ALMOND & APPLE CHICKEN SALAD

Sometimes, life gets crazy. Sometimes, you and your hubs get home from work and have homework to help with, plus both baseball and Girl Scouts on the same night (WHY WHY WHY), plus dogs to feed...oh and yourself and all the people who live in your house who expect to eat every single day. And that's when you need to have a ton of this chicken salad in your fridge so you have something to scarf down before you run out the door. (Again.) It's great on it's own, with crackers, on bread, or on top of greens!

Also, it's, like, the easiest thing ever to make.

These measurements are good for two very large servings, so feel free to double or triple it for mega food prep. (Make during your weekly meal prep and you're golden!) Most weeks, I throw a couple pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my slow cooker for 4 hours and then shred it all to have on hand during the week, and that works perfectly here. I also make my own mayo, because...I'm crazy (Just in case you would like to try this, I double the Whole 30 recipe) but you can use regular mayonnaise, of course (I suggest Hellmann's for traditional mayo or Primal Kitchen Avocado mayo if you're paleo/Whole 30). I also sometimes top it with Danielle Walker's Against All Grain Thai Almond Dressing and it is DIVINE.

Alright, let's make chicken salad!

Almond & Apple Chicken Salad

2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken 

4-6 Tbsp of mayonnaise of your choice

1 small apple, cored and chopped 

1 stalk of celery, chopped

2 Tbsp of roasted or raw almonds

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Against All Grain Almond Dressing

Mix all ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste. Top with almond dressing, if desired. Can be stored in fridge up to three days.

Enjoy!

whole 30 compliant MASHED POTATOES

We eat a lot of potatoes. I know that there are the naysayers about potatoes-especially plain old white potatoes- who say they are too starchy and have too many carbs. But to those people I say STOP. Potatoes are a real, whole, nutritious, delicious food. And they happen to be carb AND a starch. I like to have a form of starch/complex carb at a meal-it's filling and if you're working out, you need it. Period. We often eat potatoes twice a day, (sometimes even THREE TIMES A DAY) and you know what? Healthier than ever. Weight lost. Workouts are better. 

Potatoes are not the enemy. Carbs are not the enemy. Eat real food, guys.Three cheers for potatoes!
These mashed potatoes taste creamy and decadent, but are completely dairy free and Whole 30 compliant. They're perfect paired with pot roast or even for a holiday meal.

Let's get started:

I like russet potatoes for traditional mashed potatoes. Give them a decent scrub and then peel them. Dice into cubes and pop them into a big pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook those little cubes until you can easily poke them with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Now, here is the key to perfect mashed potatoes: after draining, put the potatoes back in the pot and put them back on heat (about med high). And stir them until they are dry and they leave a little film on the pot. Then, and only then, remove them from the heat and mash away.

Now. We season. Stay with me, things might sound weird, but the results will be good. Promise!
The season crew:

Don't panic. Your potatoes are not going to taste like coconut.

I go in this order, but it doesn't really matter: clarified butter, coconut cream, stock, seasoning, then more coconut cream and stock as needed. (Also, you can cut the paprika in half if you don't like the color it produces.)

Creamy, perfect, mashed potatoes.

 Mashed Potatoes (whole 30 compliant)
8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into cubes
4 Tbsp clarified butter
3/4 cup, divided coconut cream (or coconut milk)
1/4 cup chicken stock (plus more if needed)
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/4-1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika if that's what you have!)

Fill a pot with cold, salted water; add the potatoes. Bring the potatoes to a full boil; boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and return to the pot. Heat the potatoes over medium high heat, continually stirring, until potatoes are dry and there is a thin film around the pot, about 7 minutes, Remove from heat and mash well, until there are no lumps.
Add the clarified butter and fold into the potatoes with a wooden spoon. Add 1/2 cup of coconut cream and 1/4 cup of chicken stock, carefully working the liquids into the potatoes until smooth. Add all the seasonings and stir until to combine. If the potatoes are a dry, add another 1/4 cup of coconut cream and a little more stock. Stir well until combined. Salt to taste and serve.

Enjoy!

(whole30, paleo, grain free) ZUCCHINI FRIES

People. These zucchini fries are so delicious, that you will eat them off the pan, burning your mouth, and you simply won't care. You'll just shove more in your mouth, and say things to your children as they set the table like, "Do you want zucchini? No? That's fine! You can have carrots sticks instead tonight! No, you don't even have to take one bite!" And then you will eat all the zucchini fries all by yourself.

