Day 9 Whole30

The first week of my Whole30 is done!!! Day 1 feels like a long time ago!  The first few days were pretty tough, quitting dairy and dark chocolate gave me some intense headaches and acne breakouts and general just highs and lows of energy.  I am happy to say that I'm starting to get the energy that the Whole30 talks about! My acne flare up is now disappearing and I'm feeling pretty consistent energy throughout the day.Fingers crossed that Days 10-11 aren't too bad, they talk about it being the hardest of all the days and the days you are most likely to quit! I can't see that happening but I am prepared for the cravings!

I stocked up on loads of food today from the farmers market, butcher and veggie shop.  The best way do be prepared is to have enough food in your fridge and freezer.  I have to say that planning and preparation is key.  I would hate to imagine how you would get on if you didn't have enough veggies and meat in your fridge.  I do a lot of prep work on a Sunday, like chopping up fresh veggies, roasting pumpkin, kumara etc. and cooking a lot of meat so I always have leftovers in the fridge to grab in a pinch.  The biggest excuse I hear from people is that they don't have time and oh it must be nice to have so much time.  It's all about your priorities, if you have time for TV, facebook or the internet then you have time to make good food!  It takes me about an   hour to prepare food for the week, it really is very simple.

Today I really loved the food I ate! Definitely not feeling deprived, however when we went for coffee it was a bit strange not getting a flat white, I opted for a decaf short black and meh I'm just not really a black coffee drinker :(

8.5 hours sleep

7.30am: 2 poached eggs, 2 strips of free range, sugar free bacon, 1/2 avocado, mushrooms and little bit of leftover kumara (sweet potato)

1pm: "Sushi" Made with raw cauliflower rice, tossed with a bit of homemade mayo and sesame oil, filled with sesame seed crusted tuna, avocado and cucumber, topped with coconut aminos.  1 tablespoon of Coconut Manna

3pm: Decaf Short Black

7pm: Lamb and chicken from the Weber BBQ, cumin roasted pumpkin and carrots, green beans and mashed cauliflower with rosemary, ghee and coconut cream.

Day 3 Whole 30

I am already learning a lot about the relationship I have with food. Before this Whole30 I honestly didn't think I could quit the chocolate and dairy and it felt unnecessary.   I am surprising myself with the transition and I'm starting to realise why it is actually necessary for me to do this.

Today has been much better after yesterday's miserable headache I had for most the day.  It really illustrated how much caffeine and sugar I was actually getting from the chocolate :/ 

I am feeling excited for this journey and sharing my experience with you all.  It's bought my passion back.  I will say that I'm spending a lot of time in the kitchen, even more than I usually do so before you go jumping into a Whole30 you might need to prepare for the time you will spend making sure you are eating enough, especially veggies.  Also the money you will be spending on so much food!  I have just ordered the book Well Fed so I'm looking forward to it arriving so I wont run out of ideas.

One of the things about the whole30 is when you sit down for a meal you cannot be distracted, this means no TV, texting, internet or whatever could be distracting you.  I am being very conscious of this so the TV is off when I eat so I can be fully engaged in eating!

7am: 3 poached eggs, 2 strips free range sugar free bacon, 2 portobello mushrooms and 1 tomato cooked in ghee. A few macadamias, Decaf Nespresso

12pm: Lamb Curry and a few almonds.

6pm: Smoked Chicken (smoked my own) tossed with homemade mayo, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil and spring onions, on top of mesclun salad, cucumber, yellow peppers.  I also added a little diced kumara (sweet potato) fried in ghee. A few macadamias

Roasted Broccoli!

This is god damn delicious! I sort of thought it wouldn't be as good as cauliflower but it is just as good if not better :)

Head of Broccoli

2 Tbsp's of Coconut oil, lard or tallow

1-2 Tbsp's Pinenuts

2 Tbsp's Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic

Lemon rind & juice

2 slices of bacon

Lemon Olive oil 

Salt & Pepper

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C.
Cut the broccoli florets from stalks, discard most of the stalks, only leaving enough to keep the florets in tact. 

Using an oven dish melt your coconut oil in the oven so you can evenly distribute the oil over the broccoli.  Toss the broccoli with salt and pepper and toss through the oil using tongs. 

