a time to eat

Whole33- final thoughts

2015-04-30T06:59:00.002-05:00

Weight loss-
7 pounds- this didn’t change from day 15 until the end, but the scale does not tell the whole story.

Motivation- a 6 week health challenge with some women from church. Each woman is putting in $10 and there will be 3 winners. The first time I attempted a Whole 30, I just wanted to try it and see if I was disciplined enough to finish. I lasted 12 days.

Desire to undo the damage of the past year. I had gained about 20 pounds and did not recognize the body I had. The number on the scale didn't bother me as much as how foreign I felt in my body and how depressing it was to look in the mirror. I also wanted to lose weight in order to feel more comfortable in the warmer weather and be able to wear shorts, tank tops, etc.

Feeling- energy, energy, energy, as early as week 1. No mid-afternoon slumps, felt well-rested most nights. I still got a couple of migraines and caught a cold that my whole family passed around.
Only a couple of times did I feel super-hungry between meals, and only ONCE did I feel overly full. You can certainly still overeat on the Whole 30, and you feel it, though it’s much different than the usual bloated gut-bomb feeling.
Lightness. Less sluggish, less heavy. I don’t know how else to describe it.

Physical changes- Fat melted off my body, making it easier/more doable to exercise. I could see that I did in fact have muscles left, they had just been hidden for quite some time.

Deprivation- Food was delicious, very few disappointing meals or misses. Sometimes I felt high-maintenance and like I was just constantly thinking about food. Sometimes I felt left out and sorry for myself. I didn’t get to participate fully in a few special occasions. I sometimes ate lunch or dinner long after my family was finished because I didn’t have very many quick options and was taking care of their meals first.

Emotions- PMS is real, y’all, and I didn’t get to eat my way through it.
Mindfulness, no emotional eating. A few days I had STRONG desires to cheat and comfort myself with food. Old habits are very hard to break.

Life after Whole33-
I was encouraged to read in the Whole 30 book, It Starts with Food, that it’s not a Whole 365, nor is it supposed to be. They call this program a reset, and encourage you to simply try it, fully commit to it, and just experience the tremendous changes in the way you feel. It really speaks for itself.

Tomorrow, and for the next week or so, I will reintroduce foods that I’ve cut out (one group at a time- non-gluten grains, legumes, dairy, and gluten) to see if I have any issues. I have never had food issues/reactions/sensitivities before. (And I’m praying I don’t discover any!!)
I feel free and empowered to make good choices but will make a conscious effort to pay attention to how food makes me feel.
I don’t feel like I can’t enjoy my favorite foods or special foods or even comfort foods, but I’ll do it mindfully, only eat what I must to satisfy the craving, and really savor it. (You know, ideally.)

Helpful tips-
Make a plan! Try to gather at least a weeks’ worth of recipes (or sit down and map out every dinner, or every day’s worth!)
Make a chart, or fill in some bubbles, or cross days off on a calendar. It’s actually pretty satisfying.

Prepare yourself for the reality that you will spend more time in the kitchen. You are cooking three meals a day. Keep your cutting board right next to the stove and your favorite skillet washed and ready to go.

Shop at Sprouts or Crest (or your equivalent local grocery store) for meat and produce. I always spent more on the weeks I shopped at Target/Walmart.

Keep nuts and fruit with you at all times. If you love raw veggies, more power to you.
Hard-boiled eggs were a huge life-saver on busy mornings and some lunches, when I just added them to salads.

Don’t put food “in a box”- some of my favorite breakfasts included meat and veg instead of eggs. My burger breakfast on Day 20 was amazing.

Big batch cooking is helpful, as long as you don’t get bored eating the same thing for a while. I did Steak Pizzaiola (froze half), shredded beef, chili, and meatballs. I’m not a big fan of cooking chicken ahead of time, but that’s just me.

Prep your veggies- wash them, slice/chop onions, peppers, wash lettuce, make a vinaigrette and store it in the fridge. My favorite is just olive oil (1 1/2 parts), balsamic vinegar (1 part), salt and pepper, all shaken up in a jar.

Pick your favorite veggies and eat a ton of them- for me those were onions, red peppers, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes and yukon gold potatoes.

