Meal Prep 4/10/17: Back to Basics

These past few weeks of "all the samples" have been fun, but I do miss my usual routine of #morevegetablesthanavegetarian! This week I'm getting back to the basics with lots of roasted veggies, meatballs, veggie based shakes, and some pantry staples (green flatbread and sardines). 

Before we get there though, I do want to mention how much I LOVED those ZUPA soups from last week! I looked forward to them every day, and every single bottle impressed me with the depth of flavor and freshness. As much as I love fresh veggies, I could definitely get on board with having these soups in my life on a daily basis! 

I was also impressed with Ample Meal as an on-the-go meal replacement option, and appreciated that they offer both 400 calorie and 600 calorie bottles. The flavor was simple and delicious, and I enjoyed both the original and the vegetarian (rice protein based) versions. This is the first product that I have come across like this with an ingredient list that I can get behind, and I'm so glad to know that they're out there! 

Now, on to this week's meal plan:

Breakfast: Protein Shake with Veggies // I steamed a large cauliflower and a big bag of carrots unit tender and then portioned them up into baggies and froze for my morning smoothies. I've been loving adding frozen veggies to my shakes in the morning because it makes them extra thick and satisfying! Plus, I get the added benefit of extra nutrients. I steam them first because I digest them better that way. This week I'm using PureWOD Chocolate Build protein and The New Barn almond milk. I also add a spoonful of Eating Evolved roasted coconut butter (seriously, you need to try this stuff. Order at www.eatingevolved.com and use the code "traceygmt" for a free barand 1 tsp chia seeds. 

Lunch: Smoky Chicken Meatballs + Roasted Sweet Potato and Zucchini + Sautéed Kale // This is a pretty standard meal template for me. I use my Basic Meatball Recipe as a base, and this week used fresh garlic and a bunch of freshly chopped green onions. To get the smoky flavor, I add about 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke. I roasted the sweet potato and zucchini until golden (usually at 425 using Primal Kitchens Avocado Oil or Tin Star Foods Ghee) and sautéed the kale up in a big pot on the stovetop over medium heat with some ghee and a hearty pinch of salt! 

Dinner: Green Flatbread + Sardines + Fresh Veggies + Apple // You can find my green flatbread recipe here. I never used to like sardines, but after learning how nutrient dense they are, I changed my tune! Sometimes I eat them plain, and sometimes I mix them with some Primal Kitchens mayo. They're delicious either way, and Season is one of my favorite brands!

Snacks: Artisana Coconut Butter + Eating Evolved Chocolate 

And that's a wrap! 

Have a great week!

Meal Prep 4/3/17: All The Samples

The past two weeks have been pretty limited from a dietary standpoint, but this week is the exact opposite. I have several samples from Expo West that I've been looking forward to trying, so I incorporated them into this week's meal plan! The timing of this actually works well. I have a big trip coming up at the end of this month, and it will be good to test my gut a little bit and see how I feel with more dietary variance so that I will better know my boundaries while I'm away! 

Breakfast: Protein Shake // 1 scoop PureWOD Build or Nuzest Clean Lean Protein + New Barn almond milk + frozen steamed cauliflower/zucchini + Eating Evolved Roasted Coconut Butter (my new favorite smoothie ingredient! Use code "traceygmt" for a free bar with your order!). PureWOD is my staple, and I always have it in my pantry! Nuzest is new to me, and is sourced from golden peas. Historically I've had a hard time digesting pea protein, but I have this a try over the weekend and actually seemed to do fine with it! The thought of continuing to expand my FODMAP tolerance is very exciting, as there are so many vegetables that have been out of bounds for so long! The other consideration here is that peas and pea protein are generally considered higher in histamine, so I'll be monitoring for that as well, since I have some other high histamine foods in my diet this week too.

Lunch: Flatbread + Cucumber/Radish + Jerky Bar // Flatbread is such a convenient way to pack in a lot of greens. It's easy to make and I love the flavor! Check out the recipe here. I'll also be trying out some of the bars from companies that I met at Expo, including Wilde, DNX Bar, and Epic!  

