Day 11-13

Day 11

Meal 1: scrambled eggs, topped with sauteed sausage, onions, and mushrooms. Sides of kiwi and avocado.

I scrambled the eggs by themselves (because the kids didn't want stuff in their eggs besides eggs). Then I topped it with sauteed onion, mushrooms, and sausage. I think I will do this every time I make scrambled eggs because everything gets cooked perfectly.

Meal 2: Turkey "tacos" using the leftovers from the night before. 

These were so good. I really really like this turkey taco meat. The homemade seasoning is what puts it over the top. I truly don't want to go back to buy the pre-packaged stuff. These were topped with guac and tomatoes.

Meal 3: Bun-less burgers and veggies

We went to my sister's house to celebrate my nephew turning 2. There was plenty of options for me to have a compliant meal and it was delicious. And YAY! I made it through a weekend without caving in! Weekends are the HARDEST for me to stay on track.

Day 12

Meal 1: Scrambled eggs bowl {chicken apple sausage, avocados, tomatoes, scrambled eggs}

Quick, easy, delicious. 

Meal 2: Finished off the turkey taco meat leftovers with more "tacos" and extra veggies on the side. Peach-pear La Croix (sparkling water) on the side. 

La Croix has truly saved my sanity and given me my soda "fix". It is nothing like soda except it is carbonated. It helps me get in my water intake throughout the day when lemon water is just not doing it for me anymore. It also helps me ignore the mess that is taking over my house....

Meal 3: Slow Cooker chicken and "gravy" with garlic mashed cauliflower. Side salad with balsamic vinegar.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy recipe found HERE by Nom Nom Paleo
I used 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste because I wanted more flavor from it. It was a good choice.
I found a substitute seasoning for what she used HERE.

Guys, go make this recipe. It is DELICIOUS! Yes I am yelling at you. GO MAKE THIS RECIPE!! Don't be intimidated by cooking a whole chicken. It is super easy, super cheap, and the slow cooker does EVERYTHING for you! Plus it gives you lots of meat to use the rest of the week or freeze for later. The gravy in this recipe...so good! And actually healthy for you!! Also, use the bones to make an awesome bone broth. More bang for your buck. I was not smart and threw my bones away after I finished cleaning up the kitchen...only to realize an hour later I wanted to keep them. Not my smartest moment. So they stayed in the trash and I cried inside a little.

Also, another tip, buy a whole chicken whenever you see them on sale (especially if it is natural, no nasty crap injected into it). They stay great in your freezer and you can pull them out whenever you need to.

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

-1 head of cauliflower

-ghee

-garlic powder

-salt and pepper

I cut up the cauliflower into florets, washed them, placed them in my Pampered Chef veggie steamer (I love this thing, my husband had it in college and it is still going strong) with a little bit of water, and microwaved them until they were steamed through (about 5 minutes). I had to do it in 2 batches.

Then I tossed everything into my Blendtec (you could use any high powered blender or food processor). I added some garlic powder and salt and pepper and pulsed until it was all smooth. I tasted it and added more seasonings as needed. Super easy.

Day 13

Meal 1: Sweet Potato Hash, egg over easy, avocado, fresh pineapple

Meal 2: Sauteed red onion, mushrooms, banana peppers with chicken from the night before with fresh carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado.

Chicken and Veggie Bowl
-Cut up some red onion

-Cut up some mushrooms

-Cut up some banana peppers

-Throw them all into a pan and saute in some compliant oil (I used avocado oil because I love it)

-When they are cooked through, toss in chicken and pour a little bit of banana pepper juice from the jar into the pan. 

-Allow the chicken to soak up the juice and flavors.

-Toss everything into a bowl of your fresh veggies.

-Mix and enjoy

This one probably sounds really weird, but it was so good. I got the idea to toss in some banana pepper juice because I used to work at the Pita Pit and we made a "secret sauce" that was basically banana pepper juice, italian seasoning, oil (probably vegetable), salt and pepper. It was awesome to cook the veggies in. I may make a replication of it and cook some veggies in it some time. 

