What's the verdict? Whole30- Reintroduction

The last 3 weeks now I have been introducing some foods back into my diet.  After going for almost 2 months without Sugar, Dairy, Legumes & Grains I was curious to add them back in one at a time to see what would happen.  

I first tried Dairy.  Greek yogurt actually tastes ok to me without anything in it.  Normally I would have added some honey or stevia to it.  But, it tasted fine without it. But, still not my favorite.  I could live without it. I tried some cheddar cheese on my salad and it tasted so gross.  What? I use to love Cheese.  As a child my favorite snack was cheese.  No wonder why I always had a stomache ache. :) I also had a glass of milk. Wow, almost instantly I began to bloat and I had the worst stomache ache!! Dairy causes me gas, bloating and stomache pains. :( No good! Not sure if the yogurt and maybe cottage cheese would absorb differently than say a glass of milk would.  But, I also tried some whey protein and it did the same thing to me.  Tried some icecream too and I did not feel good after.  Also, could be the sugar. Dairy also causes me to breakout.  I feel like I have had skin issues for years and I'm almost positive now that it's from the foods I have been eating. Besides Ice cream I will not miss Dairy at all.  I'm sure I will have ice cream every once in a while from now on, but I know I won't feel good afterwards.  So, not sure if it will be worth it. :/

I tried grains and also gluten free grains and about 10 minutes after I felt so wiped out.  They drained me and I instantly felt sleepy.  I also had a stomache ache.  I couldn't tell much of a difference between the gluten and gluten free grains.  I may try to stick with gluten free grains for a while and see if I feel good or not.  The only things I really would want to have is Brown rice and Gluten free oats especially for baking.  We will see.
For info on what has gluten and what's gluten free this is a great source.

                              

Sugar gives me a huge headache, brings on the Hypoglycemia symptoms and makes my tummy feel sick!! It also causes me to want more and more even though I feel sick after.  It's an addiction...so bad.  Now I'm at the point where I feel like I can't stop...but I will! Although it's super hard.  I'm afraid that once I go back to the Whole30 way of eating that I won't ever be able have sweets because I won't be able to control myself.  But, we will see. I think having them once in a while in moderation and only when it's something I really like, then I would want it.  But, I want to feel in control!! It's a work in progress.

                                

I tried some Legumes like peanuts, peanut butter and black beans.  I think by this point I was already a mess from everything else.  Even though I spaced this all out trying a little here and a little there for about a week or more.  I still felt like since I was such a mess from a combination from everything that I tried I'm not really sure if the Legumes phased me or not. I may try them again later.  But, honestly after trying peanut butter....I realized I didn't even miss it like I thought I would.  I tried some of my homemade peanut butter and I didin't even have to add honey to it like I normally would.  It tasted fine without it.  But, I realized I like Almond Butter way more.  Weird, I know! I'm normally a Peanut butter girl.

*After reintroducing things back in for a little over a week I then went to camp.  We had amazing cooks that made all of our meals and snacks.  I did have a great time, but ate everything they gave us.  I didn't bring any of my own food and I didn't want to be a pain for them and not eat the food they made us.  And I ate every meal and every yummy snack they gave us.  I admit it was sooooo yummy! I did go a little crazy! I figured I was eating "dirty" all week, I might as well make the most of it...haha. But, I felt sick all week long!  My stomache constantly hurt, constipation, bloating and such major pains that I almost couldn't move...sorry TMI, but it was not good.  I felt so sluggish and tired.  This is a Testament to me that my Body Loves the Whole30 way of eating.  I never knew my body could feel so good.  I am excited to get back to it and  I have got to kick these sugar cravings to the curb again!!

Whole 30 Complete!!

I actually finished my Whole30 a couple weeks ago.  The only reason I stopped was because I was getting ready to go to camp and we had cooks that would be cooking each of our meals and I didn't want to be a pain for them and not eat what they cooked or ask for something different.  So, I finished my whole 30 and I wanted to start adding stuff back in to see how my body reacted and if there was something I absolutely should stay away from at camp. 

But, before I get into that here are a few things I ate the last week or so of my Whole 30. :)

The Naked burger again :) This time I grilled some peppers and put those on top along with a grilled pineapple.  I also added a little mustard.  I didn't realize my mustard was compliant and I'm not usually a huge fan of mustard.  But...this was oh so tasty!! Loved it!

Burrito Bowl made with broccoli slaw and ground beef and some toppings!  Yum!!

