Paleo Shepherd's Pie

I'm fortunate enough to have a significant other who loves my cooking and eating healthy, so when I made this meal (which is so filling, AND healthy), he was floored. In fact, he hasn't stopped talking about it since last Thursday when I actually made it. Something about men and stew... you can't go wrong.

One of my favorite dishes at a local British pub is Shepherd's Pie. It's not really all that bad for you when you make it yourself, but in a restaurant, you know it's probably not healthy. To kick it up a notch, since I'm going towards a more paleolithic lifestyle to get back on track, I created this. Not a ton of substitutions, but my love of sweet potatoes really shines. I think it adds a little extra flavor bang for your bite, too!

Enjoy!

Paleo Shepherd’s Pie

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 C frozen peas
1 medium onion (diced)
2 T olive oil (or coconut oil)
3 Large sweet potatoes (peeled, quartered)
1 T grass fed butter (Kerrygold)
1 C carrots (peeled and diced)
1 C celery (diced)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced

1.5 T Worchestershire

¼ C almond flour (or coconut flour)
¾ C Almond Milk (or coconut milk)
¼ C Tomato Paste
1 sage leaf
Basil, sea salt, pepper, oregano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*. Boil sweet potatoes in large pot with 1 t sea salt until cooked and soft.

In a large pan heat your olive oil and bring to medium heat. Cook ground beef for 3-5 minutes until starting to brown. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, peas, stirring until softened. Add ¼ C of almond flour stirring until the liquids thicken. Add tomato paste, stirring quickly until thick. Add ¼ C of almond milk, Worchestershire sauce, sage leaf and seasonings and reduce heat to low and cover.

Once potatoes are soft enough to mash (test with fork), drain potatoes, add 1 clove of diced garlic, ½ C of almond milk, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mash and let cook together for a few minutes.

In a large 9x13 baking dish, pour your meat mixture evenly over pan. Remove your sage leaf. Take your mashed sweet potatoes and cover the pan evenly. You can plop dollops on top – they will even out more in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are slightly browning on top. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

**Please note, depending on your Paleo choices, peas may or may not be allowed. Feel free to try other vegetables such as broccoli or mushrooms.**

Nutritional information:

Serves: 8

Calories per serving: 248

Carbs: 18g

Fat: 13g

Protein: 15g

Sugar: 7g

Fiber: 5g

Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

Those of you who know me, know that I am really not a fan of salads as of late, especially in the cooler weather (you’ll notice this as a theme around here, so I can probably stop telling you that). They don’t satisfy me, fill me up, or give me that feeling of completion like a nice bowl of chili will. However, Follicular Phase is a great salad phase. You can make hundreds of delicious combinations during this time. I’ve combined an old favorite meal of mine with some other things in this phase, and it was the perfect night-before dinner for my half marathon.

**Runner’s side note: for those of my supporters out there, it was so great seeing your faces, running beside you, and getting the nice notes before and after! It was a successful run, tracking a 7:45 minute miles, finishing at 1:41:29. Those who tell you to carb load the night before, I strongly discourage this; Fat the night before, carbs maybe for breakfast the day before, and two nights before that. You do not want to feel like you’re running with a brick in your stomach**

This is another recipe that combines a Lauren Conrad favorite of mine, Honey Mustard Chicken and some of my other favorites like kale, cooked carrots, and of course… avocados!

Ingredients for the Chicken:
1 Chicken Breast (I usually make these three or four at a time – if you’re already working in the oven, might as well make a batch!)
1 T honey
1 T Dijon Spicy Mustard (or some other flavorful mustard, not plain yellow!)
Garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper

Directions for Chicken:
Preheat oven to 375*. Line a baking sheet with foil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Rinse your trimmed chicken breasts and pat dry and place in pan.

First rub the mustard coating the top side of the chicken, then drizzle the honey on top. Finally, season with your garlic, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for 30 minutes (if using two or more chicken breasts – 25 minutes if only one). Depending on how hot your oven gets, check the chicken breast and make sure that it is fully cooked (no pink!).

Salad Ingredients:
3 hearts of Romain Lettuce
½ C cooked carrots (recipe HERE)
1 C sautéed kale
1 Avocado, pitted and sliced in 1 inch pieces
4 sprays (1T of balsamic Vinegar)
1 serving of the Honey Mustard Chicken Breast

Directions:
Layer lettuce, then kale and carrots, sliced chicken breast, and avocado. Spray or drizzle on your balsamic. I like to add the chicken, kale and carrots when they’re still a little warm to give it a heartier feel. Here is four hours later and I do still not need a snack!

Seasoned Carrot Fries

I’m not sure what it is, but in the last couple of years my love for raw baby carrots has subsided, and again, I like an excuse for a warm seasonal snack that is cost effective and waistline friendly. Sitting at my desk in the afternoon, I want something sweet or salty. Usually I’m not even really hungry… so chowing down on trail mix is not helping any part of that equation (and isn’t usually good for you for several other reasons when it comes out of a prepackaged container).

My local grocery store, Rainbow Foods, has those gigantic bags of carrots. You know, the 5-lb. bags that are only about $3? What a steal! So I buy those, because it takes forever for them to go bad. You can make them with just about any seasonings you like, but for the afternoon itch for sweet potato fries I combine cinnamon with garlic sea salt (Trader Joe's giners - $1.99) and pepper. Sounds strange, I know! But they are delicious!

**what you need: a vegetable peeler.**

Ingredients:

2 lbs Carrots (not baby carrots, the big roots)
Cinnamon, Garlic Sea Salt, Pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*. Rinse the carrots, cut off the ends of both sides and peel. Cut the sticks in half, and quarter the halves so they are about the size of French Fries. Lay these flat in a baking pan and drizzle about 2 T of olive oil over them. Sprinkle your seasonings on top (try not to use TOO much salt, it’s not needed), and stir the carrot sticks so all of them have oil and seasonings on.

Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes depending on how hot your oven is (and how cooked you want them) and remove. They are delicious hot or cold, and you don’t feel like you’re going to give yourself a tooth ache from the hard, raw carrots. I use these to top salads, add to quinoa bowls, or just to eat as a snack.

Easy Gluten Free Oatmeal

This breakfast staple of mine has now taken on many different variations. It started with Lauren Conrad’s Overnight Oats, cold oatmeal with berries, oats, and almond milk (among other things). But it is winter, I live in Minnesota, and let’s be honest – the last thing you want in the morning is a COLD breakfast. One morning I brought my overnight cold oats to work, and sat with my scarf on until about noon. I thought, can you microwave oatmeal that isn’t “instant” oatmeal? It turns out… you CAN! I make this for my boyfriend all the time – he is terrible at planning food for work, so this is a frequent request by him (add protein powder, the guy will eat anything).

This little breakfast is filling, PACKED with protein, fiber, and will definitely keep you high energy until lunch time. I will alter the amount of oats that I use depending on how my carbohydrate and/or workout situation is looking for the day. If I work out in the morning, I know I’ll be starving and use a full ½ C of oats in the recipe. Days like today, where I think I ate all weekend, I only needed ¼ C. Total prep time: 1 minute. Total cook time, 2 minutes.

Ingredients:
¼- ½ C Gluten Free Oats from Trader Joes
1 C unsweetened Almond Milk or Coconut Milk (Silk or Almond Breeze are my favorites), if you are AIP use coconut
1 scoop of protein powder (Isolate Protein is my favorite, any flavor you’d like)
1 T Flaxseed (Bob’s Redmill is great)
1 t cinnamon
½ C Blueberries, apple slices, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin (frozen or fresh) **Optional**

Directions:
Stir all ingredients together in your microwaveable Tupperware or a bowl getting the protein powder clumps out. If you prep this the night before, place in the refrigerator covered overnight. In the morning, it will be the right consistency to eat cold.
If you want the warm oatmeal, place in microwave (uncovered) for 1 minute on high. Stir, and place back in for another minute. You want it to start bubbling up, so be sure to watch it, and stir when it looks like it’s going to boil over the edge. Check the consistency. You want it thick, but take out when the consistency is right for you. If you are putting fruit in this, I like heating the fruit with it, because cooked fruit is great. But you can top at the end with fruit if you prefer cold.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts (1/4 C oats)Calories: 248
Carbs: 20g
Fat: 9g
Protein: 23g
Sugar: 3g
Fiber 4g

Pork Stir Fry

It’s so tricky to work with things when you’re in your Menstrual Phase. Nothing sounds appetizing except greasy pizza, or cozy soup. Well, pizza is out (take out, that is), and the Luteal Phase was when all of the delicious fall and winter soups were happening. What’s not out? Chinese food… when you make it yourself.

