The last eight years have taken a toll on me. There have been moments of deep sorrow - losing my dad, losing my brother, losing a grandmother, struggling to have a baby. But there has also been great joy. From getting married, to having our beautiful children. Somewhere in there my body changed to one I no longer recognize.
I lost weight after having our daughter in 2010. It was slow to come off, but before getting pregnant again with our son in 2012, I had lost 60 something pounds. Unfortunately I gained it all back. And it's come back, and stayed, in places I am not used to being my "problem" area - namely my stomach.
In the 16 months since his birth, I have struggled to lose weight. Even remaining faithful to our Paleo/Primal diet it was just not coming off. While nursing the first 12 months, I found that any restriction in my caloric intake resulted in a big supply dip while pumping. A dip I couldn't afford. So I set the diet aside and focused on exercise instead. After he turned 1, I tried a Paleo Challenge. I found myself utterly unsatisfied. And though I was strict, the weight just wasn't coming off like it had before.
I decided to try something different, and added whole grains back in. I also joined a fitness boot camp 3 mornings a week. Slowly, but surely, the weight has started to come off again.
I decided to try something different and harder to really spark a change in what I see in the mirror. So on June 16, 2014 I started the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Program. I'm currently on Day 2 of the 7 day kick starter, and then will start the 90 day program next Monday. This is my journey.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Monday, February 25, 2013
Meal Plan Monday 2013 Week 1
As Spring approaches and the weather is nicer, this week's dinners are all about using up the freezer stash of comfort hearty food I've built up over the last few months. Mainly because I don't really feel like chili when it's 65 or warmer out. Simply needed to re-heat rather than cook is an added bonus.
DINNERS
Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers from My Paleo Crock Pot.
Chicken and Veggie Soup
Shredded Chicken Tacos made from left over Rock Salt Chicken ( the best chicken I have ever made)
Hot Dog Chili (like a chili dog without the bun) from Health-Bent
Spaghetti Sauce and Squash
LUNCH
Left overs
Lunch meat; olives; cucumbers; fruit; almond milk yogurt
Almond Butter & Jelly served on Paleo Pancakes instead of bread (see recipe below)
BREAKFAST
Sweet Potato Hash - I shred a whole sweet potato, with skin on, in my Ninja blender (we sadly have no food processor), heat some coconut oil and add the potato and either cinnamon or Italian seasoning depending on my mood. Cook through (about 10 minutes). Sometimes I'll cook bacon or sausage first and then add in the potato for a one-pot dish.
Eggs
Cinnamon Bun Muffins from Elena's Pantry
Almond Banana Pancakes from Mark's Daily Apple
DINNERS
Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers from My Paleo Crock Pot.
Chicken and Veggie Soup
Shredded Chicken Tacos made from left over Rock Salt Chicken ( the best chicken I have ever made)
Hot Dog Chili (like a chili dog without the bun) from Health-Bent
Spaghetti Sauce and Squash
- Pro Tip (did you know you can freeze spaghetti squash? I cook it, put it in muffin tins, freeze and then save it in a zip lock for quick meals)
LUNCH
Left overs
Lunch meat; olives; cucumbers; fruit; almond milk yogurt
Almond Butter & Jelly served on Paleo Pancakes instead of bread (see recipe below)
BREAKFAST
Sweet Potato Hash - I shred a whole sweet potato, with skin on, in my Ninja blender (we sadly have no food processor), heat some coconut oil and add the potato and either cinnamon or Italian seasoning depending on my mood. Cook through (about 10 minutes). Sometimes I'll cook bacon or sausage first and then add in the potato for a one-pot dish.
Eggs
Cinnamon Bun Muffins from Elena's Pantry
Almond Banana Pancakes from Mark's Daily Apple
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Knowing When To Quit
I started the 21 DSD off last week strong. Even with a husband who was working an insane amount of overtime, leaving me to solo-parent 20 hours out of the day, I ate very cleanly. I did not crave sugar and didn't even have the urge to hit the Starbuck's drive-thru despite very little sleep.
Yet there was a big downside to the detox - my milk supply. I am breast feeding our little guy. It's something that is very important to me. I will not compromise nursing him in favor of any diet. By Thursday I knew something wasn't right. He wanted to nurse all-day-long. It wasn't a growth spurt style nursing marathon, it was a "hey I'm not getting enough here" protest.
I looked at my water log, and knew I was having plenty. Then I looked at my food log, and therein lies the problem. Breastfeeding alone burns 500 extra calories a day. Add in the minimal exercise I get from walking to the park or around the zoo, and the extra calories burned from carrying a newborn in one-arm while chasing a toddler, and occasionally also carrying a 30lb toddler on the opposite hip, and I need A LOT of calories in a day. The way my life is right now, I need food that I can eat AND prepare with one hand. Anything requiring two hands, or holding the potential of dropping and burning the newborn in my arms is out. No dairy and no gluten makes this hard enough. Add in no-fruit and it becomes almost impossible to get enough calories.
I tried making up for my deficit by eating my weight in almonds. But that is neither fun, nor probably very healthy in its own right. The 21 DSD advises nursing moms add in some sweet potato with every meal, which I was doing but still ending up without enough calories. I'm sure some of the hardcore Paleo enthusiasts would advise I just up my intake of grass-fed, nitrate free, free-range bacon and hard-boiled eggs, but frankly I don't think that's very healthy.
So I've decided to forgo the 21 DSD for now. I think it's a great program, and hope to complete it at some point once my milk supply is more establish, and Little Dude doesn't rely on me for all of his nutrition. We will still be Paleo since I can't have dairy. But there will be no official program we're on. For now I'm just going to focus on eating things that fit the Paleo guidelines and are easy to eat with one arm. Hopefully this will solve the caloric-intake issue. Especially as I begin to run again in T-3 days!
Yet there was a big downside to the detox - my milk supply. I am breast feeding our little guy. It's something that is very important to me. I will not compromise nursing him in favor of any diet. By Thursday I knew something wasn't right. He wanted to nurse all-day-long. It wasn't a growth spurt style nursing marathon, it was a "hey I'm not getting enough here" protest.
