Whole30- Day 7

I have knocked it out of the park today. My food has been so good. So no more talking, here's what I've eaten.

Breakfast- fried eggs (a la yesterday's) and a sweet potato hash brown. A match made in heaven.

After breakfast, while the kids played Wii, I prepped the stir-fry ingredients for dinner. It will be such a relief to be able to just throw everything in the skillet when the time comes. I'm learning that preparation is key with Whole30. If I get hungry, I want to grab something immediately. 

Lunch- I knew it would be a salad. I bought a lot of lettuce and have yet to use it. But I'm really not a salad fan. When I saw my avocados threatening to over-ripen on the counter, I remembered this salad with avocado dressing. Perfect! But with no cheese and no chips, would it be anything more than chicken on lettuce? No. That's boring. So I didn't go tex-mex with this salad. I went classic chicken salad. I added some halved grapes and a handful of chopped almonds. Delicious!!

Dinner- Chicken stir-fry with lots of veggies and cauliflower "rice." I'm not going to lie- I was scared of this. When I prepped it this morning, my son kept complaining about how smelly his sister was. He was begging me to change her diaper. I assured him that it wasn't her, it was mommy's dinner. That didn't bode well.

Let me say this- cauliflower rice is not rice. However, in the context of a stir-fry, it's not bad. The texture was more like couscous, and it didn't taste overwhelmingly like cauliflower. I ate every last bite. I sauteed mine with onion and red pepper, then stir-fried chicken thighs, onion, carrot, garlic, ginger, and snap peas in another pan. I made a sauce with clementine zest and juice, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and a bit of water. I expected both my husband and I to miss the soy sauce, but neither of us did. 

I didn't actually cook all of the cauliflower, and have more "rice" to use later in the week. A couple of friends mentioned cauliflower garlic "mashed potatoes," so I might try that another night. 

Chicken Salad for the Mayo-Hater (like me)

lettuce
cooked chicken
halved grapes
sliced celery
chopped green onions
chopped roasted almonds
salt and pepper

Avocado Dressing

1 large avocado
juice of 1 small lemon
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
water

In a blender, puree avocado with lemon juice, olive oil and enough water to make a creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and cayenne, if desired) and blend well.

Combine all ingredients (adjust the amounts accordingly, you might not need all the dressing.)  and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Greek Salad with Pita Chips and Lemony Chicken Nuggets

This meal was so refreshing and delicious and exactly what I wanted it to be. The husband and I were all but fighting over who got to polish off the rest of the salad. I can honestly say that's never happened before. The chicken nuggets were just another version of my new go-to way of making them. Panko. Everyone loves the Panko.

Greek Salad with Pita Chips

adapted from Real Simple Magazine - I left out a bunch of stuff that I knew my husband wouldn't eat

2 pitas, split horizontally

4 tbs olive oil

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn or chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, torn

1-2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Place the pita cut-side up on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tbs olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until golden and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Let cool, then break into pieces.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oregano, the remaining 3 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add the lettuce, spinach, tomato, and cucumber and toss. Top with feta and pita chips.

Lemony Chicken Nuggets

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized nuggets

salt and pepper

zest and juice of 1 large lemon

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2-4 tbs olive oil

In a large bowl, or on a plate, combine greek yogurt with the juice of 1 large lemon. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, add water 1 tbs at a time. Coat the chicken in the yogurt mixture. On a separate plate, combine breadcrumbs with the zest of the lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the coated chicken with the breadcrumbs. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in batches, adding more oil if necessary, until nuggets are golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

Guacamole Salad

To be honest, this is the dish that inspired me to eat mostly-meat-free for the next month.

We had it on Thursday for dinner with friends (along with taquitos), and even my skeptical (scared) husband had two helpings of it! (I should think it goes without saying that my extremely picky little boys didn't eat a single bite of it.) I liked it so much, I headed back to the farmer's market and restocked the supplies needed to make another round. We had it for lunch yesterday with brown rice and tortillas. It's great as a chunky monkey salsa, eaten with chips.

Guacamole Salad

adapted from Ina Garten

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup red onion, sliced very thinly

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

juice of 1-2 limes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, seeded, peeled and diced

In a large bowl, place tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, corn, and beans. Squeeze over the juice of 1 (very juicy) or 2 (somewhat stingy) limes, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. When ready to serve, gently fold in avocados. (I made up a big batch for the fridge and just left out the avocado. I slice it and add it in when we're ready to eat.)

Chicken Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing

Talk about a perfect summertime meal. I ate this for lunch and dinner two days in a row! The dressing is so simple and delicious and could certainly be used as an extremely smooth guacamole. The flavors of this simple salad really work well together. Try this one soon!

Chicken Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing

for the salad:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tbs olive oil

taco seasoning- to your taste (for me, this is chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper)

romaine lettuce

shredded cheddar cheese

tortilla chips, lightly crushed

for the dressing:

1 large avocado

juice of 1 small lemon

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

water

Marinate chicken breasts in the olive oil and taco seasoning for at least one hour in the refrigerator. To cook, preheat oven to 350 and heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot, brown chicken on both sides for about 2 minutes per side. Do not cook through; just brown both sides. Transfer chicken and pan to oven and cook for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest on a plate while you prepare the salad dressing.

In a blender, puree avocado with lemon juice, olive oil and enough water to make a creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper (and cayenne, if desired) and blend well.

