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Hi all! Starting Feb 22nd!


katieblue

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Ugh, my day ten is over. (I'm a day behind most of you) and I'm feeling so over this. I know according to the timeline this feeling has shown up right on schedule. I'm going to keep persevering as I don't want the last ten days to be a waste. Just wondering how everyone else is keeping motivated?

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CGinDC, SO impressed with you staying strong and dealing with the stress!! Keep it up - we're getting there!! :)

 

Ramonax, definitely think it might be better to cook it without the arrowroot and see about reducing it! It's really turned to goo lol. I would LOVE to know your husband's trick at the crispy salmon cakes! Mine turned out crispy only around the edges, and only a teeny bit - but that was definitely the best part! If he hates salmon, don't reheat them in the microwave - our house smelled like fish all day when we did that! :P

 

Kalina, I haven't personally felt over it yet, but I know that when some things (like the bloating or constant cooking) get hard to deal with, I think about either a.) the fact that we're already 1/3 of the way done, and there's really not that much left, or b.) that 2/3 is still plenty of time to see positive results that haven't arisen yet - depending on the day ;)

 

On the bright side, I woke up this morning pleasantly surprised that my stomach doesn't look nearly as big as it did yesterday! :)

My head is really fuzzy and I'm sort of stuffy - not sure if this is a cold or a whole30-related thing.

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KalinaM - yeah, I know that feeling! I read this forum obsessively when I'm feeling done. I make interesting things to eat (find recipes you wouldn't normally make) I eat more starchy veggies (yams!) and richer foods to make sure I'm full. I try to make the meal a treat rather than a chore. By day 10 you get tired of being chained to the kitchen and it can be easy to just have simple food that doesn't really bring you any joy. This time I tried to think about what I was feeling underneath the boredom/wanting to just eat a chocolate bar! cravings. So much of my eating is mindless. And I acknowledge my "This isn't fair, how come I'm the only one I know who can't just go out for wine and eat birthday cake at work" feelings, and move on without judging myself and without getting too caught up in the thoughts. I also know from doing it before, that you will feel better. I promise!

 

oh, and if you haven't read "It starts with food", that helps too. 

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Hang in there, everyone!  We're on Day 12!  I'm in a "I don't want to see any butternut squash, spaghetti squash, or sweet potatoes for the rest of my life" mood today.  I think I've overdosed!  

 

If anyone has any good, unique, easy veggie side ideas, please share!  I feel like all I'm doing is roasting veggies, and I'm getting a little bored with it.  But I also don't want to make any elaborate sides, as I just don't want to spend any more time cooking.

 

I wouldn't say I feel energetic, but I'm definitely less tired.  I feel good about my body.  I feel good about what I'm putting in my body.  I don't have that guilt I so often have after eating crappy food.  I think I've been generally happier.  Lots of NSVs!  

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Also, I made this grilled chicken yesterday, to have just to put as protein over salads, and it is one of the best things I've made so far on this whole30 journey. It is SO good, especially cold!!

Thanks for the chicken idea!  Even though I consider myself a pretty good cook, I still haven't figured out how to grill/bake plain chicken breasts without them getting super dry and gross!

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I so don't understand the idea of never wanting to see sweet potatoes again - I feel like I could eat them three meals a day, every day!

 

Glad to hear you're feeling so good!! :)

 

And for the chicken breasts, I sliced them thin and grilled them on some foil in the marinade for just five minutes, then flipped them for another five minutes so they stayed nice and juicy!

 

Also, I definitely have some good veggie side ideas on my Pinterest. I'll take a look and see if I can share anything a little later on!

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Okay, so after perusing my Pinterest boards of veggies, side dishes, and whole30 compliant recipes, I've come to the conclusion that other than traditional roasting, we have a few options. We can grill any kind of veggies in different seasonings or herbs (I like balsamic/olive oil, butter, lemon/garlic, and different herbs). There is also the option of roasting the whole cauliflower head after brushing it with oil or butter and seasonings, or cauliflower rice which you can buy at Trader Joe's if you don't want to go through the process of making it yourself (it's not that much work but it's time consuming and makes a mess). You can also make things into noodles if you have a spiralizer for some interesting twists on things. I also love just plain steamed veggies, I feel like they don't even need any seasonings! We can make all sorts of compliant salads or slaws if we use the right dressings. Vinegar-based or homemade-mayo based cole slaw, broccoli slaw, cucumber and tomato (and sometimes avocado) salad with vinegar, potato salad, cold or warm sweet potato salad, or spiralized veggie "pasta" salad... hope some of these things have given you some ideas!

