French Omelet + Spinach

My husband and I started making these country style french omelets a few years ago.

We love the look of them. We love that it's a little runny inside. We love eggs.

Therefore, we love this dish!

My husband has perfected his french omelet making skills.

They always look beautiful!

He will often make these on the weekend because they are so quick and so filling.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 handful chopped fresh spinach
• a few pinches of course sea salt
• a few cracks of fresh peppercorn
• 1 Tbs kerry gold butter

Rather than trying to explain how to make this french style omelet (because, trust me, it's hard to explain, yet very easy to make) I have attached a short video HERE for you to watch. In our home, we usually make the first omelet demonstrated in this video, the country style french omelet. Enjoy!

Crackling Eye of Round Roast + Mustard Vinaigrette

Not only is this a favorite roast recipe of mine, but the meals I can make with these leftovers go on for daysss making my life oh-so-simple!

And, yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Use fresh cracked peppercorn and coarse sea salt to garnish this dish.

Mouth. Watering.

And we all know how much I love mustard, so, of course, I came up with this tasty mustard vinaigrette for drizzling or dipping!

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. eye of round roast
• a few big pinches of course sea salt, cracked peppercorn and fresh thyme
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs olive oil

Set oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit. Cut the strings off of the roast. Depending on how large your roast is, season with S&P (I had a 2 lb. roast and sprinkled a couple teaspoons of course sea salt, about a tsp of fresh cracked peppercorn, and a couple teaspoons of fresh thyme.) Mince garlic and then mash into olive oil well (best to use mortar and pestle) until almost dissolved. Rub mixture over meat and ensure seasonings are evenly spread throughout. Place on a baking sheet covered with tin foil and place into oven to cook for 5-6min per pound, so I cooked my 2 lb. roast for 12 min. Then turn off the oven and let the roast sit for 2 hours. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR. When done, take out and slice thinly and drizzle with vinaigrette or use it as a dipping sauce. Add a side salad or roasted veggies and enjoy!

Day 8: April 18th, 2016

I hope you were able to share a primal meal with your family and/or friends this weekend :)

Day 8 Agenda:

1. Complete a very short tabata air squat workout. A tabata workout is usually 8 sets of a specified movement being performed for 20 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between. It is an amazing workout that you can get done in just minutes and have results! Above is a video showing you how to do this. You can either do both the squats and push-ups with these women if you'd like, or just watch it and then do it on your own! Be sure to count your total reps and document.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- apple, leek and bacon breakfast sausage

{pic and recipe from andhereweare.net}

Find the recipe HERE. Enjoy! 

Lunch- egg and avocado salad

Ingredients:

• 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1 celery stick, chopped fine
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 a big lemon, juiced
• 4 pinches of sea salt
• a few squirts of deli style mustard or dijon {optional}

Mix altogether and enjoy!

Dinner- roasted cabbage and dijon mustard glaze

{This recipe was inspired by a pinterest recipe I saw, but I can't remember where I found it. I modified it a bit and LOVE this dish!}

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium green cabbage, cut into 8 slices
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• sea salt
• pepper

Sauce:

• 3 Tbs real butter {i.e. kerry gold}
• 2 Tbs minced white onion
• 1 Tbs dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• pinch of sea salt and pepper

With the oven at 450 degrees, line a baking sheet with tin foil and set cabbage slices on sheet. Drizzle each side of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt & pepper. Place baking sheet in oven and roast for 10-12 min and then flip to the other side about 8-10 min. During this time, make your sauce by adding to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until butter is completely melted. When the cabbage is done, take them out and prepare on a plate. Then drizzle with the dijon mustard and butter sauce. Enjoy! 

Snack- green mint smoothie

In a blender, blend together a big handful of spinach, 2 spoonfuls of plain full-fat greek yogurt, 3 fresh mint leaves with stems, 1 1/2 cup of frozen fruit {I used a mix of pineapple, mango, strawberry and peach}, and 1/2 cup-1 cup of water. If you are trying to lay off the dairy in order to lose weight, try full-fat unsweetened coconut milk instead of greek yogurt. 

