Grilled Garlic and Rosemary Sirloin Steak {recipe} #FoodieFriday

As much as I miss sharing local Tampa eats on Foodie Friday, I am loving all the new clean recipes I am making in our kitchen.

When I started the Whole 30, January 6th, I feared I would be bored and no one would want to read our journey, but there are just so many resources out there!  I may have felt restricted at first, but as we near the end, I am finding more and more meals I want to make, and in turn share.

For food inspiration, I of course use Pinterest, Google, and also Emeals. The recipe I am sharing today is courtesy of the Emeals Paleo Plan. While we're on the Whole 30, there are certain paleo items we cannot consume, and when that happens, I will either omit an ingredient or find the right substitution.

Fortunately for today's recipe, all ingredients are Whole 30 compliant! This steak is so flavorful if marinated long enough, that even if you don't make the accompanying "rice", any preferred side will most definitely do.

Grilled Garlic and Rosemary Sirloin Steak with Greek Cauli-Rice

Ingredients:

For the steak:
1 lb top sirloin steak
¼ cup coconut aminos {or soy sauce if you are eating gluten}
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons lemon pepper

For Greek Cauli-Rice:
12 oz package fresh cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons organic chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

To make:

Steak:
Place steak in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag.
Combine coconut aminos, oil, vinegar,
garlic and rosemary; pour over steaks. Seal and
turn to coat; refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
Preheat grill, or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.
Sprinkle steak with lemon pepper.
Grill 8 minutes on each side or to desired doneness.
Let rest 10 minutes; cut into thin slices against the grain.

Cauli-Rice:
Pulse florets in a food processor until rice-like
consistency (if no processor, a cheese grater
works just as well!) Melt oil in a large skillet
over medium-high heat; add onion, and cook 5
minutes or until tender. Add garlic, tomato
paste, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
Stir in cauliflower and chicken broth;
cover and cook 12 minutes.
Add spinach and cook 3 minutes or
until cauliflower is tender.
Remove from heat; stir in dill.

While I do receive a free emeals subscription for my review of their service, all opinions are my own. And obviously I recommend them, or I wouldn't share a recipe. Try em' out, I bet you'll agree.

Cheers!
Nichole

Whole 30 - Day 23 {wiaw #8} #Whole30BlogChallenge

T-minus one week until we have completed our first Whole 30 Challenge at Casa de Crews! I can't not wait, ya'll. can.not.wait.

I say first, because I see us doing this again in 2014. I want to wait until we officially complete this first round, before sharing my thoughts, however.

Just know for now, that I feel a lot better, and my clothes are a tad loose, which makes Nikki one happy girl.

So, what are we eating this week as we near the end?

Sweet Potato, Apple and Bacon Hash {recipe}

Never did I think while doing the Whole 30 Challenge would I share a recipe, but I had a few people ask me about the sweet potato hash I posted, Wednesday, and I knew I had to share.

Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, unless they're fries, because Nikki likes all the things fried; duh. But this hash for breakfast is dee-lish, and I can't get enough. It is so filling, ya'll! One of the things that the book, It Starts With Food, suggests is eating a hearty breakfast to start your day. I mean, I have heard that my entire life, right? But prior to the Whole 30, I had two egg "muffins" and coffee for breakfast, most mornings and that was it. I was so proud that I could get my breakfast in at under 300 calories; not smart on my part.

Whole 30 - Halfway There! {wiaw #7} #Whole30BlogChallenge

In all of the "diets" I have done, this is the first challenge that I haven't gone off plan, and cheated. Not once. This is huge for me, ya'll.

In one of the first few pages of It Starts With Food, the authors, Dallas & Melissa Hartwig, point out how the Whole 30 Challenge is only thirty days. And they are right -- it is ONLY a month. I don't know why this clicked for me so strongly, but it did. Whatever works, right?

I may have thought I was a pro meal planner before, but after starting this challenge, I clearly was not. A weekly meal prep takes approximately 4 hours. Almost every.single.thing. I prepare is homemade, and extremely "clean", and sadly a load of dishes. So usually, I prep my first few meals, wash dishes, rinse, and repeat. In some ways, it feels like a royal pain in the ass, but at the same time, when then I am done for the rest of the week! And bonus: I know exactly what I am putting into my body.

The Weekend Update. 1/20/2014

I have been such a terrible blogger, as of late! Life has just been busy, and then when I have had free time I have been too busy catching up on Dexter. Jason is re-watching, and I never jumped on the first go, but now, now I can't watch it fast enough. I feel like I never have enough time to catch up on tv, but when I find a Netflix series, I can watch like an addict, I pretty much stop all life to watch. Please, tell me I am not alone?! For Christmas, one of my sisters gave Jason a Google Chromecast, so now I can watch Netflix in our bedroom. Life is pretty good, folks.

Friday night, Jason picked up Chipotle for dinner where we found a Whole 30 approved meal! Glorious carnitas with pico, and guacamole; twas' delicious.

salad sans dressing: romaine, carnitas, pico, and double guac

But then Jason told me he had some "light reading" to do after he found a magazine of mine. He is such a smart ass. It has been almost a full year since he decided he wasn't going to cut his hair. I am praying come March, he'll get a friggin' haircut!

Random Thoughts 1.14.14

This is probably the most random post of thoughts in a while…just go with it, mmmkay?

-Jason and I have completed {and survived} week one of the Whole 30 Challenge! It’s a freaking miracle, ya’ll! It really hasn’t been all that terrible, though. In the book, It Starts With Food, they talk about how food is emotional, both positively and negatively, and I’d have to totally agree with that. I have mostly wanted things I couldn’t have, and we stayed in most of last week instead of dining out—so a lot of it really is mental. But it is starting to become more a routine, already and hopefully once this sticks, I won’t feel so isolated from my normal social-y {it’s a word} self once I know how to manage it all.

-We went to Whole Foods over the weekend for most of our groceries. We spent $175.00. I wanted to cry. Some of those things included staples like evoo, spices, a trip to their slightly overpriced, but tasty, salad bar for lunch, etc. But still…normally I can get our weekly bill to $70 at the MOST. Jason said, “If you’re justifying this to me, don’t. I’m not stressing. This is an investment in our health.”…well, hot damn. I never thought he’d be so on board with yet another one of my health phases. Well played, husband. There is still no effing way we’re spending that much next week.

Whole 30 Challenge {wiaw #6}

Holy celebrations, Batman. I was doing really great up until the 5k, I mostly walked/jogged in mid-December. Then...came our ugly sweater party, a cookie exchange, Christmas, vacation...shall I go on? So instead of showing you all the healthy eats, I thought I'd share...the indulgent, celebratory eats, instead.

All this food makes my stomach, and eyes hurt. Any time I begin to indulge, everything is fine....but after a few days, I feel gross. I guess that is a lovely perk to getting older, huh?

After seeing so much buzz, I finally decided to read It Starts With Food (ISWF). I have wondered for a while how my body was reacting to certain foods and/or ingredients. And after reading the book, I knew there was no turning back, and that I would have to start the Whole 30 Challenge, because unfortunately ignorance is bliss, and I now owe it to myself to see how this goes.