Japchae- The Paleo Edition

I love glass noodles, either in sweet potato or mung bean form. One of my favorite Thai places in town, Bhan Thai, makes a Pad Thai but with glass noodles instead. It's one of my most favorite dishes of all time. So I was determined this weekend to concoct my own Paleo version of a classic Japanese dish, Japchae. It wasn't hard at all. Took me maybe 30 minutes to complete. It makes a TON of food though, FYI. I'll be eating it for days. If anyone would like to come over and help me, please do!

Japchae
1/2 package Japchae noodles (about 6 oz)
4 oz finely sliced sirloin (I used precut Pho beef)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 c sliced Chinese eggplant
1 egg, whisked
2 Tbsp olive oil- divided


Marinade
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 tsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar but that's not specifically Paleo. Substitute if desired)
1 tsp sesame oil


Sauce mixture
1/4 c coconut aminos
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp sesame oil

what the egg should look like!

1 tsp srirachi chili sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix beef and marinade together and marinate for 30 minutes or so.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan on medium.

3. Pour egg into pan like an omelet. Cook until lightly brown. Slice finely and set aside.
4. Add additional tablespoon of oil to pan and heat on medium high.
5. Add vegetables and cook 5-6 minutes until softened. Remove from pan.
6. Add beef to pan and fry until thoroughly cooked (about 6-7 minutes).
7. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and add to saucepan with beef. Reduce until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.
8. Add vegetables and egg back into saucepan. Toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro, or green onion. Serve hot.

Chicken in a Bacon-Cream Sauce

Is there anything better than bacon? I say no. Just give me ALL the bacon! This gluten free chicken recipe is high fat, low carb and awesome! I loved it, even the leftovers. I'm not a huge leftover fan but this was great the next day. I paired it with some spinach and a couple of Trader Joe's broccoli-cauliflower patties. Yum!

Chicken with Bacon-Cream Sauce

For the chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast- sliced
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 egg
Fry oil (any kind you'd like. I used olive oil because that's all I had in the house!)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the sauce

3-4 slices of bacon, thick cut
1/2 cup half n half
2 T sour cream
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste


1. Combine Parmesan, tapioca starch, and salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish. Slice chicken breast into strips (I find this easier when the breast is slightly frozen)

2. Dip each strip first in egg and then in Parmesan mixture. Fry in oil till lightly brown and thoroughly cooked inside. Drain on paper towel. Once cool, chop into small pieces and set aside.

3. Drain oil off pan. Fry bacon strip in same pan.

4. In excess bacon fat, whisk in half n half until bubbly.

5. Add in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir until slightly thickened. Add in chopped bacon and stir to combine.

6. Top chicken strips with bacon-cream sauce. Serve immediately.

Low Carb Ketogenic Cornbread and Chili

Fall is in the air and you know what that means, right?! It's time for chili! So here's two new recipes for you. Modified by me but the original recipes came from HERE and HERE if you're interested. I've been dealing with a weight loss plateau for about 2 weeks now so this week, I've concentrated on significantly lowering my carbohydrate macros by half. I try to stay under 60 grams a day. Doesn't always happen, but I'm working on it. And I've lost 2.5 lbs in 4 days, so that's not bad at all!

Stay tuned this weekend to my Instagram page (@frugalnfit). I'll take you budget grocery shopping again. We'll even hit Whole Foods and take a look at some of their new "lower prices"! I'll also be introducing a few new Paleo approved foods (well, new to me. You may have tried them already).

Ketogenic Approved 30 Minute Chili
(Serves 8)

1/2 large eggplant, diced (about 3 cups)

1 large onion, minced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
1 tsp cayenne (omit if you don't want it too spicy!)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the one with green chilis in it too)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb chorizo
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Chop all veggies and garlic to size.
2. Brown beef and chorizo in large saucepan
3. Add veggies to meat and saute till tender
4. Add spices and tomatoes to mixture. (I needed to add about 1/2 cup of water too but that's optional. Just depends how thick you like your chili!)
5. Simmer for at least 20 minutes. Top with sour cream and cheese, if desired!

This recipe freezes well and makes a bunch! It's a great meal prep menu item as it will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Keto "Corn"bread
(makes 6 large muffins)

1 C Almond Flour (I use Trader Joe's Almond Meal)
1 T Coconut Flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 T heavy cream (or I used sour cream instead since I was saving the last of my cream for coffee! LOL)
2 T water
1 tsp Splenda or honey (I omit this every time and it comes out just fine!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray or use muffin liners.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fill muffin tins till 2/3 full.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. These are great toasted in the morning with some jam!

Almond-Crusted Pork Chops

I grew up with a Mennonite recipe called Oatmeal Crusted Pork Chops and Applesauce. And a dad who always referenced Bobby Brady’s impression of Humphrey Bogart when my mom would make it (*rolls eyes*). But that’s a story for another day.

Here’s a Paleo spin-off of this quintessentially comfort food. Easy to make and easy on the budget too. I usually make them with boneless pork chops just because I don’t like eat around bones but you can use either. Bone-in pork chops are decidedly less expensive.

Almond Crusted Pork Chops

1 cup Almond Meal

1 egg, whisked

1 tsp garlic powder (or garlic salt)

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

4 Pork Chops (any variety that you prefer)

1 cup frying oil (I used olive oil as that’s all I had on hand)

1. In large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat.
2. Combine almond meal and spices in one plate. Whisk egg in another.
3. Dip pork chops first in egg and then in almond mixture. Place in fry pan and cook until no longer pink in center and golden brown, about 6-8 minutes each side.
4. Serve hot with applesauce on the side (Although, as you can see, I did not serve them with applesauce! LOL)

Mexican Food

I love these spinach enchiladas that can be found at a local Mexican restaurant called The Loop here in town. They use fresh spinach and it doesn't have mushrooms in it (I hate mushrooms), which is rare in a spinach enchilada. Topped with a white wine creamy sauce, I could eat them at least once a week. So I experimented this morning with a grain-free version, since the original ones are wrapped in a corn tortilla.

