Balsamic Glazed Pork Steak

I believe that spices are a cook's best friend! You can literally make dozens of different dishes (alliteration, anyone? - totally didn't mean to do that again!) using the same basic ingredients and only altering the spices! Just changing one spice can create a whole new meal and experience.

This summer, Adam and I are taking a trip with some friends of ours - we will most likely be going somewhere in the Carribean and this week we are trying to nail down our final options. All the talk about resorts, sun, and fun really has me in a tropical mindset so I decided to let that fall over into this meal. I gave the pork an Island flavor by seasoning it with Jamaican Allspice!

Ingredients:

• 2 bone-in pork steaks
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Garlic Powder
• Jamaican Allspice
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat
2. Season both sides of pork with salt, garlic powder, and Jamaican Allspice. 
3. Lay pork in skillet to sear for approx 6 minutes
4. Flip pork - don't pierce the skin to do this as you will lose the yummy juices, try tongs - and splash with Balsamic Vinegar. Let the second side sear for 6 minutes
5. After the second side has seared, flip pork again and splash with more balsamic vinegar
6. When pork has finished cooking, transfer to plate and serve!

I served the pork steak with roasted broccoli and a salad. This recipe was adapted from one at wholelifeeating.com!

Bison Stuffed Bell Pepper

Bison. I don't even know what this animal looks like (maybe I should Wiki it) but I have seen some recipes that called for it. I've seen it in Whole Foods and have felt it calling my name. Bison. What do you taste like? Will you be too "game-y" for me? Bison. I am so glad I found you! Here are some interesting facts on the lovely animal (Wiki rules).

- They weigh up to 2,000 lbs!!!!
- They can run up to 30 mph!!!!
- Their diet consist of grass (no nasty grains!!!!)
- They are very lean (35 % less calories and 53% less fat than beef)
- They make an awesome stuffed bell pepper

Ingredients:

• 4 bellpeppers
• 1.5 lb ground bison
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup tomato, diced

Instructions:

1. Saute ground bison in large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through
2. Add seasonings to bison and let the spices incorporate and simmer - then remove bison from skillet
3. In the same skillet, heat coconut oil and saute the onion and garlic until onion is soft
4. Add the bison back to the skillet with onion and garlic, along with the diced tomatoes. Stir until all is incorporated. Remove from heat while you prepare the peppers
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6. Cut the top off the pepper and remove seeds and veins (as best as possible)
7. Stand the peppers in a oiled baking dish and stuff each with the bison mixture. Place the pepper lids back on top
8. Lightly brush the peppers with EVOO and bake for 35 minutes

*Tip: Bison tends to get pretty dry and overcook easily because it is so lean. Try not to overcook these - if a knife goes in the pepper easily and a fork has some resistance, then they are done.

As always, feel free to add whatever spices and veggies you want. This is what I happened to have on hand. I think the addition of shredded carrots, kale, and mushrooms would be yummy. 

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

I have been trying, since I began eating Paleo, to make "good" cauliflower rice. I have tried on several occasions to make this as a side and have felt like it was missing something each time. I have FINALLY found a recipe that leaves nothing to be desired. I am beyond thrilled - I could literally make this as my side every night. Now, I just need to get Adam on board :) I adapted this recipe from the Well Fed cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (separated)
• 8 dried apricot, halved
• 1 1/2 Tbsp raisins
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts
• 1/4 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Break the cauliflower into florets, removing the stems. Place the florets in the food processor bowl and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. This takes about 10-15 one-second pulses. You may need to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding (which leads to mush).

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and allow it to melt. Add the apricots, raisins, pine nuts, onion, and garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine and cook until the onions are translucent and the nuts start to brown, about 5 minutes

3. Push the onions to the side of the pan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the cumin and cinnamon to the oil, then stir everything together – oil, spices, onions, nuts, and fruit . When you can smell the spices, about 30 seconds, toss in the riced cauliflower and sauté until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes. Try a bite, then season with salt and pepper.

Beef Bulgogi

Lately I have been craving some oriental food, and so I decided on Korean! I have never cooked a Korean dish before, or even had Korean food (that I know of). One of the fun things about cooking is the experimentation aspect. I wanted to try a new dish and so I just decided to try my hand at a new cuisine as well! This dish was super easy and I served it with Cumin Roasted Carrots and Riced Cauliflower. I also made a side of rice for Adam. I got this recipe from EveryDay Paleo and you can find the site link over on the right.

