Category: Food

10
Apr
2017

Whole 30 Round 2 Results

Once upon a time, I started a cleverly-written post about my Whole 30 Round 2 results and then never could complete the was-going-to-be-so-amazing post. So I finally came back to reality and decided to give you the information you really want to hear, as if I was telling you about it while we were hanging out, enjoying a coffee together. What a relief and aren’t you glad I didn’t make you wait any longer?

whole 30 results

Whole 30 Round 2

Whole 30 went so well for us (my husband and me) last year that we decided to do it again in January 2017. Having been through it before, I knew the amount of planning it required, what meals we liked, and that we could make it all the way through! It was still a lot of work with the meal-planning, grocery shopping, label-reading, and food prep. But overall this time, it was much easier to follow the program. Yes, the first few days were a little difficult as we had to go without some of our faves – with me, that meant no creamy, slightly-sweetened lattes – boo.

Just like last time, we did not experience any major detox symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, etc. And we did not experience the kill-all-the-things stage (very real stage for many people). We did allow trace amounts of a few things – like sugar in bacon, and vanilla extract with alcohol, because we already knew that we do not have any food issues with these groups. This round of Whole 30 was fairly uneventful other than experiencing some boredom with recipes partway through – another common occurrence. But that is always solved by looking for new recipes and ideas and talking to a group for support.

My favorite part of Whole 30 Round 2 was the Facebook Group I started (Whole 30 with Lisa Marie). Several people joined – some who did Whole 30 in the past, some who were starting Whole 30 with me, some who were learning about Whole 30 in order to do a future round of it, and some who were just there for some new recipe ideas. It was motivating to post in the group regularly, see participation and encouragement from others, and hear other Whole 30 results. Even more exciting was that a few people decided to do their own round of Whole 30 just from seeing the positive posts in the group – yay! By the way, my group is open to anyone and you do not need to be currently doing Whole 30 to join – click here and request to join. There is a lot of great Whole 30 info in the group if you just want to lurk, read remarks, and find new healthy recipe ideas.

Whole 30 Round 2 Results

But what were my results? That’s what you really care about; am I right? Once again, my Whole 30 results were all positive and some were unexpected! Before I mention my results from this round, I want to remind you that some of my results from the first round were permanent, like weight loss, no more 3pm slump, less desire for desserts, etc. So here are my results from Round 2 that go beyond Round 1:

~ Lost 9 pounds (husband lost 10 pounds)
~ Rarely think about snacking now
~ Found new keeper recipes
~ Taste for sugar decreased even more
~ Increased desire to continue healthier eating habits
~ No.more.lattes. <—Whaaaat???

Yeah, that’s right – no more lattes. What is this insanity? Well I had hoped that one of my Whole 30 results this round would be switching to unsweetened lattes. So the first day after Whole 30, I tried one. Well – yuck. And I could have gone back to a slightly sweetened one, but also – yuck. The problem is that my tastes had adjusted again and I realized that I actually don’t like the taste of plain coffee (I already knew this), but I also don’t like the taste of milk or cream – never have. So I was using sugar to cover up both of the tastes I don’t like and making it into something that tasted good to me. So ever since the end of January, I don’t drink lattes or even coffee with cream/sugar. I know!!

Whole 30 Experience tea

The other funny thing is that I usually drink high-caf tea in the morning during Whole 30, but I got tired of it, so switched to regular tea. I was super tired for a day or two and then it was fine. What I didn’t realize is that I had weaned myself off the need for caffeine – LOL. So when I tried that latte after Whole 30, the caffeine hit was a bit much as well – same with regular coffee. I don’t actually need it anymore! I do like a bit of caffeine, so I drink green tea on a daily basis. And sometimes I have a cup of decaf coffee with a bit of cream and a teaspoon of sugar if I really feel the need for a coffee.

I did find a substitute for my medium breve slightly-sweetened lattes: a small breve cappuccino with 1 packet/teaspoon of honey. I sip that over 30-60 minutes so the caffeine doesn’t hit at once (or sometimes I get decaf). Less than half the calories and not something I drink daily anymore – THAT is one of the awesome but completely unexpected Whole 30 results. (I won’t lie – I grieved the loss of my lattes – they were a big part of my identity for several years. True story.)

whole 30 results

As far as the weight loss, I should mention that last year’s Whole 30 results included losing 11 pounds. I kept most of that weight off permanently even though I went back to eating somewhat normally (though far less snacking, desserts, and half the sugar consumption). After the 9-pound loss this time, it has been a couple of months and I’ve kept it off.

New Whole 30 Recipe Finds

I was excited to run across some new recipes to try during Round 2. And some of them are keepers in our family! Here are some that I really enjoyed this time:

whole 30 results

Apple Bumpkin Breakfast Bake – Loved this one! A great alternative to eggs for breakfast. It’s a bit on the sweet side, so I recommend not using this recipe until you have gone through at least a week of your Whole 30 and detoxed from the sweeter tastes. I tweaked the recipe and added blueberries and chopped pecans in with the apples – yum!

Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde – SO easy and SO delicious!! Really tasty and my son decided he loved using lettuce leaves as “tortillas.”

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana – A really yummy soup and I doubt your family will realize it has coconut milk if you don’t tell them. Creamy comfort food that’s Whole 30-compliant…win, win!

whole 30 results

Sensational Sweet Potato Fries – I’m still tweaking this recipe. I use far less red pepper than called for and they need to cook at a higher temp or they are too soft, but still delish! Also, though it says sweet potato – they are actually yams – don’t get confused at the grocery store (sweet potatoes have a pale yellow inside color). Use this recipe as a starting point or find your fave but I think you’ll decide you want to eat them again and again and they’re not that difficult to make.

