I'm thoroughly enjoying the mandoline I mentioned yesterday. I've used it for tomatoes, patty pans, green peppers and sweet potatoes so far. And now, to further aid our healthy eating habits, we've ordered a new freezer!
We have one already, but it's probably the smallest little chest freezer on the market. I believe it's called "apartment sized". Teeny tiny, and barely able to keep up with us. Since we prefer to only purchase meat when it's on sale, it would be great to be able to buy in bulk to have some for more than just a week at a time. And since I love the convenience of bulk cooking and saving a portion for another time, this will be very helpful as well.
We've been talking about doing this for a while, but since we placed an order for 30lbs of grass-fed beef, we knew it was time to find a place to store it! And the fact that there is so much gorgeous and enormous produce at the farmer's market right now is added incentive. I could buy a few of those 6-8lb cauliflowers for $3 a head, chop them into florets, and freeze them for the winter. Having a new upright* freezer is going to open up a whole new world of kitchen convenience! (Plus I'll finally be able to store my ice cream maker's bowl in the freezer full-time, making it possible to enjoy frozen homemade treats far more frequently!) Oh, and does anyone know if you can freeze cabbage?
Breakfast: Kale and eggs with licorice tea.
Lunch: Two homemade sausage patties, roasted broccoli and tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and fresh basil.
Supper: A barbecued pork chop with homemade sauce, grilled patty pan and oven roasted cauliflower.
Snacks: Too many snack balls, and some frozen strawberries and bananas blended with coconut milk.
*It has to be an upright freezer for it to be useful for me. At 5'2", the bottom of a chest freezer is out of my reach!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Day 20 of 40 - Half Way, a New Tool, and Temptation
First, the temptation:
I made dinner today for some friends who had their third baby a month ago. Foolishly, I made them pizzas. Now the thing is this: I make a pretty mean pizza crust. You know, the wheat-filled, gluten landmine kind of crust. Crispy on the outside, soft and a little chewy on the inside. The two pepperoni pizzas didn't really interest me too much, but I made a smaller one with homemade basil pesto, thinly sliced tomatoes straight from a friend's garden, and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
I. wanted. that. PIZZA!
Didn't do it, of course. Didn't even lick my fingers after putting the cheese on. But hear this: when this Whole30 is over and it's time to try out a new food, cheese will be the first on the list, and I will make that very pizza but on a cauliflower crust!
Second, the new tool:
We bought a mandoline! All my slicing and dicing just got WAY more fun! You should have seen the perfect slices of tomato on that basil pesto pizza...
Third, the half-way point:
20 days out of 40 done, but here's the issue. When I first decided to go for 40 days, I didn't count particularly well. Turns out a dear friend's wedding is on day 39!! Argh! I'll be travelling by myself (!!) and staying at my parents' house to go to this wedding. So my dilemma is this: Should I just try my best to navigate the meal at the reception and hope for the best? Or do I pat myself on the back for making it that far, pick the grains out of my meal and enjoy a celebratory glass of wine? Decisions, decisions...
Breakfast: Eggs, kale and tomatoes. Licorice tea.
Lunch: Two drumsticks and a thigh with some watermelon. (Must make more time for lunch!)
Supper: Out for the FOURTH night in a row, and this one was spontaneous. When we delivered the pizzas, our friends suggested we stay and eat with them. Since everyone else was eating a gluten/sugar/dairy-loaded pizza, our host quickly grilled up some spice-rubbed chicken thighs and skewers with peppers and onions.
Snacks: One snack ball, and a small handful of Macadamias with my tea before bed.
I made dinner today for some friends who had their third baby a month ago. Foolishly, I made them pizzas. Now the thing is this: I make a pretty mean pizza crust. You know, the wheat-filled, gluten landmine kind of crust. Crispy on the outside, soft and a little chewy on the inside. The two pepperoni pizzas didn't really interest me too much, but I made a smaller one with homemade basil pesto, thinly sliced tomatoes straight from a friend's garden, and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
I. wanted. that. PIZZA!
Didn't do it, of course. Didn't even lick my fingers after putting the cheese on. But hear this: when this Whole30 is over and it's time to try out a new food, cheese will be the first on the list, and I will make that very pizza but on a cauliflower crust!
