Bites of My Life

Whole30 is still kicking in per-usual Annie fashion. 90% Whole 30 10% weekend freebies. The highlight of last week was getting to hold my nephew Jack for the first time. He is such a little cuddle guy and after 7 weeks in the NICU it was so special being with him in person. I had a relatively relaxing weekend, but as I’m writing this on a Monday morning I can’t help but hold my eyes to keep them open. 😴

-Long story short when I first got the Starbucks app I set my birthday as the next day to get a free birthday drink, the day was September 7th. So now every year on September 7th I get a free drink and it’s truly the most fun mid-year non-birthday free treat.
-Did a riff on these bowls for lunches last week. I swapped the ranch for mustard. Team mustard for life.
-Pizza night in Austin, TX. We love the Ooni in my family, both of my BILs have one. We made three different Gjelina recipes and all were amazing. Also p.s. it’s called whole30ish ;)
-Finally got to meet and hold my sweet baby nephew Jack. It was the perfect quick trip to see this little peanut!
-Insaaaane Banana Bread Nutella stuffed cookie from Thoroughbread in Austin. My sis has challenged me to recreate!
-Had an errand to run in Fort Worth, so I treated myself to a smoothie bowl from the newly opened Mamaka Bowls, and shopped around some FW boutiques. I love Fort Worth!
-A new york minute visit from our big city girl was just the best Saturday happy hour.
-Since my “birthday” latte last week, I’ve been on a latte kick. I can’t get enough of a creamy almond milk decaf latte. Doesn’t matter where it is from. Anyway I mobile ordered one from Starbucks and they made it iced. They remade my order and sent me home with both. Good thing they were decaf.
-The Defined Dish Spicy Cilantro Wings and grilled pineapple for a Sunday Whole30 meal.

Annie

Bites of My Life

I started Whole30 last week and it’s off to a smashing start. Lots of Defined Dish meals are being made and one week in has me feeling great. My sweet little nephew finally got to go home from the NICU and my nieces came down to Dallas for a visit. Praise! I laid low over the weekend, binging Modern Love season 2 and My Unorthodox Life. I’m looking forward to rolling into Labor Day weekend, the start of football season, and a getaway with my best friends.

-Kicked off Whole30 last Monday! An oldie but goodie W30 approved lunch made its appearance.
-Fleurs! Technically from two weeks ago now, but still looking pretty a week later.
-This Korean Ground Beef and Kimchi meal came together in under 15 minutes and was so satisfying. God bless The Defined Dish while on Whole30.
-Paleo & Whole30 Carne Asada Bowl was excellent and full of protein and greens.
-My nephew is hoooooome! After 7 long weeks in the Nicu, Jack is home with his parents. I can’t wait to get to Austin to hold and squeeze him!!!
-A short visit from this cutie and her little sister.
-Crying pre-bawling at Season 2 Episode 1 of Modern Love. I loved season 1, but this particular episode hit home and absolutely rocked me. Yes I sobbed, but I still recommend it.
-The Defined Dish’s Salsa Verde Shredded Beef Bowls was a wonderful Sunday Whole30 meal that concluded one week down. I did a strip steak in the crock-pot on low all day and it fell apart. Highly rec this meal W30 or not.
-Sunday self-care = an evening foot massage at Dallas’ favorite, Yaya Foot Spa. $30 for a 40-minute incredible massage that then put me into the deepest Sunday night sleep.

Annie

Bites of My Life

In the midst of crazy plans and travel and feeling a bit all over the place, I’m starting Whole30 today. September is a randomly big month for Whole30. I have a post about it here. I’m starting a week early because I really just can’t wait to get started. It’s a personal preference, but I never feel better than when I commit to Whole30. My schedule is calming down a bit the next few weeks, and no time like the present to try and reign it in and get a little healthier. Does anyone else feel a little bleh after the summer? I’m loving the back to school back to schedules and routine energy, so I’m channeling that.

Outside of Whole30, last week looked like this: celebrating a best friend about to leave us in Dallas, getting back to cooking, very sad news of a friend from college passing after a long battle with cancer, busy work days, a quiiiiick trip back to OKC, more weekend celebrations, and sleeping like a darn rock last night after it all.

-Jazz night and martinis to kick off Olivia’s Dallas Farewell Tour.
-NYT Cooking never fails. This Ginger and Dill Salmon with Citrus Salad really turned a bad day around.
-Love getting to see my friend and hairdresser Nick. He brings good conversation and good hair. I got a toner this time in between highlights. I can luckily get away with only highlighting my hair 2 times a year.
-Pulled into OKC for a short stay, and pregamed dinner with cocktails by dad and a 10-minute Obé abs class. Chaotic energy at its finest.
-The abs class was washed away with this amazing peach tart from Frida.
-Back to back weekends for Anna! Her big day is officially a month away!
-Can’t wait to wear these Zara semi-flare jeans all fall. I wore them out Saturday, but oh buddy, I cannot with jeans until it’s at least 75 degrees outside.
-This little one kept me out so late, but worth every hour to celebrate some of her “lasts” in Dallas before she moves to Austin.
-A perfect Dallas Sunday is spent at Katy Trail Ice House in the afternoon.