These are super simple, super quick, and so so so good. Annnnnd: totally grain free, gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and Whole 30 compliant.

Oven Baked Zucchini Fries
4 zucchini, cut into sticks
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1 Tbsp spoon garlic salt
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/8 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 large eggs

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil, parchment or a baking mat (such as a Silpat). Preheat the over to 425 degrees.
Whisk the eggs. Toss the zucchini sticks in the eggs until coated. Set aside.
Mix the almond flour and all the spices together. Coat zucchini sticks on all sides and lay in a single layer on your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then increase heat to 450 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from and oven and serve hot.

Enjoy!

CREAMY TOMATOES & CHICKEN OVER SPAGHETTI SQUASH

One of my absolute favorite foods is pasta with cream sauce. I will 100% go to a fancy Italian restaurant with dozens of authentic, delicious, farm to table dishes and be that person who orders Fettuccine Alfredo. I will order anything that claims to be "three cheese." I will use bread to mop up all the extra creamy sauce on my dish. I love it all-gnocchi, tortellini, parma rosa, the before mentioned Alfredo sauce. 

The problem is, as I get older, I've (sadly) gotten wiser. I do silly things like run for exercise and say no to things I don't want to do and listen to my body about things that I eat that make me feel like crap. Which means I really really really limit both dairy and gluten. The key elements to my pasta with cream sauce love.

Luckily, this growing older has also taught me to embrace things I love, one of which is cooking and coming up with recipes. This past year, I've really worked at taking meals we love and turning them into things that are Whole 30 compliant. This creamy tomato and chicken dish is both dairy free and grain free but creamy and decadent tasting. 

(It's also basically one pot, which means less clean up, thank-you-Jesus-and-the-universe, we could all use less time doing dishes, can I get an Amen?)

Cast of Characters:

 Tomatoes, chicken, olive oil, chicken stock, coconut cream and tapioca flour are the base of this dish. Fresh basil and rosemary, plus garlic and onions give this dish a ton of flavor. Salt and pepper, of course, plus a little crushed red pepper for a tiny kick.

First we're going to roast a spaghetti squash to serve all this creaminess over.

While the squash is roasting, we brown the chicken in olive oil.

Once the chicken is cooked up, set it aside. Add a little more oil and the onions to the pan and brown them. Toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Finally, add the tomatoes. Cook it all up. Your kitchen is starting to smell divine.

We add the broth and bring everything to a boil and then simmer it all together. Toss in that basil and the rosemary. And the key to the creaminess: coconut cream and a little tapioca starch diluted in water. We season everything with salt and pepper and add that kick of red pepper flakes. Add the chicken back in and warm everything up. Now your kitchen smells like Italian heaven (and if you're having a dinner party this is when your guests should show up and shower you with praise like "It smells so good in here!" and there is dinner all in one pot with nary a dish to wash and you feeling all chef like! *Praise hands*). 

Run a fork through that spaghetti squash to make "noodles". Top that squash with a piece of chicken and creamy tomatoes. Eat, enjoy, and don't feel a bit guilty. 

Creamy Tomatoes and Chicken Over Spaghetti Squash

2 Tbsp chopped basil

1/2 Tbsp chopped rosemary

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, chopped

2 lbs of fresh tomatoes, chopped OR 1 28oz can chopped tomatoes

2 lbs chicken breasts

1/2 cup coconut cream

1 cup chicken stock

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

2 Tbsp of tapioca flour*, dissolved in 2 Tbsp of cold water 

Big Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper, to taste.

1 large spaghetti squash

*Tapioca flour can be found in the "health food " section in most grocery stores. This part is OPTIONAL. It makes the sauce a little thicker/creamier, but if you can't find it don't worry about it!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and place on a rimmed cookie sheet, cut side up. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until flesh is soft (if you can stick a fork in it with little resistance, it's ready).

While the squash is roasting, make your sauce. Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper, and when the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 7 minutes, each side, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate; leave the brown juices in the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and return the pan to the burner. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add the onions to the pan and cooking until soft and slightly brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chopped herbs and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the tomatoes for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the coconut cream and 2 Tbsp of the dissolved tapioca starch, if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add in the crushed red pepper flakes. If you'd like the sauce a little thicker, add more of the dissolved tapioca starch, 1 Tbsp at a time until desired thickness is achieved. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer another 5-7 minutes to warm the chicken.