Second, the new tool:
We bought a mandoline! All my slicing and dicing just got WAY more fun! You should have seen the perfect slices of tomato on that basil pesto pizza...
Third, the half-way point:
20 days out of 40 done, but here's the issue. When I first decided to go for 40 days, I didn't count particularly well. Turns out a dear friend's wedding is on day 39!! Argh! I'll be travelling by myself (!!) and staying at my parents' house to go to this wedding. So my dilemma is this: Should I just try my best to navigate the meal at the reception and hope for the best? Or do I pat myself on the back for making it that far, pick the grains out of my meal and enjoy a celebratory glass of wine? Decisions, decisions...
Breakfast: Eggs, kale and tomatoes. Licorice tea.
Lunch: Two drumsticks and a thigh with some watermelon. (Must make more time for lunch!)
Supper: Out for the FOURTH night in a row, and this one was spontaneous. When we delivered the pizzas, our friends suggested we stay and eat with them. Since everyone else was eating a gluten/sugar/dairy-loaded pizza, our host quickly grilled up some spice-rubbed chicken thighs and skewers with peppers and onions.
Snacks: One snack ball, and a small handful of Macadamias with my tea before bed.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Day 19 of 40 - How I "Do It All"
Ever wondering how I manage to prepare three meals from scratch every day, and look after three young kids, and keep a home and still find time for hobbies and blogging? I'll let you in on a couple of secrets:
1. My husband is a teacher. That means that when he's working, he's only out of the house from about 8:20am until about 4:20pm. That's it. I have a good two hours before he leaves for work in the mornings, and I have an hour between his arrival home and when supper needs to be served. That's a lot of extra help.
2. Him being a teacher also means that right now, he's home full time. We're two stay-at-home parents for two months.
3. Princess and Music Man (four-and-a-half and three) are now sharing a room, and Music Man thinks it's all fun and games. That means I have to sit at their door from when I tuck them in at 7pm until whenever he finally falls asleep - usually around 8pm. I bring the laptop with me, so this is my blogging time. Glamourous, eh?
4. I don't actually "do it all". My husband makes most of the breakfasts, and if you ever saw my house you'd realize that housework is waaay down on my list of priorities. I'd much rather spend my days having fun with the kids, running around or doing crafts. I'd rather spend my evenings curled up on the couch chatting with Francis. I spend so much time in the kitchen that when I finally get a break from meal times, I actually just want a break. (Yeah, I know I need to work on that. I'm hoping the change of having Princess in school full-time in September will help get my butt in gear.)
So, from the not-so-comfy floor of the "big kids' room", I bid you all good night.
Breakfast: I wasn't hungry this morning so initially I'd decided not to eat any breakfast right away. But as we were getting ready for church I started to worry that if I got too hungry during Mass, my stomach would growl at just the wrong moment. So I grabbed a little piece of the breakfast cake.
Lunch: Kale and eggs with cherry tomatoes and three slices of bacon. Also a cup of licorice root tea.
Supper: For the third night in a row we ate at somebody else's house. (We're getting spoiled!) Steaks cooked on a charcoal grill, smothered in roasted garlic and olive oil, yellow beans straight from the garden, and we brought a simple salad with red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and grated carrot - all from yesterday's veggie box. (The kids ate spaghetti squash with pasta sauce that had been going in the crock pot all day.)
Snacks: Extra tea and two small snack balls.
1. My husband is a teacher. That means that when he's working, he's only out of the house from about 8:20am until about 4:20pm. That's it. I have a good two hours before he leaves for work in the mornings, and I have an hour between his arrival home and when supper needs to be served. That's a lot of extra help.
2. Him being a teacher also means that right now, he's home full time. We're two stay-at-home parents for two months.
3. Princess and Music Man (four-and-a-half and three) are now sharing a room, and Music Man thinks it's all fun and games. That means I have to sit at their door from when I tuck them in at 7pm until whenever he finally falls asleep - usually around 8pm. I bring the laptop with me, so this is my blogging time. Glamourous, eh?
4. I don't actually "do it all". My husband makes most of the breakfasts, and if you ever saw my house you'd realize that housework is waaay down on my list of priorities. I'd much rather spend my days having fun with the kids, running around or doing crafts. I'd rather spend my evenings curled up on the couch chatting with Francis. I spend so much time in the kitchen that when I finally get a break from meal times, I actually just want a break. (Yeah, I know I need to work on that. I'm hoping the change of having Princess in school full-time in September will help get my butt in gear.)