Disclaimer: The only downside to this lifestyle that I hear all the time is that cooking every night is time consuming! Yes, I agree, but I believe this is a manageable lifestyle change and there are ways around having to cook EVERY night. For instance, when you make a BIG dinner, ensure that you have leftovers that you can use at breakfast the following morning or lunch or dinner. My other recommendation is to find a day to prepare meals to freeze or lunches to prepare for the week. So far, I found THIS website with pretty good paleo friendly freezer recipes!

Take some notes!

-how did you increase your daily movement?

-tabata air squats total reps?

-relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?

Day 7: April 17th, 2016

Day 7 Agenda:

1. I challenged you to try new primal recipes and then on Day 7 SHARE this new favorite recipe for a big Sunday dinner with your family and/or friends!
2. Rest... no strenuous physical activity. Spend meaningful time with your family, friends, or enjoy some alone time by taking a walk or enjoying the weather outside.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- avocado egg bake with cayenne pepper

Ingredients: {2 servings}

• 1 ripe avocado, cut in half
• 2 eggs
• sea salt
• pepper
• cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Scoop out more of the avocado meat to make room for an egg {make the hole wider and deeper}. Place avocado halves on the lined baking sheet and carefully crack an egg in each half ensuring yolk gets in. Season with sea salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Place in oven and bake for about 17 min or until the egg is set.  Enjoy!

Lunch- roasted carrots and red onions 

{another modified dish from the Nov. 2015 bon appetite magazine}

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs. carrots {2 bunches} peeled and cut into 3" pieces
• 2 large red onions, each cut through root end into 8 wedges
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely chopped or coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• sea salt
• black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place carrots on a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and onions on a separate baking sheet {spread evenly on sheets}. Drizzle with the 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt/pepper. Roast in oven tossing occasionally until golden brown and tender {25min for carrots and 35-45min for onions}. Let cool. Meanwhile, cook coriander seeds, aleppo pepper, paprika and remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes until fragrance comes out. Let cool. Stir in vinegar and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Then, combine roasted carrots and onions to large platter or bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add a main protein dish to it and enjoy!

Dinner- crockpot or oven roast 

{I usually use a crockpot, but below is an online recipe from Allrecipes.com for the oven.}

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck pot roast
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup butter (full fat like kerry gold)
• 1 tsp rosemary
• sea salt and pepper

Set oven to 275 degrees. Season roast with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides in a large pot with olive oil, medium to high heat. Once browned, put aside on a separate plate. Then put the diced carrots, celery and onions in the pot for a few minutes with the leftover meat juices. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and cook until for a few minutes more until onions are tender and translucent. Add rosemary and store everything together. Then add roast back to the pot and cover with lid. Place in the oven and cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until roast is tender.

Take some notes! 

-how did you increase your daily movement?

-primal meal shared with family and/or friends?

-what did you do on your REST DAY?

-relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?

Day 6: April 16th, 2016

Day 6 Agenda:

1. Try a new aerobic exercise! Go cycling, hike a new trail {like my above pictures - photo credit to my sis @lynetteb.photography} try rock climbing, play tennis, or whatever else it is that you would like to try. 
2. Forage. Go out to dinner with your significant other, best friend, or entire family to a nice restaurant and eat primally. This might seem hard, but I have found it actually isn't. Most places serve meats/fish/poultry and vegetables, right? If needed, just ask for olive oil and lemon for that side salad or to hold the non-primal sauce on that steak. Some places I like that have cage-free chicken meat, grass-fed beef, etc is Chipotle or Moe's Southwestern Grill:) I usually get the meat on a salad with guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, etc.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- sausage quiche with sweet potato crust 

{A participant shared this with our primal group a few months ago because she and her family loved it so much! This recipe comes from Danielle Walker's cookbook 'Against All Grain'.}

Ingredients:

• extra-virgin olive oil for greasing pan
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/2 pound sugar-free breakfast sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 10 eggs
• 2 Tbs coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a very thin layer of olive oil around the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Scrub the sweet potato and dry it with a towel. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, thinly slice the potato into 1/8 inch thick disks. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a concentric pattern, slightly overlapping them so they completely cover the bottom of the pie plate. Spread the sausage in a thin layer over the potatoes, trying to cover the entire surface. Press the rosemary gently into the sausage. Place the eggs, coconut milk, slat and pepper in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Pour the beaten egg mixture into the dish, gently pressing down any sausage bits that float up. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the eggs have puffed up. 