My food was pretty simple and I ate a handful of meals over and over. You might get completely bored doing that. There are TONS of recipes out there and even other daily Whole 30 meal plans for you. Do what works for you.

Loaded Hash Browns

2015-04-29T15:52:00.000-05:00

I became obsessed with these hash browns toward the end of my Whole33. They're easy/quick enough to make whenever the desire strikes. (Daily, in my case.)

Loaded Hash Browns

2-3 tbs olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 medium (2 small) yukon gold potatoes, grated and squeezed of excess water
2 big handfuls of baby spinach, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add grated potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir together. Let cook and brown, stirring every few minutes, until nicely browned, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in spinach and wilt slightly. Turn out onto a plate and devour with scrambled or fried eggs.

Chicken and Zucchini

2015-04-27T15:35:00.003-05:00

This is another Whole30 favorite. It's super simple, but super delicious.

Chicken and Zucchini

3-4 tbs olive oil

1 lb chicken (breasts, thighs, or tenders) cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 onion, sliced

2 medium zucchini, cut into circles or half-moons

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper. When onion starts to soften, but not brown, add chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken just starts to brown. Add zucchini, more oil, if neccessary, and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Cook until chicken and zucchini are nicely browned and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Whole30 Meatballs

2015-04-17T09:24:00.001-05:00

Whole30 Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
2 tbs finely ground almonds (ground in the food processor)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine egg, almonds, and seasonings and mix well. Add ground beef and mix just until everything is incorporated. Roll into uniform sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes. Drizzle meatballs with olive oil and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until well browned and cooked through.

Chocolate Banana Bread

2015-01-14T13:42:00.002-06:00

As much as I'd like for this to be justified as breakfast, a giant slice with a huge cup of coffee, Tyler Florence plants this firmly in the dessert category in his book, Tyler's Ultimate. It's true. The ingredients are mixed together like a cake, it comes together like a cake, it's scrumptious like a cake.

Breakfast? Dessert?

I'm not one to care too much about labels. Unless that label is totally delicious.

Chocolate Banana Bread

from Tyler's Ultimate

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted (I use chocolate chips, and I don't melt them all the way, leaving some chips whole.)
2 eggs at room temperature
1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9×5-inch loaf pan. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed until lightened. Beat in chocolate, eggs, bananas and vanilla at low speed. Stir in flour mixture, just until combined. Pour into pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

Lasagna with Meatballs

2014-02-25T16:55:00.000-06:00

I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of ricotta cheese. So my favorite lasagnas do not include it. This is by far the favorite lasagna (besides Victoria's in Norman, OBVIOUSLY) of all my picky eaters. It's a time-consuming dish to make, yes, but this one is worth it!

Lasagna with Meatballs
from America's Test Kitchen : '09

for meatballs and sauce:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup minced basil or parsley (or a combination of both)
3 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes

for noodles and cheese:
12 dried lasagna noodles
1 lb whole-milk mozzarella, shredded
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Mix meatballs- ground beef, cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, and up to 5 tbs basil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roll into 1 tsp sized meatballs. Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat garlic and olive oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes, cook 10-15 minutes. Off the heat, add 3 tbs basil, season with salt and pepper. Stir meatballs into sauce and cover to keep warm.
Lower oven temperature to 400.
Boil pasta. Drain and cool under water.
Spray a 9*13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Ladle 3 tbs sauce on the bottom. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 1/2 cups sauce/meatballs, then 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers. On the fourth and final layer, cover pasta with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
You can also cover well (before baking) and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Pizza (or anything!) Rolls

2014-02-06T14:33:00.000-06:00

Remember those delicious little Garlic Knots I came up with? I've become a bit obsessed with them, but my kids aren't complaining. I love to make them for a quick bread to go with dinner, but lately I've been stuffing them with various ingredients and giving them to the kids for lunch.
Again, no complaints. Except that time I used spinach. (I ended up eating those, of course.)

