Whole30 Compliant Archives - Page 2 of 5

CELEBRATE SOUTHERN: Whole 30 + Paleo Sweet Potato Fries

March 16, 2015 by Susan 11 Comments

Oh em gee y’all. OMG. I am back from europe and boy to I have tales to tell. HOWEVER - I’m exhausted, so these tales will come another day. Jetlag is wonderful and the first day back to work + having my rib and back re-aligned got the best of me today.

So how about a Whole30 + Paleo Recipe post for this lovely Monday evening?

This is by far one of my all-time favorite Whole30 complaint recipes! It’s one that my husband and I could probably eat every.single.day. It’s the quickest way (outside of the gross microwave method) to cook and enjoy sweet potatoes! Y’all, it’s SWEET POTATO FRIES!

Quick story: On the first group Whole30 that I lead, several people reached out to me saying how much they hated sweet potatoes. They were all so upset that I had sweet potatoes on the menu so many times (because at the time, white potatoes were not compliant.) I told them to please, just please try my sweet potato fry recipe before they completely write-off this weird, orange potato. The next day, each of them emailed or texted me, saying how SHOCKED they were that they actually LOVED these sweet potato fries! #itoldyouso.

Whole 30 + Paleo Sweet Potato Fries

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Whole 30 compliant, Paleo, Gluten Free, Sugar Free

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Basil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400*F
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper (for easy clean up)
Cut your sweet potatoes into "fry shapes" and lay them on your baking sheet. (Be sure to use a good knife because sweet potatoes can be tough!)
Drizzle your sweet potato fries with olive oil, then move them all around (I use my hands) to make sure they all have a bit of olive oil on them. You want them to all be covered but not soaked by any means.
Sprinkle the fries with generous amounts of salt and basil.
Bake for 10 minutes. Take them out and shuffle and flip them.
Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
HINT: If you want to crisp them up a bit, flip the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes. I personally do not do this because we like them not-super-crispy.
Enjoy!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Approved Fries // Baked Fries

So there ya have it guys. A staple to our family menu, but also a staple to the Whole30. Please remember, these “fries” are Whole30 compliant because they are baked at home and you are not frying them in a “mystery oil.”

Now be honest: What do you think of sweet potatoes? Are they a staple in your Whole30 diet?

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Celebrate Southern: Whole60 Results

March 2, 2015 by Susan 22 Comments

Okay so I am well aware that this post has nothing to do with anything southern and it may or may not fit the extremely loose guidelines we have in place for this linkup - HOWEVER!!! It’s day 61 of my Whole 60! I did it guys! I DID IT! And I have to share my Whole60 results with you. (I’m so excited I am throwing off my entire blog schedule just to get this post live. It is what it is!)

My mind // Is extremely clear. While I have TONS of things to do (with vacation this week) my mind is feeling pretty sharp these days. I will say, just like I said on almost all of the other quarterly check-ins (Day 15, Day 30, Day 45) I’ve found that my entire body, but especially my mind, is at it’s best when I’ve had A LOT of water. I’m not quite as bad as my mom about drinking water, but I struggle to drink 2+ liters of water a day. I’ve learned that I feel best with 3 liters daily.

My skin // Considering “Aunt Flo” is coming to town this week, my skin is extremely clear. There is not one single zit or blemish on my face!

My weight // I weighed in today! I didn’t lose as much as I was hoping but I did lose a decent amount! The first 30 I lost 8 pounds. For the second half of this adventure I lost 6 more. So my total weight loss in 60 days was 14 pounds. Not bad for two months. (I was secretly hoping for 20.)

My sleep // I’ve found that I can work on less sleep. I can stay up a bit later with my husband and get up early with the pup. Maybe because the sleep I’m getting is better quality??

