Creamy Roasted Winter Squash + Kale Soup

I really love simple, one dish meals. The ease, the simplicity of flavors, and the ability to prepare a large pot of something delicious over the weekend then enjoy it all week. This soup was inspired by one that my mother makes which contains milk and great northern beans. Substitute a little coconut cream and roasted winter squash, and you have a paleo and vegan-friendly fall soup that is equally as good for breakfast as it is for dinner. The healthy fat from the coconut and the good carbohydrates from the squash and sweet potato make this soup incredibly filling. 

The first  time I made it I left out the meat, and we ate it for breakfast  for a change from our usual egg + vegetable scrambles. I made it again yesterday and added some shredded chicken for us to have for dinner, and it was just as delicious and filling.

You will need:

bacon grease (or olive or coconut oil if veg/vegan)

one medium yellow onion

one tsp minced garlic

one small delica squash

one small carnival squash

one or two small organic sweet potatoes

--- note: the roasted vegetables added up to about 3-4 cups total ---

one large bunch of organic kale or about 3/4 a bag of kale, washed & chopped

32 ounces (1 box) of organic vegetable broth

4 cups of water

salt + pepper to taste

one can full fat coconut milk or coconut cream

Preheat oven to 375. Saute your onion and garlic in the bacon grease or olive/coconut oil until fragrant and translucent. While onions are cooking, dice squash and sweet potatoes, toss with olive oil and roast for about 35 minutes on 375. Add in chopped kale and saute until slightly wilted. Add in vegetable broth and simmer on low. When squash and potatoes are finished, add into the pot with enough water to cover, as desired. I added the water one cup at a time until it was a thick soup consistency. You may want more or less. Let the soup simmer on low for about 10 minutes, then add in shredded chicken, if using, and one can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream. Simmer for 10 minutes until flavors are combined. Serve with a dollop of coconut cream.

xoxo

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Roasted Winter Squash + Onions*

*Alternative titles include The Easiest Recipe Ever and My New Favorite Side Dish for Every Meal, Including Breakfast

I've been trying really hard lately to increase my vegetable intake, which for me pretty much means adding something green to breakfast. Lunch and dinner are pretty easy to get the veggies in since we usually do salads or soup for lunch and meat + veggies or a one pot dish for dinner. So, on my last trip to the farmer's market I picked up a couple winter squash on sale with the intention of doing something with them for breakfast. Then, the weekend got busier than expected, the tiny being in our lives required more attention than usual & I ran out of time for food prep. BUT, the result was pretty stellar. 

You will need:

one medium acorn squash

one small to medium delica (kabocha) squash

1/2 or so red onion

olive oil

salt + pepper + garlic

How to:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the squash and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds, then cut into chunks or quarters or slices, whatever suits your fancy! Cut your red onion in to triangle size chunks. Add all vegetables to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil (about 2T). Toss, then sprinkle with salt + pepper + garlic.

(I don't measure these things, sorry! But really who has time to measure when your six month old is barreling head first through the living room in pursuit of everything that is not a toy and immediately putting said items into his mouth?!)

Roast for about 25 minutes or until the squash is tender. Cool for 15 minutes and eat! Or place in the fridge and reheat in a toaster oven or on the stove as a quick and delicious side for any meal.

These were just the ones that I found at the market, but you could use any winter squash - acorn, delicata, autumn cup, butternut. The flavors are great, and the squash is super filling. Win, win!

xoxo

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September Whole30 Meal Plan // Week 4

Week four!

How are you feeling? I'm going to be totally honest here and tell you that I ended my Whole30 early*. I didn't cheat, slip up, or break the rules, either. I made a conscious, adult decision to eat some chicken and potatoes that had been cooked in peanut oil and some vegetable soup that contained corn. The decisions I made aren't that terrible, but they will definitely require me to restart my Whole30. 

Nonetheless, we are still following the meal plans since we eat 99% paleo anyway!

You can find the meal plan here and the shopping list here.

Happy Whole30.