I don't have a probably with dairy. It doesn't really affect me, personally. But if you're not so keen, there are easy substitutions for the sour cream and cheese. Actually, The Loop's don't have cheese on them. I added that :) So just take it off if that suits you! Green Valley Organic has a lactose free sour cream or use Kite Hill's plain yogurt. That would work just fine.

Spinach Enchiladas

6 tortilla shells (I used Siete Foods Almond Flour Tortillas)
8 oz fresh spinach
1/2 large onion, finely sliced
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup sour cream
1 t salt
1 T chicken bouillon (or substitute the water for bone broth)
1/4 c water
1 T minced garlic
                                                1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic, and salt, fry until golden brown. Add spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from pan.
2. Add white wine to pan and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add sour cream, bouillon, and water to wine. Cook until slightly thickened.
3. Heat tortillas until bendable. Fill with 3 T of spinach filling. Roll and place in oven-proof pan
4. Pour white wine sauce on top of enchiladas. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese and melted and browned.

Top with cilantro, diced tomatoes, more sour cream, and/or salsa. Serve immediately.

A full year

Wow! It's been over a year since I blogged anything. Time to get back at it! I've started an Instagram account to go along with this blog. It can be found HERE at @frugalnfit. I hope you'll join me both here and on Instagram!

On May 15th, 2017, I started my weight loss journey hardcore. I've tried for years to get the motivation to lose weight. Weight that I've carried since hitting puberty. I'd start something, lose around 10-15 lbs and then lose motivation. But this time has felt different. I kind of just woke up one day and decided enough was enough. I was done carrying this weight around anymore! So I cleaned up my diet, going pretty much Paleo. I'm not super strict about it but the three things I've completely eliminated from my diet are processed foods, gluten, and refined sugars. I haven't had any of those things in 103 days. I also joined a gym across the street from my house that I can walk to. And in 103 days, I've lost almost 40 lbs. I've also completely eliminated my migraines and greatly reduced my PCOS symptoms.

And I feel great! I'm so much more active and loving where life has me right now. I'm hiking and enjoying what Colorado has to offer. I've started pickle ball classes with my mom and am trying paddleboarding this week for the first time. I hope to start fencing classes next month. I'd also love to take a kick-boxing class. My resting heart rate is down over 30 bpm and my blood pressure is averaging a good 10 points lower as well (though I've never had problems with high blood pressure).

My overall goal is to lose another 50 lbs. That would put me squarely in the middle of my ideal weight range for my height. Yes, I was almost 100 lbs overweight. That's depressing when you think about it. Especially since I'm just 5'3'' tall. I was straining a size 18W. Now I'm comfortably in a petite 12-14. And if I can do it, so can you. I'm not doing anything miraculous. It's just consistency and determination. I work out 5-6x per week for about an hour. I try to stay under 1400 calories per day. Especially since I'm a librarian who sits at a desk 40 hours a week. I burn nothing ;)

This blog's goal has always been to show how eating right doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. But if I'm honest, I wasn't very good at following through with the healthy eating. Well, that has changed. I'm a firm advocate that what we eat impacts our quality of life in ways we cannot even imagine. No, it's not a cure-all. We still need modern medicine. I'll never be one of those who believes we can cure all cancers just by "living off the land" or some such nonsense. But I do believe certain modern diseases were brought on by our changing diet. By the preservatives we continually add to all of our food. By refining everything. By pumping things full of sugar and sodium. We need to take a close look at what we're putting in our bodies, people. And as a society, we need to stand up and say "enough is enough".

Ok, off my soapbox. Here's a new recipe for you. I designed it myself. And it was fabulous. You could easily modify it to be completely Paleo (omit the mozzarella and substitute zoodles) or Vegan (again, substitute the cheeses and bread with olive oil instead of egg).

Almond Breaded Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced thinly
1 cup almond meal
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs, whisked
6 oz fresh sliced mozzarella
1 cup marinara (see recipe below or subsitute any desired)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment or spray lightly with cooking spray (I love Trader Joe's coconut oil spray!)
2. Mix almond meal, parmesan cheese, and spices together
3. Dip sliced eggplant first into egg and then into almond meal mixture, coating both sides evenly. Arrange on baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway, or until lightly browned on both sides. Top with sliced mozzarella and bake another 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted. Arrange on plate and top with marinara sauce. Serve with pasta (I used Ancient Harvest's gluten free penne) or zoodles.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

2 lbs roma tomatoes, diced
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes,
2 heaping T tomato paste
2 tsp salt
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red wine (I used Trader Joe's Shiraz)
2 T olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat.
2. Saute onions and garlic in oil till browned and tender. Add red wine and reduce for 3 minutes.
3. Add rest of ingredients to pan. Simmer on low heat for 4 hours or until desired consistency. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if sauce becomes too thick.
4. If you like a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. I, however, enjoy a chunkier marinara. You could also add diced eggplant or meat of your choice.

The Everyday

I do a lot of experimenting with new recipes. Pinterest is an all-time favorite of mine. I'm on it multiple times a week. Even when I was in over my head last year, up to my ears in school and work, I always had time for Pinterest. But there are several recipes I come back to time and again. These are the recipes I've perfected over the years or have been family favorites for decades. These are the "comfort food" recipes in my life! I hope they inspire creativity for you! These recipes are easy to make, hard to screw up, and fairly budget conscious. If you try them, let me know what you think! I'm always curious to know what others think of my recipes and opinions! What are some of your favorites?

