What I Ate Wednesday #83: Elimination Diet

I was really trying to think of Passover as an elimination diet this time around. I had recently been experiencing itchy hands and feet, mostly at the end of the day, and was seriously hoping it wasn’t a food allergy. I didn’t think about it so much throughout the week, but I have to admit I definitely noticed a difference by the end of last night after I officially broke Passover.

Breakfast

While I thoroughly enjoyed my egg white, banana, sweet potato/kabocha scramble all week, I’m excited to be having something new for breakfast. Like oats! Gimme grains! Also, peanut butter forever.

Snack

I had a bunch of errands to run in the late morning/early afternoon and stuck this bar in my purse as I was running out. Larabar was pretty much the only bar I had that I could eat during Passover.. good thing they’re so delicious!

Lunch

I was pretty hungry by the time I got home and just picked up a can of salmon from Trader Joe’s. Instead of eating it straight from the can, I whipped up an awesome salad. Also, I totally bought some cottage cheese after seeing it all over tons of blogs! Well done, FitFluential 😉

Ingredients
– 1 can wild Alaskan salmon; drained
– 1 small avocado
– 1/4 cup cottage cheese
– 1 tsp McCormick Smokehouse Maple seasoning

Mash it all up together in a bowl and throw it on a salad, crackers, etc. I sprinkled a little chili powder on top and ended up going back for more. So good! It makes 2-3 servings [2 if you’re me!]

BREAKING PASSOVER!

When Nathan got home, he had a quick snack of some leftover buttered noodles from the other night. He offered me a bite and with that, Passover was officially over. Of course, then I went and grabbed a bite of granola because I couldn’t wait until after dinner.

Dinner

Chipotle ain’t got nothin’ on me! The salsa turned out great and I thoroughly enjoyed the rice-y bean-y goodness. Unlike any kind of elimination diet, I eliminated food for a week and immediately added all of it back into my diet in one fell swoop! Unfortunately, I was bloated within 30 minutes and now I’m not sure what did it but I’m thinking my body might hate legumes. Say it isn’t so!

Snack

I won a giveaway of Shelia G’s Brownie Brittle and of course it came in the other day. Nathan tried it right away and I couldn’t wait to try a piece. And then another piece with peanut butter because everything is better with peanut butter! .. and of course I had to have my apple, a little more granola, and a handful of peanut butter puffins. Success.

So the final results? Everything may be better with peanut butter, but I’m not so sure my body is. I hadn’t experienced the bloating all week like I did after dinner and I also noticed my hands and feet getting itchy again later on. It may be time to call the doctor in on this one!

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried an elimination diet?

Five Things Friday

Is it just me or did this week fly? Not that anyone ever complains that it’s Friday.. besides, I have a fun weekend ahead!

1. Tonight we’re headed into San Francisco to meet up with a few Fit Approach friends and head to a sketch comedy show. I’m pretty excited. It’s been a while since we’ve been to a comedy show but it’s right up our alley.
2. Tomorrow I’m meeting up with Alyse [<– more Fit Approach love!] to go to a free VinBata class. It’s a combo of Vinyasa and Tabata.. I honestly have no idea what to expect but it should be fun!
   
   …..or wine?
3. Speaking of workouts, I mentioned yesterday that I’ve been taking a bit slower at the gym lately and trying to figure out what my body actually wants instead of just doing a workout. Turns out, yesterday when I woke up I had no desire to go to the gym. I did some [really lame] yoga that I found on HuluPlus.. I say really lame because it was a little too slow for what I was looking for and there were commercials. How relaxing, right?
4. I ended up getting really antsy as the day went on and decided to go for a GPS-less run around a nearby lake. Full disclosure: it was hard. For whatever reason, my asthma decided to act up and I was having trouble getting in some steady breathing, but I decided to feel it out and take my time. I ran about 3.25 miles and to my surprise, it was around a 7:50 pace! Woo! Plus, pretty flowers 😉
   
5. I’m pretty sure I completely forgot to mention the HIIT class I went to at Athleta last week taught by Erin, a trainer that I met at FitBloggin’ 2012 in Baltimore. She taught a kick ass [literally!] 6 am bootcamp and it was awesome so I knew to expect nothing less last week. She focused on sharing some moves that could be done anywhere, whether you’re at home, traveling, sitting at your kids baseball game, etc. I had a great time and it was so nice to catch up with her afterwards over a glass of wine [my only reason to go to P.F. Changs these days..] I also left with a new pair of capris that I pretty much love.
   If you’re in the bay area, I highly recommend checking out some of her classes!

