Mini "Eggs in a Nest" (Leftover Edition)- REPOST

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1T. Coconut Oil (or other fat)

1 Cup Leftover Veggies (I used roasted carrots and celery root, that I had tossed with olive oil and Za'atar. I also added a few pinches of shredded, raw zucchini that I had in the fridge.)

1/2 Cup Leftover Meat (I used shredded pork; a pork shoulder that I slow-cooked with salsa verde)

3 Eggs

Cilantro or Other Fresh Herb, for garnish (optional)

This is what  used for mine,  but you can also use ramekins:

Oversized Muffin Tin*

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. Use your fingers to smear the coconut oil into three oversized muffin tin cups. 
3. Distribute the meat and veggies amongst the three cups and form a little indentation for the egg.
4. Crack eggs and put one egg into each tin, as pictured. Fill remaining, empty, cups with water (about 1/4 full).
5. Transfer muffin tin to the preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes, until cooked to your desired doneness. 
6. Use a spoon to scoop out your egg creations, transfer to your plate, and garnish with fresh herbs. 

 

 

This recipe came about because I have little bits (not quite enough to make a full meal) of random leftovers in my fridge that needed to be eaten. I love this "recipe" because all of the prep is done and it doesn't involve any whisking, cutting, or work, other than the filling of muffin tin cups. Easy! 

Let me know if you try this and what combinations you try! 

Whole30: Days 4-6

"What people need and what they want may be very different." Elbert Hubbard

Sunset from Grandma Betty's deck.

I was grocery shopping the other day and came to a realization...grocery shopping triggers my want/desire for kombucha. Hmmm...interesting. The only reason that I even thought about this was because of my current venture into the "Whole30". And, the only reason I even thought about this particular food/drink choice was because I "couldn't have it (kombucha is fermented with sugar, which is not part of the "Whole30"); normally I would consider it a reasonable choice, as the sugar is minimal and it's touted digestive benefits. When I got home, Scott (who is currently doing the "Whole30"+ketchup* along with me) mentioned a similar relationship with himself and these Rockstar energy drinks (don't judge...he hasn't had one in almost a week). I just found it interesting and wondered how many other people mindlessly consume foods and beverages that they don't need, but rather want, and how just one change could impact not only their health, but their pocketbook. Just Scott's one daily energy drink has the potential to save us an average of $2.75/day or about $82/month. That comes pretty close to paying for a CrossFit membership. 

What could you cut out of your daily routine, that may be more of a want versus need?

*No, ketchup (or catsup) is not Paleo and it is definitely not "Whole30"-approved, but if that's the extent of his junk consumption than I'm, totally ok with that. 

And, now...my weekend in review:

Friday

Breakfast: Three Mini Frittatas (3 Eggs) w/Ground Buffalo (2oz) and Yam (2oz)

Coffee: 16oz w/Coconut Milk (3oz)

Lunch: Salsa Chicken (6oz)

Dinner: Leftover Roasted Veggie Meat Sauce (2 cups; about 6oz meat) over Roasted Yam (1/2 medium)

Saturday

Breakfast: None (I was still stuffed from the previous night's dinner) 

Coffee: None

Lunch: Double Burger (8oz) w/Tomato and Lettuce (from The Sand Dune)

Dinner: Goat Burger (8oz) w/Baby Greens, Avocado, Hazelnuts, and Lemon-Hazelnut Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Sunday

Breakfast: Leftover Goat Burger (8oz) w/Iceburg Lettuce and Iced Coffee (12oz) w/Coconut Milk (2oz)

Snack: Dried Mangoes (Just Mangoes from TJ's...we ate the entire bag) and Canned Salmon (6oz)

Dinner: 6oz Salsa Chicken (I made a big batch for the week ahead)

 

Lemon-Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Juice of One Small Lemon
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 T. Roasted Hazelnut Oil
Pinch of Sea Salt
Pinch of Smoked Paprika
1 T. Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Whisk ingredients together and adjust to taste.