The ingredients listed were not exactly ones that got me jumping through the roof with enthusiasm, however, now that I’ve made it and eaten it, I can tell you it is definitely a spot hitter (and gotten me through lunch this week!). When I was doing AIP, spicy food for the most part was out. I missed curry so, so much. So I brought it back. While I was a Trader Joes perusing the isles for the fixings, they were sampling their new Miso Soup. I snagged a sample, sipping cautiously (soup in a Dixie cup – not appetizing)… let’s just say, I grabbed a couple boxes to use at home. Notice that “Miso Soup” is on your list this week!

So looking at the list, knowing very well I wanted a stir fry and needed pork, I grabbed some thinly sliced pork sirloins, canned beets, kale, onion and was on my way. If you’re not a believer in beets, I’m telling you they are great. They have the consistency of a potato, a slightly earthy taste, but they also absorb any flavors you put with them. I will utilize beets more in the future. The colors that form are beautiful in this dish, giving you a nice fall soup or dish. Wild Rice is also an addition here, but due to my carb overload in the last few weeks, I went without.

Ingredients:

1.5lbs of thinly sliced pork sirloin (the package at Rainbow Foods even stated “for stir fry”)
¾ bag of Trader Joe’s Kale (pre cut/washed)
1 small yellow onion (cut in 1-inch pieces)
2 8oz cans of sliced beets (drained and cut in large pieces)
1 box of mushrooms (cut in halves or quarters)
¼ C Trader Joe’s Thai Yellow Curry Sauce
2T Curry powder
¼ C Gluten Free Soy Sauce
1 T Crushed ginger
2 T Crushed garlic
2T olive oil


Directions:

Place all uncooked ingredients into a large wok. Turn on to 400* F, stirring occasionally. Make sure the pork is thoroughly cooked through (not pink). When all ingredients have thoroughly cooked, it’s done!

Clearly, the hardest part is chopping up the vegetables. Total it makes 5-6 large servings.

Calories per serving: 292
Carbs: 20g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 23g
Sugar: 10g
Fiber: 4g

Back on track with The Code

After getting the results of my food sensitivities, I was a little frustrated. There are zero things that I have an IgG or IgA sensitivity to. If it’s not food that affects my digestion, what is it?! How can I fix a feeling? Fortunately, my nutritionist understands my frustration and provided me with some answers. The primary cause of everything is my stress and adrenals. I never really understood just how much stress can really impact every part of your life. It’s not that I have more or less stress than anyone else (I volunteer, I know what real stress looks like, and my life is a complete blessing), but it’s that I do not manage it well.

I’ve been an insomniac for as long as I can remember, I need to plan a very detailed plan farther in advance than anyone would need, I overexert myself expecting perfection. It’s easy to see why I would drain myself, and those around me. So where do I go from here? Sure she can tell me to take Rhodiola to have a more positive and healthy response to stress, or Isagenix supplements to help with energy, brain function, and alertness, which also help the adrenals. But what I really need to do is something only I can do for myself.

I’ve spent oodles of time researching the concept of “stress management” and how different people react, symptoms, causes, etc. Somehow, all signs have pointed me back to what I first sought out to do in the first place, which was follow The Woman Code. Planning out intense dietary restrictions was not only stressful because of the time commitment and remembering to plan ahead, but the financial stress of it was more overwhelming than I ever imagined. Though the AIP diet was supported by my nutritionist, it also was not her main concern. I can go back and try that later, but for the time being, focusing peace of mind and relaxing are where I need to begin.

As soon as my half-marathon training is over (SATURDAY!), exercise will ease up a bit. So some main things I need to start incorporating are yoga, walks instead of high-intensity running, sleeping, more of listening to my body when it needs a break, and eating the “OK” foods on the nutrition page. I followed Alisa’s plan for over a month and everything was functioning great and I was feeling a constant happy for the first time in as long as I could remember. As soon as I tried something more intense, during a rough period, it caused more of an opposite reaction. When I decided to quit the AIP, I gave myself permission to enjoy the foods that I had been without for so long. Not the way to go, my friends!

Going from eating VERY clean to very Unclean is detrimental! I have now had to restart at all and feel quite a bit at the beginning. That’s okay with me, because I gave myself a break. This is crucial to starting over, and crucial to success. Alisa is very understanding that sometimes we’ll have that bite of cake, or a cookie, or a piece of cheese. But the overall goal is to follow the Woman Code in as much of your everyday life as you can. I have started this back up for a few days now, and already can feel my body so much happier. Has it been hard to go back to healthy eating after I had created these unhealthy habits? Absolutely. But remembering how good I had felt is important to my success – it’s worth it to me to get back there. So let’s get back to recipes that enjoy the finer things in life – tomatoes, eggs, and beans!

Remember, having support is key to anything, but sometimes what you have to listen to above all else is yourself. If your body isn’t reacting positively, it’s probably not right for you. If you aren’t noticing positive changes, it might not be the right time. No one else can tell you, you have to be able to listen to your gut (pun intended… but really, your gut affects everything, and everything affects your gut! It’s important!).

Chicken Carrot "Chili"

I do no not get to indulge in my favorite fall food right now… CHILI. I love everything about it- mostly that it never has to be (or realistically CAN be) made the same way twice. I spruce it up with different beans, chunky tomatoes, chicken vs. beef, spicy seasonings and flavors. Are you drooling yet?

So we can’t have that here on the AIP Paleo 30 day test… or possibly again for quite a while. So let’s quit the whines (myself included) and find a replacement. I saw somewhere the recipe to make faux ketchup with carrots. I have not given that a whirl yet, but I figure maybe I can make carrots take on the chunky texture of beans or tomatoes from a chili. Since there are no grain or legumes involved, we need to find other ways to get a stew-like soup. You really can use as many vegetables as you want, but since peas are A-OK, I use them, along with others, for bean-like texture.

Just like chili, you add what you like. This means this soup can take on as many forms as you like. Remember the Crockpot Chicken recipe I posted last week? That is relevant here!

You need: blender wand or potato masher (or a really good whisking arm), large pot, sauté pan.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts (crock pot, shredded)
1 lb of carrot sticks (or baby carrots), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 C Chicken broth
1 C water
1 C coconut milk (optional, but I like that it gives a creamier texture)
½ Large yellow onion, diced
3 C green sweet peas (frozen works great here!)
2 C chopped broccoli
½ head of cauliflower
1 T coconut oil
1 T minced garlic (or 5 cloves of fresh- peeled & diced)
2 T Cumin (more if you like the heat)
Sea Salt, Pepper (peppercorn medley from Trader Joe’s in my favorite), basil, a dash of cinnamon (very optional, but I think it warms up the flavor), anything else that is AIP friendly!

Directions:
In a large stew pot, throw in your chopped carrot sticks, chicken broth, and water. Bring this to a boil and reduce to medium heat, covered, until carrots are soft.

In a sauté pan cook the onions, garlic, and cauliflower in your coconut oil until soft and browned. Season with S&P to taste.

Using a blender wand, blend the soft cooked carrots in the liquid until you reach a desired texture. I do not mind it thick, but if it’s too thick to be appealing to you, add more water (1/4 C at a time) and blend (repeat until desired texture). Reduce heat to low. Add your peas, broccoli, and the sautéed onion/cauliflower/garlic mix – including the extra oil. Add your spices and seasonings to the mix, and keep on low heat for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste along the way to check your spiciness – get creative and add more of what you think it needs. Add your shredded chicken for another 10 minutes.

Serve:
I like to serve this with half an avocado chopped up and some cilantro with an additional shake of the sea salt. It makes it feel more like chili to me. Since tortilla chips aren’t going to be on your food list, try some sweet potato chips or plantain chips in advance, so they’re easily attainable to dip into your “chili”.

This feast will be giant. You can probably get 6-7 large servings out of this. Feedback or other recommendations are always welcome!

The Honest Truth about AIP. The good, bad, and ugly.

Hi readers,

Today is a tough day to write. I’ve not fallen away from this diet, but with a heavier work load than normal and more extracurricular, it hasn’t been the most exciting meal planning for me. I am so thankful to other bloggers who have discussed their experiences with AIP Paleo, and express genuine emotion of what they’re going through. Let’s be honest: it’s really hard, you have to be committed 100%, and it takes more time (that most of us do not have) to plan, purchase, and prep all of this food.