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos 

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*In an effort to prevent any hateful comments, I made this decision because I was totally overwhelmed, my husband was out of town, my poor child was teething and tired, and I had absolutely zero meal prep done. I also had no time to do any meal prep, so I ate what I had access to. Sometimes something just has to give, know what I mean?

September Whole30 Meal Plan // Week 3

Y'all, it's been a long week. Somehow last week carried over into this week, and come Friday I was done. And I mean DONE. My husband was out of town for a week and got home late last Saturday, so needless to say, I was stressed. Then I worked all week, had little to no time for meal prep, stressed over my teething babe, planned 898714 side projects and blog posts, and slept very little. But! There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's Saturday evening. I got all my errands taken care of yesterday and today. I am sitting on our new-to-us and comfortable-as-heaven couch and breathing in the spicy smell of Thieves oil diffusing into our living room and the relaxing scent of Stress Away on my wrists and neck. The Georgia game is on and my man is beside me. #ThankGodfor finally having some down time (and ignoring the 898713 other things on my todo list). 

But that's not what you came here for. You came here for meal plans, and you can find the meal plan for week three here and the shopping list here. Also, important note: the butternut squash soup from last week is AMAZING when topped with a little coconut milk/cream. Just sayin.

Happy Whole30ing

xoxo

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September Whole30 Meal Plan // Week 2

Week one: done!

 In my opinion, week one is the hardest. I'm not sure about you but I battled a headache the majority of the week and had some pretty good dark chocolate cravings at night. Just goes to show how powerful sugar can be! I ended up eating most of my meals off the plan that I posted because I had absolutely no time for meal prep this week. More on what to do when that happens coming in a post soon!

You can find next week's meal plan here and the shopping list here.

Also, find week one's meal plan information here.

Happy Whole30 Week 2!

xoxo

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Four Healthy Habits

I have read repeatedly that research shows that it takes at least thirty days of consistently doing something to create a new habit. Since we are at the the beginning of another Whole30, I decided that now would be a great time to make a few new habits. We have been doing the following things on and off for quite a long time, but I am really wanting to make them a routine. So, why not start now?

1 - Oil pulling

This is a practice I've been doing a few times a week and would like to make part of my daily routine. Oil pulling is great for oral health. It whitens teeth and helps to get rid of bacteria in the mouth. (Look mom, no cavities!) Just place about 1 tablespoonful of organic extra virgin coconut oil  in your mouth and swish around for fifteen minutes. I do this while I put on my makeup and get dressed. Then spit out in the trash can and brush your teeth as normal!

{Side note: I am also going to try my hand at making toothpaste soon, with a special ingredient!}

2 - Daily stretching and foam rolling

My body takes quite a beating on a daily basis, from carrying around my chunky monkey babe to standing/walking/bending all day at work to working out. It's important to stretch those muscles and work out any tension or tender spots. This guy has some great exercises.

3 - Ending the day with a book or scripture, not my phone:

There are many reasons that I want to make this new habit, but one of them is the interaction between the brightness of your room and your cortisol levels. The more lights, the higher your cortisol, the less easily you will fall asleep, the more insulin resistant you can become... It's a bad cycle. Also, reading before bed has been shown to improve brain function and slow degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. And finally, I want to start and end my day with the one and only thing that truly matters -- Jesus.

4 - Weekly (or more!) meditation:

Ideally I would like to find time to meditate daily, but with a five month old, a full time job and a household, that's just not practical. And instead of setting myself up with an unattainable goal, I'm starting with once a week. I'll probably find a few quite moments on Saturday or Sunday afternoon to meditate. If you have no idea how to get started with meditation (hand raised!), this site is a good place to start.

Do you have any practices that you want to make into habits?

xoxo

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September Whole30 Meal Plan // Week 1

{via}

Husband and I are starting another Whole30 on Monday, and I am honestly pretty excited. I am spending the long weekend looking at some new recipes, making meal plans and shopping lists (for you!), and drinking heavenly coffee with grass-fed heavy cream. Ha! 

A few changes from last time...