So, from the not-so-comfy floor of the "big kids' room", I bid you all good night.
Breakfast: I wasn't hungry this morning so initially I'd decided not to eat any breakfast right away. But as we were getting ready for church I started to worry that if I got too hungry during Mass, my stomach would growl at just the wrong moment. So I grabbed a little piece of the breakfast cake.
Lunch: Kale and eggs with cherry tomatoes and three slices of bacon. Also a cup of licorice root tea.
Supper: For the third night in a row we ate at somebody else's house. (We're getting spoiled!) Steaks cooked on a charcoal grill, smothered in roasted garlic and olive oil, yellow beans straight from the garden, and we brought a simple salad with red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and grated carrot - all from yesterday's veggie box. (The kids ate spaghetti squash with pasta sauce that had been going in the crock pot all day.)
Snacks: Extra tea and two small snack balls.
Apple Spice Zucchini Breakfast Cake
This "cake" is free of grains, dairy, soy, and refined sugar. Plus it's got lots of eggs, lots of zucchini and apple and some healthy coconut products. So really, you could eat it for breakfast (once in a while) without feeling guilty. Yup - cake for breakfast. :)
Apple Spice Zucchini Breakfast Cake
In a large bowl, whisk together:
8 eggs
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or you could use butter if it's not an issue for you)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a small bowl combine:
3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Then add:
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup walnuts (pecans would also be great)
Stir well and bake in a 9" cake pan (round or square) that has been lined with parchment paper (important!) at 350 for 35-40 minutes* or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing. Also note that this cake improves in taste and texture after a couple of hours at room temperature.
*My oven is a little insane. It may take slightly longer for your cake to bake, as I have to cut the time on everything I bake in my oven.
Apple Spice Zucchini Breakfast Cake
In a large bowl, whisk together:
8 eggs
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or you could use butter if it's not an issue for you)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a small bowl combine:
3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Then add:
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup walnuts (pecans would also be great)
Stir well and bake in a 9" cake pan (round or square) that has been lined with parchment paper (important!) at 350 for 35-40 minutes* or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing. Also note that this cake improves in taste and texture after a couple of hours at room temperature.
*My oven is a little insane. It may take slightly longer for your cake to bake, as I have to cut the time on everything I bake in my oven.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Day 18 of 40 - Wheat Belly
Have you read it? I'd recommend it. I just finished it this afternoon, and I must say it's pretty startling to read about the way our modern-day wheat was created, about the fact that human (or even animal) safety was never tested or investigated before mass-producing and mass-marketing this new grain. And to read about what it does to our blood sugar is truly shocking. Those two things alone would be enough to make me reconsider my wheat consumption, but what really sold me was just a trial of wheat-elimination, and the discovery of how much better I feel without it in my system!
Living with chronic pain is just no fun, as anyone who has experienced it will tell you. Even on a "good day", my hip still bothered me. My mother had her left hip replaced in her mid-50s, and I was sure I was on track to have mine done at least 15 years earlier than that. Not only was it constantly in pain, but the inflammation in that joint made it pop and click with every step I took. Sitting down for extended periods (especially in the car) made it really uncomfortable - I'd have to shift my weight and make it crack just to get some relief.
Imagine my surprise when I cut wheat out of my diet for the sake of my nursing baby, only to discover that removing wheat also cured my hip pain! Of course that wasn't the only benefit, but being able to move freely and comfortably was more than I could have dreamed of. I know, now, the way wheat causes inflammation in my body (it's not the same for everyone), and so I know that a food has to be really worth it before I'd consider indulging. I'm okay if I eat a small amount of wheat (like the crust on a small piece of cheesecake), but if I eat a full sandwich I end up limping for several days. It's just wild.
And it was discovering that whole wheat/pain connection that led me to the question that started all of this:
"If I've been eating wheat my whole life without realizing what it's doing to my body, what else am I consuming that's affecting me negatively?" So when Nicole told me about Whole30, I knew it was something I wanted to try.
Breakfast: 3 slices of bacon, 2 fried eggs and a cup of licorice root tea. About a cup of watermelon.