Paglio e Fieno: This is an old family recipe. My grandmother's cousin runs a restaurant in Connecticut that serves this "family style". The picture above is my gluten free/kinda paleo version of it using zoodles. I do love my spiralizer! I also usually substitute ham for the prosciutto, as it's cheaper. This recipe is similar: Straw and Hay Pasta


Schezuan Green Beans: A grocery blog here in town posted this years ago as one of their favorite family dinners. We've been hooked ever since too! Extremely easy to modify to gluten free and/or Paleo by using gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos. The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, a recipe website that you have to subscribe to to access but someone else has posted it HERE

Halal Chicken and Rice: This is a fairly new favorite that I originally had with my brother, Jeremy, on a trip to NYC. It's a street cart food there and has since grown to be one of my family's all-time favorites (actually, currently my mother is addicted to it. We've had it 3-4 times in the last month). I don't have one single recipe for this. It's pieced together from several different ones with my own tweaks but I've already blogged about it so the recipe can be found HERE.

Swedish Meatballs: My mom has been making these since I was little. They're also easy to recreate gluten free. Just substitute gluten free breadcrumbs (we like Aleia's brand best) and thicken the sauce with tapioca. And while traditionally swedish meatballs are served over egg noodles, I grew up with them over rice. Because, well, my mom is Chinese. What do you expect?! The recipe can be found HERE. 

Oatmeal Pork Chops: Yet another easily made gluten free meal. I couldn't find an exact recipe that is the same that we make but this ONE is similar. We usually pan fry them though, not bake them. Baking would be healthier though :). We just use gluten free oats. Bob's Red Mill oats are a good option. Serve them with applesauce and you've got one great meal! 

Restarting

I'll be honest with you. I have failed on Whole30. I really don't like it. It's restrictive and boring. I know, I know. You were going to say there's hundreds of things I could eat, right?! Yes, but my body wasn't really responding to it. Still too high in sugar, I guess.

So I'll stick with the sugar detox, thank you very much. I started that yesterday, we'll see how it goes! I've liked it in the past.

I made a couple of new recipes today. Do you like the pics? I got a new iPhone 6s and the camera is a noticeable improvement! The chicken piccata is gluten free, dairy free, Paleo, and Whole30. But definitely not flavor-free. Bursting with a light, lemony flavor, it invokes dreams of summer. The spaghetti squash isn't dairy free but could easily be made without the cheese.

Chicken Piccata

Serves 4

• 2-3 chicken breasts, filleted or pounded thin
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch, divided (or cornstarch or rice flour, whatever you'd like)
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 T butter or ghee
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T capers, drained
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1/4 c white wine
• 4 T fresh parsley, chopped fine
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Lemons, thinly sliced

- Sprinkle several tablespoons of arrowroot on a small plate. Dredge filleted chicken breasts in the starch
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan
- Fry chicken breasts until cooked through and golden brown
- Remove breasts to a paper towel lined plate to drain
- To frying pan, add butter and 2 T more arrowroot starch, to form a roux
- Add white wine and cook for several minutes to burn off the alcohol
- Add lemon juice, capers, and chicken stock to pan and whisk till slightly thickened (you can add more stock if the sauce is too thick)
- Add chicken back to pan and heat to simmering
- Lay lemon slices on top and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot over pasta or zoodles or the spaghetti squash below!

Bacon and Romano Spaghetti Squash
Serves 4

1 large spaghetti squash

4-6 slices bacon
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1 T olive oil
3 T grated Romano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

- Cut spaghetti squash in half. Place in baking pan, open side down, with 1 cup of water in bottom
- Bake squash at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until tender but not mushy
- Meanwhile, fry bacon in a frying pan. Drain on a paper towel and chop roughly
- Once squash is cooked, take a fork and scrape out into a bowl
- Add olive oil to fry pan and saute spinach until just wilted.
- Add squash, bacon, cheese, and salt and pepper to the spinach. Toss to coat and serve hot

Sugar withdrawals

Sugar addiction is real, people! And it can produce VERY real symptoms. All day today (and it's only day 2!), I've had a jittery feeling and a terrible headache! Not a migraine, so that's good, but an intense headache all the same. I've also been dreaming about how good a Dr. Pepper would taste right about now. And a Haagen Dazs Bar. Or the rum cakes that I got for gifts for friends from the Cayman Islands last week. They're sitting in my room taunting me! A green apple and almond butter as "dessert" didn't cut it. I need chocolate, folks!

Ok, no more whining. The creators of the Whole30 are big about not whining. It's 30 days, right? I can do anything for 30 days. A quote from their book says "It is not hard. Don't you dare tell us this is hard. Quitting heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. IS. NOT. HARD. You won't get any coddling, and you won't get any sympathy for your 'struggles'". Ok, I'm done.

I spent most of the day in the kitchen prepping all kinds of yummy food. My "Against All Grain" cookbook got a workout. As did her blog :) For lunch I made buffalo chicken tenders, dairy-free ranch dressing, and homemade sweet potato fries. My mom got these sweet potato tater tots from Alexia foods the other day and omg, are they delicious. However, they are NOT Whole30 or Paleo approved. So I resorted to sweet potato fries. They were good too. I also had a cucumber-tomato salad and sauteed zucchini.