Meal 3: Cafe Rio Grilled Chicken Salad

The only compliant meat at Cafe Rio is their grilled chicken, NOT their shredded chicken.

So if you want a compliant salad this is how you order:
-No dressing, no beans, no rice, no tortilla, no cheese, no chips, extra pico, extra salsa fresca, extra lettuce, extra lime, extra meat.
-You don't have to order extra lettuce or meat but I like to since you aren't having the rice, beans, or tortilla.
-Use the pico, salsa fresca, and limes as your dressing.

My thoughts on the past 3 days:
Things are becoming second nature to me. I don't really have to think about what I can and cannot eat anymore. I just kind of "get it". I am hoping to exercise more now that I am past the 10 day recommendation of not working out too much (they want your body to get used to its new way to get fuel). I will be honest though, I haven't been working out because my baby boy is teething. So it just isn't going to happen. I am that kids world and if I am unavailable for any time span (especially when he is not feeling well) then he looses his mind. Add that to the fact that he isn't sleeping because of teething and things are rough. No naps means no one is happy! BUT the positive side to all of this?? I have so much energy. I am not exhausted from taking care of a very needy toddler and a very active preschooler. I have energy to help them with what they need even when they are wanting me constantly. So that, in and of itself, is a Whole30 miracle if you ask me. Normally I would be down Dr. Peppers left and right just to keep up with the madness that has been happening lately and instead I am fueling my body in a healthy way and feeling absolutely amazing as well. I also am not hungry in between meals as long as I get enough fat at each meal. My body needs it desperately for fuel and I am completely cool with that. Bring on the healthy cooking oils and avocados! Huzzah!!

Day 9 and 10

Day 9:

Meal 1: Eggs, chicken apple sausage, and power greens scramble topped with avocado.

-Cut up your greens and sausage, saute the sausage first to get it a little brown (in a bit of oil of your choice).
-Then throw in the eggs (season at this time with seasonings of your choice).
-Toss in the (chopped) power greens when everything is almost finished.
-Slice up an avocado.
-Eat :)

Easy, delicious, nutritious.

I made my kids and Handsome Hubs some pancakes for breakfast because they weren't feeling like eggs (and MJ could eat pancakes for every meal and be as happy as a clam). I use Kodiak Cakes (you can buy them at Costco). These are awesome because you can just add water and you are good to go. OR you can add milk if you want the protein and fat from it. OR you can add milk and eggs. OR you can make it into waffle batter and have waffles. It is super versatile and pretty darn good for you. Plus they are so easy. Much better than other pre-made pancake batter. They also taste really really good. They are (clearly) not Whole30 approved but they are a great way to make things a little bit healthier around your home (and still just as delicious). Use Pure Maple Syrup and you have a pretty healthy way to enjoy a classic breakfast.

Meal 2: Leftovers

-Just a salad of a bunch of leftovers from the fridge. But I did drink some of this goodness (La Croix sparkling water, grapefruit flavor). I LOVE La Croix. It is so good. I have grapefruit, peach-pear, and coconut. All of which I think are delicious. I will be honest. At first I didn't like them, but after having no sugar and no soda for so long, I really enjoy these!

 Meal 3: Tuna Cakes with leftover tuna from Day 8
-These were so gross that I won't even post a recipe. Seriously. I am going to try this again probably but with an actually recipe to follow because what I did...didn't work.

Day 10

Guys, today was SO hard but I did it! It was a Saturday. We had a baptism in the morning for our nephew and afterwards a beautiful brunch was served...which really I couldn't eat anything but some apples and bananas. I knew that was probably going to be the case though so I made sure to eat breakfast before we left.

Meal 1: Scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit

We then had a family birthday party for my neice who was turning 1. Once again, I knew there wasn't really going to be anything there I could eat so I ate some leftovers before we left.

