How I Learned to Love Salads

One of the biggest lessons I learned from the whole30 is that often eating whole requires tedious organization and preparation. Because of that, I’m hoping our blog will be a place to help folks eat wholly with speed and ease. My newfound love of salads has been a lifesaver. To some this may be surprising because while I’ve always been a veggie lover, I’ve never been a huge lover of my own salads because no matter which delicious, fresh vegetables and homemade dressings I put on them, they’ve always lacked an element of “heartiness” for me. Before the whole30, my favorite go-to fast dinner was a huge pan of roasted veggies with roasted pecans or almonds for protein. In making this lifestyle change, I discovered that my love for a pan of roasted veggies is about the warm, rich, heartiness that unfolds when earthy vegetables are roasted. It seems like I should have learned this years ago but by adding any combo of warm, roasted veggies to those cold, crisp greens, salad takes on another meaning. Rich, hearty and filling. This can truly be done with any veggies you have on hand and meat or cheeses can be added based on dietary needs and restrictions. After many re-creations of Danielle Walker’s beet & bacon salad from the fabulous grain-free cookbook “Meals Made Simple,” I’m learning that veggies roasted with bacon take on all kinds of decadence. Use what you have, use what’s fresh, ready and easy. Here’s a recent roasted veggie concoction I made for a surprise visitors and have since recreated a couple of times. It’s whole, hearty and easy!

Roasted eggplant & bacon salad with easy honey dijon dressing
Ingredients (Makes 2-3 large salads) 
Greens of choice (spinach, field greens, fresh romaine or any combo)
1 eggplant – peeled and cubed into 1 inch cubes
1 sweet potato with skin on rinsed and sliced into thin, round chips
6 pieces of bacon (optional for roasting and topping salad)*
1 avocado
1 yellow onion sliced into rings
1 tomato thinly sliced
3-4 eggs (optional for extra protein)
Salt, pepper & olive oil for seasoning

For the dressing
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons homemade dijon mustard or store bought (Homemade mustard recipe coming soon!)
1 tablespoon of raw honey (leave out for whole 30)
Pinch of salt & pepper

What to do: Pre-heat oven to 375. After eggplant is peeled and cubed, spread it evenly on large baking sheet. On one side of the baking sheet, lay sweet potato chips evenly. Try not to overlap. (Note: You need a pretty large baking sheet to fit both eggplant and sweet potatoes and can use two pans if necessary but extra dishes, no thanks!) After evenly placing, eggplant and sweet potatoes on pan, lay slices of bacon over top the veggies. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until bacon is crisp. While veggies roast, chop tomatoes, onions and avocado. Remove sweet potatoes and bacon and set aside. Eggplant should be still on the pan, toss and spread and then place back in the oven for 5-8 minutes until crisp and brown.

While the tomatoes & the onions can also be roasted, I think they both have better flavor when sauteed. In a small sautee pan, heat a teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat, sautee onions first, for about 4-5 minutes until strongly aromatic, soft and golden. Set onions to the side. Throw in tomatoes and sautee for 4-5 minutes until soft and golden on the outside. If you like heavy protein meal, fry a quick egg in the same pan. To fry, crack egg in pan, cover immediately and let fry for 5 minutes and then take off heat immediately for runny centered egg.

Dressing: Whisk vinegar, mustard and honey together. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and whisk until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Deck it out: Layer on the goods. Stat with the greens, drizzle the dressing on the greens, then add your roasted veggies, onions, tomatoes, chopped avocado, bacon and egg on top. The yolk mixes with the dressing for a magical combination.

*Note on bacon: true whole 30 bacon should be cured without sugar. In our rural region, this is impossible for us to find. Both MM and I prefer no sugar or additives when possible but are flexible on this rule.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Recently, I came upon a recipe over at The Kitchn for a very delicious looking Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread. This recipe looked amazing. I lusted after it. I drooled over it. I considered trading my firstborn child to the gods of processed sugars so that I could have just one bite.

