Whole 30 Challenge: Week 4

Whole 30 Series- a Busy Woman's Guide

Whole30 WEEK 4

It's the FINAL week and those 30 days really went by in a flash! I was able to start working out this week (post falling down the stairs) so I was able to compare a few things as opposed to my 'pre-Whole30' days. My energy was up even though I was not sleeping much due to the kids being ill and work....not enough time in the day as usual. I really felt fine, usually I would be lagging with no energy from missing sleep, I actually was able to easily stay away (no coffee) and still get in some major work out training sessions. That was very interesting to me....

DAY 23:

1/2 Apple

1 Egg Organic

1 Egg White

Sweet Potato

Ground Beef

Onion

Spinach

Kale

Tomato

Carrots

Sweet Potato

Artichoke
Ghee

-Today noticed I had really good workout energy

  

DAY 24:

1 Egg grassfed

2 Egg Whites

Sweet Potato

1/4 Apple

Spinach

Kale

Carrots

2 Organic Beef Hot Dogs

1/2 Avocado

Spinach

Kale

Tomato

Ground Beef

Onion

Sweet Potato

Cauliflower 

Ghee

-I noticed overall increased energy

DAY 25:

1 Egg

1 Egg White

Sweet Potato

Carrots

Spinach 

Kale

Cauliflower 

1/2 Avocado

1 Egg

Sweet Potato

Tomato

Steak 

Ghee

Artichoke

Sweet Potato

DAY 26:

Organic Date

1 Egg

1 Egg White

Tomato

Spinach omelet

Sweet Potato

Steak

Gum-oops during workout 

Cauliflower

Spinach

Kale

Sweet Potato

Tomato

Pork Chop

Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms

Ghee

-I was so upset that I accidentally chewed a piece of gum that my husband gave me while my iPod was in my ears, I (out of habit) automatically took it. Then I realized and spit it out!

DAY 27:

1 Egg

1 Egg White

1/2 Avacado

Sweet Potato

Spinach

Kale

Pork Chop grilled

Mushrooms

Carrots

Ground Beef

Onion

Cauliflower 

Asparagus 

Spinach

Carrots

Organic Date

Cashews

DAY 28:

1 Egg grass fed

1 Egg White 

Sweet Potato

Ghee

Blueberries

Pork Chop grilled

Salad Greens organic

Sautéed Mushrooms

Sweet Potato

1/2 Steak grilled

Salad Greens organic 

Avocado 

Tomato

Sweet Potato

Garlic

DAY 29:

1 Egg grass fed

1 Egg White

Sweet Potato

Ghee

Organic Yellow Cling Peaches

1/2 Steak 

Organic Date

Carrots

Ground Beef

Onion

Salad Greens organic

Sweet Potato

DAY 30:

1 Egg grassfed

1 Egg White

1/2 Sweet Potato

Blueberries

Organic Yellow Cling Peaches

Asparagus 

1/2 Steak
Salad Greens
Sweet Potato
1/2 Steak

In conclusion, another fact I can say is, (and I should have mention in prior weeks since that impression lasted for entire 30 days)...I am completely 'turned off' by processed, conventional food, and junk food after reading the information about Whole 30 before starting this challenge and preparing for this meal plan. I have no desire to eat bad because of the health issues behind eating in a conventional way. Organic, grass fed, free range, cage free has a whole new meaning and now see why they were claiming that doing this Whole 30 challenge would change my life. It has changed my life, husbands life, and children's life because now I have no desire to feed our family in a conventional way....but now in a Whole Foods natural way.

I hope you've enjoyed this series as a busy woman's guide to the Whole 30 meal challenge. Please let me know your thought, and if you have questions, comments please let me know.

Enjoy!

~Be Sweet

Christina

Sweetest Haute

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Whole 30 Series- a Busy Woman's Guide

Whole 30 Series- a Busy Woman's Guide

Whole 30 time! I'm am writing a series on my experience with the Whole30 Program challenge. I decided to do the challenge when I was injured after a 'fall down the stairs' which happens more often than not....concerning. Nevertheless, I couldn't work out at all for about 1 month....so 30 day challenge, yes fits right into my lifestyle at that point.