Next, I made some vegetable soup to keep in the frig. It's a good snack. I also made homemade ketchup because I needed it for the ribs I was making for dinner. You can find that recipe HERE. And last but not least, I made sticky asian ribs. A recipe I designed myself. I've been craving PF Chang's ribs and decided to try and recreate it. Wow, were they yummy! Took forever though. I marinated them overnight and then they roasted in the oven for 3 hours. But they were totally worth it. My family had them with brown rice and mixed veggies. I reheated some mashed cauliflower. I think you'll love this recipe. And if you don't, lie and say you did :)

Asian Sticky Ribs

For the sauce:

1 cup ketchup (a Paleo recipe can be found HERE)
2 T rice vinegar
2 T sesame oil
2 T coconut aminos (or gluten free soy if not on Whole30)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sriracha sauce 
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs baby back ribs

Note: I would add 2 T honey if not on Whole30. I think it needed some sweetener.

Directions:
- Mix sauce ingredients together. 
- Baste ribs with 1/2 the sauce and marinate overnight (I know it's hard but these ribs need to be marinated overnight. Just do it)
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. You could also roast them on an outdoor grill over low heat.
-Place ribs on large cookie sheet. Baste ribs with more sauce, cover with tin foil and roast for 3 hours. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Baste every hour or so. 
- Any leftover sauce can be used for dipping. Serve hot and with plenty of moist towelettes! 

Migraines, beware!

Ugh, sometimes my body really irritates me! Lately, I'm back to regularly taking migraine medication. And not the over the counter, Excedrin stuff, but the prescription, heavy-duty, wipes-me-out-for-the-afternoon kind. I just got back from a cruise with a friend of mine and a migraine put me in bed for a whole afternoon one of the days! Not cool, not cool at all! I tried to cut back on the wheat while I was away. Gluten-free bread for sandwiches, tell the waiter "no bread, please" every night when they were passing around those warm, addicting, sourdough rolls. Sigh, life is hard. ;)

So, when I got home, I decided to try and take my health back! I'm going to try something new though. Instead of the 21 day sugar detox (which works quite well every time I've done it), I'm going to do the Whole30. Has anyone ever tried it? It's very similar to the detox, except it adds in more fruits and potatoes. So that's nice. I'm not much of a potato person but it does give a different starch to play around with from time to time. It's not on the menu for this week though. Maybe I'll grab a couple for next week.

Also, I'm modifying a bit and adding in some hard cheeses. I don't have a problem with dairy and the cheeses I'll add will be additive free, organic, and I'll try to stick with mostly raw. I got some raw Gouda today at Sprouts. Yum Yum!

My snack from today: Gouda, ham, and a bit of pear

So there you have it. I've got a BUNCH of new recipes up my sleeve. Look for them soon (like tomorrow. I've got a new ribs recipe marinating in the frig right now)!

A New Year... times of transition and rejuvenation

A new year is starting in just a few days and it's an exciting (and maybe a bit anxiety filled as well) time for me. I FINALLY graduated from college! After a 6 1/2 year journey, I'm done. At least for a little while. So now it's time to look for jobs and start a life on my own! When I started this journey of going back to school, I was living with 5 girls and was newly unemployed. I decided a career in healthcare was the best option for me. I had been laid off 3 times in less than 2 years and my career choice just wasn't panning out. Event management is so fickle. I love it but whenever companies start to have troubles, the 5 and 6 figure events are the first thing on the chopping block. I didn't like the outlook on my career life. Constantly looking for new work is tough!

So, I thought the sciences were the best way to go. I was sure I would never struggle to find work with a science degree, especially as a woman. There's just not that many of us. Looking back on it, I'm not sure it was the greatest idea on my part. It's been a tough journey for me. It's just not a strong suit of mine, especially the chemistry that I was required to do. I'm much more creative minded instead of logical. But I made it. I'm alive, although there were definitely moments of doubt and many nights of tears and anxiety.

I think God really protected me this last semester. Last spring, I was suffering from debilitating migraines and even landed myself in the hospital when my arm went numb and they thought I was having a stroke. I was falling further and further behind and to be honest, I wasn't even sure if I would pass the semester. But my professors were so understanding and they got me caught up and on track to graduate. This fall semester, I got a wonderful new job that allowed me to do homework and thanks to a combination of medication and diet, my migraines have almost disappeared! So even though I actually increased my school load to 8 classes (a total of 19 credits. I actually needed to get special permission to take that many) and work hours, I finished with a better GPA and a healthier body and mind. I know many of you were praying for me this past semester and I just wanted to say thank you and your prayers were felt!

So, in conclusion, here's a new recipe or two for you. Because that is what I blog about! I got a bunch of new kitchen/household items for Christmas this year as I venture out on my own and these recipes allowed me to use 4 of my new gadgets :) Thanks mom and Jeremy! Enjoy!

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

2 bay leaves 

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 cups chicken stock (homemade is best!)

2 cups water

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/3 cup green apple, diced

1/4 cup basmati rice (or substitute 1 cup chopped cauliflower)

1/4 cup coconut cream (I used Trader Joe's)

1. Saute onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil for 5-6 minutes until onions are translucent. Add curry and bay leaf and stir to coat.

2, Add chicken thighs, stock, salt, and water. Simmer for 45 minutes until thighs are tender. 

3. Remove thighs onto a cutting board and chop or shred into small pieces. Add back to soup.

4. Add rice and apples to pot. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender. 

5. Stir in coconut cream. Serve hot!

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

2 tsp lime juice

1 Tbsp honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a tall blender bottle or glass measuring cup. Blend together with an immersion blender or regular blender. Pour over salad. We serve this over a mandarin orange salad. Very yummy! 