I looked at my water log, and knew I was having plenty. Then I looked at my food log, and therein lies the problem. Breastfeeding alone burns 500 extra calories a day. Add in the minimal exercise I get from walking to the park or around the zoo, and the extra calories burned from carrying a newborn in one-arm while chasing a toddler, and occasionally also carrying a 30lb toddler on the opposite hip, and I need A LOT of calories in a day. The way my life is right now, I need food that I can eat AND prepare with one hand. Anything requiring two hands, or holding the potential of dropping and burning the newborn in my arms is out. No dairy and no gluten makes this hard enough. Add in no-fruit and it becomes almost impossible to get enough calories.
I tried making up for my deficit by eating my weight in almonds. But that is neither fun, nor probably very healthy in its own right. The 21 DSD advises nursing moms add in some sweet potato with every meal, which I was doing but still ending up without enough calories. I'm sure some of the hardcore Paleo enthusiasts would advise I just up my intake of grass-fed, nitrate free, free-range bacon and hard-boiled eggs, but frankly I don't think that's very healthy.
So I've decided to forgo the 21 DSD for now. I think it's a great program, and hope to complete it at some point once my milk supply is more establish, and Little Dude doesn't rely on me for all of his nutrition. We will still be Paleo since I can't have dairy. But there will be no official program we're on. For now I'm just going to focus on eating things that fit the Paleo guidelines and are easy to eat with one arm. Hopefully this will solve the caloric-intake issue. Especially as I begin to run again in T-3 days!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Work Out Wednesday
I've gotten a lot of questions lately about how I ran so long in pregnancy. And a friend suggested I blog about fitness as well as eating. Since I'm not yet able to work out, rather than post my work out plan for this week, I'll focus on what I did the last 10 or so months.
In my late teens and early 20s I ran for the fun of it, and even ran with my college's club cross country team. Then I graduated law school, got married and got a real job. Somewhere in there I lost the art of finding time to take care of myself. I started to get serious about running again after Hailey was born. But it was not until my brother was killed that I found myself needing to run. I found great solace in putting one foot in front of the other and just letting my mind go. When we were younger we used to run together - and by run together I mean I about killed myself to keep up with a guy who never trained yet easily ran a sub-7 minute mile on unfairly tall frame. My runs became a way for me to "talk" to him again, as well as a way to work through the sadness and anger - to let all the things I wanted to say to his killer but couldn't go,
By April I found myself actually looking forward to running. My 10 year college reunion was in May and I really looked forward to running the trails there again. When I was finally able to lace up my shoes and go for that run, I found it unexpectedly hard and had to catch my breath a few times. The day we returned home I was ecstatic to learn I was pregnant.
It was then I started researching running while pregnant. I read the Runner's World Guide ** and asked my doctor and decided to keep going. My first doctor was old-school and said I could run as long as my heart rate never got over 140, which was almost painfully slow. But I kept plodding along. I made mini goals for myself by signing up for 5ks and ended up doing a 5k at 8weeks, 20 weeks, 24 weeks and 32 weeks. I listened to my body and slowed down when needed and took breaks as necessary.
At 23 weeks I changed doctors, for the better. And on her advice stopped tracking my heartbeat and instead listened to my body and made sure not to get too worked up. This helped my runs to be more enjoyable. As I got bigger I found I needed support for my belly. I tried a few belts and ended up loving the Belly Bra ** which I felt gave more support overall. And there was no need to try to adjust it when my belly became huge and I stopped being able to see below my belly button.
After my last 5K I decided to just go until I no longer felt comfortable. At 35 weeks I was put on temporary restrictions due to contractions, so I stopped running for a bit. I started up again at 36.5 weeks, but then fell (unrelated I was walking to get lunch) the next day and twisted my ankle, bringing an end to my pregnant running career.
My best advice is that like running at any other time, it's 90% mental. Sure you feel like crud especially those early weeks, but you'll feel so much better once you get out there. Staying active keeps both you and baby healthy. Of course you should always get the approval of your doctor, but I am happy to answer any questions you have about my personal experience.
** full disclosure I'll get a very small stipend if you buy either item linked.
In my late teens and early 20s I ran for the fun of it, and even ran with my college's club cross country team. Then I graduated law school, got married and got a real job. Somewhere in there I lost the art of finding time to take care of myself. I started to get serious about running again after Hailey was born. But it was not until my brother was killed that I found myself needing to run. I found great solace in putting one foot in front of the other and just letting my mind go. When we were younger we used to run together - and by run together I mean I about killed myself to keep up with a guy who never trained yet easily ran a sub-7 minute mile on unfairly tall frame. My runs became a way for me to "talk" to him again, as well as a way to work through the sadness and anger - to let all the things I wanted to say to his killer but couldn't go,
By April I found myself actually looking forward to running. My 10 year college reunion was in May and I really looked forward to running the trails there again. When I was finally able to lace up my shoes and go for that run, I found it unexpectedly hard and had to catch my breath a few times. The day we returned home I was ecstatic to learn I was pregnant.
It was then I started researching running while pregnant. I read the Runner's World Guide ** and asked my doctor and decided to keep going. My first doctor was old-school and said I could run as long as my heart rate never got over 140, which was almost painfully slow. But I kept plodding along. I made mini goals for myself by signing up for 5ks and ended up doing a 5k at 8weeks, 20 weeks, 24 weeks and 32 weeks. I listened to my body and slowed down when needed and took breaks as necessary.
At 23 weeks I changed doctors, for the better. And on her advice stopped tracking my heartbeat and instead listened to my body and made sure not to get too worked up. This helped my runs to be more enjoyable. As I got bigger I found I needed support for my belly. I tried a few belts and ended up loving the Belly Bra ** which I felt gave more support overall. And there was no need to try to adjust it when my belly became huge and I stopped being able to see below my belly button.
After my last 5K I decided to just go until I no longer felt comfortable. At 35 weeks I was put on temporary restrictions due to contractions, so I stopped running for a bit. I started up again at 36.5 weeks, but then fell (unrelated I was walking to get lunch) the next day and twisted my ankle, bringing an end to my pregnant running career.
My best advice is that like running at any other time, it's 90% mental. Sure you feel like crud especially those early weeks, but you'll feel so much better once you get out there. Staying active keeps both you and baby healthy. Of course you should always get the approval of your doctor, but I am happy to answer any questions you have about my personal experience.
