My Afflation

Hell Week. I mean month. Here we go, the reset . The fun part this time around, trying to make it work for three people, one who is on a restricted FODMAPS diet and has POTS symptoms. To be perfectly honest, as my daughter has pointed out, she has kept to mostly healthy snacks since arriving. The downside - she's already lost weight which means there will be clothes shopping in our future.

The plan this week was to cook everything on Sunday and reheat throughout the week because evenings this week are hella busy. That didn't happen (but the house is clean!!!) I mean, look at those floors... I managed to menu plan and place my grocery order on Friday for Saturday delivery (yes, my time is worth the cost) so that was an organizational win. Maybe you'll have better luck with AmazonFresh . I'll be able to make and prep at least two meals tonight, probably have leftovers on Wednesday, and we'll have to see how the week works out. Adjusting to being out of the house for 10+ hours a day is still happening. Menu Plan Monday - hosted by orgjunkie.com Monday : Shepherd's Pie (recipe adapted from  Caveman Casserole ) Paleo Shepherd's Pie Tuesday :  Moroccan Chicken Stew Apparently, when I nuked G+ I lost the photo to this one. Thursday :  Blackened Chicken & Avocado Sauce --Over Zoodles This one is quick and easy. ...

via GIPHY It's been a busy week and I  am woefully out of the practice of blogging on a regular basis. My goal is to change that in the coming weeks (let's be real, months). Monday was extremely busy with trying to catch up and get ahead of the housework. With two dogs and weather, I don't know why I bother. I hit and exceeded my step goal, so that's a bonus. I was lazy and ordered Indian food from the local restaurant. I have no idea what I would do without Eat24 . Tuesday : Butternut Squash Soup with Chicken Sausage Wednesda y: Chile-Crusted Scallops with Cucumber Salad   Thursday : Ratatouille with Chicken  Friday : Little Lamb Meatballs in A Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce  Saturday : Chicken Cacciatore

The holidays are finally over and it is time to get back to clean eating. My body is screaming for relief, despite loving just about every dessert I managed to put in my mouth. No resolutions for me, just back to the same old same old clean eating and hoping I will lose this holiday weight (thankfully only 5lbs this time!).

Talk about being behind on writing... This was dinner - It was supposed to be the Chicken Hash  from the Whole30 Cookbook. It looked NOTHING like the picture in the book. I was worried that the taste would be off as well (more than with my substitutions). The photo has sweet potato noodles, not the type of shredded hash I got that would have been better turned into sweet potato hash browns. Now there's an idea . Sweet Potato Chicken Hash: 1lb chicken thighs, diced; 1/4 cup pecans, chopped; 1 large sweet potato, grated; 1 pink lady apple, diced; 1/4 cup apple cider; 1 -2 cups spinach; 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms; salt and pepper to taste I think it probably had a lot to do with not having the right tool for the job. I found my cheese grater, but it wasn't a box grater with variable grating sizes, it was a handheld fine grater . Very fine. The cookbook suggested using a spiralizer, but the one I have was not up to the task. It gave me funky 1/2-inch noodles that kept t...

Well, we made it to Houston last Thursday afternoon without getting caught in too much weather and no floods, at least in this part of Houston. I cooked last night and it was pretty damn tasty. Steak Fajita Spinach Salad I'm hoping I can be somewhat creative and inspired this week. I know a lot of people get inspired by Whole 30, but I'm not there yet. Yes, I am cooking Whole 30 because some people in my life need extremes. I'm still having my raw honey in my coffee every morning. You can't take that away from me!!!! Gawd, I can't wait for my stuff to get here, I need my Keurig. Breakfast Eggs and Turkey or Beef Bacon, Paleo Banana Bread Muffins or Mini Sweet Potato Souffles . Lunch Aiming for leftovers, otherwise, tuna and avocado or BLTs with extra lettuce instead of bread. Dinner Sunday : Pineapple Turkey Burgers with either arugula salad or sweet potato fries. Or both. Or maybe I'll splurge on some bison. It's awfully dangerous living less ...

