Days 6-9 - Whole30
So I survived the first full week of doing Whole30! I am shocked at how much I am enjoying this experience. I thought it was going to be a dietary form of torture.
It's been extremely eye-opening to read the ingredients of every single thing we buy. It was cumbersome at first, but it's getting pretty easy. At times I have to look up a foreign sounding ingredient, and if I can't find the answer I err on the side of caution. It's shocking to realize the sugar and junk that companies sneak into our foods!
The hardest part of doing Whole30 isn't the diet, it's the social aspect. It is hard to go out to eat because most foods are prepared with off-limits ingredients. The good news is that because I'm new to Portsmouth, I'm not exactly getting a ton of invites just yet, so it's perfect timing to do this program.
And honestly, it's not impossible to go out. For example, when Brett and I went on a last minute double date at The Library, I was able to quickly look up the menu prior to figure out what I could eat. I ended up having shrimp cocktail with lemon for an appetizer, and ordered the lump crab meat (which is technically an appetizer) and put it on top of my house salad that I dressed with balsamic vinegar. It wasn't what I would have eaten otherwise, but it was still pretty good! And more importantly, Whole30 didn't prevent me from attending a fun dinner with wonderful people.
The social situations Whole30 brings are actually quite fun. I recently met these two friendly girls through my neighbor and one of them hosted us for a ladies' brunch. She knew from social media I had started Whole30, and was so thoughtful to let me know that there would definitely be food I could eat. I was so excited to cook something to share, too. I made a breakfast pumpkin custard recommended to me from a pal in my Whole30 group. Yummy! There was also fresh fruit, and sweet potato hash with eggs over top! The only thing I had to pass on was the bacon because I wasn't sure what the ingredients were, but I was plenty full anyways. Regardless, high five to my will power for turning down bacon! But the three of us had such a fun time discussing Whole30 vs. Paleo (one of the girls follows that diet) vs. too much ice-cream. Food, and "diets" are such a fantastic topic of conversation!
Below are my food highlights. I don't have as many to share because Brett's been out of town, so I've been eating a LOT of leftovers!
Basil-Avocado Baked Salmon - This is a HOMERUN meal, and hands down my favorite quick and easy recipe. Loads of healthy fat to help me stay fuller longer!
Lemon Garlic Tahini Sauce - Holy cow. This stuff is good on pretty much any/everything, but I love it on top of veggies.
Butternut Squash Soup w/ Black Truffle Salt + Black Pepper - This was pretty good, but now I need to take a break from squash because I had so much of it!
