Whole30 (#2) for Immunity

By Steph Farrar

Recently I was diagnosed with a common autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's, chronic inflammation of the thyroid. I know, I rolled my eyes too when I got the news of antibodies present in my blood, antibodies whose levels are gradually going up. After a follow up blood draw, and the news that selenium intake and mild diet changes didn't affect my levels, I decided to go full elimination (well not full, that's just too crazy for someone with the lower levels I'm experiencing.)

In lieu of jumping on a medical train, I'm adjusting diet and limiting stress (is that possible?) and retesting my blood levels in a few weeks. I've read and been told that eliminating gluten and dairy is a great first step, so I figured why not get rid of booze and sugar while I'm at it? I'm crossing my fingers diet helps reduce the inflammation and I can avoid taking drugs to aid my issue. 

I love being in control, hence a Whole30, or my version of it. 

Egg white scramble with turkey sausage, tomato and fresh basil ~ Heat a tbsp olive oil over medium heat and brown sausage, remove from pan. Add cut tomatoes to hot pan and cook for a minute, return sausage to pan, cover in beaten egg whites (or whole eggs) and scramble for about 1-2 minutes. Top with freshly torn basil.

I'm sharing my previous two weeks of recipes and a shopping guide to successfully complete the first half of your Whole30. I'm currently on Day 17, over halfway!! I'll share more recipes at the end as well. I finished a Whole30 last year and felt nothing short of amazing and 11 pounds lighter upon completion - read here about my first experience. Yes you're going to feel tired, you'll feel bloated, and you'll feel like you climbed Mt. Shasta once you're done. But it'll be worth it. Just don't celebrate with a whole bottle of champagne. Start with a glass! And make sure you slowly reintroduce foods. I'm serious. 

Zoodles with Turkey Bolognese ~ with a spiralizer, spin four zucchini into zoodles to whatever width you prefer, add a nice layer of salt and let them sweat in a colander over the sink while you make the sauce. For the sauce, heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium/high heat and brown your turkey (or chicken or beef). Remove from pan and drain excess fat, if any. Add another glug of olive oil and one finely chopped onion along with 3 cloves chopped garlic, cook for about 3 minutes. Add meat back to pan, along with a 28 oz can hand crushed tomatoes. Add salt and pepper and chopped herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley to pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Heat another pan with a tbsp olive oil and add zoodles, cook briefly to heat. Top noodles with sauce, fresh basil and crushed red pepper flake.

I'm a huge fan of zucchini, especially since I now get a weekly box of fruits, vegetables, and eggs from Out of the Box Collective. Can't suggest their produce enough for Southern Californians. If you struggle to make it to the Sunday farmer's markets while chasing your two insane kids around the neighborhood, this service is for you. 

Chicken Stir Fry ~ (Substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce, or Tamari for gluten free) recipe here.

Malibu Salad ~ Enjoy a light salad with crunchy Romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, cut cucumber and celery, shredded carrots, rotisserie chicken, peaches and Whole30 approved prosciutto. Add some salt pepper and use mustard for dipping! And always avocado if you have one.

Summer is a very busy time for us, as I'm sure it is for most peeps, whether you have kids or not. Either you're having way too much fun at the beach sipping on Rose' and balancing when to visit your therapist or pilates class (jerk) or you're managing four schedules, two adult's jobs, nannys, a social life, laundry and feeding humans. I'm the latter, clearly. And sometimes a plate of grab-and-go goodies does the trick. We get to spend time here and there in Malibu with Sam's parents, so Pearly always spoils us with the freshest of ingredients. And blue and white everything. 

Pretty and pretty easy ~ soft scrambled farmer's market eggs with fresh strawberries and blueberries along with a Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk cappuccino. Breakfast doesn't have to be hard, but can be hearty. Heat olive oil on medium / low heat and slowly scramble eggs until softly formed, don't overcook. Season with salt and pepper. Add avocado for a yummy fat.

Roasted sweet potatoes with over-easy egg and avocado ~ YES, you can have sweet and regular potatoes!!!! Cut sweet potato into cubes and combine with a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees (I like them crispy). Top sweet potatoes with over-easy egg and fresh avocado. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flake.

This kind of detox really doesn't seem like you're missing much. Once you get into the groove, you forget that grains, gluten, a glass of wine, and cheese (the hardest for me) aren't in your system (kind of). You just feel so damn good, and so full, that it doesn't phase you. I swear. And It isn't forever. It's just 30 days. Don't forget that you're being good to yourself today. Also be reminded you will sleep the way your body is meant to... well, long and heavy. And you won't wake up in the middle of the night. Without sugar... I swear it's the enemy... our bodies are free. 