A Warm Up

So... week one down. Two more to go. It's strange to me that this time through the 21-day Sugar Detox seems different to me. I feel different and have different symptoms than when I went through the plan last year. Last year, I didn't feel very well day 3 and 4. This time, it was only day 1 that I felt tired and had a headache. And I'm not really sure if that had anything to do with the detox or not. But I've been SO hungry this whole week. Like all the time. Doesn't seem to matter what I eat, two hours later, I'm hungry again. While this sugar detox isn't about limiting how much you eat, just what you eat, I don't want or need to consume 2,000 calories everyday! I don't think I need that many calories in my day! I'm not athletic (just stating facts!) and I'd like to continue losing weight! 

Last year, I also just felt better after the first 5 or 6 days. I slept better, was more energized, and my body just seemed to like the eating plan better. I can't describe it really, but my body seems to be rebelling this time. It's not something I can really put my finger on though. I still sleep fine, for the most part. It's summer and I have plenty of time to sleep in if need be :) Ah, the sleep of a student on summer break. It's heavenly. And rapidly coming to an end. But I digress. 

I don't know. It's just not the same. But I'll continue. Maybe next week will be better. I have lost 6.8 pounds so far. So there's that :) 

Here's a new recipe for you all. I had this dish for the first time from a food truck in Manhattan a few years ago. It's now my mom's absolute favorite! I don't think it tastes exactly like the one I had in NYC but it's still super yummy. I made it with cauliflower rice for myself but everyone else ate it with regular white rice. 

P.S. The Harissa red sauce can be found at Briarmart on Academy and Woodman if you're wondering. It comes in a bright yellow (very expensive!) can. Or buy it online at Amazon. I'm not sure if it's available anywhere else in town. Maybe Whole Foods? 

Halal Chicken and Rice (recipe pieced together from Serious Eats, Huffington Post, and my own tweaks) 

Chicken Marinade

• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T chopped (or dried) oregano
• 1/2 t ground coriander
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• Kosher salt

• Directions:
• Mix spices, lemon juice, yogurt, and 2 T olive oil together in large bowl. Add chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Preheat grill and grill chicken until fully cooked inside. Roughly chop and set aside. 

White Sauce

8 oz Greek Yogurt

1/2 c mayonaise (I use Spectrum because it doesn't have sugar in it)

1 T salt

1 T vinegar

1 T lemon juice

1 T olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves

2 tsp dill (dried or fresh is fine)
1 T horseradish (not that horseradish mayo stuff. The real stuff!) 

1 T water

• Directions: Blend all ingredients together (I used an immersion blender) and chill for a couple hours. 

Other Ingredients

Lettuce, shredded

Roma tomato, diced

Harissa red sauce, for drizzling

Layer chicken over rice. Top with lettuce, tomato, white and red sauce. Serve warm. 

Round and Round We Go

I've decided to start the 21 day Sugar Detox again. Yesterday was my first day and I had a terrible headache all day! I'm not sure if it was because of the detox, or if I would have developed it anyway. I don't usually experience symptoms the first day on any diet. Usually it's 2-3 days in.

My mom has been doing the detox as well for about a month now. She felt terrible for about 2 full weeks! Although, she went with the Ketogenic plan instead of Paleo. Keto is much lower in carbs than Paleo is. They try to stay under 25 grams of Carbohydrates per day! To put that into perspective, a roma tomato (something we've been eating A LOT of lately) has 7 grams of carbs in a single tomato. Man, oh man! That is difficult to adhere to! I applaud my mom :)

I made some Indian food for dinner. While it was a recipe I had made many times before, I didn't love the way it came out. I'm not sure why. The only thing different I did was use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste. I didn't have any paste in the house at the moment. But normally, it's one of our family's favorite meals. I also made Against All Grain's Saffron Cauliflower Rice to go along with it. You can find the recipe HERE. We usually eat it with regular rice, when not sugar detoxing!

Originally, this recipe I found online somewhere. However, over the years, I've adapted it substantially to suit our tastes. I don't know what the original recipe was like anymore! LOL

Indian Butter Chicken 

Ingredients 

1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken (either breasts or thighs), cleaned and cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Salt - to taste
1/3 C Almond Meal or Flour (I usually use Trader Joe's Almond Meal- this is your thickener)
Fresh Ginger & garlic – 1 t. each, grated
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 Large Onion – diced          
2 T Oil 

1/4 c Tomato paste
1/4 c plain yogurt or coconut milk

2 T butter 

Directions

• Fry onions in oil till transparent.
• Add cinnamon and let it fry for 5 minutes
• Then add ginger & garlic along with a little water
• Stir continuously.
• Add turmeric, chili & coriander powder with salt and mix well.
• Pour in tomato puree and almond meal.  Mix well with a little more water. It will be thick!
• When it starts to boil, add the chicken.   Add additional water so that the chicken is barely covered. 
• The gravy should get thick or according to your requirement. Before switching off add butter and yogurt or coconut milk.  Serve over rice.

Veggies Galore!

It's smack-dab in the middle of summer and gorgeous vegetables and fruits are available at my local farmers market. I love it so much! I found some beautiful looking brussel sprouts and decided to try a new recipe that I had seen a picture of on Pinterest. There wasn't a recipe included with the picture, but it was only two ingredients, Brussel Sprouts and Bacon. We grilled them on the grill and they were pretty good! I think next time I'll brush them with something sweet like maple syrup or something. Or maybe just use maple bacon?