Find more Whole 30 recipes and links in my Whole 30 Food post and follow my Whole 30 Recipes Pinterest Board for more inspiration!

What Are Your Whole 30 Results?

Have you done a Whole 30? I would love to hear about your results – leave a comment on this post or join my FB Whole 30 Group and share in there so other people can hear more feedback on the program. People in my Whole 30 group have shared results like having more energy, reducing or getting rid of headaches, feeling stronger during workouts, reduced food cravings, in addition to weight loss. It’s always surprising to hear what can happen in just 30 days!

Thanks for letting me chat with you about my Whole 30 results. If you decide that a Whole 30 might be for you, then I say go for it and you CAN do it – it’s just 30 days of your life!!

P.S. I’m starting another round of Whole 30 in a few days – feel free to join the group if you want to follow along or just hang out and learn more about it! Click below and request to Join!

04
Feb
2017

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

categories: Food

I’ve had this recipe around for years – it was originally discovered through Weight Watchers. I posted it on an old blog, but realized that I have since made adjustments to it. It makes a nice side dish in the Fall & Winter, but you can make it any time of year by using frozen squash and canned pears. And the best part? This squash soup completely fits in with Whole 30, which was a win for us and we enjoyed some in our last round of Whole 30.

It really helps if you have an immersion blender so you can blend the soup (carefully, of course!) right in the pot. But if you don’t have one, then cool the soup slightly and use a blender, working in batches. Then pour the soup back into the pot and reheat.

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

1 bag/box frozen butternut squash (or 1 roasted butternut squash, with pulp scooped out)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 cups chicken broth (If doing Whole 30, make sure ingredients are compliant. Can also use vegetable broth.)
1 large, ripe pear, pared, cored, and diced (or 1 small can of pears, drained, and diced)
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, pear chunks, and squash pulp. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pear is soft, about 5-10 minutes.

Turn heat off and carefully blend with immersion blender until soup is completely pureed (or use blender). Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot. Makes about 4 small servings.

squash soup

If you enjoy this squash soup and want more Whole 30-compliant recipes, check out some of my fave Whole 30 foods and recipes.

Do you have a fave side dish soup? Have you had squash soup before? Let me know in the comments!

30
Dec
2016

Starting Another Whole 30

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

It’s true. I’m a Whole 30 survivor and I am choosing to do another one! Though there is nothing easy about it, it is only 30 days and the results are SO worth it! I’m talking healthier eating results rather than weight loss. Weight loss will usually occur if you are really following the program but it is never a guarantee and depends on what and how much you eat as well as other health issues you may have. Don’t do Whole 30 for weight loss – do it as a way to reset your diet with healthier habits and as a way to discover or rediscover food issues and allergies so you can avoid those foods in the future.

whole 30

Whole 30 Tips

When you are getting ready to start a Whole 30, it helps to do some research and make a plan, including a 1-week meaI plan before you start. It also helps to find some friends or family to be your supporters and encouragers through the process (keep reading for more info on a group I’m setting up). I recommend that you read my posts about the program if you haven’t already (listed below) and follow my Whole 30 ideas Pinterest Board for lots of yummy recipes. And stop by the Whole 30 website for lots of helpful info and resources. Follow me on Instagram as well – that’s where you’ll find me posting pics of meals and food as I go.

Intro to my Whole 30 Experience
My Whole 30 Experience and Results
My Whole 30 Experience – The Food
10 Tips for a Successful Whole 30
My Whole 30 Experience: Afterward
It’s Time for a Whole 15 (Includes a simple 2-day meal plan to get you started)
My Whole 15 Results

Whole 30

Join Me for Whole 30

My family will be starting Whole 30 officially on Monday, January 2 and finishing on January 31st. I have already set up a Facebook Group for this round. It’s called Whole 30 with Lisa Marie. Come check it out and click Join Group if you would like to be included!

Don’t feel like you have to do Whole 30 the exact same way or the exact same dates as me in order to join my group. The point of the group is to share recipes & tips as well as encouragement and to be able to vent or ask questions when needed. There might even be a few people joining who are not currently doing a Whole 30, but want to see how it goes for everybody else and start working some of the recipes into their meal planning. See you there!

Be sure to sign up here to keep up with all followup Whole 30 posts!

Have you done a Whole 30 before? What did you think? What kind of results did you have? If you haven’t done it, why not? Share your answers in the comments!

21
Nov
2016

The Thanksgiving Meal – Connecting Through Food

categories: Connection, Family Life, Food

We know that Thanksgiving Day gives us an opportunity to connect with family and friends, and one of the biggest parts of the day is the food. Sharing food is another way that we connect with each other. It technically could fall under connecting through acts of service or connecting with family, but sharing a meal together is special in its own way. Food, and especially during the holidays, isn’t just about the taste and the presentation. It’s about so much more: memories, traditions, feelings, and ambience.

When you serve or are served a Thanksgiving meal, what kind of feelings and emotions do you have? What kind of memories do you experience during the meal? By serving certain types of foods at Thanksgiving, the feelings of warmth and tradition bring some level of comfort to us. Our world is ever-changing and feels a bit unstable, but the simple act of sitting down together for a Thanksgiving meal with our favorite dishes can help us to feel grounded again and experience a little of the stability that we crave. Because of this, we can connect more easily with our friends and family at our table and repair or strengthen neglected relationships. The foods we all enjoy can bring us together and begin a season of peace, charity, and grace.