My cravings // I think I am going to have to do a post on “cravings and struggles” one day. I can honestly tell you I am not craving anything “bad” like I have with past whole30s. I find it amazing. Yesterday (Day 60) I went to a birthday party… they were oh so thoughtful and even bought me gluten-free brownies to enjoy while everyone else was chowing down on cake. I felt horrible saying “No Thanks” to them - but it was day 60. I wasn’t done. And I really didn’t want them.

So cravings? None. Will I partake in anything today that is not-whole30? Wine. I do worry that I haven’t done this long enough because I’m still mentally pulled towards red wine. I realize that no, I’m not craving it at all. I just want it.

My struggles // ~~Still exercising.~~ My husband has created a workout schedule for us. While it gets overwhelming (and my anxiety flairs up quite a bit more learning new gym things) I’m enjoying this Suz+Mike time, despite the fact that my legs are always hurting or feeling like spaghetti.

My loves // This is going to sound so vain, but I love my results. Yes, I could’ve done better (by adding exercise earlier on) but my body is changing for the best. Yesterday, my grandmother (who doesn’t follow this blog or know anything about my Whole60) pulled me aside and said “Suzy, have you lost weight?”

What I’ve learned // I’ve learned that there are certain things (like wine) that I just “want.” I’m not craving it, I don’t NEED it. I just want it. While I was really hoping this would break during the 60 days, I now realize how emotionally attached I am to some foods and drinks. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be the only one at the party without cake. It’s okay to sip sparkling water at the bar. I’ve learned that my body and my health is more important than a snickers bar. I hope this helps me in the future when I think “eh, just one more bite of _____.”

Even when it comes to clean eating, I’ve learned to stop and ask myself “Why do you want this ____?” (Insert almond butter into that blank most of the time!) It sounds silly, but if I have to ponder it, then that’s what I need to do. Am I hungry? Am I bored? Am I feeling sad? Will this bite help me reach my goals?

No Scale Victories:

Results in Numbers:

Overall Weight // -14 pounds

Waist // -3.25 inches

Belly // -2.25 inches

Butt // -1.75 inches

Left Leg // -1.75 inches Right Leg // -1 inch (but now they are the same!)

Boobs // -1.75 inches

So would I do another whole30? Yes. Would I do another whole60? Probably. This whole60 was a good thing for me. With numerous Whole30’s under my belt, I think I learned more with the Whole60 than I have with the Whole30. I learned that I can do it. I learned that it’s about life in the long term mindset, not just 30 days. I’ve learned that some friends will think you’re crazy - but a few will fully support and encourage you.

Wanna learn more? Surf around my blog a bit for clean recipes and tips… but head on over to Whole30.com and check out the ins and outs of this program. It’s strict. It’s built on tough love. It’s not necessarily easy. But if you are honest with yourself and if you follow every single rule, it will change your life.

Now give me a glass of wine and a banana pancake.

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Whole30 Results: Day 45 Check-in

February 18, 2015 by Susan 13 Comments

Hooray for Day 45! For the record, today is actually Day 48, but since I’ve been doing a check-in with each quarter of this journey… I figure I better stick with the trend. You can see Day 15 here and Day 30 here!

Here are my notes and “after” pics from Day 45 of my Whole60: (Please excuse my extremely dirty mirror… I can’t believe I didn’t go back and clean it after this picture!!)

My mind // I think I just have too much on my plate right now because my thoughts are becoming a bit jumbled again. I REALLY notice this happens on days when I don’t drink enough water (which, if I’m being honest, is most days.) I took the weekend “off” from all things work and blog related, and my mind was so clear. So I blame work and water for my “jumbled-ness” but I’m mentally so much stronger than I was when I was eating gluten and sugar.

My skin // Again, I’m noticing on days when I don’t drink enough water, a tiny zit may appear. My body has done a lot of adapting to the food I’m eating… I think need to be more alert when it comes to my water intake too.

My weight // Per the rules, you can only weigh yourself at the beginning and the end of a Whole30. I weighed myself on Day 30 (since it was the end of a Whole30) and I had lost 8 pounds. I don’t feel like I’ve lost anymore - but then I can look in the mirror and see my face is quite a bit thinner.