Ingredients:

Marinade-

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
• A pinch of black pepper
• 3 green onions, sliced

Meat & Veggies-

• 2 lbs rib eye (or other cut), sliced thin
• 1 head of green cabbage
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all Marinade ingredients together. Thinly slice the rib eye and add it to the marinade. Using your hands, rub the marinade into the meat and then let meat marinade in fridge for 20-30 mins. 
2. Shred the cabbage (I used my food processor - so easy!)
3. While the meat is in the fridge, heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the shredded cabbage until soft, then remove cabbage from skillet and set aside
4. Add the beef and marinade to the skillet and cook over medium to medium high heat until the thin slices have been browned (or cooked to your preference)
5. Serve the Bulgogi over a scoop of cabbage with a few sprinkles of sesame seeds and a few extra green onions if desired. 

“Fettuccine” with Meat Sauce

I LOVED this meat sauce. So much, in fact, that I could have just had a bowl of the meat sauce for dinner and called it a night. The beautiful thing is that there aren't many ingredients, which in all honesty is probably why I thought it was so tasty. The flavors of this dish created a nice dimension.

Ingredients:

Squash "Fettuccine"

• 3 tsp coconut oil
• 4 yellow squash (is the plural of squash, squish?)
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Meat Sauce

• 1 lb grass fed ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more :) )
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 6 oz organic tomato sauce
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat a skillet on medium heat - add coconut oil. Use enough oil to keep the squash from sticking or burning
2. With a vegetable peeler, create fettuccine noodles by running the blade lengthwise down the squash around all sides until you reach the seedy center. Don't use the center, but save it to chop and saute into a veggie mix for another dish
3. Cook the squash until it's just done, but not browned. Then remove it from pan
4. In the same pan (or simultaneously in another pan if you prefer) brown the beef - seasoning it with sea salt and pepper. When the beef is just about finished, add the garlic, tomato, basil and tomato sauce. Heat through
5. Pour the meat sauce mixture over the squash noodles
6. Enjoy!

Whole30 update

Well, I am starting over. I am going back to day 1 on Whole30. This past weekend, I consumed too much wine and martini's while on vacation, and I may have indulged in a sweet or two. Oops. Because of this, I am starting fresh on my Whole30 adventure. I want to be true to the program and I know I have the ability to do it 100%. No cheat moments. No excuses. I won't be doing my daily Whole30 post - to be honest, it was starting to stress me out. I will, however, update on my progress throughout the 30 days. I am so excited to see where I will be in 30 days. I know it will be life changing. Thanks for hanging with me.

Food for Travel

This weekend Adam and I are in Indianapolis for his cousins wedding. I was somewhat unsure how I was going to be able to eat good this weekend. There are airports, parties, and the rehearsal dinner, the wedding and reception! We will also be eating out for all the other meals. I knew I had to come up with a game plan or the weekend would be a disaster for me. I knew there had to be a way to make good food choices while I'm away. A lot of the meals will be provided to me, or i may not have a choice in where we go, and therefore not much choice in what I order....so I brought my own food! I packed to go salads for the airport and bought other foods that will not spoil over the weekend. Don't worry, I'm not going to whip out my own food at the restaurants or wedding festivities, but I will be prepared to eat something small right before and keep something in my purse that I can eat on the way back to the hotel. In my salad, I put grilled chicken, raw veggies, lettuce, and I have a travel size container for my EVOO dressing. I also made a cucumber and tomato salad drizzled with EVOO and some oregano. I purchased some Lara Bars and beef jerky from Grassfed Gourmet that will fit nicely in my purse for a snack/lunch while we are out running around town. I also bought some tuna and chicken in a pouch that I can eat in the car or hotel. I have realized there are no excuses for eating clean while you are out of town. And you cant forget the yummy chocolate covered almonds!! It may not be convenient or the best meals I will ever eat - but I will not go hungry and I will not make poor decisions.
Have a great weekend and remember you are in control!!!

Whole30 - Day 8

Day 8 went really well! I am really feeling great and I know this is my bodies way of thanking me for eating the way we were designed to eat.

I actually came up with a tasty breakfast! I bought some shredded cabbage from whole foods and sauteed it in s little coconut oil. Then I threw in some (cooked) turkey bacon and finished it off with a hard boiled egg. I loved it, and it kept me full until lunch.

Breakfast: Cabbage mix
Lunch: Grilled chicken, sweet potato, green beans
Dinner: Herb crusted rotisserie chicken (Whole Foods), steamed okra

I also bought some banana chips from whole foods for a "cereal" that I planned on making for breakfast the following morning. The good thing about the banana chips: only 2 ingredients, bananas and coconut oil. The best thing about banana chips: tasty addition to grainless granola/cereal.

Whole30 - Weekend (Day 5, 6, 7)

If we are talking about food, only, my first weekend on Whole30 was a success!! I ate really well - most of my meals consisted of leftovers from the week, Whole Foods hot bar, chili (or rather ground beef, tomatoes and onion in a bowl :) etc. We even had "Cheat Night" at a Mexican restaurant with Iron Tribe and I stuck to lettuce, chicken, and pico. It was so much fun hanging out with all my friends from ITF, outside  of the gym! And, it was kind of odd seeing the girls with their hair down and make up on! Ha. I hope your weekend was good, as well!