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KalinaM - yeah, I know that feeling! I read this forum obsessively when I'm feeling done. I make interesting things to eat (find recipes you wouldn't normally make) I eat more starchy veggies (yams!) and richer foods to make sure I'm full. I try to make the meal a treat rather than a chore. By day 10 you get tired of being chained to the kitchen and it can be easy to just have simple food that doesn't really bring you any joy. This time I tried to think about what I was feeling underneath the boredom/wanting to just eat a chocolate bar! cravings. So much of my eating is mindless. And I acknowledge my "This isn't fair, how come I'm the only one I know who can't just go out for wine and eat birthday cake at work" feelings, and move on without judging myself and without getting too caught up in the thoughts. I also know from doing it before, that you will feel better. I promise!

 

oh, and if you haven't read "It starts with food", that helps too. 

 

Well said!  I also did a lot of mindless eating.  I tried working on that in the couple of weeks heading into this, and I think it made my transition much easier.  It's amazing how my habits were so engrained in my every day life.  It is a little more work making sure I cook filling, wholesome meals, but I feel the trade off for that extra effort is well worth it.  

 

katieblue, great ideas on the side dishes!  That chicken looks delicious, I'm making that for sure!

Roasting veggies still remains my favorite no fuss way to cook them.  You could jazz them up by tossing them with a variety of flavor combos before you roast them, and hit them with a drizzle of acid when they come out, and fresh herbs if you have them on hand (even chopped parsley brings a great freshness).  Chili powder, cumin, and lime.  Italian herbs and balsamic.  Curry powder and lemon.  Ginger, garlic and citrus.  I like to grate a huge knob of ginger, and keep it in the freezer.  That way whenever I want to use some, I don't have to spend time prepping it and I never end up with a sad, dry chunk of forgotten ginger.  Also a tiny sprinkle of nuts or seeds adds a little textural interest.  Just play around with different flavors depending on your mood/what you're pairing it with.  And make sure they're salted properly!  I can't tell you how many times I've found myself struggling to eat roasted brussels, to realize they were under seasoned.

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CGinDC - your job sounds stressful. I'm Canadian, so take this with a grain of salt, but I always assume anyone who lives/works in DC has job stress like a character on House of Cards. ;) good for you for getting through. You mentioned smoking, did you quit smoking with the whole30 too? that is hard core!

 

 Haha, no - fortunately my job does not have that level of stress. I've only been here a few months, and about two months after I started we went through a massive reorganization so there's just a lot going on and we're having major resourcing issues - not enough people to do the work. It's a bit of a roller coaster at the moment, but I think (I hope) we've bottomed out, so it should only get better from here. Fingers crossed! I am a very occasional smoker and have been wanting to go ahead and squash that habit once and for all. What better time to try?

 

I'm a bit headachey today, not sure what that's about - I thought I had passed that stage. I'm going to go grab lunch with hopes that it will help!

 

Also, for veggies one thing I like to do is sauteed a bunch of greens. Last night we had kale with garlic, shitake mushrooms, a few splashes of coconut aminos, and a pinch of cayenne. Delicious. They keep well so you can make a big batch and save the leftovers. Sturdier greens like kale freeze well too, without turning into mush when you reheat them.

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katieblue, ksea, and CGinDC: Thank you for all of the veggie suggestions!  Maybe I just need to get more creative with my roasting.  I'm so boring.  I always just do salt, pepper, EVOO, and then a splash of vinegar at the end.

 

katieblue: I like the idea of a warm potato salad.  I'm going to try to find one on Pinterest.

 

ksea: When you freeze the grated ginger, do you freeze it in individual portions?  I love fresh ginger, but sometimes I just hate taking the effort to grate it, and I do end up with a dried out knob a lot!

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My favorite spices to add to roasted or grilled veggies are oregano, thyme, and rosemary. I just drool over rosemary.  :wub: Curry powder is the bomb, too!

