My New Easy Go-To

So I know I said I would be posting more back in September... 

Yeah. 

That didn't happen. 

BUT - GRADUATION DID! 

I now have my bachelors in nursing science!  GO ME!  And then the holidays came and went.  They were super fun filled with super foods and super drinks.  In a way though I am glad they are over.  The partying can get to be a little much and my body was definitely screaming for me to get my act together.  That's where this post comes from.  Getting my act together. 

I wanted to share with you my new favorite go-to meal.  Curry Turkey Bites with Apricot-Ginger Sauce from Nom Nom Paleo is like a spicy-sweet dream!  Not only is it super easy, your family and/or friends will think you slaved for hours while also begging for you to make them again tomorrow.  I also like to double or triple the batch as they make excellent leftovers all week. 

When I do make these I usually only make the turkey bites and the sauce because the bites are loaded with veggies.  Also - confession (kind of), though Matt and I have drastically changed the way we eat (I have lost 40.4 pounds total since mid-August - that's just over 18 more pounds since I saw you last which included ALL the badforyou holidays including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Festivus, Christmas Eve-Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas, the day after Christmas, Uncle Ron's Birthday, NYE, and Grandma's New Year's Day Party.  What?  You and yours don't celebrate all the time at the end of the year?  I told you the partying had to come to an end....)

WHOA!  I got way off topic.  What I was confessing was that the way I make these and the way Michele, the original author, makes these is slightly different because I use an apricot preserve with added sugar.  It's all I could find in my neck of the woods.  But it's local so I figured its good enough.

Now, lets get to the FOOD!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Then combine 1 pound of ground turkey, 2 cups of shredded sweet potatoes, 1 cup of finely chopped swiss chard (or any kind of chard really - I have tried them all), and one large whisked egg.

I also add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger, 1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced, 2 thinly sliced green onions, 1 tablespoon of good quality curry powder (I like Penzeys), 2 teaspoons of salt, and finally the juice and zest of 1 lime.

A smidge off topic again, there are certain items I have discovered that I love to cook with, kind of like the hot curry powder.  I have recently discovered this ginger "paste" at my grocery's produce section.  This stuff totally works, tastes great and is soo easy!  Go buy it for extra-awesome convenience!

I mix everything with my hands until I have one HUGE turkey bite.

I then make the turkey into 1-2 tablespoon balls, placing them about 2 inched apart on the parchment paper.  Taking my hand I smash the balls into about 1/2 inch thick patties.  (Your hands really are a wonderful tool for this particular recipe!)

Per the directions I only cook one tray at a time.  I just do it that way because that's the way Michele says to do it.  I'm obedient like that sometimes. 

I cook each tray for 15 minutes, rotating the tray half way through.

While the turkey bites bake, it's time to start the sauce.  In a saucepan I combine 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos, 1/2 cup of apricot preserves, and 1/2 teaspoon of minced ginger.  I stir the sauce over medium heat until simmering, remove the pan from the heat source and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Coconut aminos is made from a coconut tree's sap.  It is very similar to soy sauce and very common in paleo cooking.  I can only find it on amazon because every time I have made the trip to Whole Foods on the other side of town they have been out. 

This is the good part of the recipe:  EAT!  Plate up your turkey bites and serve with a side of the sauce.  These bites have a spicy kick and honestly it's a bit too much for my kids.  But they are soooo delicious and Matt and I eat them up every time!  I hope they become your next go-to too!  You won't be disappointed!

I promise I will begin to post more recipes.  I have been taking tons of pictures and just need to take the time to load.

Till next time!

(After re-reading my post I realized it feels like I am getting paid for some of these products.  I'm not.  At all.  (Though that might be cool.)  I just really liked this stuff, know it can be difficult to find, and wanted to share!  HAPPY COOKING!)

Whole30 Week Four Recap PLUS Results

I have now been in post-Whole30 world for a week.  I have to say, the experience was pretty awesome.  To know that I am capable of being so disciplined for 30 days is an amazing feeling!  Not only did I eat wholesome, good for me foods, I also abstained from alcohol AND eating out (minus one birthday dinner out and four Chipotle take-out meals - all of which were Whole30 compliant). 