By this last weekend, I was on another trip to another wedding. Longer drives, little sleep, it’s all taxing for anyone, not just people on this diet. You reach a point of pure exhaustion and you no longer think logical. So I began to think, is this just me? Why am I responding this way? Isn’t this supposed to be a hormone re-start? And to be completely honest, I was feeling lower than low and not dealing or reacting as a sane human being. In the week or two leading up to the weekend, I could feel in my gut (seriously, my gut hurt) that I was drained and my adrenals were less than pleased with me. I began having the opposite reaction that I’m supposed to and began to feel like this has all been for nothing.

I decided to take a personal day to get in order several things in my life, but also to read and spend a little more time learning from the blogs that my fellow AIP-ers have out there. What an amazing community. Others felt by week 3 completely drained, low energy, losing so much weight they do not know what to do, digestive issues flaring up again, and full ranges of depression. When you stop and think about why, it might seem like a no-brainer, but not when you’re the person in it. Think about it: you’ve completely shocked your system. You have removed entire food groups you once had, your hormones are so out of whack from being high, then low, then high again, you do not know if something as spilling your water will make you shed tears, and more than anything, you feel alone. Your coworkers have parties with cupcakes and dips and chips that you once would have divulged in, but now the reality is setting in that you might never indulge in those things anymore. It’s easy to spin this completely out of control and get yourself into a pit so deep you forgot what color the sky is. I would know. That was me for the last few days, even week.

You need to stop, breath, and reboot. Remember this is a positive thing you’re doing for yourself. You are certainly not alone, even if you do not actually know anyone that is doing this. Stress management is my biggest issue, and it is only worsened when I’m tired and having adrenal failures (just like anyone). Throw some hormone confusion into the mix and you’re got a fiesta of crazy. I had to take a day off yesterday. Sleeping was still hard as my mind was racing, but I found some helpful tools that I’d like to implement going forward. My advice to you is know that there is an end in sight for your struggles. If the sickness you FEEL is your struggle, then knowing that this is going to do nothing but make you feel better. It’s a daunting task to make the decision to change your life. Change is scary. Life is scary. But feeling like you have control of it can make things feel a little lighter.

I do not know about you, but my cravings hit hard this week. Week 3 is no joke. I came across a blogger that listed AIP-Paleo 30 days as a relationship by week. “Week 1: honeymoon… this is do-able and going to be easy. Week 2: reality sets in. The dishes aren’t put away correctly but it’s still ok. Week 3: The fighting begins and stress takes over. We do not play nice, and though we know better, it’s still hard to do so. Week 4: There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. You do not fight it anymore, you know there’s a reason and you reach a more optimistic view of the life ahead of you.” I haven’t experienced week 4, but I sure as heck am looking forward to that feeling. Telling yourself the thoughts of week 4 a week early probably isn’t a bad idea either.

So, to your criers, worriers, stressed-out, high-strung people that need to learn serenity, peace, and a touch of hopeful… believe me, I feel you. I am you. I’m struggling, but I’m grateful that this was proposed to me. It can only get better.

AIP Flatbread... really!

I am so excited…. I mean SO excited about this post today. I was a 100% skeptic when I found the recipe on Pinterest, but I made it, sampled it last night, and will be making more for yet another weekend roadtrip. When you search “AIP recipes” on Pinterest, you get about 10 results. You have to do some serious web browsing to find what you want (dessert, breakfasts and snacks are completely lacking and quite a challenge). This, however, I found because it’s PALEO – so I look at Paleo recipes to see if they’re actually AIP accommodating as well. So many people have Paleo Boards these days, it’s worth looking into.

This recipe is from Purely Twins. I didn’t have much time last night to look at their blog much, but I liked what I saw.

Ingredients

• 1 large green plantain
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt (depends on salty you like things)
• I added a sprinkle of basil for some seasoning. Rosemary, garlic, pepper, dill would all be excellent additions.

Instructions
1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Get a 8 or 10 inch pan. (I used a round cake pan!)
3. Place 1 tablespoon coconut oil in pan.
4. Peel your green plantain. Cut into slices and toss into a blender (I used one of those hand-held wands and it worked like a charm).
5. Next add in your water.
6. Blend.
7. Next add in your sea salt and any other seasoning you want.
8. Continue to blend till smooth.
9. Place your oiled pan into hot oven for a few minutes to get warm.
10. Remove pan from oven and pour in your plantain socca batter.
11. Place pan back into oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
12. Let cool a little before removing from pan.

Calories per WHOLE flatbread: 221
Carbs: 29g
Fat: 13g
Protein: 1g
Fiber: 2g

Optional uses for bread:

There’s no way I was scarfing down that whole thing last night, as you can see I just sampled a wedge. A few variations to this I’m going to try are sweetening them a bit by taking out the salt, adding cinnamon and once it’s poured in the pan I will place apple wedges in them to make it more like an apple cinnamon pancake.

Also, you can also use it as a wrap for sandwiches, make a “pizza” or focaccia bread with it, and plenty of other things I will try and tell you about. I’m so excited about this discovery!

I wanted to give a brief update now that I am four days into the HARD CORE AIP Paleo plan. I've been hungry, and I've been eating. As much protein, veggies, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, as I want. I've also lost 4 pounds. Yes, four. I haven't been working out as much as usual because I have been slighty under the weather with the season change, and I definitely am not doing this to lose weight, it's just a side affect of clean eating. I am looking forward to something as simple as a glass of wine or a spoonful of almond butter, but in the mean time, I can say that I am quite content. Feel free to ask ANY questions you might have about this (it is scary, extreme, but also possible and helpful). In the words of my best friend, Shannon, "cheers to health!"

The AIP Diet - Food to eat

It seems that with all of the misinformation out there, it's important to get some guidlines as to what you can eat, and what you cannot. The chart I refer to most came from the site Autoimmune Paleo. This really is a great resource for me. There are foods in my Nutrition section that I cannot eat for these thirty days.

I work well with visuals. I like to have all of the information out there in one place, easy to view, understand, and digest. She also lists other links that I use as resources as well at the bottom of her page. Here are a couple of my favorites:

The Paleo Mom
Phoenix Helix

Also, some of my favorite recipes can be found on my Pinterest site.

This is new to me, and I know there are other people out there that might benefit from it. I might only be back on it for a little while, but even with a couple of the accidnetal cheats last week, i still notice myself feeling dramatically different. If you think you might have some sort of inflamation or reactions at times of day or to certain foods, give it a try! What has really helped me, aside from a great support system, is planning my meals out by weeks. That's only 4 different plans. For a weekly planner, that's really not bad at all!

Easy Crockpot Chicken

As I’ve mentioned, I like to cook in bulk. In the Follicular Phase, we love our chicken. I’m not entirely sure why we do, but just go with it. This is delicious and can be used in just about anything (which I promise to give you some uses if you cannot think of any!). What I love about it is that it’s so easy, you do not need to be home or around, and you really just need a crock pot.
This chicken pulls apart very easily, stays juicy, and cooks evenly. I have used it in soups, salads, wraps – you name it.

Ingredients:

6 Chicken breasts (really try to go organic here, you are what your food eats. But I understand it’s expensive, I’m not able to do this quite yet, but if you can, do it!)
2 C fat free chicken or vegetable stock
1 onion
2 T minced garlic
Dill, basil, salt, pepper, chives, or a basic poultry season is great (beware of nightshades! Crate and Barrel’s spice rack comes with a good one)

Directions:

In a crockpot, layer in your onions, trimmed, rinsed chicken breasts, stock, garlic, and then on top seasonings. Set the crockpot to high for 5-6 hours (or low for 8 hours). After, the chicken will easily fall apart for shredding purposes. You really cannot go wrong here! Try to keep the lid on the crock pot for most of the time, opening it too much will let the steam out drying out the chicken.

Pork Roast, Mashed Cauliflower, and Kale

So I announce I’m going AIP, and then I leave you hanging with one lousy recipe. Truth be told, with my research came some differences in opinion. I had been doing some things for my diet I should not have, so I took the weekend to really plan and gain further understanding, savor my last spoonful of Trader Joe’s Almond Butter, and started with a bang Monday morning. I’m blessed and have a girlfriend who did this before, and felt so amazing, that she is doing it again with me. Support systems make all the difference in the world.