--> No more smoothies in the plan or during my Whole30. After reading this article and doing some research that sent me into a pretty substantial rabbit hole, I've broken up with my blender and removed smoothies from my diet. The bottom line from my research is this: no matter what you put in your smoothie or how green it may be, it's a direct sugar surge to your body. And sending a mainline of sugar to my liver first thing in the morning is most definitely not how I want to start my day. I still have the occasional post-workout smoothie (clean protein powder, almond milk, cocoa powder, avocado, ice cubes) and very  very seldom will use a smoothie as a meal replacement. (If you're interested, you can find some of my research on the subject here.)

--> I've long since changed my thinking regarding 'breakfast, lunch and dinner' and am completely on board with eating soup, chicken salad, or leftovers first thing in the morning and calling it breakfast. However, I think for people transitioning from a SAD or for those new to paleo, it is helpful to think of food in the terms of 'first, second and third meal' of the day.

--> We are tinkering with the ideas of cyclic low-carb diet and carb back-loading in hopes of improving athletic performance (especially me -- my cardiovascular endurance is pretty shot after having a babe). That being said, if that isn't your goal you can add in some fruits with your meals -- an apple with breakfast, refrigerated canned coconut milk + half a banana + a sprinkle of cinnamon. Just be sure you aren't using fruit as a substitute for dessert or to satisfy a craving for sweets.

 So... here is the meal plan for week one and the shopping list. I don't stick to this completely, meaning that I might eat leftover stew for breakfast and eggs for dinner, but this is the gist of what we are eating this week. If you want to prep on the weekends like we do, put the stew in the slow cooker, bake chicken in the oven for salads, make the coconut soup, and brown the ground meat for spaghetti. While that is cooking, chop up all your veggies for snacks and salads. We store veggie sticks in mason jars in the fridge and prepare our lunch salads in individual containers with the exception of the protein and dressing.

Happy Whole 30!

xoxo

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Whole30 Prep Work: Recipe Testing

{Baby E likes talking about vegetables and the benefits of eating a rainbow.}

I am gearing up for my next Whole30, starting in September, so the next couple weeks I plan to try out some new recipes in hopes of breaking up the mundane and finding some simple, busy-schedule-friendly ideas. I will post the meal plan next week or so if you want to follow along and complete the challenge with me! {You can find the meal plan for the last Whole30 here.}

I have been feeling pretty tired and rundown and just generally 'bleh' lately, so I decided that another Whole30 was in order. {And yes, 'bleh' is a perfectly acceptable medical  term.} For me, this means cutting out the following things:

-- Heavy cream in my coffee 

-- My nightly square of dark chocolate

-- Corn chips on the weekend

-- Red wine on the weekend

I think the dairy, grass-fed though it is, is making me congested and potentially causing some bell bloating. The corn chips, which are my vice, completely blow my low-carb diet out the window, so I think it's time to remove them, and giving up chocolate/sugar and wine for a month is definitely a good thing. 

All that being said, I'm trying out some new recipes over then next couple weeks. With a full time job and five month old taking over my life, I need to find some simple, easy to prepare recipes that I can make ahead of time. For me the key to success is preparation. Here are a few recipes on my list:

Dairy-free Pizza Quiche - The Spunky Coconut

This would be good for breakfast or lunch or even dinner paired with a mixed green salad!

Homemade Almond Milk - Against All Grain
This is something I've been meaning to try for a while, so now seems like the perfect time. I will be drinking my coffee black during my Whole30, but sometimes a little almond milk is a nice addition.

Chicken Pesto Meatballs + Marinara - The Clothes Make the Girl
I'm a big fan of zucchini noodles, and with all the fresh basil in our garden, I really want to try a paleo pesto, so this recipe sounds right up my alley.

Shirred Eggs - Against All Grain
I'm always looking for ways to spice up my regular breakfast of scrambled eggs and chicken sausage, and this recipe sounds like a winner.