** full disclosure I'll get a very small stipend if you buy either item linked.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
21 DSD - restart
So, I'm not perfect. I mean I know no one is perfect - this week I have been far from perfect when it comes to our detox. We were supposed to start on Monday. But then I didn't get to the store on the weekend, and told myself I'd go first thing Monday morning.
Except when you have a newborn and a 2 year old nothing goes according to plan. NOTHING.
By Sunday night at 9 pm I knew I was not going to get any sleep. Our newest addition had become very congested thanks to a cold his sister had picked up and lovingly shared with the family. My mind kept going back to a blog I'd read when Hailey was a baby about another baby who died at a week old from choking on phlegm after catching a sibling's cold. No sleep it was. By Monday morning he sounded much better, but I felt horrible. There was no way I was getting to the store.
By Monday night it was clear I'd caught the cold. I wanted nothing but orange juice by the gallon. Our meals were clean and DSD approved, but my snacks were horrible. The whole week was definitely not 21 DSD approved.
Friday Graham had his 2 week check-up and my suspicions about him being dairy sensitive were confirmed, so I have been good about no dairy. But sugar and gluten have still made their way into my diet this weekend.
So we are restarting...or rather starting for real this time. I know I definitely need to work on my snacks. Last week I'd planned smoothies as snacks. But between nursing, diaper changing, and spending quality time with Hailey, cutting up veggies and such to throw in the blender? Not happening. Without those smoothies I get horribly caloric deficient thanks to nursing, so I end up starving and just grabbing whatever is near. This week I have plans to have pre-cut veggies and nuts at the ready to grab and go .
Except when you have a newborn and a 2 year old nothing goes according to plan. NOTHING.
By Sunday night at 9 pm I knew I was not going to get any sleep. Our newest addition had become very congested thanks to a cold his sister had picked up and lovingly shared with the family. My mind kept going back to a blog I'd read when Hailey was a baby about another baby who died at a week old from choking on phlegm after catching a sibling's cold. No sleep it was. By Monday morning he sounded much better, but I felt horrible. There was no way I was getting to the store.
By Monday night it was clear I'd caught the cold. I wanted nothing but orange juice by the gallon. Our meals were clean and DSD approved, but my snacks were horrible. The whole week was definitely not 21 DSD approved.
Friday Graham had his 2 week check-up and my suspicions about him being dairy sensitive were confirmed, so I have been good about no dairy. But sugar and gluten have still made their way into my diet this weekend.
So we are restarting...or rather starting for real this time. I know I definitely need to work on my snacks. Last week I'd planned smoothies as snacks. But between nursing, diaper changing, and spending quality time with Hailey, cutting up veggies and such to throw in the blender? Not happening. Without those smoothies I get horribly caloric deficient thanks to nursing, so I end up starving and just grabbing whatever is near. This week I have plans to have pre-cut veggies and nuts at the ready to grab and go .
Sunday, February 10, 2013
It's Been a While
Hello World, it's been a while.
To say I had a difficult 2012 would be a great understatement. Dealing with the aftermath of my brother's death took up a great deal of time. Add in caring for a growing toddler and getting pregnant in May, not to mention continuing to work ... well there just wasn't a lot of time left for blogging.
One of my goals for 2013 (as a New Years Baby, I don't make resolutions), is to get this blog going again. Since our household is starting a 21 Day Sugar Detox tomorrow (February 11), it seemed like a great time to start the blog up again.
The detox is basically 3 weeks of very strict primal, eliminating sweeteners including all fruit. The exception is 1 green apple or green tipped banana a day. The strict detox also eliminates sweet potatoes/yams and winter squashes. However, it makes modifications for breastfeeding. Using that modification I will be having 1/2 cup of sweet potato with every meal.
I realize February 11 is an odd day to start a detox. Most people, including the official 21 Day Sugar Detox groups on Facebook, start on the first of the month. Because our son was born January 30, 2013, February 1 was just not a good day for us to start a detox. I used the first full week home with him to satisfy some major cravings I'd built up over the last 7 months (being a gestational diabetic meant I was not having cheat meals 20% of the time like I normally would). While I would not have been satisfied without having my sushi, milkshakes and birthday cake - and really feel like I earned all those things - I also don't feel that great. I'm ready to get back on track, and think this sugar detox is the perfect way to do it.
I credit staying Primal throughout my pregnancy for having my gestational diabetes in much better control than I did with our daughter. While I gained more weight (25lbs v. 2lbs with Hailey), it was well within my goal. I think the comparison photos below show the effect of my Primal diet on my pregnancy the best. Both were taken at 36 weeks, I'm pregnant with Graham in the grey and with Hailey in the white.
To say I had a difficult 2012 would be a great understatement. Dealing with the aftermath of my brother's death took up a great deal of time. Add in caring for a growing toddler and getting pregnant in May, not to mention continuing to work ... well there just wasn't a lot of time left for blogging.
One of my goals for 2013 (as a New Years Baby, I don't make resolutions), is to get this blog going again. Since our household is starting a 21 Day Sugar Detox tomorrow (February 11), it seemed like a great time to start the blog up again.
The detox is basically 3 weeks of very strict primal, eliminating sweeteners including all fruit. The exception is 1 green apple or green tipped banana a day. The strict detox also eliminates sweet potatoes/yams and winter squashes. However, it makes modifications for breastfeeding. Using that modification I will be having 1/2 cup of sweet potato with every meal.
I realize February 11 is an odd day to start a detox. Most people, including the official 21 Day Sugar Detox groups on Facebook, start on the first of the month. Because our son was born January 30, 2013, February 1 was just not a good day for us to start a detox. I used the first full week home with him to satisfy some major cravings I'd built up over the last 7 months (being a gestational diabetic meant I was not having cheat meals 20% of the time like I normally would). While I would not have been satisfied without having my sushi, milkshakes and birthday cake - and really feel like I earned all those things - I also don't feel that great. I'm ready to get back on track, and think this sugar detox is the perfect way to do it.