Pizza (or anything!) Rolls

1 pizza crust (homemade or store bought)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

ham, pepperoni, chopped fresh spinach, etc.
1/2 stick butter, melted
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a standard sized muffin tin with cooking spray. Tear the pizza dough into 12 pieces and flatten each piece into a circle. Stuff with cheese, pepperoni, ham, spinach, etc. Pinch the dough together to completely cover the ingredients. Place roll, seam side down, in the muffin tin. Top generously with melted butter. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Best Drop Biscuits

2014-01-29T12:28:00.002-06:00

If you're a biscuit lover, like every single member of my family, please step away from the can right now. I promise you, these are the easiest and most delicious biscuits, and you can have them whipped together in less time than it takes your oven to heat up. (I promise. That's what happened to me this morning.)
These biscuits are unusual in that you use melted butter instead of cold butter that you have to "cut into" the flour. This trick makes them pretty much fool-proof as well as super light and flaky.

Best Drop Biscuits
From Best of America's Test Kitchen- 2009

Makes 12 biscuits

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold buttermilk (you can make buttermilk by combining whole milk with a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar, which is what I almost always do.)
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes)

Preheat oven to 475. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the dry ingredients- the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine completely, being careful not to over-mix.
Using a 1/4 cup measure (or large ice cream scoop), scoop out the batter onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Bake biscuits 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden. If desired, brush with melted butter when you remove them from the oven.

Weekly Menu/Meal Planning/Prepping Ahead

2014-01-11T15:38:00.002-06:00

One of the goals I have set for myself in 2014 to get back in the habit of meal-planning. Meal-planning keeps me from making tacos and chicken nuggets every night of the week. Not that my kids would complain if I did that.
I shopped with a friend this morning and have two solid weeks of meals planned out. So today, Saturday, I spent a good amount of time in my kitchen prepping as many of those meals as I can, just to make life that much simpler.
This was a hard-core undertaking, one that I hadn't tried before. I don't know how often I can commit to this, but I predict that Future Keely will thank me for the work I did today.

Here's what's on the menu and what I took care of ahead of time:

Lasagna with Meatballs, Garlic Knots --I'll share this recipe soon!
Completely assembled lasagna. Waiting to be baked.

Chicken Nuggets with Rice and Green Beans

Nacho Spuds
Cooked and seasoned beef. Grated cheese. Washed lettuce.

Macaroni and Cheese
Boiled pasta after I cooked the lasagna noodles; used the same water. Grated cheese.
Mac and Cheese is easy to make in advance and freeze for later, but I was worn out by the time I got here. :)

Beans and Cornbread

Buttermilk Waffles with Eggs and Bacon
Mixed waffle dry ingredients together; stored in the fridge in a jar. Cooked 1 pound bacon in the oven.

Parmesan Chicken, Rice, Green Beans
Pounded chicken flat before I stuck it in the freezer to fix another day. Made homemade breadcrumbs.

Chicken Pot Pie
Made crust. Roasted chicken breasts at 375 until cooked through.

Chicken Soup with Homemade Noodles
Roasted chicken breasts. The noodles are time-consuming, so I might just make this next weekend.

Steak Stir-fry
Thinly sliced steak before freezing.

Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

Pasta Carbonara

Weekly Menu- Cold Weather Edition

2013-12-05T09:33:00.001-06:00

The temperatures are dropping fast here in Oklahoma, which is the perfect opportunity to stay in and spend some extra time in the kitchen. Here's what I've got planned for the frosty days ahead:

Beef Minestrone- made it yesterday and will be eating it again today. Soup is always better the next day, right?!

Go-to Beef Stew- obviously. It's the best!

Shredded Beef Taquitos- because the stew meat was on sale, I stocked up!

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles- a bit more time-consuming, but that's the idea when it's too cold to do anything else, right?

To accompany these great soups:
Garlic Knots
Honey Cornbread Muffins

For cozy breakfast:
Sweet Potato Spice Muffins with Perfect Hot Chocolate

And finally, just because:
Chocolate Mint Cookies

Stay warm and safe, Okies!

