Challenge Eats: Days 1-10

I've somehow found myself on Day 22 of a brand new 30 Day Challenge without a single blog post! In case you forgot the rules: 

• Each meal should consist of vegetables, meat or eggs, and healthy fats.
• Fruits and nuts/seeds are also allowed.
• Foods not included: all grains and dairy (sans grass fed butter), anything processed, all added sugars, legumes, starches, and alcohol.

Steve does a really nice job of simplifying the rules in his post here. 

This time around, I upped the ante by completely eliminating nuts and sweet potatoes, and limiting fruit intake to berries occasionally. These things are all well and good if you are happy with your body, but if you have (more than a few) pounds to lose, they aren't necessary. I also cut out coffee for no particular reason, just to prove to myself that I can get by just fine without it. 

The timing of this challenge presented itself with a few hurdles: a concert, a bridal shower, teachers' appreciation week, and Mother's Day dinner traditionally held at a Chinese restaurant.

Luckily, all my good eats over the past 22 days have not been lost -I have been logging my meals in my fancy food journal on WODify. I'd like to very briefly share my extremely repetitive meals with you... if you would like me to further elaborate on anything, please ask!

Day 1: Monday, April 23

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot balsamic roast with brussels and bacon <3

Snack (only on weekdays that I CrossFit: hard boiled egg, 1 Applegate naturals hot dog

Dinner: grass fed meatballs on a salad with cherry tomatoes and olive oil

Day 2: Tuesday, April 24

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot balsamic roast with brussels and bacon

Dinner: grass fed meatballs on a salad with cherry tomatoes and olive oil

Late: 2 grass fed Paleostix. These came in the mail while I was at my graduate class, and I could not help but try some when I got home around 9 - delicious!

Day 3: Wednesday, April 25

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot balsamic roast with brussels and bacon

Dinner: steamed broccoli, 1/4 avocado, 2 Applegate naturals hot dogs, and a hard boiled egg with hot sauce. Eclectic, but it was what I was in the mood for.

Day 4: Thursday, April 26

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot balsamic roast with brussels and bacon

Snack: 3 pieces of bacon

Dinner: I attempted to make a grass fed t-bone steak on the stove top, and ate it alongside roasted asparagus 

Day 5: Friday, April 27

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot balsamic roast with brussels and bacon

Snack: 2 grass fed Paleostix

Dinner: at Longhorn Steakhouse - rib eye with broccoli, squash, and green beans

Late: frozen blueberries and coconut milk... so good, I swore I'd never need ice cream again! I decided that this could be my Friday "treat" for sticking to the challenge all week long.

Day 6: Saturday, April 28

Breakfast: 1-2 egg quiche with zucchini, a little bit of sausage, and 2 slices bacon

Lunch: at a bridal shower at an Italian restaurant - I avoided all the bread, pasta, and dessert, and was able to stick with the salad and (unbreaded, plain) chicken from the chicken marsala dish

Dinner: at a diner before heading into Philly for the concert - eggs with meats (yes, it was a "Meat Lovers" omelette), and steamed broccoli on the side. I survived the concert without ridiculously expensive beer, and opted for (free!) seltzer water instead.

Day 7: Sunday, April 29

Breakfast: asparagus, 3 fried eggs, 3 slices of bacon. This meal was unbelievable - I'm pretty sure I could eat it every day of my life and die happy.

Lunch: I had a late breakfast then went to CrossFit. Afterwards, I had some blueberries and 2 grass fed Paleostix

Dinner: carnitas and peppers and onions from Chipotle. Alycia later informed me that these "fajita veggies" are cooked in vegetable oil - the only fail on the challenge thus far.

