Whole30 Tip // Colorful Food

Sunday snacking! The more color in a meal the more nutrients! So grab another bowl of fruit loops.. But seriously, I love looking at a plate and adding green, red, yellow, etc. Blue is tricky! Anyone know a clean blue food? I stand by the fact that blueberries should be called purpleberries! Almond Butter for dipping.  

Whole30 Tip // Fruit Leather

Stretch Island Fruit Co all natural fruit strips are Whole30 approved and delicious. You can find them at Costco, 48 pieces for $10! 

Whole30 Tip // Tomato Bun Burger

I'm normally a lettuce wrapped burger girl, but I was out of lettuce today and tomatoes did the trick! I just sliced off the top & end and grilled some garlic burgers, mashed up an avocado and voila!

Whole30 Tip // Voss Water Bottles

Not all water bottles are created equal and I believe Voss is boss! It's the perfect hand held size and the spout is extra wide so it's easy to throw fruits, veggies, ice etc. into your water, they also make glass bottles that are ecofriendly but I have 3 little boys and glass anything is risky. Anyway, go Voss!

Whole30 Recipe // Roasted Broccoli with Bacon and Pine Nuts

Today is so crazy! I just threw some stuff together to roast! 

Toss broccoli, mixed garlic, pine nuts, and a little crumbled bacon with avocado oil, bake at 375° for 30 min. The flavor combo is fantastical! 

Whole30 Recipe // Roasted Butternut Squash with Pine Nuts and Bacon

Roasted butternut squash & pine nuts with bacon and spinach.

Chunk your squash, or buy the precut if you prefer. Coat in avocado oil toss with bacon and pine nuts, roast on 375° for 35 minutes or so (until squash is your desired softness). Add fresh spinach, enjoy!

Whole30 Tip // Fresh and Ready to Go!

Whole30 at the park! Picture explains it all. A little pre prepping for the week, and you've got things ready to go whenever you are!

Whole30 Recipe // Lemon Garlic Roasted Artichoke

Lemon garlic roasted artichokes ready to be cooked!

Cut the top of the artichoke and the stem off, open the leaves and spread some minced garlic in the center, drizzle fresh lemon juice and avocado oil into the leaves, season with sea salt on top , wrap tin foil around entire artichoke and bake at 425° for 1 hour 20 min. Delicious!

Whole30 Recipe // Sooooo Much Better Than an Egg McMuffin

Sooooo much better than McDonald's egg mcmuffin. 2 eggs, sausage, guac & pico. To get eggs this shape, I crack one in the bottom of a kids Ikea bowl and microwave it for 60 seconds.

Guac is 2 avocados mashed with the juice of one lime and salt to taste.  Easy and delicious! 

Whole30 Recipe // Antipasto Cups

Antipasto cups: bake salami in muffin tin at 400° for 10 min to get cup form, add chopped artichoke hearts, olives, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. Enjoy!

Whole30 Recipe // Carne Asada Fries

Carne asada fries! what a way to kick off another round of Whole30! I'm hopping on board with my health buddy @jennaskitchen no cheats (including no diet coke, #tears) this time, 30 days- lets go!

Let's start from the bottom up shall we!?

Sweet potato chopped length wise, tossed in 2 tblsp oil (I used avocado this time) and sea salt. Bake at 400° for 20 min, flip fries, bake 20 more min then switch dial to broil- to crisp up (keep a close eye so they don't burn). Steak was cooked in avocado oil with garlic & salt - cooked on the stove top until well done. Pico- 1 handful cilantro, 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, 1 onion, chopped and tossed with juice of 1 lime and 1 clove garlic. Guac- 2 avocados mashed with juice of 1 lime, and salt to desired taste. Who's on board??

Whole30 Recipe // Mango Fruit Leather

Taking a stab at homemade mango fruit leather, I will let you know how it goes because this is a rookie attempt! Recipe was easy, used a food processor to puree 2 mangos, spread mixture evenly on parchment paper, bake at 175° for 4 hours! 

Edit: I think next time I try this I will coat my parchment with coconut oil, it was a bit sticky. 

Whole30 Tip // Coconut Oil

Coconut oil: The dynamic duo. 

Whole30 Recipe // Citrus Garlic Steak Kabobs

Citrus garlic steak kabobs! Marinate steak in the juice of 2 oranges, 1 lemon, 1 lime, 2 cloves garlic minced and 1/2 c evoo for a couple hours refrigerated, cube up and put on skewers with your choice of veggies, I recommend adding pineapple! grill until meat is cooked through.

Whole30 // Before & After

November to this morning (Mid March) this is my "something is better then nothing" pic. I still have a lot of work to do, and I haven't been 100% with my clean eating but MOST of the time I choose clean, whole foods. Whole30 changed my mindset and it's always on my brain, encouraging me to make healthier decisions. All you guys who are too scared of the strict rules, at least start somewhere!  I hate posting these, but I love seeing them, so crazy motivating!

