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!

PINS + LINKS

Happy Friday! I've decided to bring back Pins + Links on Fridays.


Do you ever come to the end of a week and find yourself focusing on all your shortcomings? It doesn't happen often to me, but this week has been a struggle. Some weeks are hard, you know? I'm hoping this weekend clears my mind and sets me on the right path for the coming week. The kids are off of school Monday, so it's a three day weekend for us, which already puts things in a positive light. I need a little downtime, some meditation, a little prayer, and maybe a nap and a glass of wine.

Here are some Pins I found this week:

1. Have you read about how people are choosing to wear a "uniform' everyday? This is my uniform. 2. I'll be making this drink station as soon as it warms up (hopefully this weekend!). 3. I just shopped at Aldi for the first time this week-and I really liked it. 4. Happy St. Patrick's Day! I think a Guinness float sound fantastic. 5. We're looking at new dining room sets and this is the look I'm going for.

Link Love:

Since one of my springtime goals is more gluten free baking, I've been making these Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from Livin Paleo and they are SO GOOD.

I watched and loved The Crown, but this news of season two is HIGHLY ANNOYING. The Go Fug Yourself Girls break it down for you.

I'm moving toward ALL all natural cleaning products in our home and am finding lots of ideas/inspiration from the blogs From Faye and Clean Mama.

I just bought these Converse and I love them. My capsule wardrobe is pretty much complete!

This stuff is just the cutest. Even though Ava has been extra sassy this week, I want to buy it all for her.

That's it for me! I hope you have a great weekend.

(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.

ALMOND SAUCE

Let's all be honest: sauces and dips can make a meal. A good sauce can change the whole flavor of your food. You take basic grilled chicken breasts and add salsa or pesto, and you have two completely different meals. Completely different, delicious meals. They make veggies extra tasty and add a kick to lunch. I love making sauces and dips during my weekly food prep to have on hand all week to add to meals. 

We love Thai food and the husband is especially fond of chicken satay. And the peanut dipping sauce is what makes it. I came up with this peanut free, soy free, and Whole 30 compliant version and guys, it is SO GOOD. We put it on everything: chicken, salad, we even use it as dip for raw veggies, And it's so easy! 

(Seriously, everyone at my house loves this sauce; when I make it it never lasts longer than three days, and once it's gone I daily hear, "Where did the almond sauce go?!" as people stare sadly into the fridge.)

Plus, the great thing about this is you can always change it up to suit your tastes. Don't like heat? Cut the hot sauce (add one more tsp of OJ).  If you eat soy, feel free to use tamari or soy sauce. Chose your preferences. Make it yours!

Almond Sauce

1/2 cup almond butter, smooth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp coconut aminos (you can also use tamari, which is gluten free, or traditional soy sauce)
2 tsp orange juice
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2-3 tbsp hot sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot Chile 'n Lime)

Salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate for up to two weeks (it won't last that long, but it could.)

That's it! Enjoy!

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.