My sleep // Not a problem at all.

My cravings // I am so glad I forced myself BEYOND a Whole30 and committed to 60 days. I feel like I have had more time to think about what’s going on and realize the emotional attachment and “reward” that I attached to so many of the foods I used to eat. On bad days I think “I need a glass of wine” and then I ponder, Why? Is that glass of wine REALLY going to make anything better? Or in the evenings, I really just want to snack on SOMETHING… so I ask myself “Am I really hungry or do I just want to munch on something?” Most of the time its the latter. All that being said, I still want a glass of red wine.

My struggles // Still exercising. I need to get to that. Ugh.

My loves // Everything. There’s not one thing that I’m eating that I’m not loving. I’m even tempted to make it a year of no added/processed sugar… but that would just be crazy.

What I’ve learned // I know that I have been cooking and sharing recipes A LOT, but I’ve learned that I really like playing with food and being creative in the kitchen. While I’ve always loved making events beautiful and home projects stunning - I’m really having fun with making meals work with zero processed foods, no dairy, no sugar and no gluten.

Have you done a Whole30? What changes did you experience? Are you thinking about doing a Whole30? I’m 12 days away from a Whole60 so let me know if you have any questions!

CELEBRATE SOUTHERN: Whipped Coconut Cream

February 16, 2015 by Susan 23 Comments

So I’m really not so sure if this is a seasonally accurate post or not… My plan was to play around with this concept prior to Valentine’s Day, snap some pictures, share it on the blog and all that jazz. However, life happened and I didn’t have time to play with coconut cream until it was actually Valentine’s Day. (FYI - I took all weekend off and did absolutely nothing except watching a few seasons of House on Netflix… It was wonderful.)

Like I was saying though - now that Valentine’s Day has come and gone - unless you are on a Whole30 or you’re simply trying to cut sugar, I don’t see this recipe being all that handy until summer hits and fruit is running rampant all over the south. It’s just so amazing and incredibly easy. It needed to be shared immediately.

In case you’re new here, let me catch you up. I’m obsessed with the Whole30 and clean, paleo eating. I am currently on day 47 of a Whole60… no processed sugar, no booze, no grains or rice, no legumes and no dairy. And honestly, per the rules, no dessert, even if the ingredients fit all the rules. (Come back tomorrow to see my day 45 check-in!) So on Valentine’s Day, when my husband made me dinner and I made “dessert” I was kinda breaking the Whole30 mindset rules… except our dessert was complaint ingredients: fruit and coconut cream. (The Whole30 folks call it S.W.Y.P.O. Google it.)

So while this breaks no food rules of the whole30 - if you’re going BY THE BOOK (WHICH YOU SHOULD BE unless it’s Valentine’s Day and you’ve already done 45 days of the Whole30) technically you cannot eat it as dessert. So eat it as part of your lunch! I’m not a big fruit eater, but with this amazing cream on top of it, you better believe it will be on my menu a bit more frequently.

Homemade Whipped Coconut Cream

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

1 Can of Heavy Coconut Cream
OPTIONAL: Liquid Stevia
OPTIONAL: Vanilla

Instructions

Put a can of heavy coconut cream in the fridge overnight.
Once cold, open can and drain any liquid.
Put coconut cream in bowl and whip it with a hand blender or mixer. (My hand blender worked perfectly in just a couple minutes!) It may take a few of minutes, but trust me, it will whip up light and fluffy!
If you want to add options to this whipped coconut cream, do it now... I don't add anything to mine and think it's great. But if you want to make it sweeter you can add a few drops of liquid stevia and a couple drops of vanilla.
Use immediately. Put any leftovers in the fridge and use later. (You may have to whip it up again though.)

