TROPICAL GREEN SMOOTHIE

 

 

Things I currently love: my crock pot, a smooth schedule, a good book, and green smoothies.

 

I feel that this is the time of year when it gets hard being a mom. Activities are starting up, Valentine's need to be signed, it's still cold and dark early, and everyone is getting a little stir crazy from being inside the house. All. Of. The. Time. We've had a lot of evening activities lately which can easily wide up with lots of convenience in the form of dinner: meaning we've ordered a lot of pizza and had some nights at the drive-thru lately. Which then results in feeling...a bit blah. How to remedy this? Green Smoothies.

 

 

If you're on Pinterest (and let's be honest, you are) you know that there are about 4782974 million recipes out there for smoothies.  I absolutely love this formula chart from Simple Green Smoothies:

 



credit: Simple Green Smoothies

 

 

I toss my choices into my Vitamix and am ready for the day. (I love taking smoothies to work for lunch.)

My current favorite is a tropical tasting smoothie packed with sweet pineapple and my boyfriend, coconut milk. It's a burst of sunshine on these cold winter days.

(Not really. It's just a smoothie, not a miracle. But it does taste yummy.)

 

Tropical Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cups of spinach
2 cups of coconut milk (1 can, shake well)
2 cups of pineapple
1 cut up banana (frozen or fresh)
3-5 ice cubes

Toss all of the ingredients into a blender and whirl to your heart's desire. Makes 2!

ROASTED AND SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

 This butternut squash is SO GOOD. The blend of spices plus the sweetness of the squash make for an extra delicious dish. Plus, it's simple! Cut, put it all on a baking sheet, bake, DONE.

 

 

So much spicy goodness!

 

Butternut squash is a weekly dish at our table during winter months. The kids don't love it, which is a shame, except that the husband and I get to ALL THE SQUASH. If they'd rather eat carrot sticks instead of this deliciousness, that's on them. I will happily eat it all for them.

 

 

 

Roasted and Spiced Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash

2 generous tablespoon olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika works too!)

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme (I use this)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
With a fork, puncture the butternut squash all over. Place in the microwave for one minute, remove and peel (the microwave method makes this a lot easier. You can also but precut butternut squash, they have it at Costco!). Slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Dice into 1-2 inch chunks.
Place the cut up squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and all spices and herbs; toss until well coated. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until squash is slightly browned. Eat it.

WHOLE30: WEEK 3

 I just finished Week 3 of my Whole30 (Week 1, Week 2) ! And honestly, this week was the toughest. Monday through about Thursday-both the husband and I were not super excited. This weekend though, things turned around and I'm starting to feel good. Like, really good.

The main reason last week was hard was because I didn't do my food prep for the week. Most weeks, on Fridays, I meal plan, do all the grocery shopping, and then do food prep for the week-make salads, cut up veggies, make any dressings/condiments we're low on. It's a bit of work, but makes a HUGE difference in our week. The Friday leading up to last week, we had a company function for my husband's battalion, which threw off all the meal prep. I had a plan, but was scrambling everyday to get it done. This past Friday, I got all the groceries, did the prep and it's already made a huge difference. Meal planning is your friend, especially on a Whole30!

This week while prepping, I tried a recipe for Whipped Coconut Cream. People. This is the stuff of legends. It is creamy and delicious and tastes like whipped cream, except that it's dairy free and full of vitamins and antioxidants. Umm...winner.

I couldn't find a recipe any where that didn't call for some sort of sugar to sweeten it. I was concerned that maybe not adding sugar or agave might mess with the consistency, but I decided to try it anyway. I used a little bit of coconut/pineapple water as a sweetener and it came out perfect.  This tastes SO GOOD on fruit, and I don't think I'll ever go back to dairy whipped cream again.

 

 

Whipped Coconut Cream

1 can of Coconut Milk (not cream), cold (refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight-this is essential)

1 tsp. Coconut Pineapple water  (I use this brand. Make sure to read your labels for no sugar added.)

