Whole 30, Day 1

First, a recap of what I ate this first day of my attempt at Whole30. Below is a short bit about how it went, then a recipe for the Spanish "rice" I made from riced cauliflower (it's super yum and is definitely a keeper).

Breakfast:
1 egg, 3 egg whites, sauteed mushrooms all cooked in ghee

Lunch: 
1 apple, 2 T almond butter, turkey patty cooked in cast iron in olive oil (from frozen)

Dinner: 
Lettuce wrap tacos using ground turkey, bibb lettuce, chopped avocado, cilantro, and Spanish "rice" (recipe & pic below)

Snack: Banana with 1 T almond butter


Surprisingly, today went very well. Much better than expected! We had a 4 year old's birthday party to attend, and I managed to avoid all snacks and even the cake (I mean it wasn't chocolate, so it wasn't that hard...). The key so far seems to be about not counting calories. Since I don't have to account for an entire bottle of wine, or the usual tortilla/tortilla chips, or cheese, you can really load up on veggies and healthy fats to feel full and not guilty. We'll see how this progresses once my body catches on and starts saying 'Hey wtf!' but for now, I feel positive.
Other great effects from today: no bloat, no headache, no sniffles/sneezing, and a clear head. Dammit, I'm sold.


Spanish "Rice"
2 T olive or vegetable oil
1 bag riced cauliflower (from Trader Joe's)
1/3 each: red, green, yellow, and orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, oregano (maybe 1 teaspoon), and generous black pepper

Using dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil on medium heat. Once translucent, add bell peppers and cauli rice; season to taste, turn heat down to med-low, and let simmer for 10-ish minutes stirring occasionally. Turn down to low and cover til ready to serve. Excellent with chopped avocado, green onion, and cilantro, and if you're not doing Whole30, top with shredded cheddar cheese! I stuffed bibb lettuce leaves with this "rice" along with a spoonful of cooked, seasoned ground turkey.

Lettuce leaf tacos using Spanish "rice" and ground turkey

Best Beet Salad

Clearly there's more to this salad than just beets, but I needed a good name.  It didn't really have one before.  This has got to be in my top 5, if not top 1, favorite salads of all time.  What makes it so good is all the flavors that are going on - savory, salty, sweet, and tangy.  Plus it's great for using up leftover roast beef, or steak (if you have any that is)!

Vary ingredients to your taste:
Beef - either roast or steak, preferably grilled, sliced up.  Ground is not recommended.
Beets - chopped in 1/2" pieces, salted, oven roasted for 20 minutes at 425.
Onions - sliced, sauteed in olive oil til caramelized - Vidalia are best (the sweeter the better)
Arugula
Balsamic vinegar

I prefer a large amount of caramelized onions in my salad bowl, along with a heavy handed pour of balsamic.  The arugula can't be substituted - it lends a peppery bite that reduces your need for seasonings.  And this really is much better when the steak (or roast) is grilled beforehand, and the beets are roasted to a caramelly goodness.  I could eat this every day!

Option:  Throw the beets with some butter or grapeseed oil in heavy-duty foil, seal up, and throw on the grill while the steaks are cooking.  Depending on the heat of the grill they may need a lot more time for roasting than when cooking in the oven.

Ham & Egg Muffins, Sans Muffin

In 6 1/2 years of cooking for B, I've never made something that made as big of a splash as these ham & egg "muffins".  Not only are they super delicious and perfect for grab-n-go breakfasts, but he can slip them right in between two halves of an English muffin and have his own healthier version of the McDonald's one!  (He's not following the same diet plan that I am, so it's nice for him to have options).

Someday this picture will be updated and improved...

These are adapted from a pin I saw on Pinterest (where else...), so I can't claim credit.  Actually there are a million of these pins floating around on there, so really, who can?  I've also seen them called "cups".

Anyway, here's the lowdown, with variations posted below:

12 eggs (or 24 egg whites, but it's better with yolks....trust me)
2 handfuls spinach
12 slices good quality deli ham
S/P

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease muffin pan (I use a silicone type).  Place one slice of ham at the bottom of each well, smoothing up sides. Press a few spinach leaves at the bottom, then crack one egg into each "cup".  Sprinkle S & P on top, throw in oven, and bake for about 12 minutes.  Giggle the pan a bit toward the end of cooking time; if whites aren't set, cook for another couple minutes.  You do want the yolk to be a bit on the runny side though, which as B says, is the best part.  Of course if you don't want to run the risk of salmonella, cook them a few minutes longer.  Or just wash your eggs with soapy water before cracking to reduce risk.
When they've cooled completely, remove from pan and wrap individually before refrigerating.   Reheat each in the microwave for about 1 minute on high.