Lunch: A muffin and two hot Italian sausages with BBQ sauce.
*Those two meals were not a great start to my day. I was tired, cranky, and pressed for time, so vegetable prep got ignored. I have to get more organized tomorrow!
Supper: Salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrots with Italian vinaigrette. Four small chicken thighs with BBQ sauce. (I definitely didn't need the fourth one, and probably didn't need the third one - but they were really yummy and I didn't stop to ask myself if I was satisfied or not.) A large-ish slice of apple spice zucchini breakfast cake (name still under construction...). (Recipe to come tomorrow when I have the energy to type it up!)
Living with chronic pain is just no fun, as anyone who has experienced it will tell you. Even on a "good day", my hip still bothered me. My mother had her left hip replaced in her mid-50s, and I was sure I was on track to have mine done at least 15 years earlier than that. Not only was it constantly in pain, but the inflammation in that joint made it pop and click with every step I took. Sitting down for extended periods (especially in the car) made it really uncomfortable - I'd have to shift my weight and make it crack just to get some relief.
Imagine my surprise when I cut wheat out of my diet for the sake of my nursing baby, only to discover that removing wheat also cured my hip pain! Of course that wasn't the only benefit, but being able to move freely and comfortably was more than I could have dreamed of. I know, now, the way wheat causes inflammation in my body (it's not the same for everyone), and so I know that a food has to be really worth it before I'd consider indulging. I'm okay if I eat a small amount of wheat (like the crust on a small piece of cheesecake), but if I eat a full sandwich I end up limping for several days. It's just wild.
And it was discovering that whole wheat/pain connection that led me to the question that started all of this:
"If I've been eating wheat my whole life without realizing what it's doing to my body, what else am I consuming that's affecting me negatively?" So when Nicole told me about Whole30, I knew it was something I wanted to try.
Breakfast: 3 slices of bacon, 2 fried eggs and a cup of licorice root tea. About a cup of watermelon.
Lunch: A muffin and two hot Italian sausages with BBQ sauce.
*Those two meals were not a great start to my day. I was tired, cranky, and pressed for time, so vegetable prep got ignored. I have to get more organized tomorrow!
Supper: Salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrots with Italian vinaigrette. Four small chicken thighs with BBQ sauce. (I definitely didn't need the fourth one, and probably didn't need the third one - but they were really yummy and I didn't stop to ask myself if I was satisfied or not.) A large-ish slice of apple spice zucchini breakfast cake (name still under construction...). (Recipe to come tomorrow when I have the energy to type it up!)
Friday, August 10, 2012
Day 17 of 40 - Dinner With Friends
You know what's nice? To be able to eat at a friend's house during a Whole30 and not have it be a big deal! It's nice to have friends who "get it". We enjoyed a great time with Alexis and her family this evening. The kids went wild, and the grown-ups managed to sneak in a few conversations in the midst of the chaos. Though next time we'll plan our dinner when I'm not doing a Whole30 so we can share some wine, too!
Just keeping this short tonight as I need to get to bed early. We have a busy day tomorrow which will include lots of food preparation on my part, so I need some rest.
Breakfast: Two fried eggs, three slices of bacon, two cups of decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: More soup with chicken, this time with some sliced cherry tomatoes stirred in.
Supper: YUM! Chicken legs marinated in Italian vinaigrette then smothered in Paleo BBQ sauce, with tossed salad and grilled zucchini and cauliflower on the side. A shared bowl of cherries and some licorice root tea rounded out the evening. Who says eating this way isn't delicious?
Just keeping this short tonight as I need to get to bed early. We have a busy day tomorrow which will include lots of food preparation on my part, so I need some rest.
Breakfast: Two fried eggs, three slices of bacon, two cups of decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: More soup with chicken, this time with some sliced cherry tomatoes stirred in.
Supper: YUM! Chicken legs marinated in Italian vinaigrette then smothered in Paleo BBQ sauce, with tossed salad and grilled zucchini and cauliflower on the side. A shared bowl of cherries and some licorice root tea rounded out the evening. Who says eating this way isn't delicious?
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Day 16 of 40 - Blog Love
(I just realized that if I were just going for the standard 30 days I'd have hit the half-way point already. I feel like I still have so much work left to do that I'm glad I've set my sights on 40 days. Who knows? Maybe I'll go for longer...)
