Pinterest Thursday

My Pinterest has whiplash right now...these are my pins in exact pinning order yesterday:

Bacon and Eggs in an Avocado 

Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Fajita Seasoning

S'mores "Crack" Dip

put a few tbsps of olive oil in a ziploc with some salt and pepper
and broccoli and shake, then spread on a cookie sheet and spread
minced garlic over it and roast at 425 deg F for 20-25 minutes!"

Oatmeal Caramel Cookie Bars

Clearly my mind (and cravings) are flip-flopping between staying disciplined on the W30 (Whole30 board) and enjoying delicious baked goods (Sweet Tooth board)...May 1 might just kill me!

Click here to follow me on Pinterest and here to see my Whole30 blog.

Pinterest Thursday

No surprise that my Pinterest is bursting at the seams with Whole30 pins...check out a few that really caught my eye...

Kale Cubes for Green Smoothies

Mini Meatloaves Loaded w/Veggies

Italian Baked Eggs

Slow Cooker Greek Chicken...
use coconut milk instead of yogurt and ditch the pita.

Pancetta Wrapped Balsamic Green Beans

Click here to follow me on Pinterest and here to see what I've been eating on my W30 adventure.

Pinterest Thursday

Here are a few of the meals I've made so far on this Whole30 adventure...

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata.

To be completely honest, I didn't have zucchini and I had something with sweet potato for breakfast (see sweet potato hash below) so I made my own frittata...red peppers, onion, mushrooms, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic, bacon (yum) and 4 eggs.  I cut it into quarters, had one and a half quarters for dinner topped with guac.  Delicious and filling.  Had some leftovers for breakfast a few days later too.

Fruit and Nut Bars (Homemade Lara Bars)

I'm a big snacker so when the Whole30 plan said No Snacking I freaked out a little.  I found these bars on Pinterest and decided they would be a good option to stick in my pocket and munch on after the gym while I run errands and such.  I made the apricot variety just as directed but I'm excited to try the other recipes too.  I wish I could find a way to get my food processor to chop dried mango because I would LOVE a mango bar...but they seem a little too hard for the silly machine.  Maybe I'll keep trying.

Sweet Potato Hash

I DON'T like sweet potatoes.  Like, at all.  Not even with marshmallows on top.  Yuck.  So, when I realized sweet pots are about the only "starchy" thing permitted on the Whole30 plan I freaked a little...you get the theme here...I freak a little a lot.  I decided to jump in and give it a try anyway.  Found this recipe and thought it looked easy enough.  I used Artichoke Garlic Chicken Sausage from Trader Joes and the only changes I made to the recipe were: using coconut oil in place of canola and adding a sprinkle of cinnamon as the sweet pots were cooking...seriously smelled so good it brought my roomie out of her room to see what I was making.  I divided the hash into two containers (2 portions in each) and the next morning pulled one out, threw half of the hash into a pan to heat while I cooked two eggs in another pan and sat down to give this thing a try.  First few bites I wasn't sure of.  Then I mixed it a little more and man, was it good!  Two mornings in a row I enjoyed this.  Still have the rest waiting for me!

My pics (which aren't as great as the ones above from the original sites, but thought I'd include them anyway)

Top L: Frittata, Middle: Fruit/nut Bars, Bottom L: Baked Apple
Top R: BLTEG Salad, Bottom R: Hash with Eggs

I also whipped up a few Linsey originals...Ok, the baked apples are a Hannah favorite...

Baked apples:  I love a good baked Jonagold apple...I heat the oven to 350, cover a pan in foil, core an apple and then all heck breaks loose.  This time I brushed a little clarified butter over the tops, sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger then popped into the oven.  They took about 30-45 minutes, you want to cook them long enough until they "pop" you'll know it when it happens...the skin starts to pull away slightly and the flesh is tender.  I then added chopped pecans and a little more cinnamon and a drizzle more clarified butter...it's good fat, right?! Let it cook until fragrant then pulled them out and enjoyed.  Yum!

The BLTEG Salad: A bed of spring mix (or any greens I have on hand) topped with some crumbled bacon (I used two pieces I had left over from the frittata I made) sliced cherry toms, two eggs (I like mine over medium...whites done, yolks still runny) and a dollop of guac.  Stir it all up and enjoy...what the what?!?!  Yum!

And a few other pics from the week...my mound of dishes post cooking and the "oops, I guess that burner was still on" incident I'd rather not discuss...

Check back tomorrow for some thoughts on my first week of (mostly) eating Whole30.  And click here to follow me on Pinterest.  I even have a Whole30 board!

Pinterest Thursday

Sorry about not posting yesterday, not sure what happened there...

Getting pedicures when Mama Cindy was in Chicago

Anyway, my mom, the beautiful Mama Cindy, started a new eating program almost 2 weeks ago called Whole30.  She told me it was like Paleo but even more strict.  More strict?  How can it be??

I've been anti-Paleo for years now.  Not that I think there is anything wrong with the plan, just not for me.  I've had friends thrive on the Paleo diet but I've chosen to believe I can be healthy while maintaining some sort of "normal" eating.

The past few weeks I've posted about my struggle with food and how it's affecting my spiritual health.  How I was going to eliminate binging from my life and find a healthy way to deal with food.  I was going to rely on God during my times of temptation, limit unhealthy foods that are my triggers (candy, sweets) and focus on healthier options.

