At work today, I was thinking about this process and realized the next time I'm at my desk, next Monday, I will have completed the thirty days of the Whole30. I have also realized that my body, while responding very nicely to this program, will take well over 30 days to heal. It is quite possible that the only concession I will make to completing these 30 days is to step on my scale.
I would be remiss to avoid mentioning missteps along the way to what I hope will be a successful conclusion of my first Whole30. Yesterday I stopped by Lassens, a local natural foods store, to pick up organic carrots for my soup. It always takes me by surprise when I run out of carrots, yet somehow they still don't replenish themselves. While there I picked up a package of Applegate bacon. I'd not tried it before but had read others' comments. People said nice things about it, and it's always mentioned when speaking of uncured, high-end products. Ridiculously, I didn't read the label, or if I did, nothing registered. Nothing as in the cane juice. I paid no attention either when I popped it into the oven this morning, happily congratulating myself on being all the way to Day 28 of the Whole30. Only later, after eating a few pieces and noticing my stomach was not feeling so happy, only then did I carefully look at that label.
Yikes! Not the end of the world maybe, but would this be the end of my Whole30? I stressed. I worried. I went to Whole9's site and searched "bacon." Jeez! They have a whole, nicely written section about why they don't routinely recommend it. They don't demonize it; they just don't sing its praises, and they recommend other options for regular protein sources. Of course, that is only IF you can find any pastured and well-cared for without sugar, nitrites, nitrates, and so forth. Why didn't I read this before? Why didn't I pay more attention to my rarely opened Survival Guide? What was I going to do now? Crap! I've been writing blog posts for almost four weeks, counting down my Whole30, no thought ever of slipping up.
Fortunately, I remembered how great Whole9 is about answering questions. I took a deep breath, clinched my fists once or twice, and wrote to them, publicly, in the comments of the newest Whole30 5.0 update. With two and a half days to go, was I about to start over? Melissa replied in less than five minutes. That was cool. The first time I read her response I misread the words and thought she said "the cane sugar in your bacon is going to mess up your 'reset' process." Somehow in my panic, I'd missed that little word "not" in her sentence. First I missed the stupid sugar on the bacon package and now possibly the most critical word in her response. Bottom line, I'm okay---feeling stupid, but okay with the healing process and the Whole30. Whew!
Thanks Melissa, thanks Whole9.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
the whole30, day twenty-seven
Did I just write 27? Yes! Yes! Yes! While I may not be making any radical changes at the end of thirty days, it will, nonetheless have been thirty days. Not that I'm excited or anything.
When I have food ready to go, mornings are so easy. I know I've mentioned this before, but overstating it seems impossible and repetition is almost demanded. This morning I grabbed the container pictured below and an apple and was on my way.
Last night I grilled a rib-eye steak on the stove using a Le Creuset grill pan. GK was having bean soup, and my planned vegetable soup had not quite materialized. I was at a loss for what to cook, as I'd planned on the veggie soup and hadn't made it. He asked, "Don't you have a hunk of meat you can cook?" He loves to give me a tongue-in-cheek bad time about my meat consumption, partly, I'm sure, because I prefer it rare, and he prefers it on someone else's plate. I did have meat, though, hard as a rock in the freezer. I am almost ashamed to say that I pulled it from the freezer, added a bit of Kosher salt, and laid it still frozen on the heating grill pan. As it started to thaw a bit, I sprinkled a bit of dried garlic and ground some black pepper over the top. It cooked surprisingly well given my less than careful preparation. I kept the heat lower than I normally would to grill a steak and let it thaw as it cooked. The outside caramelized nicely with dark grill marks as the interior stayed rare, though heated through. While it cooked, I threw (almost literally) a halved zucchini sprinkled with sea salt on the grill pan along side it. I had a rather nice dinner with plenty of leftovers for breakfast and lunch today.
Remembering how unlikely I am to want to start a slow-cooking process when I get home from work, I also tossed half an onion, a dash of cider vinegar, a quart or two of water, and what was left of my roast chicken in the crock pot. The only tricky part is that GK is going to turn it on this morning, and I do not dare insult him by calling to see if he remembered.