Somehow, I resisted the siren song of that recipe and didn’t dive face first into all that sugar, but day after day, the thought of that recipe has haunted me. It calls to me. I dream about it. I want it. GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

I’m a firm believer that when cravings are that strong, you should give in to them… Preferably with a few swaps to make the choice a little bit healthier. In this spirit, I’ve been attempting to paleo-ify this recipe for the past two weeks. I’ve tried several different variations and had more kitchen mishaps than I’d like to admit (my sweet roommate has been so nice about trying each of these breads and telling me they weren’t awful, when, in fact, they really were the worst.) After much experimentation, though, I have a delicious and really not awful recipe to share with you! It is rich and chocolatey and moist (gross word, tasty results!) and full of sneaky vegetables. You can get away with eating a slice of this stuff for breakfast or with your afternoon coffee or for dessert. Even better news: this recipe comes together in 5 minutes in the blender. #winning

Give in to your cravings, friends, you won’t regret it!

What? I’m eating my veggies!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c Almond Flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 3 Eggs
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 Ripe Banana, mashed
• 1 c (1 small to medium) Zucchini (scrape out the seeds)
• 1/4 c Coconut Oil melted
• 1/3 c Cocoa Powder
• 2 tbsp Almond Butter
• 1/2 c Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa, because that was the option available at my Kroger. If you can get a higher cocoa percentage or fewer additives, that would be better. Ideally, you just want cocoa powder, cocoa butter and a natural sweetener).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use parchment paper to line bread pan (or else grease the pan well with coconut oil).
2. Use a blender to grate the zucchini and banana.
3. Add in other wet ingredients and blend until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients (except chocolate chups and nuts). Mix in wet ingredients until well combined. Alternatively, you could jus add the dry ingredients straight to the blender. You have to watch for clumping (no one wants a clump of baking powder in their food), but I’ve done this and the bread was still delish.
5. Mix in chocolate chunks and nuts (if using).
6. Pour batter in greased pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Serve with a drizzle of honey, coconut whipped cream, raspberries and/or a dusting of cocoa powder, cinnamon and red pepper (sounds weird, tastes good), or just eat it plain!

Taking Back Weeknights: Squash Noodles with Homemade Pesto

Happy Wednesday, all!

If you are at all like me, you start off the week with such good intentions of work-life balance, nightly yoga, and involved, instagrammable dinners, only to get sidetracked by late nights at the office or an out of control to do list. By the time Wednesday night arrives, there are lots of weeks where all I really feel like doing is ordering Chinese food and catching up on Scandal.

Anyone else know that feeling??

The Whole30 helped me to realize that I have an addiction to convenience foods – I’m not addicted to the foods themselves so much as the instant gratification and the not doing dishes. Fortunately for me, I live in a town where there are literally zero restaurants that will deliver. Less fortunately for me, I also live far far away from places like Whole Foods where there are healthy take out options.

I imagine I’m not alone in my weeknight dinner fatigue, so I wanted to share one of the 15 minute or less recipes that is helping me Take Back Weeknights this week. Combine this recipe with one of these quick workouts and you’ll be winning the weeknight game.

The Recipe: Squash Noodles and Homemade Pesto

What You’ll Need:

• A spiralizer (although, this would still be delicious if you just thinly sliced the squash and sauteed it instead of spiralizing). I have a cheap spiralizer like this one that I found at TJ Maxx and bought on a veggie-inspired shopping binge. It works great for squash but doesn’t work with sweet potatoes, so if you are hoping to use the spiralizer for denser veggies, get a stand spiralizer like one of these.
• 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash per person
• 1-2 TBSP of Olive Oil for sauteing
• 1 bunch of fresh herbs: you can use basil, cilantro, parsley or mint. Basil is most common, but I just cut bunches of everything in my herb garden. 2 cups ish total.
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of walnuts, pecans or pine nuts
• 4 cloves of garlic
• lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper to taste
• optional: nutritional yeast to taste (it takes the place of the traditional cheeses)