This dressing can be made up to three days in advance, but is so easy to make that it can simply be whisked in the bottom of your serving bowl. I like to serve with mixed greens and toasted hazelnuts (if you can get Oregon hazelnuts...do it!). This would also be great with:

Arugula+Peaches+Hazelnuts

Whole30: Day 3

“I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it” ~ Mae West
I recently attended a "Paleo Talk" seminar, hosted by Sarah Fragoso of Everyday Paleo (she is an incredible speaker with some great information to share, by the way). At one point, during her talk, she brought up the subject of "willpower", to which she said, "Willpower is silly"...and, I totally agree. Your home is not a place that should test your willpower, which is why I feel it is also not a place that you should have foods (or 'foods') that may tempt or test you. You will only harbor resentment for said food and will likely do one of two things- (1) Justify it's consumption and then later feel sick with guilt (or maybe just a stomach ache) or (2) Be "stronger" than the food and then think about all of the reasons that you shouldn't eat it and all of the reasons why this stupid "diet" is "ruining" your life.

Here's the thing- I know my limits and I know that if I have a pint of Haagen Daz Vanilla Ice Cream in my home...I will eat it. And, I may even make this:

Yes, that's Ice Cream+Bacon (Double Whammy!)

And, why would I ever do that to myself? So, I don't. I don't keep ice cream around and if we decide we're going to have it, we either go out and get a scoop or we get a pint knowing that we'll finish it...knowing that it's a treat. Bacon is another weakness...if I open up a pound of bacon and cook it, I will eat it. I honestly don't know how I do it without feeling totally ill, but I do. So, I buy bacon pretty rarely, knowing that I will likely eat the entire pan (doesn't happen every time, but often enough to know it could become a problem). And, for me, it's more of a salt/sodium issue than anything. Read here, here, and here for a few more thoughts on bacon. 

Honestly...just looking at this picture makes me crave ice cream. And, by the way...today, I went grocery shopping and really wanted a Kombucha...I was craving a fermented drink with a really weird phlegm-like substance floating around the bottle...funny. Darn sugar. But speaking of food, this is what I ate today:

Breakfast: 
Smoky Salmon (8oz) w/Yam (1/2 small, microwaved) and Coconut-Lime Crema

Lunch:
1.5 Cups Leftover "Better Butter Chicken" (click here to view modifications) w/Coconut-Lime Crema

Snack:
Scoop of Coconut Butter

Dinner:
Spaghetti Squash w/Roasted Vegetable-Meat Sauce* (1.5 cups; about 6oz of Beef+Pork)


*I'll have a recipe posted tomorrow. I made a huge batch and froze it, so that I would have easy meals throughout the next week.

What is your weakness? Do you keep it in your home and "test your willpower"? 

Lamb Roast w/Fennel and Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

3lb Lamb Shoulder Roast

1T. Bacon Fat 

1 Fennel Bulb, trimmed and cut into quarters lengthwise (leave the stem intact) 

2 Rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1.5" cubes

2 Beets, peeled, halved, and quartered

6 Carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks

2T. Fennel Seeds, ground

1T. Dried Oregano

1/2T. Sea Salt

1tsp. Dried Rosemary

1tsp. Garlic Powder

1. Preheat oven to 375F*. 
2. Mix ground fennel seed, oregano, salt, rosemary, and garlic powder in a smal bowl and set aside. 
3. Rub the lamb roast with 2T. of the salt mixture and set aside.
4. Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat and add bacon fat. Transfer lamb roast to the dutch oven, fat side down, and brown, 7-10 minutes. 
5. Once the fat side is browned, remove roast from the pan and transfer to a plate. Add cut vegetables to the dutch oven and toss in oil to coat. Place the roast, fat side up, back into the dutch oven on top of the vegetables.
6. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven.
7. Cook the meat and veggies until the meat begins to fall off the bone, about 4 hours. 
8. Serve garnish with fresh herbs. 

*Alternatively, you may make this in a crock pot; follow steps 2-5, but transfer everything to a crock pot, instead of the dutch oven. Cooking time will vary. Follow your manufacturer's instructions.

 

As most of you may know...we're in the process of moving, so I apologize for the lack of posts. To be honest, I've been eating a lot of the same stuff and making meals that I could pretty much throw together in my sleep. I've also ben eating a lot of leftovers, which is what inspired this meal. We are moving over the next two days, so I will not have access to any of my cooking supplies. I knew that I would need to make something that would create leftovers and had a lamb shoulder roast thawing in my fridge (I was going to make this for Easter, but we ended up going out for sushi). Perfect! It took just a few minutes to prepare and the rest was waiting. Also, perfect! And, to top it off, I only had one pot to clean. I love lamb and think that these flavors work really well together. You can really use this recipe for any roast, you'll just want to adjust the seasoning (this would work for pork, lamb, or a whole chicken, but the flavors may not work as well with beef) to pair with the meat you'll be using. Enjoy!