What are your favorite foods to share and connect over during Thanksgiving? I’ll share my simple menu for this year’s Thanksgiving meal. I tried not to overdo it this time and am sticking mostly to tradition. Find my menu with links to recipes below.

Thanksgiving Meal Menu

Appetizers:
Pumpkin Bread
Sweet Spiced Nuts

Main Dish:
Brined, roasted turkey

Side Dishes:
Slow Cooker Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Colorful Roasted Vegetables
Cranberry-Apple Sauce
Rolls

Dessert:
German Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie (new dessert I’m adapting & attempting)

I hope you all have a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving meal, connecting over your very favorite foods. Tell me what one of your favorite Thanksgiving foods is – I’m all about mashed potatoes and gravy myself! By the way, there’s still time to sign up for my Thanksgiving PDF if you haven’t yet.

27
Jun
2016

My Whole 15 Results

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

I finished the Whole 15! It wasn’t as drastic a difference as when we did our original Whole 30 in January, but we still experienced some benefits. Did you try a Whole 15 or start a Whole 30? Share your results in the comments!

During the Whole 15

The first week of the Whole 15 went well. I planned out our meals and shopped for most of the items ahead of time. The first day went well and the second day went fairly well, though I was wanting cake and a latte by the end of it. Once again my husband and I did not experience any headaches or extreme irritability, etc. during the detox of the first 2-3 days.

But by Day 4 (and into Day 5), I was extremely tired and decided that it must be related to the Whole 15 plan. That is a common effect around that time, though we did not experience it during our Whole 30. Somewhere around Day 5-7, I definitely felt bloated and like I had actually gained weight. This is also common after a few days, which is why it’s recommended to avoid weighing yourself during the plan. Sometimes your weight will go up before it goes down.

Then I hit Day 8. We were out and about all morning and tea just wasn’t going to cut it (and I don’t do black coffee). I decided to cheat and have a latte. I thoroughly enjoyed it and did not regret my decision. Since our point of doing Whole 15 was just as a reset and not about food issues, we decided that we would be a little easier on ourselves during the second week. So yes, I had a cheat of some sort each day the rest of the time. I would rather have done it without the cheats, but my motivation was lacking in week 2.

We still mostly followed the Whole 30 plan until the end though. If I did it again as a small reset, I think a Whole 10 would work out better. And if you are doing a Whole 30 for the first time – do NOT cheat! You’ll want to get the best results you can, which work out best if you stick to the plan.

Results of the Whole 15

Though it was harder to stay motivated with the restrictions on the Whole 15 compared to our Whole 30, we still had some good results:

We ate more fruits and vegetables.
We didn’t eat out so saved money (and calories).
I decreased my taste for sugar even MORE! I am now able to drink a coffee or latte with 1 teaspoon of sugar (used to be 3 teaspoons of sugar before I ever did a Whole 30)! The sad part is that I don’t feel super well after eating a very rich & sugary dessert. It will take me a few times of experiencing that before I get the hint though – lol.
I lost 6 pounds (yes – in 15 days and even with the cheats) and my husband lost 9 pounds!

So obviously it was worth it for us to go through a Whole 15 as we begin Summer! I expected some decent results for 15 days, but this turned out even better than I thought.

What’s Next?

After finishing the Whole 15, I don’t just want to go completely back to what we had slid into before. I plan to make at least one meal a week a Whole 30 meal. We will also be trying to keep sugary things to a minimum and staying away from extra grains. And we plan (but will we succeed??!!) to limit wine or beer to the weekends. I will also be working on incorporating more fruits and veggies into the day.

I do like having some kind of plan to stick to, so am now working on an exercise plan. I started the 30-Day Shred since it doesn’t involve any big plan other than completing the workout every day. I finished 5 days of working out! I just switched over to Ripped in 30 by Jillian Michaels – it was recommended to me as a much-improved version of the 30-Day Shred and I like it much better so far. Unfortunately, anytime I start a workout program my weight jumps way up. I’m hoping that after my body gets over the shock – maybe next week – that weight will come back down again.

Did you decide to join in and try a Whole 30 or Whole 15? How did it go? What was your biggest challenge and your biggest success with the plan? If you haven’t tried one yet, you can check out my Whole 30 series of posts and my Whole 15 post that includes a super simple 2-day menu to get you started.

02
Jun
2016

It’s Time For a Whole 15

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

It has been decided. At least it has for our family. It’s time for a Whole 15 to reestablish healthy eating habits for the Summer (and maybe-hopefully lose a couple pounds along the way)!

Is Whole 15 a thing? If it wasn’t already, it is now, because I made it up! Timing would be a little tough to do another full Whole 30, but I think we can work in half, so that’s the plan. And I’ve worked out the timing so it ends just before Father’s Day. That means full fun and indulgence (within reason – let’s not go too crazy) on Father’s Day. If you’re feeling like jumping in on short notice, join me!

Why Do a Whole 15

If you’ve been thinking about trying Whole 30, a Whole 15 is a chance to start with a shorter version to see how it goes. I would highly encourage anybody at the end of 15 days to keep on going if you’ve never done the 30 because you’ll already be past the toughest part. If you’ve already done Whole 30, but eating habits are sliding and you want to start Summer off on the right foot, then 15 days should be enough to get you back on track.

This is just 15 days – totally doable! If I can do a full Whole 30, then anybody can, and this is only half. This still gives you enough time to detox from the bad stuff and to start feeling better and having more energy. It also will help get you in the habit of preparing healthier meals for yourself and/or your family. Bring on the Whole 15 – who’s with me?