Lunch- meatloaf topped with guacamole & fried eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground beef
  
  {This is what I picked up from my local grocery store. That's right! No need for fancy stores:)}
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds 
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 white onion minced finely 

Mix all ingredients together with a fork. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, shape meatloaf using a bread pan and then put on baking sheet. Bake on 400 degrees for 40min. or a higher temp for less time to make it a little crispy. Let cool and add my toppings mentioned above or one of your own:)

Guacamole Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1/4 cup of minced purple onion
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• a few dashes of salt

Mix together!

Dinner- sausage and kale soup

Ingredients: {5+ servings}

• 1 lb paleo approved sausage {I used 1/2 lb Applegate hotdogs + 1/2 lb Irish banger sausages}
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp whole fennel seeds {best if toasted prior to using in dry pan for a couple of minutes}
• couple pinches of sea salt and cracks of black pepper
• 1 bunch of leeks, sliced 1/4 inches thick
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced 1/4 inches thick
• 2 cups chicken broth or other type of broth {if store bought, read labels-no sugar/additives/etc}
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 big handfuls of kale, chopped and most of the stems removed

Heat up olive oil in large pot over medium high heat on stove. Add onions, garlic, fennel seeds, salt and pepper and stir constantly for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Then add sausage and sauté until browned. Once sausage is browned, add all vegetables except kale and cook for about 15 minutes or until vegetables start to get tender. Add broth and bay leaf and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables are completely tender. Turn off heat, add kale and stir for a few minutes until it starts to wilt. Add more sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve!

Snack- sweet potato chips

Ingredients:

• 2-3 sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• sea salt

Cut up your sweet potatoes to a chip width {or use a mandolin if you have one...it will make your life easier!} and toss in a bowl with olive oil and sea salt. Use a cookie rack to place on top of a baking sheet to spread the chips out on - this way they cook evenly. You could also just flip the chips halfway through baking. Bake in the oven for 15min - 20min at 350 degrees.

Take some notes!
-how did you increase your daily movement?

-new aerobic exercise tried?

-forage experience?

-relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?

Day 5: April 15th, 2016

We are almost done with our first week! At the end of week one, my participants usually share these results: increased energy, decrease in cravings, decrease in hunger between meals, decrease in bloating/"my tummy is flat", "mental clarity", no headaches, and no more constipation.

Day 5 Agenda:

1. Play! Go play a sport you love, go on a hike with your family, play frisbee, go slack lining, go paddle boarding  or play basketball in a gym. Grab your family/friends and enjoy being together doing what you love:) 
2. Sleep at least 8 hours/night. From here on out, plan ahead so you get enough sleep and take the time to relax 2 hours before bed {I know the mom's are thinking, "YEAH RIGHT!"} To make things more calming, turn off the TV, computer, put away phones and other gadgets. Dim the lights, read books with your kids, etc. Create a more calming environment to help everyone wind down.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- almond dutch baby

{pic and recipe from andhereweare.net}

Check out this baby HERE! Add some vegetables, fruit and a form of protein to go with it.

Lunch- pan fried sausage and greens

Ingredients: {2-3 servings}

• 3 hotdog or sausage links, sliced diagonally {applegate brand is the best!}
• 1/4 cup white onion, sliced 
• handful of kale
• handful of spinach
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or kerry gold butter
• sea salt and pepper

Heat up oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and sauté for a couple minutes until translucent. Add hotdog/sausage slices and cook through until they start to brown. Add spinach, kale and season with sea salt/pepper. Cook for about 2 more minutes until greens start to wilt and then take off heat. Serve and season with more sea salt and pepper if needed!

Dinner- salmon coyhaiquino 

{this is a recipe that was sent in by a participant from a previous challenge... you could use this recipe as a meal prep for next week just like it was used in the pics below!}

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp course ground pepper
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb. salmon file

In a glass bowl mix together all the ingredients minus the salmon, then cover the salmon with the marinade and let set for an hour, longer if possible. Wrap salmon in aluminum foil and pour remaining marinade over the top of the salmon and continue to wrap in aluminum foil. Place fish in a baking dish and place in oven. Bake for 35-45min on 375 degrees fahrenheit.