Roast for 20 minutes, (but at 10 minutes just give them a little flip so they cook evenly). At the 15 minute mark add some grated garlic, if you add it earlier it will likely overcook, once cooked the broccoli  should be browned and crispy!

While your broccoli is cooking toast your Pinenuts in a non stick pan on a very low heat, watch constantly as they will burn if you leave them, only takes approx 2-3 minutes to brown. Chop up the bacon and cook that up also. Grate your Parmesan cheese and the rind of 1 lemon.

Once cooked remove the broccoli from the oven and in a bowl add the Pinenuts, bacon, Parmesan, lemon rind, and just a small squeeze of lemon juice. Once served drizzle with lemon olive oil.

Eat while its hot!

Mushroom, Bacon & Zucchini Carbonara!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Field Mushrooms  (use button for a milder taste and use double the amount of mushrooms if using button)
• 3 strips streaky bacon
• Knob of butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4-1/2 cup cream
• Salt & Pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp's Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 Zucchinis (courgettes for us NZ'ers)

Instructions:

Dice up your mushrooms and bacon and fry in your pan with a knob of butter. Meanwhile prep your sauce: In a bowl add egg yolks, cream, s&p, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Put aside

Prep your zucchini: I peel mine with a tomato peeler so you are just taking off the green layer. Use your julienne peeler (see photo - mine cost $9.99NZD and came with 2 other peelers) Julienne the zucchini, here's a YouTube for instructions if you need them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1JG5rYdekU

Once the mushrooms and bacon is cooked then add in your julienned zucchini and cook for 1-2 minutes, I like mine el dente! Lower the heat on the element and add in the egg, cream and cheese mixture, ensure the pan is at a very low heat, stir constantly for about 1 minute (this prevents the eggs from scrambling). 
Take off heat and serve, add more grated Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired!
I've been having this for years and it really is really very good :)

Pasta Carbonara with Bacon!

While I personally eat mostly fresh real food I do like to indulge every now and then, not every person who does primal/paleo chooses to have these kinds of treats but I on the other hand am a realist and prefer not to stress about those kinds of 'rules'.

I made this dish with Rice noodles but if you like you can always make your own (Recipe link below)

Serves 1

So cook your pasta el dente! About 8 minutes for the rice pastas.

In a bowl combine 2 egg yolks and 1/4 cup cream, add in 2-3 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese, salt and pepper. Once pasta is cooked drain the water out and keep cooked pasta in the pot, add the creamy mixture and put back on the stove on a very low heat stirring constantly for about 1 minute (this prevents the eggs from scrambling), add in cooked chopped bacon and viola you have an amazing treat pasta dish :)

http://www.paleocupboard.com/paleo-pasta.html

Kumara and Bacon Soup

This soup is delicious and creamy and very filling! Perfect for winter lunches or dinner.  It doesn't look like much in the picture but don't be fooled, it's an extremely tasty soup :)

Kumara and Bacon Soup

1. 200gms Kumara (NZ purple sweet potato)
2. 3 strips of streaky bacon or 2 rashers
3. 1/2 white onion
4. Butter
5. 3 Cups Chicken Stock
6. 1/4 cup Cream
7. 2 Tablespoons Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Dice onion and bacon finely and fry in butter. Add the chicken stock and cream.  Add grated kumara and simmer for 20-30 minutes. 

Once cooked add the Parmesan and then blend so it's smooth and creamy. 

Serves 2

Broc-N-Cheese!

This is my version of one of my old favorite comfort foods... Mac-N-Cheese (not the packet variety either, the real homemade goodness) Obviously this is not as good as when you use pasta but it also doesn't leave you feeling guilty, foggy and generally like you need to have a nap ;)

Broc-N-Cheese!

• ½-1 head broccoli or cauliflower
• 3 strips streaky bacon
• ¾ cup cream
• Egg yolk
• Salt, pepper, mustard, paprika & curry powder (pinch of each)
• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese

Chop up your broccoli into really small pieces, cook using a steamer.

Grill your bacon until crisp and then chop into really small pieces.

Put your cream into a saucepan and add all the seasonings,let it reduce for 10-15 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally, once almost the thickened consistency of a white sauce then take off the heat and add in your egg yolk and grated cheese.  To cheat the reduction method you can buy thickened cream instead but reducing your own cream is a much richer tastier way to go! Or if flour doesn't bother you then just make a traditional cheese sauce.