I credit staying Primal throughout my pregnancy for having my gestational diabetes in much better control than I did with our daughter. While I gained more weight (25lbs v. 2lbs with Hailey), it was well within my goal. I think the comparison photos below show the effect of my Primal diet on my pregnancy the best. Both were taken at 36 weeks, I'm pregnant with Graham in the grey and with Hailey in the white.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Dress
I've had a dress-suit hanging in my closet unworn for a little over three years. It was my favorite for a long time. It had gotten a little snug, but still fit fine, or so I thought. One day at my former job a 'lead' (think manager) took me into her office and told me I was too fat to wear it and needed to go shopping. Other women got taken in to be told they were inappropriately dressed. Without talking about how incredibly inappropriate this woman was, I will say it did a number on my self-esteem.
I hung that dress in my closet and thought "some day I'll be thin enough again." Three years, a complicated pregnancy, a baby, a year of breast-feeding (No I was not one of those people for home nursing sheds the pounds), and the discovery of Paleo and I am finally confident to wear the dress again.
I have not weighed myself since the start of our Whole30, but I know I'm losing weight. My clothes are the proof. The fact that I'm rocking "the dress" to work today and totally confident in it, just seals the deal.
I hung that dress in my closet and thought "some day I'll be thin enough again." Three years, a complicated pregnancy, a baby, a year of breast-feeding (No I was not one of those people for home nursing sheds the pounds), and the discovery of Paleo and I am finally confident to wear the dress again.
I have not weighed myself since the start of our Whole30, but I know I'm losing weight. My clothes are the proof. The fact that I'm rocking "the dress" to work today and totally confident in it, just seals the deal.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Paleo on a Budget
A friend, starting her own 30 day challenge, posted on Facebook about how expensive her first shopping trip proved to be. I'll admit I had sticker shock when we first started to convert to a Paleo/Primal lifestyle. When the bulk of your calories comes from meat, followed by veggies and fruit, it gets expensive. Especially when you are "paleoifying" things as paleo-sweeteners tend to be more expensive overall.
Now that the whole family is on Paleo I've managed to find a few ways to save some money.
My Tips
- Shop the freezer on a regular basis - this week 2 nights are freezer entrees.
- Buy slightly more than you need when meat is on sale so you can make a bit more of the recipe and have enough to freeze.
- Take inventory before you go to the store so you know what you already have
- Meal Plan using the meat and/or produce on sale
- If you have the time, shop at multiple stores to get the best deals. Grocery Outlet often has great deals on organic items
While our overall bill is a bit more than pre-paleo (after all you get coupons for frozen meals, but not rib-eye and asparagus), I've found we spend less money since we do not eat out very often, and there are no trips to the coffee shop. So while I may spend more in one trip, our weekly spending is actually a bit less.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Days 6 & 7
This little family had a great weekend to round out the first week of our Whole 30.
Saturday morning began with a super easy sausage and sweet potato hash for breakfast. (Recipe here, I added fennel and oregano and skipped the cinnamon). We all loved it, and it was nice for Isaac to have something substantial. He doesn't eat eggs, so breakfast has been consisting of an egg protein shake (technically primal, not Paleo, but given his aversion to eggs I'm letting it slide)
We had a cleaning crew in to do a major spring cleaning so in an effort to stay out of their way, we went out looking at play sets. They were still cleaning at 5pm so we ended up grabbing burgers, no-bun, while we waited for them to finish.
Sunday we went to the zoo in the morning, and relaxed at home for the afternoon. We had the "Lasagna" from Every Day Paleo for dinner. (recipe here) Now some of the strictest Whole 30 folks will say this wasn't compliant, since I "Paleofied" a dish. But aside from the fact the dish was layered, and the sauce had the same flavor profile, it wasn't really "lasagna". Had I stir fried, baked, or otherwise cooked the exact same ingredients it would satisfy those folks. And since I didn't cook it because I was craving pasta and wanted a substitute, I still think it counts.
Overall I am feeling much more energetic. The cravings I had in the beginning of last week for sweets have largely subsided. The creamer in the office fridge was not even remotely tempting. I also feel better prepared for the week. I know better that I feel better with slightly larger meals and a snack around 5pm to tide me over till dinner. I also bought almond milk to make the office-coffee palatable and remembered to actually bring it to work.
Hailey has been totally off milk since Saturday, although she did have some cheese at dinner that night. But she seems to be doing better. Last night she easily went down to bed. And she loves coconut milk (which btw has more calcium and the same amount of fat as 2% cow's milk, who knew?)
Saturday morning began with a super easy sausage and sweet potato hash for breakfast. (Recipe here, I added fennel and oregano and skipped the cinnamon). We all loved it, and it was nice for Isaac to have something substantial. He doesn't eat eggs, so breakfast has been consisting of an egg protein shake (technically primal, not Paleo, but given his aversion to eggs I'm letting it slide)
We had a cleaning crew in to do a major spring cleaning so in an effort to stay out of their way, we went out looking at play sets. They were still cleaning at 5pm so we ended up grabbing burgers, no-bun, while we waited for them to finish.
Sunday we went to the zoo in the morning, and relaxed at home for the afternoon. We had the "Lasagna" from Every Day Paleo for dinner. (recipe here) Now some of the strictest Whole 30 folks will say this wasn't compliant, since I "Paleofied" a dish. But aside from the fact the dish was layered, and the sauce had the same flavor profile, it wasn't really "lasagna". Had I stir fried, baked, or otherwise cooked the exact same ingredients it would satisfy those folks. And since I didn't cook it because I was craving pasta and wanted a substitute, I still think it counts.
Overall I am feeling much more energetic. The cravings I had in the beginning of last week for sweets have largely subsided. The creamer in the office fridge was not even remotely tempting. I also feel better prepared for the week. I know better that I feel better with slightly larger meals and a snack around 5pm to tide me over till dinner. I also bought almond milk to make the office-coffee palatable and remembered to actually bring it to work.
Hailey has been totally off milk since Saturday, although she did have some cheese at dinner that night. But she seems to be doing better. Last night she easily went down to bed. And she loves coconut milk (which btw has more calcium and the same amount of fat as 2% cow's milk, who knew?)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Days 3/4
Days 3 and 4 are reported to be among the hardest for most Paleo/Whole30 challengers. In large part because these are the days when most have the most withdrawal symptoms: headaches, general aches, *ahem* digestive issues. Luckily for me I had a slight headache and nothing more. I was exhausted on Day 3, but I think that had more to do with my daughter's sleeping habits than anything else.
