So I am now two weeks into my great Whole30 Experiment! And I am happy to report I feel better than ever. I am enjoying the culinary challenge of coming up with new recipes although it can be challenging to plan every single meal. I’ve remedied this by spending a few hours cooking on Sunday. Yesterday I made these egg cups, 3lbs of almond chicken fingers, a roast beef, roasted beets and sweet potatoes, and cut and washed a ton of veggies. All that prep should make a weeks worth of meal a bit simpler.

This recipe is laughably simple. It makes for a great breakfast and can be eaten on the go. I made a big batch of these on Sunday and Craig and I just grab em in the morning. I’ve seen many variations of this recipe online. Mostly with either bacon or ham. Since I could not find ANY bacon OR ham at Whole Foods that did not have added sugar, honey or maple syrup, I had to get creative. Prosciutto is totally complaint, it’s salt cured with no scary additives. So I figured I’d give it a try.

This could not be more simple, grease your muffin tin with your fat of choice (I used olive oil) and then wrap each slice carefully to fill the tin, some folding may be necessary. Then crack and egg on top, season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and bake until set.

To reheat, just zap in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and eat. The salty prosciutto makes a nice compliment to the eggs and is very filling. I’ve been having two of these every morning and have been full till lunch.

Prosciutto Egg Cups

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Dara

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Whole30 Paleo

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• ½ lb thinly sliced prosciutto
• oil or cooking spray
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Grease muffin tin
3. Wrap each slice of prosciutto in the muffin tin
4. Crack an egg in each muffin
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until eggs are set
7. Cool and store for 3-4 days

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3.2.1230

So far the Whole30 Experiment is going great! Thank you all for your supportive comments and emails. I am happy to be a guinea pig for those toying with the idea of trying something like this for themselves.

I think what has made this experience relatively painless for me is that I’ve been cooking some really great new recipes that I’m super excited about. Since I’m new to this type of cooking and eating, being the good student that I am, I sought out some additional resources. I found The Clothes Make the Girl, completely fell in love with Melissa and her recipes, and then downloaded her paleo cookbook, Well Fed, almost immeditely. Go to Amazon and buy this right now. Her recipes are creative, unexpected, and suprisingly simple. Her book is a wealth of info about paleo eating as well as the logistics of embracing this lifestyle. I refer to it almost every day, she is basically my paleo Yoda.

The recipe I was most excited to try was the Bora Bora Fireballs. I know some friends who have raved about these addictive things and I was anxious to give them a shot. Since buying the book 2 weeks ago, I have made three batches of these suckers. Craig and I cannot get enough!

Basically these are pork meatballs made with pineapple and cocount. Do I have your attention yet? They are spicy, sweet, meaty and completely addictive. I’ve been making big batches and eating for lunch and dinner for days. This is seriously the most brilliant recipe ever and I am in awe of Melissa’s culinary skills.

Since this blog is really for the recipes I develop for myself, it doesn’t seem right to reprint her brilliant genius. Instead, head on over to her site to see the recipe for Bora Bora Fireballs. Go take a look, I’ll wait ……………..

Back? Ok great. So I’ve made these three times, and done some slight alterations. I don’t toast the coconut first, and I mix a bit of it in with the meat mixture. I’ve also added different types of fresh chilies and chili powder for added heat/depth. Since this is such a great make ahead paleo meal, I’ll probably make another batch next week and add something else. Seriously. Give these a try, you will never look back they are so good and so filling.

So the Whole30 Experiment is going pretty well so far. I am definitely feeling pretty great after a few days. No stomach aches, no headaches and I’ve been sleeping really well. I am excited to see how things progress. I am eating a lot of food and I feel super full and satiated. I don’t however, feel sluggish or bloated, which is awesome.

So for my first new recipe I wanted to share these amazing chicken fingers. I was actually compelled to start blogging about this experience because these were sooo damn good. I have made a lot of baked chicken fingers on this site – but these were my first grain free. Totally paleo, I used almond meal instead of breadcrumbs or flour and it turned out really well. The almond meal helped to create a thick crust around the chicken and the bit of (healthy) fat in the nuts made the chicken really moist. This was the closest “healthy” version I’ve ever made to true fried chicken fingers. I am so glad I made a double batch!

