Bountiful Baskets & Chicken Cattiatore

Okay, enough hiatis from this great digestive easy diet.  Oh I mean lifestyle.  I mean eating adventure! 

Before I talk about the delicousness I made for dinner tonight, I must go on a tangent and talk about Bountiful Baskets Co-Op.

They are located in multiple States.  Multiple locations.  No location by you in your State?  Or your location sells out too quickly? Start your own!  They don't allow churches but you can hook up with a local business, fire department, etc and use their parking lot in good weather and lobby in bad.  It's all volunteer and absolutely a great Co-Op.

But wait, what is it you ask?  I'm glad you did.  You did.  I insist.

On Monday morning at 10 a.m. (SHARP because Salt Lake City sells out quickly) I sign up. It's $15 and it's a random basket of 50% veggies and 50% fruit. You pick a site to pick up at and you get your basket on Saturday morning. They also have extras you can get such as an upgrade to Organic, homemade breads, granola, specialty packs such a Italian (includes things like herbs, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, etc), big boxes of fruit (such as pineapple, 18 lbs of plums, etc). Just whatever they offer that week.

This week, as an example, our conventional basket for $15 had zucchini, green beans, green leaf lettuce, cauliflower, tomatoes, limes, plums (omg they are so good), nectarines, bananas, grapes, strawberries and mangoes.  

  

My only "gripe" is that they're not all local foods. They get items from Mexico, etc. BUT it's a great way to make sure we get a good mix of fruits and veggies for a good price. And you never know what you're going to get. Sometimes they have things I've never even heard of before!

Why did I go on this tangent? (Okay, technically I copy/pasted it from my Facebook comment from earlier...whatever ha!)  Because it's a great way to get my fruits & veggies.  I take the veggies I get from the basket and plan my meals. 

Like this one - Cauliflower.  I wanted to make Cauliflower Rice again.  What to make with it?  Well the only logical conclusion is Chicken Cattitore.  What?  You didn't make that connection?

Original Source for Chicken Cattiatore

Original Source for Cauliflower Rice

As usual, I changed the recipes.

Chicken Cattiatore and Cauliflower Rice

For the chicken

• 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 14oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• sea salt and pepper to taste

For the cauliflower rice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions  

1. Heat up your grill. Once it’s nice and toasty, rub a bit of olive oil your chicken breasts and top with salt and pepper, then throw them on the grill. Let them cook for about 6-8 minutes on both sides, depending how thick they are.
2. While they are cooking, grab a large pot and put under medium-high heat. Add your olive oil along with the garlic and onion and let those cook down a bit.
3. Next, add your tomatoes, sauce, broth, and all other spices to the mixture and stir together.
4. Once your chicken is pretty close to done, take it off the grill and add directly to your tomato mixture.  Simmer on low.
5. Next, to make the cauliflower rice, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 yellow onion to separate saucepan and cook over medium heat until translucent.
6. Place the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until it has a grainy rice-like consistency. 
7. Add to the saucepan. 
8. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add the fresh parsley and oregano and any other spices you'd like.
9. Let the cauliflower cook for 15 minutes, stir a few times to keep it from browning too much. 
10. Serve the chicken on top of the cauliflower rice with plenty of tomato sauce...and I mean plenty.  It's delicious. 
11. Make some noodles for the crazy people in your house if you have to.  :)

 Then eat!

Butternut squash lasagna

You read right. I said lasagna.  Delicious, scrumptious and amazing lasagna.  I couldn't survive without my lasagna.  Not even on this diet.  But guess what?  I don't have to!!!

Zucchini!!  You can use zucchini as the noodles.  Cut the zucchini in 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise.  And yes!  Delicious!!!  I didn't even miss the noodles.  Not even my husband who thought it was divine.  In fact, as I look at the pictures I have below and type these words, I want to make it again.  *drool*

Let me tell you how to make my all-time favorite lasagna.  And if you must, you could also use oven-ready lasagna noodles instead.  :)

Marinara Sauce

First, always make your own marinara sauce.  Why buy it from a bottle?  Seriously.  I have two recipes I'll use.  But this week it was my Smoky Marinara - from Cooking Light.

Also, I cut the lasagna recipe in half but make all of the marinara because you can use it for other things.  :)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

And now, for the main event!  With Me modifications.  What?  Originally picked up from Cooking Light as well.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1.5 cups chopped onion
5 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup shredded sharp provolone cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
3 cups Smoky Marinara
2 medium sized zucchini, cut in 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise.  You'll need 12 slices total.
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Combine provolone, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, eggs, and ricotta cheese in a large bowl.
3. Sauté the squash in a skillet, in olive oil, until slightly browned and tender.  Approximately 15 minutes.
4. Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup Smoky Marinara in the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange 4 zucchini slices over sauce; spread half of the cheese mixture over the zucchini.  Arrange the squash over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over squash.
5. Arrange 4 zucchini slices over sauce; spread the rest of the cheese mixture over the zucchini.  Arrange the onion mixture over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over spinach mixture.
6. Arrange 4 zucchini slices over sauce; spread 1 cup Smoky Marinara evenly over zucchini. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover the pan with foil.
7. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Then you'll have this!!!

