Buffalo chicken cauliflower fried rice

I've been coveting this recipe since my last Whole30, if not the one before that.  There's just something so appealing about buffalo chicken and fried rice and the fact that it's Whole30 compliant.  Honestly, I'm not sure why I never made it before, but I can honestly say that I'll definitely be making it again soon!

My hubby and I both worked a little late tonight and I was able to throw this together in a matter of minutes with the help of a store bought (Whole30 compliant!) rotisserie chicken and frozen cauliflower rice.  Since I used the frozen rice, I had to doctor up the cooking directions a little, but it's totally worth it!  And of course I had to use my signature scallion in the cauliflower rice.  This dinner was so good that after we had finished our dinner, we were both eating directly out of the serving bowl -- until I hijacked the bowl and ran into the kitchen, so that I could save the remaining 1 cup of fried cauliflower rice for lunch tomorrow!

Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
From Rachl Mansfield

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil (I needed just over 1 T, to coat the bottom of a large frying pan)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 head cauliflower, "riced" (I used 1 bag frozen cauliflower rice)
8-10 oz chicken (I shredded 1/2 a small organic rotisserie chicken - breast and thigh meat)
2 eggs
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Buffalo sauce (I used Tessemae's, but there are others ones, too)
Handful chopped cilantro
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
(Doctored a little by me)

Preheat a skillet on medium high and add the oil.
Add onion and cook until fragrant (about 5-7 minutes).

While the onions cook, mix together the buffalo sauce and chicken in a medium bowl.
Let it sit for a bit.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and mix.
Pour the eggs into the skillet and scramble around to cook for a few minutes.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the frozen cauliflower rice to the pan.
Cook cauliflower rice according to package directions.
Add in scallions and let cook for another minute or two.
Season with salt and pepper.

Add the eggs, onions, and buffalo chicken to the pan.
Add more buffalo sauce if needed.
Cook for a few minutes, mixing to incorporate all the flavors.

Remove from heat, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Serve.

This will last 5 days (but honestly, you'll be lucky if you have enough leftover for lunch tomorrow!)

Meatballs

On my previous Whole30s, I did indulge in a few meatballs.  My hubby made his delicious meatball recipe, and then made mine without the breadcrumbs.  Sure, we could've added some almond flour or potato starch, but I figured why mess with something good.  I'd toss them with homemade marinara sauce, and eat them as is, or serve on top of some spaghetti squash.

But when I saw a recipe for BBQ meatball stuffed sweet potatoes, I knew I had to try them!  They've been on my "to make" list since my last Whole30.  And truth be told, I will definitely make them!  But so far, I made the meatball part of the recipe and I cannot.  stop.  eating.  them!

I made my meatballs on the smaller side, since I generally prefer snack-sized foods.  I served them today with some cauliflower rice, and celery sticks (with Whole30-compliant (!!) Tessemae's Buffalo Sauce).  These would be great with sauce over spaghetti squash, on top of a salad, or -- as the recipe intended -- slathered in Whole30-complaint BBQ sauce!  Now I don't have an instant pot (I know, I know, what is wrong with me?!), so I made mine on the stove top and then finished them in the oven.  I've included my cooking directions below.

Meatballs
Recipe from this delicious looking recipe from Healthy Little Peach (And trust me, I'll be making the original recipe soon!), cooking instructions by yours truly

Makes 36 1-1.5 inch meatballs

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (the recipe recommends 90/10 but all I had was 85/15)
1/3 cup chopped sweet onions
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 tsp garlic powder (I had granules on hand)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large egg
3 Tbsp tapioca flour (I left this out)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Roll meatballs into 1-1.5 inch balls.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Rub a cast iron skillet with avocado or olive oil.  Just a thin layer is all you need.
Heat the pan over medium-high heat.
Put about 1/3 of the meatballs in the pan.
Turn every 2 minutes, ensuring that the majority of the meatball is seared (I flipped mine twice, 2 minutes on a side for 2 sides).
Remove from the pan and place on a foil lined baking sheet.
Repeat with another 1/3 of the meatballs, removing them and placing them on the same baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining 1/3 of the meatballs.

Place the tray in the oven and bake for 6 minutes.
Check a meatball to make sure they are cooked through.

Creamy tomato basil soup

I love soup.  I could eat it 365 days a year for at least lunch and dinner; I'd eat it for breakfast, too, if I could find a breakfast appropriate soup (as I'm typing it, I realize that I'm sure I could make egg drop soup breakfast appropriate).

