September 5, 2013

Paleo/Gluten Free Meal Planning

A few weeks ago I wrote about a new lifestyle/diet change for my husband and I, after meeting with a Naturopathic Doctor and talking about ways to heal my psoriasis and other autoimmune and hormone issues I was having. It's been a very interesting, difficult ... but rewarding journey so far, which I will talk about in another post.

For now, I wanted to share one of the most helpful tips I can think of for starting something like this - PLANNING. I can't stress enough how important it is to be prepared. To do research, figure out what you can eat, look up recipes, buy cookbooks, plan all your meals and have snacks available.

Right now I cannot eat any gluten, dairy, added sugars (except for natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup) or highly processed foods. My ND is trying to get my body healthy, then slowly introduce foods back in and see what triggers my symptoms.

I plan 3 meals a day for both my husband and I for 2 weeks at a time, so I only have to grocery shop every other week. I have to drive 50 minutes to Annapolis, Maryland to get to the closest Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. It's actually something I look forward to now. My sister and I go together, so it's nice to have some time with her. And it gives me accountability to plan and shop for everything I need.

So here is an example of my meal plan for 2 weeks:

This might be hard to read, but I'll highlight a few things.

For breakfast, we really like Against All Grain's banana pancake recipe. We also eat bacon and eggs, corn tortillas with beans and eggs, and an egg/chicken chorizo hash. For lunch, we pack chicken sausages, hard boiled eggs, rolled up lunch meat, nitrate free natural hot dogs, veggies, fruit or leftovers. Check out NomNom Paleo for helpful lunch ideas. Dinner is usually meat and veggies, like lime grilled chicken, sundried tomato stuffed chicken breasts, sweet potato "chips", corn, green beans, etc etc. Doesn't really sound like a diet, does it? :) We have really tried to find ways to add flavor to our food by using fresh ingredients.

Here are some helpful tips highlighted:

1. Plan every meal for two weeks! It's so helpful to know what you're going to be making and know you have enough food in the house to feed your family. Obviously leave some flexibility if you have an unexpected dinner guest or are just feeling like eating something other than what you have planned. Swapping meals around works, because you still have the same about of meals planned.

2. Do your research! I have spent so much time reading food blogs, cookbooks and other articles trying to learn how to cook this way. It's totally new for me - using almond flour instead of regular flour, using coconut oil instead of canola oil. It's helpful to know what's really healthy for your body and why, so when it gets hard you can remember that you're giving your body fuel.

3. Experiment! I have had so many total failures since starting this diet. One time I tried to make "alfredo" sauce with coconut milk and blended cashews. Yea... not good. I've also wasted 1 whole cup of really expensive organic olive oil trying to make my own mayonnaise. But now I'm at the point where I really know what my husband and I like to eat, and feel so much better having figured that out by just trying new things and experimenting.

4. Read labels! This is probably obvious, but it's so important when you're trying to eat minimally processed foods. Even foods labeled with all kinds of healthy marketing gimmicks can be loaded with preservatives or artificial ingredients. There are good products out there that will help you save time in the kitchen. I recently found a chicken broth that has only the following ingredients: chicken, sea salt, honey, vegetable stocks (carrot, onion, mushroom, celery), bay, thyme, pepper. Nothing I can't pronounce, nothing crazy. Just simple, wholesome ingredients.

August 9, 2013

Cleaning Up













Thank you for coming on this journey with me!

May 1, 2013

chicken burrito egg rolls





Chicken Burrito Egg Rolls

serves: 2 people (2 egg rolls each)
Jenna Laughs Original

1 cup cooked rice
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup canola or vegetable oil




April 19, 2013

grilled chicken salad with orange segments and dressing

We're not going to talk about how long it's been since I've updated my happy little food blog. It's embarrassing. But I hope you will welcome me back with open arms and empty stomachs!

My husband and I are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle which includes better meals and being more active. Nothing crazy, and we will certainly splurge every once in awhile because I can't live my life without ice cream. But we just want to make healthier choices and move our bodies, if you know what I'm saying. Exercise!

We have been playing tennis, working out and Michael is biking to work and even competing in a bike race next month. We've got a long way to go but we are moving forward, and that's all that matters.

This recipe was one of those moments where I had no clue what to make for dinner. I had chicken defrosted in the fridge and some salad greens, and I didn't really know what else to do. I'm not a huge fan of salads but there are a few elements that make me want to eat them: a warm ingredient (like grilled chicken), sweet dressing and something crunchy.

This salad has a delicious dressing made with fresh orange juice, honey, vinegar and olive oil. It's simple but so tasty and perfect. The crunch comes from homemade tortilla strips.

To segment an orange, you just peel it and run your knife along the side of each membrane. Do this over a bowl to save the juice for the dressing. For detailed instructions, watch this video.

For this salad, I like to dress just the greens and orange segments, not the chicken or tortilla strips. The tortillas will keep their crunch if they aren't covered in dressing.

Enjoy! And lots of hugs for coming back :)

Grilled Chicken Salad with Orange Segments and Dressing

Serves: 2-3
Jenna Laughs original

For the Salad-
1 bag of pre-washed lettuce (I used butter lettuce but you could use spring mix)
1 large orange peeled and cut into segments (do this over a bowl and save the juice)
2 corn tortillas (the taco size, 6 inch)
1 cup vegetable or canola oil (for frying tortilla strips)
6 chicken tenders
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing-
Juice of one orange (from your segments)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (you could use apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut tortillas into strips (about 1/2-1/4 inch) and heat oil in a small saucepan until it reaches about 350 degrees, or when you drop a strip in the oil it starts to bubble around the edges. You don't want it to start browning immediately, then your oil is too hot. Fry your tortillas in small batches, the strips from one tortilla at a time should work. Use tongs to stir them every minute or so, then when they are golden brown remove them from the oil onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Once all tortilla strips are fried, set aside.

Season your chicken tenders with salt and pepper, then saute them in the butter for 3-5 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. Set them on a plate to rest while you prepare the salad.

To make the dressing, combine orange juice, honey, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Arrange lettuce on plates, then add the orange segments. Pour half the dressing on each plate and toss the lettuce and orange segments with the dressing. For this salad, I like to just dress the greens and not the chicken or tortillas. Top each salad with half the chicken and tortilla strips. Serve immediately.

(NOTE - Taste the dressing before you put it on the salad, if if tastes too sweet to you add a little more vinegar. If it tastes too acidic, add a little more honey.)

June 18, 2012

lemon cheesecake cups

My husband is a sucker for cheesecake and anything flavored with lemon, the more tart the better. So when I found these light versions of mini lemon cheesecakes, I knew I had a winner. They're made with cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and plain greek yogurt. Lots of lemon zest makes them fresh and delicious.

 The "crust" part of these cheesecake cups is just one Nilla wafer dropped in the bottom of the cupcake liner. It gets soft and lovely during the baking process.

The only problem with these beauties is that the recipe only makes 12. I made them for Fathers Day, and they were gone before everyone got to try it! Double the recipe if you're feeding a crowd, or if you're really hungry.

Lemon Cheesecake Cups 

Serves: 12

12 vanilla wafers (I used Nilla wafers, is there any other kind?)
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 oz mascarpone cheese, slightly softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz fat-free plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 large egg whites
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lemon zest (about 3 lemons)
1 tbsp all purpose flour


In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer. Gently beat in yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour. Do not over beat. Pour into cupcake liners (I just used a spoon) filling about half way. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool to room temperature. Chill a few hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipe adapted from: Skinny Taste