When I’m Starting the Whole 15

I’m beginning my Whole 15 on Saturday morning, June 4. OK – I know, who in their right mind starts on the weekend, but then it ends Saturday night, June 18, just in time for Father’s Day. Dates can always be reworked to make it work better for you and your family if you decide to try it. You can start on a Monday instead, if you like.

But here’s why a weekend might be easier to start on (unless you already have special functions planned): more time for meal planning/prep and healthy snacks if needed, not in as much of a rush on the weekend as the weekdays so easier to stick to plan at the beginning, and hopefully more time at home rather than at an office where there might be tempting goodies. In fact, my family does have a couple of things happening this weekend, but by planning ahead and bringing along some food that is Whole 30 compliant, we can still go enjoy fellowship and ignore the foods we need to stay away from.

2-Day Meal Plan for Whole 15 or Whole 30

Just in case you decide to join me on my Whole 15 or try it or a Whole 30 out at a later date, here’s a 2-day meal plan to make things easier at the beginning. Simple stuff and no strange ingredients so you can ease in, giving you more time to plan out meals for the rest of the time and shop for extra ingredients that you want on hand.

Day 1 Meal Plan (for 1 person)

Breakfast:

Aidell’s Chicken Apple Sausage, sliced and sautéed (1)
Scrambled eggs (2)
Fresh blueberries or strawberries (1/2 cup)
Drink: Black coffee with or without unsweetened almond milk or unsweetened iced tea

Lunch:

Lettuce mixture of any kind (2 cups)
Carrot shreds (1-2 tablespoons)
Red seedless grapes, cut in half (1/2 cup)
Chopped pecans (1/4 cup)
Cut up cooked chicken breast (1/2 – 1 breast)
Dressing: Equal parts Light Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to taste
Drink: Water or unsweetened decaf iced tea

Dinner:

Salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.(1-2 cups) and same dressing as lunch salad
Beef & Veggie Chili – Low Carb (make double or triple batch, enough for lunch leftovers next day)
Drink: Water

Snack (before or after dinner):

1 apple, sliced
2-3 Tablespoons almond butter, for dipping

Day 2 Meal Plan (for 1 person)

Breakfast:

Fried eggs (2), fried in coconut oil or ghee
Sautéed apples (1)
Drink: Black coffee or unsweetened hot or iced tea

Lunch:

Leftover Beef & Veggie Chili
Baby Carrots (1/2 cup)
Drink: Water or unsweetened decaf iced tea

Dinner:

Salad made with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. (1-2 cups) and same dressing as lunch salad from Day 1
One-Pot Slow Cooker Chicken Dinner (make enough extra for lunch leftovers next day) *Sub ghee for butter
Drink: Water

Snack (before or after dinner):

Cashews or almonds (1/3 cup)
Coconut shreds, unsweetened (1-2 tablespoons)

Get Ready, Get Set…

I’ve got to finish planning out my first few days of the Whole 15 and still shop for ingredients. So as you can see it’s not too late for you to decide to join me on this 15-day adventure! If you do decide to do it, please go back and read my Whole 30 series as well as the Whole 30 rules from the website so you know exactly what you are in for. And check my Whole 30 Food post for ideas as well as my Whole 30 Pinterest board, which I keep adding to. I will post on my Facebook page throughout the 15 days to let you know how it’s going and to encourage you if you decide to join me!

Have you done a Whole 30? Are you going to try the Whole 15? If you decide to join me, comment and let me know or comment on my Facebook posts! Happy healthy eating to you all as we start our Summer fun!

Remember to like my Facebook page and subscribe to receive my blog posts by email so you don’t miss out on any of the fun!

29
Apr
2016

My Whole 30 Experience [Part 5]: Afterward

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

Finally we come to the last post in my Whole 30 series (or is it – haha)! I do anticipate a followup post to this series at some point, so subscribe to my blog now and you won’t miss out! Here’s the recap of the different parts to my Whole 30 experience series:

Part 1: Intro to My Whole 30 Experience
Part 2: My Whole 30 Experience & Results
Part 3: My Whole 30 Experience – The Food
Part 4: 10 Tips for a Successful Whole 30
Part 5: After Whole 30 & How I’m Doing

I’ve shared all about the actual Whole 30 experience, but I think the other part people wonder about is what happens after it’s all over? I’m approaching 3 months since we finished our Whole 30 and will share honestly about our eating habits now and whether we have maintained the good results that we achieved.

Eating Habits After Our Whole 30 Experience

After we finished our 30 days, we didn’t want to go crazy eating all the things we couldn’t before, so we did try to gradually bring them back. We did it faster than the recommended Whole 30 reintroduction, but still took about 4-5 days to reintroduce everything. We did not experience any food issues as we reintroduced, so that was nice to know. If you think there is any chance that you might have some physical issues with certain food groups, it really is best to reintroduce one thing at a time and give it 2 days to see if you have any reactions. On Day 1 we added dairy and sugar because I HAD to have my latte! We added Grains a day or so later. About 3 days later, we had some alcohol. And the various other items were sprinkled throughout the 4-5 days. As we added food groups back, we kept most of our meals as close to Whole 30 meals as possible and continued that for over a week.

The biggest difference we noticed as we got back to “normal” eating was the change in our taste for sugar. I need far far less now than ever in my entire life. Some things now are simply too sweet for me. If you go on a sugar fast, but you still have honey and maple syrup or stevia or other sweeteners, I don’t think you will have the same experience. Whole 30 eliminates *all* sweet tastes except for fruit and we tried not to go overboard with that either. That’s what made the difference – learning to do without the sweet taste all the time.