On my last Whole30s, the soup I made was limited to chicken soup.  Good, old fashioned chicken soup, served with chunks of veggies and soup chicken for me; and with additional noodles for my hubby.  And this weird vegetable-turmeric-cashew soup, of which I was not a fan.  But I was craving a good, thick soup.  And so today, on a nearly 80 degree October day, I made creamy tomato basil soup!  Day one of Whole30 and I had this delicious soup to enjoy!

This soup gets its creaminess from coconut milk.  Absolutely no dairy.  So it's totally Whole30 acceptable -- and it happens to be vegan, too.  Full disclosure?  I made it with reduced fat coconut milk because that's what I had at home.  You might need to start with less of the regular fat stuff and then add to taste.

Whole30 Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Recipe by me

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil (avocado, olive) -- I used avocado
1/2 cup of diced onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 28 oz can crushed tomato (make sure there's no sugar added)
1/2 cup coconut milk
4-6 large basil leaves, washed and chiffonaded, plus more for serving
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Directions:

Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Sautee onion in oil until transparent.
Add garlic and sautee, being sure not to burn it.

Add crushed tomato.
Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add coconut milk, starting with 1/4 cup, and mix well.
Continue adding coconut milk until desired level of creaminess.
Add more salt and/or pepper if needed.
Mix in basil.

Variations:

If you prefer a chunkier soup, serve as is.
If you prefer a slightly chunky soup, remove 3/4 cup of soup.  Puree remaining soup with an immersion blender.  Add the reserved 3/4 cup soup back into the pot.
If you prefer a creamier soup, puree the entire pot with an immersion blender.

Serve with basil.

Snickerdoodle cashew coffee

I love coffee.  Like love, love, love it!  I'm not "addicted," I don't crave it, but I really like it.  I can go days without it, and while I'll be yawning in my patient's faces throughout the afternoon, I don't get headaches, and even recently switched to half-caf Americanos without any ill effects.  But I do LOVE the taste.  So yummy!

So when I came across this recipe for Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee, I decided I had to try it.  I already put cinnamon and cashew milk in my coffee, so I figured it wasn't a huge change from my normal drink, but something told me I had to try it.  And since I'm not a pumpkin spice latte girl (I know, I know, what is wrong with me?!), I figured this might be a nice seasonal drink for me to try.  It did NOT disappoint!

And...I had all the ingredients on hand (I used salted cashew butter since that is what I had.  Shhh!).  I literally made this 10 minutes after I found the recipe!  I did doctor it up a little, though - no collagen peptides and skipped the cardamom, since it's not a spice that I particularly like.  I'm also pretty sure you could make this "pumpkin spice"-ified by adding pumpkin pie spice or subbing it for the cinnamon.  I'll leave that to you PSL girls (and guys) out there!

Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee
Adapted from the Real Food Dietitians (click the link for the original recipe)
Serves 2, or one super huge caffeine fiend

Ingredients:

24 oz strongly brewed coffee (I made mine half-caf)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened, unsalted creamy cashew butter (I used salted).  Mine needed a little more for desired creaminess.
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or more to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender (I used my immersion blender) and blend on high speed until frothy.
Pour into mugs and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Key lime larabar (balls)

Larabars are one of my emergency snack staples.  I eat them rarely, but I always feel better knowing there's one in my purse/work bag/gym bag in case I'm hungry and can't get anything Whole30 at the time.  So a while ago I had seen a recipe for Cherry Pie Larabars, and I bought the ingredients.  Which just sat there and then were eaten individually.  Then, a friend recommended homemade (key) lime Larabars.  And I randomly had all the ingredients on hand at that exact moment, and went off to make them.  I ended up making them in balls instead of bars because I thought they’d be more likely to hold their shape that way.

These are easy and delicious!  So delicious, in fact, that when we had our Whole30 info session for our October group Whole30, I made them again!  This time around, I made them even smaller.  They were so well received and everyone wanted the recipe!

Homemade Lime Lara-balls
Recipe from The Real Food RDs

Ingredients:

10 Medjool dates, pitted (or 20 pitted Deglet dates)
3/4 cup raw whole almonds
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Zest of 2 limes, plus more for sprinkling on top if you choose
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt (I always forget this when I make them!)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor.

Process the mixture until it is crumbly yet still holds together well when pinched between your fingers.
If the mixture is too dry, add another date or a splash of water, and process again.
If the mixture is too wet, add a few more nuts and process again until crumbly.

Press mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and form a 9x9 inch square -- OR -- roll them into balls (I use a scoop); the number will vary depending on how big you make them.
If you choose, sprinkle some lime zest on the bars or balls.
Place in the fridge to chill, if they seem sticky.