And this after you let it sit for 10 minutes because you can't wait any longer!  

Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

I forgot to post this! All I did was took a pic and saved it as a post and left it at that. Crazy. It was so good. I hope I remember what I did. 

After some searching, I did find the meatloaf recipe I followed here: Paleo Meat Loaf 

I've never liked meatloaf with ketchup in it, so this worked great for me.  The thing that made me giggle with this recipe is it turned into a heap in the end - it didn't keep its form.  But I didn't mind at all.

I also didn't want the barbeque sauce on top (I couldn't find unsweetened), so I found a recipe for Salisbury Steak Burgers With Mushroom Gravy (which I MUST TRY!!!) and snagged the mushroom gravy portion.  Thickened with arrowroot powder it ended up a divine gift to my tongue and stomach. 

Wow, that was hard to remember.  I must post recipes immediately following!! 

I did make Me modifications.  Here you go!

Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Meatloaf Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup red cabbage chopped
• 2 Tbs skim milk
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef

Mushroom Gravy Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fat of choice (I used butter)
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 3 oz skim milk
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (8 oz) package mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine all ingredients except ground beef in a large bowl, and mix.
3. When well blended, add ground beef and combine together with a fork.  
4. Place mixture into a non-greased loaf pan or shape into a loaf on a non-greased baking pan.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 75-85 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 160° F is reached (or until there is no pink in the center).
6. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve with Mushroom Gravy on top.

To make Mushroom Gravy

1.  Add your fat, onions, and garlic to a saute pan over medium-high heat. Let the onions cook until they become translucent. Add the rest of your ingredients including the milk, broth, mushrooms and seasonings, except for the arrowroot powder.
2. Mix together and let cook down a bit.  Once the onions are beginning to soften, stir in the arrowroot powder, cover the pan and turn the heat down low to let cook, stirring occasionally. 

More recipes! Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos, Turkey Thai Basil & Blue Cheese Steak

Last weekend we (fine me...I admit...lol I'm a kitchen hog) made some amazing recipes. Two that I got from the internet were:

Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos

Oh my....so good.  There were absolutely NO modifications to this recipe and they were not needed.  Ummm, did I get a picture? No way!!!  I ate it way too fast.  Just trust me when I say it looked as good as it tasted.  A bit messy....but no worries.  I licked it up fast.  Would be great on tortillas too, but was wonderful on the butter lettuce.

I'll paste the recipe here but full credit goes to the link above.

Lime Cilantro Pork Tacos

Ingredients

    2 tsp coconut oil
    1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/4" - 1/2" strips
    1/4 tsp sea salt
    1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    1 red onion, diced
    1 small jalapeno, minced
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    2 medium tomatoes, diced
    3 Tbs lime juice
    3 Tbs cilantro, chopped
    8 butter lettuce leaves (about 1 large head)
    2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. Wash and chop onion, jalapeno, cilantro and tomatoes.
2. Season both sides of pork with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add coconut oil to pan.
4. Sauté pork  until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Remove pork from pan and place in a bowl.
5. Add onion and jalapeno to hot pan, and sauté until tender.
6. Add broth and tomatoes, and reduce heat to low. Simmer two more minutes, scraping pan sides and bottom to loosen any browned bits.
7. Return pork and juices to pan.  Stir in lime juice and simmer until pork is fully cooked.
8. Top with fresh cilantro and avocado, and wrap with butter lettuce leaves to serve.

Turkey Thai Basil

I did get a picture of this!!!   I was patient enough to wait 30 seconds before digging in.

I chose to do the wheat free tamari & honey choices in the recipe.  Also, with the baby bok choy, I love the baby bok choy juniors which are itty bitty and cute.  So I just threw a big handful in.  And the turkey was just some raw turkey that I cooked up fresh for this.  Oh so very good.  I did serve it on a little white rice. 

And again, a little copy/paste of the recipe.   You can get wheat free tamari at an Oriental Market.  They sell it near the wheat-full tamari & soy sauce.  (The tamari is a soy sauce that isn't part wheat.)

Turkey Thai Basil

Ingredients

2 lbs. leftover cooked turkey, cubed or shredded (chicken, beef or shrimp would work too)
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp coconut aminos (or wheat free tamari)
1 Tbsp water
1/2 Tbsp unrefined granulated sugar or honey (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
2 Tbsp lard
4  baby bok choy, leaves pulled apart, hearts halved
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 C lightly pack Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine turkey with fish sauce, coconut aminos, water, sugar, salt and pepper; stir until turkey is thoroughly coated and set aside
2. Melt lard in large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat
3. Add bok choy, peppers, onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently
4. Add contents of set-aside bowl (with the meat) to pan and stir for about 3 minutes until turkey is fully incorporated and heated through
5. Remove from heat and add Thai basil, stirring until basil wilts

Blue Cheese Steak

Then one I made because it's something I adore is New York Strip Steak with melted blue cheese and sauteed onions & mushrooms (in red wine) on top. Of course, no picture.  Why would I wait for a picture?  Come on!!!!

