Whole 30 - Month 2
The guidelines of the Whole 30 allow for some unique modifications to satisfy cravings and to explore the boundaries of whole, haute cuisine. While the delicious banana almond muffins got me through the first month, dried pineapple and coconut chocolate mousse got me through the second.
These types of foods aren't encouraged if weight loss is your goal, and although I have a lofty goal to achieve over the next 10 months, I needed chocolate. Here's what I threw in the Vitamix to solve that problem:
Vegan, Raw Chocolate Mousse
1/2 c. Coconut Butter or Coconut Mana
1/2 c. Organic Cacao Powder
5 pitted Dates
1 c. Coconut Water
1/2 c. Coconut Milk
I blended this mix on low and eased to higher speed, adding more coconut water and a dash of coconut milk to thin it out. The mousse will thicken in the fridge. Serve with whole strawberries for dipping.
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Daily Dining Tips:
Meal prepping for myself and teenaged daughter during the work/school week includes cooking whole chickens down in various braising concoctions and utilizing the chicken and broth in several meals throughout the week.
Last week I threw a chicken in the slow cooker, on low, with some basic mirepoix overnight. I ended up with a large amount of shredded chicken and some hearty bone broth. The broth I made into potato, leek, fennel soup:
Potato, Leek, Fennel Soup
2 tbs clarified butter or ghee
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 c. lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or white wine (depending on how strict you're being)
2 leeks, washed and sliced into 1/8 slices
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
1 qt bone broth or chicken stock
2 tsp. dried thyme
3 bay leaves
sea salt & white pepper to taste
Saute the onions in the melted butter until caramelized, 10 minutes or so. add the leeks, garlic and lemon juice, stir and allow to reduce before adding the fennel. Season with the thyme, salt and white pepper, stir to coat all ingredients with butter before adding the stock, bay leaves and potatoes. Cook on medium for 20 minutes, until the potatoes have softened. Remove the bay leaves and puree with a hand blender until smooth. Serve hot with chopped fennel tops as a garnish garnish and drizzle with coconut milk, if desired.
I used the chicken for a nice mayo based chicken salad for lunches throughout the week, and there was enough to mix with salsa and top with guacamole for a quick weeknight dinner. I added cheese and corn tortillas to make quesadillas for my daughter...
Grocery Outlet was out of dried pineapple and I nearly cried when I discovered. I had already admitted I have an addition to the stuff, but I realized the universe has other plans, so I picked up some date rolls instead.
These types of foods aren't encouraged if weight loss is your goal, and although I have a lofty goal to achieve over the next 10 months, I needed chocolate. Here's what I threw in the Vitamix to solve that problem:
Vegan, Raw Chocolate Mousse
1/2 c. Coconut Butter or Coconut Mana
1/2 c. Organic Cacao Powder
5 pitted Dates
1 c. Coconut Water
1/2 c. Coconut Milk
I blended this mix on low and eased to higher speed, adding more coconut water and a dash of coconut milk to thin it out. The mousse will thicken in the fridge. Serve with whole strawberries for dipping.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daily Dining Tips:
Meal prepping for myself and teenaged daughter during the work/school week includes cooking whole chickens down in various braising concoctions and utilizing the chicken and broth in several meals throughout the week.
Last week I threw a chicken in the slow cooker, on low, with some basic mirepoix overnight. I ended up with a large amount of shredded chicken and some hearty bone broth. The broth I made into potato, leek, fennel soup:
Potato, Leek, Fennel Soup
2 tbs clarified butter or ghee
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 c. lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or white wine (depending on how strict you're being)
2 leeks, washed and sliced into 1/8 slices
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
1 qt bone broth or chicken stock
2 tsp. dried thyme
3 bay leaves
sea salt & white pepper to taste
Saute the onions in the melted butter until caramelized, 10 minutes or so. add the leeks, garlic and lemon juice, stir and allow to reduce before adding the fennel. Season with the thyme, salt and white pepper, stir to coat all ingredients with butter before adding the stock, bay leaves and potatoes. Cook on medium for 20 minutes, until the potatoes have softened. Remove the bay leaves and puree with a hand blender until smooth. Serve hot with chopped fennel tops as a garnish garnish and drizzle with coconut milk, if desired.
I used the chicken for a nice mayo based chicken salad for lunches throughout the week, and there was enough to mix with salsa and top with guacamole for a quick weeknight dinner. I added cheese and corn tortillas to make quesadillas for my daughter...
Grocery Outlet was out of dried pineapple and I nearly cried when I discovered. I had already admitted I have an addition to the stuff, but I realized the universe has other plans, so I picked up some date rolls instead.
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