Next week I’m supposed to go out to see some girlfriends I haven’t seen for ages, and of course a dinner and cocktails sound fantastic! But I can’t eat anything on three of the menus, and the stuff I can (side of broccoli, protein, etc) likely are made with butter… a big no-no. So I’m making myself a dinner, and a snack to keep in my purse in case I feel tempted. It’s okay, I won’t need to spend $30 to catch up with friends, and I know I’m keeping my diet.

So this weekend I went on a cooking binge. I mean it. Pork roast, sweet potato chips, kale, broccoli, AIP Pumpkin banana “muffins,” apple crisp, and chicken breasts. What on EARTH does one girl need this much food for? Well, my breakfast consists of chicken breast and avocado (I really need to find a protein-packed breakfast alternative… which I’ll be doing next week!), pork for lunch (which is the recommendation from the FLO living) and a white fish for dinner with sides (also FLO).

For a nice, hearty meal that makes you feel cozy when you want to curl up under a blanket (since it’s that time of the month), you need a roast. Pork is Alisa’s recommended protein for this time, and since grains aren’t going to be a part of your diet, onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes definitely are! I paired my roast with mashed cauliflower and kale (also in the FLO chart!). Everyone at my office looks a little jealous when I have this for lunch. Also, I’m on a budget – I don’t have a giant income or anything, so when it came time to choose the cut of meat, a pork tenderloin (my specialty) was around $10 on the low end for a tiny piece, or a pork roast was $5 to feed me lunches for four days. Cauliflower is around $1.99 a head, tops, and precut kale at Trader Joes is $1.99 a bag. So… that put my lunches at about $3.50 a day – for a feast. Not too bad!

Pork Roast

Ingredients for the roast:

1 pork roast (mine was about 2 lbs for 4 servings)
½ large onion chopping in 1 inch pieces
3 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes (optional; cut in 1 inch cubes)
½ C water (3/4 if not using wine)
½ C red cooking wine (optional, it’s AIP because the cooking burns off the alcohol. I like Trader Joe’s $2.99 Charles Shaw Merlot)
1 T coconut oil
1 T minced garlic
Salt, pepper, basil, rosemary, if you want to add a sprinkle of cinnamon, I think it really brings out the wine flavor

Directions:

Quite possibly the shortest directions ever needed.
Place onion, carrots, and sweet potatoes on the bottom of a crock pot. Place the pork on top, add your liquids, then your coconut oil (atop the roast), garlic and seasonings on top. Set on low for 6 hours – voila! It’s done.

Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
1 T coconut oil
½ large onion, diced
3 stems of green onion/chives
¾ T minced garlic, or 2 pieces of garlic diced
Sea salt and peppercorns to taste

Directions:
Cut up the cauliflower, mainly the tops. I steam my vegetables with a steamer on the stove top, which requires boiling water in a pot, the steamer, and a lid – it will take about 10 minutes. If you do not have that, in a microwave-safe bowl, place your cauliflower and cover with saran wrap. Place in the microwave on high for 2 minutes (I like to give the bowl a little break in between heats), and then another 2 minutes. Check for a cooked, soft consistency.
In a small pan, use your coconut oil to sauté the onions and garlic. Add this to the cauliflower bowl and mash with either a potato masher or a fork (it’s so much softer than potatoes, a fork will suffice!). Add salt and pepper to taste, then top with your chives, cut into small pieces for a garnish.

KaleKale doesn’t need to be broken out into ingredients and directions, especially if you’re using the Trader Joe’s bag I told you about! In a large pan, use 1 T coconut oil, sauté the kale on medium heat, covered, for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Nutrition facts for 1 serving of the ENTIRE meal:
Calories: 375
Fat: 19 g
Carbs: 24 g
Protein: 31 g
Sugar: 10 g
Fiber: 13 g

Stuffed Acorn Squash

There’s probably a reason why I’ve always had such fond memories of fall… the food instantly gets about 50% better. My mother would always make acorn squash, which of course I would drown in butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Though I love all squash, this has remained a favorite for me. Since I do not have the side of rice that I once had on the side of my plate, I needed to find a meal that still incorporated some of the sweetness of the squash, minus the sugar, and add in more savory – make a meal out of it!

So before I went AIP or Paleo, I would do this same recipe but include grains, or top with candied pecans. Not to make you all drool or jealous, because I’m right there with ya, none of those things are in this!

This is a very warm, fuzzy, filling meal with a little sweet and a lot of savory (and my lunch today!), that only takes about 20 minutes start to finish to prep and cook!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
1 whole acorn squash, cut horizontally in two halves

2 servings (5 C) baby spinach

2 servings of raw kale (pre-washed from Trader Joe’s is my favorite)

½ lb of ground turkey 93% lean (or grass fed ground beef)

¼ yellow onion

1.5 T coconut oil

1 t minced garlic

Cinnamon, salt, pepper, garlic, basil

Directions:

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then place halves in two microwave-safe bowls, inside facing up like a bowl. Put ½ T of coconut oil in each of the halves. Sprinkle a few shakes of cinnamon over each, add salt, pepper and basil to taste. Cover the bowls with saran wrap and place in the microwave for 5 minutes on high.

While that’s going, dice up your onions, putting in a large skillet with ¼ T of coconut oil. Add minced garlic and stir until onions become softened just slightly. Then add your ½ lb ground turkey to the mixture and season with salt, pepper, and basil. Cook thoroughly.

In another skillet, place the last ¼ T of coconut oil, kale, and spinach, cooking on medium heat. Add a little salt, pepper, basil, and put a lid over this (or foil) so the steam cooks the kale. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until either soft or a little crispy.

When the acorn squash in done in the microwave (CAUTION: EXTREMELY HOT!!!), use a fork or spoon to touch the squash to make sure it is soft, and easy to scoop out. If it is, remove from microwave carefully (I use hot pads), or if not, continue cooking for 1 minute intervals until reaching desired texture. Place your veggies on top, and ground turkey over top of that, and you have you meal! It sounds basic, because it is! I would let this all sit for about 5 minutes to cool before eating.

Nutrition facts:

Serves – 2

Calories per serving: 305

Carbohydrates: 34g

Fat: 17g

Protein: 27g

Sugar: 10g

Fiber: 5g

Apple Pumpkin Crisp

When you first go on the AIP diet, you have one of two approaches: 1) “this is going to suck and be a miserable 30 days,” or 2) “I can’t wait to start looking up recipes for everything I CAN eat!” I started in the first for a couple of hours, but eventually my love of cooking took over and I went to town. I looked up every recipe for hours, used up all of my data on my phone with a week left until a new month starts (damn you, Pinterest!), and before I knew it I had been to Beyerly’s, Target, and Trader Joe’s all in one evening trying to recreate a dessert I saw that said “AIP friendly”. After swelling up like a bee-hive, looking 5 months pregnant (weight 120), and starting to get the shakes… something wasn’t right.

I text my friend Alex immediately saying I followed the directions and everything! Coconut cream (said from a website to be AIP friendly), raw, unsweetened coconut, coconut flour, and some crushed up dates, cinnamon and unsweetened cocoa powder. The culprit? Coconut cream. It’s not dairy, but it turns out there are only 1 or 2 brands that you can use to make it qualify… or you can make your own. Canned coconut cream has additives like Xanthium Gum which could be why I reacted. So, the bad news is my mother was right when I was ten years old: “you can’t believe everything you read on the internet.” The good news (that had to be pointed out to me by Alex) is that my body is able to tell what it likes and what it doesn’t. So… beware. But there are fun things to do instead… I prooomise!

We need more dessert, don’t we? Well as I mentioned in my last post, my boyfriend and I currently have about 8 lbs (at least) of apples in my kitchen, so I started out baking some with cinnamon. Then I was really craving an apple crisp, but clearly with sugar and oats, it’s just not for me.

So, we need to improvise. I call this “Pumpkin Apple Crisp”, and it sounds strange, but if you’re like me and just DYING for a yummy gooey dessert, this will help.