Whole30 Greek Salad ~ In a bowl, combine Romaine (or leafy greens), cut tomato, red pepper, cucumber, black olives, red onion, cooked chicken, avocado and top with slivered almonds. For your dressing, combine, 3 tbsp olive oil with 1.5 tbsp of balsamic oil, a dollop of mustard, salt and pepper and emulsify until combined. Or you can use a store bought balsamic vinaigrette without sugar added like Tessemea's.

When I have an organizing job (yes, I do that too), I always take my lunch with me so I don't have to stop for a break. The hours fly by when you're helping someone purge, and a quick salad is easy to chomp on while reorganizing a pantry. Grab some almonds and an apple and you're good until dinner. 

Take it easy on the nuts. They are NOT a low calorie food. 

Malibu Salad 2 ~ Another Malibu spread. I'm obsessed with pickles and olives. Don't be afraid to use these as your salt. Crisp romaine lettuce, fresh peaches, cut carrots and pickles, served with smashed avocado with lime, salt and pepper. I make little wraps with the ingredients. A Whole30 taco! And I never forget a La Croix. Why didn't I buy stock?

Baked eggs with leeks, mushrooms and thyme ~ Another oldie but goodie. Don't overcook the egg if you like them runny. Top with fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Recipe here. Make sure your hot sauce is sugar-free.

I forget how much I love mushrooms sometimes. They aren't a go-to for me, like tomatoes or cabbage, carrots or even beets. The earthiness works so well with the fatty, runny egg and one of my favorite onion flavors, leeks. And thyme, all the time (dork). 

Cedar planked salmon with cucumber jalapeño salad ~ Soak your cedar plank for as long as possible, at least 6 hours. Heat your grill. Generously salt and pepper both sides of salmon and place on cedar plank, skin side down. Grill for 13-16 minutes, but don't overcook. Salad recipe here. Make brown rice if you're gluten not grain-free. For tomatoes and asparagus, combine 3 tbsp olive oil with three minced cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. Quickly whisk for about 30 seconds. Combine with both asparagus and tomatoes and place on cooking sheet. Roast for 18 minutes on 400 degrees while salmon cooks on the grill.

It seems like a lot of eggs. It is. They're my favorite. Just take a break when you can. No one ever said you can't have salad for breakfast. 

Spinach frittata with turkey bacon and tomatoes ~ This can last you a few meals, by the way. heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 1 tbsp olive oil to medium heat and add turkey sausage until cooked through. Remove from pan. Add a little more olive oil, add tomatoes and cook for one minute, add spinach and cook until wilted, another minute. Add sausage back to pan and combine. In a bowl, beat 6-9 eggs (depending on how thick you'd like your frittata) with salt and pepper. Add to pan and coat all ingredients evenly. Cook on medium low until egg sets. Place in oven for 18-25 minutes, until egg is set and cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with salsa and / or hot sauce and avocado (of course).

I love any combination of frittata as you can grab it from the fridge, heat it up quickly and run out the door with your robe on, hair wet, and no bra. If you want to know what most mornings look like around here, there you go. 

Turkey Chili (with or without white beans) ~ Skip the shredded cheddar, sour cream and corn chips and you're Whole30 compliant. And then cry. Turkey chili recipe here, but leave out the white beans. And cry again.

Let's not forget soups. You can have soup for almost every meal here if you want. The next few weeks I'm going to play around with some new soup ideas. It's been a stretch to go there, since it's been 110 freaking degrees this week. And without a baguette to dip, my heart breaks a little. But this turkey chili is extremely filling and can last a few meals, like the frittata. 

I hope these recipes inspire you to give the Whole30 a try. Or at least give hope that this kind of detox is possible. In the meantime, while you're deciding whether or not to commit, eat that chili with beans and cheese, sour cream and a beer. Do it for me. 

Below is a shopping list to get you started. Beware of Whole30 snacks like nuts, dried fruit, Larabars, and Power Snacks. These calories will creep up on you and aid in bloating. 

See you in two weeks, with a glass of wine. 