Butternut Squash Tart

2013-11-29T09:39:00.000-06:00

When you live in Oklahoma and you use the phrase "a house divided," you are usually talking about a couple in which one person cheers for The University of Oklahoma and one cheers for Oklahoma State University. In the case of some good friends of ours, one person is a vegetarian and one is a big fan of all things carnivorous. So when it came time for our small group's Thanksgiving party this week, I made a special dish just for Kevin, and one for his wife Lindsay.

Kevin is the vegetarian, and for him I tried out an appetizer from a recent issue of Bon Appetit. It was a hit, and is a great way to use up any leftover butternut squash you may have from Thanksgiving.

Butternut Squash Tart with Fried Sage
from Bon Appetit Magazine

1 17.3-ounce package of frozen puff pastry

1 butternut squash

1 egg

1/4 cup honey

2 tbs water

1 fresno, jalapeno, or red Thai chile

3 tbs olive oil

fresh sage

1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently roll out 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed, on a lightly floured surface to a 10-inch square (just enough to even out). Transfer to prepared sheet.
Brush pastry with 1 large egg beaten with 1 tsp. water. Arrange twelve 1/8-inch-thick rounds peeled butternut squash (cut from squash's neck) over pastry, overlapping as needed and leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place another sheet of parchment paper over squash. Set another large rimmed baking sheet over the tart. (This will weigh down the pastry dough and steam the squash slices.)
Bake until bottom of pastry begins to brown and top begins to puff, about 10 minutes.
Remove top baking sheet and discard top sheet of parchment paper. Brush squash slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with kosher salt. Return tart, uncovered, to oven and bake until pastry is deep golden brown and cooked through, 25–30 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup honey, 1 thinly sliced Fresno, jalapeño, or red Thai chile, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat (add another thinly sliced chile if more heat is desired). Boil until thickened slightly and syrupy, about 6 minutes.
Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet until just beginning to smoke. Add 12 fresh sage leaves; fry until crisp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Slice tart. Arrange 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan on top; drizzle with chile-infused honey.

Garnish with fried sage leaves and a few grinds of black pepper.

Cookbook Winner Announced!

2013-11-18T10:52:00.001-06:00

Using the highly scientific method of my child pulling a name out of a plastic jack-o-lantern...

Congratulations, Rachel!

You are the winner of the Dinner: A Love Story cookbook!

Check your email for instructions on getting your prize! ;)

Thanks for playing, everyone!

Shredded Beef Taquitos

2013-11-14T10:40:00.000-06:00

Back when I used to watch Glee, there was an episode about "mash-ups;" two songs put together to make a new song. Consider this your recipe mash-up. It's a keeper.

Shredded Beef Taquitos
makes 20, or more

20 small flour tortillas
1 recipe- Ridiculously Easy Shredded Beef (see below)
grated pepper jack cheese
canola or olive oil

Ridiculously Easy (and versatile!) Shredded Beef

2 pounds cubed chuck meat for stew
salt and pepper
1/2 cup barbecue sauce- the finished product did not end up tasting overwhelmingly like barbecue
1/2 cup water

Combine ingredients in crock-pot. Cover and cook on high 4 hours, until tender when pierced with a fork.
After 4 hours, remove meat from crock-pot with a slotted spoon. Add to the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix on low speed until meat is shredded.

For taquitos:
Heat tortillas in microwave in batches of 4 or 5, for 30-40 seconds.
When all tortillas are warmed, start assembling. Spread about 1 tbs. of shredded beef onto tortillas, top with about 2 tsp. of cheese. Roll up, place seam side down on baking sheet. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled.
Bake 15-18 minutes at 425, or until browned and crispy.
Serve with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Give Thanks for Giveaways!

2013-11-12T12:15:00.001-06:00

With the major cooking and blogging slump I seem to be in, it seems like an opportune time for a giveaway!

I have a copy of Dinner: A Love Story for one of you! I own and love this cookbook, and I adore Jenny's blog of the same name.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is answer this question in the comments:

What is your favorite way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Every year, I rip out intriguing recipes from my November magazines. Things like Turkey Empanadas and Turkey Pot Pies always tempt me, and yet I find myself reheating all my favorites on one big plate day after day, until they are gone. I only get these gems once a year, so I want to enjoy them while I can!

What about you?

