Recipe from LeTishia: Lemon Chicken Skillet

LeTishia fixed this deliciousness last night...Recipe is here: http://www.primallyinspired.com/lemon-chicken-skillet/

Hamburger Steak Night

This is what cooking looks like these days...all burners being used to create delicious Whole30 meals.  While clean up is never fun, it is totally worth it for the great meals we are having.  PLUS, I am FINALLY using my cookware! 

Last night's meal:
Hamburger Steak with sauteed mushrooms and onions (the hubby does not eat mushrooms, so I sauteed them separately) served on top of butter lettuce with a side of tomatoes and steamed asparagus.  

I just have to brag...

My sister is knocking this Whole30 out of the park!  In the first week, she is down 12 pounds!  Technically, the program wants you to wait to weigh in, but like me, she could not resist the scale.  I am so proud of her for taking care of herself.  I can't wait to see how the next 23 days go for her!   

Whole30 Comfort Food

Picture and recipe from Jamie Best:
Jamie has been under the weather with Strep and has really wanted comfort food.  She made this Whole30 compliant dish to satisfy her cravings...

Recipe (we need a title...leave a comment if you have a good one):
Banana and Coconut (unsweetened) sauteed in coconut oil, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with cashew butter.  

Oh my!  I CANNOT wait to try this!!!!!  Thank you Jamie for sharing!

Beef Slaw...it's what's for dinner!

I saw a Facebook post for a similar recipe, and I simply adapted it to make it Whole30 compliant...it turned out GREAT!  I have named this Beef Slaw, but if you have a better name, leave a comment and let me know.

Beef Slaw

Ingredients:

1 Teaspoon of Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic

1 lb of Lean Ground Beef

10  ounces of Cole Slaw Mix

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos (I added a little extra)

2 Tablespoons of Franks Red Hot Sauce (I added a little extra)

Sea Salt and Ground Pepper to taste

1 Teaspoon of White Vinegar

Green Onions, Chopped

In a large skillet, heat oil and add garlic.  Then add beef.  Brown and drain excess grease.  Add slaw mix, coconut aminos, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Allow slaw mix to cook down and flavors to blend (about 10 minutes).  Top with chopped green onions and serve!  I served this dish with a side of steamed broccoli.  ENJOY!

Today's Lunch

Yesterday I made up some Chicken Salad...I made my own recipe...

1 pound cooked chicken (cubed)

1/4 cup Mayo (I use Tessemae's) 

Then sprinkled in the following: Pineapple, Grapes, Almond Slivers, Celery and Pomegranates

Served on Butter Lettuce with a side of Watermelon

 

Guest Post: LeTishia Johnson

Did you know Tishia is on Whole30???  This is what she has to say about Whole30 so far...

LeTishia Johnson here!  My husband and I have jumped on the bandwagon that is Whole30.  He works Healthways, a lifestyle company, and has had several co-workers and employees experience Whole30.  They have been nothing but positive about their experiences.  This was very encouraging!  I discovered through a friend of mine, Mary, that she was also doing Whole30.  After reading more about it and doing some research, Lawrence and I discussed it and made the decision to go for it.

We are in Week 2, and we both feel AMAZING!  I’m not nearly as tired as I usually am, and Lawrence looks great.  His face is slimming down and he has lost some inches.  We read that  you aren’t supposed to weigh yourself, so we haven’t.  However, we both can tell that our bodies are changing based on the way our clothes have been fitting as of late.

Pinterest has been a GODSEND for us.  We discovered a hamburger steak recipe that we love along with some easy pot roast recipes.  We’re still looking for the right chicken recipe for us though.  Here’s to hoping we find one this week.