I love ksea's idea of throwing in some nuts, too. I also dig tossing in a small handful of raisins for some different texture/sweetness.

 

I also really love making 'pasta salad' out of spaghetti squash, chilled with some oil and vinegar and spices, chopped up carrots, cucumber, and tomato, but I was trying to avoid squash options in light of your comment earlier. :P

 

Here are some warm potato salad recipes that look good/easily compliant!

http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/recipes/index/view/?id=3263

http://www.marthastewart.com/901682/potato-and-green-bean-salad

http://www.foodiecrush.com/german-potato-salad/

 

CG, hope your headache goes away!

 

I'm exhausted again today. Just trying to make it through work!

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I just put the grated ginger in a zip top bag and lay it flat in the freezer.  After it's frozen you can break it up into small pieces so you can grab what you need.  It doesn't take long to thaw at all.  You could also spread it out on a plate or something, and put it in a small container after frozen and broken up.  I do the same thing with citrus zest, I hate throwing it away if I juice something!  Theres tons of flavor in it.  

Another thing I forgot to mention with regards to veggie flavorings, is toasted sesame oil!  A tiny bit goes a long way, and since it has a low smoke point I drizzle it on after the veggies are cooked.  And a bit of grated nutmeg in dark leafy greens is really yummy!

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katieblue, ksea, and CGinDC: Thank you for all of the veggie suggestions!  Maybe I just need to get more creative with my roasting.  I'm so boring.  I always just do salt, pepper, EVOO, and then a splash of vinegar at the end.

 

katieblue: I like the idea of a warm potato salad.  I'm going to try to find one on Pinterest.

 

ksea: When you freeze the grated ginger, do you freeze it in individual portions?  I love fresh ginger, but sometimes I just hate taking the effort to grate it, and I do end up with a dried out knob a lot!

 

 

I just put the grated ginger in a zip top bag and lay it flat in the freezer.  After it's frozen you can break it up into small pieces so you can grab what you need.  It doesn't take long to thaw at all.  You could also spread it out on a plate or something, and put it in a small container after frozen and broken up.  I do the same thing with citrus zest, I hate throwing it away if I juice something!  Theres tons of flavor in it.  

Another thing I forgot to mention with regards to veggie flavorings, is toasted sesame oil!  A tiny bit goes a long way, and since it has a low smoke point I drizzle it on after the veggies are cooked.  And a bit of grated nutmeg in dark leafy greens is really yummy!

 

You can also freeze whole ginger, and then grate it while it's frozen -- it's easier to grate that way if you're doing it by hand. I just keep it in either a ziploc or a mason jar, pull it out and grate what I need, put it back in the container and put it back in the freezer. I don't even bother to peel it, but if you usually use it peeled, you can peel before freezing.

 

 

 

If any of you still need veggie recieps, Mel Joulwan's site has a ton -- I love her coconut almond green beans, sweet & salty broccoli salad, and belly dance beet salad, but I've never really tried any of her recipes that was bad. She uses a lot of different spices than I ever would have, too, so even if you're making the same vegetables, you can get different flavor profiles.

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What great conversation here about vegetables, flavors, and options!  Thanks everyone!  So many good variations to choose from.

 

Last night's dinner was disappointing and I felt let down afterward.  I think because the flavor was just so-so, I was really wanting some chocolate or something to leave a better taste in my mouth.  I'd made the beet/orange/avocado side dish from the book to go along with slow cooker roast beef.  The beef cooked a bit too long and was a little dry and the beets . . . well, I'll just say I'm not sold yet.  I had leftovers for lunch today and it seemed a bit better, and I'd like to try beets in a different recipe sometime to give them another chance.  

 

Tonight I'm making the butternut squash/brussels sprout recipe from the book, and then I'll make the gazpacho and put it in the fridge for tomorrow.  After that, I have to go grocery shopping again because there won't be a speck of produce left in the fridge!  When I shopped last Sunday, I was certain I'd over-bought and would never eat it all before it went bad.  Just the opposite - I'm down to the bottom of the barrel and couldn't be happier about it.   :)  

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My day 11 is done. I was off today. Went grocery shopping and made yummy marinated shrimp for supper. I sure do like this more when I don't have to work. Working tomorrow, but I made pork carnitas in the crock pot for supper tomorrow. My sink is overflowing with dishes...