Check back late next week for the first week's meal plan.
xoxo

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Paleo Basics // Kitchen Sink Beef Stew

Life has been pretty hectic lately, so my slow cooker has been working overtime. If I do nothing else, each weekend I at least roast a whole chicken in the oven and put a beef stew in the slow cooker. This guarantees us lunch and dinner for at least two days with a minimal amount of effort on my part. (Therefore leaving me with a little more energy to devote to baby wrangling.) 

When it comes to the beef stew, I basically just throw in whatever is on hand: a lovely grass-fed roast, aromatics like onion and/or garlic, hearty vegetables like butternut squash or sweet potatoes, lighter vegetables such as bell pepper, summer squash or zucchini, roasted eggplant, and fresh tomatoes and spinach, and lots of fresh herbs. There honestly isn't much of a science to it, which is also the beauty of it! This is a recipe you can really only mess up by cooking the roast too long. So, a word to the wise, don't overcook. Grass-fed beef takes about thirty percent less time to cook than its conventional counterpart. Also, if you choose a tougher cut of meat, as we often do since feeding a family can get pricey, make sure to marinate your meat in acid (vinegar, red wine) and cook it slowly - on low!

Kitchen sink beef stew (variation no. 1):

2-3lb grass fed roast or London broil*

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small sweet onion OR about 1/2 package frozen diced onions

2 cups homemade beef or chicken stock

1 package cubed butternut squash (one of my Trader Joe's favorites!)

about 1/2 cup bell peppers (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup roasted eggplant (or raw!)

2-3 medium fresh organic tomatoes OR 1 large can organic diced tomatoes 

lots of fresh oregano and thyme

salt & pepper

Rinse your meat and pat dry with a paper towel. Season well with salt, pepper and a bit of granulated garlic and/or onion for good measure. Set aside. Place your onions and minced garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, and pour in your stock. Then layer in your hearty vegetables, butternut squash, red potatoes or sweet potatoes. Place your roast on top of the vegetables and add in the bell peppers, eggplant and fresh tomatoes. Top the entire pot with diced fresh herbs, about 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme and 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano. Cook on LOW for about 4 to 4&1/2** hours. After four hours, remove the roast and shred it with two forks. (Place one fork in the center of the roast and hold it with your non-dominant hand, then use your dominant hand to shred with the other fork.) If the roast is not done to your liking, cook for 30 more minutes. Give the stew a good stir and serve as desired. We like ours with cauliflower 'rice' or just by itself!

Other variations we enjoy include:

butternut squash + roasted eggplant + bell pepper + tomato + kalamata olive

sweet potato + zucchini + bell pepper + tomato + cilantro + lime

red potato + roasted eggplant + tomato + thyme + kale (add in for the last 15 minutes)

butternut squash + cauliflower + curry powder + spinach (add in for the last 15 minutes)

Honestly, you can really throw in whatever fresh or frozen vegetables your have. Frozen diced onions are an easy time-saver for this and many other recipes. Also, I buy organic sweet bell peppers in bulk during peak season, and slice and freeze them for later use. Just remember to layer your stew as follows: aromatics (onions, garlic), then stock, then hearty vegetables (potatoes, butternut squash), then your meat, then lighter vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, summer squash), then top with fresh herbs.

*For more cost-effective cuts of meat, marinate for 12-48 hours in an acidic mixture. I like 1 cup red wine, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos OR 1  tablespoon aminos and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tsp each of dijon mustard and minced garlic. Marinate overnight for best results.

xoxo

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**I know that sounds like a small amount of time, but trust me. I've eaten one too many overcooked grass fed roasts in my day, and four hours will most likely be sufficient. 

Paleo Basics // The Ultimate Burger

A really good hamburger is not only totally satisfying, it's incredibly simple to make paleo. Nutrient dense toppings such as a fried egg, grilled portabella mushroom cap, and avocado slices more than account for the lack of bun. Also, you needn't forgo any summer barbecues just because of your diet. It's one of our favorite, simple meals, and with summer just beginning, there are a lot of ultimate burgers in our future.