As far as costs, Whole30 is very cost effective.  We shop at Kroger, Publix, Aldi’s, and Sam’s.  For the amount of fruit that we consume, Sam’s was the best place to buy it.  Lawrence makes smoothies for breakfast each morning, and I make scrambled eggs or an omelet each morning.  We really are fine with making the same things for breakfast and lunch, but we enjoy having variety for dinner.  Again, this is where Pinterest comes in handy.  We have a two toddlers at home, and they eat what we eat.  We still have snacks in the house for them, but it’s not anything that Lawrence and I crave. 

The biggest challenge has the been the 4:00-5:00 bubble.  This is when I get home with the kids and start dinner.  I want to snack so bad, but I just drink water to work through it.  It’s has been helping.  My skin is the clearest it’s been in a long time, and I just feel better about myself and my food decisions. YAY WHOLE30!

Ginger Chicken

This is a recipe that we can't get enough of...Ginger Chicken.  Recipe is here: http://agirlworthsaving.net/2012/06/ginger-chicken-recipe.html

I sub chicken breasts instead of legs because we are not big fans of meat on a bone.  Other than that, we follow it as is.  

More Results!

So, last Tuesday, I began another 30 days of Whole30...why?  Because I love it, and it is so easy.  There is no counting points, calories, etc.  It is just eating real, whole, delicious foods.  And, I have so many friends now on their Whole30 journey, and I want to help support and motivate them.  I decided to weigh in this morning.  And, guess what?!?!?!  I am down to 148 pounds!  To say I am excited would be an understatement.  The best part, I feel great.  I do not feel deprived, sluggish, hungry, and so forth.  I am ready to tackle on these next few weeks...bring it!!!

My Big Sis on Whole30

My sister was home last weekend, and after hearing about my Whole30 experience/life style, she decided to try it herself!  I am SO PROUD of her!!!  She began this past Tuesday, and she is rocking it out!!!  Below is her first shopping trip at Trader Joe's (I SO wish we had one in Clarksville).  And then to top it off look at the 2nd pic below...That was her daily devotional on the day she began Whole30.  God is truly amazing and very timely!!!  And the 3rd pic is her breakfast one morning this week.  She decided to go ahead and weigh in this morning, and guess what???  She is already down 7 pounds.  Again, I am so extremely proud of her!!!  I can't wait to post about her journey during the next few weeks! 

 

Pineapple Cole Slaw...Again

Yes, I am very much LOVING this recipe.  It is quick, easy, and keeps for days.  And, it is super versatile.  The recipe can be found here...http://www.primallyinspired.com/slow-cooker-chipotle-pork-with-pineapple-coleslaw/

To make it even easier to prepare, I buy the bag of preshredded coleslaw mix.  And, I use Tessemae's Regular Mayo (Whole30 approved).  However, I have been told making your own mayo is very easy and cheap. 

Pineapple Slaw

Hamburger Steak with sauteed oinions, Brussel Sprouts, and Slaw

And a new fav...Shredded Crock Pot Chicken, Franks Hot Sauce (so so good!), and Pineapple Slaw on top

Tessemae's Ketchup

So I tired the Ketchup this past week...I didn't necessarily care for it.  It was definitely tangy and not the flavor I was expecting.  I am hoping it will grow on me.  We will see :)

Candlelight Ball 2016

I wanted to share this...As I have gotten older (and two kids later), I typically would only wear black to Candlelight Ball.  This year, I branched out and wore red.  With Whole30, I have felt way less bloated and lost a few pounds giving me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone. 

Me and Josh Baggett (the Director of our School Board)

The Girls! 

Guest Post: Jamie Best

Did you know that Jamie Best and her hubby are on Whole30?  This is a little something she wanted to share about the program...

As scary as Whole 30 seems, it really hasn't been that bad. Of course there are times when everyone around you is eating something you can't have, and those times are hard. But there are also times when you resisted the cupcake in the teacher's lounge or you choose to eat a grilled chicken salad instead of that cheese burger that everyone else is having, and you feel really great about yourself.

