Whole30: My Post-Whole30 Life...so far

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It's been 4 weeks since my Hubby and I completed the Whole30 Program. Hubby has lost 20 pounds so far, and I've lost about 12! We are more energetic, less "puffy", and we both sleep way better! Life has been pretty awesome, I can't even lie :)

We have reintroduced dairy into our regular diet (mostly just cheese and butter). We have also added chocolate and Paleo-Approved sweets. On occasion, we eat non-paleo foods, but we have learned a lot about what our bodies can and cannot handle on those occasions.

For starters, my body does NOT like wheat. Wheat does really awful things to my tummy, and it wrecks my sleep. It also gives be the loathed sugar high and crash. I am, however, tolerant of the occasional rice dish! That makes me happy because I love rice. I won't be eating it all the time because I'm still on a weight loss journey, but I'm glad it won't make me feel sick!  I don't crave sweets the same way I used to. I still like to have a piece of chocolate after a meal, but that usually does the trick!

~ Side Note: I bought Enjoy Life's Soft Baked Double Chocolate Cookies at Whole Foods last night (they are on sale!) and they are DELICIOUS! And be proud of me, I only ate one :) ~

The biggest challenge I have experienced so far is being prepared. I need to make sure I have protein-packed choices ready for lunches and snacks at work, and my dinners when Hubby works nights. Protein is expensive, so I'm learning how to keep good meal and snack solutions around without breaking the bank. My CSA had stewing chickens for sale last week, so I prepared one over the weekend and shred the meat for different meal applications. I also tried my hand at baking last weekend with some Coconut Flour Muffins, which turned out really well! That weekend I also made Apple Butter, which is amazing! (I honestly want to eat it straight of the jar with a spoon...but I won't...) Both of these recipes are inexpensive, simple, and very satisfying for breakfast or a snack.

My other challenge is saying "No". Saying "No" to the lady at the food court Chinese food stand asking if I want rice with my meal.  I didn't, but I said "Yes" anyway.  Saying "No" to people offering me candy, or treats.  I don't want to be rude, but in all honesty I'm not!  I can refuse junk food and still be considered polite. Saying "No" is something I've been working on for a while now, but I can say that I'm better than I used to be.

What surprised me most about the last month is how forgiving the body is. Even with all my cheats and adjusting, I still kept losing weight! Those off-days certainly slowed my weight-loss down, but I was expecting it to stop all together. I guess cutting wheat, legumes, (most) grains and refined sugars have really changed the way my body burns fat, just like the research said it would!

(I should mention, too, that I have only exercised ONCE in the last 2 months. I'm not proud of this, but the fact that I have still lost weight shows how effective cutting grains, legumes, and refined sugars can be to in a weight loss journey.)

So the goal for next month is to BE PREPARED! I want to have meats and veggies on standby at all times for lunches, snacks, and dinners when Hubby is at work.  I want to pack lunches the night before because Lord knows I hate getting out of bed earlier than I absolutely have to.  I want to batch cook on the weekends in preparation for the week. I'm so excited to check in again next month with my goals completed!

My (Current) Kitchen Wishlist

I love kitchen gadgets! I could probably spend an entire day in William Sonoma or Bed Bath & Beyond, for real.  I'm also a newlywed, so I don't have the most equipped kitchen. I finally bought my first muffin pan LAST WEEK!

Yeah, it's like that.

So, as I am trying to live a more natural and holistic lifestyle, my kitchen needs are changing. Here's a list of 5...ish items that I feel could make my life much productive and efficient in the kitchen:

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1. A(nother) slow cooker.

Yep, I need more than one slow cooker. Why, you ask? For broth, of course! I need a slow cooker than can practically run all the time for the sole purpose of preparing broth and keeping warn broth available for drinking anytime. This may sound weird to some, but broth is super healthy (Jewish penicillin, hello!). Plus I've been threatened by my CSA coordinator that if I don't drink broth every day, then....well...I'm crazy!  Finally, when I'm not making broth. I could always use this to batch cook on the weekends for the coming week! Since slow cookers are so inexpensive, I'm sure I'll be adding another one to my arsenal pretty soon.