Answer below before Friday, November 15th at midnight.
Good luck!

Bacon (or Sausage), Egg, and Cheese Muffins

2013-08-31T15:25:00.000-05:00

Early last Sunday morning, I was serving breakfast to the 14 people who make up our church Leadership Team. So Saturday evening, I was preparing said breakfast, so that I didn't have to wake up any earlier than necessary. I was bringing yogurt, granola, and fruit to make parfaits, muffins, and mini-donuts for any kids who might be there, but I knew that if it were me, I would want something savory and something substantial. I'm not a huge breakfast casserole fan, plus they take forever to cook, so I ruled that out. I finally landed upon the best solution: a riff on the Sausage Biscuit Things that my boys always loved.
On Saturday, I fried bacon, browned sausage, and scrambled eggs. I had stumbled upon the most awesome creation ever, crescent roll sheets. Have you seen these? A thing of beauty, I tell you. They made this breakfast almost too easy.

Bacon (or Sausage), Egg, and Cheese Muffins

2 packages crescent dough sheets

4-5 slices bacon, cut into small pieces, fried to crispy perfection

1/2 pound breakfast sausage, fully cooked

6 eggs, scrambled

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 2 standard sized muffin tins with non-stick spray. Onto a lightly floured surface, or a plastic cutting board, unroll one package of crescent dough. Distribute half of the scrambled eggs evenly across the dough, then the bacon, then 1/2 cup cheese. Roll up the dough "jelly-roll" style. Cut the log in half, then half again, and into 12 equal pieces. Place 1 piece in each section of the muffin tin.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough, using the breakfast sausage, remaining eggs, and remaining cheese. (If making these ahead, simply cover the pans with plastic wrap or foil, park them in the fridge overnight, and bake them the next morning!)

Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

Garlic Knots

2013-07-27T14:55:00.000-05:00

We had some delightful friends over for pizza last week. I used Pioneer Woman's crust this time around, as opposed to my old standby. PW's was delicious, and probably my new go-to. I doubled the recipe, and got 4 crusts out of the dough. However, I guess I was a bit too generous (if there is such a thing) with the cheese, because I ran out after topping 3 pizzas. So I stuck the last of the dough in the freezer to use another day. Well, "another day" became the next day, when I thawed the dough out and made these garlic knots (so called because they are similar to the garlic knots we've had from a pizza place in my in-laws town) to serve with spaghetti.
They got rave reviews. They might just be an excuse for making extra pizza dough next time.

Garlic Knots

1 pizza crust (homemade or store bought)

1/2 stick butter, melted

garlic salt, to taste

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a standard sized muffin tin with cooking spray. Tear the pizza dough into pieces and place in the muffin tin, using 2-3 pieces in each cup. Top generously with melted butter, sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Top with additional melted butter when they come out of the oven.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

2013-07-16T15:28:00.000-05:00

My oldest is seven today! We celebrated with friends in a neighborhood park this morning. I bought donuts and iced coffee and made frozen hot chocolate for the kiddos. Super simple, laid-back party.
I had made this frozen hot chocolate once before and remembered it being SUPER rich. And it is. None of the boys could finish theirs, but the few girls in attendance liked it a lot. I blended it up right before we headed to the park, and stuck the whole blender pitcher in the ice chest.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

from Rachael Ray

6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus more for shaving
1 1/2 cups cold milk (I always add more, to cut the richness a bit!)
4 cups ice
whipped cream

In small pan, mix sugar, cocoa, chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup milk over medium heat. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 cup milk. Pour into blender with ice; blend until smooth. Divide among glasses and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Makes 4.

Go-to Chocolate Cake

2013-07-15T14:44:00.001-05:00

My oldest turns 7 tomorrow. We celebrated with his grandparent's over the weekend, and I made the cake for which he drew me blueprints. As is the case with most of my cakes, this one didn't look good but it tasted good. The red icing bled during the 1 hour drive to the grandparent's house.

I've used this recipe for cupcakes in the past, but my son requested a cake this year, and the recipe has an option for that. This is the only chocolate cake I will ever make. It's ideal in every way- rich, chocolaty, never dry. Your search is over, this is the perfect chocolate cake.