I don't have any propane but it's really easy to cook a steak on the stove in a cast iron skillet.  If it's a thick steak, you can sear it on the stove and then finish it off in the oven.  But the steaks I picked up were about 3/4 inch thick so they were cooked only on the stove for about 4 minutes and they were perfect.

Let's see.... 

Leave the steaks out on the counter for about 45 minutes.  Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Season both sides of the steak with fresh ground pepper and sea salt.  Add to the hot pan and sear both sides for about 1 minute each.  Let cook on medium heat for another minute on each side.  Remove from heat and they should be medium rare.  You can also cover them during that two minutes if you like them a little more done.

Then I just sauté some mushrooms and onions in red wine & garlic until soft.  Melt some blue cheese on top of the steaks, top with the mushrooms & onions.  OMGG!!!  EXTERMINATE!  DEVOUR!!!!!!  Oh ya, I think I made some cauliflower rice on the side.  lol

Long time!

It's been a while, and it's time I made an update!   Work has exhausted me to the point where I am having difficulty finding time and energy to say anything here.

Things are going well for me.  It's been 5 weeks since I started down this path and I am still happy.  Although there are some serious challenges...

1. Refined sugar and white flour.  I can't believe how difficult it's been the last couple of weeks for me to say no to them.  I've made some slips.  

• Last weekend I admit I made a very deliberate slip.  The husband and I went on vacation to Park City, UT for the St. Patrick's weekend and I admit I did the following over the weekend: chicken wings in bleu cheese dressing, three beers, 2 margaritas and some bread with bruschetta (a couple of pieces).  The rest of the weekend was great eating because I cooked in the hotel room.  I was having fun!  And it was, frankly, worth it.  
• But then a couple of nights ago we went to a steak & seafood restaurant and they had some white flour rolls that looked so good.  Oh my God...they were amazing.  A sane person would have asked for the rolls to be removed.  But I, after eating my meal, decided to eat one.  Before all of this I would have had at least two of them, so I did well considering.  And again, it was worth it.

So to say that I am able to withstand the refined sugars and white flours completely would be lying.   For the most part I can.  But it's so hard sometimes.  I just keep chanting to myself that at least I'm not eating cheesecake or candy or donuts or pancakes or chips, etc.  Because that was the pre-me.  Ice cream... that one is really hard for me.  *whimper*

Is this anything like what an addict goes through when they quit drugs?  I'm sure it's not quite as powerful.  But that battle after with themselves to stay away?  To help me out I eat fruits and honey for the sugar.  Then sprouted grain bread for the flour.  Not a lot of it by any means.  It helps curb that craving.

2. Breakfast.  I'm still struggling with this.  Although I've gotten really good at eating a yogurt and fruit for breakfast and being good until lunch.  Nothing wrong with that I suppose. I keep waking up late so I don't have time to make breakfast, let alone eat it.  So I pack a couple of pieces of fruit and an organic Greek yogurt and go to work.  I don't want to eat a huge breakfast or anything, but something better than stressing out and snagging whatever I can would be nice.  I really need to bring ingredients to work for smoothies.  There is an awesome blender there after all.  And a freezer for frozen fruit.  I'm just used to eating a bowl of cereal or oatmeal on the fly.  Sigh...I miss oatmeal.  I didn't even eat it with a lot of crap in it.  Just whole oats, a teaspoon of brown sugar and some raisins/dried cranberries and I was a happy girl.  I <3 you oatmeal.
3. Eating too much.  The food we're making is too damn good!  IT IS!  I'm not struggling at all with getting enough calories.  
4. Not drinking enough water.  Why Me?  I love water!  I always have.  I've never had to worry about needing sugary drinks or flavors in my water because I love water!
5. Realizing that I can't control other people's impressions.  I keep getting irritated when people scoff at this or say things like "you don't need to lose weight!"  It's not about that.  It's about eating healthy for me.  And that just gives me stress and makes me feel annoyed.  But this is supposed to be making me happy, not stressed.  I can only control myself. 
   

So there you have it. The negatives.  Well gee, now it sounds all bad!!!  No way!!!!  This is so awesome. 

1. I can still have them, but in moderation.  As it should be.  I just need to break that habit.  I have other, pure, options that I can pursue if I want something sweet.  And I really do enjoy things that are not too sweet.  Vegetables for one.  Carrots especially, which I don't eat enough of.  When  I was a baby I actually turned an orange tint because the only baby food I would eat was carrots.  True story.  Carrots. Nothin' better!  
2. I really am okay with just eating a little for breakfast.  And smoothies would rock.  More planning!  I need to get more "on-the-go" options for breakfast.  I also need to stop having to scramble, when I'm already late for work, to grab something to take with me.  It's really a PITA.
3. Moderation, again, is the key here.  Also, I shouldn't complain too much since a lot of the food is vegetable heavy.  But I can really put the food down, I tell you what!  I just need to learn how to back off the delicious.  I've never had that ability.
4. I still haven't stopped to grab any water since I started writing this.  Seriously.   This is not even "diet" related.  I'm just bad this way.   I'll get better as summer rolls around.
5. I believe I addressed this above.  Just chill.

