Whole 30 Thursdays: Fruity Salad

Not just any Fruity Salad but Fruity Chicken Chopped Salad.  Yes, ANOTHER chicken salad but what can you expect when it is a 1000 degrees outside and you want need something cool to eat. And this one was perfect.  Well, almost.

A wonderful mix of greens, roasted chicken, and oranges with an oj  vinaigrette.  The recipe also called for pomegranate arials but they were not available.  I would have liked that little pop of flavor.  I did add some W30 compliant dried cranberries and they were tasty in the salad.

The reason I say almost perfect is because I didn’t care much for the  vinaigrette.  It didn’t have much flavor.  I will figure out how to fix it because I really did enjoy the salad.

The recipe is from Fast and Easy  (page 26) which is the latest W30 cookbook.  Kayte will get to it eventually – this is Fair Week in Indy.

While we will not be posting the actual recipes from the book (we encourage you to honor the author and to buy the book so that you can own the recipes yourselves), we will share our photos and  ingredients and comments on each. If you would like to join in, just leave the link to your post so we can come and read all about it.  Even if you aren’t eating Whole 30ish, the recipes and food are wonderful and fit into any meal plan.

 

{CC#15} Seared Chicken

Last post for March.  Last post for  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom.  Not the last day for me to use the program and the recipes though.  I feel good.  I feel healthier than I have in years so I will continue on with this style of eating without any regrets.

I decided to keep it simple this time – Perfect Seared Chicken.

 This pic was borrowed from Cooking for Two because I accidentally deleted my pic.

My chicken looked exactly like this.  It was simple, moist and delicious.  Just salt and pepper are all that you need.

How simple you ask? Season your boneless, skinless chicken beast.  Heat cooking fat until HOT.  Sear chicken round side down until nice and brown.  Throw the skillet in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes and VOILA! perfect seared chicken.

The recipe is on page 157 of  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

 

{CC#15} Shrimp on the plate

The Whole30 is over and now we are reintroducing some of the foods we weren’t able to eat on the program.  Dairy.  Grains. Legumes. Gluten.  But the other days are compliant so we aren’t done with the ‘special’ foods yet.

The Pesto Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes was on my menu today.

The pesto is made with spinach, basil, walnuts, and garlic.  It was good, but I did miss the Parmesan cheese I usually have in it.  Mixed with the shrimp and some tomatoes {I didn’t have cherry ones so I cut up some regular ones I had canned last summer.}

So very good.  And quick.

It appears that Shrimp has become my go-to meal when I want something quick.  I always have it in the freezer.  It is easy and quick to fix.

The recipe is from  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom (pg 359). Want to try it?  I found the recipe on the Whole30 blog.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} chicken cacciatore

Yesterday was the last day of our Whole30.  WooHoo!!  We did it!!  That doesn’t mean we are quitting completely.  We have the reintroduction over the next ten days or so.  Slowly but surely getting back to ‘normal’ eating.  But recipes like this one will always be in the menu rotation.

 

The list of ingredients is long but it is simple to make.  You an have a healthy dinner on the table in an hour.  Capers, tomatoes, chicken, onions, bell peppers, and shrooms.

The one thing about Whole30 is that what may seem like a lot of food for two is healthy and filling.  Just because it says two people doesn’t mean you HAVE to eat all of it.  This recipe used a pound of drumsticks and 1/2 pound of boneless thighs. That’s a lot of food. But… it’s all good for you!

The recipe is on page 334 of  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom.  It is also on the Whole 30 blog.

Try it.  It is delicious.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} Green beans with Onions…

…and mushrooms, and peppers.  All cooked together where the flavors of each blended yet didn’t.  It was quite tasty.  {And more tasty than it looks!}  No fancy hard to find spices just salt and pepper to bring out the flavor.

The recipe says to precook and ‘shock’ the beans but I didn’t do that because I had some beans that we canned last year and they were already cooked. The sliced onions, and mushrooms and strips of bell pepper are cooked in a skillet until tender.  Add the beans back in.  Easy to cook {and easy to over-brown} while you watch over them and shake them  often.  The beans should be crisp and bright green.  Mine – not so much.  But still a great side that would go with anything.

This recipe is from  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom the book I have been using for March’s Cookbook Countdown.  You can find it on page 280.

If you want more info about The Whole 30 program just visit Whole30.  The program outline is there along with recipes, tips, and other great info.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} Cauliflower Rice

Last night was the end of Day 21 on Whole30.  So I celebrated with a Diet Coke, a HUGE plate of pasta and some mini cupcakes…

No!  Just kidding.  Maybe it was in my dream.  Funny thing, I started out thinking of all the things I CANNOT have – pizza, pasta, bread,  DIET COKE – but now its thinking about all the good things I CAN have.  Fresh fruit.  Fresh veggies.  Shrimp.  Beef.  Nuts.  Baked Potato.  I. Will. Survive!