Sweet potato, zuchini and egg fritata! I actually liked it! I got the idea from THIS RECIPE. I just had a triangle each time and was able to split it into a few seperate meals. This is a great one to make ahead of time to have something easy to grab.

Sweet Potato and carrot cakes.  Yummy! I used these for a few seperate meals. Also makes for something easy to crab when you need.

It felt great to finish my Whole 30, especially since my first attempt I only got to Day 22.  So I guess this wasy my 2nd round and I FINISHED!! I really didn't want to stop, but I was worried about eating stuff at camp and not knowing what I should stay away from. 

What I learned during my Whole 30

*I learned that Fat is not the enemy.  I learned that Healthy fats help me feel full. 

 *I learned how important good sleep is.  

*I learned how hare it is to detox your body of all the junk (even though I thought before that I was eating pretty healthy...since I was eating pretty clean). My body still didn't like some of the things I was eating on my "clean eating" nutrition. Everybody is different and you need to figure out what your body likes and doesn't. 

*I have learned that I feel free without constantly dealing with Hypoglycemia symtoms and brain fog from eating processed foods and any kind of sugar. Sugar is in EVERYTHING and I have learned how much better my body feels without it!

*I have learned that when you start eating this way you no longer have cravings for sweets or junk food.  It didn't even phase me to be around them. But, when I start back up eating sweets I want more and more of them! :(

*I have learned more about good food to fuel my body and how great I can actually feel.  I didn't realize how horrible I actually felt before this. 

Wow...I feel like I learned a lot more that just can't be explained and that food does not control me.  Eating this way helps me feel more in control of my body.  My stomache was flatter, I had more confidence.  I lost 8 lbs and 1.5 inches on my waist and 1.5 on my hips.  Yay!!

I love Whole30! :)

Whole 30- I made it past Day 22 :)

I can't believe I'm almost done with my Whole 30.  My last attempt I only made it to Day 22 and I pretty much started right over after I slipped up.  So, I have been eating this way for almost 2 months with a little slip in between.  I love it!! I never thought I would love eating like this.  I am eating way more veggies than I use to and I don't really miss the things that I thought I would.  I want to go longer.  I am excited to reintroduce things one by one to finally know how my body reacts to certain things.  Today I am finishing up Day 27! WooHoo! I'm starting to feel more energy too. I'm still experimenting with finding the best Carb/Protein/Fat ration for me. Everybody's body is different.  Some like to do a 40/40/20 split. 40% Carbs, 40% Proteins, 20% Fats.  Some don't do well with that. I've been trying that ratio, but I do eat more fats than that. Luckily it's Healthy Fats. Just not sure if cutting back on those will help me be a little more successful with this.  So, I'm trying to figure it out. Somethings I have been trying to do the last couple days is up my carbs and eat the majority of my starchy carbs in the first part of the day.  Things like Sweet Potato and Fruit more in the first part of the day and not so much in the last.  I workout in the morning and eating more carbs after that is essential to keep up my energy. It seems to help. It should start helping with my nightly sweet cravings too.

Here are a few things I had the last couple weeks...

Salmon patties- I get a craving for these at least every 2 weeks.  They are super easy.  I don't really follow a recipe I just wing it..haha.  I do that with a lot of things.  I use wild caught salmon, I believe it's "chicken of the sea" brand that I usually get. I add an egg, some coconut flour or almond flour, celery, parsley, salt and pepper.  I pan fry them in the coconut oil or olive oil.  Add lemon juice before eating. It's easy to put what ever protein you are having on a bed of spinach leaves to get those extra veggies in.  I just paired this with some sliced cucumbers and avacado.  Lemon juice and salt/pepper on everything!

I had some Salmon patties left over, so I had them the next day with a side of fresh green beans, some tropical fruit and olives.

Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Butter- This sweet treat is one of my new favorites.  The picture does not do it justice.  It's super good and super sweet! Pineapple does have a ton of natural sugar, so I know I shouldn't have this too often, especially at night. Grilled (or baked in my case) pineapple.  I put clarified butter on each slice, bake at 400 for 10 minutes and flip, add more clarified butter or Ghee and cook for another 10 minutes or until tender and grilled just how you like it. I topped it with my Homemade Coconut Butter. I top everything with that. :) It really was a great combo.

Grilled Chicken, Sweet potato Chips and watermelon mojito salad

My chips look burned..haha, but still were awesome! The Watermelon/cucumer salad was awesome too.  

