Whole30 before 30

Can you believe that I'll be turning 30 next month? Because I sure can't; in my mind, I'm still eighteen...  But hey ho, c'est la vie and I'm going to embrace thirty and do thirty proud. And what better way to usher in thirty than to do Whole30 before thirty!

We're already halfway through but it's been quite a journey. I'll admit, I've been a hangry, cranky-pants at times and the cravings for all things sweet (cupcakes, chocolate, donuts, macarons...) and carbs (mainly anything of the noodle kind) have been so real. I've eaten more eggs during the past fifteen days than what seems like in my entire life. Going out to eat has posed to be quite challenging. Meal-planning is a real thing, apparently. I've been resorting to a lot of leftovers for lunch. 

But we've been taking it day by day. I've been trying to satiate my sweet tooth with lots of fresh fruit and Lara bars! (Thank you, Lara bars!) And I'm grateful to the husband for doing it with me and for great friends, K and M for motivating me to start! 

Here are some of the meals we've had over the past 15 days. 

A simple breakfast: Scrambled eggs, avocados & cherry tomatoes

A more elaborate dinner: Mustard-marinated chicken, grilled onions and mushrooms, arugula salad with tomatoes and avocado

Brunch @Suji's: Omelette with bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, home fries, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, ham 

A hearty lunch: Skirt steak, broccoli and eggs over-easy (I told you, a lot of eggs...)

A midday pick-me-up: my own Whole30 version of cappuccino - blend coffee with half a banana for a subtly sweet and frothy drink! 

Dinner @"The Garden": Grilled fish, sauteed cabbage and tomatoes, cauliflower, and mashed potatoes

A Whole30-approved brunch feast on vacation: scrambled eggs, avocados, grilled tomatoes, sausages, grilled vegetable medley, home fries, fruit salad, bacon 

Lunch out at a Turkish restaurant: Coban salad  

Dinner at home: skirt steak, eggs, grilled red peppers, roasted cauliflower 

I am now armed with the instagram account of Whole30recipes for inspiration to get us through the next fifteen days!

Cheers to Whole30 and turning 30! 

Food for the Soul

I have had an awful stomachache on and off the past few days. It probably does not help that I've been choosing to eat quite a lot of junk. So yesterday, I decided I would "reset" and "recharge". 

I made myself a bowl of jook/congee/porridge (using this recipe). I tweaked it by using 1/4 cup white rice (the Korean, glutinous kind) with 1/4 cup quinoa. I made mine in a regular nonstick pot and let it simmer for a while. I topped it with some sesame oil and enjoyed it with some kimchi, washed it down with a tall glass of iced green tea and followed it up with a big bowl of juicy grapes. 

It's perfect for a rainy day like today. I may go home and make myself another big batch to enjoy on the couch while watching episodes of The Office. 

Natural Beauty Products

Last week, my face broke out into hives. And let me tell you, it was not a pleasant experience. (My guess is it was an allergic reaction. I have been racking my brain to figure out what may have caused it and I have narrowed it down to a toner I recently bought or a sample of a primer I tried.) In an effort to make this breakout go away, I tried this and that - which in turn only further irritated my skin. So, I was left with red, dry, irritated splotches all over my face (great, right?) And the worst part was covering it up with makeup didn't even help because it only accentuated the dry patches. 

Lessons learned:

1. My skin is sensitive.

2. Be careful when trying out and introducing new products to my skin. 

3. It is better to let my skin heal naturally instead of trying to expedite the process with chemicals that will only make it worse. 

When I realized that certain products were only irritating my skin more, I decided to switch over to a more "natural" skincare regimen. (I have been inspired by CloudyApples and my friend, Vanesa.) Our skin is our largest organ so it's important to be conscious of what we place on our skin. 

I began using a gentle oil cleanse, a simple toner and followed up with coconut oil to moisturize my dry skin. When I started to see the benefits of using natural products, I made a trip to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to restock and pick up a few new things. 

