During Week 3 of the Whole Living Challenge I get to add eggs and gluten-free grains (like brown rice, quinoa, and millet) back into my diet. WooHoo, welcome back carbs!
As of this Monday here is list of things I can eat:
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts & Seeds
Plant-Based Oils
Seafood
Beans & Lentils
Tofu
Gluten-Free Grains
Eggs
Still on the list of things I cannot eat are all processed foods, sugar, gluten, dairy, beef, poultry, caffeine, alcohol and Starbucks…although, I have a confession to make: I have a “Cheat Day” planned for Week 3.
I know, I know, it is SO NAUGHTY of me!!
Here’s the deal: The 84th Annual Academy Awards air on Sunday night…which also means I’m hosting my 3rd annual Oscar Party! Wine must be drank, people. It must.
Besides, it’s the very last day of Week 3, which also means–technically, it could be the very last day of my Challenge if I wanted it to be (It’s a “21 Day Challenge” this year with an optional bonus week added to make it 28 days). I could guzzle wine all day on Monday if I wanted to! What difference does a handful of measly hours make?!
(I can justify nearly anything–especially when it comes to wine.)
Although I will be cheating on my green smoothies with (organic!) chardonnay, I still plan to eat healthily and not go on an all-out binge fest. That sounds like a good compromise, right?
Here’s what I’ll be eating (when I’m not cheating) during Week 3:
My Breakfast Options
Scrambled Eggs (no dairy added)
Green Smoothie*
Green Machine Smoothie*
Avocado, Apple, Celery Green Smoothie**
Mixed Green Smoothie (for Vibrant Skin)
Ginger Orange Smoothie
Mango Coconut Water Smoothie*
Beet & Carrot Smoothie
My Lunch Options
Leftovers from dinner
Lettuce Salad loaded with veggies, hard-boiled egg, seeds, etc, topped with avocado dressing***
Chickpeas/Brown Rice Veggie Burger
Black Bean & Millet Bowl
Sweet Potato, Apple, Celery Salad*
Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage & Carrots
Spicy Black Bean Salad
My Dinner Options
Rice Noodles with Broccoli-Almond Pesto
Halibut with Sweet Potato Fries & Lime
Broiled Shrimp* (without the breadcrumbs)
Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash* (without the Parmesan)
Carrot Ginger Soup* (sans garnish)
Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus
Roasted Winter Vegetables with Cannellini Beans
Grilled Salmon with Orange Avocado Salsa
Salt & Pepper Tofu*
Roasted mixed veggies in olive oil (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)*
My Snack Options
Smoothies from my breakfast list
Scrambled Eggs
Sesame Kale Chips
Roasted Spiced Chickpeas*
Any Bean Dip
Hummus*
Almonds*
Sunflower Seeds*
Oranges/Clementines*
Apple slices*
Sliced veggie sticks*
Almond Butter*
*Things I’ve already tried that I know I’ll like.
**1/2 an avocado, 1/2 a Granny Smith apple, 1 celery stalk (makes 1 smoothie)
***1 avocado, juice from 1 lemon, 1/4 t. lemon zest, 4 basil leaves. Blend or process until smooth and creamy. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Join me, Jenna, Frances, Karyn, Jennifer, Sara, Marlena, Andrea, Christy, Melissa, Katie, Kerri, and others on All Things G&D on Facebook as we discuss our ups and downs of the Challenge and share our favorite recipes! I’m also posting my meals and snacks each day for reference. We’d love to hear from you, too!
I’m so excited for week 3! Here’s what I’ve got so far for dinner:
White bean hummus soup
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/cilantro-lime-white-bean-hummus-soup/
Quinoa cakes (modified) & roasted veggies
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/sidedishes/zesty-quinoa-cakes/
Curried millet
http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-curried-millet/
Cajun Brown Rice with Veggies and Red Beans
http://www.veggiebelly.com/2009/03/cajun-brown-rice-with-veggies-and-red-beans.html
Shrimp scampi & baked sweet potatoes
Wow! All these recipes sound great. Thanks for sharing the links, Dusty and Hamlett. Today is Day 11 for me, but I finally finished my foods from week 1 and went shopping for week 2.
Here are some of the new foods I’m looking forward to this week: breakfast miso soup, baked sweet potatoes with citrus, grilled salmon with bok choy (dinner tonight), red lentil soup & carrot-ginger soup for lunches this week (among other things), roasted winter veggies and the salt-and-pepper tofu. I’m even going outside of my comfort zone by planning on having the watercress salad with sardines (sounds awful, doesn’t it?). Haha, who knows…I might love it. I’ll keep you posted.
I did make the broiled shrimp recipe that you suggested 2 nights ago, it was tasty. Thumbs up from me & the hubs. Had a grilled salmon salad from Panera last night. I switched out the dressing to balsalmic vinaigrette (though I wonder if that has sugar in it?) and didn’t realize that it came with feta cheese on it, but I was able to avoid it for the most part. It was nice not to cook!
About the wine….I say ENJOY IT!! I actually had a glass last night with dinner. I felt a little guilty about it at first, but I’m eating so clean 99% of the time, so I didn’t beat myself up too much. Everything in moderation, right? Not to mention the health benefits…ok, now I’m justifying, too. 😉
I see you’re getting ready to add eggs back…I can’t wait for that! I really feel like my brain needs some more protein…I’ve been feeling ditzier than usual, a little lightheaded, and having a hard time staying focused. Did you ever feel that way during the challenge?
You always do such a great job finding new challenge-friendly recipes, Jenna! Thank you for sharing!
@Karyn–Hope you enjoy all the recipes from Week 2! You’re brave to try that watercress salad with sardines. Daaamn, girl. Let me know what you think of it! I didn’t notice any issues with staying focused this time around, but I’m pretty sure I did have those same issues last year when I did the Challenge for the first time. Hopefully it’ll pass for you soon. Keep up the great work! (And cheers!)
My husband and I are planning to start the challenge in a few days. Do you know any men that have done this? I’m concerned he’s going to feel like he’s starving to death! Also, I remember you mentioning the cost of groceries that first week. Do you have grocery lists posted anywhere for each of the weeks? Just curious. Thanks so much for writing about this and providing guidance for those of us who can feel a little overwhelmed with where to start when it comes to improving eating habits. I also want my daughter (a little older than Kate) to develop healthy eating habits (her newly established pickiness is definitely making this more difficult) and I know that my husband and I have to set good examples! Not to mention, we just want to feel good!
@Jenny–I think the husbands of a few of my readers are giving it a try! From what I read on http://www.WholeLiving.com, men may struggle a little more during Week 1 with the lack of protein but they can add beans in early if needed.
I don’t have grocery lists posted anywhere, just my recipe lists. Your grocery list will vary depending on what recipes you decide to try out, so start there first and then decide what you need to buy.
Good luck to you and your family!