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!

Sunday Meal Planning: Crock Pot Fajita Chicken

Marisa here!

It’s Sunday afternoon, which in my world means it is time to make sure my fridge is packed with easy to grab breakfasts and lunches for the week. I’m constantly on the look out for ways to make eating whole a whole lot easier, and I thought I’d share a few of my current favorite go-to meals.

Breakfasts:

If I am being honest, my weekday breakfasts often consist of hard boiled eggs (I make a bunch on Sundays, peel them using this life altering hack and keep them in a container in the fridge), hot sauce (we are Louisiana hot sauce fans in this house), and a bag of veggies (often carrots, but sometimes I feel fancy and throw in peppers instead). I live a glamorous life, I know.

You want the big bottle of this stuff. Promise.

This week, though, I decided to make Marissa’s breakfast casserole, made with spiralized sweet potato (or shredded sweet potato, if you are like me and have a wimpy spiralizer), breakfast sausage, onions, and eggs. This casserole is life changing, and it keeps really well in the fridge, making easy breakfasts all week. Full recipe coming soon!

I am also making a batch of chia pudding as a mid-morning snack, because chia pudding is delish and full of all sorts of healthy fats and anti-oxidants. Check out my Ode to Chia Pudding for recipes!

Lunches:

Lunches often consist of leftovers from the night before – I always try to make extra of whatever protein I am cooking each night. Right now, I have leftover lemon-garlic chicken just waiting for my Monday lunch box as an easy salad topping.

To avoid surviving solely on left-overs and hard boiled eggs, I always try to make at least one or two dishes each weekend that I can eat throughout the week. This week, I decided to break out my trusty old crock pot (I inherited mine from my mom when I moved to Mississippi – it is pretty ugly and is missing a handle but it works like a charm!) for fajita chicken, which I’ll use in wraps and on salads all week. This recipe could not be any easier or delicious, so I’m sharing it with you!

Frozen veggies aren’t cute but they are cheap and they cut down on prep work!

• 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 bag frozen peppers and onions (or just 2 cups of fresh chopped bell peppers)
• 1-3 c frozen kale or other veggies if you want to sneak extra veg. into your diet
• 1-2 c organic, sugar free chicken stock
• 1 tbs garlic salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp red pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp cumin (more or less to taste)

Brown the chicken and the onions in a frying pan (or skip this step, you’ll lose a bit of flavor, but you’ll save on time and dishes. #priorities).

At this stage, if you are like me, you’ll be tempted to just eat the chicken and the onions because they look so deliciously caramelized. Hold out, though, my friend, because greatness is coming your way.

Next, pile on all the veggies, add your spices, cover with a little bit of chicken stock, give it a stir and let everything cook away in the crock pot on high for a good 4 hours. You’ll know things are ready when the chicken shreds easily with a fork.

LOOKS. SO. GOOD.

When everything has become all wonderfully entangled, serve this mixture over salads, in lettuce wraps, or as a stew. You could also dip plantain or sweet potato chips in this if you are feeling fancy, or make some of Against All Grain’s grain-free wraps for a burrito. #nom

Whatever you make, top it with avocado, fresh cilantro, hot sauce or salsa, lime juice, and possibly some salt or pepper and enjoy!

In The Beginning

We are just finishing up our first Whole30, and after spending the past month eating only healthy, whole foods, we are converts to the grain-free, dairy-free, additive-free Paleo lifestyle. At the same time, as busy young professionals, living in rural Mississippi, living whole isn’t always easy. We are writing this blog in hopes of making whole living more accessible for others. We believe that whole living needs to be delicious. It needs to be affordable. It needs to be easy to understand and convenient and not intimidating or exclusive. Whole living is for all. 

Who We Are:

Two Maris(s)as: We started out as co-workers. We had the same name, the same job title, and the same zodiac sign (our birthdays are two days apart, is life not wonderful??). We later found out that we share a middle name (also with different spellings) as well as a love for yoga and dogs and cooking and rainy day naps and writing letters by hand. We also share a passion for equity and education and doing what we can to make this world more just and well and fair.

What’s the Whole30?

The Whole 30 is a thirty day program where you only eat healthy fruits, vegetables, meats, and nuts. You specifically avoid all grains, all dairy, all added sugars, all sulfites and other additives, and all processed foods. The purpose of doing this is twofold: 1) by eating foods that are easy to digest and that our bodies are designed to consume, you are able to heal your gut and cut down on inflammation in the body and 2) by eliminating foods your body may be sensitive to, you are able to pinpoint how your body reacts to different foods. After the 30 days, you may choose to experiment with dairy or natural sugars to see how your body reacts. For more information, visit the Whole30 site here to learn more about the program guidelines, check out the awesome resources and community, and read about all the benefits of eliminating grains and added sugars.

Two Maris(s)as’ Food Philosophy and Guidelines:

Now that we have finished our first Whole 30, we are both transitioning to a set of guidelines that is a bit more lenient than what is required under the Whole 30. Here is the deal:

Marissa: Growing up food was the central element of every gathering. I learned tricks and tips about preparing tasty staples at an early age and loved picking raspberries from my dad’s backyard garden to use for pies on my imaginary one-woman cooking show. In my early college days, I had a number of vegetarian friends, and it was the first time I was aware of how central meat was to the meals I grew up eating. I started cooking mostly plant-based meals from college on and loved being inventive with veggies. My digestive system has always struggled with dairy and some gluten and I’ve often wondered about food intolerance. When MM proposed the Whole 30 challenge, I was instantly interested. The last month was the first time in years I’ve consistently added meat in my diet and have been able to completely stay off dairy. I noticed changes in my energy levels, skin and more. I don’t believe there is a right diet or lifestyle for any one person. I believe we all must be aware of our bodies and find what is right for our own health. These are the guidelines I hope to follow as I maintain a healthy lifestyle but I know that food has and will always be a celebration of life, people and place so I’ll be leaving wiggle room for those little joys.

• Largely whole 30 approved foods = aiming for about 75 percent of my diet to be whole veggies, fruits, and nuts. I plan to include fish and small portions of meat 1-3 times throughout the week.
• As a lover of baked goods, I’ll be experimenting with grain-free treats as much as possible allowing for honey and maple syrup.
• I’m continuing to slowly add dairy into my diet with awareness of which dairy is okay for my body. I plan to minimize processed grains in my diet as much as possible.

Marisa: I am a huge skeptic of fad diets, so I was a little leery of the Whole 30 at first, and the paleo label makes me cringe, but it is hard to be skeptical of a diet that simply encourages you to eat tons of fresh fruit and vegetables and humanely raised, additive-free meat, right? That same natural tendency towards skepticism comes out in full force when I see Paleo recipes that call for complicated ingredients like fermented cod liver oil. I really believe you should know what you are eating, where it came from and how it was made, as much as possible. At the same time, I’m working really hard to beat my sugar addiction and to find ways to make eating Whole quick, easy and affordable. With that in mind, here are my guidelines for myself and for the recipes I’ll post:

• For the most part, I plan to continue eating Whole 30 approved foods.
• I am particularly focused on making sure that most of my meals consist of proteins, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables, though honey or maple syrup for baking is fine.
• I believe that food should be a joyful experience, so I am leaving room for occasional treats that are off plan, like wine, great cheese, or a croissant. Like all things in life, they should be consumed in moderation, though.