Annie

Pumpkin Spice Bulletproof Coffee + A September Whole 30 Recap

Bulletproof coffee became a staple for an easy breakfast while on Whole30. However, I fully plan to keep sipping on bulletproof post W30, especially with this seasonal spin. There is so much on the internet about bulletproof coffee and I encourage you to do your own research to see if it’s right for you.

The quick synopsis of bulletproof coffee is, it’s a high caloric drink made from coffee, butter (or ghee) and brain octane oil to be used as a meal replacement at breakfast. It’s benefits include increase in energy, spike in metabolism, improved mood and extra brain power.

Now most of you know I don’t do caffeine, so I make mine with decaf and still love the affects it gives me. It really does keep me full for around 4 hours. It also helps reduce my bloat first thing in the morning. I love eating breakfast, but get easily bloated after the first meal of the day.

In honor of the season, I really leaned in and created this pumpkin spice seasonal twist to my bulletproof!

Pumpkin Spice Bulletproof Coffee
serves 1

Ingredients:
1 cup of brewed coffee, organic is best
1-2 tbsps. ghee
1-2 tbsps. MCT brain octane oil
1 scoop Vital Proteins collagen peptides
1 tbsp. Pumpkin Spice Nutpods*
big shake of pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
In a blender combine all ingredients for 15-30 seconds until frothy. Pour and top with more pumpkin pie spice.

Note: I say 1-2 tablespoons of ghee and brain octane oil because these two ingredients need to be eased into. Start with one tablespoon for the first few times drinking bulletproof, then ease your way up.

*If you do not have the Pumpkin Nutpods it is okay to omit. No need to replace with an alternative milk. The best thing about bulletproof coffee is it is free of dairy and non-diary, yet still creamy from blending in the ghee. However, I love to add a splash of Nutpods to ramp up the pumpkin spice flavor.

Now let’s talk Whole30 while I have you. Yesterday was my last official day of September Whole 30. I can’t say I ended it feeling amazing. I definitely cheated here and there. If you follow me on social media, you saw this, but I’m still really proud of myself at how I stayed strong a majority of the 30 days.

Some major benefits people claim from Whole30 are clear skin, more energy and better sleep. Unfortunately I didn’t reap any of these benefits. I broke out bad around week 2, my sleep was all over the place, and about week 3 I was taking a nap after work most days.

That being said, it wasn’t all bad. There were days I felt great and so confident! It also felt good to take a breather from the carbs and alcohol. I actually for once had some willpower while on Whole30 to say no to sweet treats and cheese. And as the food nerd that I am, I loved trying new recipes and getting creative with what I was cooking and eating. I would still recommend Whole30 to those looking to give themself a reset. Just make sure it’s a time of year that works best for you so you can really devote the attention to it it needs! Anyone else just finish up September Whole 30?

Annie

Tahini Chicken Salad (Whole 30 )

I’m wildly excited to share this recipe for multiple reasons. 1. I’ve been meaning to develop a non-mayo chicken salad for a while. Spoiler alert - there is no mayo in this recipe #whole30approved! 2. I LOVE tahini, almost as much as almond butter. 3. I also love dates. 4. My family loves cooking from Yotam Ottolenghi cookbooks thanks to oldest sis and BIL Claire and Mike’s influence. We love his middle eastern style cooking and this recipe nods to those flavors.

Chicken salad is so easy to prepare and makes for a great tasting and filling lunch. However traditional chicken salads are typically loaded down with globs (yes globs, let’s all gag together now) of mayo (gag again). However once the mayo gets hidden, I truly love chicken salad. I love even more how this recipe ditches the mayo and adds in my fave - tahini. It makes for a killer Whole 30 meal too. I’m on day 21. The end is near, but this recipe will be in rotation post W30 for sure.

Whole 30 Tahini Chicken Salad
yields 3-4 servings

Rotisserie chicken, shredded - (should yield 21/2 - 3 cups)
1/4 cup tahini*
1 tbsp. aapple cider vinegar
3-5 tbsp warm water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup chopped dates (about 3 large dates)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
dukkah, optional**

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk tahini, apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of warm water, lemon, salt, pepper and garlic powder and set aside. Shred your rotisserie chicken into a medium bowl. Add chopped dates, celery, green onion, and parsley. Pour tahini mixture over the top and stir to combine, add more water if necessary. Serve with extra celery on the side and top with parsley and dukkah.

*I love love love tahini, but I have a strong distaste for Trader Joe’s tahini. If you’ve ever tried tahini from TJ’s and didn’t like it, try buying at Whole Foods, Sprouts or a Mediterranean grocery store. TJ’s is much thicker than traditional tahini.
**Dukkah is an Egyptian seasoning made of nuts, seeds, and spices. It pairs perfectly with tahini and middle eastern dishes. You can find it in most Mediterranean grocery stores, but I actually found mine at Trader Joe’s!

I portioned the chicken salad into 3 of my favorite meal prep jars for lunches that I’ll have with celery on the side. Only about a week left of Whole 30!

Annie