Exploratory Breakfast

The infamous egg white scramble

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day…

For me at least. Otherwise I would starve, I swear!

I definitely continue to steer towards my 'go-to' weekend breakfast consisting of an egg white scramble with any variation of veggies and of course, avocado.

However, during the week I don't exactly have time for that. Unfortunately. Here's what I've put together and find myself running (literally) to most frequently.

So, on the left. This is a desperate attempt at breakfast, a stop at Starbucks for their blueberry steel cut oats. I almost always make my own at home in bulk and just portion them and keep them in the fridge. I  add a variety of ingredients, mostly depending on what fruit is in season. I also add chia seeds, light agave syrup, and sometimes cinnamon. 

On the right is one of my many variations of protein smoothies. I ALWAYS put in one frozen banana, chia seeds, unsweetened almond milk, protein powder, and ice cubes. Where I mix it up is the flavor of protein powder, any additional fruit, cold coffee or toddy, and more water. I also may add fresh spinach to boot. I love adding toddy (cold brew coffee) for a coffee and breakfast two-for-one deal. 

This is the protein powder brand I use. I love it and its all natural, non processed and doesn't have weird ingredients. My favorite flavors include vanilla spiced chai and vanilla.

I love cold brew coffee (toddy) for a few reasons. It is lower in acid, which is awesome for those of us with acid reflux. It is more concentrated. You will typically only use 1 part toddy to 3 parts water, almond, soy, or cows milk. Whatever floats your boat. Also, its brewed ahead of time so it can last in you fridge for up to two weeks!

The Aftermath

Ummm so, I guess you can say its been awhile…

No, I didn't take a break from the diet (exactly) rather a little sabbatical from the blog thing.

This does NOT mean that I've put my cooking to the wayside or a stop on the eating clean thing.

To answer a couple questions…

How was that Easter dinner? 

Not all that it was cracked up to be. I honestly felt guilty eating those potatoes with cheese on them! Even though I really have no reason to feel that way, that's how I felt. As a whole, there wasn't any kind of digestive disaster that I expected. :) So, thats good.

Did I continue the diet post Easter? 

Crawfish bloody mary

Yes and kind of and well, ya I guess sort of….? Immediately following Easter I felt the need to jump back on the diet ASAP. And I did. However, there were definitely moments where I was out to dinner with friends and I ate the Feta on my dish or had some bites of something with gluten in it. And everything was just OK.

Beignets from Cafe du Monde. A must!

Where things went downhill was when I went out of town consistently for 3 weekends in a row. The first stop, New Orleans. I really do and do not regret the food I ate here. Holy cow, amazing. My friends and I aren't quite sure if it was the excessive amount of spice in the cajun diet or the fact that I never held back and ate anything and everything that involved dairy and gluten. In reality not much of it could've been processed. The food was fabulous and I am so glad that ate everything I did. I'll go back someday…and eat it all again. No regrets. My body however disagreed and I officially experienced the anticipated digestive disaster that I thought Easter would be. Yup, too much information, thats OK. Sorry. The following two weekends included a trip to Newport beach with some of the best company and a trip home to celebrate my brothers graduation. I tried my hardest to follow it as closely as possible. Yes, there were many slip-ups and yet again I found myself in the bathroom. Too much information again…

Andouille gumbo with Shrimp Po Boy. To share, of course!

Shrimp jambalaya. Amazing.

SINCE THEN….I have gotten back on the horse and everything seems regulated. I really do need to slowly integrate certain foods at a time to attempt to target what exactly my body isn't agreeing with. But hey, that takes time.

BUT I have made some pretty bomb recipes in the past month so check them out. AND check out the amazing food I've had in the mean time that isn't exactly on the 'diet'.

Pho from Flowerchild in Phoenix. This place is awesome and has so many options. This does count!

Check out what I have made since then. You won't regret it. 

Routine

Here we are 6 weeks later, just days before Easter. Never thought I would've survived and now I feel like I cheated my way through it since it was so easy. Not sure how that happened. 

My 'diet', 'cleanse', or whatever you want to call it has been one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I  do feel SO clean! I feel accomplished and I feel challenged. The original purpose was to 'give up processed foods, gluten, and dairy for lent.' 

What did it turn into? 

A lifestyle. I have no intention of reversing all the hard work and preparation its taken to get to this point. I love how good I feel and how 'clean' the fuel I give my body is. 

Cheesy? 

Ya, probably. That's ok. I get one body and one chance to take care of it, so for me this has been a fabulous way to do that. 

Enough of my cheesy saga, how about some recipes? 

This week's recipes have been some of my absolute favorites! 

First up: Louisiana fillets and baked broccoli and cauliflower

Louisiana Fillets (http://www.paleoplan.com/2010/01-03/louisiana-fillets/)

• Tilapia
• Coconut oil (was so excited to use this because I've had it but haven't used it!)

