Whole 30: Day 12

Breakfast:  Scrambled egg and sausage.  Green smoothie.

Lunch: Sausage, cashews, carrot.  This was a weird one, because we were out and I didn't quite pack my lunch properly. This morning I put a chicken in the crock pot, made breakfast, and everyone lunches, then we headed out to meet our friends at the children's museum in Boston.  It was a madhouse, but such a blast!

Dinner:  Lemon garlic chicken.  This was pretty good.  I ate it over a bed of zucchini noodles, made with my brand new spiralizer!  Thank you for the early birthday gift, Mom and Dad!  It's going to be so fun to use it for potatoes and apples and squashes.  

Thoughts:  It's already time to plan for the next week's menus!  That happened fast. 

Whole 30: Day 11

Breakfast:  2 Lara Bars and coffee.  Thursday mornings are going to be more intense than we're used to.  The twins now have a toddler group from 9-11, and Lincoln is at school 9-12.  Even with Tyler's help, I still couldn't get out the door and eat a proper breakfast!  Of course, that's because I showered too.  Next time I'll save it for another less busy morning.

Snack:  Apples!  I like giving the twins whole apples, because they think it's fun, it takes some time, and they eat the peel.  For some reason, they choke on the peel when I slice it for them, but not when they hold it.

Lunch: Leftover Thai coconut soup.  Tyler likes it too!  I haven't bothered to give it to the kids.  I left the chicken in big chunks, and the zucchini is in long strands, which just isn't very easy to eat.

Dinner:  Ugh.  Not a fun one today!  I made the lemon and almond cauliflower rice again, but it wasn't as good this time.  I think the lemon was too sour, or I put more of its juice in this time.  At any rate, everyone made a yuck face.  I'm the only one who ate mine, because I made it, and I can't waste it!  We also had cucumbers, the rest of the leftover pork, green olives and grapes for dessert.

Thoughts:

Everyone is on the verge of a cold, and I'm trying my hardest to make sure it stays that way and doesn't turn into fevers and ear infections.  We played outside for a little while this afternoon, but the wind was biting cold, and their noses were dripping.  So, to pass away the rest of the time until dinner, Tyler and Lincoln made cookies.  Smelled great, and they look so beautifully chewy good!

In other news, Lincoln has been increasingly distracted by the thought of receiving his newest obsession: a Switch-and-Go Dino.  We've been allowing him to earn dimes by helping out around the house, but he wasn't quite grasping the idea of saving money until you reach a certain amount, and then buying something that costs that amount.  He's four, you know.  So we revamped the system and made it more visual:

Span arrived yesterday via UPS, this evening Lincoln colored in the last bar on his chart, and ta-da!  The two were finally united!  Please, please let this amuse him for a while before he starts asking for the next one.  

Meanwhile, this might amuse you!

Whole 30: Day 10

Breakfast:  Leftover sweet potato hash with fried egg.  Luckily Tyler joined in this morning and helped me finish it off!

Lunch: We were at Ami's house today and I brought Thai Coconut Chicken Soup.  I had slow cooked a whole chicken the day before and even made bone broth from it!  I used the broth in this soup and finished it just as we were heading out the door, so I didn't get a chance to taste it.  Luckily, it was really good!  Ami is my good luck charm!  She made us a salad and a veggie tray for the table.  Delicious!

Dinner: Leftover pork and apple sauce.  The kids finished off the meatballs.  We had carrots and grapes, too.

Thoughts:  I am amazing myself by my ability not to have sweets.  I've never made cookie bon bons (or any cookie) without partaking.  Of course, I believe strongly in moderation, so this is not a permanent thing.  I'll have baked goods every now and then after Whole30, but this has been a confidence boost for me, knowing that I don't have to eat my favorite things just because they're available.

Whole 30: Day 9

Breakfast: Leftover sweet potato hash and spinach.  Still prefer cereal, but it's only 30 days.  :-)

Lunch: Homemade meatballs and marinara sauce with leftover green beans.  The twins loved these.  Lincoln saw them coming out of the oven, though, and was immediately turned off by the "goo" that spreads out from the bottom of them.  I scraped it off, but the damage was done.  He ate one though!  Next time, I'll be sure he doesn't see them til I serve them!  Before they came out of the oven, he ate this cute little guy.  I'm learning that food should be fun for kids.  And adults, too, right?

