So, along with almost every other person in this country, I have resolved to make some changes. The Whole30 is at the top of my list. The Whole30 is hard, though. It isn't just counting calories or points. It isn't just cutting out soda or fast food or junk food. While it does cut these things, it eliminates so much more from your diet. Never have I looked at ingredient lists so much. Never did I realize how much sugar is added to absolutely everything! The key to the Whole30 is planning; without planning it is way too easy to call the husband on the way home from work and ask whether he wants me to grab Chinese or Mexican or Sushi on my way.
And when I plan, I visit Holly Would If She Could! When I was first researching the Whole30 in September, I found her blog and read it all. She wrote some tips and included so many recipes that I found myself going back to her blog all the time for food ideas! Reading her posts about her Whole30 experience made me realize that if I wanted to succeed, I needed to plan ahead! So I am back at it again!
Last time, breakfast was easy because I relied on eggs many mornings. Things wills be different this time as I am limiting, if not eliminating, eggs. I will just think of breakfast as another meal, not as breakfast. Bring on the sauteed veggies and meat :) I see myself eating a lot of this sweet potato, apple, and sausage concoction (minus the eggs, of course)! I'm also looking into different recipes to satisfy my cereal craving--this one isn't Whole30 compliant but I am going to try to tweak it a bit so it is. PaleoKrunch is super-awesome (thanks for the samples, BBG) but it costs more than I'd like to spend. Lunch will probably be the easiest for me. I can eat the same thing for lunch each day so I will just rely on salads with some kind of meat on top--grilled chicken or salmon or steak, maybe even shrimp. Salsa makes the perfect salad dressing!
Luckily, my husband is on board and will cook and eat whatever I buy (yep, he does most of the real cooking in our house!). He takes leftovers for lunch so he is following the Whole30 with me (except for the fact that he won't give up his Diet Dr. Pepper ;) This means that my 7-year-old son is also following the plan for the most part. His breakfasts and lunches are actually the most challenging part of the whole thing. I still allow him to buy lunch at school but have been spending more time reading Paleo Parents and some other sites for lunch ideas.
And, with some planning, dinner is actually not that bad. I love throwing stuff in a crockpot in the morning and having a meal ready when we all get home. If I don't crockpot, then L will cook dinner. So, here is what he'll/we'll be making this week:
Monday, 1/7: Crockpot Pork Green Chile I'll start the week off easy. I am sure that I will be cranky from caffeine withdrawals!
Tuesday, 1/8: Thai Green Curry. This is one I found linked on HWISC. I love this so much that I could eat it once or twice a week :) I tried to make cauliflower rice but it was a horrible failure. I'll just serve it over steamed cauliflower!
Wednesday, 1/9: Chicken and Zucchini Pasta. I just shred zucchini on the mandolin, cook some chicken on the George Foreman (blast from the past, eh?) and add some spaghetti sauce. I'd like to say that I make my own, but I have found a few really tasty pasta sauces at Sprouts that don't have sugar.
Thursday, 1/10: Crockpot Carnitas Did I mention I love the crockpot?!? Plus, this was one of my favorites last time. Add a salad and some avocado and I am a happy girl :)
Friday, 1/11: If it isn't raining, I'll have L bbq some little tri-tip steaks (I'll broil 'em if it is raining). I think a baked sweet potato and some other veggie (whatever they have at the store that looks good) will be on the side.
Saturday, 1/12: After the day I know we'll have, I am thinking some Chicken and Apple sausages and veggies will be the way to go.
Sunday, 1/13: Roasted Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Soup. What is better than a warm soup on a lazy Sunday afternoon? I recently discovered my love for butternut squash because of this unWhole30 meal so I need to try it some other way.
Week 1 planning is done. All I need to do now is shop!
And when I plan, I visit Holly Would If She Could! When I was first researching the Whole30 in September, I found her blog and read it all. She wrote some tips and included so many recipes that I found myself going back to her blog all the time for food ideas! Reading her posts about her Whole30 experience made me realize that if I wanted to succeed, I needed to plan ahead! So I am back at it again!
Last time, breakfast was easy because I relied on eggs many mornings. Things wills be different this time as I am limiting, if not eliminating, eggs. I will just think of breakfast as another meal, not as breakfast. Bring on the sauteed veggies and meat :) I see myself eating a lot of this sweet potato, apple, and sausage concoction (minus the eggs, of course)! I'm also looking into different recipes to satisfy my cereal craving--this one isn't Whole30 compliant but I am going to try to tweak it a bit so it is. PaleoKrunch is super-awesome (thanks for the samples, BBG) but it costs more than I'd like to spend. Lunch will probably be the easiest for me. I can eat the same thing for lunch each day so I will just rely on salads with some kind of meat on top--grilled chicken or salmon or steak, maybe even shrimp. Salsa makes the perfect salad dressing!
Luckily, my husband is on board and will cook and eat whatever I buy (yep, he does most of the real cooking in our house!). He takes leftovers for lunch so he is following the Whole30 with me (except for the fact that he won't give up his Diet Dr. Pepper ;) This means that my 7-year-old son is also following the plan for the most part. His breakfasts and lunches are actually the most challenging part of the whole thing. I still allow him to buy lunch at school but have been spending more time reading Paleo Parents and some other sites for lunch ideas.
And, with some planning, dinner is actually not that bad. I love throwing stuff in a crockpot in the morning and having a meal ready when we all get home. If I don't crockpot, then L will cook dinner. So, here is what he'll/we'll be making this week:
Monday, 1/7: Crockpot Pork Green Chile I'll start the week off easy. I am sure that I will be cranky from caffeine withdrawals!
Tuesday, 1/8: Thai Green Curry. This is one I found linked on HWISC. I love this so much that I could eat it once or twice a week :) I tried to make cauliflower rice but it was a horrible failure. I'll just serve it over steamed cauliflower!
Wednesday, 1/9: Chicken and Zucchini Pasta. I just shred zucchini on the mandolin, cook some chicken on the George Foreman (blast from the past, eh?) and add some spaghetti sauce. I'd like to say that I make my own, but I have found a few really tasty pasta sauces at Sprouts that don't have sugar.
Thursday, 1/10: Crockpot Carnitas Did I mention I love the crockpot?!? Plus, this was one of my favorites last time. Add a salad and some avocado and I am a happy girl :)
Friday, 1/11: If it isn't raining, I'll have L bbq some little tri-tip steaks (I'll broil 'em if it is raining). I think a baked sweet potato and some other veggie (whatever they have at the store that looks good) will be on the side.
Saturday, 1/12: After the day I know we'll have, I am thinking some Chicken and Apple sausages and veggies will be the way to go.
Sunday, 1/13: Roasted Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Soup. What is better than a warm soup on a lazy Sunday afternoon? I recently discovered my love for butternut squash because of this unWhole30 meal so I need to try it some other way.
Week 1 planning is done. All I need to do now is shop!
