Paleo Overnight Chia Pudding

I like to hit snooze in the mornings. And when I say I like to, I mean I really, really like to. So much that Jon knows that when I say I have to get up at 6:00am I actually mean 6:45... It drives him nuts but for some reason I feel the need to have several reminders before I actually have to get up. Does anyone else do this?

Because I'm a lover of sleeping in a little bit later than I should I am a huge fan of this overnight chia pudding. It's takes seconds to make and looks so adorable in the half pint size mason jars. Food always tastes better when it's served in a mason jar. And when you have an adorable puppy nearby ;)

(P.S. this is Navajo and this is his first appearance here on the ol' blog! He is the service dog that we are currently training - follow him on Instagram @give_drop_leaveit to keep up with his adventures)

Paleo Overnight Chia Pudding

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tbsp. chia seeds (the more you add, the thicker the pudding will be)
2 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
fresh berries, nuts, coconut flakes; optional

Directions
1. Put everything (except the berries) in a mason jar and shake well. The half pint size jars work perfectly.
2. Let sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours but overnight is best
3. Shake, shake, shake! Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy straight outta the jar.

Inspiration for a Successful Whole 30! (Guest Post)

I'm going to let Lauren do the talking today! She had amazing results with her Whole 30 Challenge and is here to offer some inspiration for all of you! Check out her before and after photos - AMAZING! Great job, Lauren!

__________________

Hi everyone!

This is Lauren from Lauren Lives Healthy, where I write about healthy living in the Bay Area. I’m a triathlete, half marathoner, and a total foodie.

Last year, I got wind of the whole30 program and just knew I had to try it. I jumped on it the moment I read about the program and spent that first day doing research on the whole30 website, pinning recipes and grocery shopping.  I finished the program nearly the whole way through, making only a few adjustments and ending the night before, and saw great results – I lost 8 lbs and 17 inches!

I wanted to do it to show people I could do a challenge. What I realize now, though, is that I should have been doing it for me. I got caught up in the whole façade and forgot exactly why I was doing it – to make me feel better.

For months, I had been feeling sluggish and tired and thought that adjusting my diet could help. I followed the whole30 best I could, but realized that I couldn’t go without snacks, so I added them back in – just a piece of fruit or some nuts; nothing too crazy! On a strict diet like whole30, you definitely have to listen to your body and remember why you started.

Another thing I learned is that you have to have support from those around you. It’s not easy to eat this strict when you have bread, pasta, cookies, dessert & other goodies lying around the house. Let your roommates/boyfriend/family know what your goals are and ask for support. Even if you have your own shelf in the pantry or refrigerator, that’s enough to get you going.

And oh my goodness – PLEASE head over to Pinterest and find some new recipes before you start. I got caught in a rut, eating the same meals over and over again because I didn’t know what was approved or not. There are actually a lot of recipes available! Follow my whole30 Pinterest board for inspiration and #whole30 on Instagram for recipe ideas.

In the end, I felt a lot slimmer and less bloated than I had before. I won’t be doing a full whole30 again because I love my protein powder and Greek yogurt too much, but I’ll definitely do a whole5 again (whole30 lifestyle for only 5 days). It’s a great way to get on track when you’ve fallen off the bandwagon. Read my full story here and here.

Good luck on your whole30! If you have any questions about my personal whole30 experience, feel free to shoot me an email at lauren@laurenliveshealthy.com.

XO Lauren

Follow me on Instagram or Pinterest for healthy recipes!

What the Whole 30 Challenge is Teaching Me

I feel like during the Whole 30 each blog post begins with "I can't believe I'm already on day ___!" But it's true, I can't believe it! Doing this challenge makes me realize a few different things.

First, how quickly time actually flies by. Jon left for Florida 12 days ago and it seems like it will be forever until I get to go visit him but in reality I will be down there in less than 30 days. As I am sitting here writing this, 30 days seems like a long time but when the day actually comes it will have all gone by so fast. It makes me want to sit back and enjoy each and every day a little bit more.