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

makes 2 dozen cupcakes, or a 13*9 inch cake, or a 2 layer cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 large whole eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cups plus 2 tbs vegetable oil

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups warm water

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your pan, depending on which cake you are making: Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Or spray a 13*9 inch pan with cooking spray. Or spray two 8*2 inch round cake pans liberally with cooking spray, line bottoms with parchment paper; spray parchment.

Into the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; add the egg and yolk, the milk, oil, vanilla, and warm water. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Or pour into prepared 13*9 inch pan. Or divide evenly into two round cake pans.

For cupcakes, bake 20-25 minutes, rotating pans half-way through cooking time.

For 13*9 inch cake, bake 45-50 minutes.

For round layer cake, bake 45 minutes, rotating pans half-way through cooking time.

Cool cake on a wire rack before frosting with your favorite frosting. (I'll share my favorite tomorrow!)

Black Bean Sliders

2013-07-09T19:18:00.001-05:00

One of the areas I mentioned that we are working on discipline is with our grocery budget. Budget has kind of always been a four letter word in our house, but these days, frugality is a must. So in an effort to make one of the kid's favorite meals stretch even more, I added black beans to our sliders. (It goes without saying that I made my kids regular sliders, right? Come on. This is the closest my son will ever come to actually eating beans.)

I think my husband was more than a tad wary of them, but he tried them anyway. We both agreed they could use some help texturally. They were very soft. I cooked them on the griddle, so they were nicely caramelized, but still soft from the beans inside. (The original recipe calls for a crunchy coleslaw on top- good idea.) Some guacamole on top would have been delicious, and some lettuce would have added some crunch. As it was, I tossed a couple of chips on there and gobbled them up. They weren't bad, but they weren't as good as they could be. Maybe next time...they sure did stretch that meal.

Black Bean Sliders
adapted from Melissa d'Arabian

1/4 cup cooked black beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound ground beef

mini hamburger buns

Preheat the grill, griddle, or a skillet. In a medium bowl, mash the black beans, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic powder with a potato masher or fork until very creamy. Gently mix the black bean mixture with the ground beef. Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 8 equally portioned thin patties. Lightly brush the grill or griddle with the oil (or add the remaining tablespoon to your skillet) and place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook the burgers until a golden crust is formed, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve the sliders on mini hamburger buns.

At the Table

2013-07-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

I'm falling in love with my kitchen again.
Springtime in Oklahoma was filled with deadly tornadoes, leaving most of us raw and emotional and out of sorts. I was no exception. Our business had some slow weeks, so money was extra tight. Cooking was at a minimum- PBJ's would have to suffice, kids. Although, we also ate out too much. How do we eat out more when we have less money? How is that possible?
Maybe it was Whole30, maybe it was time, certainly it was God's grace, but our family is working on areas where we have lacked discipline.
We're getting back to the table, where a lot of life plays out: Lego's and drawings and homework and Bible study and, oh yes, eating. And talking. And cups of coffee. And jokes. And stories.

Last night, as we ate another round of tacos, my husband told me that, with the exception of our two very favorite local restaurants, there isn't anything that he eats outside of the home that is better than what I make. That's some high flattery, but I ate it up. With a spoon. Then asked for seconds.
I hope he really feels that way. I hope my oldest means it when he says that my food is #1, everywhere else is #2. I hope my kids always remember family dinners as special and important, no matter what we ate. I hope they have more memories of my chicken nuggets than those from Chick-fil-A.

After reading Shauna Niequist's delectable memoir, Bread and Wine, I am more in love with my kitchen, my table, my cooking and my home, than ever before. If you read this book and fail to be motivated to throw open your door and welcome people into your home, your life, and your story, then I will be shocked. Space doesn't matter, what you serve doesn't matter. All that matters is that you do it. When we let go of perfection and allow people into our messes, that's when the magic happens. That's when memories are made.

I realize this cooking blog has been more narrative than usual as of late. Hopefully I'll have new recipes to share soon. Or maybe I'll just keep making the things I love the most for the people I love the most, and inviting new people in all the time.
Yes, maybe that.