Sprinkle the bacon on top and viola! Enjoy :)

Pumpkin & Feta Frittata

Pumpkin & Feta Frittata

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked or roasted pumpkin or you could use sweet potato, potato or kumara
• 50gms Feta cheese crumbled
• 2 strips of streaky bacon sliced and fried
• 1-2 Tbsps Pinenuts fried
• 2 sundried tomatoes
• 2 eggs beaten with a little dash of cream or milk and Salt & Pepper

Cook your pumkin, either par-boiling it first and then frying it or use leftover roasted pumpkin, fry your bacon, add the pinenuts to give them a quick brown but take them out quickly!  Once cooked put in a bowl.

Chop up your sundried tomatoes and crumble your feta.  Beat 2 eggs with your cream and S & P in a bowl, add everything into the bowl then pour into a small frying pan approximately the size as above. Cook very slowly on a low heat for about 5 minutes and then transfer to the grill to finish the top off which will still be runny, will take about another 3-5 minutes under the grill.

This is perfect for any meal and would be an ideal thing to make to take for your lunches when you are lost for ideas! Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do :)

Creamy Feta Chicken with Zucchini Noodles

First off thank you to one of my readers Megan Roberts for reminding me how good zucchini "pasta" can be! I have made zucchini strips a while back http://primaljourney.blogspot.co.nz/2009/11/i-think-its-about-time-i-posted.html and http://primaljourney.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/its-been-crap-week.html but I don't do it much because slicing it super thin with a knife is pretty time consuming, so I got a julienne peeler and viola it's easy peasy!

This is one of my favourite concoctions:

Ingredients:

Serves 2:

• 1 large breast of chicken chopped up into bite sized pieces
• 4 strips of streaky bacon chopped up
• 5-6 pieces of Dutch salami chopped into strips
• 5-6 large sundried tomatoes chopped up
• 75gms Creamy feta (more or less depending on your taste preference)
• Handful of frozen or fresh spinach
• 200-250mls Cream
• 2-3 zucchinis julienned mixed with 1 Tbsp Basil Pesto
• Knob of butter
• Garnish: Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese and Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

Fry the bacon, once browned put aside, fry the chicken using the bacon drippings.  Once the chicken is almost cooked throw back in the bacon, salami, sundried tomatoes, spinach and the cream, start to reduce the sauce by just simmering for a few minutes on a low heat, then add your feta for the last remaining minutes.  Take off the heat and put aside.

In a separate non stick frying pan melt a knob of butter and flash fry the zucchini and pesto mixture, you don't want to do it for long otherwise your zucchini will go mushy, add the noodles to the creamy chicken and serve immediately, grate some fresh parmesan on top and some freshly cracked pepper and salt.

Warning: Super rich!!!

Food snaps and why my scale is gone!

Just a general update guys! I hope that you are all still enjoying my blog.  I get a little bored sometimes constantly blogging about what I eat but I always get a lot of emails telling me how helpful it is so that's why I do it.

For any of you scale addicts out there please check this out: http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/06/22/attention-scale-addicts-part-2/

I haven't weighed on the scale for a long time now, I don't track my progress that way anymore, it's a far cry from the woman I used to be who was a little obsessed with the scale.  I still can't believe that I've managed to ditch it and I feel far healthier for it.

I'm happy with the the size I am, I'm much more focused with toning my body, I was giving the scale too much power and it was dictating how I was feeling each day, now I just measure every few weeks and my clothes will tell me pretty fast if I'm not reaching my goals, I wear jeans almost daily so I'd know very fast.

I'm back into weight training and loving it, doing some personal training with my Pilates instructor and enjoying every minute of it, I do love the feeling of sore muscles and I'm feeling really healthy.  Here's a few snaps of my food, I update on Facebook more than on here as it's faster so be sure you head over and like my page if you want updates on my food and motivation etc...https://www.facebook.com/PrimalJourney

Bacon wrapped chicken, stuffed with feta and roasted red peppers

On a piece of cooking paper lay 5 pieces of bacon, top with 3 small chicken breasts, 125-150gms Creamy Feta cheese and several strips of roasted red peppers. Roll it up in the cooking paper and roll again in some tin foil, bake for 40mins ...on 175C Fan Bake, take out of the oven and remove the top of the foil and cooking paper and then pop back in the oven for a further 15 minutes to crispy the bacon. Let rest for a few minutes and then slice, serve and eat!