So 30 days multiplied by 3 meals a day minus 5 restaurant meals equals 85 meals that myself or my husband prepared!  (And cleaned up....)  From a family that goes out to eat and gets take out on a very, Very, VERY regular basis, this is amazing!!

So lets start this post with the fun stuff.  MY RESULTS!  Non-scale victories include better sleep (I'm not waking up four or more times a night anymore), more sustained energy throughout the day (no more 2:00 PM tiredness),  clearer skin (buh-bye pimples!), and my clothes are fitting!!!  They were all getting really tight and uncomfortable and I can happily say that is no longer the case!  Okay...  so now for the best part....  I lost exactly 22 pounds!!  TWENTY-TWO POUNDS!  And I was never hungry or deprived!  This was an awesome perk!

I use the Progress application to track my weight and measurements.

Now this brings on a lot of contemplation and responsibility.  I have done so well in the first thirty days.  I am afraid of my post Whole30 life.  I realize this may be an unhealthy feeling but I am really afraid of eating or drinking certain foods and it all just comes rolling back (the bad habits, the weight, the crappy sleep and no energy).  So even though I spent my first post-Whole30 weekend out of town in South Bend, Indiana, I was really afraid of eating or drinking certain things.  Now I did eat a little pizza, and I did eat a couple of noncompliant snacks (but we're talking nuts roasted in peanut oil and those snap pea crisps), and I did partake in some adult beverages...  All in all I thought I did pretty well.  Well I ended up gaining 9 pounds back!!  Ugh....  I realize a lot of this is water weight from the weekend splurge.  But it just makes me a little afraid of my past creeping back up on me....  So that is my cautiously-optimistic shpeel about my post-Whole30 life....

Hubby and I walking out of the Notre Dame tunnel.

That being said, lets get back on the happy wagon and take a look at what I ate during my final days of my freshman Whole30 journey.

Day Twenty-Two:

Breakfast: Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Broccoli Slaw with Tesamae's Lemon-Garlic Dressing, and Two Eggs (similar to days ten, eleven, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen).

Lunch: Leftover Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole (same as days nineteen and twenty).

Dinner: Moroccan Cod and Roasted Broccoli

Day Twenty-Three:

Breakfast: Caramelized Onion and Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche

Lunch: Loaded Taco Soup (same as days seventeen, nineteen, and twenty)

Dinner: Trader Joe's Italian Chicken Sausage, Seasoned Crushed Tomatoes, and Italian Roasted Vegetables

Day Twenty-Four:

Breakfast: Caramelized Onions and Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche (same as day twenty-three).

Lunch: Leftover Trader Joe's Italian Chicken Sausage, Seasoned Crushed Tomatoes, and Italian Roasted Vegetables (same as day twenty-three).

Dinner: Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

Day Twenty-Five:

Breakfast: Caramelized Onions and Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche (same as days twenty-three and twenty-four).

Lunch: Leftover Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce (same as day twenty-four).

Dinner: Baked Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Day Twenty-Six:

Brunch: Southwestern Breakfast Bowl

Dinner: Justine's Chipotle Bowl Knock-Off with Steak, Chicken, Fajita Vegetables, Red and Green Salsa, and Guacamole on top of Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice.

(I woke up late this morning, and breakfast was very large, so I just had a light snack between meals).

Day Twenty-Seven:

Breakfast: Homemade Breakfast Sausage and Hardboiled Eggs (similar as days ten, eleven, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, and twenty-two - hey - I made A LOT of sausage!)

Lunch: Loaded Taco Soup (same as days seventeen, nineteen, twenty, and twenty-three - I made A LOT of soup too!  HAHA!)

Dinner: Jalapeno Turkey Burgers and Spiralized Savory Sweet Potato Fries

Day Twenty-Eight:

Breakfast: Savory Breakfast Casserole (subbed bacon for chorizo).

Lunch: Leftover Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce (same as days twenty-four and twenty-five).

Dinner: Chipotle Carry-Out:  Carnita's Salad (double meat), with Tomato and Green Salsas, and Guacamole.

Day Twenty-Nine:

Breakfast: Savory Breakfast Casserole (same as day twenty-eight).

