Paleo/Whole30 Spicy Pork Breakfast Sausage

If you've been following my blog, then you know that I was doing another round of the whole30 in January. I made it to day 23 before I had to go off plan. I am proud to say I didn't go off plan because I couldn't hack it, or because I ate something that I wasn't supposed to. I made a conscious choice to go off plan because I have an appointment today that I need to be at a certain weight for. One of the most important aspect of the whole30 program is to not weigh or measure yourself for the entire 30 days and I didn't want to violate that, but I had to step on the scale!

Today I will be meeting with a surgeon to see if they will do a replacement of my right knee. This is something I desperately need due to the amount of pain I am in constantly and the decreased quality of life. I am a few pounds off from where they wanted me to be. It is so hard to lose weight in a healthy way when you are so limited by the exercise you can do.

But enough of my pity party! A few weeks ago I tried my hand at making my own breakfast sausage. I love sausage, but with all of the preservatives that are in store brands, my body didn't love it. I read a few different recipes online and made them a few times before I feel like I got it right. Last Sunday I asked my son what he wanted for breakfast and sausage was one of the items he listed. I asked him if he wanted the sausage from the grocery store, but he said no and that he wanted my homemade sausage. What a mom victory! My smile was huge the whole time I was cooking!

The spices are what makes sausage yummy. Without the spices you
are just eating bland pork patties! I love sage in the sausage and my son likes his sausage with some spice, so we came up with a yummy compromise.

Paleo/Whole30 Spicy Pork Breakfast Sausage

Recipe by Sarah Golnik

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground Pork
• 1 tsp Sage (ground or dried)
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
• 1/2 tspGarlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tspRed Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Coconut Oil (or other cooking oil)

Cooking Directions

1. Mix ground pork and spices in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
3. While the pan and oil are heating, use your hands to create 8 patties out of the meat mixture. I normally roll them into meatballs and then flatten slightly as I am adding them to the pan.
4. Once all of the sausage patties in the pan, cook covered, checking often to make sure they aren't burning. Once the first side has browned, flip and brown the other side. At this time I add just a tablespoon of water and recover. This helps them cook a little quicker.
5. Once the patties are cooked through, remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel to soak up any extra grease.

Whole30 home stretch...Garlic lemon caper chicken

I am on day 22 of my second Whole30 which means I am in the home stretch. I'm through with all of the carb flu/sugar withdrawals and no longer craving chocolate. I am falling asleep earlier, sleeping more soundly, and waking up earlier feeling rested. My energy is higher and by default my house is cleaner...LOL. I have even started making my son's lunches with healthier options which he likes because they are more filling than the sandwich, chips, and applesauce that he has taken daily for many years.

Yesterday when it came time for me to make dinner I got a little flustered. I had been planning on making NomNomPaleo's Cracklin Chicken, but realized that the chicken thighs I bought were boneless and skinless and her recipe wouldn't be a good without the skin. So I had to think quickly to throw something else together utilizing those chicken thighs I had already defrosted. My dad makes an amazing baked dish featuring lemon caper chicken and rice. Being on the whole30, rice is out, but thinking about his yummy dish got the wheels turning and I came up with what is now my favorite meal. I love lemon and this chicken has such a good flavor and lemony kick. I didn't know I was going to share this recipe until after I tasted it, so I didn't take any pictures along the way...I didn't even write down the recipe at the time, but I believe I've remembered it correctly. ENJOY!!

Garlic Lemon Caper Chicken

Recipe by Sarah Golnik

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4-5 servings
Ingredients

• 6-8 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 tsp or 3-4 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp ghee, melted
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (bone broth preferred)
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• salt as needed
• zest from half of a small lemon

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Coat baking dish with olive oil and then place the chicken thighs in the bottom of the dish evenly spaced apart.
3. In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients, except for the ghee and lemon zest. Add the melted ghee last stirring quickly. If the other ingredients are too cold, the ghee will solidify again, but if you stir quickly it will be in evenly distributed tiny clumps. 
4. Spoon mixture into the baking dish around the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the top with the lemon zest. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until chicken is no longer pink when you cut it.
5. Serve over cauliflower rice or mashed potatoes using the juice from the dish as gravy.

Sweet Potato Bacon Burger Sliders

So last night was Saturday night and all I could think about was how good a burger and fries would taste. The creative juices got going and I came up with the most wonderful burger and the timing of the sweet potato buns worked out perfect with my oven zucchini fries.

I love bacon. I could eat it every day. Since I've started eating paleo, I've learned to no longer think of bacon as a side at breakfast, but have embraced it as a flavor enhancer...because let's face it...bacon makes everything better! The reason I needed dinner to be better was because I had been suffering from a migraine for three days and it finally went away right before I started preparing this. We haven't figured out what causes my migraines yet. Could be food, could be environmental, could be stress. They seem to happen so randomly though I have a hard time putting my finger on just what the cause is.

