Cooking Day!

Sundays are my day to cook as much as possible for the week, and I was pretty productive today!  I spent some time before hand looking through recipes and writing down what I might like to make this week and came up with this:

(Disclaimer - I did not spend ALL day cooking!  I still had plenty of time to go to church, clean my house and undecorate from Christmas, go to HEB, return calls/emails and prepare for this week of camp, and run all my typical Sunday errands)


Comfort Noodles
Sauteed Kale with  Kick - from Quick and Easy Paleo Comfort Foods
Green Chili Pork
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole - from Quick and Easy Paleo Comfort Foods
Creamy Tomato Soup
Mini Egg Pizzas 
plus a few other stand-bys (roasted veggies, pork tenderloin and burgers on the grill, etc.)

Melissa Joulwan recently posted 30 Whole30-Friendly recipes on her blog, and I took a few ideas from her list.  I then worked on compiling my shopping list, which does not entirely encompass everything needed for these recipes since I have many of items in my pantry or fridge at all times.  Plus, I got a few extra things along the way.

Shopping List:
2 yellow onion, 2 white onion
3 jalapeno
1 lb. kale
2.5 lb pork shoulder
16 oz green salsa - read your labels!
cilantro
2 Serrano peppers
6 cups of broccoli
5 cups of cauliflower
2 cans coconut milk
ground fennel seed
2 lbs. ground beef
1 bunch collard greens
8 cherry tomatoes
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Muir Glen)
14 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Muir Glen)
fresh basil
zucchini
strawberries
apples
dried cranberries - on healthy living aisle - NO SUGAR
Salt Lick Seasoning/Rub (Garlic flavor)
Pork Tenderlin
sun dried tomatoes
mushrooms
pepperoni - Applegate Farms - NO nitrates, uncured, whole30 compliant


LET'S GET COOKING!

first to make was the chicken broccoli casserole since there are a few steps involved.  I made the cauliflower "rice" in my food processor while the broccoli was cooking, then mixed it all together with the smoked chicken I had and seasoned it just the way I like!  Please comment if you're interested in this recipe!  It makes several servings that are already packed away individually in my fridge. 

The tomato soup was so amazing I ended up doubling the recipe on the spot.  This creamy soup tastes exactly like what you'd find at La Madeleine but it's Whole30 compliant!

My requisite green beans and carrots.  Perfectly roasted at 400* every time!

My first attempt at comfort noodles and I was a little intimidated . . . .but, I followed the instructions step by step and they came out great!  This is the perfect meal to eat ANY time of the day.

finished comfort noodles - with the perfect blend of garlic and buttery taste

My first attempt at kale with a kick.  It's delicious . . . but the kick is a few seconds behind, so be ready!

I used the grill to cook a pork tenderloin and 1/3 lb 85/15 burgers using the Salt Lick Garlic seasoning and it was perfection! The pork paired perfectly with comfort noodles for my dinner tonight. 

The salsa I used to make Andy's Green Chili Pork.  READ YOUR LABELS!  So many (including Central Market Brand) included ingredients I could not even pronounce . . .

One of my favorite recipes because you throw everything in the crock pot and then 8 hours later . . . . .

You have several pounds of delicious pull-apart green chili pork that goes perfectly with eggs, in lettuce wraps, on top of a salad, for snacking before a workout, whatever!

When you're done with your day of cooking, your counters will start to look like this!


And your refrigerator will start to look like this!

And you'll run out of excuses for why you can't find anything healthy to eat in your house!  Welcome to the Whole30 -


Day 4 Food Log:

Meal 1 - Skillet breakfast similar to yesterday but with no sweet potato.  I usually only eat sweet potato in the morning if I have worked out

Meal 2 - Spaghetti squash with meat sauce and green beans.  Apples and almond butter

Meal 2.5 - sampled everything we cooked today : )

Meal 3 - Comfort Noodles and Pork Tenderloin

WATER ALL DAY!