Baked Broccoli and Cauliflower

• I prepared this just as I would kale chips! Refer to:http://jessicadoesclean.blogspot.com/2014/03/challenge-kale-and-sweet-potatoes.html
• Holy Moly! I don't know that I will eat broccoli and cauliflower any other way ever again!

Next up: COMFORT FOOD!

Shredded chicken with home made barbecue sauce and ginger-lime coleslaw and sweet potato fries

FINALLY! I found some 'comfort food' healthy style. 

Essentially I put chicken in the crock pot for 6.5 hours, per usual. Then just shredded it with a fork. 

Home made paleo barbecue sauce?: http://paleogrubs.com/bbq-sauce-recipe

Ginger-lime Coleslaw: http://www.food.com/recipe/ginger-lime-cole-slaw-395163

• Modifications to the dish
• Substituted light agave syrup instead of cane sugar
• Substituted olive oil for all other oils 

Sweet Potato Fries: refer to: http://jessicadoesclean.blogspot.com/2014/03/challenge-kale-and-sweet-potatoes.html

Try these recipes! So worth it!

The Final Countdown.

Absolutely unbelievable to say it, but there are only 7 days left in my Lenten goal. Turns out if you don't subtract the 6 Sundays in Lent, I will have completed 46 days by next Sunday. On that note, I have decided to extend the original goal of 40 days to 100. 

So, as of late I've been continuing to cook and I haven't been doing an awesome job of reporting recipes so here are a few of my favorites. 

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps (wonderful recommendation from Megan, thank you!):

http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/spicy-chicken-lettuce-cups-50400000133646/ 

I forgot to buy lettuce so I ended up shredding cabbage and making spicy chicken cabbage bowls. Megan warned me that boiling the vinegar mixture would make my eyes burn. I wish I would've believed her. Overall, amazing flavor and enough to spread out throughout the week for lunch and dinner meals. The video below is the real life definition of a rolling boil. If you were wondering. 

Now, for something new. Black rice. In a mad attempt to try out some new grains other than brown rice or quinoa, I decided to try out black rice. This stuff blew my mind when I started making it. It looks like a purplish/blackish wine in a pot and it kinda freaked me out. But in the end I found it to be a great complimentary grain to a variety of dishes. 

How to prepare it: 

1. Rinse rice. Do this in a bowl that you don't mind staining just incase it does. 
2. Add 3 parts water to 1 part rice. 
3. Boil for 25-30 minutes until cooked completely. 

And this is the result: 

Ya, I thought the same thing. Gross, it looks so nasty. BUT it turns out its actually really good. I used it for two different dishes: scallops with asparagus (http://jessicadoesclean.blogspot.com/2014/03/recipes-galore.html) and stuffed bell peppers (http://jessicadoesclean.blogspot.com/2014/03/quinoa-for-win.html).  

How does black rice stack up nutritionally? Check it out: http://www.livestrong.com/article/265623-black-rice-nutritional-information/. Turns out black rice has an abundance of nutritional properties including anti-inflammatory characteristics and antioxidants. 

Greek Salad with Chicken: More or less a makeshift recipe revolving around a home made greek salad dressing: (http://aggieskitchen.com/2010/07/12/greek-grilled-chicken-salad/). My ingredients, other than the dressing listed, included: kale, chicken, walnuts, mango, oranges, and green bell pepper. Such an easy recipe to replicate and use for lunches!

Oh, and the cantaloupe has been fantastic. :)

If you must go out...

The reality of living in a vacation destination during the winter months is that people will visit. A lot of people. This also means you won't be cooking for all these people because your staycation and their vacation mean nights on the town and many meals at restaurants. 

So, how do I possibly adhere to my diet guidelines? 


Well, a lot of research and settling for things on the menu because its your only choice. But that doesn't mean you can't eat well. 

Mom came to the beautiful and warm  valley of the sun last weekend and we had a blast. We also had great food and a great time exploring some new places! One of my favorites that we discovered, recommended by a coworker, is The Farm at south mountain (http://www.thefarmatsouthmountain.com). 

The Farm is an adorable 'farm' (literally) snuggle near near south mountain in Phoenix. I love this place because they grow their own veggies and herbs and have their own chickens too! Its  a breakfast place, lunch joint, and even has wedding venue areas. We spent our morning at 'Morning Glory', their breakfast/brunch restaurant. The wait was about an hour for the two of us, but they have areas where you can shop around for food or neat home made crafts and decorations. 

I love that all their veggies and eggs are farm fresh and organic. Totally coincides with my current diet. So, what did I get to eat? I got the brisket hash. Oh man, so good. I've discovered that I have learned to avoid the dishes with cheese where I know the cheese plays a big part. I've also found that I can pretty much eat any meat I want and its not limited so I indulge. Since I'm not eating a lot of carbs these days anyways I embrace the hash browns I get with breakfast meals too. :) Potatoes make me happy. 