Meal 2: leftover burgers, fruit, veggies

Meal 3: Turkey taco salad

After a day around a lot of yummy food (none of which was Whole30 compliant) I was excited to treat myself to some goodness.

-Ground turkey (1.5 lbs or so)

-Homemade taco seasoning (I used this one HERE, minus the coriander because I was out of it, still tasted great)

-Toppings of your choice (I had olives, artichokes, guac, salsa, tomatoes, served over romaine and spinach)

Just cook your turkey with a little bit of oil until it is all cooked through. Then throw in all of the seasoning. and mix. Then I tossed in about 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer out. This helps the seasoning dissolve and more evenly distribute over the turkey. Guys. This was SO good I couldn't stop eating the turkey from the pan while I was getting all the other toppings ready. I honestly couldn't control myself. I will for sure make this again, probably in bullk so I can freeze a bunch for later. Highly recommend this recipe. Quick, easy, and everyone will eat it because you can put your own toppings on. I didn't miss my ranch or sour cream...which is saying something.

Also I had to post this non-scale victory. I didn't take before pictures when I started Whole30 because I honestly am doing this to heal my body from the inside-out. But I put on these shorts yesterday just to see if they fit...and they did! I haven't worn them since I got pregnant with MJ. She is 3.5 and took this picture for me. Not only do I feel great on the inside, it is starting to show on the outside, which is awesome. I really am feeling great. Even with all the tempting foods I encountered yesterday, I wasn't really craving them. I felt great, I fueled my body beforehand and didn't have to worry about being hungry and tempted at the same time. I am eating 3 meals a day every.single.day. I can't remember the last time I did this. It is amazing. I am full of energy and haven't been getting random headaches or random tired spells. I am on the go ALL day because of my babies but I have energy to keep up with them because I am fueling my body with healthy, whole foods.

Day 8

Day 8

Meal 1: Sauteed Power Greens {kale, spinach, swiss chard}and onion, bacon, avocado, and an egg over easy.


Sauteed Power Greens
-about a quarter of an onion, diced
-handful of power greens, would be best if you roughly cut these up. I did not and I wish I would have. Makes it easier to eat and you are trying to deal with huge pieces.
-Salt and Pepper
-Fresh Lemon Juice
-Avocado Oil (or any compliant cooking fat of your choice)

Saute the onion first in the oil. When it starts to get translucent, toss in the power greens. Sprinkle salt and pepper over this.

When the greens have wilted, squirt a little fresh lemon over the top. Top with an egg over easy (I like runny yolks because they make an awesome natural sauce/dressing for things like this)

Bake your Bacon

-Compliant Bacon

-Parchment paper or tinfoil
-Baking sheet

-Please ignore my gross fingernail. I quickly repainted them after this photo session haha!

-This bacon is compliant. It is the low sodium bacon at Costco, no sugar has been added. It is really hard to find compliant bacon. I have a budget and can't just buy the most expensive/best quality meat (I will post about this another day). And I don't have the time to go searching every store/butcher shop for what I need. This technically isn't like THE BEST bacon you can buy (it still has some additives) but at least it doesn't have sugar so it works for Whole30. 

-Place your parchment paper or tinfoil down on a baking sheet.

-Place bacon on top of sheet. 

-Place your bacon in a COLD oven. Turn the oven to 400 and walk away. Check it after 15 minutes. If the bacon is thicker it will take longer. I always check at about 15 minutes but it usually isn't done until 25. I check every 5 minutes on it until it is at the desired done-ness (I prefer mine a bit chewy).

-I like baking bacon because then I don't have to deal with splatter bacon grease all around me, especially since my children flock to me like little chicks whenever I am cooking something extremely hot on the stove. This cuts down on the potential for disaster. Also, the parchment/tinfoil makes clean-up a breeze!

Meal 2: Tuna boats {tuna, guac, artichoke hearts, olives}, cucumbers with red pepper flakes and Pink Himalayan Salt, kiwis and strawberries

I have had a few people say they need quick/easy meals because they either don't enjoy cooking or don't have time. This one fits the bill.