Growing up, my family was ALWAYS active, whether we liked it or not. Yet as I left the nest and eventually had a family of my own, it was evident that it was definitely a way of life for me. So it was no surprise that I married a man who loves to workout just as much as I do and we motivate each other even when we are both feeling too exhausted and can't keep our eyes open. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am 'into' fitness and I am fond of weight lifting as well as cross fit. Well at least I'm fond of the way my body looks when I use those techniques, what I am not fond of is how sore you can get from high intensity workouts and weight lifting.

Whole30 Week 1
Whole30Week 2
Whole30 Week 3
Whole30 Week 4

 The meals I will be using for this are going to be convenient and inexpensive although the information about Whole 30 reviews why we should go ahead and spend the money on the organic, grass fed, free range, wild caught fish and meat. I started on a day out of nowhere other than I had been thinking of doing it. I looked around the pantry and fridge to see what I could 'start' with...and then the next day I went out and got a few more item until I reached the weekend and tried to buy the groceries that I knew I needed for the week. It was easy, even though the challenge says to prep everything ahead of time....I didn't. I already knew that I am disciplined enough to make it and I do not have to 'buy ahead', which can get expensive, and wait until I had time to go find coupons and buy organic and raw food. I've also included some recommended books if you want to use them for days you have more time to cook or are wanting something in particular!! These books are great!

So stay tuned...this is going to be a real woman's guide to the Whole 30 challenge on a normal budget, with a busy BUSY schedule, and using organic / raw foods as well as foods that are easily available at the regular grocery instead of a specialty store like Whole Foods Market.

Almond Crusted 'Fried' Chicken Whole 30 Recipe

Today I wanted to share one of my FAVORITE 'healthy' recipes that you can use for meal prep as well as dinner, the whole family will enjoy the flavor. Almond Crusted 'Fried' Chicken: Whole30 Recipe. If you have ever tried the Zatarain's New Orleans Style Bake and Crisp Chicken breading, and like it, then you will really like this alternative for keeping that same flavor and texture in a healthy meal choice. That way you may make this for meal prep more often; instead of the traditional Zatarain's version which is good only in moderation, like on a reward day. This is also made with Almond Flour which is Whole 30 approved and Gluten Free so it is versatile in many diet plans and many lifestyles. I realize these aren't the best magazine quality photos, but I blog what I live....and I've learned that I do not live to blog. So this was an 'actual meal' that I was making for my family....which I do on the regular. The kids even like it!! Maybe one day I'll update with a beautiful photo....iPhone photo will suffice for now;). On to delicious chicken...

Almond Crusted 'Fried' Chicken {Baked}

See how it actually looks like it is 'Fried' Chicken?!? So Yummy... 

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I also really love this recipe because it is a known fact that it is extremely 'challenging' to infuse flavor into chicken that is 'fatless', aka skinless, and 'boneless.' This particular recipe really gets that flavor into the meat!! Our family tries hard to eat healthy and not fall into the patterns of regular American-style fast eating, which we STILL do on occasion due to time/ busy schedule, nothing wrong with help now and again. Yet we try not to, I try to make real food, with fresh or 'raw' ingredients.

Supplies:

Chicken Breasts/ Tenderloins
Almond Flour 2 Cups
4 Eggs/ or 6 Egg Whites
Garlic Powder 2 Tspn
Onion Powder 1 Tspn
Cayenne Pepper 1/2 - 1 Tspn
Paprika 1/2 Tspn
Black Pepper 1/4 Tspn
Sea Salt 1/2 Tspn (to taste)
Chile Pepper Powder 1/2 Tspn
Cutting Board
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper
Ghee / or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

My Whole30 Journey:

For my blog post about my Whole 30 journey {a real person} unpaid advocate, read about it here!

WEEK 1
WEEK 2
WEEK 3
WEEK 4

Step 1:

Gather supplies. Place parchment on baking sheet and set aside. Set oven to 350* Degrees F, and preheat.

Make sure you have everything, all the dry ingredients and spices. List is above, shown here is only a few of what you will actually need.

Mix your dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then prepare your breading station and set aside.

Step 2: 

Clean, skin, cut off fat, and slice up your chicken breasts. If your using tenderloins, clean and cut off extra fat.