Whole30 - Day 4

Breakfast: Chicken & Egg Frittata. I am still not tired of this!!! Love it.
Lunch: Leftover Pistachio pesto chicken pasta
Dinner: Captain chicken with Greek broccoli

Captain Chicken

The following recipe is adapted from the cookbook Well Fed. If you don't already have it, you should buy it. Every single recipe (except 1) is Whole30 friendly. And the ingredients in the one exception are actually squeaky clean. The only reason it isn't Whole30 approved is because it is a paleo-fied version of cobbler. And we aren't paleo-fying anything for 30 days, now are we?! :-)

Ingredients:

Ready to go in the oven

• 3 strips of high quality bacon
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 gloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp raisins
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 3 Tbsp toasted almonds, sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut the bacon crosswise into 1/4 inch wide pieces. Place the chopped bacon in a cold skillet, turn the heat to medium high, and fry the bacon until it's crispy. Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the coconut oil to the bacon fat in the pan. Add the chicken in a single layer, smooth side down - DON'T CROWD THE PAN! Work in batches if you need to, or use two pans. You want the chicken to form a crisp, brown, crust, so leave it alone for about 4 minutes per side. As the chicken browns, remove from pan and place in a (single) layer in a 13x9 baking dish
4. In the same pan, without draining any remaining fat, saute the onions, peppers, garlic and raisins until the veggies begin to soften. Spread them on top of the chicken and return the skillet to the stove
5. Pour the chicken broth into the hot skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Add the curry powder to the pan and stir until the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 mins. Pour the sauce over the chicken and wrap the pan tightly with aluminum foil
6. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil, increase the heat to 400 degrees, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with bacon and almonds.

I served this with Greek Broccoli!

Whole30 - Day 3

I snacked a little too much today. I think that they don't want you snacking on Whole30, but I did. It WAS all paleo - just a few macadamia nuts, and a few pieces of butternut squash and parsnips as I was cooking dinner. I wasn't even hungry. I just snacked because it was right in front of me. This is something that I continually struggle with and I am working on it. Tomorrow I'm going to ensure that my meals are large enough so I don't need to snack in the day. Wish me luck on Day 4!

Breakfast: Chicken & Egg Frittata
Lunch: Left over Date & Shallot rosemary chicken
Dinner: Pistachio Pesto Chicken Pasta

Pistachio Pesto Chicken Pasta

So I made another one of Juli's creations from over at paleomg.com. You should really check her blog out. Her food is amazing. She is amazing. I wish we were friends :)

The pesto was such a nice touch to the typical spaghetti squash and chicken. I cannot remember the last time I have had pesto and I have  NEVER actually made it before. It was easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spachetti squash
• 1 lb chicken, sliced - I used tenders
• 2/3 cups pistachios, unsalted and shelled
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil (+ or - depending on preference)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half, lenthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the excess seeds and place open side down on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some water around the squash and cook for 25 minutes.
3. While the squash cooks, put pistachios in a food processor and pulse
4. Add garlic and basil to food processor and combine
5. While processing, add the olive oil slowly until the pesto becomes your preference of "thickness" and then add lemon juice
6. Heat up a large skillet under medium heat with a Tbsp of olive oil. Add chicken along with some S & P and cook chicken on both sides until almost cooked through, then add pesto to the pan
7. Coat chicken in pesto
8. When the spaghetti squash is done cooking and has cooled, use a fork to pull the threads out of the squash and place directly into your pesto chicken pan
9. Combine all together
10. Add to bowl, top with some leftover chopped pistachios
11. Enjoy!!!

I served this with a side of roasted butternut squash and cinnamon parsnips. I wish I would have made a little more pesto to save as a dip for my raw veggies!

Whole30 - Day 2

Day 2 went just as well as Day 3. I did feel a little hungry around 4:00 so I ate a small portion of pureed sweet potato's. It was actually baby food. Don't gag - it was actually decent and the few bites held me over until dinner.

Here are my meals for the day:

Breakfast: Chicken & Egg Frittata
Lunch: Left overs - ground meat with a salad and tomato sauce
Dinner: Date & Shallot Rosemary Chicken

Date & Shallot Rosemary Chicken

I wasn't so sure how Adam would react to this recipe since he is not the biggest fan of dates :) however, I love them so I attempted to change his mind. He did eat a few bites of them, so I think I was pretty successful! You can find the original recipe here. The chicken had a really nice flavor with the combo of different oils and vinegar's. Oftentimes, chicken will get over cooked and tough, but not these guys!!!!