L to R: 100% jojoba oil, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, tea tree tingle shampoo & conditioner, 100% aloe vera gel, lemon witch hazel, Juice Beauty blemish clearing cleanser, castor oil, Lavanila Healthy deodorant 

Jojoba oil: My mom first introduced me to jojoba oil. I can (and will) write an entire post on the benefits of various oils but this bottle of 100% jojoba oil from Trader Joe's (TJ) is a great bargain. 

Apple cider vinegar: There are many benefits to using apple cider vinegar as a toner. It helps to balance and restore your skin's natural pH. (Refer to Cloudyapple's video to learn a bit more about pH.) Make sure to get organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Mix 1 part ACV with 3-4 parts water (add more water the more sensitive your skin is). Apply on skin with a cotton pad. 

Tea Tree Tingle shampoo & conditioner: I learned about the benefits of tea tree oil last year. (You can purchase tea tree oil at Trader Joe's as well.) I decided to try the TJ Tea Tree Tingle shampoo and conditioner because it's more natural and it has an invigorating smell of peppermint and tea tree oil. It also leaves a tingly feeling to your scalp, hence the name. 

Aloe vera gel: My mom used to always tell me to use aloe vera gel to soothe irritated skin but I was recently reminded of its existence and benefits from my friend, Vanesa's youtube channel. (Her video on an aloe vera oatmeal mask is amazing!) 

Witch hazel: I alternate between the apple cider vinegar concoction and witch hazel as a toner. Whole Foods carries a variety of different types of witch hazel (original, lavender, peach, lemon). I prefer the lemon because of its brightening components. 

Juice Beauty cleanser: Juice Beauty is an amazing organic skincare line. I usually find their products at Ulta or Whole Foods. I love this cleanser. It's simple, gentle and it works really well with my Clarisonic. 

Castor oil: Yet another oil that I enjoy using. Make sure it is cold-pressed and hexane-free. I find mine at Whole Foods and use it in conjunction with other oils when I do an oil cleanse. 

Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant: Many deodorants contain aluminum, parabens and other yucky chemicals. This deodorant is an all-natural deodorant. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the smell (vanilla lavender) but I'm giving it a try. 

Green Juice

I have never been much of a veggie/fruit eater. I was never much of a "health nut" either. I confess, I love my occasional Flaming Hot Cheetos, instant ramen and soda too much to be considered one. 

But I have been making a conscious effort to consume more raw fruits and vegetables. And thanks to my brother buying me a Nutribullet for Christmas, I have definitely been getting my daily dose of greens. 

I don't have any one particular "green juice recipe" I follow daily. I just rummage through my refrigerator and plop in the fruit/veggie du jour. 

Here's a look at today's green juice! 

The Usual Suspects: 

• A heaping handful of leafy greens (usually spinach and/or kale- today was just spinach)
• Veggies: Today was celery and cucumber. 
• Fruits: You can put apples, oranges, berries... Today, I used frozen pineapples (from Trader Joe's!) - it makes any juice a little sweeter! 
• Coconut water

Recently, I have been experimenting with a few new ingredients here and there.

The New Guys: 

• Red beets - I love me some beets so when a friend told me she has been juicing them in her Nutribullet, I thought I would give it a shot! I bought a bunch of organic red beets from the grocery store, peeled them and threw a few in the mix. (It may be an acquired taste in juice.) 
• Parsley - We have been growing parsley (along with some tomatoes, mint and basil) in our backyard so it has become a tradition to wake up in the morning, mosey on over to our "garden" and pick a bunch of parsley for my juice. The parsley adds a "freshness" to the green juice. 
• Ginger - I love ginger. I love ginger candy, ginger ale, ginger beer! (I even made a ginger simple syrup to add to a drink recently - maybe more on that in another post!) Ginger in juice adds a kick to it! And I love it. 

My ombre juice! 

Cheers to health!