Sugar Detox: day 7

almond butter and warm berries over pancakes with boiled egg and avocado

After this breakfast I took a short nap 🙂

post WoD chicken and acorn squash

This was my first post WoD squash that I actually deserved. It was the first time since the challenge started that I had the energy to actually work out.

chicken, olives, garlic, and artichoke over greens

I was still hungry after lunch so I had this tasty salad!

zucchini with chicken and chicken sausage with no sugar added pizza sauce

Something quick with things we already had prepared. I made the toddler man a pizza with the same ingredients on a leftover pancake and with some cut up string cheese.

Sugar Detox: day 6

I had this chicken and salad twice with frozen mixed Asian veggies.

This is coconut flax paleo pizza crust and a sugarless pizza sauce from Whole Foods. I recommend greasing the pan as I think they failed to mention or maybe they mentioned it and I couldn’t hear over the laughter of children 🙂 It was spongy, but that’s what you get with coconut. And add salt!

I also had a few tsp of almond butter.

Sugar Detox: day 5

Snack: boiled egg, sunbutter on a spoon, blueberries

I’ll admit to having a few chocolate chips today and I blame myself for not having any snacks around. Booo.

Carrot Cake Muffins with Frosting!

1 cup finely shredded carrot
1 cup almond flour
2 generous Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp coconut flour *
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
tsp cinnamon
tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
5 ground cloves or 1/4 tsp

Mix wet ingredients with a hand mixer. Add dry ingredients. Bake immediately at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. Optionally spray with cooking spay. I use coconut oil spray. Makes 12. I keep them in the fridge and reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds to have with my eggs and bacon in the morning.

*added for fiber and a slight tweak of texture. Without it I felt they were too moist- my husband disagreed ; )

FROSTING:

1/8 c coconut oil
tsp honey
Add shredded coconut until desired frosting consistency approximately 1/8 to 1/2 cup

Dutch Oven Beef Chuck Roast

This recipe is so good that I feel bad for people who aren’t eating this for dinner!

3 lbs beef chuck roast
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp McCormick hickory smoked salt
tsp smoked paprika
tsp cayenne pepper
tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
1/4 cup red wine OR red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Rub meat with oil on both sides. Mix dry ingredients and rub generously on beef. Place in Dutch oven. Drizzle with wine or vinegar. Cook 2-3 hours or until to 160. I served it with boiled sweet potato and steamed broccoli. I also tried this a second time steering the outside before cooking and it shortens the cooking time. It was perfect at about two hours and it was dry by three hours. I should have known…

As a bonus you can make an amazing beef broth with the drippings:

1 cup water
1 diced tomato
1/4 cup red wine OR 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic chopped
4 bay leaves
2 tsp onion
tsp parsley
1/2 tsp thyme

Turn oven up to 400. Add all ingredients to Dutch oven drippings. Cook 1 hour. Allow to cool. Remove bay leaves. Transfer to a blender and blend for 60 seconds. Do NOT blend unless cooled! I put the broth in a labeled freezer bag with description and date and froze it for a future beef stew. The weather seems to be threatening fall so I’m sure I will feel like soup soon!

Vanilla Date Balls

Even my toddler loves these! Every time the fridge opens he says, “day bo?”

15 medjool dates
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut
1 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract

Remove date pits. Food process with vanilla until a paste ball forms. Set aside. Food process cashews until finely ground like coffee. I use a Cuisinart and I love it. Spread cashews out on a cutting board. Press date paste into cashews to incorporate. Set aside and spread coconut shreds on cutting board. The reduced fat version is good to use as it is drier, but it’s your preference. Form one inch balls and roll into the coconut until it forms a coating. I keep them in a glass jar in the fridge for up to ten days, but they don’t usually last that long ; ). This is a simple recipe and is a good snack to take along. It’s similar to a Larabar.