If making bars, cut the block into 12 bars.
Wrap in parchment paper and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Some of my favorite Whole30 finds (Part 2)

I love Whole30 because I spend my time and energy preparing and eating whole, delicious foods without fillers.  I also find myself cooking even more than I usually do because that way I know what’s going in my food.  But sometimes I feel the need to simplify my life a little, and purchase something that’s been made by someone else.  

Cashew Butter.

I bought it years ago, before Whole30, and was decidedly unimpressed.  It had no taste or flavor.  It was $8.99 down the drain (thanks, Whole Foods!).  But then at work recently, someone had salted cashew butter.  I thought I'd hate it, but figured it was worth a try since it was a nice Whole30 compliant nut butter (the ingredients are cashews and salt).  Frankly, my mind was blown!

Dang Lightly Salted Coconut Chips (Unsweetened).

I bought these while on my first Whole30, and frankly I'm not sure why I haven't bought them since.  They're crispy, slightly salty, and have a little natural sweetness from the coconut.  No sugar added.  Just salt and coconut.  I'll be honest with you, I eat these straight from the bag.  They'd also be good as a topper for smoothies, salads, or soups!

Rind Snacks.

I mentioned these in a recent post, but figured I'd mention them again here.  I bought these online on a whim to try.  Something about dried kiwi sounded interesting.  I was a little perturbed by the rind on some of the dried fruits (kiwis, oranges, pineapples) but not the others (apples, persimmon, peaches).  I have to say that (although I've only tried 2 of the three varieties), the kiwis were surprisingly my favorite.  I love the tanginess of the kiwi with the crunch of the seeds.  I can't explain it entirely.  But I do recommend these.  They come in three varieties: kiwi, orchard (peach, persimmon, apple), and tropical (kiwi, pineapple, orange).

Everything but the Bagel Seasoning.

A Trader Joe's exclusive (I'll have a homemade version posted soon).  I LOVE it on my hard boiled egg whites or on top of avocado.  I'm sure it would be great on a baked potato with ghee or even on some proteins.  Gives a punch of flavor without any added sugar and very few calories!

Seltzer

Not all seltzers are created equally. I wouldn’t say I’m particular about my seltzers generally, but when it comes to flavored seltzers, that's a different story!  While generally I love anything lime or peach, those seltzer flavors don’t do much for me.  My go-to flavors are typically plain (with a squeeze of fresh lime), grapefruit, or black cherry.  Unless we’re talking about Spindrift, in which case my all time favorite, hands down, is the raspberry lime.  Spindrift also just came out with a cranberry raspberry one that I really enjoyed.  

Hal’s New York Seltzer has had some great limited edition flavors (in addition to their Black Cherry, which is a favorite in our household): mango and black raspberry are pretty darn awesome, too!  My hubby also loves the orange and is also a big fan of the vanilla creme (which tastes just like cream soda, which I happen to not like).  And the watermelon (while artificial tasting) sometimes hits the spot for me.

Another favorite in our house is the Alta Palla Grapefruit sparkling water.  It’s hard to find, and can be a little pricey, but it’s super delish!  La Croix pomplemousse is also a great grapefruit option, as well as the grapefruit Spindrift. 

What are your favorite sparkling waters or seltzers?

Snack Emergency! (Part 2)

About two and a half months ago I posted about snack emergencies and some of my favorite transportable Whole30 compliant emergency snacks.  I have a few new additions that I wanted to share: 

• Mango Pineapple Rx bars*.  I mentioned in my last update that I love the Blueberry and Mixed Berry ones.  This flavor came out recently and I needed to get my hands on it.  They're definitely harder to find than the other flavors (you can order online, so fret not, you can have them in your hands in a matter of time).  Just in time for the fall, Pumpkin Spice Rx bars have made their return!  Although I'm not a pumpkin spice fan, I've added them to the list.  For those of you who love your Pumpkin Spice Lattes but can't have them on Whole30, these may be right up your alley!

• Rind snacks.  I randomly discovered these snacks and I have to say, they're delicious!  They come in three flavors.  The tangy kiwi is AWESOME!  I haven't tried the Tropical Blend yet, but I really enjoyed the other two.  Warning: these dried fruits have the skin on!  I thought the kiwi skin would be weird but it's totally not!

• Two words: chicken sriracha.  These Epic bars have great flavor and a lot of spice!  I eat them as is, with some avocado and veggies for a quick makeshift lunch, but I've heard of people mixing them in their eggs and making a Whole30 Western-ish omelette. There's also a cranberry turkey strip that's pretty good. {oops....I realized this is a repeat from my first Snack Attack post}.