I also added an egg muffin and some blueberries to my breakfast and was satisfied until noon....maybe I don't need to eat every 2-3 hours after all.
What I ate Day 3 :
Breakfast - 3 egg muffins, blueberries
Lunch - left over steak kabobs and cauliflower "fried rice"
Dinner - a banana and some almond butter... I didn't even have a snack
Day 4:
Breakfast - scrambled eggs cooked in coconut butter, a banana
Lunch - Almond crusted chicken (Dipped in dijon mustard, rolled in crushed almonds, bake at 350 for 45 minutes) and spinach
Dinner - Chicken Stirfry
We also made a decision to put Hailey on a Paleo diet for a few weeks. I've thought for awhile she may have a slight dairy intolerance. Even when she was exclusively breastfed I noticed I couldn't have very much cheese or milk or she'd get very cranky. (At the time I was not paleo, or even primal). Then I stumbled across an article that linked common food intolerance to gluten and dairy with sleep issues. I started to think about her latest sleep regression, which times very closely to when we started to pump her full of milk and cheese to try and fatten her up. I'm curious to see if she really does have a connection or not. From Day 3 of our challenge on she'll be Paleo. If there's an improvement when we reach day 30, she'll remain Paleo with us. If there's not, she won't.
I also added an egg muffin and some blueberries to my breakfast and was satisfied until noon....maybe I don't need to eat every 2-3 hours after all.
What I ate Day 3 :
Breakfast - 3 egg muffins, blueberries
Lunch - left over steak kabobs and cauliflower "fried rice"
Dinner - a banana and some almond butter... I didn't even have a snack
Day 4:
Breakfast - scrambled eggs cooked in coconut butter, a banana
Lunch - Almond crusted chicken (Dipped in dijon mustard, rolled in crushed almonds, bake at 350 for 45 minutes) and spinach
Dinner - Chicken Stirfry
We also made a decision to put Hailey on a Paleo diet for a few weeks. I've thought for awhile she may have a slight dairy intolerance. Even when she was exclusively breastfed I noticed I couldn't have very much cheese or milk or she'd get very cranky. (At the time I was not paleo, or even primal). Then I stumbled across an article that linked common food intolerance to gluten and dairy with sleep issues. I started to think about her latest sleep regression, which times very closely to when we started to pump her full of milk and cheese to try and fatten her up. I'm curious to see if she really does have a connection or not. From Day 3 of our challenge on she'll be Paleo. If there's an improvement when we reach day 30, she'll remain Paleo with us. If there's not, she won't.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Day 2 - Rule Breaker
There are some rules to the Whole30 I don't follow. You'll see that I probably eat more fruit than the strictest of the bunch would allow. But you know what, I like fruit. It's yummy. And it helps me to resist the temptation of the bagels and cream cheese sitting in the office kitchen. Apparently it's also "recommended" that you space your eating out 4-5hours and only have 3 meals and 1 snack a day. They say it takes that long for your hormones to do everything they need to do. Maybe for my next Whole30 I'll try it. But right now? Well I know because I had to test my blood sugar every few hours for 6 months of my pregnancy, and then chose to after that, my body prefers fuel every 2-3 hours, and I get up early. And since eating dinner at 4 and going to bed at 8 just doesn't work with my schedule I'm going to continue eating every 2-3 hours.
What I Ate:
Breakfast - 2 egg muffins and a banana.
Snack 1 (I know, I'm such a rebel) - ants on a log (using almond butter)
Lunch - left over chicken and slaw
Snack 2 - 2 clementines, I brought some chicken as well but did not feel like I needed it.
Dinner - Steak, zucchini, mushroom and red bell pepper kabobs
What I Ate:
Breakfast - 2 egg muffins and a banana.
Snack 1 (I know, I'm such a rebel) - ants on a log (using almond butter)
Lunch - left over chicken and slaw
Snack 2 - 2 clementines, I brought some chicken as well but did not feel like I needed it.
Dinner - Steak, zucchini, mushroom and red bell pepper kabobs
Monday, April 9, 2012
30 Day Challenge - Day One
What I Ate:
Breakfast - 2 Egg Muffins at 8:00 am
Lunch - Salad with organic greens wild-caught canned salmon, sliced almonds, 1/2 an avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and dill, at 11:00 am because I was starving!
Snack - a large bowl of fruit, ham, 1/2 an avocado
Dinner - Roast chicken, Slaw with red cabbage, cucumber, mango, a shallot, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Dessert - Plantain "chips"
How I felt
I'll be honest, the first day was really hard. Largely due to the amount of sweets around our office. At home it's easier because I don't have anything to tempt me. But I have to pass the candy bowl every time I go to the restroom, or grab a file, and that makes it hard. By noon I was craving something sweet. I ran out to the store and bought a very large bowl of cut fruit.
It made me realize that I need to pack a bit more food than I did, and make sure I include fruit as part of my meals and snacks.
Breakfast - 2 Egg Muffins at 8:00 am
Lunch - Salad with organic greens wild-caught canned salmon, sliced almonds, 1/2 an avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and dill, at 11:00 am because I was starving!
Snack - a large bowl of fruit, ham, 1/2 an avocado
Dinner - Roast chicken, Slaw with red cabbage, cucumber, mango, a shallot, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Dessert - Plantain "chips"
How I felt
I'll be honest, the first day was really hard. Largely due to the amount of sweets around our office. At home it's easier because I don't have anything to tempt me. But I have to pass the candy bowl every time I go to the restroom, or grab a file, and that makes it hard. By noon I was craving something sweet. I ran out to the store and bought a very large bowl of cut fruit.
It made me realize that I need to pack a bit more food than I did, and make sure I include fruit as part of my meals and snacks.
A Meal Planning Crisis
I'll start out by saying, I realize this is a completely first-world problem. Isaac has been working a lot these days. Last week there was one night he was home before midnight, and that was just a quick check in to give Hailey a bath so he could see her. He has a big brief due today, so I already knew going into the weekend that we would not see him on Saturday.