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2. A Food Processor

Doesn't this make EVERY home cook's life easier? Something that will do all that redundant slicing and dicing for you?  Well, I honestly don't mind the slicing and dicing because I'm trying to develop Iron Chef knife skills (watch out, Marimoto!). But there are a couple things I would be constantly using this awesome thing for. One would be seed and nut butters! It would also be super useful when I'm whipping up some Paleo-Friendly cookies by Kelly Bjelly. Then there's pesto, salsa, cauliflower "rice", SO many things I could do with this thing! Hopefully it won't be too long before I have one of these.

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3. A new set of knives.

So, back to the Iron Chef knife skills...I want them. And not Iron Chef America skills. I want the skills of the O.G.s from Iron Chef Japan! I want to julienne a carrot perfectly in seconds. I want to be able to butcher an entire pig beautifully.  I don't want to go to chef school anymore, but I would LOVE to take some knife skills classes. I mean, there's no getting around using knives when being a home cook, so why not have some serious skills...and a super sharp set of knives! Yes, I'm talking about cuts-through-paper-with-one-fail-swoop sharp! Did you know that working with sharp knives is actually SAFER than working with dull ones? Yep, it allows you to make precise cuts with minimal effort, instead of hacking away at something with your poor fingers trying to stay out of the way! Yes, new knives would be a wonderful thing.

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4. A Vitamix!!

OMG, I WANT ONE OF THESE SO BAD!!!  The Vitamix is the ultimate blender, used by the worlds best chefs and home cooks. From the speed controlling dial, to the tamper that allows you to push down food while blending, and the insanely powerful motor that will actually heat up pureed soups while blending!  This masterpiece is the perfect blend of art and science - a sleek design that stands the test of time. I have so many plans for this thing. Not only can I make nut butters, purees, soups, smoothies, coconut milk, coconut flour, etc, but I can also work on my skin and hair care line with this thing! And I'd me more than comfortable using it for both because they are a breeze to clean! Just put warm, soapy water in the container and blend! VOILA! With the price tag of over $500, purchasing one of these will take a while, but I'm willing to wait in order to get the best.

                    

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5. A cast iron dutch oven and skillet

Okay, I know this is cheating a little bit, but I want them both for the same reasons - they are both oven safe! I want to make beautiful frittatas and seared steaks in the skillet, while making delicious braised meat dishes in the dutch oven. I love my new cooking ware (especially the fact that it was all less than $50!), but none if it is oven safe. Cast iron is the ultimate in cooking ware. It last forever. It is easy to clean. It's a beautiful presentation all in its own. They don't leak yucky chemicals into your food, and the skillet would even ADD iron to my dishes! It's the gift that keeps on giving!  The dutch oven could essentially be yet ANOTHER slow cooker when I'm home and can watch the oven. So many uses for both of these amazing products - I can't wait to have one or two in my kitchen!

This list is not necessarily complete, but I feel they are definitely the essentials. In the blogs I read, these items come up regularly in recipes and posts.  Please do not misunderstand - I am extremely thankful for what I have. My tiny apartment has a great gas stove that I don't know what I would do without. My current slow cooker doubles as a pressure cooker, which makes amazing stews! My hubby and I bought a Nutribullet not to long ago, and it works well for making smoothies, nut butters (with a little extra texture), and blending batters.  My life will go on if I never own any of these things, but it's good for me to have a wishlist. This process has allowed me to really compare the gadgets I desire to the list of tasks I'd actually perform with them and weed out the fluff. These 5...er...6 items would be used on a very regular basis, and that's why they made the wishlist.

What kitchen items are currently on your wishlist?

Recipe: Mushroom and Snap Peas Stir-Fry with Glass Noodles

Hey, bloggy friends!! I'm sorry I've been MIA lately... It's been one of those low energy weeks.  But I'm back with a DELICIOUS stir-fry recipe inspired by The Parsley Thief's version from a couple years back. I made a few tweaks (as I always do) to match my tastes and the ingredients I had on hand. I also want to share an awesome noodle that has become my saving grace on the Paleo Diet so far:

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Korean Glass Noodles, or Japchae, are made from sweet potato starch, making them a great way to satisfy a persistant noodle craving such as mine.  It's definitely not an every day thing - they are very high in carbohydrates - but it's an awesome treat! These noodles about the same thickness as spaghetti, but are much longer and are traditionally cut up a bit before serving. Also, they have a very slippery, springy texture, making them lots of fun to slurp! Finally, you must cook your glass noodles thoroughly. Al Dente will mean very chewy pasta. You can find these noodles at any Asian market, or at an extremely well stocked (and perhaps high-end) supermarket.