Tuna Boats
-Compliant Tuna (Kirkland brand Albacore is compliant. As always, CHECK your ingredients! There cannot be soy in the water or anything else that is iffy. If you aren't sure, google "Whole 30 (your questionable ingredient here)" and it will take you to the Whole30 Message board where all your questions are answered.
-Pre-made compliant guac (I know Wholly Guacamole is compliant as well as Tableside, which I get at Costco and LOVE because they are in individual servings)

-Olives (again, check your ingredients but most olives are compliant)

-artichoke hearts (again, check ingredients and make sure it is just packed in water or compliant ingredients)

Chop everything up, mix it all together, place on top of romaine leaves and there you go! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. This is also one that is easy to put together ahead of time and take to work or a picnic.

Bubbs was a fan. And made sure that Elmo was well fed.

Meal 3: Burgers topped with homemade ketchup, mustard and avocado. Green beans cooked in ghee, side of strawberries and a compliant pickle.

Burgers
-Organic Ground Beef (If you don't have organic or can't afford it, don't worry. It is best, for sure, BUT you don't need to break your bank over eating healthy. The part of meat that is the WORST for you if it isn't organic is the fat. Normally fat is great, but since the meat wasn't grown in the most ideal environment and wasn't processed ideally as well, you need to make sure you pour off as much fat as you can from your meat when you cook it. The fat is where the nasty, toxic junk is stored. If you have organic, grass-fed beef, you don't really have to worry about this.)
-I used the following spices and mixed them into my ground beef. I just eyed it (I really don't measure much, sorry, but just do it to your liking). You can use any mixture of spices for your burgers. That is the great thing about them! They are so customizable.
-Take your rings off and mix everything together with your hands. You could use a spoon but it won't get mixed as well and the best part of cooking is REALLY getting into your food! ;)

 -Form your ground beef into patties.

-Heat Avocado oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is ready, toss in the patties. I cooked them on each side for about 3-4 minutes but just check your for done-ness because everyone has different thickness when it comes to forming burgers.

I used the recipe found HERE. It was okay. Next time I will use less cinnamon though because it was a little overpowering.

The green beans I just sauteed in some salt, pepper, and ghee.

I have been so tired at night. Which I am excited about because I usually am SO tired during the day and then when night rolls around, my second wind has hit and I stay up to late, resulting in poor sleep habits. But lately I have had full energy throughout the day and by the time I get the kids in bed, I am ready to relax and just go to sleep. I honestly could go to sleep at like 8:30 or 9:00 but I stay up until about 10:30 and then hit the hay. It is nice being able to have enough energy to keep up with my kids all day...well I don't have nearly as much energy as them but it is nice being able to at least compete with it!

Day 7

Day 7

Meal 1: Sweet Potato Hash with veggies, scrambled eggs and salsa

Yes, just leftovers from the previous days. Still bomb.com. Salsa on eggs just doesn't get old to me. Also, I FINALLY found some compliant bacon (no sugar added, HOLLA) and so you KNOW bacon is going to be all up in here soon. 

Meal 2: In N Out Burger (Double meat, no cheese, animal style, hold the sauce, protein style)

I was running errands with the kids and didn't have time to get home for lunch so I made a quick pit-stop at In N Out. As you can see from the picture, they clearly messed up my order and gave me that delicious looking bun. I made them fix it but not before snapping a pic for my Instagram peeps (@darcieats). Guys #whole30problems are real and we are faced with them daily ;)

Meal 3: Salsa Verde Chicken stuffed in Roasted Peppers over Power Greens, topped with guacamole and balsamic vinegar

Salsa Verde Chicken

I just made this up this morning and it turned out pretty good

-Place 4 chicken breasts in the crockpot

-Pour entire jar of compliant Salsa Verde over the top, I used this kind. I am sure there are a lot out there that are compliant. Jut read the ingredients. No sugar or crazy random crap can be added.

-Toss in some green chiles for good measure and extra flavor. You could also add cumin or other spices to kick this up. I was in a hurry so I didn't but next time I will.