Pumpkin Apple Crisp

Ingredients

3 apples, sliced in wedges – remove skin if you like, but I enjoy the extra fiber (not too thin so they get gooey)
1 C pumpkin
2 T coconut oil
2 ½ T Cinnamon
4 T unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the inside of an 8x8 pan with coconut oil (Trader Joe’s has coconut oil spray, like Pam, just double check the ingredients to make sure it’s JUST coconut oil in there). Place your apples in the pan and sprinkle with 1 T of cinnamon; it doesn’t have to be organized! In a separate bowl, mix coconut oil, cinnamon, and coconut. First lay the pumpkin on top of the apples (dollops work, then spread around evenly), then top with the crumble. You will bake this for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

I can’t wait to go home and make this tonight! Enjoy!

AIP Pumpkin, Sausage, and Veggie Soup

Did someone say pumpkin? It’s FALL! Everyone is saying pumpkin, but it is usually in reference to a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, pumpkin bread/muffins/cookies, or pumpkin cheesecake… so basically all things that I cannot enjoy. So, I’ve decided to stock up on the pumpkin and come up with as many recipes (sweet and savory) that I can for this Autoimmune Protocol Paleo diet.

I can’t lie, I was extremely disappointed going into this weekend that I started the AIP. It was the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game where my boyfriend and I would spend the weekend tailgating with his family. If you’ve ever tailgated, you know it means more foods that are not AIP-friendly. But, I prepped food in advance: avocado and canned chicken (tasted just like chicken salad… but better), sweet potato fries, a ton of baby carrots, and other various vegetables that I could eat raw. While everyone spent $20 on pizza deliveries, I spend $10 on a giant steak that was on sale and broccoli.

I survived. I never cheated. And I felt amazing.

Fear was the biggest part. But preparation is the number one way to beat fear. Although I may have looked like I went grocery shopping for this trip, it was totally worth it. I didn’t have the typical food coma like everyone else.

So anywho, back to pumpkins. This recipe can easily be made vegetarian – just sub out the “sausage” for mushrooms, tofu, or some garbanzo beans. I should also mention that I went apple picking this weekend, and needed uses for apples, too. Plus, apple + pumpkin + beef = delicious.

Pumpkin Sausage soup

Ingredients:
1 C canned pumpkin puree (Libby’s is great!)
2 C unsweetened coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s)
1 C vegetable broth
1 lb grass fed ground beef
4 handfuls (2 servings) of Baby Spinach
2 C frozen chopped broccoli
½ Yellow Onion
1 medium apple (a little sour is best)
2 T coconut oil
2 T Basil
1 T Sage
2 t rosemary
1 T minced garlic
1.5 t Cumin
2 t cinnamon
Sea Salt and Peppercorn medley (or pepper is fine, but the medley adds a nice kick!) to taste
(add garlic sea salt if you need more salt)

Directions:
Dice up apple and onion, sauté in a pan with 1 T of coconut oil and ½ T minced garlic and season with a few sprinkles of cinnamon.

In a larger soup pot, add all of your liquids and the seasonings and ½ T minced garlic and cook on medium until it starts to bubble, then reduce to a low temperature and remember to stir occassionally. Add in the broccoli and spinach. When the onion and apples are softened, pour them (and the liquid) into the soup pot.

In the same sauté pan (save yourself dishes), cook up your ground beef seasoning with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin (seasoning the beef separately will help it maintain its own flavor in the soup). When no longer pink, add the beef to the pot of soup and let sit on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Voilà! You’re done. Soups are so much easier than they seem, and I love them!

Nutritional facts:
servings: 5
Calories: 229
Carbs: 8
Fat: 11
Protein: 20
Sugar: 5
Fiber: 3

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs

I grew up with pasta; angel hair, lasagna, fettuccini, (homemade) mac n’ cheese, tuna noodle casserole was a favorite of mine (I was an odd child). Well when you find out you have a gluten intolerance, and that every time you eat pasta or gluten you’re actually making your situation worse, you begin to go through withdrawals. If you cannot find a nice replacement, all you want to do is binge on bagels and cookies and cake.

Thankfully, Martha Stewart is a frequent stop for my internet surfing, and I learned about Spaghetti Squash. Then I told my boyfriend about my discovery, and it turns out his mother grows it on their farm – thanks for the tip, bro! But good news is: I now know about it, and have made plenty of mistakes so I’ve pretty much perfected it. Spaghetti squash is quite possibly the easiest way to replace pasta. No mandolin required (even though I love my mandolin board from Target ©!), just an oven, large knife, and fork. Ta-dahh, you have “pasta”.
Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs (or just a fabulous homemade meat sauce) are one of my favorite ways to make it, but you can pretty much do anything with this delectable squash. So, here goes!


Ingredients:
1 Spaghetti Squash (look for sales, they usually are purchased per pound, and that can get pricey. Also, they range quite a bit in size. 1 small-medium squash will easily be 5-7 servings)
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1T Coconut Oil (or another T of olive oil)
1 lb of lean ground turkey (Jennie-O 97% Fat free) or grass fed ground beef (90% lean or more)
¾ large Yellow Onion
1 large (32 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 small (8 oz) can of tomato paste
¼ C Egg whites of 1 whole egg
¼ C gluten free flour
1 bag of baby spinach
1 T diced garlic
1 C red cooking wine (Trader goes Charles Shaw merlot is my favorite to cook with)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Using a fork, puncture the outside of the spaghetti squash (whole) and microwave for 2 minutes on high. This is just to soften the squash so it is easier to cut. When done (be careful, it’s hot!), remove from microwave, cut off the tip (stem) and horizontally slice the squash in half. Soup out the bit of seeds and membrane in the center. Drizzle your olive oil over the squash, then sprinkle your salt, pepper, basil, oregano lightly over the open faced squash. In a deep baking dish (I prefer glass, but any will do) place the squash face down on the pan and bake for 35 minutes.

In a large skillet, cook the onions, raw garlic, and coconut oil on medium until soft. Pour 2/3 of this pan into a large pot, and pour the other 1/3 into a large mixing bowl. In the large pot, pour the cans of tomatoes in, and season with about 1.5 T basil, .5 T oregano and .5 T thyme, season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like a little heat like I do, add about .5 T of red pepper flakes (add more towards the end if you need more of a kick). Pour in your cup of wine (water will also suffice, but know the alcohol in the wine will burn off by the time you eat!). Cover and let this cook on medium until starting to bubble, then reduce the heat to low for the remainder of the cook time.

In the mixing bowl with the cooked onions, add your ground turkey or beef, egg whites (or egg), flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and basil. Mix this all together well – I usually just use my hands! It will feel sticky, which is good, that means the bonding agents (eggs and flour) are doing their job. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop out a rounded tablespoon of your mixture and roll into a ball in your hands. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat this until you run out of the mixture. This will go in your oven for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, check the meatballs with a fork to make sure they are thoroughly cooked through the center.

How to know your spaghetti squash is done:
Using a fork, poke the skin of the squash. If it puncture easily, it’s done. If it’s resistant, keep it cooking until the fork can go through the skin without much resistant (but not TOO easily because you don’t want a bowl of mush). Remove from the oven. Here is the last and final test: Using your same fork, begin scraping out the squash from the skin. If it comes out with a pasta texture and shape, if it done. At this point, you can make it as cooked or al dente as you would like!

Scrap out of the skin, and place a cup of squash in your bowl. Sprinkle with salt and add a handful of baby spinach to the squash mixing in well (it will soften the spinach). Place four done meatballs over the squash, then top with 2/3 cup of your sauce. If cheese is a part of your diet, parmesan is one of the best cheeses for you, so mix that on in. Feel like you’re in Italy yet? Maybe not… but it will at least kick your pasta craving for the day!


Nutrition Facts:

Servings prepared: 7
Calories per serving: 289
Carbs: 28g
Fat: 9g
Protein: 19g
Sugar: 11g
Fiber: 7g

Update: Autoimmune Disease

If you have read the “About Me” section of this blog, you know I recently went to a nutritionist. They were great, though forking over the one-time cost of getting a food sensitivity test was unpleasant, but having answers is always great – even if they’re not great answers. So while she was running some holistic tests (no pricks, no pain, very easy!), where they check how the body reacts to different metals (or that was my understanding), she said it was quite clear that I have some sort of autoimmune disease.

Is there good news there? No, not really. However, I had no clue what that meant, and I’m sure she plans on telling me more about it in the next visit when I get my actual sensitivity results. So in the meantime, my friend Alex who is in love with and the most passionate person I know about how food impacts our bodies for the good and bad told me what to do. He had me start my B-12 vitamin, Rhodeola (which I got a pat on my back from my nutritionist for), and the introduction of more healthy fats to my diet. He also has a blog and is a phenomenal resource.