Side Dish- baked broccoli with garlic

Ingredients: {4 servings}

• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets 
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Turn oven on to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper. Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl with your hands ensuring olive oil covers all broccoli florets. Place broccoli on lined baking sheet and evenly spread out. Season with more sea salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until broccoli becomes tender and starts to brown. Add as a side dish to your entree and enjoy! 

Snacks- hard boiled eggs with sea salt or deviled eggs using classic dijon mustard {check ingredients!} and homemade mayo...

{Put stick blender at bottom of jar, turn it on and let it sit at the bottom for 20 seconds. It will start to turn into mayo and then you can bring it up to mix the rest, but don't over mix.}

Take some notes:

-how did you increase your daily movement?

-what was your "PLAY" activity?

-hours of sleep and relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?

Day 4: April 14th, 2016

Watch this incredible video from various paleo/primal experts for a boost of motivation:

{And please excuse any language...} 

Day 4 Agenda: 

1. Listen to your body. The first few days are tough coming off of that high carb diet. You might feel more hungry and very 'snacky' during this time, so for day 4, don't restrict yourself to a breakfast/lunch/dinner schedule. Eat when you are hungry, listen to your body! But, eat primal. Remember how I also mentioned that once you get good at being a fat burning body you will be able to go longer without food? With that said, later on we will practice random fasting from food to see how well our body is at fat burning:) You will be amazed!
2. Perform a MovNat workout {see below}.
3. Focus on your posture 24/7. As a nurse, I had developed upper back/neck pain on my left side. It became more constant and painful which brought me to the chiropractor. After the pain left, I stopped going. I bet you can guess what happened... It came back! I thought, "There has to be a better way than spending money on a chiropractor for the rest of my life!" So, I invested in minimalist shoes (barefoot shoes/five finger shoes), I walked barefoot often, and I focused on my posture after reading 'Becoming a Supple Leopard' by Kelly Starrett. After doing this for a week, my back/neck pain was gone. GONE! You have to try this...

So, from now on during this challenge, focus on your posture ALL THE TIME...including sleep posture. Throughout the day, stop and check your posture:

-Feet straight and positioned below your lungs.

-Squeeze your buttocks.

-Tighten your tummy by taking a deep breath and as you exhale tighten your abdomen and try to keep it that way.

-Use torque by pushing the outsides of your feet in the ground. You want to almost feel like you're only walking on the outsides of those feet!

-Chest slightly out and shoulders back. 

-Head facing forward and neck in neutral position (over your spine). 

Now for the sleep posture...

{again, please excuse any language!}

MovNat:
A couple years ago, my husband found something new to try for primal exercises! This will be great for the parents out there with kids because the kids will love it. It is called MovNat. It looks silly {which is why the kids will love it}, there is pretty much no equipment required, and it is quick {which I'm sure YOU will love!}
Click here for a MovNat workout!

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- scrambled eggs with basil

Ingredients: {1-2 servings}

• 3 eggs
• 1-2 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced thinly 
• 1 Tbsp kerry gold butter
• sea salt and pepper

Over a medium skillet, heat up butter until all melted and bubbly. Crack in eggs and immediately start to scramble them with spatula. Once they are almost set, add basil, salt and pepper to taste and cook for a minute longer all while continuously stirring. Take off heat and serve!

Lunch- roasted cauliflower soup

{pic and recipe from elanaspantry.com}

Find this recipe HERE :) 

Dinner- baked sausage and cabbage

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage, cut thinly
• 1/2 onion, sliced into rings
• 1-2 packages of sausage, sliced ~1/2in thick pieces
• 3 Tbs water or stock
• salt/pepper
• butter {kerry gold}/fat

Grease 9x11 baking dish with butter, fat or coconut oil. Put the cabbage and onions in the dish and mix with salt/pepper. Pour 3 Tbs of water or stock on top. Put a few dabs of butter or fat on top of cabbage. Add sausage on top. Cover with tin foil and put in oven at 350 degrees for 45min. Take tin foil off last 10-15min to brown some. Add more salt/pepper to taste and enjoy!

Dessert- twice baked sweet potatoes

 Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Pecans - recipe here.  
*Be sure to omit the coconut sugar.* 
It tastes just as good without it!

Take some notes!

-how did you increase your daily movement?

-movnat experience?

-posture successes/weaknesses/what to work on?

-relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?