To make 3 large burgers (or 4 smaller ones) you will need:

1lb grass-fed ground beef

about 3/4 tsp liquid smoke

a few healthy shakes of Worcestershire sauce (this has molasses in it. omit if you want.)

a generous few shakes of steak seasoning (look out for sugar and seed oils)

1 small red or yellow onion, whole

1 portabella mushroom cap per burger

Toppings:

1 farm fresh egg per burger

avocado slices

fresh tomato slices

organic spring mix or other lettuce

organic pickles (read ingredients!)

organic ketchup, mayo, Dijon mustard (read ingredients!)

How to:

Marinate your ground beef in the steak seasoning, Worcestershire and liquid smoke for a few hours before grilling. Patty out into three or four burgers and grill until desired cook is achieved {we go for medium/medium well}. Cut the ends off your onion and place it in a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, then close the foil around the onion and place it on the grill for 10-15 minutes. Wash the mushroom caps and brush with olive oil, then place those on the grill as well. Grill the mushrooms for about 3 minutes per side. While the meat and veggie are grilling, fry the eggs for each burger and slice the other toppings.

We like to eat our burgers with crispy sweet potato fries. This recipe is a good one, with or without the rosemary. Also, if you're just really craving a traditional hamburger with a bun, this recipe is a great option.

Happy grilling.
xoxo

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Paleo Basics // Sauces, Dressings & Marinades

Sauces, dressings and marinades are one of the tricky things to navigate when it comes to eating paleo as most packaged sauces contain sugar and/or seed oils. The best solution, of course, is to make all sauces and dressings yourself, but sometimes that can be overwhelming. So here are some of my favorite paleo sauces that don't have any hidden ingredients.

Tessame's:  

These dressings/marinades hit it out of the park. I'm partial to the Zesty Ranch and the Lemon Garlic. They also make a paleo-friendly ketchup!

Coconut Aminos:
A substitute for soy sauce, I use this for marinating meats, in stir fry dishes, as an addition to homemade salad dressings, and to season sauteed vegetables. Use as you would soy sauce!

Toasted Sesame Oil:

I like to add a splash of this to our chicken to give it a bit more flavor. I also use it in stir fry or the sesame orange chicken recipe from this book, which is amazing!

Salsa Verde:

Add this to slow cooker chicken tacos, put it on eggs or atop a taco salad. It is especially good when combined with homemade guacamole - no salad dressing needed!

Good quality balsamic vinegar:

I add this to grass-fed beef marinades and slow cooker roasts, salad dressings, and splash over sauteed Brussels sprouts and oven roasted butternut squash with cranberries.

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We do use a couple sauces that aren't strict paleo because they contain sugar. We are okay with this since we use these items sparingly and avoid them completely during a Whole30. 

Sweet Ginger Chili Sauce:
This one isn't strict paleo because it contains sugar, but it is delicious nonetheless. A bit spicy, a bit sweet, a bit gingery, it's great over grass-fed burgers and in stir fry. 

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire:

Another item that contains sugar/molasses, we use the lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce mostly for marinating steaks and sometimes for grilled chicken. 

As a general rule, we make most of our dressings and marinades from simple but flavorful ingredients like olive oil, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, raspberry champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon or lime juice, and spices. Sometimes we add honey or maple syrup, which we are okay with, but you choose for yourself. That being said, it's nice to be have things in the pantry that are paleo-friendly when you just don't have time to make your own!

xoxo

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Paleo Basics // Grilled Salmon + Sauteed Vegetables

I am including this recipe in the Paleo Basics series because this recipe is easily adapted to whatever you have in your refrigerator. The key is simple seasonings that provide lots of flavor. This dish easily becomes grilled chicken with sauteed onions, zucchini and bell pepper. Or how about flank steak with sauteed shredded Brussels sprouts and cabbage? You get the idea! 

