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Whole30 Day 3: Cravings

Hi all!  Today is Day 3 of the January Whole 30 challenge and I’m still kicking butt!  It hasn’t been a struggle but I definitely miss bourbon.  We are in a really bad cold snap right now (think single digits and negative temps) and man some bourbon or even some red wine would be perfect right now.

But instead I’m having herbal tea and getting in bed by 8:30pm like a proper fucking old lady.

Frittata and Coffee

The roads were pretty clear this morning so I was able to kick it at the gym.  Once home I heated up a slice of veggie frittata and some leftover roasted potatoes.  Frothy coffee on the side (coconut oil + ghee + collagen).

Because it’s my lady cycle time (TMI? Sorry not sorry), I’m craving beef like crazy which is pretty normal for me. But I’ve specifically been craving sautéed peppers and onions + beef + mayo.  Today I rolled with it!  I sautéed up some peppers and onions and had that with a burger and homemade mayo and a little Cholula on top!

Burger and side salad

Plus a salad on the side.

Yaaasssss! This hit the spot so very much.  The salad was dressed with Tessamae’s Creamy Ranch Dressing which is just OK.  I like my ranch better and will be sticking with that.  This is fine in a pinch or if you don’t want to make dressing but eh, not worth it to me.

It has been pouring snow all day long.  While I was making supper, Scott was out shoveling the back sidewalks and making some paths for the dogs.  As soon as he was done shoveling the sidewalk it was covered again.  Yikes!

Dinner tonight was repurposed leftovers!

Pork taco bowl

I chopped up the last of the pork country ribs and sautéed that up with some onions (and leftover peppers + onions from lunch) till it got crispy then added in some salsa from TJs and let that simmer for about 15 minutes.  The salsa has no sugar.  Win!

Plated on top of some cauliflower rice for a sort of taco/fajita bowl thingy.  There was also homemade guac on the side with some plantain chips.

Side note: Plantain chips are not a “food with out brakes” for me so I feel comfortable enough having those during the challenge.

You know it, time for the couch and some herbal tea!

 

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January 2017 Whole30 Day 1 and 2

Welcome to a brand new year! This year I’m full of vigor and determination to reach my goals and that starts with proper fueling.  I’ve derailed in a big way, ever since November I’ve pretty much had a “fuck it” attitude about everything. Life, working out, eats, drinking, you name it.  UGH.

And naturally I feel like shit, look like shit, and have gained unnecessary weight.

Stupid.

So here I am focused on getting back what I lost and determined to get where I need to be.  I did a Whole30 last year and loved it. Yeah there were a few frustrations but I’m past that. This year frustrations be gone! Let’s do this thing!

A change in work schedule means there’s no Daily Eats posting on Monday nights, so you’ll get a recap of two days on Tuesday.  Coolio?

Monday:

Veggie Frittata and Coffee

Up and at ’em! I had a banana before going to the gym, once home I heated up a slice of frittata.  I made a BIG frittata for the week.  When I say big, I mean, I use a 9×13 casserole dish to make the frittata.  This one had:

  • 1 Dozen Eggs
  • 1 Medium Sized Onion
  • Handful of baby peppers
  • 1lb Bag of Frozen Collard Greens
  • 1 Can of Coconut Milk

The seasonings were salt, pepper, coconut aminos, and garlic powder.  I did sautee up the peppers, onions, and greens before adding that to the egg mixture.  Baked in a greased dish at 400 for about half an hour.  Breakfast for the week done!

Yes this makes a lot but I’m also cooking for two adults.  However even if I was only cooking for one, I’d still make a huge batch like this. What doesn’t get eaten can be frozen for another time.

Tuna Salad Salad

Lunch was a big salad that had my soul.

  • Mixed greens
  • Baby Tomatoes
  • Chopped Beets
  • Shredded Carrot
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Tuna Salad

The tuna salad was just homemade mayo + tuna and some Flavor God Lemon Garlic Seasoning.  Then I headed in to work which sadly moved at a crawling pace.  Apparently people don’t want to buy alcohol the day after New Year’s.  Who would have thought?