Shredded the spaghetti squash with a fork. Serve the chicken and sauce over the spaghetti squash.  

Enjoy!

POWER BREAKFAST: GROUND BEEF, SNAP PEAS & EGGS (IRI IRI PAN PAN)

Earlier this summer, I read the book Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother's Toyko Kitchen by Naomi Moriyama, which, despite the ridiculous title, was a very interesting look at the day to day cooking in a Japanese home kitchen. The diet "secrets" are the usual-eat smaller portions, walk more, eat at home- but I found this book to be a very good introduction to Japanese home cooking, and it included several recipes plus lists of ingredients and cookware essentials for a Tokyo kitchen.

The Japanese diet in this book focuses on small portions, light cooking, beautiful presentation, "power breakfasts" and is based around eating fish, vegetables, soy, noodles, rice, tea, and fruit. I can get behind fish, veggies, tea and fruit-those are staples in my kitchen-but soy, rice, and noodles are not often in my pantry, since I try to maintain a mostly Whole 30ish way of eating. So I thought I'd try to convert some of the recipes in this book to Whole 30 complaint versions. 

This Japanese power breakfast is a combination of ground beef, snap peas and scrambled eggs called Iri Iri Pan Pan. By making just a couple changes (no soy sauce, no rice, no sugar) I made a version that is Whole 30 compliant AND delicious! Guys, Japanese food for breakfast is a thing and you should try it.

Iri Iri Pan Pan Power Breakfast

recipe adapted from Japanese Woman Don't Get Old or Fat

A (very) generous single serving or two small servings  

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp seasme oil, divided

1/2 lb. of ground beef (see note below)

1/2 an onion, diced

2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce if you eat soy)

12 snap peas, string removed and split (if desired)

1 Tbsp ghee (or butter)

2 eggs

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, whisk eggs with salt and pepper, set aside

Heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and cook until brown. Add the onion and the coconut aminos. Cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Remove meat and onions from pan. Wipe out pan and return to burner.

Add the rest of the sesame oil to pan. When the oil is hot, add the snap peas to the pan and flash cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the peas from the pan. Return pan to the stove, add the ghee and reduce the heat to low. Add the eggs to the pan. Let eggs sit for 30 seconds, then gently stir. Repeat this process until eggs are fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes. The eggs should look like small curds. 

Place the beef, snap peas, and eggs on a plate to serve. Enjoy!

Note: I make a big batch (like, 2 lbs) of this ground beef on my meal prep Sundays and then just reheat it in the pan for this meal. A pre-made hamburger patty would also work well for a single serving of this meal.

RUSTIC BEEF & ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

Frittatas are both an easy and delicious food. This egg dish tastes equally good warm or cold, and can be a perfect meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Also, as long as you have eggs, you can put pretty much anything in a frittata and have it taste good.

This beef and zucchini frittata is Whole 30 (so that means gluten, sugar, and dairy free!) and super easy to whip up during food prep. You can make it on Sunday and have it in your fridge for breakfasts and lunches all week or you can serve it for brunch on Sunday. I'm, using ground beef in this one, but it would be equally delicious with ground turkey if you don't eat beef, or with potatoes and bell peppers if you don't eat meat. That's the genius of frittatas: you can make it totally to your taste AND clean our your fridge at the same time. It's a winner.

(Also, I called it rustic because I like the top of my frittatas to be browned and also I don't have to worry about it looking perfect. Fun fact: "rustic" makes it sound like your not perfect things are that way on PURPOSE so you never have to feel like you've failed. Try it out:

"I made a rustic birthday cake!" instead of "I totally ran out of frosting."

See?? Totally changes the perspective. You're welcome.)

Rustic Beef & Zucchini Frittata

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

8 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp. cooking fat, such as olive oil or ghee (or butter if you aren't trying for whole 30/no dairy)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the ground beef in a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat, until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Remove meat to a plate and drain the pan, retaining one tablespoon of grease. Add zucchini and onion to pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pan and combine. Add cooking fat. Pour in beaten eggs and gently fold into meat and veg mix. Allow to sit, without stirring 3-5 minutes, until eggs are set on the side and bottom of pan, but still wet looking. *Carefully transfer to a pie dish  Cook under the broiler (or at 500 degrees) for 5 minutes until the top is browned and eggs are cooked. Serve warm or refrigerate. Can be reheated of served cold.

Enjoy!