Second, this challenge has made me become more in tune with my body and what it is saying. My stomach is growling because I'm hungry and that's my body's way of telling me that it needs fuel. Before this challenge I ate because I was supposed to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I even threw in a few snacks here and there and of course, dessert! Not because I was hungry though. I did it because that's what we think we are supposed to do. Eat three, four, even five times a day.

Another thing that I have noticed these past two weeks is how much better I sleep. I used to wake up a few times during the night and now I sleep like a baby. I also wake up with so much energy that I'm not sure how it lasts all day long.

Lastly, I have learned that you don't need to be a millionaire to complete this challenge successfully and you really don't need a lot of time. Being a college student, I eat on a college student's budget but that doesn't mean I have to eat Ramen noodles and cereal every day (I'm working on a post about this). So many people think that they can't eat healthy because it costs so much. Which it's true that it does cost more but if you're smart about it and want to do it, you can. And time, which I don't have a lot of, shouldn't make or break your challenge. If you have an hour on the weekend to prep a few staples and wake up an extra 10 minutes earlier during the week to throw something in the crockpot you will be prepared and can knock this challenge out of the park! For example, the photo above is from the dinner I had one night earlier this week. The day before I put three chicken breasts in the crockpot and dumped a bunch of hot sauce over them. The next night, I had a complete meal ready for me in under 3 minutes. All I had to do was heat up the chicken and grab some food out of the fridge and I was set.

Now I want to know what the Whole 30 challenge has done for you and your body! Comment below and let me know so we can chat.

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

During the Whole 30 I am always trying to think of easy and delicious sides for meals. While I find it rather easy thinking of the main course, sometimes I am stuck in a rut when it comes to what to eat with it. 

For example, today for lunch I knew that I was going to eat the last of the Crockpot Salsa Chicken I made last week but had no idea what to pair it with. The avocados that I have aren't ripe enough yet (most depressing thing ever!) and I wasn't really feeling raw veggies so I relied on my go-to side... sweet potato fries! They're super healthy, delicious, and easy to make! 

You can also change up the seasonings and make them sweet rather than spicy or just add plain ol' sea salt to them! The possibilities are endless.

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato 

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning (about half)

Olive Oil

* This recipe makes 1-2 servings, depending on the size of the sweet potato

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400'

2. Cut up 1 large sweet potato into wedge-like fries and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Drizzle olive oil on the fries so they are coated on all sides.

4. Add your seasonings and make sure fries are well coated (Spicy Seasoning recipe is below)

5. Bake for 25 minutes and enjoy!

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning

1. Mix the following seasonings into a small bowl and store in an airtight container.

1 tsp of each:

salt

pepper

garlic powder

paprika

chili powder

crushed red pepper flakes

cayenne pepper

Enjoy!

Whole 30 Week 1 Round Up

The first week of the Whole 30 Challenge always goes by fast but it is hands down the worst week.

I didn't cheat at all but boy did I want to! I had so many cravings and thought about all the food I couldn't eat nonstop. I'm pretty sure this is normal but it was literally the only thing on my mind.

I can't remember exactly what I ate each day but here are some of the meals I ate this week:

Breakfast:
Hard boiled eggs
Fruit
Maple Bacon Sausage Patties
Almond Milk Banana Smoothies

Lunch/Dinner
Mason Jar Salads
Pork Chops
Bacon & Brussel Sprout Salad
Salsa Chicken Tacos (I used Stupid Easy Paleo's tortilla recipe)
Kale Soup
Sweet Potato Pasta with Salsa Chicken
Salsa Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry (Sweet Potato Pasta instead of noodles)
Spicy Chicken Legs

With lunch and dinner I often had extra veggies, olives, avocado, or fruit on the side!

Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry 

Chicken Tacos

Now for a few tips to help you get a head start throughout the week:

Tips:
1. Mason Jar Salads: Make a few of these on Sunday so you have something to grab for lunch or dinner during the week when you are in a hurry. These are super easy to make and Lexi's Clean Kitchen has some delicious recipe ideas if you want to spice them up a bit! Just be sure to leave out the cheese if you are doing the Whole30.

2. Hard Boiled Eggs: These are always a good thing to have on hand. I often make a dozen of them each week and peel them ahead of time. I can then easily grab them for breakfast, add them to a salad, or eat them after a workout.

3. Meal Plan: Meal planning is essential during the Whole 30 and will set you up for success. Even though my schedule is always changing, I like to have a list of meals that I know I have all the ingredients for. There are a ton of meal planning templates available online but I always just write down what ingredients I have on hand and then go through cookbooks, choose recipes, and then make a grocery list.

4. Make Extra: If you cook meal by meal, you will be spending a lot of time at the stove and a lot less time with family and friends. If you cook meals in double or triple batches, you can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day or change up the recipe so it's something new. For example, I made a huge batch of Salsa Chicken and used it for chicken tacos, put it on top of sweet potato pasta, and ate it by itself.

I hope that these meal ideas and tips help you during your Whole 30 challenge or inspire you to start! Eating and following a lifestyle that is sugar, fat, and processed-free really can be delicious!

Question of the Day

What Whole 30 tips do you have?

Turkey & Kale Soup

It's day 2 of the Whole 30 Challenge!

I woke up this morning with a headache and figured it was because my body is going through withdrawals from the sugar and high processed foods it's used to. Other than that I felt completely fine and did not have any major cravings for anything.

This evening I attended a Pilates class for the very first time. It was a nice change but was definitely at a much slower pace than the high intensity workouts I'm used to. While most people are making New Years resolutions to join gyms at the start of the New Year, I actually quit mine. I did it for personal and financial reasons but I am excited to get back into working out more on my own and creating my own workouts!

Tonight for dinner I curled up with my favorite book to read during the Whole 30 Challenge and a bowl of turkey & kale soup. It was absolutely delicious! I adapted the recipe from a soup my friend made before and used the ingredients I had on hand. I didn't measure the ingredients but here's what I did...

(Note: feel free to add more or less of any ingredient listed below! I need to remake this and measure and once I do, the recipe will be updated!)

Turkey & Kale Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
chicken broth
1-2 cups of almond milk
3-4 big handfuls of kale
salt & pepper to taste
crushed red pepper (optional)

Recipe:
1. Place the turkey in a large pot over medium-high heat with the garlic and onion. Cook until browned.
2. Add the carrots, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. The crushed red pepper gives it a spicy kick so add as much or little as you like.
3. Add the almond milk and enough chicken broth until it covers everything
4. Add the kale and stir in until it starts to wilt.
5. Let the soup simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft.

Sorry for the rough and all over the place recipe! Just trust me, this soup is delicious and so good for you!

Whole30, Round 2!

Tomorrow's the day that I begin my second Whole30 Challenge!

If you are new to Whole30 or have no idea what it is, I highly suggest you check out their website or read the book It Starts With Food. Both places are excellent sources and you will learn a lot of wonderful information.

I have successfully completed the challenge once before with no slip-ups or cheats and kept telling myself I would do it again but never could. I'm not sure why I could never get back into the groove of following a Paleo lifestyle but I'm hoping with it being the New Year that I will be able to complete it again. The first time I did the challenge I had amazing results and felt better than ever.

This time around, I am very excited to record my progress, meals, and recipes here on the blog! I have been busy prepping food for this week and plan to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I also made the most delicious Maple Bacon & Pineapple Meatballs so be on the lookout for the recipe soon!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram so you can see all of my meals!

Question of the Day

Have you ever completed the Whole30 Challenge? 

What are your favorite Paleo recipes?

Do you have any tips, success stories, or other information regarding the Whole30 program?