 

Open the can of Coconut Milk, from the bottom. Pour out the water that has formed there, set aside and save. Pour cream into a bowl, add coconut pineapple water. Mix in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 10-15 minutes. Serve over fruit. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. When you pull it out of the fridge after a couple days, it might appear a bit foam like. Just stir it up and the whipped consistency will return!

Enjoy!

 



WHOLE30: WEEK 2

 

Week 2, done! So here we are, down another week of this Whole30 . (You can read about Week 1 here). There were lots of tomatoes. Lots of avocados. So many eggs. But you know what? I spent a lot of time not really wanting to eat anything. Not in a grouchy "I hate all these limits" way. I'm just not hungry.

Well, I might have been hungry for crackers. I may or may not have daydreamed about eating an entire box all by myself during nap time. But, I did not. Because I have purposely cleared my home of all crackers, because I knew these feeling would be coming.

But the food. We had some lows this week-I don't know how to make "cauliflower rice" evidently-but we also had some really good meals. No bean chili (recipe below!) and spaghetti squash are both deliciously satisfying and things we had never eaten before. The kids are doing AMAZING on cutting sugar and processed snacks. They're less grumpy, sleeping better, and not always hungry. I hadn't realized how bad we were getting about unhealthy snacks, so Whole30 has been a big wake up call on that. And I truly love eating so healthy and having my family eat healthier too. We're getting back on track and it feels great.

But I still miss crackers.

 

This chili was the highlight meal of the week. EVERYONE loved it. And it was so so simple.

 

 

Whole30 No Bean Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground beef (grass fed if that's your thing) or ground turkey

1 large green bell peppers, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

2 cans mild Rotel

1 6oz can tomato paste

2 cups water

1-2 cups of beef stock (Kitchen Basics is Whole30 compliant)

1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Toppings:

Avacado, cilantro (if desired)

 

In a large pot, brown the ground beef. Add the chopped green bell pepper and onion, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain off grease. Add Rotel, tomato paste, water, and spices, stir. Bring to a simmer, and cook about 10 minutes, Add 1 cup of beef stock, stir. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, adding more stock to reach your desired consistency. Adjust spices as desired. Serve topped with avocados and cilantro if that's your thing. Enjoy!

 



WHOLE30: WEEK 1

 

 

 

If you follow me on Instagram (@junenovember), you know that I've started a Whole30! For those of you not familiar with the Whole30, it's a nutritional reset, which basically means a person cuts out grains, sugar, dairy, legumes, and alcohol for 30 days. It's not a diet (I HATE that word) but a whole body and mind reset about food choices.

Now, you might be wondering why someone would give up cheese and wine and cookies ON PURPOSE. I know I would. But the truth is, we've slipped into bad eating habits around here. Normally, we eat healthy meals and enjoy treats moderately.  But, bad habits have starting sneaking in. Like two desserts a day. And chips with lunch. And as a snack. And one too many drinks one too many times. These are not normal things for us, but this summer has been creeping up on us. And after our vacation-which included lots of s'mores, barbeque, and biscuits and gravy-we decided to take action and do a Whole30 together. 

(The kids are not doing a Whole30, but they are cutting sugar and processed snacks drastically. Things were getting a little out of hand with the sugar consumption for them. Constantly asking for dessert, complaining about being "SO hungry!" right before bed because you refused to eat your dinner, thinking you need a snack all. day. long? Not going to work in this house.)

 

We just finished up our first week. I'll be doing weekly recaps here with recipes and grocery lists, so let's get started!

First off: Grocery List.

Trader Joe's is a big help. They have several premade things that are Whole30 compliant, plus pantry staples like nuts and ghee (clarified butter). And their produce and eggs are cheap.

 

Things on this week's Trader Joe's List:

Ghee

Organic Yukon Gold Potatoes

Frozen Turkey Burgers

Chicken Jalapeno Sausages

Frozen Shrimp

Canned Tuna

Nuts

 

At our regular grocery store (we normally shop at the Commissary) I was able to pick up:

Chicken breasts (with a humane certification)

Angus Steaks

Organic Prairie Deli Turkey Slices

 

This along with lots of produce from both stores made up our menu this week.