Variations:
1-2 T diced pre-sauteed ham cubes sprinkled at the bottom of each cup instead of sliced ham (creates more of a "layered" muffin than a "cup")
Crumbled bacon
Chopped, pre-sauteed onion
Finely chopped peppers

Turkey Muffins

I know this sounds gross but trust me, they aren't.  They were a HUGE hit here and will definitely be on heavy rotation.  These are the easiest things to make and I'm bummed I never thought of this before Pinterest came around.  Damn you Pinterest for overwhelming me with your amazing ideas!

1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken (*can also grind your own in the food processor so you know what you're eating...)
1 large egg (optional)
2 big handfuls spinach leaves, chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, like Vidalia, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
S/P

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.  In a bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Shape into 12 balls, and place in muffin pan.  Throw it in the oven for about 30 minutes; check with a meat thermometer before removing from oven (160 degrees) - bake longer if temp isn't up there yet.  Good browning is a must for better flavor.

Serving ideas:  asparagus, arugula salad, watercress soup, steamed spinach

*To grind your own:  Buy boneless/skinless fresh cuts of turkey or chicken, chop down into 2" chunks (to make them easier to fit), and toss them in the food processor with the blade attachment.  Pulse til the meat is ground down, but not mush.  This is a great option for anyone who doesn't own a KitchenAid grinder attachment.  Thanks to my friend Staci for giving me this smart idea!

Sausage & Veggie Pasta

As usual I could not get a decent photo of this deeeeelish dinner, but it was worthy of a blog post nonetheless. There have been a ton of coupons for sausage lately, and while it's normally not on my grocery list, the cheapness couldn't be passed up. Besides....throw in enough veggies, and suddenly you're not eating so much of the "bad" stuff.

3 Hot Italian sausage links sliced into 1/2 pieces, or 1/2-1 lb of ground hot Italian sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
1 large head broccoli, chopped
3 small zucchini, 1/2 slices
S&P, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 box rotini pasta, cooked (omit for paleo/low carb/Whole30)
2 very large handfuls spinach
Parmesan, shredded (omit for paleo/Whole30)

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium/medium high heat til browned. Add onions, stir & cook for a minute, then add broccoli and zucchini. Splash a couple tablespoons of hot water in the pan and quickly cover to steam the veggies. After a couple minutes, stir and cover again. Leave over heat for another couple minutes, then uncover and add the seasonings. Stir thoroughly, remove from heat.
In a large bowl, toss the spinach and pasta. Dump the veggie/sausage mixture on top, toss again, and serve with a hefty helping of shredded Parmesan. For paleo or Whole30, just serve sausage mixture over spinach and allow it to wilt.
Since the sausage isn't the star of this dish, a Sauvignon Blanc went really well - good with the veggies and Parm.

Steak & Beet Salad

If there was a heaven, this would be on its menu year-round. This is perfection on a plate. Of course, you must love beets to agree with me here.
I don't recall ever being made to try beets as a kid, in fact my earliest memory of eating beets was when I was around 21. There was a diet circling around (pre-interwebs, mid 90s), that was called something like the "OHSU Diet". It involved 3 days' worth of meals, and if you followed it exactly to the letter it promised weight loss of at least 10 lbs in those three days. (Of course it didn't work.) Anyway, one of the meals involved eating canned beets dressed with red wine vinegar. Surprisingly I was not grossed out.
I can almost guarantee that even non-beet eaters will not be grossed out by this salad:

1-2 lbs round steak
2 large beets, with greens, washed
Salted butter
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 large red onion
2 handfuls washed arugula
Chevre, Feta, or other goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar (vary quantity to taste)
S&P

Well ahead of the game, scrub and peel the beets, separate greens, wrap beets in foil, and roast at 375 until cooked. These took about 45 minutes.
In the meantime, trim stalks off washed greens and set aside to drain. Prep steaks by trimming fat. Let rest a bit, before pan-frying in olive oil with a good seasoning blend and S&P. Fry til browned on each side and med-rare. Remove from heat and let rest on a plate.
While beets are roasting and steak is resting, thinly slice onion, and mince garlic. Slowly saute onions in butter/olive oil over medium low heat til caramelized (can add a tiny splash of Balsamic at this stage if desired, but I add mine at the end for stronger flavor). Remove beets from oven to cool at this point. Add garlic and beet greens to the caramelized onions, cook over low til greens are barely wilted - just a few minutes. You want the greens to still have a little bite and not turn to mush. Set aside.
Quickly slice both the steak and the beets. Toss with the greens/caramelized onion mixture with a bit of Balsamic, Salt, & Pepper. Place a handful of arugula on each plate, and top with the steak/beet/greens combo. Sprinkle a little cheese around each plate, and enjoy - with a giant glass of something meaty & rich, like a Cab, Malbec, Bordeaux, or Shiraz!

