My Afflation

Guess what?!? I am NOT doing a Whole 30 this year! This year we will be starting the year with Round 2 of a 21 Day Fix . After stuffing ourselves fuller than a Thanksgiving (or Christmas) turkey, we're kind of sick of food. Or at least rich foods. Y'all, I am craving arugula and brussels sprouts. Brussels Sprouts!!! via GIPHY

A few weeks ago, I may have mentioned a Costco run. We are still eating the chicken that I picked up. Thank goodness for a large freezer! So obviously, I have to get creative with the chicken prep this week. This might have been easier if I was doing a rubber chicken plan instead.

via GIPHY I mean honestly, how many times do I have to do this? You know, before I learn my lesson? And just stick to a maintenance way of eating? Stress so gets in the way.

Let's see, I've been home since Thursday, March 12, 2020. I last remembered to publish here ... on April 7 . It doesn't feel like more than a month. I mean, we've been eating on a regular basis. Every. Single. Night . And only eaten takeout a few times, less than a handful.  via GIPHY

What'd You Say GIF from Vanessawilliams GIFs Week Three Formula: PMS + being "safe at home" (silver lining right) + nothing but rain and clouds for a few days = ultimate storm for emo-eating. Right now, I am going to give my body and brain what it craves. With some veggies thrown in just to keep things moving. And these Bulletproof gels . I've been taking them for a week now, maybe two... via GIPHY After a week, I can't give a definitive answer as to whether they are working for me or not. Have any of you tried them?

unsplash-logo Photo credit: ANDI WHISKEY on Unsplash So, here we are in Week 2 and I really should not be complaining . We have it relatively easy here in Massachusetts compared to other states and countries (as of Monday 3/23/2020 morning when I wrote this, who knows what it will be like tonight).

The times we live in ... This morning, I am already fighting outside induced boredom (so much nicer when I impose it on myself) and made some banana bread. Comfort food - FTW.  Paleo Banana Bread with Sunflower seed butter - allergen free

This week I decided to be brave and go to Whole Foods myself instead of having someone else do it. On a Sunday. I thought I had self-control and all that. The fact that 90% of the people in Whole Foods were shopping for other people made it a lot easier, a person couldn't even walk through the aisles! I had to keep parking my cart and maneuvering down aisles trying to find the things on my list. Bonus, I wasn't familiar with the layout, so it was most definitely not an efficient trip. via GIPHY

Yum Joy is currently allergic to everything but still wants me to bake. My banana bread has evolved with our changing dietary needs and even Hank likes this version. This version includes vegan substitutions. If you have a reaction to any of The Big-8 allergens, this might be the banana bread recipe for you. It's gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and can be made dairy-free and vegan.

Well, color me surprised. An impression was made after doing the 3-Day Refresh . We feel a bit lighter and our brains aren't in total revolt anymore. We planned some of the meals out on the train yesterday, now I just need to go grocery shopping or have someone do it for me.

Days 11-20 I continue the cannibalization of my blog and social media (mostly G+ for this second post).

I didn't want to completely re-invent the wheel so I scavenged my blog and social media posts for recipes with photos. Almost everything here should be able to prepped and cooked within 30 minutes or less.

It's a short week what with travel, the holiday, and all the rest. The remainder of the week will be focused on eating clean and trying to get back on track. Monday : Memorial Day gluttony Tuesday : attempt to eat clean(ish) while traveling Wednesday : Baked Cod and Chorizo. So many good flavors! Baked Cod and Chorizo with Sweet Potatoes Thursday : Pan-seared Mahi Mahi with green beans and cherry tomatoes Friday : Grilled swordfish with mixed green salad. Hope to get everything back on track by the weekend.

Lemon Pepper Tilapia with Tomatoes and Spinach Recipe by Annette Holland Quick, easy, healthy, tilapia lunch or dinner. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Yield: 1-2 servings Ingredients 2 tbs olive oil 2 tilapia fillets 2 cups spinach 1 roma tomato chopped 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (or to taste) Cooking Directions Heat olive oil in pan. Add tilapia and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes over medium low heat. Add tomatoes and cook until just starting to soften and fish flakes easily. Arrange washed spinach leaves on plate(s). Place entire contents of pan over spinach. You might also like to try Pan-Seared Tilapia with Mexican Rice and Black Bean Salsa Pin It

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Orgjunkie.com I'm going to try something new this week. I usually plan my menus on the weekend, and have them ready to go in  Pepperplate , but I only seem to get around to blogging (or remember to publish) about once a month. I've been feeling like crap the last few days and realized that I have been carbing out. Emotionally eating. The Hunk went back to Boston and I've been on an emotional roller-coaster the last two weeks. I just kind of mindlessly went through the days, eating whatever and not paying attention to what was going into my mouth and not cooking. So it's time to get back to eating clean. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. And to keep me on budget, I'll be walking to the grocery store and sticking to my list because I have to carry home whatever I buy. I have my daughter with me this week, so there will be two cranky ladies in the house going through minor carb withdrawal. Maybe I...