Roast Pumpkin Fritatta

Roast Pumpkin Fritatta

• 1/2 cup Leftover Roast pumpkin cut in cubes
• 3 strips of streaky bacon
• Feta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsps Cream
• S&P
• Butter

Cut up bacon and cook, add cooked pumpkin to warm through.
Whisk eggs, cream and S&P and pour over the pumpkin and bacon then add the feta, cook on a low heat and then grill to complete cooking, should take about 5-10mins all up!

Some basic eats!

A few of my basic eats....
Always good to start the day with a feed of bacon, kranskys and poached eggs, helps get me back on track to some good eating and a reminder of why Primal eating is so easy and delicious!

Nothing like some Grilled lamb loin chops with mashed pumpkin (add a little cream cheese) steamed brocolli and green beans drizzled with butter!

My favourite sausages, pork and bacon from the butcher, no flour in these babies! Served with natural sweet chilli sauce mmmm

 Calamari and prawns with hollandaise sauce while eating out for my 31st Birthday on Saturday!

I can't believe it's been a year since my 30th Birthday, I celebrated my 31st birthday on Saturday, I've well and truly left my 20's now and I'm feeling good about it, I spent several years of my 20's overweight and unhappy so my 30's are going to be the best! So far so good :)

Creamy Curried Pumpkin & Bacon Soup

Creamy Curried Pumpkin & Bacon Soup

• 1/2 small green skinned buttercup pumpkin
• 1 red onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 150gms bacon or 6 slices streaky bacon 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 200ml cream 

Place cubed pumpkin and sliced onion into a pot, add water and boil for approx 15 mins, until soft and tender.  Grill bacon, once cooked chop up into small pieces.  When pumpkin and onion are cooked, drain (put aside pumpkin water) and put into a blender, add in the bacon, s&p and cream. Should be thick, put back into pot and add desired amount of the pumpkin water until you get the consistency you like, heat through and serve!

Serves: 2

Nutritional Info: (per serve)
Calories: 606
Fat: 50
Carbs: 27
Fiber: 5
Protein: 18


Soup is back on the menu for me, my braces have just been adjusted again so enter very sore mouth and limited eating ability.  This soup is incredible and primal!
Here's a picture of my braces! 5 months and they are looking very straight, very exciting and worth the pain that I've gone through and am currently going through, I still have 9 months to go, the bottom have a wee way to go. 

Soup Recipes

Hey Guys!! So sorry for the lack of posts, I've been pretty occupied with a ton of work, it's my busiest time of year which I'm sure is the same for most of you.  Also I have recently had braces put on my teeth so the kind of food I've been eating isn't all that inspiring.  My two favourite things that I've been eating is Cream of Mushroom soup and Creamy Bacon, onion and cheese soup. 

I need to get used to soup which genearally I'm not a big fan of because it never keeps me full but these ones sure do and of course they need to be homemae.  I'm going to be wearing my braces for 12-14 months, so for the next year or so I can see that I'm going to be making a lot of soup.  I can't really bite down on much which is very frustrating and I'm missing steak like crazy!

Other than that I'm doing really well, my weight is hovering in the 68's at the moment so I'm happy with that.  So for anyone that is interested in my soup recipes here they are below, I know that Flour and Milk aren't primal but to make soup I feel you really need that base to thicken them.



Cream of Mushroom Soup

• 3 cups of chopped up Portabello Mushrooms
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 1 Tbsp fresh Thyme
• 2 Tbsps Butter
• 1 Tbsp All purpose Flour (or use Potato starch)
• 3/4 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup Cream
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

1. Melt 1 Tbsp of butter and S&P in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in the flour until smooth and cook until golden, this doesn't take long, the flour needs to be cooked or else you will taste it.  Gradually stir in the milk and cook until thick and bubbly. Add chicken stock until the thickness that you would like.
2. Cook the Mushrooms, spring onion, thyme and 1 Tbsp butter in a covered microwave proof dish, that way the mushrooms create plenty of juice.  Add cooked ingredients to your creamy sauce.  Either blend to create a smooth soup or leave chunky, add the cream at the end.