 -Cook on low for 8 hours, shred when done, place back into crockpot to soak up all the flavor and goodness.

-Roast peppers that have been cleaned and cut in half in the oven (Broil on high for about 10 minutes).

-Then place chicken in the peppers. I put cumin and Pink Himalayan Salt on top and then broiled for about 4 more minutes.

 

-Then place over some Power Greens (guys I really don't like Kale but I can handle it in this form)

-Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, top your pepper with guacamole or even just avocados work but I like the added taste to the salad that the guacamole gives. Dig in :)

This was super yummy and very filling. It is almost 10:00 pm right now and I am still full and happy from dinner. Must have been the greens :)

 I did snack today. You aren't supposed to snack during Whole30 if you can help it. I am a stickler for rules and hate breaking them but I bought these babies at Costco today and couldn't turn it down. I had earned it after battling that place with Bubbs and MJ in tow. It was so yummy! Not all Larabars are Whole30 approved, so check your ingredients. I do know that Apple Pie and Cherry Pie pass though!

My thoughts on today:
Today was good. I am tired but that is because it is my bedtime. I am gaining a better control of everything. My sugar cravings were pretty bad today but I am hoping they will go away if I try to eat a little bit of fruit with each meal. We will see :). My problem is I don't really like fruit that much. Weird I know, but whatevs. Get over it. 

Day 6

Day 6

Meal 1: White Sweet Potato Hash with sauteed veggies {peppers, onions, spinach}, scrambled eggs topped with compliant salsa

For the Hash:

I had leftovers from the previous day so I didn't have to make more of the hash portion (recipe found HERE)

-I cut up an onion, threw some avocado oil in a pan. I then tossed in the peppers and frozen spinach (I buy a HUGE thing of spinach from Costco and keep half in my fridge to eat fresh and put the other half in my freezer to cook with, just using ziplock bags for both).
-Saute until veggies are softened. (I probably would have added mushrooms to this as well but my sister was over and she is allergic).

-Then I tossed in the hash from the day before. Let it cook up a bit and heat through, mix well.

I then made scrambled eggs  and topped them off with some salsa (not pictured).

This was yummy and I loved having salsa on my eggs. I forgot how much I love salsa on eggs! I will probably make the same thing tomorrow. I need more eggs though. I only have 2 left. Holy cow we eat lots of eggs over here but they are so yummy that I don't mind one bit!

Meal 2: Leftover Creamy Tomato Soup and a salad with leftover chicken, balsamic vinegar on the salad

Meal 3: Garlic-Lemon shrimp and veggie lettuce wraps with roasted carrots and raw broccoli on the side

Garlic-Lemon Shrimp

-Raw shrimp that has been de-veined and shell removed, salt and pepper both sides and set aside

-Cut up about 5 cloves of garlic (you can do more or less but this is based off of a recipe we had while in Hawaii at the Garlic Shrimp Truck and so we like it really garlicky)

-You can mince them up kind of big, you don't need to have tiny minced pieces.

-Melt Coconut Oil in a pan over medium-high heat, about 1-2 Tablespoons. I like to have a little more coconut oil when I make this than I normally would cook with because it allows the shrimp to soak in more flavor and gives a nice subtle coconut taste which is so good!!

-Toss the shrimp and garlic into the pan with the melted coconut oil. Shrimp cooks really fast (about 3-4 minutes per side. And you know your shrimp is done when it turns pink, a built in thermometer!)

-Flip the shrimp over to cook both sides. I leave the tails on for this because I am lazy but you can certainly take them off before you cook them. I take them off right before I serve them on everyone's plates.

-Then, once the shrimp is done, pour EVERYTHING out into a bowl (oil included, it creates a nice sauce for the shrimp) and squirt about a quarter of a lemon on top of it all and stir it up. And you are done. It tastes like gourmet shrimp and took you like 10 minutes to whip up. One of my favorite things to make.