 

Breakfast

 

 

There were a lot eggs.

Breakfast is my favorite part of Whole30. I LOVE a hot, savory breakfast, and this eating plan insists that I have one! WIN.

Egg Cups: Grease a muffin tin or ramekins with ghee. Line with one piece of deli turkey, crack an egg into turkey cup. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red chili flakes, if desired. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Eggs and Greens: Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add a chopped red onion and two cloves of garlic, cooking until just brown. Add 4 cups baby spinach or greens of your choice. Top with two fried eggs.

Potatoes and Sausage: These potatoes are from a dinner, see recipe below. Brown sausage and potoates together with a tablespoon of ghee. Top with hot sauce (Cholula is complaint) if desired.

Eggs and Sausage: This was our go-to breakfast. Brown a Jalapeño Chicken sausage, add two beaten eggs, scramble together.

As pictured, I usually added fruit or tomatoes (I know, technically a fruit) as a little side.

 

Lunch

 

Lunch was almost always what ever meat was left over for the previous night on top of a salad.

(We have a ton of tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, so we're enjoying those.)

Steak Salad: Steak on mixed greens, with tomatoes, cucumbers and kalamata olives. Dressing option 1: two tablespoons balsamic vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Dressing option 2: Smashed up avocado with lime and salt and pepper (basically guac).

Tuna Salad: 2 cans of Trader Joe's Brand Albacore tuna in water, mixed with homemade mayo (Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipe. All Hail Queen Julia), chopped green onion, celery, and dill pickle. Makes 3 servings. I ate it on a bed of romaine and cucumbers and drizzled balsamic over it.

Shrimp and Cabbage Salad: Cabbage salad is made from half a head of green cabbage sliced thin and topped with sliced carrots and radishes. Topped with shrimp and homemade mayo mixed with apple cider vinegar and zahtar seasoning.

 

Dinner

 

Dinners really determine lunches and breakfast even. Part of what I love about this so far is I'm really using up all our groceries, where as I have been throwing out a lot of stuff that doesn't get used lately (because who wants carrots when there are chips in the pantry?)

Goose and Crispy Green Beans: My husband hunts and loves that this program embraces wild game. I sliced six goose breast in two inch pieces and sautéed them in ghee with onions and garlic, and seasoned everything with just salt and pepper. Green bean were cooked like this.

Steak and Potaotes: I love these potatoes, I like to eat them for breakfast on the mornings I run. Chop Yukon gold potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with ghee or olive oil. Place potatoes on cookie sheet, season liberally with smoked paprika, cumin, zahtar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cook for 25 minutes at 450, broil for another 7 minutes.

Lettuce Wrap Turkey Burgers: Grill Trader Joe's premade frozen turkey burgers and serve to your liking. We had roasted asparagus with these instead of our usual fries. I cook the asparagus the same way I cook the green beans.

Shrimp and Chicken with Mixed Veg and Potatoes: The shrimp are a bag of frozen precooked shrimp from Trader Joe's. I just threw them in the pan with ghee and garlic for about 5 minutes to warm them up and they were delicious! They were fantastic cold on the cabbage salad for lunch too.

 

Struggle, Week 1: I really crave cheese and crackers. They are my go to snack and lunch even.

Didn't Miss It At All, Week 1: Dessert. This didn't surprise me, as I don't have much of a sweet tooth. The only time I was a little sad was on National S'mores Day, I made the kids each one for an after dinner treat. But I realized that I didn't really want one, I just wanted the idea of one.

Surprise, Week 1: I honestly thought that I would miss wine more. I like a glass or two of wine. We get together most Saturday nights with our neighbors and have a glass together so I thought that might be hard. But I wasn't fazed at all. I still had a great evening with them without it!

 

You can read more about the Whole30 program here.

 

I'll be posting on Wednesdays with updates!