Brussel-Bacon Skewers

A bunch of large brussel sprouts
Bacon
Olive Oil (for brushing)
Coarse Salt

-Wash and trim brussel sprouts
-Parboil sprouts in water on stove for 10 minutes or so. The bacon will burn before the sprouts are done if you don't do this step!
-Thread a piece of bacon onto the skewer. Add brussel sprouts so that the bacon threads around the sprouts
-Brush with Olive Oil and sprinkle with salt
-Grill for 15 minutes until soft
-Enjoy!

Goulash: A family recipe

Years and years ago, my dad got my mom a microwave for their Anniversary. I know you're thinking, "I know better than that! You NEVER get household appliances for your wife for your anniversary!" But my mom really, really wanted that microwave! She was thrilled with it! And they lugged it all over the country for about 12 years until it died. The microwave came with a microwave cookbook with a single gem of a recipe that we've made countless times over the years. It's called Hungarian Goulash. It's all of 8 ingredients. Ingredients that I'm sure are commonplace in your kitchen. If not, they're easily attainable at any grocery store. We serve this dish over noodles, usually small shells or ditalini sized pasta. This time, I served it over Cappellos Almond Flour Fettuccine (which is awesome by the way!), making this dish totally Paleo and SO incredibly easy.I hope you try it. It's definitely comfort food and was perfect on this blizzardy night!

Hungarian Goulash

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1.2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
Dash of cayenne, optional

1/2 lb macaroni, small sized like shells or ditalini

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add ground beef and brown until no longer pink. Drain if desired
2. Add all remaining ingredients (except pasta) into pan and stir to combine. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to cook tomatoes and blend flavors.
3. In a separate saucepan, cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and mix into goulash mixture. Serve immediately.

P.S. I top mine with Parmesan or Romano cheese. The rest of my family thinks I'm weird. Try it if you'd like!

Consistency: My New Year's Resolution

I'm terrible at consistency. No, not sauce consistency. My sauces are just fine, thank you very much! But following through with something for a extended period of time, forget about it! i.e. I haven't updated this blog since August! Wow, that's pathetic! I had a rough time of it this semester. That's my excuse. I just never seemed to be able to stay ahead with everything that needed to get done. My classes weren't that difficult this semester but they required A LOT of homework. Which I'm terrible at. Plus I got a new job which was hard. Time management is not my strong suit.

So that's what I want to work on this coming year; following through with things. I got off track with eating too so I want to get back to that. I haven't felt that bad (fewer headaches then I have had in years past) but I do feel sluggish and have had some difficulty concentrating. Hopefully, I can turn that around!

I asked for one main thing this Christmas, a spiralizer! I got two different ones! I tried out one tonight and it worked pretty well but it's kind of bulky and hard to wash. I also got a smaller, handheld one that I'm going to try next week and see how well it does because that I can just pop into the dishwasher. But overall, I was pleased with how it worked.

I made a new recipe tonight with zoodles (zucchini noodles). This is another one of my own creations! It wasn't completely Paleo, though it could easily be adapted that way. I started cooking this and realized I was out of almond meal which is what I usually use to bread the eggplant. I ended up using Panko crumbs. NOT gluten free. Oh well.  This dish is vegetarian also. I hope you try it and enjoy it! My whole family liked it, even my dad!


Eggplant Parmesan with Creamy Tomato Basil Zoodles

For the zoodles:
3 medium zucchini
1 can diced tomatoes (fresh would be fine too)
2 T dry red wine
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp salt
2 T ricotta or cream cheese (omit if you'd like dairy free)
Pinch red pepper
Pinch black pepper
( I also used a teaspoon of italian herbs that I had but you don't have to)

For the Eggplant:
1 large eggplant, sliced
1/2 C almond meal
2 eggs, beaten
Mozzarella cheese or Parmesan cheese (I used mozzarella for my dad's. That's what's pictured above. I used Parmesan for mom and mine because we were being stricter with the dairy)
salt to taste
Olive oil to fry in

1. Combine tomatoes, wine, and spices. Let simmer till thick, about 20 minutes. Add ricotta and mix together. You can add some water if the sauce is too thick for your taste.

2. Spiral cut the zucchini. Stir fry slightly in a pan with olive oil. Do not overcook! They get mushy quickly! Sprinkle with some basil and salt if desired. Add sauce to coat and stir.

3. Slice eggplant bias cut. Dip in egg and then the almond meal. Fry in olive oil until brown.

4. Slice mozzarella or parmesan and lay on top of the eggplant. Broil for 1 minute until the cheese melts. Top with tomato sauce and serve!

P.S. You could also add a bit of tapioca starch or some other gluten free flour to the almond meal if you'd like. It makes it crispier if you do that. Sometimes I find the eggplant is a little soggy if you just use the almond meal but it depends on how much water is in the eggplant.

Alcohol on the Paleo diet: Good or Bad?

Is alcohol Paleo? Most people would say no, it's not. Though, fermented drinks have been traced back to the Neolithic time period so it's quite possible that the Paleolithic man did drink some type of fermented drink. Probably because, without refrigeration or preserving mechanisms, things will ferment on their own :)

But some alcohols are actually quite good for you in small doses. Red wine for example. It's high in antioxidants and has been proven to lower your risk for heart disease and prevent blood clotting (which can lead to strokes). Just like the saying goes, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", a glass of red wine a day keeps death at bay. Not really :) But that would be cool! Wish I wasn't allergic to alcohol.

I know you're thinking, "what did she just say?!". Yep, totally allergic to alcohol. In the same way people are lactose intolerant, my body doesn't process ethanol. It's actually fairly common in Asians. My mother and brother both have the same condition. I have it to a lesser degree than both of them. I can have maybe 1/8 cup of wine or beer and be ok. Most days. If I'm tired or not feeling well to begin with, alcohol will exacerbate that. But I can cook with it because when you cook alcohol at a high temperature, you'll burn off the alcohol.