Since it was Valentine’s Day (and because I’m a blogger) I decided to make my Paleo Whipped Coconut Cream “pretty” with the good old ziplock baggie. (Cut the corner off and squeeze it out!)

In the midst of “making it pretty” though, my husband got tired of me snapping pictures of food so I just dolloped it on the middle of my fruit plate!

Give it a shot! This is a WONDERFUL replacement to cool-whip or any other cream packed with crap. And it’s just so darn easy. I love it when clean eating is easy. It gives my friends less ammo when they criticize my eating choices. Oh, and the leftovers also make the most delicious coffee creamer the next day. You’re Welcome!

I’d love to hear what you think!

I’m linking up here today.

Now you cool kids linkup a recipe, craft, home decor, fashion, travel or any other post you want here! Let’s Celebrate Southern!

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Cajun Tuna Steaks + Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice (Whole30 Approved)

February 9, 2015 by Susan 7 Comments

You know those dinners that just make you melt on the inside with ever single bite you eat? Then it becomes a that you remember forever and ever? Mmmm I love those dinners.

Many years ago I went out with a friend for fun dinner at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront before we went to a concert. I don’t remember the name of the place, but I do remember two things: the tables/chairs were all swings (which was REALLY cool) and my dinner. I enjoyed a cajun, pan seared tuna over spicy tomatoes, black beans and rice - and it was amazing. So of course I went home and tried to recreate it. Turns out - it was a pretty easy meal to recreate.

Now that I’ve gone strict paleo and I’m working my way through a Whole60 - I’ve had to recreate my recreation. And let me tell you, it’s still one of the most delicious dinners you can make in just a few minutes!

Cajun, Spicy Tuna over Cauliflower Rice A note from the blogger: Here’s the thing - I’m a cheapskate. The app I use in for my blog recipes will only allow me to post one recipe per post… unless I want to pay $25. Which I don’t. Because these recipes don’t make me bank. So in this post I am explaining the cajun tuna AND the cauli rice because they go together like PB&J. Okay? Okay! Let’s do this:

Spicy, Cajun Tuna + Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Cuisine: Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free, Sugar Free

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 Tuna Steaks
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Cajun Seasoning
Red Pepper Flakes
Coconut Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cauliflower
2 Limes
½ TBSP Cilantro
Olive Oil

Instructions

Cauliflower Rice:
Prep the Cauliflower by cutting into small pieces. (I've heard you could also use a cheese grater.) Place in skillet, drizzle with olive oil. Add cilantro, lime juice and a bit of salt, then blend. Turn on medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.
Cauli-Rice is done when soft and begins to brown a bit.
Now on to the tuna:
Put two table spoons of coconut oil in a separate skillet on medium high.
Pat the tuna steak dry on both sides. Sprinkle Cajun Seasoning, Garlic Powder and Red Pepper Flakes (optional) on both sides of the tuna steak. Place steaks on skillet. Flip after a couple minutes. Depending on how you like your tuna done - they may be done in a couple minutes.

Shall I further explain? I love cauliflower rice. I have seen it made many different ways, including a method with a blender or a cheese grater. Because cauliflower is naturally “crumbly” I think it is just as easy to use a knife and just trim it down. For this recipe, I used cilantro and lime - but for dinners like this baked chicken and mushroom, I make cauli-rice with dried Italian herbs and ghee. SO GOOD Y’ALL!

As for the tuna - you definitely need to keep an eye on your tuna. I looked away and within a minute or so it was well beyond my tried and true “medium.”

So here’s how I serve this dinner… put your cilantro lime cauliflower rice on your plate first. Then I put a few spoonfuls of these spicy tomatoes (after heating them up in the microwave) on top of the rice. Place your cajun tuna on top and enjoy!

So close your laptop and go make this dinner right now. Or at least put it onto your meal plan for the week. This is a perfect dinner for your busy weeks because it is so quick and easy. Oh, and as usual - this dinner is gluten free, sugar free, paleo and whole30 approved! Enjoy!