 Another thing I love about bacon is the grease it leaves behind as it is cooking. For this recipe I put it to good use and decided to use the grease from the cooking bacon to saute sweet onions. You can use yellow onions if that is what you have, but I think cooked sweet onions and bacon make for a great sweet/salty combination. At first I planned to put this combo on top of my burger, but then I figured it would fall off to easily. The solution was to put it in my burger!

 Time saver tip for the sweet potato buns: line your baking sheet with tin foil. If you are like me you probably have different size baking sheets and one of them is too big to fit in the dish washer. The solution is to line the baking sheet with tin foil. Once you are done, all you have to do is throw the foil away!

Sweet Potato Bacon Burger Sliders

For the bun: 2 fat sweet potatoes, cut into ½ inch slices (leave the skin on!) 1 tbs. melted ghee Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper For the burger: ½ sweet onion chopped 4 slices of bacon, uncooked, cut in to ¼ inch pieces 1 lb. lean ground beef (or turkey) 1 egg ¼ cup of almond flour 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried parsley ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp black pepper Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potato slices on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush both sides with ghee. Add a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Bake 20-25 minutes flipping half way. They should be brown and slightly crispy. While your sweet potato buns are baking, put the bacon in a skillet over high heat. Once the bacon generates enough grease, add the onion and continue cooking until the bacon is cooked and the onion is translucent. Drain excess grease and set to the side to allow to cool. Mix the ground beef, egg, almond flour, garlic powder, parsley, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add bacon and onions. Mix thoroughly (I use my hands). Form in to patties slightly larger than the size of your sweet potato buns. Cook burgers on a grill or in a skillet 3-4 minutes per side. Serve bacon burgers on the sweet potato buns with spinach leaves and your choice of condiments.

Whole30 Day 14...Tiger Blood

 

"Days 16-27: Tiger Blood. Goodbye cravings, hello Tiger Blood! This must be what everyone is talking about. You’ve hit the downhill slope of your Whole30 and life is beautiful. Your energy is through the roof, you’ve kicked the cravings, you’re experimenting with new, delicious food, and you’ve finally got the time to notice that your clothes fit better, your workouts are stronger, and you are generally more awesome."         - See more at: http://whole30.com/2014/04/tiger-blood/#sthash.vwF8Jm9w.dpuf

I got tiger blood on day 10 this round. I woke up at 6:30 am without an alarm and spent all day Saturday cleaning my kitchen. I believe I cleaned areas in my kitchen that haven't been cleaned in the decade I've lived in my house and probably weren't cleaned by the previous home owner either!! I cleaned out my spice cabinet, organized it and refilled spices in my spice rack. I even went to the store to buy organizers for my cabinets! I know...crazy, right?!?

I figured that I need to put all of this energy to good use by working out a little harder. Both Monday and Tuesday this week I hit the gym at 6 am to get a workout in before work. I've been working out everyday during this whole30 in hopes that I would get even better results, but my workouts have been at home and have been centered more around physical therapy than sculpting, so it was nice to get back in to the gym. Today it is icy out so I'm planning on doing some arm and shoulder exercises with the dumbbells I have at home and doing some yoga/Pilates exercises for core strength.

Last night I tried something new for dinner as part of a challenge that was issued by several of the Paleo bloggers. I made NomNomPaleo's Spicy Tuna Cakes and served them with oven zucchini fries and my paleo ranch dressing. Making oven fries out of veggies is a great way to get your kids to try new veggies because they are in a familiar french fry shape and they are finger foods that are great for dipping.

Whole30/Paleo Oven Zucchini Fries

Makes 2-3 servings. Recipe can be easily doubled. 1 zucchini cut in to fry like pieces 2 eggs ½ cup almond flour 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp Italian seasoning ½ tsp salt 1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the olive oil on a large baking sheet and set aside. Mix almond flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Dip the zucchini pieces in the egg and toss in the flour mixture. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the zucchini pieces are coated and on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and then flip each fry. Bake for 10 additional minutes.

Whole30 day 8: Whole30/Paleo Chili

So...we had a crazy cold snap last night and it was 8 degrees outside this morning! I'm sure most of my readers are experiencing the same thing considering 80% of the country had below freezing temperatures this morning. When it get's cold, I start thinking about hot stews and soups that I can make that will warm me from the inside out. Chili is a go to for most people, me included. I am such a fan of my dad's chili, all full of kidney beans, but being on the Whole30 that is forbidden. I read over some interesting recipes for paleo chili. Some recipes had squash, some had unique ingredients like coffee or cocoa powder, but none really sounded like they would cure my craving for my dad's chili.

The first thing I needed to do was to put together some chili seasoning. Most chili seasoning that you can buy pre-made at the grocery store is laden with sodium and MSG, not to mention sugar and various types of flour. Chili seasoning is so easy to make and if you cook even a little you will find most of the spices you need for it in your spice rack already. Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt are what you need. The measurements I've included in my recipe below are more guidelines than rules. That is what I start with and after the pot has simmered a bit, I taste it to see if I want to add any more of any one of those spices.