2 week Whole30 Shopping List

Proteins:

• 2 dozen organic brown eggs

• 2 lbs. ground turkey / beef / chicken (or combination)

• 1 cooked rotisserie chicken

• 1 lb. turkey sausage

• 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken

• 1.5 lbs. wild salmon

• prosciutto

• 1 lb. sliced deli chicken (no sugar)

Vegetables / Fruits:

• tomatoes

• 4-6 zucchini

• 2 large onions

• head garlic

• head green cabbage

• shredded carrots

• 3 red peppers

• scallions

• 2 sweet potatoes

• spinach

• mushrooms - large cremini or button

• 2 leeks

• romaine lettuce

• 2 cucumbers

• celery

• avocado (at least 3)

• bunch asparagus

• jalapeno

• lemons / limes

• strawberries / blueberries

• 3-4 peaches

• cantaloupe

Spices / Herbs / Pantry

• basil

• cilantro

• thyme

• cedar planks

• coconut aminos

• almond milk

• almonds / variety of nuts

• olives

EAT UP!!!!

And let me know how it's going please. I LOVE COMMENTS!!!!

Noodles and a Marathon

By Steph Farrar

(Marathon length post, so SPOILER)

It all started Alumni Weekend, last October 2015, 20 years after high school. I stayed with one of my oldest and dearest friends on Lookout Mountain, TN, where I was raised well, even after all the middle-of-the-night sneak outs and kissing boys, smoking cigarettes unwell. I drove into town from Atlanta with another high-school sister, my senior roommate, the only year I boarded away from home. When driving North to Chattanooga, you round a corner directly under Missionary Ridge and just beyond the bend, a great looming, vast city, bordered by mountains, hills, and ridges announces itself to you.

And when we came upon that reveal, we hurrayed. It was actually quite comforting that we were happy to be back. Nearing the end of our thirties, it's basically an even playing ground now. We're almost (if not) mid-life, searching for answers, for purpose and meaning. And it's just now getting a little easier to accept that I'm not 25 anymore.

But it still hurts.

However, not quite as much as a half-marathon. So I have Kathleen of Lookout Mtn. to blame for the pain. As well as the achievement. After our athletic years in high school, both runners, and after the reunion, she signed me up for the Vancouver Seawheeze half-marathon in August of 2016.

Signing your friend up for a half marathon is kind of like giving someone a fish for their birthday. Like, ugh... I have to deal with this now. I have to train, book a ticket and inevitably run 13.1 miles?  But damn if it didn't pay off (not that a fish really pays off; it's a pain in the ass actually.) But finishing 22k? That's some will power, Jedi mind shit. And I'll never regret a single step.

Bucket List

I don't care if you worked out today. One of my favorite lines is, "I don't want to hear about your workout unless you fell on the treadmill and broke your face." But I'm sorry to report I am here to brag. One bucket list item checked off, completing a half-marathon before 40. Because I'm an idiot. And I like any kind of adrenaline rush, like a runner's high. Ask me about bungee-jumping off a freestanding gondola in Interlocken over turf, or paragliding off a low Lake Tahoe ravine. Good move dummy.

So...this is our Before.

The Starting Line is nearing and the pressure and excitement is everywhere. It's infectious. There is no way I'm not gonna finish this race.

I love the marooned lady in the forefront, hands on her friends shoulders. A lovely, human moment.

I can say one thing about Vancouver.

Canada.

God I love Canada. It's so clean. Calm. Generous. Warm. Even though it's usually freezing. They're all just SO NICE.

If you're going to run 22 kilometers on a Saturday morning, it might as well be somewhere breathtakingly beautiful. It's difficult to shoot good photos while jogging, but I tried. I met Vancouver downtown at the impending Starting Line. I greeted this city one mile at a time; throughout the riverwalk, over and back along an extra long bridge with elevation on both ends, mermaids, surf sirens, a guy manning one of those water hover suits holding a sign of encouragement, pumper-uppers on stationary bikes, inching us 1k closer, a sign which read "Ryan Gosling is waiting with a puppy and a beer in 5K. You can do it!" and most importantly, a GREAT playlist.

There are some people who crave camera time. And some who'd prefer to remain behind, masked, private. (I tend to shift but in this case...) you would have to pay me to dress up like a mermaid, paddle board on a melted glacier in a Grecian robe, or sky rocket in a hover-water IronMan suit... with the goal of encouraging half-marathoners to finish strong. I would just rather run the marathon.

I must admit, their presence was passionate; the demonstration of art as a means to support and encourage was invigorating. And I believe I finished because of that support. My legs were little fried chickens.

But the end was near.

I took pictures of two meals from my time in Vancouver. After 13.1 miles of running, we walked four miles around the city, landing at The Noodle Bar, chowing on the BEST spicy Kung Pao Chicken and reminiscing how brave and successful we were. It's not even noon and we already made 30k Steps. So we ate whatever we wanted. And had Oysters, Beef Carpaccio and (I had a) Cabernet from Miku for dinner.