Bob’s Red Mill Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Jessica B! Please email me with your mailing information so I can pass it on.

And I leave you with this.

Yup.

Food for Thought

What are your plans this weekend?
Have you ever tried a VinBata class or something similar?

What I Ate Wednesday #82: Passover Style

Have you entered my Bob’s Red Mill giveaway yet?

Back in the day I absolutely dreaded Passover. No pasta? Are you kidding me?!

These days it’s more “no legumes?!” There’s a lot less dread going into the holiday since my diet has changed but I do miss my peanut butter, green beans, peanut butter, sugar snap peas, peanut butter.. I mean, I don’t discriminate against other nut butters, but I always go back to the peanut. Before I get into my Passover eats, let me just say that I’m not super strict. I follow the gist of the holiday and many of the rules, but I don’t turn my life upside down and completely rid my house of anything that isn’t K for P.

Breakfast

Probably my most difficult swap because I love my grains with breakfast, but I figured it out. I mashed half of a banana with 6 egg whites and cinnamon, scrambled that, and added some pre-roasted kabocha at the end. I topped it with my coconut cashew butter and called it breakfast! Like I said, I don’t discriminate against other nut butters.

I also had a nice treat to go with my breakfast. At Seder, I found the Afikomen [yes, I’m extremely proud of myself] and this awesome coffee was my prize!

Lunch

I brought a salad to Seder with bell pepper, roasted kabocha, and craisins. I made a ton just in case and ended up bringing some home [darn] so I just used that for my lunch, added some jicama, grilled buffalo chicken, and avocado. Man, Passover is tough 😉

Snack

Possibly my new favorite smoothie smuice. It’s chock full of veggies so it’s not too sweet [mom, are you reading?] but it also doesn’t taste too “green”.. know what I mean? I still used some protein powder in this even though it’s not necessarily K for P. I check the ingredient list and decided it was a go. I had half of the mix between lunch and dinner and threw the other half in the fridge.

And then I went back for more.. does that kind of defeat the purpose, Whitney?

Also, I needed to show off my new cell phone case.

Dinner

Oh hey there pasta! Sort of.. I had to adjust this recipe for Mediterranean Smothered Chicken to make it Passover-friendly so it pretty much ended up being a really tasty tomato sauce with chicken and zucchini noodles. Still a winner nonetheless.

Snack
Apple with coconut cashew butter.. because how could I say no to more nut butter?

I realized with all of the Passover recipe round-ups that I never did one, so here’s a quick list of some of my Passover-friendly recipes!

• Apple Pie Pancakes [without the peanut fluff and granola toppings]
• Pumpkin Coconut Flour Pancakes [again without toppings]
• Fiesta Citrus Chicken
• Grandma Barr’s Tzimmes
• Spaghetti Squash Kugel
• Eggy Quinoa Stuffed Squash
• Sweet Potato & Zucchini Latkes
• Charoset
• Creamy Coconut Cashew Butter
• Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter
• Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter Quinoa Granola
• Roasted Banana Berry Chocolate Cups
• Strawberry Yogurt Bites

Food for Thought

If you keep kosher for Passover, what do you miss most?
If you don’t keep Passover, what would you miss most?

Link Love #32

Have you entered my Bob’s Red Mill giveaway yet?

Well, I’m happy to report that last night was fun! I’m so glad I was able to find a seder to go to and this was definitely a family that reminded me of my own. The random breaks for song, a Rabbi rap, lots of laughter, and an extremely full belly. Other than being home with my own family, I couldn’t have asked for more and I’m so thankful to have found such a welcoming group of people. There were quite a few empty wine bottles at the end of the night too 😉

Health

“Stressing Over Stress is What Makes Stress So Stressful” – Cotter Crunch

“Stressing Over Stress is What Makes Stress So Stressful” – Cotter Crunch
Don’t compare you to…YOU. – Carla Birnberg
Is Being Really Lean Really Worth It? – Molly Galbraith
Looking “Fit” Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Being Healthy – Jen Comas Keck
Ask a Yogini: Why Practice Yoga Inversions? – Love Life Surf

Fitness

The Extra Dirty Thirty Full Body Workout – Lifting Revolution

The Extra Dirty Thirty Full Body Workout – Lifting Revolution
Challenge Yourself at the Gym – Slim Sanity
Greatist Workout of the Day: Furious 10 – Greatist
How to Complete a Chin Up: 9 Tips to Pull Yourself Over the Bar – Your Trainer Paige
Post Workout Nutrition: What Do We Need and Why? – The Little Honey Bee