I do feel better than ever before and like how I am eating.  I have less stomach problems - indigestion, heartburn, etc.   And it's a lot more whole foods.  Not as much organic or "grain-fed" as I'd like, but that's so expensive.  I work it in as I can.   Now I think I'll go grab a glass of water.

Roast lamb and cauliflower rice

Ohhhh.  Yes, that is the sound of pleasure I'm making after this dinner.   I still have the lingering taste of rosemary and garlic and I'm not in any hurry to stop it. 

I was making the weekly menu of chicken, steak, chicken and more chicken when I thought, "NO!  I need, no, I DESERVE something fantastic."  I thought pork, fish...eh...something special that I don't have often.   And then it hit me!  Lamb!  More specific - a leg of lamb.  After staring at our finances and realizing that even though I'm spending a ton of money of whole foods that we are spending less money overall and that yes, we can afford this, I packed the hubby off on a three store search for my lamb.  

Yup, three.  I guess Utahns don't eat lamb.  I can understand why.  $$  Plus there's Mary's little one.  I like deer too.  Circle of life.  And I could not be detoured.   Oh sure...we could have gone to Costco and picked up a lamb on steroids, but I only wanted a small one.  And at the third store, there it was.  In all its glory.  All 2.48 lbs.  Boneless leg of lamb.  $10.99/lb.  $27.30.  And worth every penny.

Now what to serve on the side?  Steamed broccoli?  Check.  Cauliflower rice?  Say what?  That's a big check too!  Turned out great! 

Now even though I made this last, I'll start with it first.  Just to help with any confusion.  I found on a couple of websites reference to Cauliflower Rice which is just cauliflower pulsed into a rice-like consistency and then pan fried with whatever you want to put in it.  So no it's not rice.  Just looks like it.   And below is how I did it.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Fresh rosemary, to taste (I just used one "twig" I guess you can call it. I have no idea.  Took the leaves off and chopped them up)
• Sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

 Instructions

1. Place the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until it has a grainy rice-like consistency. 
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the garlic and onion to the pan and cook until the onion is translucent.
4. Mix in the rosemary and cauliflower.  
5. Season with salt & pepper.
6. Saute for approximately 10-15 minutes.

 I tell you something...it was marvelous.

But now onto the best part!!!!!  I got this recipe from http://paleocomfortfoods.com.   Since I have a smaller roast, I halved everything except for the sliced garlic and lemon.  :)  Then for the minced garlic I used three teaspoons of bottled, pre-minced garlic.

But I will not change a darn thing on this recipe below.  It was medium-rare at 145 degrees.  Oh oh yummy.  It took about 1 hour 15 minutes total (including the 30 at the higher heat.)  Maybe a little longer because I took it out at one point when I thought it was done and then realized I don't know how to read a thermometer.  Even that didn't ruin it!

Leg of Lamb

 

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb (6-8 pounds)
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered
• ¼ cup (6 g) Italian parsley, chopped
• 3 tbs. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C).
2. Trim the lamb of any excessive fat.
3. Cut about 10 or so ½-1 inch slits in the lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
4. Combine the parsley, rosemary, garlic and salt in a small bowl and combine well.
5. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the lamb to coat.
6. Using your hands, massage the herb mixture all over the lamb.
7. Place the lamb onto a rack placed within a roasting pan.
8. Cook at 400 for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F (175 C) and cook for about 60-90 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 145-150 F (60-65 C).

And here it is!!!  Food Porn!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Pancakes.  Oh God, pancakes.  Sweet, moist, excellent and delicious, they are the deliverers of all things wonderful - syrup, peanut butter and blueberries are just three of my favorites.  So you can imagine my sadness when I realized that I couldn't have pancakes, as I know them.  Pancakes!!!!

But wait!  There are options!!!  When the hubby and I were in San Francisco for our honeymoon, we went to this restaurant that was so amazing that if you don't go there immediately the next time you are in SF, I will call you a fool and laugh in your face.  The only trick?  You have to get there at the butt crack of dawn in order to get in to the place.  But oh, it's worth it.  Oh and don't be too put off by the ... unsavory neighborhood.

Dottie's True Blue Cafe

But let me tell you about the pecan pancakes.  Holy delicious.   I loved them.  And that memory makes me realize there is hope for me!  (Hey don't miss out on the whiskey-fennel sausage either...hmmmm...)

So now, why did I go off on this tangent?  Not to say that I made pecan pancakes.  Oh no.  That will be next weekend.   But to say that, because there are choices, I decided to try sweet potato pancakes with pure maple syrup!