What to Do:

• In a food processor or blender, pulse nuts, garlic and herbs
• Add in the oil slowly and blend until smooth
• Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste (pesto is all about finding the balance that you prefer, so taste lots and don’t hesitate to go outside of the recommended ingredient amounts if that is what your taste buds call for)
• Once you are satisfied with the flavor balance, heat a TBSP or olive oil in a wok or a frying pan and spiralize (or slice) your squash straight into the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper, and let the squash cook through long enough that it isn’t raw, but still holds its texture (timing will depend on how you cut your squash).
• Toss in some pesto (and possibly some nutritional yeast and fresh basil leaves) and devour.

The Workout Roundup: Choose Your Own Adventure Style

• Option 1: Grab your running clothes and your favorite furry friend and go for a run or a walk. I love to run at night (the stars are out! It is cooler and quieter!) with one of my dogs – they love the exercise and are super alert jogging companions #safetyfirst. Beginners, start with a brisk walk or snag this couch to 5K app (and no shame if week 1 turns into month 1 – listen to your body and your doctor, not the schedule on the app!). Everyone: track your outing on MapMyRun and keep pace with the beats in an awesome Songza playlist. Bonus points: throw in some lunges and squats whenever your pup stops to sniff.
• Option 2: Sign up for a free trial of an online fitness studio. I love Yogaglo (first 15 days are free): they have dozens of online classes from many different styles and for all different body types and experience levels. I also think Daily Burn is a great, affordable, basic option because they offer several different series aimed at different fitness goals and experience levels. If you are just starting out, consider the True Beginner series or their solid yoga series.
• Option 3: If you are looking for a fun, fast and potentially butt-kicking workout, check out Greatist’s list of 21 Free Workout Videos on Youtube. These aren’t necessarily for every body, but they are guaranteed to get the endorphins flowing quickly. Also, the Greatist Workout of the Day is a great place to go for quick but challenging, do-anywhere workouts.

Yours in Taking Back Weeknights,

Marisa

Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus

Hi. My name is Marisa and I am addicted to sweet potatoes.

Like… If I could, I’m pretty sure I would eat them at every meal. In fact, there were days during the Whole30 when I DID eat them at every meal and I have definitely made a mid-week run to the grocery store JUST to pick up sweet potatoes. Not milk. Not bread. Sweet potatoes.

It’s excessive.

Given this predilection of mine, you can imagine that when I first heard about sweet potato hummus (through this post over at the Not So Desperate Housewife) I was enthralled in the “come to me, my precious” kind of way.

After some experimenting, I have a recipe for Pure Magic Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus to share with you today! This stuff makes a spectacular finger food for parties or simply a delicious snack, and it is especially awesome because you likely have all the necessary ingredients in your pantry already!

Afternoon delight? Hummus stuffed bell peppers, carrot chips, root vegetable chips, and a big bowl of hummus makes an easy tray for a party or a delicious afternoon snack. #nom

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, baked in oven at 400 degrees until very tender

3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled

2 TBS Red Pepper Flakes (start with less, and then add it in to taste)

1/4 c Lime Juice (lemon juice will work, too, but I prefer the lime with the red pepper)

1/4 c Almond Butter or Tahini (Tahini is more traditional, but I used almond butter today and it was delish!)

1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ground sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bake your sweet potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees (poke them several times with a fork to vent). They will take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, depending on size, so keep an eye on them. Once the sweet potatoes are very soft, set them aside to cool.
2. When sweet potatoes have cooled, cut them into large chunks (to make them a little more manageable for the food processer/blender), add all other ingredients, and run the food processer until smooth. Note: you can use a blender if you don’t have a food processer, you’ll just want to work in batches because blenders tend to get stuck with foods this thick. As you are blending, you’ll want to stop to check the balance of flavors fairly often to find a balance you prefer:
   1. If it is too sweet, add lime and/or red pepper
   2. If it is too salty, try adding a little more tahini or almond butter (depending on how salty your particular brand is). Otherwise, you can add some more sweet potato or some mashed carrots or some canned pumpkin.
3. Serve as a dip with fresh veggies or root vegetable chips, or stuff hummus into mini-bell peppers for an easy finger food. This would also be great as a filling between slices of cucumbers for mini-sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Whole Celebrations