My office closed early on Friday, I picked up Hailey and we had a great afternoon together. My plan was to do my meal-planning for Easter and the start of the 30 day challenge after she went to bed. Then I'd be able to grocery shop on the way home from an Easter Egg Hunt Saturday morning. Everything was going swimmingly, Hailey went down very easily. The housekeeper had come so I didn't have anything to pick up. I sat down on the couch and fired up the laptop only to discover there was once again a problem with our AT&T Internet. I started to panic. I do all my meal planning online. All my recipes are online. The grocery store ad so I know what's on sale? Also online.
I attempted to start planning on my phone. But even though my phone is awesome and has faster Internet than our DSL (even when the DSL works). My little 6ish inch screen is not fun to try to plan a weeks worth of meals. Then I remembered I actually have Paleo Cookbooks - 3 to be exact. Lucky for me the first one I started thumbing through was ">Everyday Paleo, where I discovered toward the back she has a 30day Family Meal Plan! Not only are the recipes laid out, but there's also a shopping list to the right of every 5 days worth of food.
I did make a few modifications to her plan. Her egg cupcakes call for bacon, but under the Whole30 bacon is a no-no. I substituted fresh sausage (no sugar, no gluten) instead. And they taste amazing. And Day 5 called for Blueberry pancakes, but because I've committed to not "paleoifying" foods, and/or using sweeteners including maple syrup, I decided we'll just have blueberries and almonds with our scrambled eggs. And because we have some leftover ham, we're having ham instead of jerky on a few days. (Although I did pick up some beef to make my own jerky).
Friday, April 6, 2012
Whole30
Even though I have not been great about blogging the last few months (way too much going on in our world), our primal lifestyle is still going strong. We keep about 80% of our meals (100% of at home meals) paleo or primal, and 20% are cheats. But both Isaac and I have hit a bit of a plateu in the weight loss arena and need a recharge.
Most of the primal and paleo plans suggest you be strict-paleo for 30 days first, and then switch to 80/20. But when I started I was breastfeeding and didn't yet trust that I could get everything I needed by being so strict, so I've always done 80/20. Now that I'm more comfortable, and nursing is less and less a source of nutrition for Hailey, I'm ready for our first Whole30.
Which means starting Monday April 9, 2012, we will not be eating any dairy, legumes, grains, sugar or sugar-substitutes. Nor will we be paleoifying treats like cookies, brownies, and cakes. (Paleoifying is way too common in our house right now.) You can read more about the Whole30 here.
Why start on the 9th? Why not start now? Well, I'll be honest. I LOVE Peeps. I don't want to sacrafice my one-time a year I allow myself to partake of their marshmallow-sugar yumminess. So we're starting the day after Easter. It seems fitting to start at a time of renewal anyway.
Plus we'll end on the 9th, just in time for my *gulp* 10 year college reunion. I hope this 30 days will help me to shed some excess poundage before then.
Most of the primal and paleo plans suggest you be strict-paleo for 30 days first, and then switch to 80/20. But when I started I was breastfeeding and didn't yet trust that I could get everything I needed by being so strict, so I've always done 80/20. Now that I'm more comfortable, and nursing is less and less a source of nutrition for Hailey, I'm ready for our first Whole30.
Which means starting Monday April 9, 2012, we will not be eating any dairy, legumes, grains, sugar or sugar-substitutes. Nor will we be paleoifying treats like cookies, brownies, and cakes. (Paleoifying is way too common in our house right now.) You can read more about the Whole30 here.
Why start on the 9th? Why not start now? Well, I'll be honest. I LOVE Peeps. I don't want to sacrafice my one-time a year I allow myself to partake of their marshmallow-sugar yumminess. So we're starting the day after Easter. It seems fitting to start at a time of renewal anyway.
Plus we'll end on the 9th, just in time for my *gulp* 10 year college reunion. I hope this 30 days will help me to shed some excess poundage before then.
Friday, March 2, 2012
A Pinterest Meal Plan
I have had so much on my plate lately that I haven't had time to put up this current week's meal plan. I guess I'll just combine the plan with my review of the recipes. This week I went entirely off things I found on Pinterest - with Great Success.
Saturday - Green Coconut Salmon with Cauliflower Rice . This was to die for! Seriously, even my normally Salmon-hating better half scraped every last crumb off his plate. Even better bonus - it was super easy. I think this may become a regularly scheduled recipe for mid-week.
Sunday - Stuffed Cabbage This was pretty good - although I wish I had made extra sauce. The jar she calls for would not be enough. I did modify the recipe a bit. I forgot the jarred mariana sauce, so I ended up throwing my own together with what I had (a can of whole plum tomatoes, two fresh, some jarred red peppers and basil). The recipe made a ton of filling. I froze enough filling to make another complete meal someday. And we had enough stuffed cabbages left for a whole dinner some other night. While it was a time-intensive recipe I did get three + dinners out of one prep.
Monday and Tuesday Grain-free Lasanga This was one of my favorite things this week. It was definitely more Primal than Paleo due to the cheese, but it was oh so delicious. And even having it two nights, we froze another night's worth.
Wednesday Paleo Orange Chicken I only wish I'd thought to make cauliflower rice to go with this. It was good, and had a little kick which I find often lacking in Paleo Recipes. The one modification I did was instead of using the zest of one orange, I used some of the pulp left from juicing.
Thursday Left Over Pork Stirfry I added some Coconut Aminos to this (a substitute for soy sauce, with far less salt) and it came out really well. I also used left over pork chops from last week.
Friday - Cannibal Peppers I'm making these with Left over chicken from last week.
Saturday - Green Coconut Salmon with Cauliflower Rice . This was to die for! Seriously, even my normally Salmon-hating better half scraped every last crumb off his plate. Even better bonus - it was super easy. I think this may become a regularly scheduled recipe for mid-week.
Sunday - Stuffed Cabbage This was pretty good - although I wish I had made extra sauce. The jar she calls for would not be enough. I did modify the recipe a bit. I forgot the jarred mariana sauce, so I ended up throwing my own together with what I had (a can of whole plum tomatoes, two fresh, some jarred red peppers and basil). The recipe made a ton of filling. I froze enough filling to make another complete meal someday. And we had enough stuffed cabbages left for a whole dinner some other night. While it was a time-intensive recipe I did get three + dinners out of one prep.