I picked up the recipe for the pancakes from here: Sweet Potato Pancakes with Maple Pecan Coconut Butter

But I have to say "no" to coconut butter... and also the extra effort.  So, with true Melissa fashion, I changed the recipe a bit.  And I have to say that they don't have the texture or taste of pancakes, of course.  But dangitall!  They are delicious!!!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

3 large eggs
1 large sweet potato
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil

Directions

1. Microwave the sweet potato until it is fork tender (it took me 5 minutes). Then cool, peel and chop into pieces
2. In a blender add the sweet potato, almond butter, milk, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon nutmeg, and sea salt and mix well.
3. You want to have a pancake consistency. If it is too thin then add a little more milk.
4. Heat your griddle over medium heat (250 degrees is what I picked the second time I made them and I liked it better.  Took longer but easier to control).
5. Add olive oil to the skillet and pour in the batter, in whatever shape or size you’d like.
6. When the pancake begins to have surface bubbles near the center flip and cook other side (each side 2-3 minutes).  (I didn't have any bubbles...I just waited until they were browning on the bottom.  They're also very fragile, so be careful.)
7. Add more oil to cook surface as needed between batches.
8. Let your pancakes rest in the oven on “warm” on a paper towel lined plate until all batches are complete. (Or just in the microwave with no heat which is fine.  They stay warm.)

 Served with Pure Maple Syrup and Strawberries.  Oh ya...  I ate four.

Red Wine Beef Stew

Have I been slackin' or what?  Work has kept me ever busy and stressed out.  To the point where I haven't had the energy or brain-power to even think about how everything is going.  How will I ever make it up to you?  

I know!  Recipes!!!

How about what I made today?  Hmmm.... One of my favorite comfort foods in the winter is Beef Stew.  Of course I've always made it using flour (to thicken the broth), white or red potatoes (sugar!) and a packet of McCormick's Beef Stew Seasoning (MSG anyone?).  So what's a girl to do when she has chosen to do none of those?  Substitute!  And make a masterpiece!  No flour.  Who needs thick broth anyway?  Sweet potatoes and turnips instead of regular potatoes (made it sweet and delicious).  And dried spices from my cupboard.

So here we go.  Straight from my heart (and happy tummy) to you.

Red Wine Beef Stew

Ingredients

1.5 lbs lean beef, cut into cubes for stew

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

3 small turnips or 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into cubes

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 large leek, sliced

4 green onions, chopped (whites and greens)

8 ounce bag of baby carrots

1 1/2 cups organic beef stock

3/4 cup red wine (to be honest, I just pour a bunch in...I'm guessing)

Dried basil, oregano & rosemary - to taste

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and mix well.  Cook, on low, for 8 hours.

Before Cooking:

After Cooking:

 

I'd show you after eating, but I don't think many people would appreciate that!

DD+14!

Ahhh two weeks in. And I feel great!! A beautiful side effect is I can now fit into some jeans I haven't been able to wear for a couple of months. I really can't complain about that!

My sugar cravings are mostly under control. In fact today I stared at the bulk bin chocolates at the grocery store and all I thought was "oh ya, I like those, those are good." But not "I must have them!!" which is what I did when I saw candy last week. I've also walked through the baked goods section of two grocery stores today to only look with a passing interest. More like a "they sure know how to place products!!" type of interest.

Instead I'm looking with serious interest at new vegetables and how I can prepare them. Should I buy kale and collard greens or will they go bad before I can eat them? Hey I can put turnips and sweet potatoes in my stew instead of potatoes! Leeks! Red cabbage! Broccoli! Pretty soon I'm going to turn into a carrot with arms and legs. Do not call me Carrot Top if you want to live. I mean it. I eat a lot of meat now and that means protein which translates into muscle building if you catch my drift....

Speaking of meat, we bought 20 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts today. I know I'll be making garlic clove chicken this week but I guess I'd better get busy figuring out some other creative ways to use it. Otherwise I'll be stuck with "Baked chicken? Again?"

The only issues I've had is when I didn't plan right or when my plan didn't work. Such as my forgetting breakfast. Or when I'd wanted to go to lunch with co-workers but ended up having a meeting (and then didn't have lunch at all).

But I have a plan to combat my poor planning! Don't let that hurt your sense of reality too much. Tomorrow I am making omelet muffins!! They are exactly what it sounds like. I'll wrap them up nicely and have them on hand for the week. And I'll make sure I take a lunch every day to work even if I plan on going out. I can always eat it the next day.

So there you have it. I was relatively quiet this week because it was crazy busy. But everything kept moving on.

Before I close I want to share my favorite quick breakfast from the week. (I truly had no time). Almond butter and honey on 7 sprouted grain bread, a pear and a glass of milk. Simplicity. Delicious too.