Whole30- Whole12, to be exact.

2013-06-30T07:37:00.000-05:00

It will be hard to fully articulate how it's possible that I failed to reach my goal and yet I don't feel like a failure. I've been trying to write this post in my head for a few days now.

On Tuesday of last week, I set aside Whole30 for a good part of the afternoon and evening. Our family business turned 1, and we were having an open house celebration. See that brie in the picture? That brie was so worth the "cheating." The high quality cheeses, wine, and homemade shortbread were cheat-worthy. The tater tot I swiped from my daughter that evening? Not worth it! It was a simple but profound lesson and I am thankful to have learned it.

So I cheated on Tuesday. All hope was not lost. I was back on the straight and narrow on Wednesday. But then I had the chance to catch up with a dear friend while our boys were at Vacation Bible School. And yes, we could have just gone for coffee and I could have stayed within the Whole30 parameters. But we both wanted chips and guacamole and margaritas. Cheat-worthy. (Even though she and I make much better guacamole at home!)

So two days of cheating in a row eventually became tossing in my towel, but not in defeat or surrender. I simply didn't want to obsess over all this anymore. Life is short, food is good, and I want to enjoy both. I think that Whole30 has given me some fresh perspective and motivation to change my relationship with food. I make better choices now than I did 18 days ago. I'm not the emotional eater that I was 18 days ago.

I'm seven pounds lighter than I was 18 days ago. Areas of my body that I thought could only change when I become a runner (read, NEVER) have changed. My shorts that were tight at the beginning of summer are baggy now. My coffee tastes better without sugar (but oh mama, I missed half-and-half!). We're making better choices as a family. My oldest son has been motivated to eat more healthfully. My PVC's, which I was getting nightly, only occurred twice while I was on the program. I never got to "tiger's blood," but I did experience an increase in energy.

And beyond the physical changes, I can understand why my cousin called this the most important thing he's ever done for his spiritual life. On day 13, in the middle of a particularly trying day, all I wanted was to check out and have it easy for 10 minutes. But the two things I turn to when I'm stressed- food, and mindless Facebooking, weren't there. It was so tempting to let my mind and my flesh take over. But God was gracious to me. He met me in my weakness and gave me perspective.

So do you see why it's hard to feel like a failure?

What has this series been like for you? Are you motivated to give Whole30 a try?
I hope you've seen that if I can do this (for 12 days!), so can you.

A Different Kind of Fast

2013-06-24T05:30:00.000-05:00

Right in the middle of this captivating series, I'm taking a media break.

As a gift to myself and my children (especially my children), I'm taking Monday-Saturday off of the computer completely. We've got pools to swim in, Lego creations to make (tall, tall sky scrapers, for me), closets to de-clutter, library books to read, and summer fun to be had.

Whole30 will continue, but you will have to survive your week without hearing about my sweet potato hash brown eating. Be strong, friends.

See you on Day 18!!!

Whole30- Day 10

2013-06-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

A very sweet friend and her husband are adopting a baby. Her shower was today, and I was making a couple of dishes to bring: good, old-fashioned sausage balls, and sugar cookies. I knew what the other dishes were going to be (Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce!!!), as well, and knew I would be surrounded by stuff I couldn't eat. So I had 3 eggs for breakfast instead of just 2, along with my sweet potato hash brown (are you sick of hearing about how good those are?).

Sweet, sweet Jordan, who was in charge of making the quiche, was thoughtful enough to make me some individual "quiches" in a cupcake tin- just eggs, sausage, and spinach. So with that and fruit, I didn't feel like the high-maintenance guest that I have become. Thanks, Jordan!

The shower was a brunch, from 11-1, so I wasn't quite hungry enough for lunch when I got home, but I needed something. At times like that, 2 p.m./no-man's land, I would usually grab a cheese stick or some peanut butter on a spoon (or something much less healthy, if it's available), but of course, those are out for now. I sought help from Facebook friends (apparently I need to get myself some almond butter!) but eventually got hungry enough to cook up some onion, zucchini, and leftover chicken. Yum.