 The key to this recipe is the spice blend. I made two batches, switching up how I was spicing things and I think the final outcome is close to perfect. A blend of paprika, garlic, onion, with some pepper and a hint of cumin. These were delicious on their own as well as topped with some (sugar free) hot sauce.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Paleo Almond Chicken Fingers

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Author: Dara

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 tbsp paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Slice chicken breasts into long strips, 1-2″ wide
3. Mix together almond meal, paprika, garlic, cumin, cayenne, pepper, and salt
4. Dredge each piece of chicken in egg and then coat with almond spice mixture
5. Place in a cookie sheet greased with cooking spray
6. Repeat with all chicken pieces
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden
8. Serve!

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3.2.1230

So I have decided to embark on a Whole30 Challenge. This was originally suggested by the owner of my gym, who really believes in it as a way to eliminate some potentially irritating foods and eat in a really natural, healthy way. I think this is the perfect time to get started because I just spend a wonderful family weekend in Texas eating BBQ and cupcakes while drinking beer.

I started by reading the book, It Starts with Food, a few weeks ago when I was taking a break from blogging. I downloaded it onto my iPad and started to peruse. I got completely sucked in and finished it in two days. The book spends a lot of time on our unhealthy relationship with food. Many parts really rang true to me. The authors break down, step by step, how your body responds to various things you put in your mouth. This was particularly eye opening for me. They explain the role of macronutrients, hormones, how to control cravings, and the role your gut plays in overall health and wellness.

The Whole30 program is the groundwork for a 30 day elimination diet that is designed to help you break the cycle of cravings and help reprogram your brain about food. Many people have tried and had a great deal of physical and psychological benefits. I am not a doctor or a nutritionist, but the philosophy of {lean protein + produce + healthy fats = health} seems logical and safe. Plus, more than anything, I wanted to experiment with this eating style to see if my food choices are really making me feel lousy.

I anticipate that this is going to be really hard. We become so set in our ways over the years and my brain has had 30 years of food programming, so I’m curious to see how I feel once this gets going. In terms of meal planning, I am looking forward to the challenge of creating new recipes and trying out some new things. For one thing, the diet is pretty dependent on coconut based products (flakes, chips, oil, and milk), so I’m looking forward to the experimentation.

Here is a breakdown of the Rules:

• NO sugar
• NO grains
• NO legumes (including peanuts)
• NO dairy
• NO soy
• NO junk food
• NO cheating

Now you’re probably thinking: “Dara, are you insane?” Maybe. There are a lot of delicious things in this list, but there is a ton of bad stuff too. And most of these elements are eliminated, not because they are “bad” foods, but because they produce poor responses in your body, like inflamation, hormone shifts and GI disruption.

What I love about this plan is that you don’t have to carefully measure portion sizes or count calories just eat lots of lean protein, veggies, fruits and healthy fats. There are so many interesting meals and recipes I’ve found with just a bit of googleing. And I’ve been really overwhelmed by reading the testimonials of people who have completed this plan. This includes folks online as well as some of my friends, who I follow through Facebook, and people I know at my gym. The best part is that it lasts just 30 days and then I can slowly reintroduce things into my diet. I’m hoping that I will kick my sugar addiction and begin to learn how my body responds to food better.

So, for the next 30 days I’m only going to be cooking recipes that comply with the Whole30 guidelines. I am already loving the challenge. I plan to post two new recipes per week, maybe more if I go nuts in the kitchen.

I know it’s been a while since I posted. I have been taking a much needed break from blogging and social networking for a bit. My last post occured on Monday April 15th, which was the day of the Boston Marathon bombing. This event and the weeks that followed were pretty stressful here in Boston. I decided it was a good time to take a break and reflect on some things. I love blogging very much, but balancing my day job with these responsibilities has been extremely challenging and has made me neglect some other areas of my life.

So it seemed to be the right time to step away while I contemplate the future of this site and the future of my blogging endeavors. I don’t want to quit, but I need to find a way to make this all work harmoniously. I have a bunch of recipes ready to go and some fun ideas about new things to try. So, I am going to keep the site up and running and will be back in a few weeks with some new things to share.