We also noticed the taste of fast food wasn’t as good as before the Whole 30 experience. When you get used to not having processed food, you can really tell the difference. I’m not saying we don’t still enjoy eating out, but we definitely have less craving for the worst of the fast foods. Real and whole foods have great flavor and we are working to have more of them than before we did Whole 30.

Did We Maintain Results?

Yes, and no. I have held to having less sugar, though sweets creep into our diet here and there as we make more and more exceptions the further out from Whole 30 we get. But my taste hasn’t changed yet and I’m trying to keep it that way. We’re still eating less pasta and bread in general and we were keeping alcohol to weekends only, but have fallen off of that as of late. I still don’t have the 3pm energy slump most days and before Whole 30, I had it every single day.

One change that has stuck is my putting a stop to drinking soda, mainly diet soda (Coke Zero with Splenda). I used the Whole 30 experience to finally be my time to go completely without the diet soda and get rid of the craving for that flavor. I knew it wasn’t good for me, and kept drinking it on a regular basis before that. So even after Whole 30 ended, I refused to have any soda and especially not a taste of Coke Zero as I was afraid that I might start craving that flavor again. Almost 3 months since last drinking it, I finally took a taste of some. I was curious to see if I would still like it. Happy to say, I did NOT like it! It had such an overwhelming artificial flavor and I have no desire to have any more. I’m trying to drink more water, though I struggle with that, and my main cold drink has become iced tea.

As a few of our bad eating habits creep back in, there has been a bit of weight gain. Just a couple of pounds, but that’s not the direction we want to go! I really need to keep the weight coming off and that will only happen by continuing to eat in a healthy way and adding in the right kinds of exercise. I have been eating less fruit than during Whole 30, and need to get back in that habit to keep energy levels higher.

Where to go From Here

As we have come out of some busy times with more eating out than usual, I feel like focusing on Whole 30 meals again would be very beneficial for our family. I don’t think it’s realistic right now for us to do another full Whole 30, but I do think we could work in a Whole 15. Or plan out 2 weeks of all meals and snacks that are mostly Whole 30 compliant and not stray from them at all during that time. It would get us back to the better eating habits as well as help us get rid of the couple of pounds that have crept back, I’m sure.

My plan right now is for our family to do a Whole 30 once a year. January makes the most sense to me, right after the holidays. And then I want to do a couple weeks of Whole 30 meals once a quarter to help keep us on track with healthier eating. I also want to find a simple 30-day fitness/exercise challenge that we could follow to get us in the habit of being active on a daily basis.

So overall, even though some of our bad eating habits have started coming back a little, there have been some permanent changes for the better in our eating habits. Anything worthwhile takes effort and I know that it will take more focus and planning to continue toward healthy eating for our family. We’re still very satisfied with the results of Whole 30 and highly recommend it!

Whether you are in the middle of a Whole 30 experience, or considering starting one, I hope that this series has been helpful. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, pleas leave a comment! Thanks for joining me!

19
Apr
2016

Cranberry White Chocolate Cream Scones

categories: Food

I mentioned in a post that I would probably have occasional recipe posts here. I actually had the general recipe for these scones on my other blog, but as I was referring to it yet again to make the scones, I knew it needed reworking, rewording, and new pics, so I decided to do that for you here because…scones. No other reason needed!

These are my absolute favorite scones and they are not like the usual scones that you get to eat. They’re cream scones and are light and fluffy – like little pastry clouds of love. They are also the easiest scones to make – in fact, you CAN make these scones even if you claim not to be a baker. I’ll give you the step-by-step instructions; just follow along for deliciousness that will impress your family and friends. I can’t take credit for this recipe – a friend used to give this mix as a Christmas gift and it was my first introduction to making scones.

Cream Scones Step-by-Step

First, preheat the oven to 425° F and cover a large cookie sheet (or 2 smaller ones) with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can use ungreased cookie sheets.

Add all of the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk together until well-mixed. Prep your flat surface for patting out the scones by flouring it. Since I don’t have a flat counter, I use our pullout cutting board and cover it with wax paper before flouring. The wax paper trick makes my cleanup afterward so much simpler.

Pour the measured heavy whipping cream into the bowl and use a fork to stir up the ingredients into a ball of sticky dough. You will have to keep working the dry ingredients into the dough ball. It will eventually all come together.

With floured hands, take the dough out of the bowl and knead together a few times. Split into 2 or 3 equal balls and set down on floured surface. I do 3 balls as it makes scones that are between full-size and mini, thus justifying eating 3…or so. If you want lots of mini scones for a group, do 4 smaller balls. Pat dough into circles that are about 5 inches across (smaller if you do more circles).

Melt the butter and brush it over tops and sides of the circles. Sprinkle tops evenly with sugar. For a prettier effect, use clear sparkling sugar. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. You can use a knife, but I do it the fun way – with my pizza cutter.

Transfer wedges to cookie sheet. Make sure and leave a bit of room around each scone as they will spread out a little. Bake for 11 minutes. If you do smaller scones, check sooner. Since ovens always differ, I recommend starting with 10 minutes and adding minutes until the scones start to get a light golden brown color. You want that bit of crispiness on the outside.

Remove from oven when done and cool on a rack. While they are cooling, use the rest of the heavy whipping cream to make whipped cream for the scones. I add about a teaspoon or so of powdered sugar as I’m whipping the cream to give it a slight sweetness. Eat and enjoy!