Mushroom and Snap Peas Stir Fry with Glass Noodles

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil, separated

1 tsp of sesame oil

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb chicken livers (optional, I just like to sneak them in wherever I can)

Sesame seeds

1 onion, diced

1 16oz pkg of mushrooms, quartered

1 12oz pkg of snap peas, sliced

1 bunch of green onions, sliced and separated

2 tbsp of tamari sauce

1 tbsp of Sriracha sauce

1 tsp honey

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/2 lb of korean glass noodles

Water for boiling noodles

Directions

1. Fill pot with water and a couple tablespoons of salt and set on stove to boil.
2. Add one tablespoon of coconut oil to a deep skillet or wok on medium high heat. When oil is hot, drop in ground beef and livers and cook until browned. Make sure livers are chopped up well and mixed in with beef if you have any leery eaters. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
3. When water is boiling, add noodles. Will cook for about 10 minutes, but taste noodles often to check texture and doneness.
4. Add 2nd tablespoon of coconut oil in your hot pan, along with the sesame oil, and add your onions and mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms have shrunken. Next add in your snap peas and 1/2 of your green onions. Cook for a couple minutes more.
5. When noodles are done, drain and set colander over empty pot. With kitchen shears, cut noodles roughly until they are easier to manage.
6. Add meat back in your pan, along with the remaining ingredients. Cook for a couple more minutes, until all seasonings are mixed well.
7. To serve, place noodles down first, then stir-fry. Top stir fry with green onions, sesame seeds, and more sriracha, if preferred.

Hair Success! How to Accomplish a Simple Braid Out

     Hey y'all! This is me...on a REALLLY good hair day! How did I achieve this hair day? Very simply! In fact, it was probably the most simple hair experience I have ever had!

     I have approximately 4A hair. It's pretty coarse, but it's not every thick (that will make sense to some). My hair gets very dry and tangles easily, so I usually struggle for hours to detangle it before I wash it!

This time I skipped the pre-wash, detangling, and shampoo all together!  Here's what you'll need:

Directions:

1. Before hopping in the shower, fill your empty bottle 1/3 of the way with your apple cider vinegar. Once in the shower, fill the bottle the rest of the way with the warm shower water, then proceed to pour the mixture over your hair, close to the scalp. The plus to having a product bottle is that you can squeeze the mixture over the hair slowly, thus making it easier to cover the whole head without pouring it into one place.
2. After you've poured the entire mixture on your hair, begin massaging the mixture into your hair, and carefully running your fingers through your hair. Do this for about 10 minutes, or until you can easily run your fingers through your hair.
3. At this point you can either rinse out the apple cider vinegar, or put your conditioner directly on top of it! Just fill your palm with some conditioner, and apply it to your ends. Comb your fingers through the ends, distributing it thoroughly. Let the conditioner stay in your hair for about 10 minutes, or however long it takes to finish washing the rest of your body. At the end of your shower, rinse your hair thoroughly, then wrap it up in a T-Shirt to dry.
4. Once hair is no longer dripping, but still damp, section the hair off into six sections. Take one section, put on some aloe vera gel then some jojoba oil, then proceed to braid. Repeat until all 6 sections are braided. Leave your hair in this style overnight, and wear a satin cap while you sleep.
5. In the morning (or whenever you're ready) oil your hands with jojoba, and begin to gently take out your braids. After all the braids are out, work your oiled hands through your hair until you achieve the desired volume. And voila, you've got a gorgeous, and easy, braid-out do!

     The biggest trick to all of this is to make sure you use a mild washing agent, lots of moisture, and only manipulate damp hair. That's what I've found works for me, and I hope it'll will work for you too!