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.

Baby Talk // Birth Announcements

Since we didn't send out announcements that we were expecting a little addition to our family, we have decided to send birth announcements to our close family and friends. {This year our Christmas card somewhat pulled double duty, breaking the tiny news to those who hadn't yet heard.} I absolutely love getting announcements from my friends and leave them on our refrigerator indefinitely, so sharing our news with loved ones is important to us. From what I hear, we will have plenty of pictures to choose from since we will be snapping away his first weeks of life. I plan on having K shoot some pictures of the little man, and we may even hire someone to do a short family session. Either way, here are a few of the announcements I've liked thus far.

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Did you send out birth announcements? If so, what site did you use to design them?

Suggestions are more than welcome!

xoxo

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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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Baby Talk // Nursery Inspiration

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I am finally at that point with this pregnancy where I am getting really excited about the reality of this little man. It's not that I've had a difficult time or anything, it just seemed like 32 weeks would never. get. here. But here we are... just 8 weeks away from the due date! So, naturally, I've started taking an active role in prepping and decorating the nursery. Here are some of my inspirations {all pinned here} and a few of the things I've collected thus far. 

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Thus far....

The color palate is grey, white and natural woods with pops of turquoise and blue. Luckily, we were handed down a white crib and glider, and my mom loving purchased us a white mid-century vintage dresser for a changing table. My sweet mother also helped me pick out fabric and is having the glider cushions recovered, and she gave me my grandmother's vintage foot stool, which we are recovering as well. I found a set of vintage grey lockers ages ago at an antique store and bought them to use as office storage. I also already had a vintage metal table, which I recently spray painted grey to match the lockers. I picked up a couple vintage locker baskets at an antique store to use for storage. {Pictures coming soon!}

I purchased this print from Joni Lay, except she was kind enough to custom make it with a different background. I chose a lovely blue and  turquoise mountain and pine tree scene that she had used for her advent prints. I framed it in a barn wood frame and hung it above the crib. It's perfect. I also hung some of K's vintage wooden arrows {you can find them at antique stores or on etsy} to add to the adventure/western/outdoorsy theme we have going. I made the adventure print myself and used a gold frame that we already had. My mom gifted me the glittery deer, and the gold antlers are Threshold from Target. I also really love this courage print by Joni Lay and hope to incorporate it in the nursery as well! For the crib bedding, we are using organic cotton sheets from Burts Bees Baby and this amazing Pendleton crib blanket. 

I will share some {non-Instagram} pictures soon! I should be getting the recovered cushions back this weekend and will take some photos then.

xoxo

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Remember...

{via}

Because reminders are good, and this one was especially timely.

xoxo

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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Hen Party

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Since husband and I eat eggs regularly we decided last fall that we wanted to have our own chickens. After a bit of research, we found some locally and started building our coop. Since it's early days, the coop has come a long way, but we are still improving it. The original design cost us under $50 since we used a lot of material we already had. But with all the cold weather and wind, we have decided to spend little more time and money on making the girls a better home and are in the process of remodeling their coop. 

We plan to create a new coop and run off of the side of our existing shed. We will use treated siding that is weather proof (unlike the plywood) and attach a dog kennel that we already have to use as a run. We also already have some tin roofing and will purchase a couple more pieces to allow for a roof over the run as well. We have an old ladder and perches that we currently use, so those will go in the new coop, too. Our nesting boxes are made of plywood, but you can easily use anything for a nesting box! We plan to add a couple windows to the front of the coop, which are easy to find at thrift stores, but we happen to have a two old ones that we can use. The final touch will be a red lamp to promote egg laying during the winter months and will provide a little heat for the cold winter days. {We have actually already added the light to the current coop since it's been so bitter cold at night. We turn it off during the day when it's a bit warmer.}

Currently we have three chickens -- a Buff Orpington and two Araucanas. Interestingly, the Araucanas are Easter egg layers, meaning they lay teal or pink eggs. We lucked out and got one that lays teal and one that lays a pale pink egg. They all taste the same, but it's a fun conversation piece and they look great sitting on the counter! And after our new coop is complete, we plan to get two more ladies.

We feed them traditional food which does contain wheat and corn, but we also give them plenty of greens and vegetable and fruit scraps. They spend a lot of time scratching around in our yard, so they get plenty of protein. We are researching making our own food which would be free of grains, but it may not be very realistic given the fact that we don't have access to some of the ingredients. I'll keep you posted on what we find out.

Do you have backyard chickens? If so, any words of wisdom or funny stories?
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

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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

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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

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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!

A Shabby Chic Christmas

This past weekend we held a small surprise birthday party for my sweet mother at my parent's house. I shared a few of her Christmas decorations before, but I was amazed yet again by how festive and cozy their house is a Christmas time. 

My mother's style is what I would call shabby chic glam. Gold and white, glitter and lace, fresh greenery and birch wood, twinkling lights and fireplace logs. I love the tree placed in a wicker basket, the handmade cloth and lace garland, and the red-orange flicker lights on the birch logs under the mantle.

 I can't believe that Christmas is merely a week away!

xoxo

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A Special Birthday Wish...

to the one woman in my life who...

... is always there with an encouraging word

.... will tell you the honest truth, even when it is difficult to hear

... sat up into the early morning hours with me as I studied in college

... clapped the loudest at my pharmacy school graduation

... is always ready to give a gift 'just because'

... has always been an amazing role model -- as a mom, a wife, and a strong woman

... is the most caring and thoughtful grandmother I know

... embraces people into her life and family as if they were always a part of it

... is the perfect partner in crime when it comes to Anthropologie or antique store dates

... I can't imagine life without.

Happy birthday mama.

xoxo

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Black & Mint // Maternity Style

Finding clothes that actually fit and look decent enough to wear outside my home has admittedly been proving more difficult than I anticipated. Most of the actual maternity clothes are a bit too long or too baggy for me, especially when it comes to pants. So lately I've taken to wearing my favorite pre-pregnancy brands in a size or two larger than normal {hello half off sale at Loft}. I love that this top is a silk blend, fancier than the many cotton tees that I live in these days. It pairs equally well with dressed down cords for the weekend and fancy black skinnes for work. 

Loft top, J. Crew cords, Macy's jacket {old, but I love this one}, Forever 21 heels, vintage bracelets, Anthropologie necklace, Michael Kors watch 

xoxo

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Week Ending

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How was your week?

Mine went by pretty quickly and was a mix of ups and downs. I'm definitely feeling pregnant {read: huge} these days, so after a discouraging doctor's visit* on Wednesday morning, I spent a little time with my mom. We decorated my Christmas tree {pictures soon!}, placed fresh greenery all around the house, drank cinnamon coffee and chatted. It was so uplifting.

Today I am so incredibly grateful for the encouraging people in my life -- my girlfriends who can always make me laugh, my twin star who reminds me to never allow other's opinions to determine my fate, my sweet mother and sister who know just what I need, my father who tells me to 'be careful' on my morning commute, my husband who is a constant source of strength and encouragement and who knows when I just need to cry and when I need a little tough love. 

I am really looking forward to the weekend! We are having some friends over Saturday night to hang out and eat dinner and play with all their new babies. So fun! I'm going to try and make a paleo key lime pie and coconut whipped cream to compliment our shredded chicken tacos, fresh salsa and guacamole. 

xoxo

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*Everything is just fine. Little bean is healthy as can be and so am I. No worries!