 

I may have gotten a little picture happy…bear with me…

And if your friends insist that you go out, you still have to eat. 

This past Friday my wonderful group of friends and I went to a really neat place, The Vig (http://thevig.us), for dinner, wine, and the perfect company. I had the deconstructed fish tacos (deconstructed meaning the corn tortillas were on the side) with Mahi Mahi, jicama slaw, pineapple, edamame, black beans, and pico de gallo. I opted for no sour cream and I didn't eat the corn tortillas. So much flavor and so filling. Being Lent and Friday, fish was a perfect choice. 

Coffee. Tea. Two of the first things to go when people start to diet. To me these are things I swore I wouldn't be able to give up. Therefore, I can't help but help myself, everyday. Since I've been craving sweets and can't have them I have the perfect combination to caffeinate and suppress my sweet tooth. Chai tea, dirty chai tea. Yes, I get a dirty (meaning added shot of expresso) chai tea latte, with soy instead of milk and its been a godsend. 

My good friend, Megan, and I have started a Phoenix coffee tour. On the map this week, Cartel Coffee Lab (http://www.cartelcoffeelab.com). 

 

Rise and Shine

My absolute favorite meal of the day. Breakfast. 

So, obviously there are the standard go-to's, but sometimes you need to find a way to get creative. They must be oh-so easy and fast too. 

MY go-to's: 

• Egg white omelette
• Black coffee or toddy (as a side, always)
• Grapefruit
• Fruit/protein smoothies

Oatmeal was my go-to for all of grad school and man, it got old. However, I whipped it back out just because I was getting bored. Check it out: steel cut oats, of course. Added some cinnamon, honey, splash of almond milk, chia seeds, and blueberries.

Chia Seed Pudding is a new favorite. And now that mango season is in full swing, I can easily compliment my easy chia seed pudding. Check it out: http://www.fitsugar.com/Chia-Pudding-Recipe-34333463. I added some of my own twists (per usual) such as almond milk instead of coconut).







Egg White Scramble is my newest twist to my traditional egg white omelette. Simple scramble egg whites, add diced or chunked avocado, handful of fresh spinach, red pepper, a dash of red pepper flakes (for spice), and your home made salsa of choice (tomato, cilantro, lime juice, Serrano pepper, salt, pepper). 

Sin City WITHOUT Sinning

Yes, I spent the weekend in Vegas. 

No, I didn't cheat or starve (sin in my diet terms). 

Really, I thrived. 

BUT it did cost more. 

Thank goodness the weekend Vegas trip came around week 3-4 rather than 1 or I might have been screwed. So, it really was simple and anyone can do it. It did kinda suck watching all my friends eat garlic bread brought to the table when my stomach was eating itself, but still feeling proud I didn't indulge.  But I wanted to. :) 

Here is what breakfast looked like: 

• Day one: Grand Lux Cafe (Palazzo): 'Build Your Own Omelette': Egg whites, mushrooms, peppers, and spinach. Black coffee (a must). 
• Day two: Park on Fremont (http://parkonfremont.com): I've been here before for dinner too and its a definite must in downtown Vegas!
• Skillet with red potatoes, sausage, onions, peppers, salsa, eggs (sans cheese, of course). Those were home made corn chips, so technically acceptable. Black coffee (a must). 

Here is what lunch looked like: 

• My clean eating buddy, Ryan (Vegas resident), had lunch at the pool club Azure at the Palazzo/Venetian. This is what it consisted of. And it was amazing. 

Kale salad with citrus vinaigrette and grilled pesto chicken

Here is what dinner looked like: 

• Lavo (Palazzo): http://lavolv.com/Dinner
• Chicken Marsala with a side of asparagus (SO GOOD)
• This is what got me. I was starving so I had to order a side of expensive, but good asparagus. Gosh, everyones ravioli and cheese dishes looked good!

I forgot to take a picture when it was still pretty. I swear it was good.

Here is what drinks looked like: 

Vodka water. Only the gluten free vodka, of course.

Here is what snacks looked like: 

• The biggest life savers of the trip were the snacks I brought along including cucumbers, apples, and grapefruit. These held me over between meals. If I hadn't headed out of town straight from work I would've tried to pack a few more essentials. If you have a fridge in your hotel room the possibilities are endless!

Here is what the bottom line looks like: 

• It really is possible to go out to dinner without asking for the house salad sans dressing. Most likely you'll end up bypassing the free bread and butter, holding the cheese, and asking for various sauces on the side. But it is possible. Like my dinner, it may cost you a little bit more to get the food you CAN eat, but it's worth it in the end. You don't want to go hungry in Vegas especially with all the beverages you might be ingesting.