• Chomps turkey sticks. I mentioned the beef ones were great in my last post, but I think I might like the turkey ones even more!  They taste good and don't have any discernible after taste, and they clock in at 70 calories.  Trader Joe's recently started carrying them (it's the only place I've found them), and they can also be ordered online. 

• Spindrift Raspberry Lime Sparkling Water.  Sparkling water/seltzer isn't really a snack, and I have a few seltzers that I love (I'll address those in another post soon), but this one is seriously delicious.

*Warning: these are emergency snacks, I do not eat bars every day, and neither should you!

Resources

So, you want to try Whole30. You’re not really sure though, maybe you’ll check it out for a little while and then decide if it’s really for you. Only problem? You don’t want to go out and invest in the book until you’re really sure you’re in (or not.  You really don’t need the book).  What’s a girl (or boy) to do?

The good news for you is that Whole30 has an extensive website available to you free of charge. You can access it by going to www.whole30.com!  During my first Whole30, I found it particularly helpful, because if I was at the grocery store and wasn’t sure if something was Whole30 compliant, I could go onto the website on my smart phone and figure it out.

Below are some shortcuts to my favorite links from Whole30:

The Whole30 Summary.  From the creator of Whole30 herself.  I've paraphrased it here in this post, but there's a little more explanation in this link.

The Shopping List.  I found this really helpful.  You can print out a copy and leave it in your purse for quick reference at the grocery store.  If you have a specialty diet (ie vegetarian/vegan or egg-free), they have shopping lists for them, too, on the website.

Preservative and Additive Cheat Sheet.  For all those sneaky additives that you aren't sure if you can eat from memory, this is a good quick reference. 

Meal Planning.  How much protein should I have?  I can have that much avocado?  This handy guide let's you know how your meals should be composed.  Remember this guide is per MEAL.

Grocery Guide.  Let's you know the best options, what to avoid, and some in-between choices.

Seasonal Produce Guide.  Pretty much says it all.  Also points out which produce you should definitely buy organic.

Sneaky Sugars.  I feel like most people know these, but it's still a good guide to have.  I remember talking to someone about Whole30 and telling her there were no sugars allowed - even natural ones like agave and honey.  She told me she uses "special" 99% stevia, so that's OK, since it's natural (which it actually isn't).  I explained to her that it doesn't matter if it's 100% natural (like honey), sweetener is sweetener, and not allowed (except some unsweetened fruit juice can be used in cooking on Whole30).

Travel Guide.  I've mentioned a bunch of these foods in past posts.  Good on-the-go Whole-30 approved snacks.

Non-Scale Victories.  Remember how I mentioned in my last post that you can't weigh yourself (or take any body measurements) while on Whole30?  Yeah, you still can't.  But this gives you an extensive list of non-scale victories for your Whole30.  Things you'll notice throughout your journey: you're sleeping better, your clothes fit better, your skin is clearer, and so on...

So what exactly is Whole30?

Last night I had dinner with a friend, and Whole30 came up (naturally).  She looked at me quizzically and asked, “what is Whole30 exactly?”  And it occurred to me…for all the talking about Whole30 that I do, not everyone knows what it is or what it entails.

So with my upcoming Whole30 group, I decided I’d put together some notes about Whole30. 

In its simplest form, Whole30 is the following:

• No grains
• No legumes
• No dairy
• No sugar (natural or artificial)
• No alcohol (that includes vanilla extract)
• Certain preservatives are off limits (for example: Carrageenan, sulfur)

So, naturally, your next question is “well then what CAN I eat?”  That’s simple too: fruits, nuts (except for peanuts, they’re legumes), eggs, proteins, potatoes (plain or sweet), olives, all the vegetables...

BUT... Whole30 doesn’t allow for substitutions for non-Whole30 compliant foods like pancakes, even if all the ingredients are OK on Whole30 (there is apparently some crazy famous recipe for pancakes made out of bananas and eggs…while those foods individually are Whole30 compliant, those pancakes are not).  It can get a little tricky.  

Whole30 also strongly discourages snacking.  Three meals a day, plus a pre- and post-workout meal if you exercise, and that’s about it.  Eat your meals till you're full, there’s no portion control, but once your meals are done, there’s no eating until your next meal*.

Oh, and you can't weigh yourself FOR THIRTY DAYS!  Yeah, there's that too....

Whole30 really does become a way of life, and while it may seem daunting at the beginning, it really becomes easier as time goes on. Case in point?  I wrote this entire blog post on my walk to work this morning.  Off the top my head.  If I can do it, so can you.

