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

11 Days in NorCal, Some CrossFitting, and a Bachelorette Party

Post-"Bachelorette Party WOD" at The Marina

In the Hotel Getting our Faces Painted Up for the Night Out

Itinerary:

Friday-Saturday: Stay at my Aunt and Uncle's house in the Bay Area

Sunday: CrossFit Mobility Certification at CrossFit Pleasanton

Monday-Thursday: Stay with my Mom in NorCal and workout at CrossFit Redding

Friday-Sunday: Bachelorette Party Weekend in SF and WOD at San Francisco CrossFit

My mom buys eggs, from her neighbor's,  and I brought (in my carry-on) my favorite pork breakfast sausage (along with some of their homemade Brauenschweiger and chickens...yeah, the TSA thought it just a little strange) so we created some really great breakfasts throughout the week. We ate a lot of eggs, but we also ate a lot of veggies...lately, I'm craving more green stuff than I have in the past few months so I'm listening to my body and am feeling really good. 

We both love to cook, so this week was full of some of the best meals I've had in a while. 

Breakfast:

We made breakfast every morning, but you'll notice the addition of Smoked Oysters...I brought these for my trip to SF, knowing that I'd be with a group of girls that may not be on the same feeding schedule as myself. This proved to be a very wise decision. ;) 

 

 

 

Lunch:

I met up with friends on most days, so I ate out quite a bit. I had Thai food (there was likely some sugar in there, but no grains or gluten) one day, but stuck with salads and burgers (no bun) on the other days. The one day that Mom and I ate at home, we made Lettuce-Wrapped Turkey Breast w/Red Bell, Olives, and Capers and served them with Roasted Beets and Sauerkraut. YUM!

 

 

Dinner:
We cooked every night, with exception to my trip to SF. Below you'll see:
-Grilled Steak w/Salad and Roasted Cauliflower and Yams
-Grilled Tri-Tip w/Roasted Asparagus and Baby Kale Salad
-Roasted Leg of Lamb (from my Mom's lamb) w/Fennel, Celery Root, Cauliflower, and Carrots
-Grilled Halibut w/Salad and Grilled Veggies
-Grilled Shrimp and Scallops w/Grilled Veggies
-King Salmon w/Steamed Veggies (Gulliver's of SF)

 

 

 

In San Francisco, we ate at:
Delarosa- I had Scallop Spiedini and Arugula Salad
Osha Thai- I had Lamb Satay, Ying Yang Sea Bass, and Curry Prawns
Squat & Gobble- I had a Cobb Salad w/Salmon for lunch

Libations:
I kept it pretty mellow this trip (i.e. I learned my lesson during my trip to Cabo) and stuck with small amounts of:

-Silver Tequila w/Soda Water and Lime (a.k.a. The NorCal Margarita)
-Wine (we did a wine tasting where most of the wine was actually spit out and then had some really nice wine that one of the bridesmaids brought to dinner)
-Champagne (we shared a bottle between the six of us)

 

 

Temptations (Successfully Avoided!):

 


Yeah...that's just not right! I did have a few slices of Manchego Cheese (sheep's milk), but seriously...look at that stuff! My saving grace was that I only had minimal alcohol; I am weak under the influence of alcohol and have been known to go into major carb/junk mania. Not pictured...Cheetos, Chocolate-Covered Pretzels, Pastries, and all sorts of other craziness. But, yes...I was stronger than the temptation.

CrossFit Visits:

Cabo: A Recap

Well, we've been back since Friday night and it took me until Sunday to really feel right again. I'm a creature of habit who put her body through some major turmoil last week. Though my eating was pretty clean, my beverage consumption was not, and for this I paid. Surprisingly, no skin issues to speak of, but digestion has been horrible and we're both having insane cravings, continuing into today. I've been drinking a lot of water, eating my raw sauerkraut, and until today have limited my carbs and overall food intake, hoping to give my body a little rest and my gut some time to heal. Nice. 


I'm not going to say that I didn't enjoy my poolside libations, but it is a huge eye-opener with regard to goals and weighing what's important. I've been working really hard in my workouts, have been eating super clean (leading up to our trip), and know that I will bounce back, but it's getting easier for me to realize what's important with regard to my health, well-being, and physique...and, alcohol is moving it's way down the list of "indulgences", or...off of my "Healthy/F-Off Scale". 

Heading to Cabo!

We're leaving for Cabo in the morning, so if you're interested in what's going on with me down in Mexico...you can find me on Facebook and Twitter.