After spending the afternoon outside while the kids swam, I was unmotivated to make dinner. They had peanut butter sandwiches, and I warmed up some leftover spaghetti sauce. It's kind of like a bowl of chili, right? That's not that weird...

I need to get the grocery store again. I'm running low on all my go-to's and toast is way too tempting.

Whole30- Day 9

2013-06-22T08:14:00.000-05:00

Game-changer: unlike russets, sweet potatoes don't oxidize right away, so you can grate them beforehand and make your hash browns later. Love.

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sweet potato hash brown (made in the skillet because my waffle iron is in need of repair after so much use), iced coffee.

The kids and I went shopping with Grannie and she bought them Happy Meals on the way home. After I dropped her off, I made myself a chicken and sweet potato hash. It was a delicious way to use up a bunch of stuff in the fridge. I even tossed in some prepped cauliflower and didn't even know it was there.

For dinner, we headed to a friend's' house for a cookout. Lots of people, lots of food, but plenty of options for me. I had a burger topped with guacamole wrapped in lettuce. It was awesome! Baby carrots and watermelon kept me from even desiring a s'more. (Lie. That's a lie. I wanted six.)

Of course, it's somewhat easy to stay motivated when multiple people there read my blog and were asking questions (and watching!).

Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash

cooked chicken (I was out of leftovers, but I had chicken cutlets that I cut into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, and cooked through in olive oil. I removed it from the pan before I moved on to the veggies.)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet potato, grated
kale or spinach

In a large non-stick skillet heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Cook chicken through and remove from pan, or, if using cooked chicken, start with veggies. Add onion and pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add sweet potato and another tbs of olive oil if necessary, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add kale or spinach and cook slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken back into pan to warm through. Check for seasoning.

Whole30- Day 8

2013-06-21T05:30:00.000-05:00

Confession time- last night I told my husband that I want to quit. Not because it's too hard (it's really not!), not because I'm tired of the food, not because I miss crackers and cheese. I wanted to quit...just because. It would just be easier to not do this anymore.

I've been at this for a week now. And I feel like I've learned a lot in one week- about my eating habits, the mindless eating I wasn't completely aware of before, my problem areas and triggers. Why do it for a month? He lovingly reminded me that I wanted to do this mainly to see if I would stick with it.
For 30 days. Not 7. Then he encouraged me to think about how much I've learned in this week and then multiply that by 3, as I've got 3 weeks to go.

And just like that, I'm back in the game.

(Confession 2- I stepped on the scale today. I'm not supposed to do that until the 30 days are over. I've lost 5 pounds.)

This morning, I just didn't want to put forth the effort of eggs and hash browns, so I had a banana with coconut cream, cinnamon, and almonds. (Notice I didn't call it a banana split. Not for breakfast!) I drank my coffee black. I knew that sweet breakfast wouldn't tide me over until lunch, and I was right. We spent a good 2 hours at the library and I was very hungry when we got home.

So lunch became a plate of piles. A pile of sweet potato hash browns, a pile of veggies, a pile of spaghetti sauce. Hearty and satisfying and it cleaned out the fridge a bit. Win, win.

Immediately after I finished lunch, I felt light-headed and had a headache coming on. I assumed I hadn't had enough protein today. So instead of popping some Advil, I grabbed some cold chicken from the fridge. Between that and lying down with my daughter, I hoped to catch it before my headache got bad.

It got bad. I tried some afternoon coffee. I tried more protein (chicken and avocado dressing lettuce wrap). I tried lots of water. I ate more lettuce wraps for dinner, heavy on the chicken. Eventually, I gave up and took an Imitrex, which worked, thankfully.

I want Whole30 to be a magic pill that makes my headaches go away forever. That's probably too much to expect at all, but especially 8 days in.

I found myself seeking comfort (?) in something sweet, so I whipped up some "ice cream." (I tried again with that whipped sorbet and it worked, after the berries thawed out a bit!) It was delicious, but I think I need to start paying more attention to the food I'm seeking out. (Obvious statement.)

Berry Coconut "Ice Cream"

frozen blueberries, slightly thawed

frozen strawberries, slightly thawed

coconut cream

Combine berries in food processor and blend well. Add coconut cream, mix well and serve immediately.