No one wants to admit that they have a disease, and if they do, it’s quite an adjustment to walking around just thinking you have another stomach ache while you chow down on your burger, fries, and milkshake, to now actually having to pay attention to what you eat. It’s no longer about looking great and overall feeling somewhat better; it’s about actual healing your body from the inside out. It became quite clear over the last week that I have ‘Leaky Gut’ which is by far the most disgusting name for a disease I can think of – but it is to the point. It is exactly what it sounds like. Your body is inflamed, making the pores of your intestinal lining more open and leaking toxins into your body. You feel bloated, swollen, tired, crabby, constipated, and possibly battle depression or achy joints. You’ll notice food not being digested wholly from solids in stool, or after eating something you suddenly feel 5 months pregnant. So the signs were clear.

After a few months of doing some of the things he as suggested, I went the complete opposite direction wanting to resist everything he would tell me I should be doing. Why? Because I’m a brat who doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact that I have a problem, and the only person who can make it better is me. Pills do not fix this, it’s 100% lifestyle adjustments. Finally, after having to swallow my pride and apologize for being a giant B (can I blame the depression and mood swings from my disease?), I gather my resources he has provided me and research intently. After all, if I’m going to do something 100% I like to have ALL of the facts I possibly can.

My major frustration in everything with nutrition is that everyone seems to have a different opinion. Why isn’t there ONE answer?! Oh yea, because I’ve said a million other times in this blog: WE’RE ALL BUILT DIFFERENTLY. So what does this mean for me? 30 days, one month, of being Paleo AIP (Paleo Autoimmune Protocol). You’ve probably heard of the Paleo Diet, but this is like the Paleo Diet’s big brother – we’re not messing around. Paleo is great for the people in their Cross fit (not me – I believe in grains and healthy eating! Not removing entire food groups! I run, we NEED carbs!), but AIP is just plain crazy. And by “crazy,” I mean 100% necessary.

When your body is inflamed and reacting to the “poison” you put in it, you don’t feel well. Unlike Paleo, AIP’s don’t get cheat days. The point of AIP is to remove all of the possible inflammatory for 30 days (it takes 30 days for your body to adjust/heal/something), and test what you can actual have in your diet. This is such an overwhelming thought, I can’t even tell you; hence my resistance to listen to my friend and actually give this a shot. His wife, who happens to be my best friend, did it. She might have even gone longer than the thirty days. But after years of being on over 15 medications for depression and other things, she is now prescription-free. Yes, that’s right, ZERO medications for that lady. She is my hero. That’s being self-aware if I’ve ever seen.

To be honest, if she hadn’t been my cheerleader and showed me that it’s possible, I would probably still be looking forward to my weekend “cheat day” burger. Yesterday afternoon I didn’t do much work, I did research. I wanted to cry… oh wait, I DID CRY. And then I got home and looked in my fridge to figure out what I could make instead of the chili I was so looking forward to having.

Here is a site that tells you what you CAN and CANNOT eat on AIP.

Here is the Paleo Diet. I’m giving you Wikipedia because everyone out there has a different opinion about the diet in general.

My recipes might be tweaked a bit for the next thirty days of blogging, but I promise to still incorporate the things that I cannot eat for you (while starring what those are for actual AIP go-ers). I had a DELICIOUS dinner, and breakfast, and snack, and I’m feeling BETTER. Only day 2, but feeling better, and I’m sure most of that is mental. So, here we go. 30 days of hell… I mean healing my body, getting happy, stable, and fully functioning! It is all about attitude after all.

Salmon Corn Cakes

When I was growing up my mother would not buy boxed, frozen, processed food, so I learned to love the creations and concoctions that came out of the kitchen. They were usually healthy, warm, hearty, filling. I rarely threw tantrums for pizza or McDonalds (of course now I’ll throw a tantrum pizza… since I’m not supposed to have it; dairy/gluten!) So I grew up with a love of well cooked broccoli, fish sticks and shrimp were some of my favorites, and rice. One thing I remember her making on occasion was salmon patties (or substitute with tuna). It’s basically like a crab cake, but with salmon.

I never had the urge to splurge on canned salmon at the grocery store in college (when you’re little you do not realize that they can fish… ick!), but it has since become a great addition to my pantry and teeny tiny budget that does not usually allow for delicious Alaskan Salmon Fillets from Whole Foods for $19.99 per lb! So how can we get some grain (to keep us feeling full during an incredibly hungry time of month – our body is busy ovulation after all!) in our meals, but in a healthy way?

Corn, that’s how! It’s perfect for summer or fall, when corn is in its peak season. You can likely make these salmon “burgers” by making them larger, adding ketchup and a bun, but for my gluten and health purposes, this is a CAKE (no bun).

Ingredients:

1 T Coconut Oil
1 can of salmon (12 oz)
¼ medium onion
¼ C sweet corn
2 T Egg whites (1 whole egg would be too much for this small of a serving. If doubling amount, use 1 egg!)
1/8 C gluten free flour
3-4 drops of lemon juice, or ¼ lemon squeezed
Garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste
(if you feel like tweaking, a little paprika, chili powder, or basil/oregano are great additions)


Directions:

In a small pan, use ½ T of coconut oil to grease the pan and sauté the onions – diced. While cooking, drain the can of salmon, put in a bowl with corn, flour, lemon juice, egg whites and mix. Add in your seasonings with the softened onions and keep mixing with hands or spoon until the texture is a little like paste.

Keeping the pan on medium, put the remaining coconut oil in the pan. Your mixture should make 4 medium – large patties. Quarter out the mixture, then roll into a ball with your hands. Flatten slightly like a hamburger patty and place in pan. If you have a lid, that will help it cook more evenly throughout. Cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Check half way through to make sure they aren’t burning on either side!

Nutritional Info:

Makes four cakes
Serving size = 2 cakes (if you’re hungry, eat all four!)
Calories per serving: 220
Carbs: 16.5
Fat: 8g
Protein: 22.5
Sugar: 1.5 g
Fiber: 2 g

I like to put this over a bed of baby spinach or a side of asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Really, eat it however you’d like! Brussels sprouts are nice and filling and a great source of fiber during this time of the month when you are hungry for what seems like no reason, and then feel bloated. Drink a lot of water with all of the fiber! It will help flush out the bloating!

Cocoa Quinoa Pudding

In the last two days I wanted nothing but chocolate.. Probably because you're allowed to eat some in the ovulatory phase. You might also notice yourself incredibly hungry. I am. So in looking at my fridge this morning, with not much other than omelette fixings, I had to get creative.

A nice warm breakfast with a little sweet sounded like perfection on this cool fall morning. So here is what I have come with, and it was just as good as I hoped. It is similar to a rice pudding texture.

Ingredients:

2/3 C of quinoa

1 1/4 C of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 T unsweetened cocoa powder

2 T Bob's Redmill flaxseed

1/2 C frozen strawberries and raspberries (use fresh if you have those, but I usually keep frozen on hand at all times)

1 packet if stevia
1 t cinnamon
1 t honey (optional to drizzle on top of each serving)

Directions:

In a pot, pour in quinoa, almond milk, cocoa, stevia, cinnamon and bring to a boil. You want to make sure to cook this slowly because you don't want to burn the milk. Once boiling, reduce heat to low (2-4 on an electric stove).

Add the berries and flaxseed stirring occasionally. When the texture is thick and pudding like, it is ready to serve!

Servings: 3

Nutritional Facts:
Calories - 217
Fat- 5.5 g
Sodium- 71.4 mg
Carbohydrates- 34.4
Protein- 6.4g
(For extra protein, replace cocoa and stevia with chocolate protein powder. Note: It will change nutritional info significantly - more calories, sodium and protein)

Thai Curry Lentil and Shrimp Soup

Nothing is better to me than sitting down on a fall evening after a long day with glass of red wine and bowl of soup in lounging clothes (after a workout of sorts). Looking at the leaves changing, I can no longer worry about the bathing suit season for another 6-9 months! However, pizza, chips, and cookies do not exactly make anyone feel better. Looking at the Ovulatory Phase, where it says chocolate and moderate alcohol and coffee are acceptable, that’s really all you need to get through this week.

That doesn’t work for lunch or dinner. So while the first NFL football game is on last night, and talking about Thai food for the last month, I decide to take a look at some options to satisfy everything I want. I come up with a soup that is spicy, savory, filling enough for me… and my boyfriend. I threw some things that I had in the fridge and freezer and came up with a surprisingly delicious meal! He went back for seconds! If you use less liquid, this could also be served on a place of quinoa.