Cravings and Hunger

1st issue

Candy. More specific, chocolate. Every time I turned around that's all I could see today. Lindor Truffles, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chocolate caramel turtles, Dove's chocolates, M&Ms, chocolate.... So many forms, so much temptation. None of this is new. But I have had little problem passing it by. But today at DD+11 it's like I could sense it and even came close to grabbing something a couple of times without thinking.

2nd issue

Snacking. More specific, night time snacking. I feel hungry at night even though I've eaten well. I am just fine all day until after dinner. Man. It's mental, I know. But what can I do? Eat chocolate? Hmmm...no no no!

But really it's a trial. I know it's only temporary and will go away. I'm just not sure how well I'll survive without any slip ups. It's just one little bite, right? Oh Tagalong!!!

Sweet Potato Frittata

I did say I wanted today to be a Vegetarian Day, right?  Here's to a beautiful start.   First of all I love frittatas.  I don't make them often, unfortunately.  They do take a while.  When I DO make a frittata it is typically packed full of veggies such as spinach, mushroom and leeks.  Red bell peppers, onions & spinach.  Red potatoes, green bell peppers & onions.  (I like color.)  Or whatever veggie I'm hankering for at the time.  But always with sliced tomato and a little swiss cheese on top.  That's a must.

So this morning the daughter and I cracked out the cast iron skillet, knife and cutting board and got to work making a masterpiece!

 

Sweet Potato Frittata

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into slices

1 red bell pepper, cut into slices

1 zucchini, cut into slices

1/4 cup chopped green onions

8-12 large eggs (seriously....see below)

Dried basil, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 large tomato, cut into slices

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Before I begin, do you know how hard it was to remember the ingredients to write them down?   This isn't a science!  This is ART!  I need a nap now.

* A frittata must be made in a cast iron skillet because you have to cook it on the stove at first but then finish it in the oven.  It's kind of like a giant omelet, only you don't turn it and the veggies (or meat) are all mixed in with the eggs.  If you let it cook only on the stove, the bottom will burn and the middle will be raw.

I ran out of olive oil and refuse to cook with the evil vegetable oil in the cupboard.  But butter, blessed, pure, unsalted butter, is always in this house.  

1. Melt/Heat 2-3 tbsp of butter (or olive oil) in a cast iron skillet (see above!*)
2. Add the sliced sweet potatoes to the skillet and cook them on medium heat for approximately 8 minutes, turning often, until they are soft.  You should be able to easily cut them in half with a spatula.  They will also start to brown.
3. Add the red bell peppers, zucchini and green onions to the skillet and continue to stir until they are crisp-tender, approximately 4 minutes.
4. In a bowl, whisk 8 eggs vigorously.  You want lots of air in them to make them fluffy.  Add some basil, sea salt and black pepper, to taste, to the eggs and mix well.  Pour the eggs in the skillet.   Now on to why I said 8-12 eggs - if the veggies stick out of the top of the eggs, whisk more eggs (with more basil, salt & pepper) and add it to the top.  We ended up using 11 eggs.   You don't want them completely covered, but you want the veggies & eggs to be even.  
5. Lift the veggies underneath with a spatula so the egg will go under.
6. Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the egg & veggie mixture.
7. Sprinkle with swiss cheese.
8. Put a little more basil, sea salt & black pepper on top if you desire.
9. Cook on low heat for approximately 10 minutes.
10. With the oven rack in the middle, turn the oven to broil (hopefully you can do this...if not, skip to the next step) and place the skillet in the oven for 2-3 minutes until the top is brown.
11. Check to see if it is done (it won't be) - change the oven temperature to 375 F and change the rack to the top shelf.  Put the skillet back in and let it cook for approximately 5-8 minutes until the eggs are set.
12. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley.  Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Meatballs! Can I hear an Amen?

Let me tell you something about meatballs.  I don't make them often. But I have never had a meatball, homemade, restaurant or store bought, this good before.  

I was craving meatballs.  Glorious & delicious meatballs.  I have a recipe for them that's pretty good.  But I wanted something great that fit into my new way of eating.  So I was on the hunt for the perfect recipe.

The first step in this process was figuring out what I was going to use instead of flour, breadcrumbs or oats to hold them together.   I started searching far and wide and finally found a picture of a recipe in a Paleo Recipe Book for Herb Meatballs. It mentions using almond meal.  OF COURSE I said.  Why hadn't I thought of that before?   Of course I have quite a few walnuts, leftover from December, so why not make walnut meal?  

The second step was finding a recipe.  But wait...remember that picture?  It's from this awesome looking book I'll end up buying eventually, but for now, I took a screen cap and printed it out. 

After buying the ingredients, it was time to start.

Making walnut meal is pretty easy.  Just use a food processor and pulse the walnuts to a nice "meal" substance.  Doesn't have to be too over-done.  I made a bunch so I could have more, if needed (it was), and also to refrigerate for use later.

To make almond meal, it's a little trickier because it will turn to almond butter very easily.  Use this handy guide and you'll be set.   From what I can tell (the internet doesn't lie, does it?) they can be easily swapped but walnut meal has a stronger flavor.

