The Whole 30

IT’S OVER. IT’S OVER, IT’S OVER, IT’S FINALLY OVER. What’s over? The Whole30. Thirty of the longest, mostly enjoyable, and sometimes grueling days in which I ultimately learned what foods I have to eat (and not eat) in order to feel healthy and clean.

It’s hard to stay healthy while traveling. Routines aren’t regular, eating out is the norm, and it’s always time to “treat yo-self” because travel is special. I’ve been out of the country for the better part of the last year, so this has been my life. I travelled to and ate my way through France, India, and the East coast (and loved every minute of it). 

My favorite part of France

However, at the end of all this travel, I felt unhealthy and knew that I needed to make a change. I did some (extensive) research and decided to try out the Whole 30.  

Don’t know what the Whole30 is? Don’t worry, I didn’t either. It’s essential Paleo, with some minor adjustments. Basically, I didn’t eat dairy, grains, legumes, added sugars, or any processed foods for thirty days. But I don’t like to focus on those things. I like to focus on what I did get to eat. For thirty days, I ate *real* food. I ate meat (I channeled my inner Ron Swanson, big time), seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds.

During these past thirty days, I experimented with more food that I have in my lifetime and ignited a passion for cooking. I’ve learned to love vegetables and I’ve prepared eggs in more ways than I thought was possible. Not to brag, but I’ve made some damn good food.

Looking back, it was a decision that I’m so glad that I made. Now that I’m done, I have discovered that I’m lactose intolerant (I feel kind of dumb that it took me 20 years to look into the excessive stomach aches…), I sleep better, and I feel better about how I look- the drop in pant size was a nice surprise by the end of the month. 

I didn’t experience any of the drastic results that some of the testimonials describe, but I think that was due to the limitations that I faced because I’m a poor college student. Eating real food is expensive, so I couldn’t afford to prepare three homemade meals a day as is recommended. When I had to eat at the school’s dining hall, I couldn’t be sure that I was following the guidelines of the Whole30. Even if I made good choices by turning down the chocolate chip cookies, I couldn’t know for sure that there wasn’t any added sugar on the chicken they were serving, or that there wasn’t soy sauce in the salad dressing. But hey, I tried.

So even with the occasional slips, I experienced enough positive changes to realize the powerful role that food plays in my physical and mental happiness. I encourage you to experiment with the food you are eating in order to find out how you can feel your best. Giving up a few slices of bread is a small price to pay for feeling clean. That being said… I sure am excited to have cheese again.

For those who are interested in learning more about the Whole30, here’s a link to their website. http://whole30.com/ The book “It Starts with Food” was a great, informational, inspiring read.

Apricot-Almond Bars

You know what are really tasty? LÄRABARs. I recently discovered them and kind of fell in love. They’re a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices, and they’re amazing. Plus, they’re healthy and gluten-free, if you care about that kind of thing.

My favorite thing about LaraBars is how simple they are. They generally have somewhere between 3 to 6 ingredients… and that’s it. Compared with a long list of *I can’t pronounce the name* ingredients usually found on granola bars, it’s a breath of fresh air.

After chowing down on one the other day, I realized that I could most definitely make bars like this myself. Or I could at least try! I found a recipe with similar ingredients and gave it a go. 

Here’s what you’ll need 

• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dates
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Here's what you do

1. Spread coconut and slivered almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake for 5-7 minutes at 350 F or until lightly browned. This will give them a yummy toasted flavor.

2. Add apricots, dates, almond butter and almonds to a food processor. Process until ingredients come together and form a ball. Remove the ball and place into a bowl.

3. Add in the toasted coconut and almonds, then mush it all together using your hands (that’s the fun part).

4. Flatten mixture into a 9x9 baking dish lined with plastic wrap using your already messy hands, then put the dish into the freezer for 15 minutes to let it set.

5. Grab the plastic wrap and remove bars from the dish, cut into 12 bars.

6. EAT THEM! They’re so good, and will stay best if you keep them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Note: I realized shortly after I had finished making the bars that I accidentally used dried dates instead of regular dates… don’t do this. Your bars will crumble. Lesson to me about reading instructions carefully!

These bars are great to have on hand when hanger (definition of hangry: when one becomes angry from extreme hunger) strikes. It's a real problem. 

Click here for the direct source

Eggs.

I have been an animal lover my whole life. When people ask if there is any significance to my paw print tattoo, my answer is always, “No, I just really love puppies. I always have and I always will.”

However, not until recently did I make the connection between my grocery store choices and animal cruelty. I didn’t stop to think that my morning omelet could be a direct cause of harm to an animal. When I decided to look into the issue, I pulled up the Google machine and read about the horrendous conditions that laying hens face in industrial farms. Thus, I started searching for a way that I could become involved and support local sources while simultaneously avoiding industrial farms.

Luckily, it didn’t take me too long to stumble upon a friend who has laying hens at her home in Greenville. Each week, I get a dozen real-deal eggs straight from the source. Being able to enjoy food that comes from humanely raised sources is another one of those things that gets me so, so excited.

The eggs I get from my friend look like this:

They are sometimes misshapen, all different shades of beautiful brown, speckled, and gorgeous. I mean, look at ‘em. This is what eggs are supposed to look like.

While everyone may not get as excited as I do about farm fresh eggs and the connotations with animal cruelty that industrial farms have, there are also differences in the eggs from the two sources.

Everyone knows what eggs from Walmart and other grocery chains look like. They are uniform in size, shape, and color, without blemishes or variations. (And I don’t care how many times the word “natural” is written on the outside of the box- it’s not from a pasture farm.)

There is also a difference in the yolks of the different eggs. Here, you can see that the pastured egg yolk has a darker, richer color yellow. 

After poking around on the internet a bit to check out the health benefits of pastured eggs, I learned that they are proven to be much more nutrient dense, particularly Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Omega-3. Exciting, yeah?!

So ask around, do a little research, and see if there is a way that you can form a relationship with a local farmer to buy eggs. Chances are that they will be happy you are supporting the local economy. In doing so, you will be benefiting the farmer, promoting safe animal welfare, and taking better care of your body. Win, win, and  win.

Plus, they totally taste better. Win.

Obligatory first blog post

I’m an excitable person… kind of like a puppy. A puppy that gets fixated on Disney movies, loose leaf tea, candles, anything with an elephant print, Ron Swanson quotes, making travel plans for imaginary trips… you get the point…a lot of things.

But mostly, I just really love food. I get more excited about my weekly trips to my favorite locally-sourced grocery store than most girls would about… oh, I don’t know, Bradley Cooper holding an armful of puppies (realizing now that this may just be my dream).

I have a passion for sharing food with my friends and family. I spend way too much of my time and money, both of which are very limited, on finding new things to cook. When I should probably be studying for my upcoming test, I find myself pouring through food blogs to find the perfect recipe for a paleo granola. The money I could be spending to see a movie with friends, I use to buy grass-fed beef to make chili in my crockpot that I love too much.

In my mind, these things are important and deserve my time and money. The effort that I put in now will be worth it in the long run, when eating habits really matter. The food we consume on a daily basis has a huge impact on the way we live our lives, and I want to eat food that makes my brain, body, and taste buds happy!

That being said, my puppy-like adoration is becoming too much for my immediate friends and family to handle. I want to share my love of food with anyone who is willing to read these blog posts filled with recipes, stories, food adventures, and the occasional cute puppy picture.

I mean, come on.