Lunch: Leftover Justine's Chipotle Bowl Knock-Off (same as day twenty-six).

Dinner: Paleo Eggroll in a Bowl

Day Thirty:

Breakfast: Savory Breakfast Casserole (same as day twenty-eight and twenty-nine).

Lunch: Leftover Paleo Eggroll in a Bowl (same as day twenty-nine).

Dinner: The Whole30's Salmon Cakes (recipe from book) and Broccoli with Kalamata Olives, Garlic, and Lemon

So that's it!  That's the end of my first Whole30 round!  It was another week of delicious food.  The recipes I would say you HAVE to try include the Moroccan Cod and Roasted Broccoli, the Caramelized Onion and Butternut Squash Crustless Quiche, the Slow Cooker Basil Chicken on Coconut Curry Sauce (make sure you sprinkle some cayenne on top), the  Jalapeno Turkey Burgers, and the Paleo Eggroll in a Bowl.  So basically the entire menu for the week.  But seriously - SO GOOD!

So as the days and week progress, I will continue to post.  I am going to go back to my previous format, posting single recipes per post.  I have six more weeks of school left, so it may be a little slow-go till that is FINALLY over.  In the mean time, you can always visit my Instagram page.  My username is luckeynurse11 and I post meal pics almost daily. 

Whole30 Week Three Recap

Another week down and I can feel my clothes loosening up.  It's pretty amazing!  Matt had to go down a notch on his belt buckle.  This has been a great experience and I look forward to living the lifestyle even after my 30 days are up.

Which brings me to week three.  During week three I continue to become better at menu planning and I have also learned how to reign in the budget a bit, which is always a good thing.  This week was pretty easy for me because I worked the weekend.  So it was easy to not be distracted by eating out or drinking alcohol. 

Day Fifteen:

Breakfast: Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Two Hard Boiled Eggs.  (Same as days ten, eleven, and fourteen.)

Lunch: Dump Ranch Chicken Salad on Zucchini Rounds. (Same as day twelve and fourteen.)  I just threw together some chicken, homemade mayo, ranch seasoning, and a red bell pepper, a yellow bell pepper, and three celery stalks for this one. 

Dinner: Chipotle Carry-Out:  Carnita's Salad (double meat), with Tomato and Green Salsas, and Guacamole.

Day Sixteen:

Breakfast: Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Two Hard Boiled Eggs.  (Same as days ten, eleven, fourteen, and fifteen.)  I made a double batch if the sausage and froze half of it.  This breakfast is tasty and easy and I don't mind eating it most mornings.

Lunch: Leftover Blacked Mahi-Mahi and Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots and Matt's Mashed Potatoes with Ghee and Almond Milk.  (All leftovers from day fourteen.)
Dinner: Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken.

Day Seventeen:

Breakfast: Paleo Breakfast Burritos.  (Same as days five and six.)  Subbed compliant roast beef for the ham because I could not find any.

Lunch: Loaded Taco Soup

Dinner: Oriental Pineapple Coleslaw Salad with Grilled Chicken.  This link has since been removed?!?  What the heck?  So this is what I do remember: Dressing - 1/2 cup of mayo, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil.  Salad - 1 bag of coleslaw mix, 2 carrots shredded, green onions, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, cooked chicken breasts that were seasoned with garlic salt and pepper.  Mix everything and enjoy!

Day Eighteen:

Breakfast: Southwest Breakfast Casserole.

Lunch: Leftover Oriental Pineapple Coleslaw Salad with Grilled Chicken (same as day seventeen).
Dinner: Slow Cooker Beef Stew. (Matt made this dinner since I was at work.  He used extra carrots instead of green beans and arrow root powder for thickener instead of potato starch).

Day Nineteen:

Breakfast: Southwest Breakfast Casserole (same as day eighteen).

Lunch: Loaded Taco Soup (same as day seventeen).

Dinner: Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole.  (Dinner was made by Matt again since I was at work and it was AMAZING!  A keeper for sure!)

Day Twenty:

Breakfast: Southwest Breakfast Casserole (same as days eighteen and nineteen, but on this day I put a dollop of guacamole on top and ate some leftover pineapple with it).

