Day 30 - My favorite easy meal

Tonight it is just the girls and I for dinner.  I wanted something easy that they would eat so I wouldn't have to make two meals.  I decided on grilled chicken with rosemary and balsamic glaze (the kids' chicken was plain), yam fries, and a spinach/kale salad. This is one of my favorite easy to prepare meals on the challenge.  My other "go to" meal is salmon with baked sweet potatoes and salad - see Day 11.

.

Simply toss the yam sticks with coconut oil, season with salt and pepper (and anything else you'd like) and put on a cookie sheet at 400.  Watch to make sure they don't burn.  Easy and tasty!

For the chicken I grilled it with just salt and pepper and then added the chopped fresh rosemary and balsamic glaze after.  Perfect combination!  I purchased my balsamic glaze (reduction), but you can easily make yours by placing balsamic vinegar in a saucepan, bringing it to a boil and then reducing the heat to a simmer until the desired consistency   I like mine to be syrup like.  If you prefer to buy, I have seen some at the local grocery stores, or my favorite is online - Tondo.  I got it from a foodie friend, but have seen it on Amazon at times as well.

Day 29 - Hosting a baby shower

So, today was a rough day on the challenge.  I hosted a baby shower and most of the food was not approved.  I ate mostly what I am allowed, but had to have a couple of cheats.  It was a fun though!  Menu:  mini egg frittatas, bacon, fruit salad, strawberry shortcake skewers, mini cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies from Cashmere Cookies (yumm!), and mimosas!

Day 28 - Tuna Salad Lettuce Wrap

We are half way through the challenge.  I feel great.  I plan to use this site to come back and make many of these meals again and incorporate what I have learned into our every day lives.  My focus will be clean eating with mostly whole foods.

This one is for after the challenge for all of you on a strict WLC nutrition.  I am on the modified version and am allowed yogurt. This is so good that it is worth the post - I will never make my tuna salad with mayo again!  This is tuna from Trader Joe's (a recommendation from our tour guide a couple weeks ago) mixed with nonfat plain Greek yogurt and pickles, with red onion on top.  Simple, healthy and really good.

Day 26 - Mahi Mahi with sesame kale salad

Grilled Mahi Mahi with sesame kale salad and macadamia nuts. 

Day 27 - Steak Fajitas

Easy dinner tonight with leftover steak and chicken - steak fajitas without the tortilla.  Still lots of great flavor!

Here is my new avocado saver from Matt - it works great when I want half of an avocado at breakfast and the other half at lunch.  For dinner we almost always finish a whole one!

Day 25 - Fresh beet and chard salad

I had a beet and some chard in the fridge from last weeks Dandelion Organic delivery, so I went searching for a recipe to use it for lunch today.  I used the ingredient search on allrecipes.com and found the Fresh Beet Salad recipe.  It sounded perfect and I had almost everything to make it.  I didn't have peas, so I left them out and added avocado and a few almonds.  I also left off the feta for now, but will add that or goat cheese when I make it again after the challenge.  I used a balsamic glaze on top for a little extra flavor.  It turned out great - a perfect lunch.

Day 24 - Pork Chops and Butternut Squash

Pork Chops and Crock Pot Butternut Squash

Made this dish from PaleOMG tonight and it turned out great.  Lots of flavor.  I didn't add the honey, but it was still very sweet with the caramelized onions and apples.  I added a salad with pears, red onions and walnuts with a balsamic glaze.  And, some brussel sprouts.