My snacks at work were an apple and some pistachios.

Dinner I don’t have a picture of because it was just too ugly to post.  There was no way to photograph it and make it look pretty without some serious styling and at 8pm at night I have zero desire to do that.  Plus this section is about real life and not styled food.  I had leftover pork country ribs with kraut and mashed potatoes.  It was so good and perfect.

Then I hit the hay to read for a bit because I’m an old lady.

Tuesday:

Woke up to snow and snow covered roads.  MEH.  I get cranky because it means I can’t hit the gym since my car doesn’t do well in the snow.  Especially the wet heavy slippery stuff. So I made a huge pot of coffee and chilled.

Coffee with ghee + coconut oil + collagen this morning.

Scrambled Eggs and Roasted Potatoes

Since I had some extra time this morning I made us some roasted potatoes and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

The snow stopped and the roads cleared so I headed out to run some errands. I needed a few things from the store and since it’s supposed to snow more, I wanted to get these done. I won’t make it to the weekend with no eggs! Can you even do a Whole30 without eggs?

If you don’t eat eggs during your Whole30, did your Whole30 really exist?  Deep thoughts.

Once home lunch was quick and hot.

Hotdogs and sweet potato

Grassfed hotdogs from TJ’s and half a baked sweet potato.  Not the most amazing lunch but I was cold (so so cold) and a salad did not seem appealing.  I needed something hot!

Once lunch was finished I did some laundry and more around the house crap then it was time to get dinner started.

Cabbage roll soup!

Cabbage Roll Soup

Basically everything in cabbage rolls (minus the rice) in soup form.  So good and perfect for this super cold evening.  I made a large batch of it too so there will be plenty of leftovers.

Now it’s time to have some tea and chill with Scott for a bit before heading to bed.

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November 2016 Barbella Box

November 2016 Barbella Box

Happy 2017! I’m kicking of the new year with a review of November 2016 Barbella Box.  This box was customized by Lauren Brooks.

EXO Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle:

Gold water bottle with a screw top and open mouth. I’ve linked to a similar one on their website. The one that came in the box was made especially for Barbella and is double in size.  Personally I don’t like water bottles that have an open mouth top.  However I can see this being useful to bring on hikes or picnics.  It can keep water (or wine, no judging) cold and would be easy to pour into travel cups.

EXO Wrist Wraps:

These are purple! They are such an awesome color and match the new Nano 6s that I got (more on those later).  That said, I do have a love/hate relationship with them.  They are soft and way more flexible than other wraps I’ve used, which I love.  However they are “universal” wraps which is a fancy of way of saying, they are the same.  Meaning, there is no right and left wrap.  If you’ve used wrist wraps before, then you know they usually come in right and left.  The fact that this does not DRIVES ME BANANAS.  Because it means that you are not wrapping your wrists the same way which can throw things off a bit.

So it’s taking some getting used to. I love them and I’ll use them but Imma be cranky about it.

Barbell Beanie:

I love this hat so much! It has fun colors, it’s soft, and the adorable barbell on the front is awesome. I’ve gotten so many compliments on it too.  It’s warm, it doesn’t ride up when working out or running and did I mention it’s soft? So it doesn’t cause my forehead to itch when I wear it for extended periods of time.

doTERRA Bath Bar and Deep Blue Rub:

I’ve been wanting to try out doTERRA for a while now and I’m stoked to see these products! I have not used the soap yet but it smells divine and I cannot wait to try out the rub on some sore muscles.

Summary:

Over all this box wasn’t too bad.  It probably has the most items that I’ll actually use and that fit my current needs.  If you’re doing any kind of weight lifting and want to treat yourself, definitely checkout Barbella Box. It’s such a fun box to get each month and you can customize the frequency of shipments as well.  If you don’t want a box each month, no worries! Skip it and go with your own schedule.

 

*Disclaimer: Some links are referral links which doesn’t change the price for you at all but does help with site maintenance. 