But, before I leave, here's what I'm packing for our trip:

But, What Am I Supposed to Eat When We Go Out!?

This is another post dedicated to my mom. As I mentioned before, she has recently joined me on my Paleo journey...Jen's Mom's Gone Paleo! I know, you're probably wondering..."What took her so long!?"...me too. But, on a positive note, she's done it and I'm excited! So, back to the issue at hand. While she and Mark usually eat at home, they like to go out on the weekends...their food of choice...Mexican or Thai. Perfect! But, the Thai restaurant was closed, so they ate Mexican and both visits, they ordered salad...sad. 

There are so many options for the Paleo-eater, options that I'd like to share with you. Scott and I eat out semi-regularly and we have a few places that we really enjoy and we rarely, if ever, order salad. Not that there's anything wrong with salad, there are just so many more exciting options out there. So, here we go:

Burger Joints or Places That Serve Burgers

Burger Patty (I'm finding a lot more places are serving buffalo or other "exotic" meats, so get "wild" with your burger!)

Bacon

Avocado

Tomato

Onion (I don't care for raw onion, but order it if you like)

Jalapeno

Add Egg...if they've got it!

Extra Lettuce Leaves (order romaine or iceberg if you want to wrap your burger)

-No Bun

-No Cheese

-No Ketchup (or Catsup)

-No Mayo or Other Sauces

Sushi

Sashimi (raw fish)

We order a roll that consists of the following:

   -Seaweed Wrapper (Nori)*

   -Spicy Tuna (inside)

   -Cucumber (inside)

   -Jalapeno (inside)

   -Spicy Salmon (on top)

   -Avocado (on top)

   -Sambal (on top)

   -Tobiko (on top)

Some sushi restaurants also offer grilled fish and/or a tasty raw beef dish that you cook on a rock. 

Appetizer: Tuna tartare with thinly sliced cucumbers, instead of fried wontons.

Sauce: Since soy sauce is off limits, create a mixture of sesame oil, wasabi or sriracha, and fresh lemon or lime. 

*Rolls can be made without rice or soy paper...you just have to ask. You can also request that your sushi be rolled in cucumber or daikon (see below: not my favorite, but some people like it), just expect to pay a little more.

Mexican (or Tex-Mex, as we have down here in Texas)

Fajitas (the meat is the most flavorful part of any taco or burrito...you really won't miss the wrapper)

Guacamole

Salsa

Extra Side of Shredded Lettuce (to make your own little salad of sorts) 

Lettuce Leaves (to use in place of the tortillas)

Order a side of Sliced Cucumbers (like we did with the tuna tartare...see above) for dipping in your guacamole and salsa. 

Thai

You pretty much can't go wrong with Thai Curry (a mixture of curry paste, coconut milk, and sometimes fish sauce), but know that Panang has peanuts. Here's what I order:

Red/Green/Yellow Curry w/Chicken

No Potatoes (usually in the Yellow)

Extra Vegetables or Side of Steamed Veggies

No Rice

BBQ/Rotisserie 

Meat 

No Sauce*

We went to Cowboy Chicken the other day and ordered Chicken (just remove the skin) and two Sides; we ordered:

-Yam (it's half of a baked yam...that's it)

-Butternut Squash (steamed and pureed)

-Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad w/Oil and Vinegar

*Always ask about sauces (the major place that you'll find hidden sugars and additives) and never be afraid to ask if you can order something without it (the "Sauteed Veggies" are doused in a soy dressing...the menu doesn't mention that).

Other

Meat (grilled or seared, without sauce) and Veggies (ask for them steamed or grilled sans sauce)

Egg Scrambles, Omelets, or Frittatas (some places add pancake batter to their omelets...I know...it's true)

And, yes...Salads. Add some Grilled Meat, omit the cheese and croutons, and order Olive Oil and Vinegar or Lemon on the side. 

We've also had good luck at Mongolian Stir-Fry places, like Ghengis Grill; just be sure to leave off the sauces (or use a mix of lime, sesame oil, hot sauce, and seasoning) and ask for an extra bowl for shredded cabbage...I give this to the stir fry guy and have him add it to my mix (or, you can leave it raw for a little extra crunch). 

Fast Food

I'll leave you with this post from MDA (just remember to eliminate the dairy). 

Never be afraid to ask, "What's in ___?". And, remember...
Meat+Veggies-Sauce = Good Eats