Paleo Nachos

I began the Whole30 challenge today, which means 100% Paleo, 100% of the time, for 30 days.
I've done this challenge before but then I fell off the face of the blogging world and never finished blogging about it! Sorry to leave you all hanging like that.

For dinner tonight, I really wanted tacos. Well, taco shells aren't paleo so I had to compromise and eat nachos instead! For these nachos I didn't use tortilla chips, instead I used sweet potato chips.

These were amazing. Seriously, I could eat this version of nachos forever and be satisfied.

Directions:

For the sweet potato chips:
Cut one sweet potato into thin slices, approx 1/4" thick. Soak the chips in a bowl of water for 10 minutes (this helps to remove excess starch and will help your chips crisp up.) Dry off the chips with paper towels. Toss in olive oil and taco seasoning. Put on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

Once your chips are done in the oven, top with your meat of choice that has been seasoned with taco seasoning and lots of veggies, salsa, hot sauce, and guac!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with my daily eats!

Question of the Day

Do you have a favorite meal that is Paleo and Whole30 approved?

Whole 30 Challenge (Week 2)

I can't believe that I am already half way done with the Whole 30 Challenge!

The second week was definitely much easier than the first. This week I haven't had any cravings for the unhealthy, processed foods I used to consume and I have much more energy and don't feel like I need to take cat naps anymore. Also, several people have told me that I am looking much leaner this week! A few people at my CrossFit box have asked me about the challenge and I really hope that I inspire them to try it out as well. It's hard but it's definitely worth it.

Previous Posts
Whole 30 Challenge Into
Whole 30 Challenge Week 1

Meals Day 10-14 

Days 8 & 9 are listed on Week 1's blog post

Day 10
breakfast: orange; banana
lunch: crockpot chicken with veggies
dinner: baked chicken; roasted asparagus

Day 11
breakfast: banana
lunch: turkey burger topped with guacamole, salsa, and 1 diced hard boiled egg
dinner: Panera Chicken Cobb with Avocado Salad without dressing and cheese

(I forgot to tell them no cheese so I had to pick around it. Jon happily enjoyed eating an extra baguette since I can't eat bread)

Jon and I went to Columbus this day. Traveling while on the Whole 30 is definitely tricky but if you plan where you are going to eat before hand and look at the menu before you go you can be successful!

I only had one fail this day - at Panera I also ordered a green tea, thinking it would be unsweetened. The first sip was absolutely disgusting and tasted like pure sugar. I dumped my cup and ended up getting unsweetened iced tea instead.

Day 12
breakfast: banana; avocado
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: chicken topped with hot sauce; sweet potato fries; brussel sprouts
dinner: chicken veggie soup; cucumbers

Day 13 - This was the day of the CrossFit Open 14.3 Workout
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg; banana
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: 2 turkey burgers topped with salsa; green olives; carrots; cucumbers; sweet peppers
dinner: garlic lemon chicken; roasted asparagus; mashed cauliflower
dessert: lemon LARABAR

Day 14
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, banana
post-workout: protein shake
lunch: scrambled eggs with mushrooms, tomatoes & guac; 3 strips of paleo bacon
dinner: chicken & veggie soup; salad with mushrooms, tomatoes, and paleo avocado ranch dressing
dessert: apple pie LARABAR

 

I absolutely love that some flavors of LARABARs are paleo-friendly! (Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure as some contain peanuts) These are the perfect fix for a sweet tooth, sugar craving, or if you just want to top the day off with a tasty dessert.

The Best & The Worst

The Worst Parts
Saying "NO" - The worst part of the challenge so far is definitely saying "no" to my friends when they ask if I want to go out with them. Today is St. Patrick's day, many people have returned from spring break, and I am just relaxing with the pups! Don't get me wrong, I really need to relax my body today after some tough workouts earlier this week and prepare for the second round of 14.3 tomorrow!