Then I followed the recipe:

Fresh Herb Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1/2 onion, minced

1/2 cup fresh basil, finely minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely minced

1 cup spinach, finely minced

4 eggs

1/2 cup almond meal (or walnut meal..)

1 tbsp dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350 F

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands to combine.  You can use a food processor to reduce the basil, parsley and spinach to a finer mixture before adding it to the ground meat.  Season the mixture to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Make small balls the size of a golf ball and place them apart on a baking sheet, then place them in a preheated oven to cook for about 25 minutes, until well cooked.

The ONLY issue I had was I actually needed nearly a cup of the walnut meal to get the meat mixture to stick together with the best consistency.  But other than that they were amazingly perfect.  I also used hot Italian pork sausage to give them a kick.

I served them with marinara sauce and spinach.  I also had fresh steamed broccoli on the side. I also made some spaghetti noodles for my husband and step-daughter.  The next time I'll make homemade red wine marinara (so much better).   

See how I slipped in an extra?  Tomorrow is Vegetarian Day....

 

Decision Day + 7

Last Saturday I made the decision to do something for myself that seems drastic to most, impressive to few and difficult to all.

Some responses I've received when telling people:

"WHY????"
"NO SUGAR???"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?"
"I get that you're giving up the grains.  BUT WHY WOULD YOU GIVE UP SUGAR?"
"I hate veggies"

And some nice ones:

"That's great!  I felt better when I didn't eat sugars and starchy food.  I should do that again."
"Wow, I'm impressed."
"You're a lot stronger than me, that's fantastic."

"You didn't eat dressing on your salad?  I can't believe you could do that!!!"    (haha, ya it's called "hmmm, I love the taste of lettuce & spinach")

I've also gotten a lot of questions from people because it seems like they just can't understand or believe it.  Like it's just a foreign concept.  And I've had to defend it a lot.  But I expected that.  Because, to be honest, it was easy for me to understand the need to drop processed foods and sugars, but even last Saturday morning I was still resisting the health benefits of dropping the sacred "whole grain".

So now we are at DD+7.  Well technically 6 days since I started this.  I had to party on Saturday night of course.  And I can tell you that I feel GREAT!  I've had a few hiccups where I've not planned properly and forgotten to bring food with me.  I've also eaten a few products I didn't want to eat during the week (cornstarch, a little flour, a little processed food, bit o' sugar, etc) but I also made it clear to myself that this wasn't about cutting it out completely but a journey to that place.  

With, of course, the allowance of some slips - both accidental and very much on purpose.   I mean come on!  If I can't have a treat now and again, this will be something I won't be successful at in the long run.  Plus, I have to admit, I'm a good baker.  I must have cookies & sweet rolls in my future!  Or else.  Just in moderation, right?  Plus if I don't have cake & ice cream with my grandma on birthdays, she'll kill me.  If you think I'm joking, you don't have a grandma.

I do feel some longing and desire for the treats in this house - we have some chocolates that make me weak.  And when I'm hungry, I crave bread products.  But it's not overpowering and it's certainly easy to say no.  I think I've helped myself by still eating some starchy foods such as sweet potatoes and also fruits - pears & apples.  If I feel a craving coming on I just grab one.  Plus I am eating a little rice and legumes.  And lots of veggies.  So I'm not depriving myself of carbs.  Just not candy and sweets. 

But my stomach feels so much better!  No heartburn!!!  No upset stomach (except for the first two days while I adjusted).  And yes, I'm "regular".   And yes, I feel good mentally and physically. 

What's for lunch today?  7 sprouted grain bread (find it in the freezer section!) and Chicken Salad.  Yes, I'm eating lunch at 3:30 p.m.!  Oh, is that why my belly is growling?  Right...

A few of my favorite things

I feel the need to share a couple of my favorite recipes from last week.  So hold on to your pants, grab a fork and try not to drool too much!

By far, my absolute favorite creation of the week: Honey Teriyaki Turkey.  Served with a mix of broccoli & cauliflower on the side, this flavor explosion made me feel like I was in heaven.  I didn't miss the rice or bread at all.  The only thing I wish I would have done is spent some time on the veggies too but I was working with what I had in the kitchen and a tight budget this week. 



Honey Teriyaki Turkey

Ingredients

1 tsp. honey
1/4 C. rice vinegar
1/4 C. Organic Tamari soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger (can do more to taste)
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
1.5 lb turkey tenderloins, cut into 1 inch medallions
Pineapple chunks (I don't remember how many I had...)

Directions

In a food processor, mix garlic and peeled ginger until minced. In Ziploc bag, mix honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (salt and pepper to taste...). Add turkey and toss to coat. Place in fridge and let sit for 30 minutes.  (Seriously, that's all I did and it was great.)

In a large skillet, empty the bag of turkey and all of the mixture as well as the pineapple and cook on medium heat, turning the turkey often until the turkey is nearly cooked through.   Remove only the turkey from the pan and place on a platter.  Cover with foil and keep warm. 