* There are obviously times for exceptions, but you shouldn’t be snacking every single day.

Whole30 number 4 coming very soon....

When I'm on Whole30 -- and even when I'm not -- I'm constantly talking about Whole30.  I'm sure a lot of people are tired of hearing me talk about it, but there's one person who apparently couldn't get enough.  My friend who owns the barre studio where I teach wanted to start a Whole30 group and asked me to lead it!  We'll be starting at the end of September.  I'm super excited (but I'm pretty sure my hubby is going to kill me).

I think the group setting is going to be good because for a lot of people it will give them accountability.  They'll also have the added benefit of being able to know someone going through the same thing as they are at the same time as they are.  And they'll have someone who has done it before to help them through (that would be me).  I'm so excited to be sharing this Whole30 with others and doing it as a group.

On a recent trip to Florida, I bought some cooking magazines to look at to get ideas for new recipes.  I guess I bought the right ones, because so many of the recipes seemed easily adaptable for Whole30 without having to change too much.  I have a lot of recipe testing to do over the next several weeks in preparation for my next Whole30 adventure.

Stay tuned for info and updates about this joint Whole30 endeavor!

Cauliflower Rice

For the longest time, I wanted to get on the cauliflower rice train.  It seemed like such a great alternative to rice or carby sides with dinner (or lunch).  The problem was that I just didn't like it that much.  Fresh cauliflower?  Love it!  Roasted cauliflower?  Sign me up!  But cauliflower rice was always kinda....blah.  Mush.  Just not my thing.

I learned a few things and this Whole30, I mastered it.  First off, I found that I much prefer the frozen riced cauliflower over the fresh one.  Something about the texture is so much better in my opinion.  I've also learned to prep the fresh one so that it's really tasty, too, but if given the choice, I'd go with the frozen one every time.

My "trick" is adding more than just salt and pepper to it while cooking.  My secret ingredient?  Scallions.  Not a ton, just 2 per bag of (fresh or frozen) cauliflower rice.  If I'm making a Mexican-themed meal, I'll add in some chopped fresh cilantro at the end.

Because it's sometimes hard to find the frozen cauliflower rice (I buy mine at Trader Joe's and they're more often sold out than not) or if you prefer the fresh over the frozen variety, I've included cooking directions for both below.

My Favorite Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh or frozen riced cauliflower
2 scallions, thinly sliced, both white and green parts
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil (if making with fresh riced cauliflower)
1/4 cup water (if making with fresh riced cauliflower)
Optional: chopped cilanto

Directions:

If making with fresh riced cauliflower:

Heat 1T olive oil in a pan.  
Briefly sautee the scallions.
Add riced cauliflower rice for about 2 minutes.  
Add 1/4 cup of water and cover, allowing to steam for 3-5 minutes.  
If using cilantro, add in and mix.
Remove from pan and place into bowls.

If making with frozen riced cauliflower:

Make cauliflower rice as per directions on bag, adding scallions in the first step when adding the "rice" to the pan.

Done.....sorta

Well, I did it.  Another Whole30 is in the books!  I spent my last day (technically day 33) at a friend's bachelorette party where I snacked on (Whole30-compliant) prosciutto, vegetable sticks, mixed nuts, and some dried (unsweetened, unsulfered) pineapple rings.  And I topped it off with some seltzer (hey, it's got bubbles, which is kinda like champagne....kinda).

And then this morning, when I went out for breakfast, do you know what I ordered?  Pancakes sounded good, but no....I had an egg white omelette with mushrooms, avocado, and (non-Whole30 compliant) bacon, with a side salad, and a black iced coffee.  Living life on the wild side, huh?

So many people I spoke to viewed my Whole30 (and Whole30 in general) as an all-or-nothing endeavor.  "Oh, Whole30 is over, are you going to eat all the carbs today" and "Now that Whole30 is over, you can eat ALL the foods you were craving for the past 30 days!"  And while technically -- after your reintroduction -- you can go back to your old eating ways (if that's what works for you), but I'm diving into a period I call "Whole30-ish" -- a long term, hopefully lifelong period where I'm following the Whole30 lifestyle, but allowing myself to eat out a little, have an occasional glass of wine, and maybe even a little cheese here and there!

The transition won't necessarily be easy -- sometimes my head goes to that "give an inch, take a mile" mentality where if I can have a little cheese, I can have a lot -- but given that I have a solid Whole30 foundation and a generally healthy pre-Whole30 diet, I should be able to make it work,

Just because my Whole30(33) is over doesn't mean the adventure is!  Stay tuned for more Whole30 recipes and updates!