Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I really love it when I come across a recipe that I have ALL the ingredients on hand to make, except one!  I mean, it's like mandatory that you make it!

This original recipe comes from Skinny Taste (which, by the way, I got her cookbook for Christmas and I'm sad to say I've not cooked ONE recipe from it yet!) and of course, I made a 'few' modifications but the whole idea comes from there!

And yes, it's Whole30 compliant (of course, I made this at the start of Week 2 and was still in the excitable mode!)  It will stay around for a repeat, trust me!

Here's how I did it:

1 lime, juiced (Costco)
1/4 red onion, finely chopped (Aldis)
1/2 tsp avocado oil (or olive oil) (Costco)
dash of salt (Costco) dash
black pepper to taste (Costco)
1/2 pound of cooked, peeled shrimp, cut in bite size pieces (8 ounces or thereabouts) (Whole Foods a while ago)
4 sangria tomatoes, chopped (Costco, these are like little tomatoes)
1 avocado, diced (Costco)
1/2 tbs cilantro, chopped (Publix)

The shrimp was frozen but not to worry, a quick rinse under running cold water 

defrosted these bad boys quickly!

In a small, non-reactive bowl, combine the lime juice, oil, red onions, salt and pepper and let that sit for at least 10 minutes to mellow out the onions (cool tip, dontcha think?)

My lime was pretty juicy so I had a lot of juice but all is well!

In a LARGE bowl, combine the shrimp, avocado and tomatoes. Add the smaller bowl of the onion mixture and combine. Gently stir in the cilantro.

That looks like a LOT of avocado, but again, all is well!

Serve up and enjoy!

Looking forward to sharing at some of these Great Parties ... go check them out!

*Affiliate links are part of this post ... check out my Affiliate Disclosure here!*

September 2016 Whole30

I should have labeled this post as Why I Am Doing a September Whole30 ... because that's really what this post is all about!

Why?

There's actually several reasons, and chances are, if you are here on this little ole blog, you are probably considering doing one yourself, or maybe you are in the midst of a round and just came for some recipes ...

Everyone does the program for different reasons. Some, to lose weight. Others, to figure out what the heck triggers certain things in their body. And yet, others, they do it, just because everyone else around them is doing it.

Whatever your reason may be, let's all just come to agreement on ONE thing. Just one thing!

It's HARD!

Yes, I don't care what ANYONE tells you ... it's stinkin hard. It's particularly more difficult when you are the only one in your household who is doing the program ...

Why is it hard? Well, for starters, you skip out on all sugars (surprise, that is in like 90% of prepared foods), ditch the grains (yup, bye bye corn), legumes (no more black beans OR rice) and that dairy stuff is out the door too (pizza? not happening!). And don't even think about happy hour ... so long beer and margaritas, and wine, and bourbon, vodka, rum ... so at the end of the day, you ask yourself, just what the hell can you eat then?

Veggies. Proteins. Fruits. LaCroix Sparkling Water ...

REAL FOOD

Which sadly, a lot of us have forgotten what that really is, and how it really taste!

I've had a few attempts/false starts/fake endings trying to do this in the past. This time, however, I'm confident that I can do a Whole30 for the duration!  Because, you know what, I'm tired of feeling like crap and I know, for the most part, it's food related.  I eat fairly healthy 80% of the time. That other 20% though? Not so much (I love beer, booze, chips, dip, pizza, etc.) and I can certainly tell when I've eaten certain things!  I also believe that the inflammation I have in my hand and wrist is starting to spread to the knees, feet and shoulders/neck area and that has me concerned as there are days where it's hard to use my hands for much more than a cupped palm. Not exactly how I want to be feeling at 52 years of age!

So ... here you go, my REAL reasons I'm doing this ...

1.  Hopefully tame down the inflammation/swelling I'm dealing with lately. I do know when I've consumed a lot of alcohol, I generally have a pretty severe flare up within 24 hours ...

2.  Let's be honest, it would be nice to lose a little of the fluffiness/muffintop stuff going on ... so yeah, to lose a few pounds if possible

3.  To maybe re-evaluate my habits and deal with stress a little better. I'm the one that grabs a beer within minutes of changing clothes after work. A beer or two wouldn't be so very bad but usually, it's 3 or 4 which is not so very good which either ends with a plate of nachos or no dinner at all

4.  To ignite a little more excitement in food and cooking. Honestly, the Whole30 does take a lot of time in the kitchen with prep work BUT I'm ok with that (so I say at this very minute!) and I love that something so simple taste so good after your mind gets over the fact that it's not salty/sweet/bad for you!

5.  Sinus issues. Probably too much information and actually, may have something to do with the so-called suspect lupus diagnosis that I scoffed at years ago.  See, my nose is constantly wet. NOT MOIST, but actually wet and then I get these raw spots that burn ... and sometimes I think it smells funky. Hubby says it doesn't and I've asked several close friends to be frank with me as well. They all say no but I smell it and it drives me batty. Could be anything but I do know that it seems to flare up at times for unknown reasons. Food/Booze related? Potentially ... and I want to find out!