Continue cooking the pineapple in the rice & soy mixture until the pineapple is soft and the mixture is reduced about half.  Add the turkey back to the skillet and mix to coat evenly.  Cook until the turkey is done (most likely it is already finished since the turkey will have continued to cook on the platter) and serve.

BEWARE: the pineapple will be VERY FLAVORFUL.  I ate it in chunks with the turkey.


--------------

The other favorite from the week were the Steak Fajitas.  I ate the mixture on a bed of baby spinach.  So, so good.  The husband made this.  I have a recipe from Allrecipes that I, as usual, changed to suit my personal tastes, handed him some pen scratchings and he ran with it.   I like things crispy you see...  :)

The original: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooked-steak-fajitas/detail.aspx

And the changed!

Slow-Cooked Steak Fajitas

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2-pound) top loin steak
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium green pepper, julienned
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Directions

Thinly slice steak across the grain into strips; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook on low for 2.5 hours.

Saute the onion, green pepper and red pepper in a little olive oil until crisp-tender.  Remove from heat and sprinkle with cilantro. 

Serve together on a bed of spinach (or tortillas, who am I to judge) and add cheese, salsa, etc. Whatever you'd like.

Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables

First off let me say oops!! What part of my brain thought that blindly following a recipe and using cornstarch was a good idea? Not only that, 1/4 of a cup? Although it was very good. I just wasn't going to eat anything with a) corn and b) starch. Mostly though a processed item. Not in that amount and certainly not this soon. Vigilance!! Ha!

Yes this is my being over silly. Honestly I am not too worried about it. But next time I make this I'll definitely make some changes.

There are options of course for thickening. And I certainly didn't need to "bread" the chicken for this.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/low-carb-thickener/#axzz1nGSK63Dc

There's also arrowroot too. But for this I shouldn't have worried about it.

Here's how I wish I would have made it:

Original (Pre-Melissa'd) from http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-veggie-stir-fry-50400000119910/ 

 Chicken-and-Veggie Stir-fry

 Ingredients

• 1 pound skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound Broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 small yellow squash, thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce (bottled has sugar and lots of bad stuff!*)
• Hot cooked rice

Preparation

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir-fry chicken in 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp hot oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, using a slotted spoon; keep warm. Add Broccoli and 1/2 cup water; stir often and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to plate with chicken, using slotted spoon.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet. Sauté bell pepper and next 2 ingredients in hot oil 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.
4. Whisk together arrowroot powder and remaining 3/4 cup water until the powder dissolves. Add water mixture, chicken, and Broccoli (with any accumulated juices) to bell pepper mixture in skillet. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute or until liquid thickens. Stir in lime juice and next 3 ingredients. Serve over hot cooked rice.

* Make your own and throw it in the fridge!! http://cavegirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/hoisin-sauce-recipe.html


And voila!  A little rice for me, a lotta rice for the hubby!

The beginning

After well over a year of dealing with feeling sick to my stomach nearly every day, especially after eating bready and/or sugary foods, I have decided to go "back to the basics" and cut out, or at least greatly reduce, all cereal grains from my diet.  This means no whole grains, no corn, no wheat, no cereal, no granola, no pasta and very little rice. 

I'm also, while I am already torturing myself by letting go of some of my favorite things (bread & oats...) no longer eating processed foods, hfcs, artificial sweeteners, table salt or partially hydrogenated oils.  Anything "fake" in other words. 

And because I can never do things half-assed, why not just make this a perfect tri-fecta of pain and cut out the biggest one of all!  SUGAR!  Oh yes.  My beloved sugar.  Or more specific, simple sugars.  I will eat a little honey and some organic sugar or cane sugar, but very little.  But man ... the sugar is the hardest thing of all to give up.  I'm also dropping potatoes and anything starchy too.  But...chocolate, ice cream....sugar! 

So why would I do this you may ask?  On Saturday (Decision Day - we'll call it DD from now on) I would have told you I want to be healthier.  I want to be leaner.  I want my stomach to stop trying so hard and making me sick. 

Four days later my answer is, oh my God.  There are Reeses' Peanut Butter Cups IN THIS HOUSE!!!!! 

And it's only going to get worse.  But then it will get better.  And then....

But wait, what can I eat?  So far this has been a lot of restriction, but not a lot of can!

• Meat 
• Veggies (LOTS)
• Sweet Potatoes!!!  I love them so have to list them separately.
• Fruit
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Sprouted Wheat Bread (oh ya!) and other sprouted wheat products
• Coffee (yes, I listed it first!!), water & tea
• Nuts
• Yogurt
• Milk (I decided to keep it...I'm not going Paleo...)
• Rice (go easy)

So for this blog, I will be talking about how I'm feeling on this journey, the challenges I go through as well as share recipes I try.  So far everything we've made (my husband has been making things for me when I don't have time) has been amazing.

How is this going to go?  It will be great!  I have the willpower.  But I'll let you know how I'm feeling after DD+14.