Ingredients:

• ~ 2 lbs chicken breasts (I use and love the thin cut breasts from Publix!)
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 5 medjool dates, pitted and diced
• dried rosemary, as much or little as you like :)
• 3 Tbsp EVOO
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• S & P to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place chicken in large glass baking dish
3. Top chicken with shallots and dates
4. Sprinkle with rosemary
5. Finish off by pouring the EVOO, balsamic and apple cider vinegar over chicken. Top with S & P
6. Bake for 30 minutes

I served this dish with a pear and butternut squash puree. It wasn't very good so I ate an extra portion of dates and chicken :) Oh the dates are SO good! They have a nice crunch and yet are chewy. They are sweet yet have a tang from the vinegar.....yum - I am glad I made enough for lunch leftovers!!!!

Whole30 - Day 1

Day 1 of the Whole30 program was good! It seems that all "programs/challenges/diets" start off that way. Ha. I haven't felt the need to snack - I am really trying to discern between my cravings: am I bored, does my body actually need water, am I truly hungry?

Here is what my day of food was like:

Breakfast: Chicken and Egg Frittata with strawberries
Lunch: Blackberry BBQ chicken with roasted cauliflower and a couple strawberries
Dinner: Ground beef with tomato sauce, bellpepper, and a salad

Blackberry BBQ chicken

I know I seem to say this a lot, but I think I tasted the best BBQ chicken last night - and I made it!!!! Never in a million years would I think that I would be capable of preparing a dinner other than grilled cheese, pasta, or pot roast. I literally surprise myself every night at how simple and fun cooking really is. I got the idea for a fruit BBQ from Juli's site at paleomg.com. I substituted the blueberries for blackberries, and the flavor was truly out of this world. I made enough for Adam and I to have leftovers for lunch, and I am so glad I did! The original recipe calls for maple syrup, but to make this okay by Whole30 standards, just leave it out! The fruit is actually sweet enough on its own - no need for added sweetener.

Sauce Simmering

Ingredients:

For the chicken;

• 2 lbs chicken. I used tenders but any cut will do
• 3 Tbsp bbq rub. Be sure to read the ingredients!
• 3 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp peper

For the BBQ sauce:

Seasoned Chicken

• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups blackberries
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp BBQ rub
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Chicken Cooking

1. Heat EVOO in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook for about 8 minutes
2. Add tomato sauce, blackberries, coconut aminos, bbq rub and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes
3. While the sauce is doing it's thing, heat a non stick skillet over medium heat. Heavily coat chicken with seasonings. If you need more seasonings, add more.
4. Place chicken in hot skillet and spoon some sauce over chicken
5. Turn chicken over at about the 5 minute mark and cook until done.
6. Plate cooked chicken with lots of BBQ sauce

I served mine with roasted broccoli and cauliflower with a little turkey bacon. 

Dinner is Served!

Chicken & Egg Frittata

Breakfast is the one meal that I struggle with most. Dinner is easy for me, and lunch is usually left over dinner or a big salad. But breakfast......I'm always rushed to get out the door in the mornings so I usually just boil an egg the night before and eat that with a piece of fruit. It will last me until lunch, but can get kind of boring. And I am trying to lose a few pounds, so I need to watch my fruit consumption. I recently learned that if you are trying to lose weight, limit your fruits. When you do eat fruit, stick to melons and berries. So, I will still have some fruit, but I am changing up my fruit choices. I cooked something Sunday night that will last me through the week....and it is so good and flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 Tbsp red onion, minced
• 3 Tbsp green bell pepper, minced
• 1 heaping handful of shredded carrots
• 1 small handful chopped broccoli
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 12 oz cooked, shredded chicken
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• S & P to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a non stick skillet saute onion, bell pepper, carrots, broccoli and garlic until veggies are soft, approx 8-10 minutes
3. Add chicken to skillet, continue to cook
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and coconut milk until combined
5. Pour egg mixture in skillet and stir until eggs are combined
6. Transfer egg and veggie mixture to a greased 8x8 pan. Season top with S&P
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven to broil for 5 minutes until edges are slightly brown

Breakfast :-)

Whole30 Challenge

Starting today, I am doing the Whole30 challenge. This is a 30 day challenge where I will, in a nut shell, be eating only whole-foods. This will consist of lots of meat, veggies, some fruit, nuts and seeds. I will not be eating any dairy, grains, soy, etc. For the next 30 days, I invite you to join me as we reset our brains and bodies to eat healthy again. I have included a link below that goes into greater detail on this challenge. The website is full of great information and can answer any question you may have. Feel free to email me if you want more info or have any questions - leesa.jernigan@gmail.com !

http://whole9life.com/2012/01/whole-30-v2012/