DAY 1: Monday, September 14th

Welcome to your FIRST day of the Primal 21 Day Challenge! 

DAY 1 AGENDA:

1. Make your week a little easier by determining meals and packing lunches/snacks. 
2. Determine different ways to increase your daily movement and perform them at least 3 different times during the day (see ideas below).
3. Decide different relaxing techniques that do not involve technology and do these before bed to ensure a restful sleep (see ideas below).

Breakfast- egg frittata

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• a handful of spinach
• sliced mini bell peppers (or other veggies)
• olive oil, butter/ghee, or coconut oil
• salt/pepper

Set oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. In a small skillet (I use a small cast iron pan), warm up oil or butter on medium heat over stove. Pour in egg mixture. Season with salt/pepper. Sprinkle spinach and bell peppers on top. Let cook until bottom/sides start to become more brown (you can use a spatula to check sides). Then place in oven to finish cooking until all of the egg mixture is solid and spongey. Let cool, add a side of bacon or fruit and eat up!

Lunch- spinach salad with boiled eggs, tomatoes, olives and an extra virgin olive oil dressing with sea salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Dinner- Chicken Broccoli and Cauliflower Rice Casserole 

 Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breasts (I used boneless)
• head of cauliflower cut into florets (leave out big stems)
• head of broccoli cut into florets 
• garlic/sea salt/olive oil (to rub on chicken)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (cold)
• 2 Tbs arrowroot (to thicken the "gravy")
• 1 1/2 Tsp olive oil or butter (ghee)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (check ingredients or make your own)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• a couple dashes of pepper

First, bake chicken by slicing in half horizontally and rubbing down with garlic/sea salt/pepper and placing on baking sheet. Cook at 350 degrees for 20min or a few minutes longer until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees. Set aside. When cool, cut into small pieces or shred.

 Next, make the "gravy" by whisk coconut milk, arrowroot, olive oil or butter, chicken broth, salt and a couple dashes of pepper together in a saucepan over medium heat. The mixture will quickly become thick and once it starts to bubble continue stirring for about a minute. Set aside.

 Steam cauliflower florets for a couple minutes (I used our large crockpot by adding some water to the bottom, placing the tin cover on top of that-it sits halfway in the pot-and cover with the lid. Once it starts steaming and getting hot I added the cauliflower, covered with the lid and let it steam for a few minutes.) You could also boil them for a couple minutes. You do not want them very tender. Set aside. Then add the broccoli to steamer/boil broccoli until tender and set aside.

Next, pulse cauliflower in food processor until it makes "rice" or you could use a stick blender to blend it up some. It might be a little mushy, but that's okay! 

Cook cauliflower "rice" in a skillet with a little bit of butter, lemon zest, pepper and salt for a couple of minutes. Add the "gravy" and mix together. Remove from heat. Add chicken and broccoli to combine. Put in a casserole dish and bake in oven for 20min at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Increased Movement Ideas:                      

Walk your dog; take 20-30 min breaks from work to walk around, get a drink, etc; walk to the store instead of driving; take your kids to the park; take a family stroll after dinner; take the stairs instead of elevator; park far away from work.

(Ensure this is happening at least 3x/day.) To BE primal is to MOVE a lot.

Relaxation Ideas:

Dim/turn off lights as the sun goes down; light candles; read a book; put on computer dimmers or download a dimmer from online; turn off your TV/phone/tablet/computer at least 1-2 hours before bed (2 hrs. is best); read to your children; spend time with family/friends.

Lastly, jot down some notes!

• where you shopped for primal approved foods
• how you increased your daily movement during 3 different times in the day
• relaxation techniques tried
• energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}
• satisfaction level with meals
• hunger level between meals
• struggles
• benefits