Meal Prep 10/17/16

I've been eyeing the AIP Instant Pot Cookbook for a while now, and this past week I finally got a copy! There are so many delicious recipes that I tagged to make, it was hard to pick which I wanted to do first. I've been using my Instant Pot for a couple of years to make the most gelatinous bone broth, but it's been fun branching out and learning how to use it for other dishes as well. It's such a time saver in the kitchen, and it makes the most tender meat!

Breakfast: Cinnamon Banana Nut Shake // 2 scoops Rootz Protein Superfood (use code "wholedailylife" for 10% off!) + 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides + 3 oz banana + handful baby kale + 6 oz almond milk + 1 tsp L-Glutamine + 1 tsp maca + 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Snack: Kitchfix Grain-Free Granola

Lunch: Carrot Ginger Soup  (by @thepaleopi) + Ginger Scallion Sauce (by @paleofoodiekitchen) + Asian Pulled Pork (by @foodandsunshine) // The Carrot Ginger Soup is in the AIP IP Cookbook, but I actually ended up making it on the stovetop since I had 4 recipes to make it in the IP! It's a "throw everything in the pot and cook" kind of recipe. I paired it with the Asian Pulled Pork, also from the cookbook, and decided to add the ginger scallion sauce for an extra punch of flavor!

Snack: Homemade Kale Chips

Dinner: Golden Beet and Caramelized Leek Soup (by @donteatthespatula) + Crispy Leek Greens + BBQ Shredded Chicken (by @simpleandmerry) // The Golden Beet and Caramelized Leek Soup is also from the AIP IP Cookbook, and after peeling and chopping the beets, it really couldn't have been any easier. (As a sidenote, don't toss the beet greens! They're my FAVORITE part! I pull the leaves off and roast them in the oven with some oil and salt while I cook the stalks (finely chopped) in a skillet. I roasted the leek greens in the oven at the same time because I like them a little crispier than when I pan cook them, as instructed in the recipe. The BBQ shredded chicken is also quite impressive for a nightshade free version, and uses a base of apple and balsamic vinegar. Next time I think I might also add a few drops of liquid smoke!

Snack: Primal Kitchen Dark Chocolate Almond Collagen Bar 

After I prep each week I transfer everything to the freezer to keep it fresher, then pull them out as I need them through the week. I reheat everything in my Hot Logic Mini, which I can't recommend highly enough!! Just put your food in, plug it in, and everything is hot in an hour or so. There's a hot plate in the bottom that warms everything by conduction heat!

Have a great week!

Perfect Kale Chips

Is there anything better than a fresh batch of crispy kale chips? Just try not to eat them all at once! And if you do manage to end up with any leftovers, I'll share with you the secret to keeping them crispy for days.

• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. De-stem the kale and tear the leaves into small pieces. Toss them in a large bowl with the oil and the salt, and massage well so that all the leaves are well coated.

3. Distribute the leaves over the two baking sheets in a single layer and place them in the hot oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then stir them around with a spatula and roast for roughly 7 minutes more, until the leaves are crisp and just barely starting to brown.

4. This next step is the most important part: turn off the oven, open the door to let it vent for a couple of minutes, then put the trays back in. Leave them in the closed, off oven while the oven cools and you'll end up with the crispiest chips!

5. Store any extras in an air tight container, but they won't last long!

NOTE: I also love to make chips out of collard greens!

Earth Runners 2.0

Have you heard of Earth Runners? I first found out about them through Hilary Bromberg, co-founder of the company Barefoot Provisions. These minimalist sandals are made with conductive laces and inserts that allow the energy of the earth to flow through to the body. Now, before I lose you for being too "woo woo" (which is what I used to think too), hear me out. 

There's actually quite a bit of support behind the benefits of being outside and being in contact with nature. Those who regularly do so tend to be in better health overall, not to mention have stronger immune systems and a more positive outlook. While this could all be attributed to taking a break from our modern lifestyle and relaxing a bit, research suggests that it could also have to do with the magnetic frequencies that we're exposed to. If you're interested in learning more about this, check out Earth Runners' write-ups on it here. 