Monday and Tuesday Grain-free Lasanga This was one of my favorite things this week. It was definitely more Primal than Paleo due to the cheese, but it was oh so delicious. And even having it two nights, we froze another night's worth.
Wednesday Paleo Orange Chicken I only wish I'd thought to make cauliflower rice to go with this. It was good, and had a little kick which I find often lacking in Paleo Recipes. The one modification I did was instead of using the zest of one orange, I used some of the pulp left from juicing.
Thursday Left Over Pork Stirfry I added some Coconut Aminos to this (a substitute for soy sauce, with far less salt) and it came out really well. I also used left over pork chops from last week.
Friday - Cannibal Peppers I'm making these with Left over chicken from last week.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Egg Muffins
In my mind, I'm still the girl who wakes up at 4 am to work out, eat breakfast, and has plenty of time to get ready before heading out the door to the office at 8.
In reality, I'm the mom who never gets enough sleep. Who still gets woken up by my daughter many nights every week. Who needs the precious extra sleep between the hours of 4 and 6 am, and goes into the office an hour earlier than pre-baby, so I can leave an hour earlier. So in reality, I have very little time to actually get ready. Throw in a little person pulling at my leg, and running around while I'm trying to get dressed, and I'm always scrambling to get out the door on time. And I never have time for breakfast.
Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I will eat my entire lunch by 10am if I do not manage to eat something by 8, I had to face reality and figure out a new, paleo friendly solution. Enter the scrambled egg muffin. I was inspired by a recipe in Every Day Paleo. And let me tell you these babies are good! And they freeze well. And for something based on eggs, they have enough veggies that they aren't too "eggy". I was able to make a batch of 18 on Sunday afternoon while Hailey napped, and will have breakfast through next week.
Here's my version of the recipe:
10 eggs whisked well
2 zucchini
3 cups kale
1/2 a cup jarred roasted red peppers
1 lb COOKED breakfast sausage (check the label to make sure it's paleo)
pepper to taste (I used about a tablespoon)
Preheat oven to 350 and grease (I used olive oil) muffin pan(s) (recipe makes 18)
In a food processor throw in the zucchini and jarred peppers and process until finely chopped. Add chopped veggies to your eggs, along with the cooked sausage. Throw the kale into the processor, chop and add to your eggs. Mix the egg mixture well.
Put 1/4 cup of egg into each greased muffin cup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle.
I eat 2 every morning. You can mix out the meat (bacon for example), and the veggies. Some recipes out there call for frozen spinach instead of fresh (or kale like I used), but I found it makes the cupcakes too soggy.
In reality, I'm the mom who never gets enough sleep. Who still gets woken up by my daughter many nights every week. Who needs the precious extra sleep between the hours of 4 and 6 am, and goes into the office an hour earlier than pre-baby, so I can leave an hour earlier. So in reality, I have very little time to actually get ready. Throw in a little person pulling at my leg, and running around while I'm trying to get dressed, and I'm always scrambling to get out the door on time. And I never have time for breakfast.
Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I will eat my entire lunch by 10am if I do not manage to eat something by 8, I had to face reality and figure out a new, paleo friendly solution. Enter the scrambled egg muffin. I was inspired by a recipe in Every Day Paleo. And let me tell you these babies are good! And they freeze well. And for something based on eggs, they have enough veggies that they aren't too "eggy". I was able to make a batch of 18 on Sunday afternoon while Hailey napped, and will have breakfast through next week.
Here's my version of the recipe:
10 eggs whisked well
2 zucchini
3 cups kale
1/2 a cup jarred roasted red peppers
1 lb COOKED breakfast sausage (check the label to make sure it's paleo)
pepper to taste (I used about a tablespoon)
Preheat oven to 350 and grease (I used olive oil) muffin pan(s) (recipe makes 18)
In a food processor throw in the zucchini and jarred peppers and process until finely chopped. Add chopped veggies to your eggs, along with the cooked sausage. Throw the kale into the processor, chop and add to your eggs. Mix the egg mixture well.
Put 1/4 cup of egg into each greased muffin cup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle.
I eat 2 every morning. You can mix out the meat (bacon for example), and the veggies. Some recipes out there call for frozen spinach instead of fresh (or kale like I used), but I found it makes the cupcakes too soggy.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Meal Plan Monday-errr Tuesday
The long weekend has me off on dates, so this is posted a day late. Inspired by http://onceamonthmom.com/ I'm trying to cook more in one sitting and lesss during the week. While I'm still doing my own menus/meal plans and doing it on a weekly basis I'm aiming to have more frozen left overs during the week.
Yesterday I doubled my recipe and froze half the pork chops, I plan to incorporate them next week (making a stir-fry maybe?). Tonight's chicken will be shredded and frozen for chicken soup next week. And you'll see a lot of our meals this week are leftovers from last week.
Monday - skillet pork chops with carmelized onions and apples
Tuesday - Whole Chicken in Slow Cooker and sweet potato "fries"
Wednesday- Left over chicken leg adobo from last week, with cauliflower "rice"
Thursday - Left over chili (note - when buying dried peppers, it's probably a good idea to check the heat index online, because this stuff was SPICY)
Friday- Zuchini Spaghetti with left over sauce
Saturday - Shrimp tacos (in lettuce instead of tortillas)
Sunday - Stuffed Roasted Eggplant
Yesterday I doubled my recipe and froze half the pork chops, I plan to incorporate them next week (making a stir-fry maybe?). Tonight's chicken will be shredded and frozen for chicken soup next week. And you'll see a lot of our meals this week are leftovers from last week.
Monday - skillet pork chops with carmelized onions and apples
Tuesday - Whole Chicken in Slow Cooker and sweet potato "fries"
Wednesday- Left over chicken leg adobo from last week, with cauliflower "rice"
Thursday - Left over chili (note - when buying dried peppers, it's probably a good idea to check the heat index online, because this stuff was SPICY)
Friday- Zuchini Spaghetti with left over sauce
Saturday - Shrimp tacos (in lettuce instead of tortillas)
Sunday - Stuffed Roasted Eggplant
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Getting Back on Track
Most of my readers already know my family suffered a huge loss on January 21, when my brother (Honolulu Police Officer Garret Davis) was killed in the line of duty. The subsequent days and weeks were a whirlwind of traveling, visitors and funerals. We are so grateful to everyone who brought food so we did not have to worry about cooking. But three weeks of eating lots of gluten and dairy took their toll.