 Here is chicken breast portion yet using tenderloins makes then the perfect size for meal prep and serving for kids. If possible use organic chicken, free range, cage free, no added hormones/antibiotics etc. Can be found at health food, natural stores, and Whole Foods Market.

Step 3:

Prep two bowls or plates to start your breading station. Place and whisk eggs in one bowl. In the other bowl place and mix up your dry breading ingredients. Bread your chicken....dip in eggs first, then dip in breading.

Almond Flour can be found at health food stores or specialty stores, yet the best price I've found was at Target. It was about $7 a bag instead of $14-$16 at alternative vendors. The spices are also an estimated amount, add more of any one of the spices to suit your taste. If you like more heat add more of the chile or cayenne. It's what you make of it....

Step 4:

Drizzle ghee or olive oil on lined baking sheet and arrange chicken sections on sheet. Place in oven for 45-50 minutes, depending on oven.
Half way through, flip over chicken sections, add more ghee or EVOO if chicken breading looks dry.

Step 5: 

Meanwhile, pop broccoli or another green veggie into microwave while chicken is baking and serve with 1-2 cups of green vegetables. 

How to make Ghee yourself, check it out!

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Please comment below if you have any questions....
Enjoy!

~Be Sweet
Christina
Sweetest Haute

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Whole 30 Challenge: Week 2

Whole30 Series: a Busy Woman's Guide

Week 2

This week I am really stoked to keep doing this meal plan because my clothes are already feeling loose and when that happens you know you're loosing some unwanted inches! During this Whole 30 Challenge you are not supposed to weigh yourself so you're supposed to wait until the end of the 30 days. You should also take your measurements to compare them to your Week 1 and so on week by week. I know when you are getting ready for a competition you generally take your measurement once a week so keep track of your progress. Weight is weight but inches is what really makes you look great when bikini season comes around!

DAY 8: 

Tomato and Spinach Omelet

Carrots

Sweet Potato Hash

Sea Salt

2 Celery Stalks

Almond Butter

Chia Seeds

Chicken, Ghee

Sweet Potato 

Coconut Oil

Broccoli
Water

DAY 9: 
2 Eggs over easy

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Sweet Potato Hash

Ghee

Coconut Oil

Orange

Tomato

Carrots

4 Catamala Olives

Garlic cauliflower mashed potatoes

Almonds

2 Prunes
Water

DAY 10: 

2 Eggs

Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Oil

Sautéed mushrooms

Ghee

Spinach

Tomato

To Stalks of Celery

Almond butter

Chia Seeds

Chicken 

Egg

DAY 11: 

2 Eggs

Sweet Potato

Pineapple Rings

Coconut Oil

Carrots

Almonds

Cherries

Prunes

Turkey Sausage

Spinach

Sweet Potato

Larabar Cocoa Coconut

Sparkling Mineral Water

You can read the ingredients here, I didn't eat the collagen casing. I purchased this at Whole Foods Market on sale.

DAY 12: 

2 Eggs

Organic pink lady Apple 5 slices 

Turkey Sausage

Celery

Almond Butter

Almonds

Sweet Potato

Turkey sausage 

Organic Kale Chips

Snickerdoodle Larabar

Sparkling Mineral Water

Organic Fugi Apple

Almond Butter

Be careful not to burn the Kale Chips, the recipe I used said the incorrect time for baking so some of mine got burned but the regular ones came out tasting ok. 

DAY 13:

2 Eggs

Sweet potato

Bacon (homemade)

Almonds

Coconut Oil

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Steak

Broccoli

Sweet Potatoes

Spinach

Water 

Above is what I used to make my homemade Whole 30 Bacon

DAY 14:

1 Egg

1 Egg White

Sweet Potato

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries 

Celery Stalks

Almond Butter

Orange Stuffed Bell Pepper

Red Stuffed Bell Pepper

Ground Pork

Turkey Sausage

Bacon (homemade)

Spinach

Tomato

Carrots

Chilli Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Larabar- Coconut Creme Pie

 

After this week I am not going to purchase any more Larabars because I am not sure if they are good for me and my fitness goals, I tried them because they were on sale at Whole Foods Market. And there you have it, the second week of my Whole30 Challenge. 

~Be Sweet
Christina
Sweetest Haute

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