Even if you're not so interested in the earthing aspect of these sandals, there's no denying their comfort! I love how light they are on my feet, and their simple style goes with anything. I got my first pair over a year ago now (leather laces, suede top, conductive inserts) and after a couple of weeks of breaking them in, I quickly found myself slipping them on more often than any of my other sandals. I also love their durability. 

Earth Runners recently upgraded their laces to improve their conductivity, and I opted in to test them out! I went with the black rubber top this time and the black nylon laces. I wasn't specifically going for a vegan option, but if that's important to you, then these would fit the bill! What I immediately noticed is that they were 100% comfortable straight out of the package. This could have been due to the difference between needing to break in the leather straps a bit and not the nylon ones, but regardless, I've been totally loving them. 

As to the conductivity, I can't say that I've noticed a tremendous difference, probably because I haven't been comparing them side by side. However, I I trust the folks at Earth Runners and the research that they do! I know that I feel best when I'm outside and exploring, and whether it's placebo effect or not, having on a pair of Earth Runners makes the experience that much better. And if these ever wear out (doubtful, with their durability), I'll definitely be back for more. 

If you're interested in trying out a pair for yourself, head over to the Earth Runners website. They have all different combinations of laces and colors to suit your needs, and I'm sure that you'll love them as much as I do!

Note: I was provided with a free pair of sandals for this review, but all opinions expressed are my own. I do not promote companies that I don't believe in. 

Meal Prep 10/10/16

These past few weeks I've been playing around with my macros to see how I feel the best, aiming for 40% fat, 30-40% carb, and 20-30% protein. I've been used to eating much lower carb for so long that it takes such a conscious effort to get that amount of carb in! Generally I plan my week, plug it into My Fitness Pal for an estimate, then tweak from there. I'm still focusing on low-FODMAP carbs, as I definitely do better on those. This week I planned everything out and found that I needed to add in a snack of frozen pineapple, white rice to my soup, and use coconut water in my smoothies to get to my carb goal!! So those things didn't quite make it into the picture :)

Breakfast: "Chocolate Covered Strawberry" Shake // 1 scoop PureWOD Chocolate Build + 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides + 5 oz strawberries + 8 oz coconut water + 1 tbsp cocoa + 1 tsp maca + 1 tsp L Glutamine 

Snack: Kitchfix Grain-Free Granola

Lunch: Burrito Bowl // seasoned ground beef + cauliflower rice + roasted tomatoes and zucchini + caramelized onion and bell pepper // In short, I roasted the chopped zucchini and tomatoes with some oil in the oven while I sautéed the onion and bell pepper in one skillet and the cauli rice in another skillet on the stovetop. Then after transferring the cauli rice to my pyrex dishes, I cooked the ground beef in the same pan!

Snack: 1 cup frozen pineapple tidbits

Dinner: Creamy Lemon Kale Chicken Soup with Broth-Cooked White Rice // I LOVE this recipe by AIP Lifestyle and come back to it time and time again! This time I made it in the Instant Pot. I cooked the chicken first (simply salted the whole bird, placed it in the pot with nothing else, and cooked at high pressure for 30 minutes. It came out SO tender!!), then while that was cooling so that I could pull the meat off, I put everything else for the soup in the IP and cooked at high pressure for 15 minutes. I cooked the rice on the stovetop at the same time. Done!

Snack: Primal Kitchen Dark Chocolate Almond Collagen Bar 

Have a great week!!

Coconut Flour Shortbread Cookies (AIP, GAPS)

I whipped up these coconut flour based shortbread cookies so that I could have an AIP and GAPS friendly treat, and they turned out so well! The flavor is true to the shortbread I was dreaming of, and they come together in a flash. 

The recipe is super simple:

• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup Tin Star Foods brown butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• pinch of salt
• optional splash of vanilla

Mix well, then place little mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (They don’t flatten or spread at all, so if you want a more traditional flat cookie, be sure to spread them before you bake them.) Top with a dash of cinnamon (or not) and pop in the oven at 350 for 6-8 minutes. I got 9 bite sized cookies out of the batch!