Confession. I’ve gone a little wild since I finished the Whole 30 — mostly in the category of sweets. To my utter amazement by the end of the thirty days, I was not craving the taste of desserts but rather the habit. It’s the joy that comes with a pastry at your favorite coffee shop on a blasé Wednesday or the decadence of dark chocolate with a glass of red wine at the end of a long day. I understand that the joy I feel in these moments is a direct result of my not yet beaten sugar addiction. So, in the three weeks following my whole 30, I slowly introduced certain foods like grains and dairy and frantically perused the internet for lower sugar, more natural versions of my favorite desserts and pastries. When I said going wild, I meant replacing the sugar in my baked goods with maple syrup and raw honey and spending a few too many extra bucks on 90 percent dark chocolate bars every time I go to the grocery. One of the best habits I’m building through this attempt at a less processed lifestyle is awareness and discipline. While before my splurges were coffee shop pastries or homemade sugar packed baked goods, I’m much more aware of the sugar and my definition of splurging is much more whole. I’ll continue to banish (or at least minimize) my sugar monsters but in the meantime, life is happening! There are so many things I want to celebrate, and I think we can find more whole ways to celebrate through food. Below is the recipe that emerged from looking at multiple dark chocolate and grain free cake recipes. I made it for a dear friend’s birthday and felt much personal satisfaction when she said, “I love how natural it tastes and it’s not so sugary like most cakes!”

Success!
– mc

Grain-free dark chocolate cake

• 2 dark chocolate bars (90 percent cacao with >5g sugar)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter or 8 tablespoons of ghee
• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour (lucky to find this at our Kroger! WOO!)
• 4 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup (SPECIAL DARK!) cocoa powder (I could only find Hershey’s in town)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder

*Some baking powder contains grain but I wasn’t able to determine if the brand available at my grocery store has any grain.  Perhaps this is a topic for a future blog post 🙂

Whipped chocolate buttercream frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (Can use Earth Balance “whipped butter” for dairy free but I’m finding my body reacts to soy products)
• 2 tablespoons organic whipping cream (Leave out for DF)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup or 4 oz dark chocolate melted (90 percent cacao with >5g sugar)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or raw honey
• 1 cup powdered sugar (Leave out if you prefer but add more honey or maple syrup to taste)
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder (May need extra cocoa for fluffy texture if you leave out powdered sugar)

Steps for the cake

Preheat oven to 350 and grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Grease with coconut oil or olive oil. Melt the chocolate and butter on the stove stirring frequently to ensure chocolate doesn’t burn. Use a double  boiler if you can but if not just watch carefully! Let the mixture cool for 10-15 minutes before using. While chocolate cools, mix all dry ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whip eggs and maple syrup vigorously (or use electric stand mixer) until the mixture is fluffy and light yellow – about 6-7 minutes. Add in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Gently fold in dry ingredients to chocolate mixture.

Divide batter into the prepared pans. Bake cakes for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool  for 15 minutes and then remove from pans to cool completely. If you need them to cool over night, leave them in the pans covered with saran wrap to seal moisture. Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen and remove.

Steps for the whipped buttercream

Melt the chocolate and let it cool for 10 minutes. Whip the butter in a stand mixer or by hand for 5-6 minutes. Add the whipping cream and mix until light and fluffy. Keep mixing and add in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add maple syrup, sugar and cocoa powder and mix until fluffy. Frost your cake when it is cool or cold! Put frosting in between the two layers, then on top and last do the edges. If you run out of frosting, it looks just as lovely to simply frost middle and top. Decorate with anything you’ve got!

grain free dark chocolate cake