Sauteed Veggies

I added these because I wanted a little bit more filling in with my shrimp. My family had brown rice and so I wanted something to make mine more filling.

-I just sauteed about a quarter of an onion that i had sitting in my fridge along with leftover mushrooms and peppers in Olive Oil with a bit of salt and pepper until everything was soft.

Roasted Carrots

I had some beautiful carrots leftover from my Bountiful Basket (food co-op) and wanted to roast them up.

So I used Ina Garten's recipe, only substituting dry parsley because that is what I had. 

This was yummy. It totally hit the spot. It was full of flavor and even Handsome Husband loved it. The kids barely touched anything and MJ much prefers "cold" carrots to "hot" carrots and asked to have some raw ones from the fridge instead. At least they ate their brown rice and tried everything on their plates before they left the table. That is all I ask :)

Also, today was nice. I feel like I am totally getting in the groove when it comes to making meals. I just throw what I have together and make what is available. I used to be SUCH a meal planner and would plan my month of meals out in advance and then go shopping for those specific meals every 2 weeks or so. It was nice but I really love just seeing what I have and making something come together. It has been fun and has allowed me to be so creative in the kitchen. Sorry if my recipes are so scattered to you. That is just how I cook. I find something and throw it in. I don't measure much. I just taste and change things up if I don't like how it tastes. I didn't have to do as many dished today because I had lots of things prepared already (which was very nice). I felt really good today. A bit tired, still waiting for my energy to kick in, but I feel so much better than I did 6 days ago. Everything just tastes better to me. I feel more alert and more on top of things. I didn't have any sugar cravings today. It was so nice!

Setting the Record Straight

I really don't want people to think I am judging them. I am not a judgy person (I know that isn't a word but just roll with it). So please let me set the record straight. I don't care if people love/hate vegetables, love/hate fruit, love/hate meat, love/hate grains, love/hate dairy, love/hate sugar, love/hate legumes, love/hate diets, love/hate people (I sometimes don't like people so I get it). But listen, just because you don't feed your family "whole30 approved foods" doesn't mean I think you are any less of a mom/dad/caregiver than someone who does. You made a delicious meal for your family of rice, chicken, rolls, and pasta salad. AWESOME!! I am so glad you put in that effort! I think it is great! You made a casserole that everyone loved, SWEET, I LOVE casseroles and would never turn down a plate of "Funeral Potatoes"...unless I am on Whole30 because there is no way I am starting over... You went to Cafe Rio tonight and picked up food for your family? Been there, done that, honestly wish I could do it right now. Good work. And I bet it tasted like a little bit of heaven...Oh, you stopped at McDonald's and got your kids a Happy Meal? Sweet. My kids LOVE their Happy Meals. Like, they have an undying love for them. Your kid doesn't eat vegetables? I get it. I have been there. We are finally turning the corner there and it is a work in progress every day. You hate cooking? Well I hate cleaning, so let's just trade, yeah??

I am doing Whole30 for me. Remember? Not because I think I am better than anyone else or because I am trying to be all cool and "up with the times". Nope. Just for me. I want it to heal my gut and get my body back to where it needs to be. To read more about WHY I am doing Whole30, check it out HERE. For reals guys, this is just for me to figure out what works for ME and MY family. So when you read something and you are like, "Wow, Darci is nutso. She is way over the edge and I would NEVER do this."  Guess what...YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!! Whole30 is not for everyone or every lifestyle. It is a personal decision that YOU get to make (and if you do make it, PLEASE read the BOOK first!!). I just love having support along my journey and that is why I made this blog. I love to hear other's thoughts and having encouragement along the way.

This is a 30 day challenge. I am not going to be this strict forever. Don't worry about me. I am getting all the nutrients I need. Promise. And I am NOT judging you as you eat your baked potato slathered in butter and sour cream...promise...I am probably just drooling instead...

Also, this blog has had over 800 views since it began a WEEK ago. What the what?? Thanks for the love!! Leave a comment and let me know who you are. One of the best things about Whole30? The amazing community!!