When I get home, hopefully, I'll just need to strain the broth and add it to a few sauteed vegetables. I'm looking forward to it. And when I wake up tomorrow, it will be Day 28.
When I have food ready to go, mornings are so easy. I know I've mentioned this before, but overstating it seems impossible and repetition is almost demanded. This morning I grabbed the container pictured below and an apple and was on my way.
Last night I grilled a rib-eye steak on the stove using a Le Creuset grill pan. GK was having bean soup, and my planned vegetable soup had not quite materialized. I was at a loss for what to cook, as I'd planned on the veggie soup and hadn't made it. He asked, "Don't you have a hunk of meat you can cook?" He loves to give me a tongue-in-cheek bad time about my meat consumption, partly, I'm sure, because I prefer it rare, and he prefers it on someone else's plate. I did have meat, though, hard as a rock in the freezer. I am almost ashamed to say that I pulled it from the freezer, added a bit of Kosher salt, and laid it still frozen on the heating grill pan. As it started to thaw a bit, I sprinkled a bit of dried garlic and ground some black pepper over the top. It cooked surprisingly well given my less than careful preparation. I kept the heat lower than I normally would to grill a steak and let it thaw as it cooked. The outside caramelized nicely with dark grill marks as the interior stayed rare, though heated through. While it cooked, I threw (almost literally) a halved zucchini sprinkled with sea salt on the grill pan along side it. I had a rather nice dinner with plenty of leftovers for breakfast and lunch today.
 |
| rare steak and grilled zucchini packed for lunch |
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| soon to be chicken soup |
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
the whole30, day twenty-six
I'm beginning Day 26 wanting to stay in bed and enjoy the day. Unfortunately, work beckons. I am also scrambling a bit to put meals together for the day. Sometimes I get so used to being prepared that I forget to do what it takes to get to the point where I can be prepared. Today is one of those days. It's not that there's nothing in the house to cook or prep for breakfast and lunch. It's just not ready to go. It's also not super appealing, but that's a matter of mood and appetite.
For breakfast I'll scramble 3 eggs with a sliced summer squash and onions. I apparently let the mushrooms stay in the fridge a bit too long, or I'd throw those in, too. Not sure about lunch right now. Oh, sometimes I secretly long for the days when I would think it just fine to grab something out.
a little later in the day...
Breakfast turned out pretty well in spite of my momentary panic. I added a little leftover braisied beef to the squash and onion, then scrambled the eggs with them still in the pan. It may not have been beautiful, but it was yummy and filling. For lunch I grabbed a frozen container of chicken soup, stashed there for just such a time. Today is our first day of windy, almost cold weather, so soup sounds great. This is in stark contrast to the hot day when I made the soup, tired of waiting for the appropriate cool weather. I am a soup nut. I think, surpassed only by braising, making soup may be my favorite in the kitchen.
With that in mind, I'm picturing all the vegetables sitting in my refrigerator getting older by the day and thinking of a large pot of vegetable soup. There's nothing wrong with them. I just haven't felt inspired to do anything with them. It's been a mentally and emotionally exhausting week or two, so I've gone with mindless and easy much of the time. Making vegetable soup is not remotely hard; it just hadn't crossed my mind. So my plan when I get home today is to slice and dice and brown onions, celery, green beans, zucchini, turnips, carrots (if I can find some hiding), and then add garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and probably a bit of mixed Italian herbs from the garden. To these I'll add water to cover and maybe a couple of tomatoes, diced. Normally, my preference would be chicken broth or stock for the liquid, but this time I'll defer to GK's desire for less beastly stuff. Besides, I still have some leftover chicken I can through into mine when I serve it. He'll ask for beans in his, and for the time being, I'll try not to grimace.
For breakfast I'll scramble 3 eggs with a sliced summer squash and onions. I apparently let the mushrooms stay in the fridge a bit too long, or I'd throw those in, too. Not sure about lunch right now. Oh, sometimes I secretly long for the days when I would think it just fine to grab something out.
a little later in the day...