Thai Curry Lentil and Shrimp Soup

Ingredients:

4 servings of frozen Jumbo Shrimp (about 32)
2 T coconut oil
4 C of light coconut milk
2 C fat free vegetable broth
3-4 T of curry powder (I love my Trader Joe’s curry seasoning)
1 t chili powder
1 t cinnamon
3 T of minced garlic
4 handfuls of baby spinach
1 C frozen sweet peas
1/3 C Red Lentils
2 stalks of celery
½ large white or yellow onion
Salt, pepper, garlic salt


Directions:

In a pot, pour in your lentils, ½ the amount of garlic, onion, liquids, celery and seasonings. **Note: if you’re not used to spicy food, or do not like it very spicy, start with ONE tablespoon of curry and work your way up tasting along the way – it will get spicier the longer it sits. Let this come to a boil, cooking on low-medium for about 40 minutes.

Rinse and thaw your shrimp. Be sure to NOT rinse with hot water because you do not want the shrimp to cook. In the pan, use the remaining garlic and coconut oil heating on medium. Add the shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste. This will need to cook for about 5-10 minutes, and stir often making sure they all get coated in the flavor and cooked evenly.

Add the frozen peas and spinach to the soup pot. Let this cook for the last 10 minutes of the soup cooking time. Then add everything from the shrimp pan (oil, garlic, all of it!) into the soup pot, let sit for 5 minutes, then serve!

**Curry additions: if starting with 1 T, taste after about 15 minutes of cooking. If you need more seasoning/spice, add another at this point. 15 minutes later, if still not spicy enough add the third T. At this point, you may need to add another shakes of cinnamon so that flavor is not hidden. If you love coconut, add some coconut flakes on top!

Rhubarb Crisp Breakfast/Dessert

I can never get enough breakfast. A breakfast that can double-up as a dessert? BONUS! Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, yet it's always found used how fruit would be used: pie, crisp, etc. So today, I bring you an oatmeal, which if prepared slightly different could be a crisp.

Rhubarb is a sour vegetable, and requires a bit of sweetener and cooking to soften and bring out the sweetness. It is much less challenging than it looks, because when you buy it, it looks like a reddish celery stick on steroids. Cleaned up, broken down, and cooked, it becomes drinks, sweets, and meals... The perfect plant!

1/4 C gluten free oats (TJ's)
1/4 C egg whites
1/2 C almond milk
1 stick of rhubarb, chopped in pieces
1 T coconut oil
Cinnamon
1 packet stevia or honey
5 cashews chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet heat coconut oil and rhubarb with the stevia and cinnamon. Cook until softened and the rhubarb is "sweating."

In a small Corning ware dish (or some other small oven-safe dish), pour the uncooked oats, egg whites, almond milk, and add rhubarb. Mix together well then top with cinnamon and crushed cashews.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (until bubbling and browning on top). Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Ready to eat!

This would also be a delicious dessert :)

Bacon-wrapped Scallops with Rice

Killer cramps? Treat yourself to a little homemade fine dining. I’m about to go on vacation with some friends to the south where seafood will be everywhere – and you can bet we will be taking full advantage of all Florida has to offer! This warm meal might sound light, but will definitely have you feeling full to kick those salt cravings.

Scallops are a toss-up, you either dislike them because you think they’re squishy and bland, or you love them because you’ve had them well cooked and seasoned. If you’re a nay-sayer, bite your tongue! They’re easier than you would think and delectable little fish, at that!

Bacon-wrapped Scallops on a bed of mushroom, cranberry and kale wild rice

Ingredients (serves 2):

8 sea scallops
8 pieces of bacon
2 T of coconut oil or organic unsalted butter
½ C unsweetened coconut milk (or almond milk)
½ C vegetable stock
3 cloves of garlic minced
½ C of dried cranberries, chopped
2 C kale, rinsed, cut up, raw
1 C of button mushrooms, sliced
¼ green onions finely chopped
Black pepper, basil, parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cook the bacon in oven until the edges start to brown, but it is still uncooked enough to bend – about 12-15 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool.

Pour the milk and stock in a pot on medium heat on the stove. Add the wild rice. Once brought to a boil, reduce to a low heat and add the garlic, kale, cranberries, and mushrooms and simmer for about 15-20 minutes on very low heat. Add seasonings.

Take your cooled bacon and wrap it around the edges of all the scallops. One piece of bacon should just overlap towards the end. Place a toothpick or bamboo stick through tip to hold the bacon in place. In a skillet on low-medium heat warm up butter or coconut oil with a sprinkle of minced garlic. Place 6 scallops on at a time and cover with lid (also helps the splatter burn from the grease!). After about 5 minutes, flip them over and cover for another 5 minutes. Take them off and cook the remainder of the fish, 5 minutes on each side. Pour your rice and veggie mixture in a bowl, just about a cup per person – it should be slightly soupy and top with your bacon sea scallops!

You might impress a few people with this one; it looks and tastes so much more complicated than it actually is! If you’re like me and enjoy a little spice with your meals, red pepper flakes to the rice or curry powder to the scallops (not both) would be a great addition. Curry, like turmeric, is a great, great thing for your immune system!

Please write in with any comments of feedback! I would love to hear them!

Kale, Bacon, and Watermelon Salad

Did someone say watermelon and bacon? Oh yes, you bet. Two of the great loves of my life put together for the better of the ovaries! Who knew? There are a hundred takes on a salad that you can do, but in the words of John Voight in Varsity Blues “stick with the basics; stick… with… the BASICS!” Except I promise not to hit you over the head with a whistle if you get fancy.
Kale is something I get a lot of pushback on. Bitter, dry, crunchy/prickly, those do not sound appealing. I must admit I’m not even the biggest fan of raw kale. But when steamed or sautéed you can make it great – I promise.

So if you’re suffering from the disgusting humidity and heat wave passing through the Midwest, this will be a refreshing and fiber-filled escape for you. Also, this is a time when bacon is great because salt is in the “other” column for the Menstruating Phase!

Ingredients:
1 serving of Kale (a couple of handfuls worth)
1/3 C Blueberries
1 C Watermelon (balled, cubed, however you like! I like small cubes because I savor it longer)
1 serving of Chestnuts (go for the water chestnuts!)
3 slices of bacon, not turkey bacon
2 T olive oil
½ Lemon
Black pepper, cilantro

Directions:
Again, I prefer my kale cooked. If you’re one of the gifted few that can stomach (and digest) raw kale, by all means, just rinse and use! But to cook for salads, I use a little vegetable steamer that just fits right in a pot of boiling water (keeping the water below the steamer, so the veggies are only getting steam, not water). You will use about 1 C of water, bring to a boil and place the vegetable strainer/steamer in the pot, top with the two handfuls of kale and place a lid over that for about 10 minutes on low heat.

If you have no clue what I’m talking about with this “steaming” business, another simple solution is to saute. This can be fun because it can get the edges of the kale nice and crunchy, and I like a little char taste from time to time. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, place kale in pan and add just a tablespoon of water over top, cover this, but stir occasionally on low heat. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and garlic powder. Once you have reached your desired texture (you still want it somewhat bright green, a little undercooked), set to the side or in the refrigerator to cool.

There are several Pinterest ways to cook bacon. I enjoy the oven method where you lay them on a cookie sheet at 325 degrees in the oven for 20 minutes. But who can wait 20 minutes for BACON!? You can do that if you have patience. If you do not, just reuse the pan you cooked your kale in, or some other frying pan, and cook until crunchy the bacon, flipping occasionally. Drain your grease (not down the sink – use a can or something). Blot the bacon, let cool and cut up into bacon bits. Please, do not BUY a shelf-stable container of bacon bits. This concept creeps me out, but it is also loaded with and unnecessary amount of sodium and other things. Remember: if you cannot read the label, do not eat it. Bacon is great in pure form.

Drain your water chestnuts and halve.

To make your “dressing,” take the tablespoon of olive oil and put in a little dish. Squeeze your lemon half in it, sprinkle cilantro, cracked black pepper, and if you feel like another herb try rosemary or basil, those go great with watermelon.
Place your kale on a place, top with bacon crumbles, watermelon cubes, sprinkle with blueberries, add your chestnuts, and drizzle with dressing! Pretty easy, huh?

