So I was supposed to be blogging more frequently and we were supposed to be doing a Whole30, but it's been almost a month since my last post and I'm ashamed to admit that we did not stay 100% compliant on our 2nd Whole30 journey. SHAME ON US! I can try to come up with a couple of good excuses for why we decided to give in to some temptations, but I'm not going to do that. What good would that do anyone? Nobody forced less healthy foods down our throat - we made a decision to indulge and that's it. I'm not proud of our choices, but we can't take them back. We can just move forward.
We have been busy with work, holiday shopping, and lots of babies! Over the last few weeks, I welcomed three new babies into the world!
First was Baby Ethan, first son to my best friend Vivian:
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| We had been praying for this little guy for almost 5 years! But God knows everything and His timing is perfect! |
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Then there was my adorable new little
niece, Baby Talia, who decided to come into the world during a Monday
Night Football game, while her parents and big brother were still in the stands!
Crazy
story, let me tell you!
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| Another little princess for our family! |
And later on that same day, my college friend Julissa gave birth to her first son, Baby Amaury! I'm actually going to drive to NJ tomorrow to meet him! So many babies, so much love!
Anyway, while I did admit that we failed during our second Whole30s, I do have to say that we still had some wonderful Whole30 meals. The last month was NOT a complete waste - I promise! Here are some pics to prove it:
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| Veggie Medley before getting roasted at 400 degrees for 30 mins |
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| Thai Basil Beef (From It Starts with Food) and a fried egg |
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| 2 fried eggs with ground cumin and sweet plantains |
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| quick snack: banana + cashew butter |
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| Garlic Chicken + Lemon Roasted Broccoli over mixed greens |
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| Our go-to 'taco' salad - this time with a dollop of homemade avocado dressing |
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| Organic, grass fed rib eyes with roasted acorn squash and baked sweet potatoes |
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| Veggie Medley getting sauteed in cast iron pan instead of roasted |
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| The veggies above with some baked garlic chicken and potatoes |
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| Curry Beef Skillet - inspired by recipe in It Starts With Food |
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| Scrambled eggs with fresh homemade salsa and organic bacon |
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| Baked garlic chicken wings over mixed greens and tostones |
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| This special meal was prepared by my mother in law while I was up in Boston traveling for work! |
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| Brussels + pecans + cranberries + roasted chicken breast + balsamic vinegar |
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| Who knew roasted cabbage could be so good? Just EVOO + salt + pepper |
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| Moroccan Sweet Potato Hash - Recipe Coming Soon! |
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| Pineapple Curry Ground Beef Skillet - Recipe Coming Soon! |
I really do want to continue on this path to optimal health, and I know that the only way to do that is to keep committed to eating a clean, whole foods diet and staying active.
AND
I really do want to look and feel my best when we celebrate our anniversary in sunny Puerto Rico a month from today!
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers - I need the extra help! :)
XOXO,
SMP
I was craving something along the lines of lo mein or pad thai. Basically some saucy noodles with meat and veggies.
I only had about half hour to throw some dinner together last night, so I started to get creative with what I had on hand. What turned out was very delicious, satisfying, and the base of even better recipes to come.
Simple Spicy Cashew Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashew butter
- 1 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (or more or less, depending on how spicy you want it)
- pinch of salt (may not need if using soy sauce)
- About 1-2 tsp of freshly grated ginger (I didn't measure, this is a guestimate)
Super Easy Directions:
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, whisk all ingredients together until it reaches a low simmer, is well combined, and slightly thickened.
I decided to toss some of this sauce with some zucchini noodles (zucchini + julienne peeler + microwave for 1-2 minutes) and some left over garlic-herb chicken:
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| Slightly spicy, nutty, and very comforting |
This recipe does make a pretty big batch, so I stored the left overs in a glass container:
Note: The sauce is kind of thick, but zucchini noodles tend to add moisture to a dish that thinned out the cashew sauce nicely. If using with regular noodles, you may want to add a little bit of water or more coconut milk to thin out.
Since I had so much sauce left over, I got creative again this morning for breakfast. I stripped up another zucchini and quickly scrambled 2 eggs with some salt and pepper...
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| Before the sauce arrived |
...reheated some of the cashew sauce and gave it all a big toss!
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| Yum! |
As the hubby put it "interesante!" and I would have to agree. It was different, surprisingly very good, and a nice change of pace. Plus, it's the perfect well balanced breakfast: veggies (a whole zucchini) + protein (eggs) + good fat (nut butter + coconut milk).
I still have a ton of sauce left, so I'm sure I'll keep coming up with ways to use it up!
While the sauce is very good as is, I do think I can make it great!
What else would you add to make it even more flavorful?
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