Aside from feeling great about my choices, I can also tell a difference in my wallet. About a week into Whole 30, I looked back to the previous week and realized we had spent $266 eating out. WHAT?!?! That's insane! The first week of Whole 30 we spent $60. So anyone who says they can't afford it, is just making excuses. I'm feeding a family of 5 for around $225 per week. That may seem like a lot, but in reality I am saving about $600 a month just from not eating out. I think we just might stick with this for longer than 30 days :-) 

Results!!!

I am officially down 9 pounds in 23 days.  The hubby is down 14 pounds.  We both feel great.  I thought I would have a hard time giving up sweets (especially ice cream), but I honestly have not missed it.  I have learned that if I just cook real food (none of that processed or boxed stuff), that it is delicious and I feel satisfied after eating.  There is no reason to snack, because I don't feel hungry and I am not having those cravings.  Saturday night, we are going to have a splurge dinner for APSU's Candlelight Ball.  On Sunday, I am going to get prepared for another Whole30 month.  If you want to join me on this quest, let me know so I can help support you on your journey.   

More on Tessemae's

This week I tried Tessemae's BBQ sauce, and it was great!  I had it with the Zesty Chicken Bites (recipe from a previous post).  If you are looking to begin the Whole30, I would highly recommend purchasing some condiments from Tessemae's.  It will make Whole30 that much easier and will help to create delicious meals! 
Here is the link: http://www.tessemaes.com/collections/all/whole30-approved

It's my final Whole30 week

This is my last official week of Whole30.  I bought groceries for the week and plan to make all our favorite Whole30 dishes.  And, I did make a recipe yesterday that I had been wanting to try, and it turned out great.  It is a Slow Cooker Chipotle Pork with Pineapple Cole Slaw.  The recipe is here: http://www.primallyinspired.com/slow-cooker-chipotle-pork-with-pineapple-coleslaw/
***Make the Slaw after you start the meat in the crock pot...the slaw ingredients will need a few hours to "blend"...it is delish! 
For the Mayo, I used Tessemae's Mayo, but you can also make your own.  Tessemae makes several Whole30 compliant condiments.  I JUST got my order in on Saturday, so the Mayo is the only thing I have tried so far.  More on this to come as I try out their ketchup, BBQ sauce, and dressings...
In the meantime, here is the Tessemae site: http://www.tessemaes.com/

This Saturday will be our last official day.  However, I told Kyle that this program has been so easy, and I think we will definitely plan to stick with it most days.  It has been hard at times (especially times like this past week/weekend...we were in Nashville for 4 nights in a row cheering on the Govs...and the Govs WON the OVC Tourney...making history...first time an 8 seed won this tourney!).  But, knowing that I had the willpower to turn down fried foods and beverages, made me feel that much better!  This Whole30 thing really is easy, and I don't feel hungry or deprived.   

Temptations...they are EVERYWHERE!

Last night was the first round of the OVC tourney in Nashville, and the Govs played, so we were there.  Before the game, a group of us met at Puckett's...since Kyle and I ate before leaving Clarksville, we did not have to worry about eating out.  However, the temptations were still there...fried tomatoes, nachos, fried pickles, beverages...UGH!  I stuck with my water on the rocks.  And, when I got home, I was proud of me for not caving in to those temptation.  AND, when I weighed in this morning, I was down little more.  So far, I have lost between 7 and 8 pounds.  Today is day 16.  I am ready tackle on these last two weeks!!!

Larabars for the save!

I found these Whole30 compliant goodies.  Only certain flavors are Whole30, so be sure to read the ingredients.  These are great when you need a quick snack, or you are on the go.  I found mine at The Tree of Life, but I think Publix and Wal-Mart carries them too.

Lunch on the Quick

 

I ran home today for lunch (I won't be home tonight, so I needed to go ahead and make Kyle's dinner).  I decided to brown ground beef with green onions (I had these left over), and serve on top of butter lettuce topped with homemade salsa and quac.  It took me less than 10 mins to fix this up, and Kyle will have the beef to make his salad for dinner.