Food

Torched Salmon in Green Juice Sauce – Lady and Pups

Torched Salmon in Green Juice Sauce – Lady and Pups
Red Wine Fig Jam – Food Babbles
Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs – Eating Bird Food
Coconut Banana Oats Bowl with Crunchy Black Sesame Quinoa Cereal + Mango – Half Baked Harvest
Gruyere and Asparagus Potato Noodle Casserole – Inspiralized

Food for Thought

Have you ever spent a holiday with a family you’d never met before?
What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Chobani Lovin’

Today is the very last day to enter my Chobani giveaway [have you entered yet?] and in honor of the last day, I wanted to share my favorite recipes that I’ve created using this wonderful treat!

Mango Chipotle Chicken Salad

Spaghetti Squash Kugel

Roasted Banana Berry Chocolate Cups

Strawberry Yogurt Bites

And of course you can’t forget a simple cup o’ cho! I like to dress up my plain cho with a little stevia, cinnamon, and fresh fruit. Just don’t open the wrong side of the cinnamon top and dump 1/4 cup in there like I did yesterday.. that was rough!

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite way to cho? Do you use yogurt as substitutes in some of your favorite recipes?

Foodie Friday: Charoset. The Jewish Larabar.

One of the staples on the sedar table, and part of the sedar plate, is the charoset. It is meant to represent the mortar used by the Israelites in Ancient Egypt. There are 2 main kinds of charoset; Ashkenazi, made from chopped apples, walnuts, honey, and spices, and Sephardic, which is more of a paste made with dates and figs.

Growing up, my family always had the Ashkenazi version, but in more recent years we’ve also had the Sephardic version on the table. As soon as I tasted this, I instantly fell in love. I’m telling you, it’s like a homemade Jewish Larabar! How could it be bad?

Charoset

Makes approximately 4 cups

Ingredients
– 1 cup pitted dates
– 1 cup figs
– 1 cup dried apricots
– 1 cup golden raisins
– 1 bananas
– 1 cup pistachios
– 1/2 cup crystallized ginger
– 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
– 1 tsp cardamom
– Rind and juice of 1 orange
– 1 cup or more port or Passover wine
– Honey to taste

Directions
Add all ingredients into a large food processor and process until relatively smooth. You do still want to have some bits of pistachio and dried fruit. It’s like a delicious surprise 🙂

I’m telling you, if you’re a fan of Larabars, you have to make this! It is definitely a crowd pleaser and I plan on having it on hand year-round now! So glad I got the recipe from my cousin, Amy!

Food for Thought

Have you ever made your own homemade fruit and nut bars? What is your favorite combination of ingredients?

A Family Recipe: Grandma Barr’s Tzimmes

So you’ve had your sedar [or two..] and now you have tons of leftover brisket. I see no problem with this.. I mean, brisket is rather delicious. But it’s always nice to mix it up and have a new dish from the food you already have. My grandma has the perfect recipe and I’m so happy to be able to share this with you.

Tzimmes is traditionally a Jewish stew made up of fruit, vegetables, and meat. Rather then making it a stew, my grandma spread everything onto a sheet pan and roasted it in the oven overnight; low and slow. My dad preferred to have to peel the pieces off of the baking sheet; that’s how you know it was nice and perfectly chewy 😉

First, I’ll share with you the original recipe, using flanken, followed by the adjustments to use your leftover brisket.

Grandma Barr’s Tzimmes

A happy Passover plate

Ingredients
– Flanken [Short ribs]
– 4 white potatoes
– 4 sweet potatoes
– 1/2 cup flour
– 3/4 cup orange juice
– Dried prunes; cut into chunks [Optional]
– 1 tsp orange rind
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– Honey

Directions
Place flanken and carrots in pot, cover with water and boil. When cooked, remove flanken and refrigerate. Leave carrots in water covered all night. The next day cut up potatoes, drain carrots, trim meat and mix together. Add all ingredients and mix together. Spread onto a disposable baking sheet, cover, and cook in a low oven overnight until caramelized and chewy [the lower and slower, the better!]. Uncover to crisp.

If you prefer not to cook overnight, bake at 350°F, covered, until caramelized and chewy. Uncover to crisp.

Adjusted for leftover brisket
Using the brisket that has already been cooked, boil carrots alone and forget the overnight part. Mix everything together and spread onto a disposable baking sheet. Bake at 350°F, covered, until caramelized and chewy. Uncover to crisp.

I have to admit, this is definitely not the healthiest recipe on my blog, but this is just one of those traditional recipes that is worth it. Trust me.

