Whole30 Wrap-up

From mid-October to last week, I took on the Whole30 challenge. Haven't heard of Whole30 by now? Well, it's one of the latest "trends" in the nutrition world, but it goes beyond a trend to a full lifestyle change. The Whole30 seeks to break the "sugar demon" we all have inside of us and focus on listening to your body and fueling it with the right kind of sustenance. How? 

Now I hope you're sitting down, but I, yes I, gave up all dairy, grains (even quinoa!), legumes, sugar...meaning WINE for 30 days. No if, ands, or buts. In return, I was able to completely reset my system. Gone were the daily head-dropping at my desk and irritability. My skin cleared up, even a hardy patch of eczema I have had since age 13 disappeared! My energy levels completely evened out and I lost 10 pounds! I'm telling you, this program has been a game-changer. I am now a Whole30 alum this week, and have made minor adjustments (ie. wine) but I consider first how each food decision I made will help me feel my best.

So, that being said, here are three of my favorite recipes I created or modified during my "time". Hope you enjoy! And please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions on my Whole30 journey! You can also scroll through my Instagram posts from the month for inspiration.

Romesco Sauce

Inspired by the awesome Happy Pear guys, this recipe requires a food processor/powerful blender

Cute display

Processor time

1 cup plain almonds

1 24oz. jar roasted red peppers in water, drained

½ cup light olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 handful fresh basil leaves

Pinch salt

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Chuck all of the ingredients into the food processor and power on high for 2-4 minutes. Taste and season accordingly. Pulse for another minute.

Enjoy!

Sprouting Shepherd’s Pie

Adapted from Alton Brown's Shepherd's Pie recipe

Farmer's market still life

Ingredients
For the potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1/4 cup coconut cream
2 ounces ghee/clarified butter
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground lamb
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup compliant vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried chopped thyme leaves
1 cup Brussel sprouts, washed

Veggies sweating

Hearty.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the coconut cream, ghee, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the olive oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, broth, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Buzz the Brussel sprouts in a food processor, or roughly chop into smaller pieces. Mix in with lamb mixture.

Add the meat mixture into large-ish baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving

Paprika Celery Root “Fries”

Looking just like their deep fried cousins!

1 large-ish celery root

2 tablespoons olive oil/coconut oil/fat of choice

1 teaspoon paprika

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel celery root and slice into sticks/fry shape. Grab a bowl or large Tupperware container. Throw the “fries” into the bowl or container and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle the paprika, add the garlic and season with S&P. Mix or stir all together.

Line a baking tray with tinfoil and lay the seasoned celery root fries on the tray. Make sure the sticks are all flat and not bunched up. Send into the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Let cool for 2 minutes and devour with your favorite Whole30 sauce!

Posh Beans on Toast

"Enough with the restaurant reviews already," you must be saying, dear reader, "where's your creativity?!"

Yes it's true, I have been indulging and dining out on the reg while MT is here and neglecting my beloved stove. But I have made a handful of memorable menus along the way to share as well!

First up is a take on the comfort-food and budget-conscious classic: Beans on Toast. When I was living in the Dubs, invariably as pay-day came closer (only once-a-month for you americanos spoilt with the bi-weekly!) we'd (CMc, SM, Nosh cough cough...)be feasting on some form of sliced bread/tinned beans/egg/potato combo for lunch and possibly dinner until the money train rolled in once again for drinks on me at VCC! Followed by weeks of empty pockets-magee.

But I digress.

So after visiting Brother Hubbard and dining on their baked beans, I decided to try this side of the Atlantic for a re-creation. Here you have it:

Any Day But Payday Beans on Toast

Poached poverty eggs & beans on/with toast

Serves 2
1 can/tin beans (I used fava, but kidney/pinto/broad would also work well), drained
2 handfuls chopped cherry/heirloom tomatoes (or 1 can chopped if you're really beyond the pale)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed & chopped (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbsp feta cheese
1/2 cup plain/ Greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, squeezed (optional)
2 servings toast, any way, any how (I got a french loaf but this is up to you!)
Salt & pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and sweat the onion with garlic. Once fragrant, chuck in the tomatoes and add the beans before lowering to a simmer.

Setting it up right

Simma. Don. A. 

Fill a deep frying pan with water and heat to a boil. Crack each egg separately into a small dish and ladle into the water to poach. Poach for about 4 minutes each then scoop out with a slotted spoon. This is how you poach an egg perfectly. Thank you KCH for that life lesson.

Up close and personal

Meanwhile, while things are bubbling/simmering/poaching, mix the feta cheese with the yogurt, lemon and some S&P to taste. Leave aside.

Check the beans & tomato saucepan and season as necessary. Once satisfied, ladle a healthy portion (about half) into a bowl and spoon some of the feta mixture on top. Place one of the perfectly poached eggs on top alongside some dipping toast. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and dig in!




Enjoy... payday ain't so far away now is it?

Memories from past paychecks spent at the VCC

Spaghetti Squashin' It

I've been really into spaghetti squash lately, it's such a funky vegetable! I love how in just under an hour, this versatile gourd can change from a hard mass into thin noodle-like pulpy strands. Nature's spaghetti indeed.

Per usual when I get into a new veg, I do some experimenting. This next recipe is just that: an experiment and quite a tasty one! Try it for yourself and see!

Wine not included :)

Layered Spaghetti with Meatballs
Serves 2

1 spaghetti squash, washed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 handful kale, washed & chopped
~6 slices of roasted red peppers from a jar
1/2 log Chevre goat cheese (I used a rosemary seasoned but plain is ok too)
8 meatballs, cut in half

First round of roasting

Heat oven to 425F. On a cutting board, split the spaghetti squash down the middle with a butcher's knife. Scoop out the seeds. Place the two halves in a casserole dish so that each can lie relatively flat. Drizzle with olive oil and rub the crushed garlic cloves around the pulp of the squash. Leave any garlic remains in the pit of the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Place dish in the oven for 25 minutes.

Layering: so colorful!

After 25 minutes, take the dish out and fill both squash pits with a layer of kale and then the peppers to weigh down the greens. Spread a layer of the Chevre goat cheese and top with the meatball halves. Put back in the oven for 20 minutes.

Time for the balls

Once the squash has cooked, take out of the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Being mindful of the hot dish and vegetables, cut the skin off of the squash and plate both halves. Your "spaghetti" should be falling off in strands. Sprinkle some fresh Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Voila!!!