First off, carb withdrawal after a mind-blowing cruise sucks sweaty monkey balls. Oddly enough, Sunday and yesterday weren't too bad, I think I was just too dehydrated, exhausted and sunburnt to notice. Today is my first day back in the office and I have had more mood swings than a pre-menstrual teenager (Gawd, I hated those days). Last night's dinner actually hit the spot, but that's probably because I hate a whole avocado instead of caving to the cravings. So, what do you do when 4-course dinners are not being served to you each night and you realize you really do want to fit into your jeans again? Because you gained at least 8lbs on vacation? I haven't weighed this much in at least three months Go back on a strict paleo cleanse, also known as Whole 30 . I actually gained over 8, but 8 is a lot easier to lose than 10. At least in my mind. I'm starting with hydration. Between the sunburn and alcohol consumption and just not drinking enough wate...

Wow! Week 4! I can't believe it. Over the weekend I did make those Paleo Banana Bread muffins, and I (guilt-free) had two for breakfast today, with my coconut creamed coffee  (not quite bulletproof). Making them made me realize that I either need a proper mixer or a new blender. Good thing I am used to mixing by hand. It's good for arm strength, you know what I mean? Menu Plan Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com Monday : Tilapia with green beans and grape tomatoes Tuesday : Chicken Mole (hello Crock-Pot, I have missed you) and I really hate cauliflower "rice", to the point that I would rather eat yet another salad. I think I might go a little off the usual side of rice and pair it with spaghetti squash. Wednesday : African Sweet Potato Soup  - swap out the peanut butter for almond butter Thursday : Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, mango salsa, sauteed zucchini Friday : Caveman Shepherd's Pie Saturday : Leftovers Sunday : YES! Reintroduction time! So, what cr...

Casablanca Chicken Chutney from last Friday Menu Plan Monday hosted by Orgjunkie.com  This past weekend my daughter came over devoured the leftovers of the Casablanca Chicken Chutney and had three servings of the Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken (it got moved). Don't you just love growth spurts? Monday: Grilled Salmon with Spicy Melon Salsa - modification = no honey and swap out the oil for coconut oil. Williams-Sonoma Taste Tuesday :  Lime and Pineapple Chicken Burgers - modification = turkey burgers instead of chicken, no buns, vinaigrette instead of Thousand Island dressing. Wednesday : Paleo Butter Chicken - no modification needed Thursday: Avocado Egg-in-a-Hole - modification = no cheese #sadpanda Friday: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes - modification = turkey bacon instead of pork Saturday: Pecan Crusted Chicken - modification = no bread crumbs and coconut oil instead of canola Sunday: Leftovers if there are any.

I need a sunny outlook this week, so I thought I would theme this week around citrus fruits. Citrus fruit slices (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Monday : Thai Mango, Pineapple Salad from last week (two items last week made enough for multiple meals). Tuesday : Garlic Lime Chicken with California Style steamed veggies Wednesday : Grilled Pineapple and Turkey Burgers on a bed of arugula Thursday :  Orange Chicken (no breading, just marinated in the sauce ) and broccoli Friday : Casablanca Chutney Chicken  - my apartment will smell divine. Saturday : Leftovers

Sometimes you have to go to extremes before you find a good middle ground. I've been doing great on a  loosely paleo-based diet lifestyle change for over a year now. My current weight is in the high 160s, but with the weekly Fitbit Challenges, I've gotten to a point where people are telling me I can stop losing now. Luck be a lady tonight A photo posted by @hankito on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:26pm PST My kids are used to it, and even have a few favorites -- if you follow Menu Plan Monday , I bet you can guess which ones. But as of tomorrow, in solidarity, (you're making me give up honey and half-&-half  +Hank Yeomans , and chocolate . I can not and will not be held responsible for my mood swings due to a drop in necessary SSRIs), I'll be doing The Whole 30 . When I read the rules , I will admit, I blanched. That's not easy to make me do, you know. I mean, everything that makes a paleo-style lifestyle doable for me is on the NO YOU CAN'T EAT T...