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Lately I have been making a concentrated effort to eat more fish. Ever since I was a child I've been less than a fan of seafood. It's that distinct fishy taste that I just can't get down with. That being said, when we vacationed in Panama last year, I ate fresh tuna steaks every night and absolutely loved it. So far we've grilled tuna steaks from the farmer's market, wild caught turbot from Whole Foods, and now wild salmon from Trader Joe's. {You can find some of my favorite paleo TJ items here!}

Grilled Salmon Fillet + Sauteed Vegetables

For the fish:

2 salmon fillets (preferably wild caught)

Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute

Olive oil

Lemon

For the vegetables:

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced in half

1/2 package organic grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 package organic spinach

1 tbl spoon ghee or grass-fed butter

olive oil

salt & pepper

coconut aminos

How to:

Drizzle your salmon fillets with a bit of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and season with 21 seasoning salute or other seasoning mix (no sugar or seed oils, please!) and place in the fridge for about four hours or more before cooking. When it's dinnertime, remove the fillets from the fridge and place on a hot, oiled grill. We cooked the skin side first and removed the fillet when it started flaking, about ten minutes. While the salmon is cooking saute the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee/butter. Once the onions are translucent, add in the mushrooms. Saute for about 2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more. Finally add in the spinach and cook for just a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Season with a pinch of sea salt and pepper and a splash of coconut aminos just before serving. Remove the salmon from the grill and serve with a lemon wedge and a side salad of organic greens and balsamic dressing.

Happy (paleo) eating!

xoxo

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Monday Meal Planning: Whole 30 Week 5 Meal Plan

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The final week of our January Whole30 is here! It's safe to say that I have definitely learned a thing or two about the way I look at meals and the way certain foods* affect me. I am looking forward to another week of good, clean food for both me and the little guy still residing in my belly. It feels so good to be giving him the nutrition he needs -- a practice I look forward to continuing once he's eating real food himself. 

I have to admit that these last few weeks of pregnancy are finding me pretty tuckered out and with a bit less pep in my step. That being said, I've relied on frozen meals from November and December and am repeating recipes that are easy {but delicious} or that are super husband-friendly. The meal plan and recipes can be found here. 

Here's to another week of clean eating and continuing these new habits long after the Whole30 is through!

xoxo

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*Since husband and I started our Whole30 early, we decided to allow ourselves dairy this past weekend as our super generous friends threw us a couples baby shower. I honestly thought that I tolerated dairy well, but after not having it at all for 30 days, then having it in bulk {read: delicious gluten-free pizza} it left me with a serious migraine. Let's just say that Saturday night was really rough for me. And now I am back on the no-dairy train... indefinitely.

Monday Meal Planning: Whole 30 Week 4 Meal Plan

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How was week three of the Whole30? Nothing terribly exciting to report here. Just some long work days and an overcooked beef roast. {I made the mistake of cooking it in a slow cooker overnight, which left it warming all. night. long. Needless to say, it was a bit tough. Lesson learned.} Other than that, just starting to get a bit antsy that we are less than eight weeks from our due date. When did that happen?

Oh, and I ran out of gas Wednesday morning... on my way to the gas station {and then the doctor}... and my sister had to come help me... and the gas can was broken so the nozzle wouldn't work... and we didn't have a funnel... and then a kind soul took pity on us and helped us use an empty water bottle as a funnel...

Oy. #thankGodforsisters #neveragain

Here is this week's meal plan, if you choose to follow along!

I don't know about you, but we have really been enjoying soup for breakfast these last few weeks. It's warm and comforting and also filling and oh so healthy. 

Here's to another successful week!

xoxo

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Rainy Day Sausage & Vegetable Bake

Some days require an easy meal. It's just that simple. So this past Saturday, after a big breakfast, a morning of cleaning up the house and running errands in the cold drizzle of rain, making dinner was the last thing I wanted to do. Inspired by this recipe, I created a more paleo-friendly sausage and vegetable bake.

You will need:

about 1lb of sausage links of your preference

(I used chicken sausage. Whole Foods is a great source to find sugar-free, quality sausage)

3 small to medium rutabagas

1 large or two small zucchini

3 to 4 carrots 

1 medium onion (red or sweet, your preference)

2 to 3 cloves of roasted garlic

(Raw garlic will work just fine as well. I just love the taste of roasted garlic, and it's so easy to use.)