Dinner: I have lots of variety in my dinners this week. I have a couple of frozen soups from last week's meal plan that I'm incorporating with Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides for protein, along with some homemade kale chips (seasoned with tahini and coconut aminos). I'm also trying out the Ample shake. I came across this company while doing some research for an article that I was writing at work, and they kindly sent me some samples! The ingredients are wholesome, and while I don't see myself using them as a daily meal replacement, they sure are convenient! One uses rice protein and the other uses whey. We'll see which one I digest better! 

Snacks: Zupa Soup + Apple + Barney Butter // This is probably the part of my meal plan that I'm most excited about. I've been eager to drink these Zupa soups since they arrived over the weekend! You can find out more about them here, but in short, they're whole veggies blended into delicious soups and are ready to drink right from the bottle! I plan on having them as snacks, or maybe in place of one of my flatbreads if I feel like it. I'll also have my usual apple on hand, along with some Barney Butter! 

It's going to be a fun week for this foodie :) 

Meal Prep 3/27/17: 5 Day Reset

Last week I tested out using some higher histamine food on a daily basis (aka, bone broth). It was DELICIOUS, and I was so happy to have it back in my diet! While I didn't have any overwhelming reactions, I do think my eyes were a little more watery and my nose was a bit more runny. The challenge of reintroducing foods is that it's also the time of year for seasonal allergies, so it's hard to say what is causing the symptoms. Either way, they lasted for a couple of hours first thing in the morning, then let up. (This also makes me suspect that it might be related to the 2 oz of cold brew coffee concentrate that I've been having as a pre workout lately...) 

This week I'll be taking the broth back out along with the coffee and testing out some other higher histamine foods, such as spinach, citrus, and strawberries. I'm loosely participating in Christa Orecchio's group "Juice Cleanse," which is basically a 7 day reset of packing in the fruits and veggies (normal for me) and eliminating sugar and caffeine. I'll be participating for the 5 weekdays.

Here's the plan:

Breakfast: Chocolate Coconut Shake + Evolution Fresh Essential Greens // I'll be using the following recipe for the shake: 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup The New Barn almond milk, 1 spoonful Artisana Organics coconut butter or Eating Evolved Roasted Coconut Butter (seriously AMAZING // use "traceygtmt for a free gift with your order!), 1/4 cup shredded coconut, 1 scoop PureWOD chocolate Build protein, 1 spoonful cacao powder, 1 tsp chia seeds, and 1 handful ice. 

Snack: Forager Roots and Ginger juice

Lunch: Spinach Salad // Organic baby spinach, fresh mint, fresh basil, strawberries, shaved fennel, almonds, and Primal Kitchens Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. 

Snack: Homemade Pesto + Sliced Cucumber and Radish

Dinner: Coconut Beet Soup or Celery Arugula Soup with Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides // For the beet soup: 3 large beets, 1 yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 2 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp each dried thyme and oregano, 1 can coconut milk, salt to taste, and enough water to thin it out. For the celery soup: 4 stalks celery, 2-4 cups wild arugula, 1 cup parsley, 1 avocado, juice of a lemon, 3 cloves garlic, and 1/4 cup olive oil, with enough water to blend. I'll add in 2 scoops of collagen to my serving before I eat it.

Snack: Golden Milk + Apple with Almond Butter // 6 oz The New Barn almond milk, 6 oz coconut milk, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (less than the recipe calls for because I think this is a histamine trigger for me), pinch of black pepper, 1 tbsp raw local honey, pinch of Himalayan pink salt. I'll be having either Georgia Grinders or Wild Friends almond butter, two of my favorites!!

SO many good veggies and fruits this week!!

Have a great one!

-Tracey

Meal Prep: 3/20/17

This week's meal plan is a little different than usual. You may remember that over the summer I did the Gut Thrive program by Christa Orecchio, with great results! One part of the program included a four day bone broth fast that included bone broth, green juice, coconut water, and a zucchini based soup called Bieler's Broth. I felt great during that week, so I've decided to repeat it. The calories are lower than my normal intake (closer to 1200, instead of my usual 1800-2000), so I'll be scaling back my exercise and focusing on walking instead of strength training this week. The goal is to give my digestion some TLC after a month of a lot of dietary aberrations from my usual routine! I was also fortunate enough to recently receive some Wunder Bones bone broth and am eager to give it a try. I've been keeping broth out of my diet for several weeks now in efforts to keep my histamine intake down and want to test out my tolerance! I'll be using it as my protein source this week, and I've got my fingers crossed that all goes well!