Last night we had fresh fish browned in a little ghee and coconut oil  Okra. And while The Man had leftover ‘non-compliant’ mashed potato cakes browned in ghee I had..

Cauliflower Rice

It was easy to make.  Process cauliflower in the food processor.  Brown some onions, garlic, and carrot in ghee.  Add in the ‘rice’ and let it steam until soft.  Easy!  I think I liked it but I’m not really sure.  I think using a little Sesame Oil would really up the flavor.  

The recipe is on page 272 of  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom.    I also found the recipe on Recipe Girl’s Website if you want to try it.

I will try it again.  As much as I love cauliflower I’m not sure if this will be a hit or not.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} stir-fry chicken

For the last few days I have been reading It Starts with Food which has been very helpful in understanding the Whole 30 program.  It’s one thing to follow a program.  It’s another thing to understand how and why it works.  I wish I had found this program many years ago for many reasons.

But, anyhoo… I am still cooking from The Whole 30 guide etc. and still eating really well on really good food.  This is Day 18 and for dinner I fixed a good healthy Whole30 meal.

This chicken stir-fry included broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, carrots, and green onions.  For the cooking fat I used a mix of coconut oil and sesame oil which gave it  great flavor. On the plate I added a little Coconut Aminos (since I cannot have soy sauce) and that added more to the flavor.

The dish was clean, light, and filling.   The chicken is browned and right before it is finished you throw some garlic and ginger into the saucepan.  Remove the chicken and wipe out the pan.  I think this would have been better if the garlic and ginger would have been left and just added more oil and then the veggies.  But I always follow the recipe the first time.  No matter how you fix it – it’s good.

The recipe is from  The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom  page 340.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} seared salmon benedict

I was getting a little tired of eggs for breakfast.  I mean, I love eggs – scrambled, poached, fried – but not EVERY morning.  I miss my cereal and oatmeal and English muffins.  But they will all still be there when I am ready to eat them again.

Now, I know this sounds silly, but just eating an egg for lunch was a nice change.  {I had leftover gumbo for breakfast! It’s a topsy-turvy world!}   I had a nice poached egg over a piece of seared salmon with a touch of  Hollandaise on top.  More commonly known as Salmon Benedict.  It with a nice change.

The recipe for the salmon is on page 210 of The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom. but you can also find it on the Whole30 site along with the Hollandaise recipe (page 314) {in which I used less lemon and it was perfect}. Perfect poached egg is on page 150.

I have to tell you I think I could eat this every day.  I loved the mix of the soft yolk with the crisped salmon and the luxuriousness of the Hollandaise.  Yep!  Definite repeat.

We are beginning our third week of The Whole30 program and plan to follow it ’til Easter. We can do this!!  I am starting to feel the benefits of the program now.  My eyes are brighter, my coat is shinier… just kidding.  But I am feeling good, not craving anything like I usually do,  and feel like I am doing the right thing on this program.  I started this program to lower my VERY, VERY high triglycerides and see if I could lower my blood pressure. Losing weight was also a consideration but not the most important one.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15} W30 sweet potato soup

It has been chilly here in the deep south for the last few days.  Highs only in the 60s and lows in the 40s.  Now that may not seem chilly to many of you up north where the temps are LOTS lower but to those of us in the south it is soup and gumbo weather. So last night I made gumbo and today I made a Whole30 Sweet Potato Soup.  And then the temps went up the mid 70s and it wasn’t soup weather any more.

Sweet potatoes mixed with cinnamon and ginger then simmered in water and coconut milk .  Thick, filling, tasty.  Tasted like sweet potato casserole at Christmas.  Without the marshmallows and nuts.  Although, I could have garnished it with chopped pecans. Over the top for soup?  I don’t think so. { I was searching for the  recipe  on the Whole30 blog and  ran into a curried sweet potato soup where curry powder was added while the soup was simmering.  What a GREAT idea!}

Anyway.  The recipe is from The Whole30:  The 30 day guide to TOTAL HEALTH and FOOD FREEDOM  {page 300} my book for March’s Cookbook Countdown.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#15}Romesco garlic shrimp with Zoodles

As some of you know Kayte, Leslie, and I started the Whole30 program last Wednesday. Now on day 9 we are doing well.  We keep track of each other, encourage each other, and keep each other going.  It is easier when you have other people on your side.

I modified some of the recipes from Low-Fat, Low Cholesterol Cooking to finish off February. For March I am using The Whole 30 guidebook as my Cookbook.  There are lots and lots of great recipes in there so it won’t be hard to eat well for 30 days or share with y’all for Cookbook Countdown #15.

Like this recipe:

 romesco garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles.  [Recipe is HERE}

This was very very good and very easy to put together.  I used my new gadget – I could no longer resist purchasing a Spiralizer – to make the zucchini noodles.  So much fun to use.  

The romesco sauce is a tasty combination of tomatoes, onions,  garlic, almonds, chili powder, paprika and red wine vinegar. Delicious!

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 15 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).