6.  Attitude adjustment. I'm sure if I feel better physically, look a little better as well (thanks to the fluffy stuff going bye bye) I'll have a better attitude. You think?

7.  To see if it really does do anything more for my skin and hair. I've got great skin and hair, but just really dry. Probably because I don't drink anywhere near enough water during the day, which I'm well aware of but I've found when I'm eating healthier (aka Whole30 style) I do drink more water because I'm making such conscious decisions all around!

So, there you have it!  Absolutely starting September 5th which is kind of cool in that I can at least have Saturday and Sunday for Labor Day ... but I am also slowly moving in to the mindset this week (August 29th) so that come that Monday morning, it won't be such a shock.

Are you doing a September Whole30?

Perfect Grilled Asparagus

For years, and years, like every other veggie out there, I wouldn't go near asparagus ... that's like, a tree stalk, right?  It's right up there with the green tree shrubs (broccoli) and that funky white stuff (cauliflower)!

And then, I tried these little skinny stalks with garlic and olive oil and since then, I've been addicted to asparagus ... I'm the one in the produce section tossing the fat things aside, looking for the wimpy, skinny things.

Yup. That's ME!! Hi! Sorry if I held you up!  If nothing else, Whole30 has made me branch out and try all kinds of different veggies ... that in itself is a NSV, you know?

So a few weeks ago, Aldi's had asparagus. Imagine that!? $2.99 for a one pound bag. Now, mind you've I've seen asparagus there before, but it was either, you guessed it, fat and woody OR the tips were all mush which is a no-no in the asparagus world.

So whenever, I see them model thin stalks, I scoop them up, run home and promptly start cooking ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE these things!

I used to make them this easy way: asparagus, chopped garlic, diced onion, olive oil, salt & pepper mixture ... but then ... I discovered this:

Trader Joe's Lemon Infused Olive Oil  ... uhm ... HELLO!!??

So now, I just skip all that happy chop chop chop stuff and get straight down to this technique:

Snap and rinse your asparagus, toss the tops in a large bowl.

Drizzle with generous pour of that there Lemon Infused Garlic Oil

Liberally season with your salt & pepper mixture (ours is salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder poured in to an OLD Badia spice bottle ... we live by this stuff)

With clean hands, fluff and mix to coat all the asparagus.

Fire up your grill and allow to heat on high. Reduce the heat to medium (make sure no flames are hitting the grates) and clean. Put a grill mat down (if you don't have one, you NEED one ... this is what they look like and I really need to do a review on these! I picked this up at Bed Bath & Beyond for like $10 or so but like the link better as there's 3 and they seem to be larger than what I have)

Toss on your asparagus (I did two batches as I made 2 pounds), spread them out a little and close the lid. After a few minutes, check on them, giving them a little toss with your tongs ... keep an eye on them as they will get charry really fast ...

I love, love, love these little things and this is such an easy recipe to make! Go ahead, give it a try!

Enjoy!

Looking forward to sharing with some of these GREAT Parties ... go check them out!

*This post may contain affiliate links ... click here to read my disclosure :-)

Lemon Basil Riced Cauliflower

Have you had the pure joy of seeing one of these bags at Trader Joe's yet??

That there bag is pure heaven for a mere $1.99 each ... and when you see them, you better be snatching up more than just one or two as they go F A S T when they have them in stock!

Luckily, I just nabbed another 5 bags this past week ... I could have been "that person" and took all 12 that were in the box but I know how frustrated I've been when I keep missing the re-stocking so I figured I'd play nice and leave some for the next person!

Now, I'll admit, I had 1 bag left in the freezer and I was holding out ... I broke down and bought a whole head of cauliflower and "riced" it myself by running the florets in the food processor for a few minutes til the texture is right ... it just was not the same, not to mention, tiny pieces of cauliflower were found all over the kitchen and it was just plain annoying!

So ... I grabbed a bag the other morning for breakfast and made this awesome recipe!

1 bag of riced cauliflower
zest of 1 lemon
juice of a half of a lemon
fresh basil, sliced in to ribbons (tip: use scissors to cut the leaves quickly)

Toss the bag of riced cauliflower in a non-stick skillet (I use a green pan and it works great) on medium heat.

Once the rice is heated (no longer frozen) and liquid (if any) is gone, add the zest to the rice and give a quick fluff. Squeeze the juice over the rice and dish up!  Garnish with the basil strips.

This makes 4 servings for me and I just store in the fridge and reheat in the skillet with whatever protein I'm having at that meal!

Enjoy!

Looking forward to sharing with some of these GREAT Parties ... go check them out!

*This post may contain affiliate links ... click here to read my disclosure :-)

Chicken and Broccoli

I'm getting excited for September 5th! 

I made this a few months ago when I wasn't even thinking about Whole30 ... and it was so dang good that even Hubby was asking me to make it again, soon!

Hmmm ... maybe I can bring him along in September for the full ride?