The Best Parts
No cravings - I have not craved anything all week. I can't believe it. I have also noticed a huge change in my taste buds. The green tea tasted like liquid sugar and I immediately spit it out it was so gross. The sugary, creamy, flavored coffee I used to drink has changed to straight black coffee, and I enjoy it.

It all feels natural - When I first began the challenge I always thought that I was eating healthy because I had to. Now I want to eat a bowl of fresh fruit or snack on veggies just like I used to want to snack on a bowl of pretzels. Now I don't have to think about eating this way, it just happens.


Now go check out Carling's post of the challenge and see how she's doing!

Question of the Day

Have you ever tried the Whole 30 Challenge? How did you feel while on the challenge?

Avocado Ranch Dip & Dressing Recipe

Avocado Ranch Dip & Dressing

This recipe is absolutely delicious and paleo-friendly. It's the perfect dip for veggies and sweet potato fries and is amazing on salads. The following recipe makes the dip version so if you want to make it more of a salad dressing consistency add an extra 1/4 cup of water.

Ingredients

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup olive oil

1 avocado

1/2 c. water

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried dill

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. lemon or lime juice

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a blender, beat the egg yolk and olive oil on low speed.

2. Add in all other ingredients and mix until well blended.

3. Enjoy! Keep any leftovers in the fridge for your future dipping pleasure.

Whole 30 Challenge (Week 1)

I have officially been on the Whole 30 Challenge for over a week - 9 days to be exact!

Carling and I began this challenge "just because" and I'm so thankful for the experience so far. It's been such an eye opener reading nutrition labels (focusing on the ingredients), learning more about where food comes from, how to prepare it, and how it can properly fuel your body.

Meals Day 1 - 9 

Day 1 - rest day (I slept in late so breakfast and lunch were combined)
brunch: buffalo chicken lettuce boats topped with avocado; cherry tomatoes
dinner: steak; broccoli; sweet potato

Day 2 - rest day (slept in again, it was the weekend!)
brunch: 2 hard boiled eggs
dinner: steak; asparagus

Day 3
breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs
post workout: protein shake; handful of strawberries
lunch: sweet potato nachos (sweet potato chips topped with ground beef, guac & salsa); olives
dinner: chicken & veggie crockpot soup

During my workout this day I was really light headed and decided I needed to add more carbs to my breakfast.

Day 4
breakfast: banana
post workout: protein shake - click to see what protein I'm using during the challenge
lunch: turkey burger topped with guac; salad topped with tomatoes, mushrooms & olive oil
dinner: sweet potato topped with chicken & veggie crockpot soup

Day 5
breakfast: 1 hard boiled egg, banana
post workout: protein shake, 1/2 avocado
lunch: ground beef flavored with taco seasonings, guac & tomatoes; strawberries on the side
dinner: same as lunch but hot sauce was added; cauliflower, carrots, & cucumbers on the side

I found that day 4 or 5's breakfasts are key for feeling good and having enough energy throughout my entire workout.

Day 6 - Day of the CrossFit Open 14.2 Workout

breakfast: banana
late lunch: turkey burger topped with guac & tomato; sweet potato fries; sautéed mushrooms & peppers; berries
post workout: protein shake
dinner: chicken fajitas topped with guac & salsa

Day 7 - rest day
breakfast: banana
lunch: ground beef mixed with avocado, tomato and baby spinach
dinner: turkey burger topped with guac & tomato; spicy sweet potato fries; caulirice with mushrooms

This is when I started craving pretty much anything sugary, fatty, or greasy

Day 8
breakfast: banana
post workout: protein shake
lunch: ground beef stir fry (asparagus, onion, tomato, mushrooms, carrots); berries; avocado
dinner: kofta (a middle eastern meatball); tabouleh; chicken; olives & pickles; strawberries

This day was when the real challenge set in. I went to my cousin's birthday party and had to turn away some of my favorite foods. Shopping and cooking for myself at home allows me to control what kinds of food are available so it was a challenge having to pass up some of the delicious dips and desserts at the party.