This Monday, I went back to work and we've started to try to get back to our normal routines. This means getting back to clean, whole food, and to this blog.
Just two days back in and I already feel much better (health wise) than I did on Sunday. I'm only 10 lbs from my goal weight, so my goals are shifting from pure weight-loss, to shaving minutes off my 5k time.
This Monday, I went back to work and we've started to try to get back to our normal routines. This means getting back to clean, whole food, and to this blog.
Just two days back in and I already feel much better (health wise) than I did on Sunday. I'm only 10 lbs from my goal weight, so my goals are shifting from pure weight-loss, to shaving minutes off my 5k time.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Paleo Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
When I was fairly early on in my pregnancy I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The worst part for me was not that I had to prick my finger and test my blood sugar four times a day. Nor was it counting every single carb that went into my mouth. It wasn't even the fact that I couldn't just eat when I was hungry. Although I hated all those things, the worst part was breakfast. My options were limited as I was allowed a mere 15carbs for my morning meal. All of my favorite breakfasts were well above 15 carbs. I was basically left with eggs, eggs, and more eggs. I grew to really dislike them.
Oh, how I wish I'd known about paleo/primal back then, Then I would have known the possibilities for low carb, high protein, breakfasts go way beyond eggs with a side of eggs.
My new favorite are pumpkin muffins, the following is a recipe I've adapted from many different sources, with my own special addition of chocolate, because I really like chocolate.
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1/2cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
6 eggs
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or you could use unsalted butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Shift all dry ingredients together
3. In a separate bowl, add one egg at a time to pumpkin puree, until well blended. Then add coconut oil, honey and vanilla. When mixed well wisk in dry ingredients.
4. Put batter into well-greased muffin tins. * I use a large 6-muffin tin
5. bake 20 minutes and enjoy
*if you like your muffins to look pretty, be sure to flatten out the batter after putting it in the tins. I've found any non-grain flour will pretty much bake in the same position you put it in the oven. Flattening it out helps them look a little more "normal"
Oh, how I wish I'd known about paleo/primal back then, Then I would have known the possibilities for low carb, high protein, breakfasts go way beyond eggs with a side of eggs.
My new favorite are pumpkin muffins, the following is a recipe I've adapted from many different sources, with my own special addition of chocolate, because I really like chocolate.
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1/2cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
6 eggs
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or you could use unsalted butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Shift all dry ingredients together
3. In a separate bowl, add one egg at a time to pumpkin puree, until well blended. Then add coconut oil, honey and vanilla. When mixed well wisk in dry ingredients.
4. Put batter into well-greased muffin tins. * I use a large 6-muffin tin
5. bake 20 minutes and enjoy
*if you like your muffins to look pretty, be sure to flatten out the batter after putting it in the tins. I've found any non-grain flour will pretty much bake in the same position you put it in the oven. Flattening it out helps them look a little more "normal"
Koren Rice Bowls
Lots of recipes for Paleo/Primal Korean Rice Bowls can be found on various paleo blogs, and in cookbooks. For example, This one from Primal Rampage, Or this one from Paleo Table, (which adapts the basic primal recipe to take out the Tamari Sauce). Since we are more of a primal family than strictly paleo, I went with the primal recipe for the most part.
Marinade :
4 garlic cubes (I cheat and use these fabulous frozen minced garlic cubes each one = 1 clove)
1/4 cup Tamari Sauce (most will say 1/2 cup, however I find it makes it a little too salty)
1/4 cup water
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1/4 sesame seed oil
Mix all together in a small bowl
"Rice"
Cut up 1 head of cauliflower, pulse in a food processor until shredded. And then microwave for 2 minutes and separate into two bowls (or two bowls plus a toddler bowl like I did)
Toppings
The possibilities here are endless, use whatever veggies are in season/on sale in your area.
I used:
1 egg
2 cups frozen spinach
2 cups grated carrot
2 shitake mushrooms sliced
1/2 lb beef (I used a cut that was on sale) sliced into thin 2 inch strips
1. place beef in 1/2 of the marinade and mushrooms into the remaining 1/2
2. Heat 1 tbs of oil (I used olive) in a wok or large skillet
3. Saute each vegetable separately until cooked. Then place on top of "rice" in bowls
4. Fry the egg in the same pan to desired doneness
5. Remove meat from marinade and cook in pan, place on top of cauliflower rice
6. Put mushrooms in the pan, cook until soft and remove, placing in bowls
7. Add marinade to pan, bring to a boil for 3 minutes and then pour over bowls.
Enjoy :)
Because I had already pre-shredded the cauliflower, and prepped the veggies this meal took about 10 minutes to get on the table which makes for a great quick weekday-night meal.
Marinade :
4 garlic cubes (I cheat and use these fabulous frozen minced garlic cubes each one = 1 clove)
1/4 cup Tamari Sauce (most will say 1/2 cup, however I find it makes it a little too salty)
1/4 cup water
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
1/4 sesame seed oil
Mix all together in a small bowl
"Rice"
Cut up 1 head of cauliflower, pulse in a food processor until shredded. And then microwave for 2 minutes and separate into two bowls (or two bowls plus a toddler bowl like I did)
Toppings
The possibilities here are endless, use whatever veggies are in season/on sale in your area.
I used:
1 egg
2 cups frozen spinach
2 cups grated carrot
2 shitake mushrooms sliced
1/2 lb beef (I used a cut that was on sale) sliced into thin 2 inch strips
1. place beef in 1/2 of the marinade and mushrooms into the remaining 1/2
2. Heat 1 tbs of oil (I used olive) in a wok or large skillet
3. Saute each vegetable separately until cooked. Then place on top of "rice" in bowls
4. Fry the egg in the same pan to desired doneness
5. Remove meat from marinade and cook in pan, place on top of cauliflower rice
6. Put mushrooms in the pan, cook until soft and remove, placing in bowls
7. Add marinade to pan, bring to a boil for 3 minutes and then pour over bowls.
Enjoy :)
Because I had already pre-shredded the cauliflower, and prepped the veggies this meal took about 10 minutes to get on the table which makes for a great quick weekday-night meal.
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