 

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Sweet and Smoky Shishito Peppers

With all the holiday functions and parties that happen during this time of year, I wanted to create a quick and simple appetizer that would be great for entertaining, parties, or as a way to kick off an intimate date night at home. While out shopping I came across some awesome looking shishito peppers and knew they would be perfect to use. Most times the peppers are paired with a dipping sauce but I wanted to wrap the peppers is a sweet and sticky sauce making them easier to prepare and eat.

In a recent shipment from Cultivar Wines, I received a 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc that I thought would pair nicely with this dish.

Sweet Smoky Shishito Peppers

Andrea’s Sweet and Smoky Shishito Peppers

  • 6oz Shishito Peppers
  • 1/2TBSP Light Olive Oil
  • Juice of 1 Large Lime
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic (Either use a garlic press or finely chop them)
  • 1 TBSP Honey
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • Pinch of Salt (no more than 1/4 tsp)

In a bowl, combine the lime juice, garlic, honey, paprika, and salt, whisk until everything is combined and set aside. In a medium sized skillet, heat up the olive oil over medium to medium high heat for about 2 minutes (do not let the oil smoke), then add in the peppers in a single layer.  Cook peppers on each side for about 3 minutes until they blister and start to soften.  Reduce heat to medium and add in the sauce, stir and make sure all the peppers are covered.  Continue to gently stir and cook the sauce for about two minutes.  The sauce should cook down and start to coat the peppers.  Allow to cool for one minute and give another stir before plating.

Plate and serve!

 

Sweet Smoky Shishito Peppers

These peppers are great hot right out of the pan but can also be served at room temperature, making them perfect for entertaining and parties.

Having the sauce on the peppers means there’s less to handle and turns them into a fabulous finger food appetizer, just right for mingling and eating while standing.

You can make the sauce ahead of time making the cooking time on these even quicker.  I would recommend making a double batch because these will go quick!

These peppers and the 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc really worked well together.  The crisp citrus notes of the wine balances out the smoky sweet sauce while the oaky herby notes compliments the earthy pepper flavor.

Have fun, and remember, always play with your food.  Enjoy!

Disclosure: I’m required to disclose a sponsored partnership between our site, Food Embrace, and Cultivar Wine. I have been compensated in exchange for this post in the form of product. All opinions presented are my own. I receive wine from Cultivar Wine as a member of the Cultivar Wine Bloggers group.

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Wednesday Hermit Day

Hi, pretties! My day was filled with not much and I loved it. I am very much a slightly social introvert which means I can hang out with friends, go to events, and work a highly social job but that I need downtime to balance all that out. I don’t get energy from people around people, I get energy from not talking to anyone and being in my own space.

I call these days, hermit days, because that’s exactly what I do.

Today was a hermit day.

Yogurt bowl and coffee

Breakfast was frothy coffee and a yogurt bowl.

  • 2% Fage
  • Homemade Granola
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds (I found these at Costco)
  • Coconut Chips

Coffee was unsweetened SO Delicious Coconut Milk + Coconut Butter.

It was a coconutty kind of morning, I guess.

I did some blog stuff and got things ready for posting this week, then it was time for lunch!

Bruger and salad

Burgers with mixed greens on the side dressed in Tessamae’s Creamy Ranch dressing.  The burgers were pre-made grassfed that I picked up at Costco, heated in a skillet and topped with pepper jack cheese.  On a gluten free bun from TJ’s which was just OK. I seriously think I just need to give up on gluten free bread and buns because they either taste like chalk or are so bulky they are difficult to eat.

Scott and I were able to hang out for a bit today and do some more binging on Arrow and The Flash.  Then it was time for dinner. I prepped the veggies before hand so I only needed to cook them cutting down kitchen time greatly!

Brats, parsnip mash, sprouts

Brats with parsnip mash and Brussels sprouts.  Simple and quick!

Which in case it hasn’t been obvious, is the theme for holiday vacation.  Now for a little more Arrow and Flash before I call it a night!