Day 9
breakfast: banana
lunch: salad loaded with veggies topped with olive oil & vinegar; cafe americano coffee
snack: 1 square Ghirardelli 100% dark cocoa (disgusting!); spoonful of cashew butter
dinner: crockpot chicken & veggies; green beans

This was my first day ordering something from a coffee shop. I told the cashier about the Paleo diet and that I couldn't have anything with dairy or sugar in it. She was really cooperative, wasn't annoyed by my requests, and gave me a few different suggestions.

Today we also hit up some of the local health food stores. I was so shocked by the size of the organic sweet potatoes! They were huge! I bought 3 and they each weighed almost 2 pounds.

The Best & the Worst

The Worst Parts:
Cravings - At my cousin's party I really wanted to give in and have one bite of cake but I knew I would feel guilty afterwards and the satisfaction of finishing this challenge without cheating is going to feel so much more rewarding. But doesn't this cake look so good?

Explaining myself - (This can also be considered one of the best parts when people are actually interested and want to learn more about the challenge) While I love talking about healthy living, eating, and this challenge, I absolutely hate having to explain why I"m doing it. Some people think that the only reason you should change your eating habits are to either lose weight or because of allergies and don't understand why anyone would want to eat this way. It's hard convincing people this is a good change when they don't believe in giving up things like pasta and sweets.

Reading labels in the grocery store - Shopping takes so much longer when you actually stop and look at the ingredients in different products. However, it's easier when sugar is the first ingredient listed and you can just set the product back down on the shelf! Soon I will be able to just know what is paleo and what isn't and won't have to study the ingredients so much. (I was so shocked when I saw that the precooked frozen chicken I have been buying for awhile has sugar in it!)

The Best Parts:
All of the support I have - between Carling, Jon, family, and friends I have a ton of support. I am so grateful that the people I nanny for eat a paleo diet and always make sure that there are several meal options available for me.

How I feel - I ate healthy most of the time before the challenge but I definitely would have my days where I would scarf anything down without thinking. I can tell a difference in my sleep, my energy levels, and my performance during CrossFit.

Cooking - I have found a new love for cooking and creating new recipes. I purchased two paleo cookbooks today and am loving all of the recipes in them. The ones I have are Paleo Happy Hour and Make It Paleo.

On A Different Note

I have to share this picture of Ethel with you all. I was laying on the ground playing with her and as soon as I whipped out my phone to snap a picture of her, she turned her head. She absolutely hates the camera! She's such a precious girl though :)

Question of the Day

What's your favorite paleo meal?

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to stay up to date with all of my eats!

Whole 30 Challenge

I can't believe it's already March, can you? 

My good friend Carling and I have been looking into healthy eating a little bit more and I recently started nannying for a family that eats Paleo a majority of the time. I was telling her about it, we began researching, and we came across the Whole 30 Challenge.

Basically the Whole 30 Challenge is 30 days of eating super clean - how we are supposed to eat. 

The challenge is strictly meats, vegetables, some fruit, nuts and seeds. No sugars, grains, dairy, processed foods, or beans. We have found that some people who eat Paleo tend to paleo-fy their desserts and we both decided against that. If we think that after 30 days the Paleo lifestyle is for us, then maybe we will use some of the dessert recipes to satisfy our sweet tooth. Until then, we are strictly, 100% Paleo, even if our bread-loving, dessert-eating, boyfriends are not. 

Once a week we are both going to blog about some of our eats from the previous week. You can also follow us on Instagram if you want to see our food on a daily basis. 

My Instagram handle: danielle_abou

Carling's Instagram handle: carlingbarrett

Here's a look at yesterday's eats!

If you have any advice about how to cure our sweet tooth while on the challenge, want to share any delicious Paleo recipes, or have done the challenge before, please comment below and share with us!

You can also read Carling's post about the challenge here.

Question of the Day

Have you ever done the Whole 30 Challenge? What did you think?