I'm excited to be moving back to the Northwest and am looking forward to the fresh produce, local foods, and...my own garden! I'll be in transition (without anything but the goods I can fit into my two suitcases (<100lbs), so bear with me and I'll see you in Portland!

Got Leftovers?

We did.

Remember last night's Bacon-Wrapped Pork w/Cinnamon Yams? Well, I made it into a hash of sorts. I'm not a huge fan of leftover, sliced pork as it can get a little dry and bacon can get a little odd (sort of rubbery and not too appetizing) once cooked and refrigerated, so...since the flavors of this meal worked so well together, I decided to concoct this:

1. Remove the bacon from the pork and chop into small pieces and then add to a heat pan. Cook until brown and crispy, about two minutes. Slice the pork while the bacon is cooking. 
2. Add the pork and yams to the pan and melt in 1 tsp. of coconut oil (not necessary, but tasty). Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and cook until heated through, about 2-3 more minutes. 
3. Once heated, add about 1 T. of water to remove all of the tasty stuff that sticks to the pan. Everything should just slide right out of the pan. 

This looks a little sad, but you can trust me when I say that it was really good! Unfortunately, our 2-3 servings was only 3, due to the fact that Scott is larger than the average person and consumes around 6-8oz of protein per meal; I usually stick with 3-5. Next time I'll make more, so that I can have my own leftovers...

Thursday

Breakfast:
Two Eggs Scrambled in Bacon Fat
Bacon (1 slice)

Lunch:
Leftover Buffalo Burger (4oz)
Head of Red Leaf Lettuce w/Vinaigrette (Citrus Champagne Vinegar)
Pink Lady Apple

Snack:

Beef Jerky (1oz)

Dinner:
Chicken (3oz) w/Spinach (3 Cups) and Goat Cheese* (1oz)

*Leave out the goat cheese, to make it more Paleo-friendly.

Snack:
Pink Lady Apple
2T. Organic SunButter

Workout:
Tonight I did this garage WOD with my husband, who happens to LOVE double unders (yeah...he's crazy!)...his WOD choice (courtesy of CrossFit LA):

With a running clock complete:
500 Double Unders (I ended up doing 1/2 for 250 DUs)
5 Burpees every minute, on the minute

Really? Yes. Ughhh!!! So, I started this WOD with good intentions and ended with 125 Double Unders, 500 Singles (the "equivalent" of 125 double unders), 50 Burpees, and some insane welts and lashes on my triceps (it sort of looks like I've got two triceps...weird...). I decided to save my arms from the abuse and sub in singles for the rest of my jump rope. Why do I get welts on my triceps, when I miss? I was having the most frustrating time with double unders, something that I've actually gotten pretty good at. I just felt like my body was totally out of sync with my mind on this one. Whatever the case, this was a really good workout and the 100+ temperature made for a good sweat session. I just think that any workout with burpees on the minute is going to be brutal and this one was no different.

Have you ever thrown "burpees on the minute, every minute" into your WOD? 

Wednesday

Breakfast:
Three Eggs Scrambled w/Kerrygold Butter

Lunch:
Red Leaf Lettuce w/Vinaigrette and Leftover Chicken (3oz)

I sliced the chicken breast, I made last night, and put it in a tupperware along with the vinaigrette (this time I just used citrus champagne vinegar, or use lemon, and EVOO with a little sea salt and pepper). When I was ready to eat, I tossed it all together. Easy and so good!

Dinner:
Chipotle Turkey Breast (4oz)

Workout:
Row 500M
~and~

12 Minutes of 3x Push Jerk
I worked up to 115lb.

Lamb Osso Bucco (Round #2)

I had a bit of veggies and juices leftover from Sunday night's Lamb Osso Bucco, so I used it all to create this:

I browned 6oz. of Ground Buffalo and then, before it was cooked all the way through, added the leftover liquid and veggies to cook through. Garnish with a little fresh parsley and enjoy. That simple!

Wednesday

Lunch:
Thai Salmon Cakes w/Coconut-Lime Crema

Flaxseed Muffin w/Coconut, Pumpkin Seeds, and Cranberries (inspired by this recipe)

Snack-Dinner:
1 Coconut Custard Cupcake
1 Flaxseed Muffin w/Cranberries, Coconut, and Pumpkin Seeds
1 Large Slice of Leek, Zucchini, and Sun-Dried Tomato Tart w/Herbed Almond Flour Crust
1 Banana
1 Bowl of Leftover Butternut Squash Soup

I was experimenting today, so I pretty much ate the day away...with no actual dinner to be mentioned.