So here's a new recipe for you. I kinda took the Pioneer Woman's Steak Bites recipe and revamped it. I struggled with what to pair this recipe with. In the end, I decided on mashed cauliflower (potatoes for my dad, as he has not gotten on board with the whole Paleo thing and won't eat mashed cauliflower!) but I considered noodles. I think egg noodles would be good with this if you're not eating gluten free. Or quinoa pasta if you are.

Meal total: For steak bites, $4.85. I added peas and mashed cauliflower which adds $2 to the meal. $6.85 total

P.S. I just remembered that peas are not strictly Paleo either. Oh well, I already ate them :) But if you're wanting a truly Paleo meal, try come carrots or green beans instead. But might I add, those peas (Green Giant's select baby peas) were probably the best peas I have ever eaten! They fairly exploded in my mouth! They weren't mealy or mushy at all! Maybe that was due to my extraordinary "cooking" skills. And by cooking, I mean boiling them in the microwave. Probably not.

Steak Bites in a Red Wine Reduction

1-2 lbs sirloin steak, cut into cubes
4 T butter
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 T honey
1/2 cup beef broth
Fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper, to taste

-Heat a large skillet on high. Add butter and heat it till it's slightly browned
-Add cubed sirloin to butter and sear until nicely carmelized on one side. Flip bites over and sear again, maybe 3-4 minutes. Cook these on high so that they brown quickly without fully cooking the insides. That's the secret to cooking sirloin. Don't overcook sirloin or it'll be chewy.
- Remove meat to a bowl.
-Add more butter to pan if necessary and saute garlic and shallots together till translucent.
-Pour wine into pan to deglaze the pan. Cook for a few minutes.
-Add broth and honey to pan and cook on high for several minutes until sauce starts to reduce. Add meat back in and serve immediately.

Thai Meatballs and my run-on thoughts...

I love to write. My English Comp 2 teacher often complimented me, saying my rhetoric was fantastic. I thank my momma for that talent :) I can easily whip out a paper in an hour or two. Now if only I had the same gift for Organic Chemistry. There are many days where I've sat on my couch or at the dining room table ALL DAY doing homework. And I'm not exaggerating. 8-9 hours to finish one assignment. Thank God Almighty I'm done with those classes!

But although I love to write, sometimes blogging is hard for me. I go in waves, usually, where the words just flow out of me and I have lots to say and know exactly how to express my thoughts and ideas. I can be very opinionated about topics I'm passionate about. Like I was talking about earlier, my English comp 2 class was all about persuasion writing. And oh boy, I could go on and on in an essay. You'll never get me to admit defeat about certain topics. One of those topics is nutrition. Especially in schools and low income.

I've battled my weight for many years. Really, ever since puberty. My hormones have never been balanced. I was diagnosed with probable PCOS at age 16, which was confirmed when I developed two large cysts on my ovaries 3 years ago. I have almost every symptom now of PCOS. My doctors wanted to put me on 4 different medications but I balked at that. Who wants to be on a slew of medications at age 27? But battling this through diet and exercise is exceedingly hard. I don't eat a ton. I've never been the one to finish off an entire pizza or half a chocolate cake in one sitting. I've always been a normal eater. I eat my fruits and veggies. I love brown rice, maybe even more than white. I grew up with a mom who cooked everything from scratch. Many of you can attest to that. I didn't know what a store bought cookie tasted like till I was 6. My mom still tells the story of how I came home from a friend's house complaining about the awful "cookies" her mom served. Turns out it was an Oreo. And my grandmother regularly tells the story of me asking her if various things had "shuga" in them, since I wasn't allowed to eat much sugar in those days.

But the pounds have determinedly stuck with me. The only thing that seems to work for me is sticking to a Paleo diet. In essence, it's a very low sugar diet. And not just what you'd normally think of as "sugar". Carbohydrates are sugar to the body. Your body breaks down carbs into sugars called monosaccharides. That means flour, potatoes, and corn are all out. These are also the most common GMO foods as well. But that's a different conversation. Back to the Paleo diet.

I don't like everything about the Paleo diet. Some of it is unnecessary, at least for me. But I read in a couple different places that the Paleo diet is a rubric. It's a list of general guidelines and I think, for the most part, those guidelines are solid. Take the basic premise of the Paleo diet and build off of it. No one's body is exactly the same. What works for one person, won't work for another. What your body can tolerate isn't necessarily what mine can. My body processes milk just fine but my mom does not. For us, we eat some lentils and garbanzo beans (we don't really like any other form of bean), some dairy, and some brown rice. None of those are on the traditional Paleo diet but it works for us. I spent about 6 weeks on the strictest form of Paleo doing the 21 day sugar detox (find it here) and then adding different things afterwards to see what worked best for my body.

So that's where I'm at now. I'm down about 25 lbs from where I started in February. I'm not perfect and I cheat from time to time (pasta is my downfall, and popcorn too!). I still have a long ways to go but I'm trying to establish a firm foundation. It's a journey that needs to last a lifetime.

So here's a new Paleo recipe for you! Hope you like them as much as we did! I didn't tally how much this meal cost very well. I'd say maybe $6? The pork cost $2.25/lb, the coconut milk cost $1.40 for the can, the almond butter maybe I used $.50 worth? Those were the most expensive of the ingredients. All the spices I already had in the house. The zucchini and carrots cost me less than $1 and I only used part of what I bought.

