Whole30 Day 1

So this is day one of the whole 30 challenge. Yesterday I went grocery shopping, and got as many greens and meats as my very limited space in the fridge could hold. I gave my roommates the few things that I had that was not on the menu, which included the processed meat I have used as an easy snack, and the last few cans of diet coke (going to be tough to quit that one). My beloved protein powder is now hidden away on the top shelf, and if my roommates didn't consider me a crazy dane before they definitely do now.

My general belief with regards to meals, is that you should eat when you are hungry. Do I practice what I preach? I wish, but sometimes the snack attack feeling wins in the hunger games. Anyhow since going paleo/primal I have eased up on the 6 meals a day routine that I used to be a slave to. I used to be a firm believer in the "I will die of starvation before i get to work if I do not eat breakfast" mantra, but I have actually found out that on the days when I only work out once in the afternoon, I am really not that hungry in the morning. So now I get 15 minutes of sleep extra - win win.

So the first meal of the day was lunch. "Frikadeller" (danish meatballs) with pineapple salsa and roasted green beans, which was my leftovers from yesterday dinner. The pineapple salsa is just grilled pinaples mixed with red peppers and tomatoes, tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil...Yum.

The Danish meatballs are probably one of the most common dishes served in Denmark, and they taste just as great warms, as they do cold. This makes them a perfect alternative to the lunch meat I had to give away. Also ground pork is really cheap in the states which just makes it even better!

Frikadeller:

1 lb ground pork

1 medium onion, chopped.

1 egg

2 tbs almond flour

Salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients together, season with salt and pepper. Use the spoon to make small meatballs, and fry them in coconut oil or ghee in a pan until they are cooked all the way through. The recipe can be varied by using different spices, adding parmesan or feta to the mix, or maybe some finely shredded carrots. Definitely very good. My afternoon snack was a small handfull of nuts, to complement my coffee.

After work I had a LaraBar and a two small meat balls, and then I went for a 7.5 mile run. The LaraBars are allowed since they are all natural, but they are pretty high in sugar from all the dried fruit, so I am limiting them to pre/post workout, and only one a day.

They work great as a pre workout snack on the days where I really haven't eaten since lunch since they give a quick burst of energy and take the edge of any hunger I might be feeling. I definitely have to try and make them myself.

After my run I ate a big sweet potato while I prepared my dinner. I made a big batch of burgers, fried up some squash, mushrooms and red peppers with thyme and oregano, and as a second side dish, I made a batch of NomNomPaleo's curried roasted cauliflower. I used to never like cauliflower that much, and now it is by far the vegetable I use the most.

Curried Roasted Cauliflower:

1 head of cauliflower

Olive oil

Curry

Salt & Pebber

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the cauliflower into small florets, toss them with a generous amount of olive oil and curry and spread them out onto a ovenproof dish. Cover the dish in aluminium wrap and bake them for 15 minutes, remove the wrap and bake them another 15-20 mintes until they start looking a little black around the corners.