Uhm, well, maybe not ... but hey ... it's worth a try. In the meantime, this is one dish that all of us will be eating when I make it!

2 pounds of chicken thighs, cut in to bite size pieces (ALDI)
1 large head of broccoli, cut in to bite size pieces (ALDI, I used 4 small heads)
3 tbs sesame oil (forever in the pantry)
2 tbs ginger ... I'm not a fan but I used this stuff (Publix b1g1f)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2/3 c coconut aminos (soy sauce alternative to avoid soy, grains, etc.) (Whole Foods!)
1 tbs arrowroot powder (or corn starch) to thicken (Amazon)
Riced cauliflower (Trader Joes!) or zucchini noodles, if desired

See, not a whole lot of stuff ;-)  AND ... it only took 30 minutes of cooking time so get chopping in the morning before you head out to work!

Let's hop to it!

Heat up a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, ginger, coconut aminos, salt, garlic powder and them pepper flakes.  Add the chicken in and give a quick shake to coat a bit. Cook til chicken is about half cooked through.*

Add the broccoli, shake the pan a bit, turn up the heat and put a lid on the pan. I used a lid that sat just inside the pan as I didn't want it 100% covered.  Lift lid and give a stir every few minutes to get the broccoli coated a bit.

Once the broccoli has started to get soft, if desired, add a sprinkle of arrowroot powder over the mixture and stir with a large spoon. This will help it thicken a little.

Serve over zucchini noodles OR riced cauliflower.

I always make it a point to pack up my lunch for the next day immediately when something is this tasty! Otherwise it could all be gone which would make me very sad the next morning!

Enjoy!

Looking forward to sharing with some of these GREAT Parties ... go check them out!

*This post may contain affiliate links ... click here to read my disclosure :-)

*So for the record: I followed the original recipe from the start and was sorry as soon as I added the chicken in. The chicken NEEDS to cook first other wise you will have raw chicken on top of quickly dying broccoli. I ended up scooping the sad broccoli out in to a bowl while the chicken cooked, adding it back at the end with more raw broccoli so I wouldn't have sad broccoli throughout.

Ranch Dressing

I have made this recipe at 7:45 in the morning right before heading out to work ... 

Yes, by 8:00am, I was out the door ... and it was the BEST batch I've made yet (must have been from the free pouring of the herbs and spices?)

This a super yummy Ranch Dressing ... 

And easy easy EASY to make!!

This recipe is totally from Whole Sisters and I give them FULL credit ... this is just me saying I made it, I loved it and I want to share it with the world!! Give the girls a drive by and check out their site, it's chock-full of good stuff!

Here's how I made it

egg, room temperature
1 tbs lemon juice, room temperature
1 cup olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
handful of parsley, leaves pulled off and stems discarded
dash of dried dill

Grab yourself a tall jar and make sure your immersion blender fits in the top ;-) I speak from experience! Place everything in jar, insert your immersion blender and let it rip. Make sure you go up and down to pull the parsley in to the blades. Once everything is combined and creamy, give a taste, say "yummm, real ranch" and cap that bad boy and place in the fridge. 

I just poured some in a small jar to take to work with me for that salad that salad I made earlier ... I am looking forward to using it to dip my chicken in this evening at dinner time as well ... 

Go ahead, make it and you will NOT be disappointed! 

Looking forward to sharing with some of these GREAT Parties ... go check them out!

*This post contains affiliate links ... click here to read my disclosure :-)

Shrimp with Cucumbers and Mango

This is a really yummy dish that I love to make on a Sunday and take to work on Monday!  It makes me excited for lunchtime!

1/2 pound of cooked shrimp, peeled and those pesky tails removed! I prefer to cut in half or 1/3 to make smaller bite size (Aldi)
1/2 cup of cucumbers, seeds scraped out if really watery and chopped (Aldi)
1/2 mango, chopped (Aldi)
1/4 cup of canned pineapple, drained, and chopped (Aldi) *Make sure it's packed in it's own juice and not syrup! Or you can use fresh, of course!
1/4 of a red pepper, diced (Walmart)
1/4 of a small rd onion, diced (Aldi)
1/2 smallish jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, diced (Whole Foods)
1/4 cup of parsley leaves, chopped (I used the little containers of the dried stuff) (Publix)
3 tbs olive oil (Trader Joes)
juice from 1 limes (Trader Joes)
1 tsp dijon mustard (Publix)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (Aldi)
salt and pepper to taste

Ready to get this going?? Let's go!

Place shrimp, cucumbers, mango, pineapple, red pepper, onion, jalapeno and parsley in larger bowl.

In a separate smaller bowl, mix all the other ingredients, whisking to incorporate well.

Pour the liquid over the shrimp mixture, cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to allow everyone to do a meet and greet and get friendly with each other.

I was so dang excited for lunch again ... 

Serve cold and enjoy!!

Looking forward to sharing with some of these GREAT Parties ... go check them out!

*This post may contain affiliate links ... click here to read my disclosure :-)