Remember to stay hydrated on days like this! You might feel bloated as all get-out, but water is the best way to avoid that feeling! Drinking a large amount of water will flush out the bloating and other toxins.

Wild Salmon Fillet and Fall Veggies

Fall is often listed as a favorite season for many reasons, likely with the changing of seasons and that feeling of a fresh start (which I believe came from the “new school year” feeling every August), leaves changing beautiful colors, and the local Farmers Markets are flourishing with seasonal vegetables which colors are brilliant, flavors are rich and sweet and earthy, and there is an endless amount of cooking to be done in preparation for the shift indoors.

In the ovulatory and luteal phases, you really get to take advantage of this. But if you are newer to cooking, like my lovely friend, you might be scratching your head thinking “what on earth do I do with an EGGPLANT?!” That’s fair, it’s not commonly used. However, don’t let that deter you. There is plenty to be done with that beautiful, deep purple colored vegetable. So let’s go ahead and stick with the Ovulatory Phase for the purpose of this meal. You might be thrown by some of the seasonings I’m using, but it’s just one meal… give me a little bit of trust!

This phase usually lasts you about 5 days, and I am a planner. So I cook in bulk, and then can pack my lunches for the next day or just reheat the dinner the next day. So the veggies will be in BULK and last up to 5 days. Salmon, however, I prefer fresh and juicy right out of the oven. You can also use another of the fishes listed on the chart, but salmon has a nice flavor that pairs well with these.

Ingredients:

1 Wild Salmon fillet (4-5 oz’s is enough to be a serving, the meal is quite filling)
1 Cup Quinoa (eat only ¼ C cooked with each meal)
1 Cup Fat Free chicken or vegetable broth
1 Cup water
15 Brussels Sprouts, halved
2 Red Bell Peppers, cut in chunks however you like
24 Asparagus spears, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 Eggplant, 1-inch cubes
4 cups of baby spinach
12 cherry tomatoes halved (or use can of no sodium added diced tomatoes, drained)
1 onion cubed
1 bulb of garlic, peeled and diced (or 2 T of minced garlic)
Spices: Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder, cinnamon, basil, rosemary, thyme. If you have another you love, use it, just keep the sodium to a minimum.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After rinsing and chopping, use the Brussels sprouts, asparagus, red bell pepper, eggplant, onion, and half the listed amount of garlic as recommended above. Lay them out on a deep cookie sheet/pan, either spraying with PAM or drizzling with Olive Oil (healthy fats are GOOD, do not be afraid of olive oil!). Season with a few shakes of sea salt, pepper, and the rest of the seasoning. Cinnamon is a surprising addition here, but it really brings out the flavors being used. Stir all of the veggies up in the tray so the flavors are spread around and place in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir the vegetables to make sure they are all getting cooked evenly.

In a pot, pour in the quinoa and liquids, ½ T of garlic, the cherry tomatoes, and season with a touch of basil. Let this simmer on medium heat until it begins to boil, then reduce to low heat. Add the baby spinach to this pot and stir occasionally.

Blot the salmon with a paper towel, and place on a cookie sheet that is lined with foil. Drizzle a little olive oil over the salmon and sprinkle with the remaining garlic, pepper, basil, rosemary. If you like lemon on your fish, put two slices of lemon on the top. This can be added to the oven at the same 400 degrees when there are 15 minutes left on the vegetables, and rotate the trays so the salmon is on the top rack for the remaining 15 minutes.

When everything is done, measure out ¼ C of the cooked quinoa mixture, 1/5 of the tray of vegetables in a bowl, mix together. It’s like a warm side salad to your beautiful piece of salmon.

My girlfriend tried this just last week and said the cinnamon was a surprising addition, but that is was delicious! Try variations, and be brave to try new vegetables! Please leave any comments or questions for me and I will try to respond to them all!

Happy “fresh start” Fall meal!

Taco Soup

On these 90 degree days, soup is possibly the last thing on your mind. However, if your office decides to balance that out with 60 degree air condition, you might be running to the soup bowl and microwave ASAP. Not to mention when cramps are killer, something warm is much more comforting. When I think of “Taco soup” I often think of some cream-based, grease-puddles, sour cream/cheese/chive/taco chip-topped bowl that leaves you thirsty from the amount of cream and sodium. I love tacos, and I love soup… but I also do not enjoy feeling like crap or getting the 2pm “I need coffee/nap/chocolate ASAP” feeling either.

In the luteal phase, I find it tempting to give into the salt and sugar you crave for the first month, but after that I can honestly say sugar or chips are the last thing on my agenda. So I looked at my “list” of food options and had to scratch my head for a minute. The veggies are not my usual green, leafy kind, so I had to get creative. Fortunately, my loving boyfriend is from a cattle farm, so there’s no shortage of ground beef in my home! Brown rice, celery, onion, ground beef, chickpeas (and I threw in some corn and tomatoes, too) – these are the things on the list that seemed doable, normal and not scary. So… Let’s make a soup!

(I cook in bulk, so I had 8 meals out this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 lb of lean, grass fed ground beef
1 ¼ cups of brown rice
1 yellow onion
5 cloves of garlic (not bulbs, just the little parts of it) or 2T of diced garlic
6 celery stalks
1 can of Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans (low-now sodium is ideal)
1 can of kernelled corn (no sodium added)
1 can of diced tomatoes (no sodium added)
4 cups of non-fat beef broth
3 cups of water

Directions:
In a large stew pot, fill with the liquids (water and beef broth). Dice your onion in as small or large chunks as you’d like, garlic, and celery. Add to the pot, along with cilantro, chili powder, pepper, and any other spices you can take. Try not to make it too spicy, however, because your stomach is likely already uneasy this time of month. Throw them all in the pot and turn the heat on medium.

In a separate pot, cook your 1 ¼ cup of rice with 2 ½ cups of water until rice is andante (slightly undercooked). I like to add in a teaspoon of cilantro and ½ t of garlic powder to the rice while it cooks to give it extra flavor.

Drain your cans of beans, corn, and tomatoes and add those to the pot. While those two pots are cooking, cook your ground beef in a skillet adding plenty of chili powder (I do not use taco seasoning due to the plethora of sodium they add to those packets!), more garlic powder, chipotle powder (just a pinch), and continue to cook until almost done. This can still be a little pink, as it will continue cooking later.

When the rice is done, just let it sit to the side and cool for a while, until it hardens back up. The ground beef can be added to the liquid/veggie pot and reduce the heat to low. Let this simmer for about 30 minutes. Give occasional stirs to ensure the flavors are spreading around. Once that is done, add the rice to the mix and let sit for another 10 minutes on low heat.

Scoop out a bowl (about 1.5 cups) and serve as you’d like! If you might need a little something extra for with this meal, a side of sweet potato fries (another entry) would be my suggestion!

In the words of Julia Child, “Bon Appetite!”

Pumpkin Walnut Protein Pancakes

It’s still summer – in fact this week it’s supposed to get up to 95 degrees almost every day. But if you live in Minneapolis, or have had similar weather, you might have gotten the itch for fall to start just like me! Every year I have a countdown to when Pumpkin Spice enters the local Starbucks. Not so I can go buy a sugar-loaded, dairy (which I don’t do) beverage, though they used to frequent purchase of mine, but because it means the best vegetables at Farmer’s Markets, pumpkin flavored everything, casseroles, chili’s and soups are anxiously awaiting my kitchen! I also love the creativity that can be involved in breakfasts- it doesn’t have to be boring, and it’s the most important meal of the day! Why not make it delicious?

These pancakes have several variations, and I will post them separately. I ate these every morning this week, and they are gluten free!

Pumpkin Walnut Protein Pancakes
Ingredients:
¼ C canned Pumpkin (Libby’s is great!)
¼ C Egg Whites
1/8 C crushed walnuts
.5-1 scoops of protein powder
2 T Flax Seed (Bob’s Red Mill Ground Flax Seed is my favorite)
2 t ground cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Mix all items together thoroughly. Pour into a greased skillet on medium heat until you see it firming on one side (it will not bubble like normal pancakes, because these are much more dense), then flip; this will usually be about a minute and a half on each side. Put some coconut oil on them, or a little honey, let it melt, and sprinkle with more cinnamon if you like.

Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 3 medium pancakes
Calories per serving: 292
Carbs: 16 g
Fat: 16 g
Protein: 28 g
Sugar: 5 g
Fiber: 9 g