit of comfort, so I had ONE tortilla chip - i couldn't help it.  I've been eating egg white with veggies for breakfast the past few days, I had a chicken breast and fruit for lunch and then this great crockpot, spaghetti squash dish which had chicken, tomato sauce, coconut milk, spinach and spaghetti squash.  I topped it with a poached egg and it was pretty tasty - that's my lunch today and tonight we'll be having lettuce wrap tacos and something on the side, not sure what yet though! I've been snacking on cashews, apples and smoked salmon with cucumber (sooo yummy!) 

TBC....

IOU

I owe a bunch of recipes.  I've been writing them down and trying to take pictures when I remember, but somehow, life got really busy and I haven't been able to dedicate the time here that I want! I hosted Mother's Day Brunch again this year and made an awesome breakfast pizza of sorts with bacon, ricotta cheese and apricot jam.  It was super easy and I'll post a recipe for that soon. Here is a list of recipes to come (provided I can find where in my scattered mind I put the recipes...):

*Homemade carbonara
*Better than Take Out Chicken and Broccoli
*Sweet and Savory Breakfast Pizza
*Breakfast Waffle Sandwich
*Goat Cheese and Sausage Orzo
*Fiesta Rice Salad
*Easy Sausage and Broccoli Casserole
*Crockpot Taco Soup
*Puppy Chow Bars

Ciao for now! IOU

Orzo with Sausage, Spinach and Goat Cheese

I had some leftover orzo in the fridge that I knew I'd get to and make something yummy with.  I mean, its orzo, how could anyone go wrong cooking with it? I opted for an Italian inspired side to go with the lemon chicken I was marinating for Steve and myself for dinner tonight.  This is great for a quick side, double the recipe to feed more than two :).

I have a love hate relationship with goat cheese.  Sometimes it totally weird's me out and other times its like the best things I've set me...buds on? This recipe calls for just enough goat cheese to give you the flavor without overpowering.  If you are a goat cheese fan, by all means - carpe diem, throw in some more!

Orzo w/ Sausage, Spinach & Goat Cheese

1 1/2 C Cooked Orzo

1 TBSP Butter

1 Italian Sausage with Peppers and Provolone

1/2 C Sweet Onion, diced

1/2 C Fresh Spinach, chopped

1 TBSP Fresh Goat Cheese Crumbles

Saute the sausage until browned, chop and crumble. Add butter and onions.  Allow to cook down, until onions become slightly translucent.  Add in spinach and allow to reduce.  Add orzo, mix well to combine and lower heat to low. Add in goat cheese and combine, allowing the goat cheese to melt and coat the pasta.  Season with garlic and salt. Serve immediately. 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup - Warming up Chiberia

I think to date, Chicago has officially entered one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record in decades. So far, in this winter alone, Chicago has accumulated almost 40 inches of snow. Early last week we were released early from work because of such severe weather alerts! That can only result in one solution - some homemade soup and fresh flowers to cheer up the gloomy day. The hubby loves soup of any kind - and while chicken noodle is a crowd favorite, I always like to see if I can create a new favorite. This time around I opted for Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Who doesn't love loaded anything? It has bacon, creaminess, cheese - cheesy, carby goodness.  #Winner.  

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4 Large Red Potatoes, skin on, diced

1 Onion, chopped

8 - 10 Strips Bacon, cooked and chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

4 TBSP Butter

1/3 C All Purpose Flour

1 C Half and Half 

1 C Skim Milk

3 C Vegetable or Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1/3 C Sour Cream

1 C Shredded Sharp Cheddar + Garnish

Green onions - garnish

Microwave or quick boil potatoes to cut down on cook time. 

 Saute onion, bacon (less 2 slices for garnish) and garlic in large stockpot until onions are browned and bacon is crisp. Remove and set aside.  Melt butter in stockpot on medium heat and whisk in flour, creating a roux. Add milk and half and half and whisk together, cook several minutes and allow to thicken.  Add in broth, potatoes, bacon, onion, salt and pepper. Cook on low at least 40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and base has thickened.  Stir in sour cream and 1 c cheese. Serve with extra bacon, cheese and green onions.