Breakfast turned out pretty well in spite of my momentary panic. I added a little leftover braisied beef to the squash and onion, then scrambled the eggs with them still in the pan. It may not have been beautiful, but it was yummy and filling. For lunch I grabbed a frozen container of chicken soup, stashed there for just such a time. Today is our first day of windy, almost cold weather, so soup sounds great. This is in stark contrast to the hot day when I made the soup, tired of waiting for the appropriate cool weather. I am a soup nut. I think, surpassed only by braising, making soup may be my favorite in the kitchen.
With that in mind, I'm picturing all the vegetables sitting in my refrigerator getting older by the day and thinking of a large pot of vegetable soup. There's nothing wrong with them. I just haven't felt inspired to do anything with them. It's been a mentally and emotionally exhausting week or two, so I've gone with mindless and easy much of the time. Making vegetable soup is not remotely hard; it just hadn't crossed my mind. So my plan when I get home today is to slice and dice and brown onions, celery, green beans, zucchini, turnips, carrots (if I can find some hiding), and then add garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and probably a bit of mixed Italian herbs from the garden. To these I'll add water to cover and maybe a couple of tomatoes, diced. Normally, my preference would be chicken broth or stock for the liquid, but this time I'll defer to GK's desire for less beastly stuff. Besides, I still have some leftover chicken I can through into mine when I serve it. He'll ask for beans in his, and for the time being, I'll try not to grimace.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
the whole30, day twenty-five
That pesky scale is still taunting me. The food is pretty easy. Avoiding sugar is a snap. Even wine isn't particularly appealing. But I really, really, really want to step on my bathroom scale. I admit it. I'm a scale addict, not because it's meaningful. Oddly, I guess, I find it fun. Believe me, it would be in a closet somewhere if GK didn't use it once or twice a day.
I do suppose I'm pretty lucky, though, if that's my only temptation. This has been an unusally crazy few weeks for me completely unrelated to the Whole30. If I were going to be tempted to diverge from this program, this stress would have done it. After today, I have 5 days to go. I'm thrilled, thrilled, thrilled. I may not change my eating habits, but I'm likely to reacquaint myself with that scale.
Being a creature of habit and a lover of routines, I again started the day with bacon and eggs at my desk at work. I find it amusing that my coworkers think of my eating requirements as restrive and limiting. To some degree, there's some truth to be found in that, but mostly what's restricted is serious junk and toxic matter. I eat really good food. I don't eat doughnuts or pizza or badly prepared cupcakes or jello and cool whip molds. I'll take steak or salmon or bacon and eggs any day. I've found a locally produced bacon, through Abundant Harvest Organics that's uncured and neither overly smoky or sweet. I am in love, yet again. The pastured eggs came from them, too. If you live in central or southern California, check this out.
As for the rest of the day, I'm sitting at my desk daydreaming about braising. I may very well be weird, but this certainly does not consitute evidence. What could be more perfect this time of year than braising? I would love more ideas if anyone wants to share braising recipes, even though I could be 130 before I try all that I now have. It helps keep my mind off that scale.
I do suppose I'm pretty lucky, though, if that's my only temptation. This has been an unusally crazy few weeks for me completely unrelated to the Whole30. If I were going to be tempted to diverge from this program, this stress would have done it. After today, I have 5 days to go. I'm thrilled, thrilled, thrilled. I may not change my eating habits, but I'm likely to reacquaint myself with that scale.
Being a creature of habit and a lover of routines, I again started the day with bacon and eggs at my desk at work. I find it amusing that my coworkers think of my eating requirements as restrive and limiting. To some degree, there's some truth to be found in that, but mostly what's restricted is serious junk and toxic matter. I eat really good food. I don't eat doughnuts or pizza or badly prepared cupcakes or jello and cool whip molds. I'll take steak or salmon or bacon and eggs any day. I've found a locally produced bacon, through Abundant Harvest Organics that's uncured and neither overly smoky or sweet. I am in love, yet again. The pastured eggs came from them, too. If you live in central or southern California, check this out.
As for the rest of the day, I'm sitting at my desk daydreaming about braising. I may very well be weird, but this certainly does not consitute evidence. What could be more perfect this time of year than braising? I would love more ideas if anyone wants to share braising recipes, even though I could be 130 before I try all that I now have. It helps keep my mind off that scale.
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