Thursday, May 22, 2014

Day 29

Day 29

Meal 1: Scrambled eggs, salsa, avocado, sauteed zucchini and yellow squash (olive oil, Italian Seasoning)


Meal 2: Chicken-Apple Sausage, carrots, cucumbers, mustard


Meal 3: Crockpot Beef Stew

I made this based on my favorite beef stew recipe. I Whole30-fied it. I will post both recipes because I think they are both great and both are healthy.

Whole30 Beef Stew
-32 oz (4 cups) compliant Beef Stock
-1.5-1 lbs. stew meat
-1 can stewed tomatoes
-1/2 white sweet potato (mine were huge, you could do a full potato if yours are smaller), diced
-1/2 regular sweet potato (again, it was huge, use a full one if yours is smaller), diced
-1 yellow onion, chopped
-3 large carrots, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, crushed in garlic press
-4 small celery stalks or 2-3 large stalks, chopped
-1/2 t salt
-1/2 t pepper
-1 t paprika
-1 bay leaf
-2 T balsamic vinegar

Sometimes I brown the meat, sometimes I don't. I didn't today and it was great still. Place everything in your crockpot (except the balsamic vinegar). Low for 10-12 hours or high for 6-8. When the soup is done, remove the bay leaf and stir in the balsamic vinegar. This adds an awesome rich flavor and depth to the stew. This stew is broth-ier than my original version but the broth is excellent and tastes amazing.


Beef and Barley Crockpot Stew (this is NOT Whole30 compliant)
-32 oz (4 cups) Beef Stock
-1.5-1 lbs. stew meat
-1 can stewed tomatoes
-1-2 russet potatoes or 3-4 small red potatoes, (or a mixture of both), diced
-1 yellow onion, chopped
-3 large carrots, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, crushed in garlic press
-4 small celery stalks or 2-3 large stalks, chopped
-1/2-3/4 cup pearled barley
-1/2 t salt
-1/2 t pepper
-1 t paprika
-1 bay leaf
-2 T balsamic vinegar

Place everything in the slow cooker (minus the balsamic vinegar). High 6-8 hours or low 10-12 hours. When soup is done, remove bay leaf and stir in balsamic vinegar. If you have never had beef and barley stew, try this one. It is awesome. I LOVE barley in my stew (and the Handsome hubs prefers it). 

Thoughts on today: I really enjoyed adapting one of my own recipes to make it whole30 compliant. I will most likely be making my Whole30 recipe again, after whole30, but adding back in the pearled barley (by husband's request). I enjoyed the sweet potatoes in the stew. They were a mild flavor and really this stew is full of yummy, comforting flavor and so very healthy for you.

TOMORROW is my last day and I am excited/nervous/anxious but so ready to start reintroduction. 

3 comments:

  1. Hello! *waving madly from Iowa* :) just wanted to say I loved reading about your W30 journey. I bumped into to through a comment you made about crockpotery..yes that's a word..on the nomnompaleo IG account. I've done 2 W30s and I have to say it seems like you nailed your first one! Congratulations!!! I did want to offer a little unsolicited advice. I know I hate when people do it to me but I promise you will be happy with this. The advice is for your teething little one. I know he will have lots more teeth coming in and it is always tough. Try calendula on homeopathic form. You can get it in most health food stores. It works fantastic to relieve the achy gums and the crankiness. It's a flower so it's totally natural. I was a nanny for years and used in with all of my teething kids. They feel better and in turn you are not crazy �� it's super easy to give them because it just dissolves in their mouth and it doesn't taste yucky. Works great for adults to if you have a dental visit because it helps to soothe any trauma to soft tissue (I.e. gums). in the cream form it is the bomb for sunburns. Way better than aloe or anything else. Anywho...just wanted to say hello and congrats on your first whole 30!!! Natasha

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    1. Hello! Thank you so much for reading! I am totally going to look up this teething stuff the next time some teeth start popping through (let's be honest it will probably be in a week. I swear they teeth every other week at this age!). I love homeopathic and more natural forms of medication so I am excited to try it out. Thanks for the advice! And thanks for the W30 love! I feel amazing and so accomplished. I absolutely love the W30 community. You all are so amazing.

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  2. Ummm....just as a side note...I apparently ended up with a blog spot when I posted the previous comment. It's 100% brand spanking new. So if you click on it you aren't going to find a darn thing about me LOL. I am gong to have to work on that ��

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