Day 8: Monday, April 30

(This was the day that was posted on CrossFit Aspire's site here)

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot chicken with Trader Joe's puttanesca sauce with roasted asparagus

Dinner: Whole Food's prime rib with brussels and bacon

Day 9: Tuesday, May 1

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot chicken with Trader Joe's puttanesca sauce with green beans

Dinner: ate at class - more quiche with brussels and bacon

Late: 1 hard boiled egg after class - so many eggs! Spoiler Alert: later on in the challenge, I see how I fare without eggs.

Day 10: Wednesday, May 2

Breakfast: 2-3 egg quiche with zucchini and sausage + a mug of bone broth

Lunch: crock pot chicken with Trader Joe's puttanesca sauce with zucchini and summer squash

Dinner: some pieces of this grass fed eye roast (a really simple recipe my mom sent me - season then stick in the oven for 22 min per pound on 325 degrees) with brussels and bacon 

During the first week or so of the challenge, I had some nasty headaches and was feeling weak. This could have been caused by multiple things, including my 2-3 cups per day caffeine withdrawal. Don't worry, things got much better by week 3.

Okay, that's all for now folks. Days 11-20 coming soon!

So This is the New Year.

I shall fill you in on my winter break accomplishments via organized list (really, how else would I do it?):

• Ran every errand ever with intentions of not having to buy anything but food in the near future. Many thanks to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Target, Pet Valu, and BJs. Many apologies to my bank account.

Eddy, affectionately known as Eddy-poopster, got the cutest haircut ever. Little does the poor guy know that we're making arrangements to get him neutered soon muahah

 

Guest bedrooms now with actual bed sets... visitors welcome!

• Cleaned the house from top to bottom. Really, it doesn't get better than that. 

• Fully utilized my Christmas gifts.  Among other things, I was lucky enough to get a docking station for my iPhone (I am now able to jam out to Jack's Mannequin and Fun while I'm cooking... did I mention Sean and I will be attending both of their concerts this year?), a new set of spices, and an iPad! I immediately downloaded the iBook versions of Everyday Paleo and Paleo Comfort Foods and got cooking.  Which leads me to...

• Cooked many new recipes!  

Recipe #1: Coconut Macadamia Bark from my pal Mark. I added freeze dried blueberries and swirled in dark chocolate. Cannot describe how delicious this was.

Recipe #2: Apple and Apricot Pork Chops from Paleo Comfort Foods. In making this recipe, I accomplished many cooking firsts...

First time pre-measuring and preparing all ingredients. I found out that this is pretty much essential to ensure that the execution of more complicated recipes flows smoothly. 

First time cooking pork chops. Ever.

First time buying fresh herbs and using my new chef's knife skills to chop them. It made me feel inspired to grow my own herbs... one day.

Recipe #3: Pumpkin Pancakes using this recipe. Nom.  Not something to eat all the time, but it was perfect for satisfying a S.A.D. craving.

Recipe #4: "Breaded" Baked Chicken from Everyday Paleo. Also good for satisfying the once-in-a-while craving.

•  Made a recipe that Sean enjoyed and willingly ate. Yes, this is also a first. 

Recipe #5: Everyday Meatloaf from Everyday Paleo. This. was. awesome. and so very quick and easy to prepare!

• Went a full day with no coffee.  Coming from the 2-3 cups/day drinker, this is truly impressive. Coincidentally, it was the same day that I cleaned the whole house. My theory is that I was too focused on the cleaning to break for coffee.  I am able to accomplish such feats while I am well-rested and stress-free, but I know that once I go back to work coffee will once again be a necessity. Sad.

• Got myself into a brand new 30-day challenge starting today.  Yes, along with the rest of the world, but ours is different and better... much like everything else us CrossFitters do. This time around it's really not so much a challenge but confirmation of a commitment to myself to remain Paleo for 2012. My plan is to have a super strict 30 days, with minimal fruit and nuts, to kick off the year. If you noticed, all but one of my recipes included said fruit and nuts. I know cutting them out (again) is something I need to do.

Check out this article from Sarah about getting "unstuck" this year. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and is ready for all of the excitement that 2012 will bring!