Cranberry White Chocolate Cream Scones Recipe

Cranberry White Chocolate Cream Scones
2 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup White Chocolate Chips
16 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
Extra Sugar to Sprinkle (Clear sparkling sugar looks lovely.)

Preheat oven to 425° F. Prepare 1 large or 2 smaller cookie sheets with parchment paper (can leave ungreased if you don’t have parchment paper, though I’ve always used parchment).

Combine all ingredients into a bowl. Whisk together. Add 1 1/4 cups of the heavy cream to the mix. Using a fork, stir until batter becomes a sticky ball of dough. Keep working in the loose flour until all is mixed in.

Prepare a flat surface by coating lightly with flour. With floured hands, pick up ball of dough and knead a few times – up to 8 or so. Pat into 2 or 3 circles on floured surface. Pat until circles are about 5 inches in diameter. Brush melted butter onto tops and sides of dough circles. Sprinkle the tops evenly with sugar.

Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Place wedges on prepared baking sheet(s). Make sure to leave close to an inch of space around each wedge. Bake for 11 minutes or until tops are getting golden brown.

In a mixing bowl, whip remaining heavy cream. During whipping, add 1 teaspoon or so of powdered sugar for a bit of sweetness. Serve warm scones topped with whipped cream. Enjoy! Scones are best while still a little warm and served same day. If you save leftovers (What leftovers?!), they will still be yummy, but you will lose some of the slight crisp to the outside and the fluffiness inside.

Variations: Substitute chopped walnuts for white chocolate chips or chopped apricots for the cranberries. Instead of cutting into wedges, cut into circles with the rim of a glass or other shapes with cookie cutters. Pat together leftover bits of dough to use all of it in the shapes.

I hope you get a chance to make these cream scones – they are worth the effort! Have you had these scones before? Do you have a favorite kind of scone?

Be sure to Like my Facebook page if you haven’t and subscribe to my blog posts so you never miss what’s coming next! Thanks for joining me, friends!

13
Apr
2016

10 Tips For a Successful Whole 30

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

Welcome back to my Whole 30 series! In Part 1, I gave you an introduction to the program and what I think about it. In Part 2, I shared my own experiences doing it and the results. In Part 3, I shared all about the food that we ate during the 30 days and included links and recipes. Now here we are at Part 4, where I’ve got a list of Whole 30 tips to help you be successful – you can do it! Be sure to subscribe to my blog here, so you don’t miss the last of the Whole 30 series (Part 5 is coming next week).

I loved finding helpful Whole 30 tips online to help me through, so I’ve got a list of 10 for you! Some of my tips will help make things a little easier and some will help you get the most out of your 30 days so your end results are awesome.

10 Whole 30 Tips

#1. Follow the rules. Follow. The. Rules. I mean it! If you want to see the greatest results and make these 30 days of hard work really pay off, then follow all of the rules listed on the Whole 30 website. Even if you think the rules don’t make sense, they do have reasons for them. It’s only 30 days – stop trying to find a way around it and just do what you’re told. LOL.

#2. Plan ahead. Plan like you’ve never planned before. It’s kind of a side-bonus if you haven’t been a good planner before – you’ll be forced to develop the skill! Plan all of your meals and snacks for each day as far ahead as you can (I did a week at a time). Write out your grocery lists and get all of the food you need. Have the recipes marked, pinned, saved, and ready to go. Prep some snack foods to be easily available. Plan a couple of quicker backup meals and have ingredients on hand for those.

#3. Keep it simple. If you’re a foodie and love to cook new things regularly, then you can skip this rule. But if you’re like most of us, you’ll be trying out all of these new recipes to make the 30 days more exciting and then find that it may be too difficult to constantly be prepping and cooking new foods while you are trying to stay on top of the program. Find some breakfasts and lunches that you like and repeat. Make extra portions of dinners so that you can have leftovers. Try to help yourself out in little ways during the 30 days. It really helped me.

#4. Find Your favorite. As you try new things on the plan, be on the lookout for a fave new meal or snack. And then go ahead and have it a lot! It’s one acceptable way to reward yourself. One of our faves really was apple slices with almond butter, so it became a daily thing. And since I drank a lot of tea during the 30 days, I used the opportunity to find a couple of new fave tea flavors.

#5. Be flexible. Wait – I tell you to follow the rules and then I tell you to be flexible. Follow the rules first! But don’t let unexpected plans and situations completely derail you from the program because you have to bend a couple rules. Stay as close to plan as you can, but don’t miss out on important opportunities. My husband had a couple of work group lunches during our Whole 30. It would have looked bad for him not to attend. Thankfully, he knew ahead where they were going, found the menu online, and figured out how he could modify a Cobb salad to make it fit Whole 30 (as far as we know). If you have a salad, you can ask for oil (usually olive oil) and vinegar instead of dressing and most restaurants have it on hand and can accommodate you. If you need to attend a potluck or a party, take a Whole 30-approved dish yourself so there is something there you can enjoy.

#6. Get a group. It’s so much easier to stay on track if you have a group to do it with. They don’t even have to be near you, thanks to the internet and Facebook! Before you start your Whole 30, convince a few friends or family members to do it at the same time and create a Facebook group to help with encouragement, accountability, and sharing Whole 30 tips. I was part of a group of coworkers that did this and it helped us a lot. We also created group Pinterest boards so we could share all of our ideas.

#7. Post your pics. One of the things that’s fun is to post your food pics online and use the hashtag: #whole30. It helps you want to come up with attractive meals and it helps give others inspiration. I saw some great food ideas online by looking at #whole30 posts and a friend of mine was inspired to make a new breakfast recipe just because she saw my post on Instagram. So share away!