Be Well,

Dara

Hello! I am very honored to be guest posting today for Kristina at Whipped. If you don’t know Kristina, I suggest getting to know her ASAP. She is a brilliant and creative cook who mixes lovely healthy recipes with yummy desserts. My favorites include Homemade Oreos, Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, Turkey Sloppy Joes, and Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Crostini.

When Kristina asked me to guest post, I agonized over what to contribute. I wanted something healthy and flavorful. I settled on my favorite superfood: quinoa. This Quinoa salad combined creamy roasted squash with tangy Thai flavors. It’s a great make ahead vegan meal that will give you plenty of leftovers.

So you should get to know Kristina and bookmark her site immediately. Make sure to hit her up on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +. And tell her I sent you.

I LOVE falafel. It is one of those foods I only have once in a while from a food truck or a take out restaurant and I always think to myself “I should make this at home.” After Craig and I grabbed falafel last weekend he persuaded me to make a healthier version. Challenge accepted!

Falafel is actually an incredibly simple vegan recipe. Just combine chickpeas with parsley, onions and a whole bunch of spices and cook. Traditionally, falafel is deep fried, but I decided to bake them instead. I baked and then broiled for a few minutes to get a crisp exterior.

There are many fabulous ways to eat falafel. I made some tasty falafel pitas one night and then used the leftovers to make a wonderful falafel salad.

1. Sandwich: In a whole wheat pita, add three falafel balls, 1 tbsp of hummus, sprouts and chopped tomatoes and cucumbers. Craig added some sriracha for spice too.
2. Salad: Mix greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, red onion, cilantro, sesame seeds and top with falafel balls and some sesame dressing.

The best part of this recipe is that each serving (3 balls) is ONLY 153 calories! This is such a quick recipe too – about 25-30 minutes and you have multiple servings to last you a few days.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Baked Falafel

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Dara

Recipe type: Takeout Makeover

Serves: 7

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of dry chickpeas, soaked or boiled (see note)
• ¼ cups chickpea water
• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
• ½ cup fresh parsley, washed and chopped
• zest and juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp baking powder
• olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree
3. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray
4. Carefully shape mixture into golf ball sized balls
5. Place on cookie sheet
6. Bake for 15 minutes
7. Turn on the broil and broil for 5 minutes to crisp
8. Serve

Notes

To prepare chickpeas: You can either soak the chickpeas over night or do a “quick soak” on the stove by bringing chickpeas + 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Turn heat off and let chickpeas soak in the covered pot for an hour.

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3.2.1230

So, a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win the most amazing giveaway. The lovely Katherine Martinelli was giving away a Magimiz by Robot-Coupe food processor to celebrate her 2 year Blogoversary. I was the lucky winner of this giveaway and I have been BLOWN AWAY by this food processor. It has a whole bunch of different blades for slicing, julienning and pureeing. In addition, I was lucky enough to get the juicer and smoothie attachments as well.

So, I’ve been having a blast experimenting with my new toy. I’ve done some soups, some baking and some slicing but I decided it was time to try a slaw! Let me tell you, this thing makes a hell of a slaw! WOW. I used a few different blades to slice, chop and julienne and it was so much fun.

Anyway, I was inspired to make a delicious slaw because I’ve been slacking a bit in the veggie department lately. I wanted something that would be bursting with healthy cruciferous vegetables. So I combined kale, red cabbage and broccoli with my favorite veggies, Brussels sprouts.  And the combination was fabulous.

I decided that this slaw needed a special dressing, so I created a delicious roasted garlic and rosemary vinagrette. I think you could dress this with a number of things, but roasted garlic adds a ton of flavor and is a great compliment to the crunch of the veggies.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Super Slaw

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Dara

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups of lactino (dinosaur) kale, washed, stems removed (approx 1 bunch)
• 2 cups red cabbage, washed
• 1 medium head of broccoli (approx 2-3 cups), washed
• 10-12 medium Brussels sprouts, stems removed and washed
• ¼ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 head of roasted garlic (approx 12 cloves)
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
• juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, washed
• OPTIONAL: 1 tsp honey

Instructions

1. In a large food processor, shred veggies – you can also slice finely
2. Toss veggies together in a large mixing bowl
3. Add garlic cloves (remove from head), oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and rosemary to a blender and pulse until combined
4. Serve salad tossed in 2 tbsp dressing and sprinkled with 1 tbsp pepitas

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3.2.1230

Anyway. Have you checked out my CARBS Pinterest Board yet? I am constantly updating it with lots of carby goodness. I also just started a BACON board, which is my current favorite. Check them out and follow me on Pinterest.