Whole30 Recipe // Yummy Strawberry Lime Slush

Mixing drinks! Blended strawberries, mango, lime juice & ice, mixed with a little S.Pellegrino for some sizzle. Lip smacking good!

Whole30 Recipe // Grilled Sweet Potato, Bacon, & Spinach Turkey Burger

Grilled sweet potato, spinach, bacon turkey burgers with guac and pico on a bed of more spinach!

Burger Recipe here. 

Whole30 Tip // Leftovers for Lunch

Leftovers for lunch, the remix. Chicken from dinner last night, grilled butternut squash from lunch yesterday, pico and guac! Leftovers doesn't have to mean the same meal, mix it up!

Whole30 Recipe // The Best Chicken

Prepping a brine for "the best chicken" tonight via the clothes make the girl. 8 cups water, 3 Tbs salt, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Tbs coconut aminos, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp whole black peppercorn. Once salt dissolves, add 2 pounds chicken breast, let sit in fridge for at least 2 hours. Mine will be there all day! The longer the better.

Whisked up a spice blend to coat the brined chicken, this mix is 1 Tbs cumin, 1 Tbs curry powder, 

1 Tbs chili powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp black pepper. mix and coat brined chicken in the mixture before tossing it on the grill. 

So "the best chicken" is definitely a winner, SO much flavor and it's got a spicy kick! I added the moroccan dipping sauce for the chicken & salad dressing (I used 1/10 of what is pictured) it's 1/3 c evoo, 1/4 c lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp salt and a tiny bunch of cilantro. 

Whole30 Recipe // Fire Roasted Chili

Whole30 compliant fire roasted tomato chocolate chili:

2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons) 1 pounds ground beef, 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste, 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes, 1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth, 1 cup water. Add ingredients in the listed order, letting cook through each time. 

Whole30 Recipe // Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries are a breeze with this spray. Cut 1 sweet potato into strips, spray with evoo, sprinkle sea salt and paprika to taste, bake at 400° for 30 min, flipping half way through.

Whole30 Tip // Blender Bottle

Not as trendy as a mason jar but this blend bottle is my go to for protein shakes, seeing as it usually is a grab & go breakfast I love that I can shake it up while en route to all the cool places I go in the morning, you know - like kindergarten carpool.

Clean Eating, Whole30 Tip // Ulu

Do you ulu? This Alaskan curved knife and chopping block are my go to kitchen tools. I have a food processor but it's so many pieces to wash I usually use this instead. The way the knife fits into the curved block makes for quick chopping and no sliding food. 

Whole30 Recipe // Quick Fix Salad

Toss some chopped cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and sea salt drizzled in balsamic vinegar for a quick fix salad. Yum!

Whole30 Recipe // Beef & Broccoli

Whole 30 Beef & Broccoli// adapted from Eat Well, Feel Good.

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets

2 tbs. olive oil salt & pepper, to taste

2 lbs. sirloin strip, cut into thin slices 

2 tbs. coconut flour 

1 tbs. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 

3 tbs. coconut or olive oil 

2 minced garlic cloves 

2 shallots or one small onion, minced 

1 cup low sodium beef broth 

1/4 cup gluten-free tamari (use coconut aminos for true paleo/whole30) 

1 tsp. arrowroot powder mixed with 2 tbs. cold water

Preheat oven to 375°. Place broccoli florets on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until starting to brown. Meanwhile, place meat in a large ziploc bag. Add coconut flour through cayenne pepper, then seal bag. Shake to thoroughly coat meat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add one batch of meat, cooking on each side for a minute until brown. Remove to a separate plate and continue until all meat is done. Add garlic and shallot to skillet and cook for a few minutes. Pour broth in skillet and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add tamari or coconut aminos and simmer for one minute. Add arrowroot mixture and stir to thicken mixture. Add meat and broccoli to skillet and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning.

Whole30 Tip // Larabar

I would have given my left arm to know these deliciously compliant larabars existed during my first round of Whole30! 

Whole30 Tip // The Fewer Ingredients the Better

Picture says it all!

Whole30 Tip // Leftovers for Lunch 2

Leftovers for lunch! Lots of that pico from yesterday on a taco salad with ground turkey and avocado. also blended strawberries & ripe banana for juice.

Whole30 Paleo Recipe // Paleo Protein Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

I'm all about quick breakfast during the week but Sundays I like to spend more time experimenting in the kitchen. This morning I mixed 4 eggs, 1 scoop Paleo pro vanilla aztec protein powder, 1/2 c coconut flour, and 1c coconut milk. I cooked the pancakes with coconut oil and blended 6 large strawberries, 1 banana and 1 lemon for the sauce. It was SO good. I modified this from @jennaskitchen recipe to what I had on hand, it's so good guys!

Whole30 Recipe // Pico de Gallo

Making some pico with sweet potato chips for our Oscars party tonight, I chopped up a purple onion, 4 tomatoes, a bunch of cilantro and mixed in lime juice and sea salt to taste. I make this at least once a week, I use it on salads, in omelets, etc. easy & quick!