#8. Get mental. What I mean is use this 30 days to get control of your mental eating habits. Do you have an issue with snacking or dessert or treating yourself with a specific food when you’re celebrating? It’s amazing how we develop mental eating habits. I was stuck in the habit of having something sweet every evening – some sort of dessert. Whole 30 rules tell you not to substitute approved foods in place of your sweets, like dessert. So during Whole 30, I started out by having fruit or other items in the evenings at first but then transitioned away from it. I wanted to use the 30 days to break away from the dessert habit. It was tough, but I did it and don’t have that intense feeling that I need dessert anymore.

#9. Break it down. When you start your 30 days, you may feel overwhelmed in the first few days by doing without some of your favorite foods. You might decide that 30 days is just not possible. Trust me that part of this feeling is the fact that you are detoxing and part of it is you getting over the mental addictions to some foods. But it’s also okay to decide that a Whole 30 is not for you. Do yourself a favor – don’t quit in the first few days. Do a Whole 10! Still enough time to detox, start enjoying some new recipes, and stop some cravings. But at the end of the 10 days, before you stop, decide if you can handle making it a Whole 20. And at the end of that, decide if you can go just 10 more days. You might be surprised at what you can do and how much better you feel after getting several days into the plan.

#10. Incent yourself. You will feel deprived at the beginning of the Whole 30 as you will be giving up some of your fave foods. It’s especially hard in that first week. Find new ways to incent and reward yourself that don’t involve food. Plan something special for yourself if you make it all the way through the 30 days, but also come up with some weekly rewards. And you may even need daily incentives during those first 5 days!

I hope you find some of these whole 30 tips helpful! Are you ready to try a Whole 30? Are you in the middle of one right now and if so, how’s it going? Leave a comment!

There’s still another post to come in the Whole 30 series next week, so come on back! Thanks for joining me!

05
Apr
2016

My Whole 30 Experience [Part 3] – The Food

categories: Food, Health & Fitness

Welcome back to my Whole 30 Experience series! In Part 1, I told you about the program and how it works. In Part 2, I shared my experience and the results. Now I’m sharing the part you’re really curious about – the Whole 30 food! I’ve still got a couple more posts in this series and they will be helpful for you if you’re considering doing a Whole 30 yourself. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to my blog here so you don’t miss those posts when they’re published!

Though I searched for new recipes to use during the 30 days, I wanted to keep things as simple as I could and also repeat recipes that we liked. It was hard enough for me to stick with the plan and the food prep 3 meals a day, so anything I could do to make it a little easier helped. I don’t have a bunch of fancy gourmet Whole 30 dishes to share with you – just good real foods and recipes that even my son enjoyed. Most of the recipes I used were either my own or new ones I found on Pinterest or by searching. And I used some recipes from the Whole 30 book I purchased. So again, having the recipes from the book is nice, but you can totally do a successful Whole 30 just by searching online for what you need.

Whole 30 Food – Breakfast

I did keep it simple most of the time with eggs, sugar-free bacon, and fruit. But I’m not a fan of eggs.for.all.of.the.days. So I needed some egg-free ideas. Here are some additional breakfast recipes for you:

Easy and Delicious Whole 30 Breakfast: This is a type of egg casserole, with sausage and veggies. I really wanted to like it, but did not, mainly because I have issues with texture. My husband did like it and son thought it was okay. But it’s easy and makes a lot, so adjust the recipe and it might be a family fave for you!

Breakfast Pumpkin Custard: This was really a nice change for breakfast. Now I’m not a big fan of bananas sadly, so I liked this better when I made it with bananas that weren’t super ripe, but if you like bananas then use ripe ones. We all liked this one and it’s surprisingly filling. I always added some extra chopped pecans and a few plain coconut chips to my serving and I preferred to eat it cold.

Paleo Cinnamon Apple Bake: This is not approved as a Whole 30 meal on its own, but enjoy it as a side to some bacon, sausage, and even eggs. It’s so yummy – we consider this one a keeper even when not trying to eat Whole 30 food.

Berry “Muesli”: After looking at some ideas online, I realized I could create my own Whole 30 breakfast and I loved it! You can adjust the ingredients to your liking, but I used: sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, fresh raspberries and blueberries, chopped pecans, and coconut chips, topped with unsweetened almond milk. This was one was so satisfying for somebody who really likes yogurt, granola, and berries for breakfast.

Whole 30 Food – Lunch/Dinner

I don’t have a lot of new lunch ideas. I tried to keep it easier by making enough dinner so there would be leftovers available for lunch. So my lunches were mainly leftovers or salads. I recommend keeping some cooked chicken on hand (you can find a couple of brands of precooked chicken chunks with only approved ingredients) and making a variety of salads. One of my fave combinations was lettuce, spinach, red grapes, and pecans with a homemade vinaigrette.

Dinners were easier because meat with no added ingredients and vegetables makes a great dinner. We enjoyed grilled steaks and ribs with a sugar-free rub, in addition to pork loin roast, chicken breasts, and salmon fillets. And the fact that potatoes are allowed is fabulous! Here are some of our fave dinner sides and main dishes:

Colorful Roasted Vegetables

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

Pork Loin Roast: This is one of our fave dinners and it’s so very simple! Just mix up the rub, put it on the roast and bake. Just as delicious as the marinated pork loins you can buy, but you have control over the ingredients.