*If you're cooking the frittata in a cast iron pan or other oven safe pan, you do not need to transfer it to a pie dish; you can simply stick that pan in the oven. I use the pie pan because it's easier to store in the fridge and I need my cast iron throughout the week. 

WHOLE30: FINISHED!

So last Friday, I officially finished my first Whole30. And I want to tell everyone everything about it. Why? Because this has changed my entire out look about eating. We have always eaten pretty healthy and been considerate about what we were eating. But the Whole30 has taken it to a whole new level. I am very aware of how much my entire body and mind are affected by the food I chose to eat. And I feel amazing!

 

 

You can read all the rules here but I just wanted to talk about the changes that we have personally seen in our family-because our WholeFamily has had a great outcome from our Whole30 (you see what I did there).

 

1. We have cut our sugar consumption like whoa. I had no idea how much sugar we were consuming on a daily basis. I noted in my first week review that I knew things were getting a little out of hand with dessert at our house, but it turns out dessert was the least of our worries. Spaghetti sauce, salad dressing, bread, bacon-it's all full of sugar. By cutting our sugar intake, our kids especially are less cranky, sleeping better, and have cut their cravings. I plan on cutting refined sugar as completely as possible and keeping "natural" sugars such as honey and agave to a minimum.

 

2. And speaking of sleep, everyone is sleeping better. Ever since we moved, my husband hasn't slept well. That's been a year! But the Whole30 has helped him hugely. We're both sleeping better at night and getting up easier in the morning-no more snooze alarms. I'm also not feeling an afternoon slump like I had a tendency to do.

 

3. Drinking isn't the only way to have a good time. I also mentioned in my first week review that we were having one drink to many to often. After doing the Whole30, where there was no drinking at all, we had a real eye opener. We were equaling drinking with all sorts of everyday things: relaxing, having fun, and just what we did on Fridays and Saturday because everyone else is. New flash: not healthy. Not normal. A glass of wine on a Saturday night or a bottle of hard cider at a barbeque is great. But our overall consumption was entirely too much for us to be comfortable with. For me, this awareness was one of the best things to come out of the Whole30 and I'm thankful for it.

 

4. Exercise is so much better when you're eating well and taking care of yourself. I'm what would be a reluctant runner. I run not because I truly enjoy it, but because it's good for me, and I'm in my 30s and I need something to keep me in check. But you know what? My running has gotten better since starting the Whole30. Like, a lot better. And it's inspired me to come up with new running workouts. And it turns out that not only am I now one of those people who will say "No bread please," I'm now also one of those people who LIKES TO RUN FOR FUN.

(I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends.)

My yoga routines have also gotten longer and better.

 

5. And finally...between the two of us, my husband and I lost 28 lbs. I thought that the weight I was at-which was a healthy weight, if not my happiest weight-was just where I was going to be from now on. I'm in my 30s, I have two kids. But eating like this and running better and doing yoga like I mean it has made my body the way I'm happiest.

 

I like big glasses and I cannot lie.

So what's next?  I plan on continuing to eat Whole30ish most of the time and truly enjoy my occasional indulgences. I encourage you to try a Whole30 yourself! You CAN do it, and it WILL make you feel awesome. Even if you're already healthy. Even if you love junk food. Try it; you won't be disappointed!

 

I'll be continuing to post recipes and inspiration here on the blog and on Instagram (@junenovember).

 

Cookbook recommendations: I'm getting continued inspiration from Against All Grain and the actual Whole 30 book.

 



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!

 



PEACHY KEEN SMOOTHIES

 

 

This past weekend, Ava and I headed to Farmer's Market to pick up some fruit. There is a severe drought going on in Northern California and it's hit small farmer's hard. The stands were few and far between as farms try to beat the heat/lack of water. But the peach seller we always buy from was there, handing out free samples and selling glorious yellow and white peaches. I bought 2 1/2 pounds of them. And then I got home and remembered we are moving-very, very soon-and I need to use up our food, not buy more and waste it. So this morning I whipped up a big batch of smoothies with those delicious peaches. These smoothies are both dairy free and vegan and the perfect, EASY breakfast on a hot July morning.

 

Peachy Keen Smoothies

makes 2 large servings

 

2 large peaches, pitted and sliced

1 banana (fresh or frozen), sliced

1 cup of orange juice

1 cup of water

3-5 ice cubes.

 

Add all ingredients together in a blender. Blend and serve. Enjoy!