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Thanks for the support, everyone! I'm not a quitter, but I sure do feel like whining about the amount of time I've been spending in my kitchen! Here is the shrimp recipe I made for tonight, it was delicious. Served it with roasted mushrooms and a salad.

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Thank you, everyone, for all the fantastic recipes!! I wish I wasn't so tired of cooking because I'd really love to try them all!! Tonight we're just making some simple sliders on sweet potato "buns" with homemade ketchup and pickles because I am, to say the least, SO DONE with being in the kitchen. Hopefully they'll last us a few days so I can take a breather for a little while. :)

 

Also, does anyone have any ideas for sore throat remedies that aren't honey or cough drops? I gradually got one yesterday and it kept me awake all last night. :(

 

BUT - Day 13! We're almost two weeks in! Honestly, even though it's frustrating having to do so much cooking, the time is really flying.

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Katieblue- I can relate-I've been fighting a nasty cold and congestion for a week now, and would love to hear of any sore throat remedies, too.  

      

     It sounds to me like most of you are feeling better.  I wish I could say the same!  I will say my pants are looser (the other day at work I was constantly pulling up my pants!).  Besides my nasal and chest congestion, I'm still having some pretty bad headaches (I assume due to the cold and possible sugar/caffeine withdrawal), plus (not to be graphic) I am spending WAY too much time in the bathroom.  I've had IBS since my 20's (I'm now 50), and I guess I was hopeful the Whole 30 would help that.  Unfortunately, it seems to be worse.  I don't want to sound like a "Debbie Downer," but I really miss my wine and heavily creamed coffee in the morning!!!!  I have pleasantly surprised myself that I have not even been tempted to cheat with sweets- I actually sat at the lunch table yesterday right next to the leftover baby shower cake for a co-worker, and did not even have a crumb--a major triumph for me, as few things tempt me more than vanilla cake.  Especially since everyone else was raving about the cake, and telling me "You don't need to be on a diet anyway!" I definitely miss my sugary beverages the most, wine, coffee w/cream, and sweet tea.  I have tried all varieties of tea this week, and have found adding a bag or two of herbal fruit tea (any flavor) does add the tiniest bit of sweetness, and makes it more bearable (unsweetened black tea does nothing for me). I also tried coconut milk in my black coffee, and was not impressed.  

     My favorite recipes from the book so far have been the chili, spinach frittata, and kitchen sink eggs (the avocado made the dish).  Today, my house smells wonderful (even through my congestion!) with carnitas cooking in the crockpot.  Can't wait to have that and the cabbage slaw tonight. 

       My husband is still being a great support system, and teases me "Let's do this forever! Don't you love our new alcohol-free lifestyle?!" NOT! ha ha

I'm sure we will do it again in the future, I'm just not ready to put that on the calendar just yet. : )  Yahoo for being almost halfway done!

 

    Wendy 

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katieblue & Wendy - I love making turmeric ginger tea.  It's very soothing, especially for a sore throat (and seasickness or nausea in general!).  You can go this route, where you cook up a turmeric paste (I always add grated ginger to the recipe), and add it to some hot milk or water.  Or you can make a pot of tea from this recipe, and keep a big jar of it ready to go.  Just make sure you cook it for at least 10 minutes, to get rid of any bitterness from raw turmeric.  I always use tons of ginger, so it gets a little spicy, and sometimes I add lemon juice.  I really like it, but my husband isn't really a fan.  If he's starting to feel sick, I'll let it cool down, and he'll chug it really fast.  Hope you feel better!! 

I was able to resist pecan pie bars, which I made for hubby to bring to work yesterday.  We made burgers last night, with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, caramelized onions and yams.  I agree with everyone about things tasting sweeter!  I was ready to go to bed by 10, and I'm usually a night owl.  Thankfully baby went to sleep at 11, and I soon after.  Carnitas sound really yummy!

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Today, my house smells wonderful (even through my congestion!) with carnitas cooking in the crockpot. Can't wait to have that and the cabbage slaw tonight.

Wendy

Gasp! I'm having carnitas and slaw tonight for dinner! Enjoy it!

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