Whole30 Challenge: Day 6

Monday, March 6th

DISCLAIMER:

If you haven't already read my disclaimer, please click the link HERE from Day 1 of our challenge. As with any lifestyle or dietary change, if you have any questions or concerns, be sure to discuss them with your physician. Also check out the Whole30 website for specifics and additional info.

PRE-BREAKFAST:

For those of you that read our Whole30 Challenge: Weekend Update novel, thank you for reading my sob story and letting me vent...

GIF compliments of GIPHY.com

BREAKFAST:

Back on our home turf, it was time to start the grind again of meal prep and kitchen time. Looking in our fridge, I decided to go with Whole30 Sweet Potato Hash for breakfast (click the link to see the full recipe).

TASTE TEST: The hash was one of my favorites and apparently my husband's too as he definitely helped himself to seconds. It was also very filling so hopefully this will ward off my mid-morning snacking desires.

Whole30 Sweet Potato Hash

BONUS TIP:

Although the sweet potatoes are the healthier option and also a great source of Vitamin A, this can also be made with regular potatoes for a more hearty, traditional taste.

LUNCH:

Since I still have lots of Weekend Recap blogging to re-create, I’ll take advantage of the opportunity to eat my Whole30 compliant stuffed pepper that I made last Tuesday night... Going on 6 days might normally be a bit of a stretch….but when I’m strapped for time, I’m going to have to take my chances and assume it’s going to still be good in my book… (and hope I have an iron stomach.) I’ll wager $100 that if my mother reads this, she will be quick to give me a ring to let me know the dangers of eating food past the 2-3 day mark… I’ll keep you posted and let you know if 1). I was right and 2). I end up in the hospital from my prideful ignorance and stubbornness to follow Food Safety 101, forcing me to delay the Whole30 and the fate of this blog…

TASTE TEST: The peppers still tasted A-Ok to us! I made sure to re-heat them thoroughly in the oven, and the flavors were still tasty. I also drizzled mine with a little of Frank's Red Hot Sauce to add a little more kick to the peppers.

Note:

• If you want to see my original (non-Whole30) recipe for Southwestern Stuffed Peppers to bookmark for after Whole30, click the link.

Whole30 Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

To see the recipe for my Whole30 Southwestern Stuffed Peppers, click the link.

PRE-DINNER:

I've been waiting for these sugar cravings to go away...

I digress. I think it’s safe to say that most women like chocolate. I have only met one lady in my life that doesn’t like chocolate. I especially like chocolate, so much that my mom found some comical coasters for us for when I get a tad cantankerous...

(I’m going somewhere with this, I promise!) Since chocolate can no longer be used as a weapon or peace-making tool, hubs had to think outside of the box. (Connecting the dots...) To plan ahead by finding a Whole30 semi-substitute for the next 24 days (yes, I’m counting down) and to make up for my no-good, very bad experience with my iPhone (losing all my Blog notes and original recap), hubs walked into the house with arms loaded of my favorite La Croix and more almond butter...Ahhh he knows me too well! As long as he promises not to throw the La Croix cans at me if I get a little cranky... that seems a little more dangerous than chocolate...

DINNER:

For dinner, we decided it was time for some red meat so we opted for a filet, roasted kale, and a seasoned baked potato. I’ve included the filet and kale recipes below.

TASTE TEST: Everything was scrumptious! The filet was tender and juicy and I even avoided the urge to open a bottle of Cabernet! The roasted kale shocked me with how much we both liked it as we finished off every last leaf! The baked potato was pretty standard. Normally I load up my potato with the works (butter, cheese, sour cream), so this was a bit of a change for me… Onto the ghee… this is my first time using ghee on the potato, and let’s just say it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but I’ll learn to like it! I was expecting a creamy buttery taste, but it’s a little different than expected. It is definitely better than nothing though, so I’d recommend adding a little to the potato to moisten the potato up a bit.

Easy & Delicious Whole30 Filet

INGREDIENTS:

• filets / beef tenderloin

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (avocado oil or ghee can also be used)

• Every Day Spice Blend (or something similar)

• sea salt & pepper to taste

• Optional: Fresh herbs, finely chopped (such as Rosemary, Thyme &/or Tarragon)

STEPS:

1. Remove meat from fridge to allow it to come to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes) before cooking to help ensure more even cooking. Season the meat on all sides (Note: We used our favorite Everyday Spice Blend from Whole Foods.)

2. Heat oven to 425°F.

3. Heat olive oil (or ghee) in pan over medium-high heat. (Note: We love our cast iron skillet for this as you can transfer it directly to the oven.)

4. Pan-sear all sides of tenderloin to lock in the flavors (about 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness). Sprinkle fresh herbs on each filet.

5. Place cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) with filets into oven for 5-15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 130°F to 145°F, depending on your desired level of doneness. (Note: I prefer mine 7-8 minutes for medium, but cook to your desired liking.)

6. Remove filets from oven, transfer to plate (to avoid cooking further from heated pan), cover with aluminum foil to retain heat, and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This helps the juices to settle so they don’t run everywhere when you cut into your filet.

Whole30 Oven-Roasted Kale Chips

This recipe is surprisingly simple and delicious! It became one of our new favorite go-to recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large bunches of kale

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• ½ tsp sea salt, seasoned to taste

• ½ tsp black pepper, seasoned to taste

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Wash kale and pat dry thoroughly to remove water.

3. Remove and discard thick stems and centers from kale. Chop/tear kale leaves.

4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the garlic.

5. Add the chopped kale and coat evenly in the olive oil/garlic mixture for a brief minute. Add the salt and ground pepper. (Note: Only cook for only about 1 minute or so as the majority of the cooking will be in the oven.)

6. Remove the kale from the heat and lay the kale in a single layer on a cooking sheet so that it roasts evenly. Season with a little more salt and pepper.

7. Bake the kale in the oven for about 10-13 minutes until leaves are tender and the edges are crisp and just slightly browned.

TIP:

• If you're in a hurry, you can also skip steps 4 and 5 to bypass sautéing the garlic and kale. Just coat the kale in olive oil (or spray on Avocado Oil Spray), season with sea salt, and place in oven!

Whole30 Self-Explanatory Baked Potato

INGREDIENTS:

• potatoes, baked

• crushed black pepper

• sea salt

• chives

• Ghee

STEPS:

1. Puncture the potatoes with a fork, and bake the potatoes in the oven (or nuke them in the microwave to save time).

2. Season the baked potatoes with crushed black pepper, sea salt, chives, and Ghee.

TIP:

• Since hubs and I don’t have any high blood pressure issues to worry about, we also enjoy the trick for tastier potato skins where we lightly coat the skins with olive oil and sprinkle fine sea salt on them before baking.

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