I thought about just making a meaty chili, but decided I wanted a hearty substitute for beans. Ultimately I decided to add a diced sweet potato. I also kicked the spice level up a little by adding diced jalapeno. I've always big a fan of mixing sweet and spicy, so why not try it in chili?! I wasn't disappointed! It is the perfect combination and it still tastes like traditional chili.

My favorite thing about the Whole30 program is that it encourages you to step out of your comfort zone. During my first whole30 I realized how much I truly love to cook. I enjoy experimenting with flavors and making meals from scratch. That is one non-scale victory that stuck with me after that 30 days and I have really been embracing for the last six months.

It is day 8 for this whole30 and I'm feeling pretty good. My ring that I always wear is too loose to wear on my ring finger and I expect in another week I'll be able to wear it on my middle finger. My arthritis has been horrible for the last two nights because of the sudden change in weather. I wish that I could be one of those people who could say they are pain free at the end of a whole30 round, but sadly I don't think that will ever happen to me. What I can expect though is a healthier me and I'm okay with that. This whole30 hasn't been as much of a struggle. I attribute that to eating one or two compliant meals a day since I completed my first round. I've also really plugged in to the community aspect of this. I am so excited to be talking to so many people that are also on this journey. It is so much easier when you aren't doing it alone!

Well....on to the recipe!!! Make a double batch and freeze some!

Whole30/Paleo Chili

2 lbs. lean ground beef 1 large yellow onion, diced 4 cups beef broth (bone broth if you have it) 1 tbs. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper ½ tsp. onion powder ½ tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 2 whole bay leaves 2-28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes (I prefer no salt added) 1-14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (I prefer no salt added) 2 bell peppers diced 1 jalapeno pepper diced (can use a small can of green chilies to save time) 1 sweet potato diced in to ½ inch cubes

Add beef and onions to a large stew pot over high heat. Break up meat and stir with a wooden spoon until meat is cooked through. Drain any unwanted grease. Add the spices, tomatoes, peppers and sweet potato. Cover and simmer 45 min. Optional: Serve with avocado.

Whole30 days 2 & 3

http://whole30.com/2013/01/whole30-timeline/

Day 2-3 of the whole30 for me should be called THE DEPRESSION. I have been irritable, sad, and weepy for the last two days. I am normally a little down lately on weekends when my son goes to his dad's house, but add to that this cold and rainy day, extremely painful arthritis, and sugar cravings. I am feeling isolated. With my mood today, I thought maybe I should walk to one of the bars up the street from where I live and watch some football and get out among others, but then I remembered I am on the whole30 which means I can't drink and they serve no food that is compliant. Dallas posted on the whole30 instagram page today about how necessary social interaction is and asked how many of us could give up social media. I know he was asking that to make us realize that social media is not the social connection we crave as humans, but instead it made me realize how little socialization I would have in my life if I didn't have social media. It may be a challenge that I need to take after this whole30. 

Okay...Pity party over!! Here is a pic of yesterday's pretty and yummy meals:

First day of a new year and another whole30 round!

Happy New Year!!!! I am so excited about all of the possibilities that a new year brings. I am hoping to have a much needed knee replacement this year...and yes, I know 34 is way too young to be having joint replacements! My appointment with my surgeon is scheduled for Feb. 11 and they want my BMI just a little bit lower. Since 75% of my weight loss is through diet and only 25% through exercise, I decided another round of the Whole30 is the way to go. I lost 23 lbs and 5 inches off my waist in May of last year on my first Whole30.

Breakfast this morning had to be quick. Scrambled eggs, chicken apple sausage, and steamed broccoli did the trick. I decided against coffee and went with herbal tea to drink because I figured this might also be the perfect time to break my coffee habit too.

Lunch today was one of my favorite meals, a buffalo chicken salad. I tossed baked chicken tenders in Tessemae's wing sauce and served the chicken on a bed of lettuce and spinach with tomatoes, and cucumbers and drizzled with my paleo ranch dressing. So tasty it doesn't even seem healthy!!

When I was thinking about what I was going to make for dinner tonight I had to think about tradition. Traditional dinner on new year's day includes cornbread, black eyed peas, and collard greens. Well, I've never cared too much for black eyed peas, so no great loss there. I can do without cornbread. Collard greens though, I love! So how happy am I that the way I fix my collard greens is whole30!!! So dinner tonight was steak grilled with Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning, roasted red potatoes with rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder, and my yummy collard greens.

Sautéed Collard Greens

3 Tbsp. bacon grease or oil 2 Tbsp. minced garlic 3 tomatoes 1 bunch of collard greens, rinsed

Heat the grease in a large skillet. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Tear apart the leaves of the collard greens separating the leaves from the large parts of the stems. Add the leaves to the skillet, covering it after each handful and stirring occasionally. Once all of the collards are in the skillet, cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until they reach the desired tenderness and are a dark green in color. About 10-15 minutes. Salt to taste.