Day 5

Day 5

Meal 1: White Sweet Potato Hash, with an egg over easy (gooey yolks are the best yolks), Aidell's Chicken and Apple Sausage with a dollop of spicy brown mustard and a side of avocado.

White Sweet Potato Hash
-Peel and grate 2 sweet potatoes (I used my food processor and I would recommend it, you can do it by hand it will just take a lot longer, ain't nobody got time for that)

-Then add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to the mix and mix it up by hand. You can add whatever seasonings you want, this is just what I was feeling this morning.

-Fight your dog off from the garbage can because she is obsessed with raw sweet potato (I checked, its okay for her to have, no worries, here she is downing all the peelings).

-Make sure you are using a pan that has a lid, melt your fat of choice ~2 T. (I did 1 T. of coconut oil and 1 T. of ghee, just because I felt like being cool) over medium heat.

-Throw in your potatoes.

-Mix everything around and saute it all up a bit.

-Place your lid on and let it go for a bit while you cook your over easy egg. I checked on it every once in awhile. Stirred it a couple times. Then I figured it was ready when it tasted like the potatoes were done.

For my Chicken and Apple Sausage, I just cut them up and cook them over medium head. Flip when they need it. They are good. You can't ruin these. Also, my sister asked today if these have a traditional "sausage texture" to them. No. They don't have gross bits of fat to chew on or hard pieces of who knows what. So don't worry, just eat them. :)

And there ya go, breakfast:

Meal 2: Finished off the leftovers of my Creamy Leek Soup (recipe in previous posts) with a side salad. Nothing fancy.

Meal 3: Creamy {Dairy Free} Tomato Soup from Paleo Comfort Foods and Italian Chicken

The only thing different for the soup was that I let it simmer longer (forgot about it while I was helping my sister). I think it helped the flavor a bit. Also, you cannot taste the coconut milk in this soup or in the Leek soup. Really. You can't. This is a winner and I am so glad I have leftovers for tomorrow. It has been cold here in Utah and this really hits the spot.

 Italian Chicken
This is the easiest chicken ever. I made it all the time when I was a poor college student because it is cheap and delicious and healthy. It is also kind of no-fail.
-Use thawed chicken tenderloins if you have them, or do what I did and just cut thawed chicken breasts into tenderloin sizes. This helps the chicken cook faster.
-Warm up some oil in the pan (I like olive oil for this) over medium-high heat.
-Season the chicken on both sides with a little bit of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
-Toss the chicken into the pan, and let it brown on one side (I let it sit for about 3-4 minutes, then check to see if it is the color I like).
-Then flip the chicken and let it brown on the other side.
-Once you have browned the chicken on both sides, turn the heat down to low and put a lid on the pan. The chicken then does it's thing and will be ready in about 10 minutes or so. I check it every 5 minutes by cutting open the thickest one a bit to see if it is still pink.
-Once the chicken is done, take it out of the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before you cut it up so the juices can settle and you don't get chicken juice everywhere and your chicken isn't dry.

Today (according to the Whole30 Timeline) should have been a really hard day for me. I should want to "kill all the things" but to be honest, I was SO busy today cooking, cleaning, taking care of MJ and Bubbs, getting mad at Minnie for tracking mud ALL over my house, going to the grocery store, going to the dinosaur museum, and doing every day things that I had no time to be mad at all the things. I am exhausted though. I would do anything for a nice long nap but considering it is actually 9:00 pm I will settle for an early bedtime. I didn't have any sugar cravings today but I did have a rather bizarre dream last night. I had a dream that I went to WINCO and bought peach rings in bulk (the sugar covered candies). I then proceeded to eat the ENTIRE bag and felt SO extremely sick afterwards. I have super crazy dreams ALL the time so this was no surprise to me but it made me laugh. It is common to have bizarre food-related dreams during Whole30 so I am glad I can actually say I had one. So I guess the key to making Whole30 easy is to be so busy you don't even think about it??