Thai Meatballs (Adapted from PaleOMG)

Meatballs
- 1 zucchini, minced (I did this in the food processor)
- 2 carrots, minced
- 1 pound pork
- 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey (or omit altogether, I did)
- 1 T freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 T curry powder
- salt and pepper, to tast

Sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1 T soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 T sriracha sauce, hot sauce, or red pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 T honey
- 2 T curry powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place zucchini and carrots in food processor and mince till fine. Remove from processor and squeeze out as much excess water as you're able to.

3. Combine zucchini, carrots, meat, and the rest of the meatball ingredients listed in a bowl and mix together.

4. Shape into 1/4 cup sized meatballs and place on a cookie sheet.

5. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes until thoroughly cooked. 

While meatballs are cooking...

1. Place all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and heat through. 

2. Once meatballs are done, add them to sauce and serve. Garnish with scallion, cilantro, or parsley as desired.

A deviation: Indian Dhal

Well, I lied. This next recipe in the line of $8 or less dinners is NOT Paleo. The Paleolithic diet doesn't approve of legumes, saying they're high in phytic acid and Lectin, which damage the small intestine and prohibit proper nutrient uptake. Though, I've read mixed opinions on that and I honestly think that's a load of crap. Unless you're actually allergic to legumes (it's 2nd most common food allergy), then that's a different story. This is definitely a clean eating recipe, though. And it's low in fat, salt, and calories. I calculated this recipe at 197 calories a serving. Add a nice salad or veggie and some brown rice, you're still under 500 calories for a hearty dinner!

Dhal is a popular Indian dish. I make lots of Indian recipes. It's probably my favorite ethnic food. This recipe is super easy and quick to make. And cheap. WAY cheap. Probably won't get much cheaper than this recipe! A 1 lb bag of lentils at Walmart is $1.25 here. Though I can get them way cheaper than that when they go on sale at Sprouts. They'll go $.69 a lb there a couple times a year. Feel free to substitute split peas instead. They taste the same to me. I used red lentils this time but green lentils are fine too!

I love the smell of garlic and onions cooking. It's probably the Italian in me that says it's the best food combination ever created! My best friend growing up hated onions! I still don't think she loves them. I never understood that. But then again, she would probably say the same thing about my aversion to mushrooms. We would always trade when we were little. I'd eat her onions and she would eat my mushrooms. Ok, maybe we still do that!

This dish isn't that pretty by itself. It actually took me a little while to figure out how to make it look appealing for pictures :) I rummaged through my cabinets a bit to find a pretty bowl. This bowl I bought in Cozumel last spring break! This is the first time I've used it. Nice, huh?

Dhal (I calculate it cost me less than $3 to make this. Add in brown rice and bagged salad mix, it's a meal for 3 for $4.25!)

1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional, I don't think this adds a lot to the recipe)
2 T olive oil

1 cup dried lentils
3 cups hot water
1 tsp salt

Fry onion and spices in olive oil until golden brown. Add lentils, water, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender (about 30 minutes). Remove cover and simmer another 20 minutes until lentils are mushy, like the consistency of refried beans. If you'd like, use an immersion blender to puree to smooth into a sauce. Garnish with onions or lemon juice. Serve hot over rice.

Chicken Satay with Almond Butter Sauce

I totally made this recipe up and it was quite good! The chicken was tender and moist. The sauce was rich and flavorful. I also made a cauliflower-carrot mash but I didn't make that recipe up :)

The scallions and parsley sprinkled on top are from my garden. Did you know you can replant scallion bottoms bought at the store and they'll regrow? Quite quickly and easily actually! I bought a bunch of scallions for $.33 at Sprouts a couple months ago. After using the tops, I replanted the bottoms and now have a continuous supply! The parsley I got on clearance at Safeway for $.75 a couple weeks ago. With all the rain we've been getting, I took a kind of wimpy, droopy plant and now have an awesome, healthy plant!

I've been in love with this coconut yogurt! It's regularly priced at $1 at King Soopers (I haven't seen it at Walmart yet) but I got this cup for free with the iBotta rebate (another money saver app that I love!). It's a bit runnier than regular yogurt but still good! It comes in several flavors but I usually buy just the plain because I can add whatever to it or use it in cooking. I make several different Indian/Thai dishes with it!

Total Cost of this meal: $5.77 (served 3)

$1.67 for the chicken
$1 for the coconut yogurt
$1 worth of  spices
$.35 tomato paste
$.50 almond butter
$1 cauliflower
$.25 carrots


Chicken Satay

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts
6 oz coconut yogurt
1 T curry
1 t coriander
1 t cumin
6 wooden skewers

Combine yogurt and spices in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and coat with sauce. Marinate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight).
Thickly slice chicken and thread onto wooden skewers
Grill over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Serve warm with sauce

Almond Butter Sauce
This was actually a peanut butter based sauce but I just substituted almond butter instead (as peanuts are not Paleo approved) and it tasted just fine!

1 T oil
2 cloves garlic
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 T honey
2 T almond butter
1 tsp sriratcha sauce
2 tsp gluten free soy sauce (or coconut aminos if strictly Paleo)

Heat oil in small saucepan. Saute garlic until golden, about 30 seconds. Add all other ingredients. Stir to combine and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Cool and serve.

Cauliflower- Carrot Mash
Modified from (http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefood/2011/11/cauliflower-carrot-herb-mash/)

1 16-oz bag frozen cauliflower
1 handful baby carrots
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 T chopped scallions
1 t curry
2 T olive oil

Boil carrots and cauliflower and carrots until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain.
Saute onions, garlic, and curry in oil until onions are translucent.
Add both carrot/cauliflowers and onion mixture into a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
 Note: You could use any herb mixture you'd like. The original recipe called for rosemary and thyme but I didn't think that would go with my Asian inspired flavors.