I'm a blog addict (says the blogger). I can't help it. I posted a while back about some of my favourite style/fashion blogs, although I've since discovered my newest favourite, which I highly encourage you to check out. (My favourite feature is Inspiration Monday. I generally play along, but I still don't have the nerve to photograph my outfits or post them!)
More recently, however, I've become engrossed in many Paleo/Primal food blogs. I'm always on the hunt for new meal ideas for Whole30 living, and of course there's some serious food porn when it comes to treats I'm looking forward to trying after this is over. So without further ado, some fun food blogs:
PaleOMG - Juli is just kind of hilarious, if you can handle a little crudeness. I totally can, and I love her recipes.
Nom Nom Paleo - I actually read Michelle's blog every. single. day. Her food is delicious but still practical. You can cook these recipes up in a hurry and still eat yummy grub. She hasn't published a cookbook, but her iPad app makes me wish we owned an iPad. (Sorry, RIM.)
The Clothes Make the Girl - Sometimes I wish I were more like Melissa Joulwan. She's pretty bad-ass. We recently bought her cookbook, Well Fed (the ebook version since the actual book isn't available in Canada yet *pouts*), and we love it. 'Nuff said.
The Foodie and the Family - This one's a new favourite. I came across it by accident in my quest to find a good chocolate zucchini muffin recipe, and now I've got at least 15 of her recipes on my to-try list.
Breakfast: Francis made me bacon (2 slices), 2 fried eggs and two sweet potato latkes. Two cups of half-decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Leanne's mention of her taco salad (inspired by mine from the other day) made me really want another one. So that's what I did. :)
Supper: Two hot Italian sausages with sliced tomato and roasted cauliflower and broccoli.
Snacks: A couple of snack balls.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to start experimenting a little more with meal sizes and spacing. For example: I wasn't really hungry when I got up this morning, but since breakfast had been cooked for me, I ate it. And at supper tonight I served myself what I thought was a reasonable portion (the sausage were fairly small) but by the time I'd finished eating it all I realized that I felt somewhat uncomfortably full. I need to try to be more mindful when I eat.
I'm a blog addict (says the blogger). I can't help it. I posted a while back about some of my favourite style/fashion blogs, although I've since discovered my newest favourite, which I highly encourage you to check out. (My favourite feature is Inspiration Monday. I generally play along, but I still don't have the nerve to photograph my outfits or post them!)
More recently, however, I've become engrossed in many Paleo/Primal food blogs. I'm always on the hunt for new meal ideas for Whole30 living, and of course there's some serious food porn when it comes to treats I'm looking forward to trying after this is over. So without further ado, some fun food blogs:
PaleOMG - Juli is just kind of hilarious, if you can handle a little crudeness. I totally can, and I love her recipes.
Nom Nom Paleo - I actually read Michelle's blog every. single. day. Her food is delicious but still practical. You can cook these recipes up in a hurry and still eat yummy grub. She hasn't published a cookbook, but her iPad app makes me wish we owned an iPad. (Sorry, RIM.)
The Clothes Make the Girl - Sometimes I wish I were more like Melissa Joulwan. She's pretty bad-ass. We recently bought her cookbook, Well Fed (the ebook version since the actual book isn't available in Canada yet *pouts*), and we love it. 'Nuff said.
The Foodie and the Family - This one's a new favourite. I came across it by accident in my quest to find a good chocolate zucchini muffin recipe, and now I've got at least 15 of her recipes on my to-try list.
Breakfast: Francis made me bacon (2 slices), 2 fried eggs and two sweet potato latkes. Two cups of half-decaf with coconut milk.
Lunch: Leanne's mention of her taco salad (inspired by mine from the other day) made me really want another one. So that's what I did. :)
Supper: Two hot Italian sausages with sliced tomato and roasted cauliflower and broccoli.
Snacks: A couple of snack balls.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to start experimenting a little more with meal sizes and spacing. For example: I wasn't really hungry when I got up this morning, but since breakfast had been cooked for me, I ate it. And at supper tonight I served myself what I thought was a reasonable portion (the sausage were fairly small) but by the time I'd finished eating it all I realized that I felt somewhat uncomfortably full. I need to try to be more mindful when I eat.
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