Pork Loin Rub
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Rub on pork loin roast (up to 2 1/2 pounds) and bake for 350 degrees for about 1 hour or follow baking directions included with the roast.

Beef and Veggie Chili: Another one of our faves that came out of a protein diet book many years ago. Adjust ingredient amounts as much or as little as you like.

Beef and Veggie Chili – Low Carb
1 pound ground beef
Chopped onions
Chopped green pepper
Chopped mushrooms
I can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 1/2+ tablespoons chili powder
Salt to taste
Water

Sauté chopped onions and green pepper. When soft, add chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté until soft. Set aside. Brown ground beef. Drain fat and add to vegetable mixture. Add in tomatoes, spices, and enough water until chili is the consistency you prefer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. I always make a double batch.

Whole 30 Food – More Tips

Notice that there’s no dessert section? Sorry, dessert isn’t allowed on Whole 30! If you MUST have something, we enjoyed some apple slices with almond butter in the beginning days, but eventually tried to stop doing that so we could retrain ourselves to know that we didn’t have to eat something sweet every evening. Here are a few more random food tips to get you through:

Pay very close attention to labels! We could only find 1 brand of sugar-free bacon that we could eat. Not really worth it unless bacon helps you through. It was yummy but you could tell that the flavor was different. So yes, almost all bacon uses sugar in the curing process – news to us!

Watch out for condiments. The difference between ingredients in different brands is amazing. I ended up making my own mayonnaise from the Whole 30 book. It’s best to make your own salad dressing as well, which can be as simple as equal parts oil and vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

You can have fruit juice! 100% fruit juice is allowed on the plan, though not recommended as it’s high in natural sugar content. But you can have some in moderation, so what this means is that sparkling apple juice is allowed (Martinelli’s brand is just pure apple juice)! We enjoyed it a couple of times to make our dinner feel extra special. It also helps a little if you are really missing wine.

Find a new “fast food” to make if plans fall through. I needed something that was quick and easy to make in case I wasn’t feeling up to making the full meal I had planned or didn’t have things ready in time. Come up with this backup plan and stock up. Our favorite was Aidell’s chicken apple sausages (they are so yummy), sliced or not, sauteed in a pan and sliced potatoes (baked a bit first) fried in a pan with a little oil and salt/pepper. Add some fruit for a quick additional side.

Find a favorite snack. In the beginning of the 30 days, you’re going to be desperate for a few snacks and maybe even an emergency “dessert”, which will taper off a bit as you go. But you want to have a good Whole 30-approved snack option. Our very favorite snack was slicing up an apple and dipping the slices in almond butter – yum! And I discovered coconut cream concentrate (coconut butter), so I mixed a little of that with my almond butter for a slightly different flavor. I also used approved Lara Bars sparingly and kept one in my purse for emergencies. My faves were Coconut Cream Pie and Pecan Pie.

Whole 30 Food – Dislikes

There were a few things that I didn’t care for during the Whole 30 food plan. Here are a few:

Black Coffee. You are allowed to drink black coffee on the plan. I do not like black coffee. I only drink sweetened, creamy coffee. I decided to go without coffee rather than attempt it black or with unsweetened milk of some sort. That was crazy of me! But I survived by drinking high-caf tea every morning. I do like my tea unsweetened, thank goodness, and happened across this brand of high-caf tea at Whole Foods. One cup has more caffeine than a standard cup of coffee. One cup in the morning was just enough to keep me from having any caffeine withdrawals, but not so much that I felt over-caffeinated at all. And the rest of the day I used regular tea.

Ghee. So I did use ghee regularly through my 30 days because it is the closest to butter, but I really did not care for the flavor and have not had it since. My feeling is that it’s like they took butter…and then ruined it! But when you can’t have butter, it doesn’t seem quite so bad.

Egg casseroles. I have an issue with textures and eggy casseroles turned out not to be my thing, which is a bummer because they are handy for breakfast and even dinner sometimes. Try some out and see what you think.

Bananas. Oh how I wish I liked bananas. It would make sugar-free life much much easier. I can handle them if they’re not very ripe, but once they’re ripe, they need to be in banana bread or cake for me to eat them! If you do like bananas, you will be able to create yourself some Whole 30 smoothies or combine them with cashews and coconut for breakfast.

Cauliflower. Another veggie that I wish I liked. My husband and son asked me not to bother making anything with cauliflower as well (even though they actually like it – they just didn’t want to have much of it). If you and your family like it, you’ll be able to try new things like mashed cauliflower and cauliflower rice.

Whole 30 approved mocha. I tried a recipe, but modified it according to what I like and don’t like. It was the worst-tasting thing EVER. There was no substitute that was going to work for me, so I decided it was better to go without for a while than try drinking poor substitutes. Don’t be afraid to try a couple of crazy recipes though for your fave foods and drinks that you’re missing – you never know!

Whole 30 Food – Resources

I hope you found a few more helpful Whole 30 food ideas in this post! You can find many more recipes and ideas from a few places: either of the Whole 30 books, the Whole 30 website, searching for Whole 30 recipes online (there are forums and groups that share ideas as well), and Pinterest, to name a few. In fact, I do have a Whole 30 Ideas Pinterest board that you can check out. I’ll be continuing to add to it as I run into new ideas.

I’ve tried to include as much info as I could about the food. Have you found a new recipe to try? Are you going to try Whole 30? What other questions do you have about the Whole 30 food? Comment and I’d be happy to answer you!

Don’t forget – there are still a couple more posts to go in this series. Up next will be a post with some helpful tips for those of you attempting a Whole 30! Thanks for following along!