Dinner: Leftover pork with apple sauce and kale chips.  I liked these a lot!  So did the twins.  Linc not so much.

Thoughts:  Tyler took the twins to the children's museum today while Lincoln was at school, so that I could be home alone and whoosh through some cleaning and cooking.  Let me tell you, every once in a while, it's awesome to blast the music and get business done without having three munchkins underfoot.

Whole 30: Day 8

Breakfast:  Fried egg over sausage, sweet potatoes and apples.

Lunch: Orange sesame seed dressing over spinach and seeds, with leftover stuffed peppers.  Lincoln helped me make the dressing, and liked it a lot.  He dipped lots of spinach in it.

Dinner: Pork roast.  It was supposed to be really moist and easy to pull apart, but wasn't.  I was bummed, and the kids wanted nothing to do with it.  Can't win 'em all!

Thoughts: Today was rough.  A neighbor friend invited us over for an impromptu visit, and it had been a while since we saw her.  She didn't know Lincoln was off dairy, and offered us some cake.  Lincoln took it very maturely, but it was quite heartbreaking.  Especially when I don't even know it's the dairy that's bugging him.    I don't want to deprive the poor kid, just help his body work optimally and, well, more comfortably than it is.  I had just made one of his favorite treats, earlier today: chopped dates and cashews with vanilla, cinnamon and cacao nibs or chocolate chips.  We call them cookie bon bons.  Those will have to suffice for now.

Parenting is hard.  Being human is hard.  We should all just be superheroes instead.

Whole 30: Day 7

Breakfast: Whole30 doesn't really include green smoothies, I think because people tend to load up on the fruit and so it ends up being more sugar than protein and greens.  But I drank one again this morning anyway.  First I made the kids one, then I made one for me with a LOT of spinach, some canned coconut milk, half a frozen banana and a quarter of a mango.  Delicious, thick, smooth and... almost too sweet.  I think after a week of eating this way, my taste buds are already adjusting.  Cool!  That means I can happily survive with less sugar!

Lunch: Leftovers all around.  Broccoli, omelette, and chicken patties.  Also some green olives, and salmon for the twins (actually, Hazel is the one who loves it.  Ezra spit it out).  I made Lincoln a grilled "cheese" sandwich with Daiya brand cheese and coconut oil instead of butter.  He ate broccoli again, no problem.  Can you see me grinning from ear to ear?  Cuz I am!

Dinner: We went to Costco this afternoon after the twins took a nap, which means we arrived back home exactly when I would usually be putting dinner on the table.  Formerly in this situation, we would have either ate pizza there, or put a frozen pizza in the oven when we got home.  Obviously this wouldn't work for me right now on Whole 30, but it also doesn't work for Lincoln now, as we are going a month without dairy for him to see if his painful tummy aches and digestive issues get any better.  So... no short cuts here!  I quickly made some zucchini noodles for me, wheat noodles for everyone else, and cooked a cubed chicken breast on the stove.  Spiced with garlic and Italian seasoning and covered in coconut oil, it was all delightful.  The twins are not patient when I start cooking.  They think banging a few pots and pans around= dinner served!  But kids, cooking takes TIME, especially when I really cook!  They'll get used to it.

Thoughts:  Today was a really fun day.  We let the kids play in the snow, Lincoln and Hazel got a little chess time with daddy (Ezra was napping), and I got to skype with my parents and talk on the phone with Liz.  All is well.  

Whole 30: Day 6

Breakfast:  This morning I was rather revolted by the sight and smell of meat.  I made sausage, gave it to the kids and Tyler along with leftover omelette, and made myself a green smoothie.  Canned coconut milk, lettuce, half a frozen banana, and some frozen mango chunks.  Sweet, thick and quite refreshing.  I ate a handful of almonds too.

Snack:  Before running errands, I knew I'd need a protein boost.  I ate two leftover chicken patties with dijon mustard.  

Lunch:  Leftover salmon with brussel sprouts and a balsamic vinegar spinach salad.

Dinner: Coconut crusted chicken with steamed broccoli and leftover "stuffing" from the peppers.  LOVED these!  So did Tyler and the twins.  Lincoln ate some, but seemed to prefer the chicken strips that were coated in egg only, not the coconut.  No problem, kiddo!  You ate your broccoli, that's reason  to celebrate!

Thoughts:  I love my kids.  I love a cup of tea.  I love Tyler's big, strong shoulders.  And I love moments alone to think!