I was so glad when Cheryl decided to host this Gathering of Moments because I was looking for a way to use pictures from my 2014 calendar for my blog. I've also been in a writing slump lately and this is the perfect way for me to keep me connected until this... season... is over. I could have chosen a theme of "cold" or "snow" for this month because the weather has been, well, cold and snowy. But, for me, this month has been all about food.
On January 2nd my husband and I started a food plan called Whole30 and I have had to learn a whole new way of cooking. I've really enjoyed it but boy, oh boy, did I spend a lot of time in the kitchen at first. I was creating recipes left and right! And I learned to make my own mayonnaise, too! Here are just a few pictures from this month's menu... rutabaga fries with (homemade!) mayonnaise, zusketti (spiralized zucchini) with meatballs, and a hearty breakfast of eggs, (homemade!) sausage patties, roasted sweet potatoes, and sweet cherries. Yum!
Due to several peoples' interest in the spiral zucchini, I've decided to post a link to the one that I purchased. It isn't an endorsement for the brand since I've not compared it with other brands, just simply "this is the one I have." http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391200314&sr=8-1&keywords=spiralizer
You have been very creative with your Whole30 cooking! I was imagining night after night of broccoli and green beans, and, while I do love broccoli and green beans, it seems a bit tiresome to eat those non-stop. Your meals don't look like "deprivation" to me! I am particularly eyeing that zusketti with meatballs...
ReplyDeleteThanks for gathering and linking up!
You are too funny, Cheryl! There have been a few nights of broccoli and green beans (on the days that I wasn't feeling inspired) but for the most part our meals have been absolutely delicious. I am sure that Whole30 is bland for some folks but I knew I'd have to get creative with it in order to accomplish my goal. Green Beef Stew, Turmeric Apples, and Butternut Soup are among my favorites!
DeleteMy family loves this Sweet Potato, Carrot, Coconut Soup. If you're not an onion fan, I'd use less, but we like it as the recipe is written.
DeleteIt all looks good. You will have to give me some details when we "gather".
ReplyDeleteI will do that, Aunt Betty! I love to talk about food ;-)
DeleteEverything looks yummy! Did you get a special slicer for the zucchini? I've used a julienne peeler to make something similar with carrots and broccoli stems. You know, I don't think I've ever made anything with rutabaga, but those fries look really good. And homemade mayo is the BEST!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allyson! I bought a spiral cutter from Amazon to make the zucchini. I've also used it with sweet potatoes. I had never had rutabaga before, either. Sort of a cross between a turnip and a potato. I mixed red Thai paste into a small jar of mayo to serve with the "fries" one evening... it was so good! I don't think I'll ever go back to store bought mayo!
DeleteYou've got me intrigued with that spiral zucchini!
ReplyDeleteI've updated my post to include a link to the spiral cutter that I have. It does not taste a bit like pasta but it helps with presentation and preventing boredom! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteIt looks like lots of yummy food!
ReplyDeleteWe ate very well during this month! Thanks for stopping by, Melissa, and for your comment!
DeleteAnd how is this new eating plan working? Are you feeling better? More energy? The food certainly looks wonderful and tasty.
ReplyDeleteVee, I can honestly say that I've never felt better in my entire adult life. It was challenging but worth every ounce of effort that I put into it. Does it have drawbacks? Yes. But as I learn more and am able to understand how different foods work for (or against) my body, I find those drawbacks easier to manage. Whole30 isn't just about weight loss and physical benefits, it also challenges the psychological impact that food plays. And here is a bonus... I didn't have to pay anyone to follow the plan. They do have a fee-based plan to get individual guidance, but I was so blessed to have a friend mentor me through the month, so I didn't need to do that. I could go on and on, but I don't want to hit you with a tsunami :-)
DeleteYour food adventure sounds wonderful! How exciting to be learning new things and getting healthy at the same time. I enjoyed getting this peek into your kitchen and the Whole30 program. Stopping by from Cheryl's Gathering the Moments party!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Linda! It has been great fun experimenting with food in a new way and learning to make it visually appealing and tasty, too. We're kinda hooked now!
DeleteThis is all so interesting, I've not heard of this plan. I will have to check out the spiral zucchini and see what is needed to get that cut! I wish I had the willpower to eat more healthy.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week!
My husband and I have found great success with this plan for both weight loss and health gain! I really like having the option of spiralizing veggies for visual interest. It works well for sweet potatoes, too! Yum! The real willpower, for me, with this plan was making sure I was prepared. Eating the food was no problem at all if I had it ready to cook. Plus it help immeasurably to have such supportive friends, some of whom were participating and some who were not but chose to accommodate me. Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl! I love visitors :-)
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