Tuesday

Lunch:

Savory Tartlet w/Leeks, Zucchini, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Rosemary, and Thyme (YUM!!!)

I found a version of this recipe in my new favorite cookbook, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. The tart dough couldn't be easier and can be modified in so many ways. So, here it is:

Tart Crust:

Makes one 9" tart or about six 3" tartlets

1 1/2 C. Blanched Almond Flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 C. Grapeseed Oil (I used EVOO)

1 T. Water

Mix all of the ingredients together and from there, the possibilities are almost endless. Once the dough is pressed into your tart pan (Elana recommends a 9" pan...I halved the recipe and used three tartlet pans, about 3" in diameter), bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool before filling.

I chose to add chopped rosemary and thyme to my dough, as it is growing in my yard...good choice I'd say! The thing that's nice about this dough is that it's incredibly easy to assemble and just as easy to press into shape. Anyone who attempted pies this Thanksgiving knows that perfecting pie dough is an art...this dough just gets pressed into the tart pan and is pretty much good to go!

To my baked tart shells I added the following mixture:

2 Eggs, whisked

1/2 Medium Leek, quartered lengthwise and then thinly sliced

1/2 Medium Zucchini, small diced

3 Sun Dried Tomato Halves (I got mine from my Mom's garden, but have also found them at Whole Foods in the produce department...not oil-packed), julienned

1 T. EVOO

Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste

Saute the leeks and zucchini with EVOO until soft and slightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Let cool. Whisk eggs and add leeks, zucchini, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Evenly distribute the mixture into cooled tart shell(s). Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, until egg mixture has set.

Dinner:
Thai Fish Cakes w/Coconut-Lime Crema
Leftover Butternut Squash Soup

The inspiration for this recipe was found in The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. Here's what I did:

Thai Fish Cakes
Serves 3ish

1 lb. Skinless Sockeye Salmon Filet, cut into 1" cubes
1/4 C. Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 C. Coconut Flour (she uses unsweetened, shredded coconut, which I didn't have)
3 Eggs, beaten
2 T. Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 T. Peeled, Grated Fresh Ginger (I keep my ginger in the freezer and use a microplane to grate it...no need to peel and always ready to use)
1 T. Finely Chopped Fresh Mint
1 T. Minced Jalapeno
1/2 T. Toasted Sesame Oil
2 T. Olive or Coconut Oil

Mix all ingredients, except for canola oil. Form salmon mixture into golfball-size balls. Heat canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 3 minutes on the first side and 3-5 minutes on the second side, until golden brown (salmon should still be slightly pink in the middle). Serve with coconut-lime crema and cilantro garnish.

Coconut-Lime Crema
1/4 C. Coconut Milk
Juice of 1/2 Lime
Dash of Sea Salt

Mix ingredients and serve.

-I'll post picture tomorrow...once my camera battery is charged...since I have enough for leftovers!

CrossFit Workout:
3 Minutes of Jumprope
Strech
~and~

"Jackie"
Row 1000M
50 Thrusters (45lb)
30 Pull Ups

Monday

Lunch:
Butternut Squash Soup w/Crab and Chive Oil

This combination works really well together. I still have chive oil in my fridge from a month or so ago, I made butternut squash soup last night, and the crab I had leftover from the salads I've been making. So, this was a well-balanced meal that took just the slightest bit of effort to create. I love leftovers! A mixed greens or spinach salad and this meal would have been even more perfect!

Dinner:

Two Eggs Scrambled in Avocado Oil w/Asparagus and Zucchini

Sauteed Spinach w/Lemon

A few bites of cold soup...while I waited for the BBQ to heat up

Scott's Meal:
NY Strip Steak
Sauteed Green Beans w/Garlic (blanched and then sauteed in a little EVOO and fresh garlic)
Yam Fries (tossed in a little EVOO and sea salt and then roasted at 400F for about 20 minutes)

CrossFit Workout:

Run 400M
Row 500M
20 Sit Ups
20 Hip Raises
20 Supermans
~and~

5x3 Front Squats
45-65-85-105-115
~and~

"Cindy" (10 Minutes)
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Ups
15 Squats

7 Rounds plus Pull Ups and Push Ups