Optional: 1 to 2 medium sweet potatoes 

3 tsp homemade ranch seasoning

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

(I have tried this recipe, leaving out the saltines, and this recipe, leaving out the buttermilk)

sea salt & pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and cut all vegetables into wedges. I left my zucchini in pretty large circular chunks because they have a higher water content and will cook faster than the root vegetables. Place cut vegetables into a oven safe baking dish. Now, whisk the ranch seasoning into the olive oil and add in the roasted garlic cloves, smashing them up against the side of the bowl to mix in well. Pour 3/4 of the oil and seasoning mixture over the vegetables and stir them around to make sure they are evenly coated. Slice the sausages into three sections each and arrange in the vegetable mixture. Pour or brush remaining oil and seasoning mixture onto sausages and sprinkle the entire thing with salt and pepper. Bake for a total of 50-60 minutes, turning sausages half way through the cooking time. 

And there you have a relatively painless* but healthy dinner option for your rainy Saturday!

xoxo

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*Disclaimer: K really liked this dish, but I honestly had a difficult time eating it. We used to grill these sausages regularly and top with homemade honey mustard.... but that was pre-pregnancy. And even though I've come a long way from my early food aversions and constant nausea {hello weeks 6-20}, I just couldn't stomach the sausages. The vegetables were delicious, but I had to find protein elsewhere that evening. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to stomach this meal after the little guy makes his appearance!

Monday Meal Planning: Whole30 Week 3 Meal Plan

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How was week two? Not gonna lie. This week left me pretty exhausted and at my wits end by Friday afternoon. I think it was a combination of pregnancy, sugar cravings and feeling absolutely heartbroken for those around me. So K and I decided to get out of the house on Friday. We didn't go anywhere fabulous, just the local Longhorns. K ordered salmon and I ordered steak. We each had a baked sweet potato with cinnamon and a garden salad (no cheese or croutons!) with balsamic vinaigrette. While we didn't eat anything that wasn't paleo, I am sure the marinade on our meat and the dressing weren't strict Whole30 (probably some honey or other sweetener). But you know what? We wanted to celebrate life, spend time with each other and not cook another meal, so we did. And sometimes you just need to get out of the house, right?

I honestly spent most of the weekend in the house. Cooking and prepping meals in the kitchen, cleaning and organizing the living room, putting bedding on the crib and hanging things in little bean's room. This week will be long, but I am looking forward to having delicious, healthy meals. 

Find the menu and recipe links here.

Here's to another successful week of the January Whole30!

xoxo

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Monday Meal Planning: Whole30 Week 2 Recipes

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How was the first week of your Whole30? 

Ours went pretty well, with the only stumbling block being me not eating quite enough. There were a couple times this week that I was absolutely starving in the afternoons. I've realized that for me, eating three meals plus two snacks is going to be key. Being seven months pregnant and having a short torso means that eating larger meals makes me pretty uncomfortable, so snacks it is. I've revamped our snack options for this coming week to include more foods that are calorie dense and contain good fats -- hard boiled eggs with avocado and paleo mayonnaise, veggie sticks with mayo or sunflower seed butter.

Here is the list of meals and recipes for week two of the January Whole30. You can also find the shopping list here. I included a list of pantry staples on this shopping list because I realized that there were a few things last week that we used but didn't need to buy at the store. I also want to point out that I buy all of our meat on sale and store it in the freezer, even it we don't "need" it. It really does save us money, and if you are making 90-100% of your meals at home, you won't have a freezer full of meat for long.

Also, on the topic of fruit. I limit myself to one apple and 1/2 to 1 other serving of fruit per day. This includes any fruits that you put in a breakfast hash or salad. While it is technically paleo and Whole30-approved, you don't want to go too crazy on the fruit since it is sugar (albeit natural). 

Happy Whole30 Week 2!