This is another go to treat. :) Simple. If I don't make it into icecream with frozen bananas, I just use fresh sliced bananas.  Add some berries or other fruit, warm coconut butter (of course) and crushed pecans or almonds on top.  Yummy! Now if I can just stop craving this at night!! I need to stop eating fruit and "treats" at night!! But, hey it's better than indulging in processed carbs and junk! Right!?

Day 28 here I come! 

Sweet Potato Fries!!

I have come to LOVE Sweet Potatoes.  I have them almost everyday especially if I do a tough workout in the morning they are a great Pre or Post workout food paired with a good protein. I usually work out really early in the morning so I'll just grab a banana or an egg muffin before I workout. Then I'll do Sweet Potato and Eggs or something like that normally after my workout in the morning.

I tried Sweet Potato Fries a few months before I strated Whole 30 and I hated them!! I was trying to be hopeful about Sweet Potatoes because they are so good for you.  But, I just couldn't do it for some reason, not sure if it was the recipe or if my taste buds have just changed so much from doing Whole 30.  

I really love This Sweet Potato Fry recipe.  They are delish and my husband and family will eat them too!!

What you will need:

3 Sweet Potatoes, washed, and cubed into chunky pieces with skin on

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 tsp minced garlic (I love garlic so I always use at least 2 tsp)

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Sea salt

Preheat Oven to 425 

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Pour out and spread onto a baking sheet, make sure they are not touching and bake for approx. 20-25 minutes (making sure to flip at least once)

Yummy!

Also great to pair them with a "Naked" burger :) So good!

I also tried these Sweet Potato Chips recently!!! Mmmmmm....I love them as long as I don't burn them! :)

A couple other ways I like to cook sweet potatoes is just to simply bake them or put them in the microwave :) and add clarified butter and cinnamon. Or I will dice them up and cook them in Coconut Oil on low-med until tender and a little crisp on the outside.  I will either add salt and pepper or cinnamon.

What are some of your favorite ways to Prepare Sweet Potatoes?

Paleo Pancakes!

These can really be dangerous if you fully aren't able to conrol your sugar cravings yet :) When I first had these I felt like it kicked off more sugar cravings for me during my first Whole 30. But, I am able to have these once in a while now when I feel like I need something other than just eggs and it's just what I need for a different breakfast! I love them!

I got the recipe HERE- Cinnamon and Coconut Pancakes!

It will make about 12 pancakes 3 " in diameter:

• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons full fat coconut milk (I did use almond milk once when I was out of coconut milk, it worked ok, something about it made it a little hard to flip the pancakes.)
• ½ mashed ripe banana (about 2 tablespoons)
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ tablespoons of organic coconut flour (I got mine from amazon)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 small pinch of salt
• ghee or coconut oil (for frying)

I always put all the ingredients in a blender to blend well, cook them and they are so yummy with coconut butter or almond butter and berries. Sometimes I'll also sprinkle coconut flakes on top! :)

Homemade Coconut Butter

Coconut Butter....Coconut Manna. It's pretty much the same thing.  The only ingredient...Organic Coconut flakes!  If you like coconut then you will probably like this.  Especially if you are sugar free this will be like your Heaven on Earth. :) I haven't had any sugar whatsoever...not even sugar alternatives like honey, stevia, pure maple syrup...nothing for 22 days then I had one thing after 22 days then I went straight back to no sugar (also no legumes, no grains, no dairy for Whole30) for 21 more days and counting. It actually feels really great! Fruit tastes sweeter and overall everything I eat tastes full of flavor.  What is even better is knowing that I am becoming healthier on the inside. Of course I won't go "no sugar" for the rest of my life.  But, this test has definitely taught me a lot and once I do have sugar again, I'm hoping I can control myself and only have it once in a while. Over this last month or so I have come to LOVE Coconut Manna.  I have bought it a few times at a health food store.  I bought the "Nutiva" brand Coconut Manna. I have also tried little packets of Coconut Butter. Coconut is considered a healthy fat. Don't be afraid of Healthy Fats! It helps keep you full and is great to have with other things to make a really great snack. I have used it on fruit like blackberries, strawberries, apples, grapes.  I have also used it on Baked Sweet potato with a little cinnamon. I spread it on my Paleo Pancakes and top with berries.  So Yummy! Have you tried Coconut Butter? What do you use it on?

Each jar of Coconut Manna is about $8 from the health food store.  I also buy the Organic Coconut Flakes from there (they are unsweetened) and they only cost about 1.25 for the whole bag. So, I decided to try making my own Coconut Butter since I use it so much. 

