Whole 30... Almost halfway there!

It's day 14 of our Whole 30 and I am feeling really good. For one thing I am sticking with it. That is an accomplishment in itself as I have a habit of starting a diet or healthy eating plan and giving up a few days in when the first temptation (a.k.a. wine) hits. I think this is working for me because it is SO limiting. There's really no way to fudge it... its kind of an all or nothing proposition.

There have been a few highlights this week that I'd love to share with you. A staple in the fridge has been this vegetable soup. It's great in a pinch to keep me from eating something I shouldn't. I give it a healthy dose of dried basil and oregano (about a tablespoon each) and a teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper to kick it up a bit. Perfect for lunch or even a snack.

These meatballs have hit the table 2 or 3 times in the past 14 days. They are so delicious! My marinara is a little different that the recipe in the link plus I double it up because I like my meatballs saucy. I also let the meatballs cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes after they come out of the oven so that they take on a bit of the flavor of the sauce. I've been serving this with Zucchini noodles which have been a huge hit in place of pasta during our Whole 30.

Jen's Marinara

This recipe works for any time you need a quick marinara or simply tossed with pasta for a quick dinner and can keep in the fridge for up to a week. In this case I used it with the meatballs in the link above.

2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium onion, minced

2 small carrots, finely grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp dried basil

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to pan heated to medium heat.

Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the grated carrot and dried basil and oregano and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the canned tomatoes and crushed red pepper.

Cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Add in the fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Another favorite this week was a breakfast dish. A hash similar to this one. This stuff is truly addictive and the leftovers got me through a pinch a couple of times after I got home from yoga and was starving! I did this with ground turkey and used 1 tsp each of cinnamon, ground ginger, and turmeric in place of the sage and nutmeg and used spinach as the greens. Amazing!

Last I have to talk about this fantastic sauce that I stumbled across. Cilantro Lime Jalepeno Sauce. I don't even remember how I found this.... Pinterest, probably. I am seriously addicted to this stuff! I've said before, keeping it spicy makes a huge difference when I'm cutting out major food groups and this sauce fits the bill. My favorite use is on the Spicy Chicken Burgers that I mentioned in my last blog post. I even stirred some into mashed sweet potatoes... So good!

This coming week I am going to try out a few new recipes. I have clearly established some go to's and now it is time to make sure I mix it up if I am going to see this Whole 30 through. Biggest challenge yet will definitely be Super Bowl Sunday, but I am determined to make it!