I gave myself an inch...wiggle room...permission to eat things I know aren't good for me as long as I ate them in moderation.

Problem...I took a mile.  I, at this point in my life, can't operate in "moderation."  I'm addicted to food.  To eating.  If it was alcohol, nobody would ever say, "yeah, try not to have a drink, but if you have a few sips, its ok...just do it in moderation."  Much like an addict of any other variety, I have a hard time operating in the grey.  I'm  black and white, baby.  All or nothing.  I gave myself permission to have 4 malted eggs (my favorite Easter candy) and for the first few days I did fine.  Then...all hell broke loose! The bag is almost gone, I think I ate at least 20 eggs today...ugh!!!

After thinking about it, spending time in prayer and looking at a calendar I decided to start Whole30 on April 1st.

If I want to see drastic change in my relationship with food (and my body) I need to be willing to make a drastic change.

Giving myself "moderation" and "grey" isn't working.

I need to make it clear that my goal going into this isn't going Paleo longterm.  It's simply to take things back to basics...remember why God gave us food, reset my cravings, focus on health-emotionally, physically and most important, spiritually.

It's going to take planning and lots of preparation to fill my shelves, and subsequently my belly, with "permissible" foods.

Check out some of these pins for more info on Whole30:

To follow me on Pinterest, click here.

Pinterest Thursday

Last week I finally made the salmon recipe I've been wanting to try.  The girls LOVED it as well as the creamy pesto sauce I made for some store-bought cheese tortellini we had as a side dish.  I also served up some roasted green beans along side.

How beautiful is that salmon?  It calls for a homemade mayo sauce but since Pho has an egg allergy, I substituted greek yogurt and it worked wonderfully.  Mine didn't get this golden brown, but it was delicious anyhow!  It was really the first time I've cooked a fresh piece of salmon and I was surprised how easy it was.  The girls have already asked for this again soon!

I paired it with store-bought 4 cheese tortellini.  I found this Pioneer Woman recipe for creamy pesto and thought that would work nicely with the flavors I already had going on.  

Tossed together these green beans and we had quite a feast!

Maybe some day I'll get my act together enough to take pics of the food I make instead of always using the photos from the recipes I use...until then...follow me on Pinterest as I continue to steal other people's great ideas!

Pinterest Thursday

The things I found on Pinterest this week stay consistent with my conviction to be healthier and more honoring to God with my relationship with food:

I'm known for saying I'm going to workout later and
then it never happens...I'm embracing this and 
just getting it done ASAP.

Click for some great bfast options... 
whether you're paleo or not, these look delicious!

I think I've done this with my post from yesterday...

Click for some great kettle bell moves!

And this site called My Body Gallery.  You can enter in your height/weight and clothes size to see pics of real women who are your same size.  I always say I want to see what I really look like, because I know that how I see myself in the mirror isn't what I really truly look like.  We all (women in particular) suffer from what I call Michael Jackson Syndrome...you know, we look in the mirror and certain things always look out of proportion to us...like how Michael saw his nose.  Anyway, I found this site helpful but also brutal...

Click here to follow me on Pinterest.

Pinterest Thursday

Valentine's Day was Pinspired this year...

Pink heart pancakes, struck with a strawberry arrow, heart shaped
sausage, fruit skewers and festive paper goods!

A powdered sugar heart design would have been a nice touch-
maybe next year!

Red confetti cupcakes with pink and white swirl frosting topped with
all sorts of festive sprinkles...decorated by my Sunday night kids!

Lucy's Valentines...conversation hearts
appropriate for 7th grade girls!

Phoebe working diligently on her Valentines

I'm glad you're in my school...with swedish fish!  

I apparently forgot to take a picture of Amelia's Valentines...homemade brownies topped with valentine sprinkles cut into hearts!  

To follow me on Pinterst click here.

Pinterest Thursday

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Spread some love, send a valentine to a sick child at the Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.  Their goal is 8,000 valentines so each kid gets one and they can plaster the walls with love.

Seriously, it only takes a minute and it'll brighten a sick little kiddo's day.

Click the card below to send yours!

This is the card I selected, but there are other options!

To follow me on Pinterest, click here.

Pinterest Thursday

Just a few things I found this week...

We got about 6" of snow this week in Chicago...I'm ready for it to melt...

Halfway through half-marathon training and a minute still seems like forever!

Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Chicken...YUM!

Think I'm gonna make something like this to keep track of
prayer needs for family/friends

Sorry for the language...but it's exactly how I feel!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili...seriously going to make this!

Click here to follow me on Pinterest.  And if you'd like to guest post on a Pinterest Thursday let me know!!

Pinterest Thursday

Oh, Lionel!

Ain't that the truth Marianne!

I can see myself doing this...

Eventually you have to let go of your plan and figure out
what it is God has planned for you

Yes, cat, that is correct!

Love this...click here for link to tutorial...

Click here to follow me on Pinterest.  And...don't forget, the Challenge starts tomorrow, click here for info!

Pinterest Thursday

Just a few things that stuck out to me this week:

It does make everything better!

And because I saw this and thought, "how creepy...I thought these guys were cute when they were younger?!  YIKES!!"

NKOTB