Slice chicken breasts into strips. Top romaine lettuce with chicken, shredded cheese, and avocado dressing. Add crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Chicken Tostada Salad

Though these were a quick and easy weeknight meal, I was a bit disappointed simply in the texture of the "tostada" itself. Maybe I just didn't let my tortillas get crispy enough. They were a bit chewy in the middle, so that made them difficult to eat. I ended up folding everything in half and eating it as a taco.

A tasty taco, though. :)

Chicken Tostada Salad

adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

4 corn tortillas

3 tsp canola oil

3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

meat from 2 roasted bone-in chicken breasts, torn into bite-size pieces (could certainly use rotisserie chicken)

salt and pepper

1 tbs plus 1 tsp fresh lime juice

1/2 head romaine lettuce, shredded

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced small

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with 2 tsp oil and place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Divide cheese among tortillas and return to oven. Bake until cheese is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/4 cup water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is warmed through and water is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp lime juice and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce and 1 tbs lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and divide among the tortillas. Top each tortilla with chicken mixture, tomato and avocado.

Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak and Romaine Salad with Creamy Dressing

Fast, easy, and delicious? Yes, yes, and yes!
Really, what more is there to say?
Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak

adapted from Great Food Fast

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoons light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound beef skirt steak, cut into 4 even pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, coriander, sugar, oregano, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Coat steaks evenly on both sides with oil, then spice mixture, patting to adhere.
Place steaks on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil, without turning, until medium-rare, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a large platter, and cover with aluminum foil; let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and divide steaks among four serving plates. Drizzle with any accumulated juices, and serve with Romaine-Heart Salad.

Romaine Heart Salad with Creamy Dressing

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise (I hate mayo, I never buy mayo, so I used 2 tbs Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon chili powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 heads romaine lettuce
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Make dressing: In a medium bowl, place sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Remove dark outer leaves from each head of romaine, leaving the heart; place leaves in a plastic bag lined with a paper towel, and refrigerate to use later. Slice hearts in half lengthwise. Place one half on each plate; top with dressing. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Kitchen-Sink Salad

Much thanks to Guy Fieri for this recipe. When I saw him make this last week I had visions of replicating my husband's favorite salad (ever) from Buca di Beppo. While this wasn't the same, it was delicious and, though I did saute up a chicken breast to slice on top (and to round out N's meal), we had a salad for dinner. And that's saying something. (Although perhaps it says more that my favorite bites were those with bacon...)

Switch out the veggies, nuts, and cheese for whatever your family likes/what you have on hand.

Kitchen Sink Salad
adapted from Guy Fieri

Dressing:
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic put through garlic press (or just minced very finely, if you don't have a press)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

3 pieces bacon, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons almonds
1 (12-ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
1/2 English cucumber, halved, diced 1/2-inch pieces
1 large tomato, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
shredded carrots

1/2 cup broccoli florets
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Freshly cracked black pepper

To make the dressing:
In a blender combine all ingredients except olive oil. Pulse several times until well combined. Once combined, turn machine on and slowly add in olive oil. Chill until ready to use.

To make the salad:
In a medium fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove to paper-towel lined plate to drain and cool. Remove to a plate and set aside to cool. Wash and dry greens, place in refrigerator to chill 10 to 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, in a large bowl toss together salad greens, and veggies with just enough dressing to lightly coat salad. Dress top of salad with bacon, almonds, cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Pioneer Woman's Ginger Steak Salad

It came highly recommended, and it fit the husband's recent request quite nicely. The man wanted salad for supper more often. Seriously? Your wish is my command, my love.

I made this salad last night and have a few tweaks that I think would make it better.

photo courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Ginger Steak Salad
Steak Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry (I didn't have this, and used red-wine vinegar instead)
2 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 rib-eye, strip, or sirloin steak
(to cook in:) 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 generous tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced (I guess I had a very wimpy jalapeno, because I didn't get any heat from it at all- wish I had used the whole thing!)
8 ounces salad greens: baby lettuces, endive, radicchio, etc.

Combine steak marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Mix and place steak into bag. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Combine salad dressing ingredients. Slice green onion.
When steak is finished marinating, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a hot skillet. Cook steak about 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep on a plate, allowing to cool slightly.

(My steak was pretty thick, and needed close to 3 minutes per side.)

Toss salad greens in 3/4 of the salad dressing. Place steak on cutting board and slice thinly, then pour juices from the plate over the top. Mound tossed salad on a platter, then place sliced steak on top of salad. Pour remaining salad dressing over the top.

(Here's where I should have parted ways with the recipe, especially given that my husband doesn't like "warm" salads. The steak wilted the lettuces a bit too much for our taste. We would have preferred the steak on the side.)

Sprinkle green onions over the salad, and add cherry tomatoes if that makes your skirt fly up.

Overall, the flavors were good, but I wanted a bit of crunch to go with the tender lettuces and steak. (Perhaps I've seen one too many episodes of Top Chef?) Next time I might add some grated carrot and/or some toasted chopped almonds. I could see both of those being welcomed additions.

Lemon Chicken Primavera

This gem of a pasta salad is like summer in a bowl. It's light, filled with veggies, and perfect at room temperature.  

Lemon Chicken Primavera

Ingredients:
1 box small shaped pasta (I prefer orzo)
1 rotisserie chicken (or 3-4 roasted bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup fresh veggies, chopped (I love carrots, summer squash, and zucchini)
2 tsp chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
juice of 1 large lemon
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, shred meat from chicken. Set aside.
3. Combine chopped veggies with chicken and pasta while pasta is still warm. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Check for seasoning. Add basil, pine nuts, and feta. Toss.
Enjoy! Great at room temperature!