Food for Thought

What is your favorite traditional recipe or meal that you this is just worth it?

What I Ate Wednesday #40: Passover Fail

I tried really hard. Really, I thought “Passover will be so easy.. I’ll just continue to eat exactly how I always do!” I had recipes ready to go, I had food prepped, and then I realized I forgot about legumes. Ok, no big deal. And then I realized I forgot to read a list of ingredients.

So I’m not perfect.. but I’m doing the best that I can! I mean, it has been a whole day and a half.

[Breakfast]
Slimmed down sweet scramble topped with my homemade maple cinnamon walnut butter, cashew butter, and walnut butter quinoa granola. Success! A delicious, Passover-friendly breakfast.

[Lunch]
Kale salad with lots of veggies, buffalo sauce, and a Savory Mushroom & Roasted Garlic No Bull Burger. Sounds like it should be good.. and then I realized I didn’t read the ingredients on the burgers. One ingredient is lentils; alright, legumes aren’t the end of the world. Oh, how about the barley and spelt? Whoops! Good thing I have the rest of the week to make up for it, right?

[Dinner]
Leftovers! My family always does 2 nights of everything. Seriously, I thought there were 2 nights of Thanksgiving growing up and I didn’t understand why other people didn’t celebrate the second night.

Regardless, the second night of Passover we had some leftovers and some new additions. Salmon, Bube’s brisket, roasted broccoli and sweet potato, and some fabulous charoset which I will be sharing the recipe for very soon! [Figs, orange, and dates! OH MY!]

[Snacks]
Apple.
Carrots with baba ghanoush and curried golden raisin hummus. Gotta work out a recipe for this hummus!
Mini carrot cake cupcake and a piece of dark chocolate covered matzah. Those paleo cupcakes were a huge hit! Glad I doubled the recipe and made minis!

No more No Bull Burgers for me this week.. back on the Passover wagon today. I promise! [Except for the beans in my sweet potato burgers.. ohh legumes, you get me every time!]

Food for Thought

Have you ever failed on day 1 because of minor oversights?

Does your family have any traditions like my family’s two-night celebrations?

Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter

It’s no secret that I love nut butters. I think my biggest concern about Passover was that I wouldn’t be able to have peanut butter for a week. That meant I needed to get on the stick and make some of my own nut butters! First up was my cashew butter. It’s so delicious and creamy, but I couldn’t just settle for one butter.

Next up was the walnut butter. I knew I wanted to add a little extra flavor to the mix to balance out the bitterness of the walnuts and I absolutely love the result! It’s also perfect for my Quinoa Granola!

Makes twelve 2 tbsp servings

Ingredients
– 12 oz raw walnuts
– 2 tsp maple syrup
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Add the walnuts to the food processor and start blending! The processing takes about 10 minutes, stopping at times to scrape down the sides. After the walnuts start to form a paste, add the syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Once fully processed, store in an air tight jar in the refrigerator.

It may serve less, depending on how much you eat while you’re making it! 😉

Nutritional Information
Per 2 tbsp serving

196 Calories / 18g Fat / 5g Carbs / 2g Fiber / 2g Sugar / 5g Protein

Food for Thought

What is your favorite nut or seed butter? Do you or have you ever made your own?

Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter Quinoa Granola

Geeze, that’s a mouthful! Totally worth it though..

Did you see my guest post on Julie’s blog today? Passover starts tonight and I had to make sure you’re all ready. Make sure to check out all of the delicious recipes I shared, including some of my favorite family dishes! Big thanks to Julie for letting me share 🙂

In honor of my guest post, I wanted to Passover-ize one of my favorite recipes from Julie’s blog—Almond Butter Granola. Because why would I ever want to go a whole week without granola?!

Makes eight 1/4 cup servings

Ingredients
– 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp homemade Maple Cinnamon Walnut Butter
– 2 tbsp maple syrup
– 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
– 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups quinoa; cooked
– 1/2 cup sliced almonds; raw
– 2 tbsp chia seeds
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, combine walnut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until a little melted so it easily mixes together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until everything is evenly coated.

Pour mixture onto your baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, mixing 3 or 4 times, until the quinoa is crunchy. Be sure to watch the almonds so they don’t brown too much! Let cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Nutritional Information
Per 1/4 cup serving

171 Calories  /  12g Fat  /  13g Carbs  /  2g Fiber  /  3g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Be sure to check back all this week for more tasty Passover-inspired recipes!

Food for Thought

If you’re keeping Passover, are you making any substitutes for non-kosher foods?