Day: 3

This challenge has been fun, but also more time consuming. I can't throw together a dinner last minute like I usually do, I have to actually prepare and think out every meal. I find myself constantly thinking about food now. After I eat breakfast, I think, what can I have for lunch? Dinner? Snacks? How do I change things up a bit? How do I cook and buy things that won't cost a ton of money for all the fresh ingredients? I haven't actually bought anything at the store just yet, but our pantry is nearly empty.  Today is the last day I can get away making something with what we have on hand. I've tried to resist going to the store because of all that after Christmas shopping I had done!! I will just have to smart and hopefully with the planning element in all of this, I'll actually come out on top and save money on food, compared to how I previously shopped (which was whatever looked good, with maybe a few dinners in there!).

So here's the day today:

Breakfast: Hash Browns and Oranges

Hash browns with red peppers and onions, with a side fruit of an orange.  I thinly cubed 2 red potatoes. I added about a tablespoon of Grape Seed oil to the pan. I threw in the potatoes and let them roast and cook a little bit before adding the onions and red peppers (you can cover the potatoes or not, I've done it both ways. It stays crispier if you do not, but you have to be careful not to burn the potatoes.).

Snack: Pistachios

Lunch:  Rice Cereal with Rice Milk

I love this cereal. I ate three bowls with rice milk for lunch. It's really good with added peaches, raspberries or blueberries, but today it was just the straight cereal. My only gripe is that it's made in the same factory as wheat products. So for those of you who have a very strict no gluten policy, this would probably be crossed off your list. It's too bad because these are perfect! This would make a great snack for babies, they milt in your mouth and are much healthier than cheerios!

Dinner:  Thai Chicken & Butternut Squash

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/50912676835/thai-curry-chicken

http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/thai-butternut-squash-curry.html

A cross between these two recipes! I first browned the chicken in grape seed oil, salt and pepper. Once cooked, I removed and added the shallots, onion and fresh lemon grass (I think you could have cooked them all together, but one of the recipes said to cook one and then the other.).  I then added a can of coconut milk, along with chopped up butternut squash (about 1 1/2-2 Cups worth) and cut up carrots. I added 2 tablespoons of a red curry paste (make sure you look at the ingredients to make sure there is no added sugar, gluten or chemicals). I let that simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables were tender. I topped with a sprinkling of basil (would have been better to have had fresh!), served over rice and dinner was ready! It was great and fairly simple, I would definitely make this again, but perhaps use different vegetables next time.   

Dessert: Paleo Pumpkin Sweet Potato Custard

http://stupideasypaleo.com/2014/11/29/paleo-pumpkin-sweet-potato-custard-recipe-dairy-free-egg-free/

With this diet you have to be a bit more creative in satisfying that sweet tooth! I know the whole idea is to get rid of that sweet tooth, but this diet is one I'd like to continue even when I'm done with the next 27 days, so I'm modifying it a bit to be a bit more realistic. The only modification that would not comply (or maybe it would, I'm not sure) with the Whole 30 is the coconut sugar. I had tried the custard and it was very bland. It had a wonderful flavor with the spices, but needed just a trace of sweetness. I opted to add not quite a tablespoon of coconut sugar to the coconut whipped cream.  Compared to other recipes out there that actually use nearly a cup of powdered sugar, I felt like I was doing well with an all natural sweetner and barely any of it at that.

This was my first time making coconut whipped cream, I think it came out great! I chilled a can of coconut cream over night, dumped it out into a bowl and whipped it for about 30 seconds with my mixer. Seriously so easy!

I did add just a touch of vanilla and the coconut sugar.

It was tasty, but to be honest, I didn't love this dessert. Maybe I used too much sweet potato? I didn't exactly measure the proportions, I just eye balled them. My picture does not look like the listed recipe's picture! I don't think I'll make this again, but if you have made this, I'd like to know if you liked it and how yours turned out!