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos 

Monday Meal Planning: Whole30 January 2014

With the holidays behind us and 2014 just around the corner, husband and I decided a Whole30 was in order. I'm actually pretty pleased with the way we handled holiday eating this year, only indulging ourselves with sweets and not going crazy with breaking our diet. That being said, I still feel the need for a cleanse, a restart if you will. And January seems like the obvious time for just that. Giving up bread and even dairy is easy for me... but start taking away all sweets and things get hairy. I am well aware of my sugar cravings and addiction {yeah, I said it} and am ready to finally face the reality of what is happening. I don't want to crave dessert. I don't want to bake 'paleo' sweets regularly. I want to feed my body with whole, truly healthy foods {I'm looking at you, food pyramid} and reap the results. 

So, now that the soap box portion of this post is over, here's our plan for a successful Whole30:

Plan and prep like it's your job.

That being said, you absolutely have to make it work for you. For us, that means prepping meals on Sunday because we both work Monday thru Friday. And I also know that the days that I work late, we need a meal that simply requires reheating. Because when you are exhausted after a long work day, and it is 7pm and your feet hurt, that drive thru/Chinese take out/local pizza place looks oh so appealing.

 I put my organizational skills to work and  created a spreadsheet of meals and snacks for the entire thirty days. I also made shopping lists and provided links to the recipes we will be using. And all of that is available to you here. And the shopping list for week one can be found here.

Today and tomorrow are technically day(s) zero for us, but we are already on the clean eating schedule. We decided to allow ourselves black coffee in the mornings since it's just so. cold. outside, and sweet potatoes are fair game but must be consumed in moderation. Other than that, it's on. No honey, no maple syrup. No paleo pancakes or breads. I am really looking forward to feeding my body with all of the nutritious things we have in store.

Here's to a successful Whole30! I do hope you will join us! Please let me know if you do!

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos 

Egg-less Breakfast: Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I am admittedly one of those paleo eaters that often says "I have no idea what to eat for breakfast." The vast majority of paleo-eating types will quickly tell you to eat eggs or leftovers or some version of meat/protein + vegetables. Well, unfortunately, that is somewhat difficult for me, especially when I'm leaving the house by 6:30am. Sometimes I reheat a frittata or cover my eggs in avocado and salsa, but it can still be difficult to choke down. So as I discover them, I will share some of my favorite egg-less breakfasts with you. Recently I made this simple, delicious butternut squash breakfast soup.

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

{adapted from this Whole Living recipe} 

1 large {or 2 small} whole butternut squash

1/2 to 1 small yellow onion, depending on your taste {remember, this is your breakfast.}

1 small apple {I used a gala}

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, depending on your taste

1 inch freshly grated ginger

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cardamon

a dash of ground cloves 

coconut or olive oil

Preheat over to 425. Using a sharp knife, prick a few long holes in the butternut squash and place on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Roast the squash whole for 60 minutes or until completely tender. {You can easily tell by just touching it to make sure it is very soft.} Once the squash in done, let it cool for 15 minutes on the counter. While it is cooling, add oil to a skillet and saute the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add in the carrots and apple and cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender. Add in the spices and let it all meld together for about 5 minutes. Let cool, then transfer this mixture to a high-speed blender. While the onion and carrot mix is cooling, use a spoon to scrape out the seeds of the butternut squash. {If you want, you can keep the seeds and roast them for a snack or to top off your soup!} Then use the spoon to scoop out all of the squash from the peeling. This should be a very easy process. Place the squash into the blender and mix until your desired consistency is achieved. If the soup is too thick, add almond or coconut milk or vegetable broth to thin it out.  

Top with crumbled bacon or sausage, pepitas or roasted squash seeds, coconut flakes, a splash of almond or coconut milk and/or cinnamon. It's a delicious and filling breakfast that I can easily stomach in the early morning hours. Also, it's quite easy to make, so if you feel like making a double batch, it freezes* well!

xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

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*We are gearing up for a Whole30 starting January 1st, so I am making a big batch of this soup over the weekend to freeze and have on hand. It thaws quickly and makes a great go-to for breakfast and even as a mid-afternoon snack. 100% Whole30 approved ingredients!