So my goal for March was to really amp it up on healthy recipes. Reviewing February, I started to slack a bit on keeping things on the lighter side. So March was healthy recipe time – but don’t worry, I did not neglect glorious carbs. See for yourself:

Pistachio Quinoa Pilaf with Harissa

 Skinny Carrot Cake Muffins

 Chicken Teriyaki Fried Rice

Red Lentil Cakes with Harissa

Here are some amazing carboliscious recipes from some of my wonderful food blogger friends:

Dara’s Top 10 Carbs of the Week:

1. Skinny Caramelized Banana French Toast by Kristina at Whipped
2. Homemade Pizza Pockets from Bree at Skinny Mommy
3. S’mores Cookie Bars from Chocolate, Chocolate and More
4. Samosa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes by Culinary Colleen
5. Banana Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Muffins by  Kate from Scratch
6. Cinnamon Baked Donuts from Lisa is Cooking
7. Linguine alla Bottarga from Red Shallot Kitchen
8. Green Tea Steamed Cakes by Nami at Just One Cookbook
9.  Carrot Rye Bread from Angie’s Recipes
10. Simple Roast Potatoes at Cravings of a Lunatic

 These people are all talented and wonderful food bloggers so stop by their sites and tell them I sent you. Also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Google + so you can keep up with all their brilliance.

Quinoa is one of those amazing healthy foods that I enjoy but nonetheless neglect when it comes to thinking up fun recipes. Lately, my grain experimentation has mainly included bulgur and farro, but I decided to fix that pronto. Quinoa is a seed, actually – not a grain, but you catch my drift…

Did you know?

• Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain and related to the spinach family. It has been grown for centuries in South America, where it was a staple of the Incan diet.
• Quinoa is a great source of both protein and fiber. It contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It is also an excellent source of magnesium, copper, calcium, phosphorous and zinc.
• Quinoa is easily digested and gluten-free.
• It is sold in three varieties, white, red, and black. They are all nutritionally identical, with red having slightly more fiber

Anyway, I wanted to throw together some quinoa with nuts to make a filling dish that could compliment some tasty fish I picked up at the store. I was contemplating how best to put this all together when I had a brainwaive: Harissa! Yes, my new favorite condiment would be the perfect way to kick up some healthy quinoa. In case you’ve missed it, I’ve been on a bit of a harissa kick lately thanks to my friends at Mina Harissa, who send some some amazing spicy harissa to sample. I’ve been adding it to everything lately – potatoes, scrambled eggs and last week I made Red Lentil Cakes as well.

I decided to give the dish some Persian/Moroccan flavors: Garlic, lemon, parsley, and a host of fun spices like ginger, cinnamon and cumin. The result was a spicy, complex and filling dish that works as both a side and a main course. Last night, I made this with some fish and tonight I’m eating the leftovers for dinner. I am contemplating adding a fried egg on top with an extra drizzle of harissa.

Want more tasty quinoa recipes? Try some of my favorites:

• Quinoa Minestrone
• Quinoa Caprese Salad
• Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf
• Squash and Quinoa Chili
• Quinoa Sweet Potato Cakes

Pistachio Quinoa Pilaf with Harissa

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Dara

Recipe type: Grains

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa (red or white)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cups of water or veggie broth
• 1-2 tbsp harissa (test for your spicy threshhold)
• ¼ cup parsley, washed and chopped
• ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
• juice and zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, saute onion, garlic and carrot in olive oil on medium heat for 4-5 minutes
2. Add quinoa and water
3. Cover and bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes
5. When water is absorbed, stir in remaining ingredients and serve warm or cold

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