THIS post gave me some inspiration! Other great ideas there of what to do with coconut butter.

There are a ton of Healthy benefits to Coconut!  Whether you’re eating the meat, drinking the juice, or consuming it as oil, coconuts are a delicious and nutritious source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It has tons of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as plenty of electrolytes. In fact, coconut water is known to have the same electrolyte levels as human plasma, and has even been used for plasma transfusions! Coconut's are excellent for one’s immunity. They are antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-parasitic, meaning they kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Because of that, if you consume coconut in any of its various forms (whether it be raw coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut butter, etc.), it can help treat some of mankind’s worst and most resilient of illnesses.

So, what are we waiting for...let's get to it!

These are the Unsweetened Coconut Flakes that I used.  This bag was about $1.25 or so.  The bag pictured is about half gone just fyi :)

The whole process will take you approximately 15 minutes. Each time I have made it I use about 3 cups of coconut flakes. 3 cups will give you approx. 4 oz which actually doesn't last long. Next time I'm going to make more at a time and see how it blends.  If you do less than 3 cups it isn't enough to blend well in your food processor, you'll just have to stop and scrape the bowl a little more often. 

Just put the Coconut Flakes in your food processor and let it start blending. After it looks like it's not blending much and the coconut is stuck to the sides, you will need to turn it off and use a spoon to scrape the sides and let all the coconut go to the middle again.

It's starting to become a little more creamy, but keep going.  Scrape the bowl and let your processor go for a few more minutes.  

Just keep scraping and blending, scraping and blending...be patient! Then it will soon look like this pic below!! Nice and creamy! Coconut butter won't go completely smooth like butter, it still will be a little gritty, but you should blend until it's as creamy as you can get it.  Many people have said that they didn't like Coconut Butter at first but the 2nd time they tried it they loved it! :)

You can just put it into a little container or mason jar.  If it's not quite runny when you want to use it then just put your container in a little hot water for a bit (without letting water get in). Coconut Butter does not need to be put in the fridge, but if you are going to keep it longer than a week or so, I say it wouldn't hurt to put it in the fridge.

This is also great mixed with homemade Almond butter! Yum!

Enjoy!! Let me know if you try it! 

I absolutely Love Coconut!  Coconut flakes, coconut butter & coconut oil.  It's so good for you. In an upcoming post I will talk about Coconut Oil, how I've been using it and many other uses and benefits! So stay tuned! :)

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

I have never tried Spaghetti squash.  It's so cool!! Cooking it this way it wasn't mushy at all, it had a perfect texture. It does have a different texture than actual spaghetti noodles, but it came pretty close!

I was happy with the turnout.

My kids ate this!! They could tell it was a little different, but they still ate it.  My husband new something was up... :) and he wasn't too sure about it, but he ate it.  He's not good at trying new things especially if it has to do with vegetables.  If it's any sort of veggie he doesn't like he will automatically think it's gross without trying it.  So, he took a couple bites and then asked what it was and I told him.  He then was kind of mad :) and didn't want to eat it, but he did! :) Oh goodness!! What am I going to do with him? 

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeds removed

Sauce:
2 tbs coconut oil
1 1/2 cups diced white onion
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups strained tomatoes or tomato sauce (I used tomato sauce...read labels and make sure no sugar or crazy ingredients added, I ended up getting a kroger brand)
3 heaping TBS tomato paste (look at labels)
1 TBS dried basil
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Meatballs:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground pork (I used ground turkey)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 TBS dried basil
1/2 TBS dried oregano
2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat the oven to 450. In a large baking dish, place the squash cut side down and add 2 inches of water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the insides of the squash can easily be removed with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, while your squash is baking start your sauce.  In a large stockpot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and saute the onions until translucent.
4.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two or just until the garlic is fragrant.
5.  Add the strained tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and tomato paste and mix well.
6. Add the remaining spices, bring the sauce to a simmer, and turn heat down to low.
7. Use your hands to mix the spices in the ground beef and pork.
8.  Form the meat mixture into small golf ball-size meatballs and drop these gently into the simmering tomato sauce.
9. Once all the meatballs are in the sauce, cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle. (next time I might try cooking the meatballs in a seperate pan for a little bit and then add them to the sauce)
10.  Scrape the insides of the cooked spaghetti squash out with a fork (it's so cool that it comes out like spaghetti) and serve topped with the meatballs and sauce.