Veggieful Chicken Enchiladas

No two pans of enchiladas I've ever made have turned out the same. That's the beauty of casserole-style meals; they're all so flexible. Sometimes I wish I could duplicate a particularly good dish though - before this blog I'd never written anything down, so hopefully now this one can be replicated in the future. It's that good!

Rarely do I use processed foods in anything I make or eat, but this particular green enchilada sauce I've never been able to copy exactly in a homemade version. So, I make an exception :-). It's lighter than the traditional red or mole sauce, which I think is better for chicken and vegetable versions of enchiladas like this one.

1 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper (or a little of all three for more color!)
1 c frozen corn, defrosted
1 c black beans
1 small can chopped green chilis (or 1 large fresh poblano, chopped)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (or 1-2 large fresh chopped tomatoes, seeded and thoroughly drained)
1/4 c chopped black olives (optional)
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
S&P

corn tortillas
vegetable oil

2-3 c cheese (I use whatever I have on hand - usually cheddar & mozzarella or pepperjack)

1 large can La Victoria green enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 360. Chop all vegetables, heat olive oil over med-high heat and saute just the onions, garlic and peppers. When softened, add the rest of the vegetables and the chicken. Turn down to heat thoroughly, stir occasionally.
While that is simmering, pour a little of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a sprayed 9"x13" casserole dish (just a couple tablespoons to help prevent sticking). Heat vegetable oil in a small saute pan over med-high heat. When oil is shimmering, fry each corn tortilla quickly on each side (through trial and error in trying to lighten the fat content of my enchiladas, I came to the conclusion that the tortillas must be fried first, just to soften - not to a crisp - otherwise they turn to mush in the end). Depending on how big you stuff the tortillas, you'll need anywhere from 12 to 20. Start stuffing each one with the vegetable/chicken mixture, roll as tightly as possible, and tuck into casserole dish. Pour remaining sauce evenly over all enchiladas, making sure a little gets between each one, then sprinkle all the cheese on top. I like to put a little extra cheese around the edges so it gets nice & crunchy. Bake enchiladas for 20 minutes; if desired, broil for the last few minutes to brown & crisp up the cheese.
There is usually leftover vegetable/chicken mixture leftover; use for tacos tomorrow, or throw over rice with salsa, avocado & sour cream!

Creamy Asparagus Soup and Lemon Arugula Pasta

Light, lemony, garlicky (of course), and meat-free! Very necessary after ordering gyoza last night and hamburgers the night before. So much for resolutions.

Arugula is not in season, but who cares - its peppery flavor and light texture is hard not to crave. Plus I was still able to find organic, so it's all good. It was tossed with lemon, garlic and parmesan into spaghetti pasta, and we enjoyed a creamy, lemony asparagus soup on the side (I wasn't able to snap a good pic of the soup). The pasta is loosely based on a Food Network recipe by Giada de Laurentiis.


Creamy Asparagus Soup:
2 T salted butter/ghee
2 large cloves garlic
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed & chopped
4 c chicken broth
1 c unsweetened almond milk (or coconut cream)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t grated lemon zest
S&P

Saute onion, garlic and asparagus in butter til slightly softened (do not brown). Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn down to low, simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Then add milk, and blend all with an immersion blender til nice and smooth. Add lemon juice, zest, and S&P right before serving - stir well to incorporate.

Lemon Arugula Pasta:
Whole wheat or low-carb spaghetti pasta
2 T olive oil (or salted butter, or an equal mix of both)
Juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
Parmesan cheese (to taste, I don't measure)
Lots of S&P
2 c washed arugula

Cook spaghetti to desired firmness, and drain. Add next 5 ingredients and toss til well distributed. Serve over bed of arugula, or lightly toss arugula into spaghetti before plating up.

This was insane with an oaky, buttery Chardonnay.