Serves 2


Creamy Bacon, Onion and Cheese Soup

4 pieces of Bacon
1/2 onion
3 oz Cheese
3/4 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Flour (or use Potato starch)
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp Worchestchire Sauce
Capful of White wine
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp paprika
Pepper (no salt, already enough)

Directions

1. Saute the chopped up Bacon and onion in a little butter until cooked then put aside.                   
2. Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in the flour until smooth and cook until golden, this doesn't take long, the flour needs to be cooked or else you will taste it. Add all sesonings and then gradually stir in the milk and cook until thick and bubbly. Add chicken stock until the thickness that you would like.
3. Add the bacon and onion mixture, either blend it all up in a blender or leave chunky.
4. Add the cheese once the soup has come off the heat and stir until melted.

Serves 1

Food Journal Week 1

As promised my weekly weigh in....71kg exactly so that's a 1.4kg loss, I'm absolutely stoked with that, I'm aware I won't have losses like that every week, probably more like 1kg or less but the first week is always more.  Soo I've typed out my food journal for you also, you will see how much I love bacon and I love dark chocolate and I can still eat it and lose :)

Friday 14th January 2011 Start weight 72.4

1:15pm Pork rack - 2 med sized loins with crackling, cream + stock reduction, 2 almond crackers, 1 pc of 85% Lindt and 1 30gm Macadamia dark chocolate (70%) bar

4pm Decaf Flat White w 1tsp sugar

7:30pm Out to dinner: 3 egg Omelet filled mushrooms, tomato, onion, bacon and cheese with a small salad on the side.

9pm Decaf Flat White w 1tsp sugar and 1 pc of 85% Lindt

Saturday 15th January 2011
8:20am 2 poached eggs, 5 strips streaky bacon with homemade hollandaise
11:15am Decaf Flat White w 1tsp sugar, 1 pc 85% Lindt
2pm Homemade Guacamole with 1 large avocado, cherry tomatoes, fresh coriander, lemon juice, salt and hot sauce, thin almond crackers as my "chips" approx 10 of them.  2 pcs 85% Lindt

5pm 2 small Decaf Flat Whites w 1tsp sugar in each

8pm Thai for dinner: 2 stuffed chicken wings, stuffed with pork mince and herbs and deep fried (no breading), Satay Chicken with tons of veggies and cashews, Thai green chicken curry.  2 pcs 85% Lindt

Sunday 16th January 2011
1:13pm  2 slices of Coconut Bread topped with butter and almond butter, 2 pcs 85% Lindt
2pm Decaf Flat White w 1tsp sugar, 2 pcs 70% chocolate

Monday 17th January 2011

12:45pm 1 slice of Coconut bread made into French toast topped with Creamy mushrooms and 2 large pieces of grilled middle bacon (see photo) 1 almond cracker and 1 pc 85% Lindt

6:45pm Pork rack - 2 med sized loins with crackling with cream + stock reduction, roast pumpkin, silverbeet and broccoli, 1 pc 85% Lindt

Tuesday 18th January 2011

8:45am 2 Poached eggs, 2 large pieces of grilled middle bacon, 1 pc of fried in butter Coconut bread with almond butter

5:50pm 2 pieces of Meatza topped with cream cheese, sun dried tomato and tomato paste, cherry tomatoes, bacon, pepperoni, pineapple, mozzarella and Parmesan, 1 pc 85% Lindt

Wednesday 19th January 2011

1:30pm 3 Large pieces of grilled middle bacon topped with 3 large slices of mozzarella cheese and herb salt, 1 almond cracker, 1 pc 85% Lindt

7:30pm Large Chicken Salad, chicken coated in Tuscan seasoning and fried in butter, salad - Spinach greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, half an avocado, fresh coriander, basil feta with yum yum mayo, 1 pc 85% Lindt

Thursday 20th January 2011

11:30am 3 Large pieces of grilled middle bacon, 5 Parmesan crisps, 10 pistachio's.
5:45pm Roast Chicken with stock + cream reduction, roast parsnip, carrot and pumpkin, broccoli, zucchini, green beans with cashew nuts sauteed in butter. 1/2 piece 85% Lindt
30min walk.

Friday 21st January 2011 Weigh in 71kg