Lunch: Loaded Taco Soup (same as day seventeen and nineteen).

Dinner: Leftover Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole (same as day nineteen).

Another great week of food was had!  Unlike last week's misses, I can happily say everything this week was really good and totally satisfying!  If I had to pick three recipes you couldn't miss I would say the Loaded Taco Soup, Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken, and the Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole you have to try!

Onward to my last week.  I am nervous and scared and excited.  It'll be a whole new world after the 30 days are up! 

Catch you guys soon!

Whole30 Week Two Recap

Another week of my Whole30 journey behind me and I am feeling really good today.  There were definitely a couple days last week where things got edgy.  Old cravings and a little boredom got in the way, but we powered through and I am so glad we did.  I am currently on the second day of week three and I feel like it's definitely getting easier.  I am also doing a better job at meal planning.  I can't believe Matt and I have only ate take out twice since we started!  And we have only went out to eat once, and that was in the very beginning for a birthday!  We eat out way too much so this has been a major change and I am really proud of us!

So on to the post!  What did we eat during the second week of the Whole30?  I continue to batch cook and eat similar or the same things for days in a row.  It's just easier that way.  We are definitely spending more at the grocery, but it's also balanced out as we aren't going out to eat or buying a lot of expensive craft beer every weekend. 

Just like previous posts if you want the recipe, click on the hyperlink!

Day Eight:

Breakfast:  Hard Boiled Eggs and Avocado with Roasted Asparagus (same as day seven).

Lunch:  Coconut Red Curry Shrimp Soup (same as day seven).

Dinner: Leftover Cilantro-Lime Chicken Bowls (from day five). 

Day Nine:

Breakfast: Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Two Fried Eggs

Lunch: Coconut Red Curry Shrimp Soup (same as day seven and eight).

Dinner: Shrimp and Sausage Paleo Skillet

Day Ten:

Breakfast: Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Two Hard Boiled Eggs

Lunch: Leftover Shrimp and Sausage Paleo Skillet (from day nine).

Dinner: Slow Cooker Italian Beef and Garlic Roasted Radishes

(Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef was made with this Italian Seasoning Mix minus the sugar).

Day Eleven:

Breakfast:  Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Two Hard Boiled Eggs (same as day ten).

Lunch: Left over Slow Cooker Italian Beef with Garlic Roasted Radishes (from day ten).

Dinner:  Sweet Potato Chips with Basil Mayo Dip and Salt and Vinegar Wings

Day Twelve:

Breakfast:  Smothered Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Lunch:  Dump Ranch Chicken Salad on Zucchini Rounds (I just threw together some chicken, homemade mayo, ranch seasoning, and a red bell pepper, a yellow bell pepper, and three celery stalks for this one). 

Dinner:  Grilled Coconut Curry Chicken with Grilled Peppers, Onions, and Pineapple. (From the Whole30 Book.)

Day Thirteen:

Breakfast:  Smothered Breakfast Sweet Potatoes (same as day twelve).

Lunch: Chipotle Carry-Out:  Carnita's Salad (double meat), with Tomato and Green Salsas, and Guacamole.
Dinner:  Blacked Mahi-Mahi and Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots.

Day Fourteen:

Breakfast:  Homemade Breakfast Sausage, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Two Hard Boiled Eggs (same as day ten and eleven).

Lunch:  Dump Ranch Chicken Salad on Zucchini Rounds (same as day twelve).

Dinner:  Aidell's Chicken Apple Sausage with Sauerkraut, Broccoli Slaw with Tessmae's Ginger Lemon Dressing, Matt's Mashed Potates made with Ghee and Almond Milk.

Another great week of food was had at our house.  The Italian Beef was good, but it was also screaming for some toasted bread and provolone cheese.  I wouldn't do the roasted radishes again.  They took on a weird watery texture that I didn't expect, and I normally love (raw) radishes. 

The dishes that really stood out this week include the Shrimp and Sausage Paleo Skillet (so easy and fast too), the Sweet Potato Chips with Basil Mayo Dip and Salt and Vinegar Wings (I basically want basil mayo on everything now), and the Grilled Coconut Curry Chicken.  MAKE THOSE!