Here's what I'll be consuming each day:

• 12 oz bone broth with 1 tsp coconut oil and 1 scoop Vital Proteins collagen peptides
• 1 bottle Evolution Fresh Essential Greens with Lime
• 12 oz bone broth with 1 tsp coconut oil and 1 scoop Vital Proteins collagen peptides
• 16 oz Bieler's broth (blended zucchini, parsley, green onion soup)
• Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens with Lemon
• 12 oz bone broth with 1 tsp ghee and 1 scoop Vital Proteins collagen peptides
• Homemade beet, ginger, cilantro, parsley flatbread
• 16 oz coconut water
• 1 cup organic berries
• Optional: 1 organic pink lady apple, 2 tbsp coconut butter

As always, I'll be intuitive with how I'm feeling. If I need to eat more, then I will! Last time I was on a specific protocol as part of a pathogen purge, but this time, I'm doing it mostly to break the habit of all the "healthy junk food" I've been eating lately :) We can all use a little sugar detox reset from time to time!

Have a great week!

Meal Prep 3/6/17: Histamine Reintroductions

Well, as much as I loved those veggie based "pumpkin pie" breakfast shakes from last week, something about them didn't sit well with me. With all the spices I included, they were definitely higher in histamine, and I felt it with a runny nose, watery eyes, and congestion. Even so, I'm glad that I tried it out, because I'm still feeling out the boundaries of this LH diet to see what I can and cannot do! The good news is, I do seem to be tolerating deli turkey just fine, along with small amounts of mayo, which is a huge help when it comes to simple meal prep. 

This week only includes 4 days of prep because on Thursday evening I'm headed to Anaheim for Expo West! Will you be there? If so, let me know, because I'd love to meet you!!

Breakfast: Protein Shake // 1 scoop Vanilla Build protein by PureWOD mixed with homemade cashew milk (this is the EASIEST thing ever, just 1 cup of soaked cashews and 4 cups of water, blended until smooth, and no nut-milk bag needed!), 1 tsp Bulletproof Brain Octane or 1 scoop MCT Powder by Perfect Keto, and frozen veggies. This week I'm trying out carrots + zucchini + ginger for a "carrot cake" flavor profile. I plan on trying out just the cinnamon without the cloves and nutmeg to see how I do with that. 

Lunch: Smoky Chicken Meatballs with Kale and Sweet Potato // The meatballs are made with 1# of ground chicken and follow my Basic Meatballs recipe. I kept these simple with some chopped green onion, salt, and 1/2 tsp liquid smoke. The sweet potato is roasted with ghee, and the kale is sautéed (also in ghee) on the stovetop until tender. Each portion of kale is about 1/2 of a bunch...it shrinks down so much!!

Dinner: Green Flatbread with Fresh Veggies, Liverwurst, and Mayo // This no-cook combo has been a lifesaver during these past few busy weeks! Instead of the turkey, I'm trying out some liverwurst from US Wellness Meats that I had in my freezer. Organ meats are definitely higher in histamine, but I love the nutrient density (and the flavor) so we'll see how it goes. I thawed it just enough to slice, then immediately re-froze in individual portions. It's not a perfect system, but it's the best I can do. I've been keeping some Primal Kitchen Foods Mayo at work to drizzle over my veggies or have with my protein. My green flatbread (again, modified from my original recipe to decrease the histamine content) this week includes parsley, cilantro, basil, chard, pumpkin seeds, Guiltless 7 Seed Flour, and salt). Last but not least, fresh cucumbers and radishes in my new Stasher bags (I'm hooked!), which I've been LOVING with the "Everything But The Bagel" spice blend from Trader Joes! 

Snacks: Fresh Apples + Artisana Coconut Butter // The essentials, you know. 

This batch cook session was also super quick. Meatballs cook up in a flash (12 minutes at 425), and the sweet potatoes didn't take more than half an hour. I steamed my breakfast veggies and cooked the kale on the stove at the same time, and the flatbread dehydrated overnight. 

Have a great week!