It looked like this:

then this...

then this...

then these amazing kung pao noodles and a cold beer:

Kung Pao Vancouver

then dinner at Miku... after a four mile site-seeing journey.

In my life, I've had some very proud moments... times when I've surprised myself with some level of success. Winning our Region Pentathlon as a junior, summiting Mt. Shasta summer before my senior year, shaking David Letterman's hand after performing with Weezer, Marrying the love of my life, birthing two watermelons, finishing a Whole30... and completing a half marathon.

Celebrating these moments, these successes has been paramount. I want to run the Malibu half marathon in November so I can power shove a huge bowl of carbonara into my mouth, from the local Italian eatery Tra Di Noi. Sign me up.

And keep these moments coming.

Kung Pao Chicken

stolen 1000%  from Feasting at Home

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken (or sub roasted cauliflower, see notes below)

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp sugar

• 1 ½ tbsp corn starch

• 1-3 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying - optional, see notes.

• 1 red bell pepper - or handful dry red Chinese chilies (see notes)

Kung Pao Sauce:

• 1 ½ tsp chopped ginger

• 1 ½ tbsp chopped garlic

• 2 tbsp water

• 2 tsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp vinegar (black vinegar if you have it, or use rice or white)

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp garlic chili paste (Sambal chili paste)

Garnish: roasted peanuts, green onion (sliced at a diagonal), lime, raw bean sprouts

Cooked noodles (2-3 servings), rice noodle or rice

Directions:

If making noodles or rice, get them cooking.

Cut chicken into ¾ inch cubes and place in a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and cornstarch to the chicken and toss.

(Alternately -- if using cauliflower, roast cauliflower florets in a 450 F oven for 25-30 minutes, with olive oil, salt and pepper)

Chop ginger, garlic and thinly slice red bell pepper into thin strips.

Measure all the condiments and place in a small bowl (water, soy, fish sauce, oyster, vinegar, sugar and garlic chili paste) and give a quick stir.

Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat, and when its hot, brown the chicken, turning, tossing and cooking through about 5 minutes.

Turn heat off and place crispy chicken on a plate lined with paper towels, blot.

Wipe out wok, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat.

Add the red bell pepper and sear over medium heat until tender and just slightly charred in places, about 3-4 minutes. Make a well in the center of the bell peppers, add the ginger and garlic and sear (keeping them in the center), cooking and stirring 2 minutes until they are fragrant and golden. You may need to add a few more drops of oil.

Add the small bowl of mixed sauces to the wok and bring to a simmer, lower heat, then place the cooked chicken (or roasted cauliflower) back into the sauce and toss well, coating it and heating it back up. Serve over rice, noodles, or add the cooked noodles directly into the wok and sear them for a minute or two. Serve immediately.

Garnish with roasted peanuts, sliced scallions, lime and raw bean sprouts.

Notes:

If subbing with crispy tofu, prepare it in the same way as the chicken, blot, cut into small cubes, coat with salt, pepper, sugar and cornstarch (you may want to use a little more cornstarch) , and fry in the wok until crispy. Then set aside. (Alternatively, you could use "baked tofu" and not fry it, adding it at the end into to the sauce.)

*For a lighter version, use roasted cauliflower instead of chicken and add it to the wok with the sauce (at the very end). You, of course, can also add other cooked veggies, tossing with the flavorful sauce. You can sub another sweetener for the sugar, like agave, maple or honey, but flavors won't be balanced if you leave it out altogether.

*If you use the whole head of cauliflower, you may want to increase the Kung Pao sauce by half so make 1 ½ times the recipe). 

*Traditional Kung Pao also includes a handful of red, dried Chinese chilies (Thai red chilies are too spicy) . I usually toss these in at the end with the garlic and ginger, but in this recipe you don't really don't need to because of the chili garlic paste. If you do choose to use the dried chilies, add them in right after the the ginger and garlic, and decrease the garlic chili sauce in the recipe.

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Holy Whole30...

By Steph Farrar

So you're asking yourself, what the hell is a Whole30? Can I actually complete a Whole30? Just lean protein, fish, veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds for a month? No booze, sugar, grains, dairy, or legumes... 30 days?

Yes, you can do it. I swear, you can. If I can do it... anyone can. And it will, in fact, change your life.

The night before...

This is NOT a picture of Kobe's 60 point game on 4.13.16. This is exactly one week prior, when the Lakers were pulverized by the Clippers ... the last night before we started our Whole30.

Yes, we got tipsy, which at the time seemed like a good idea: 30 clean days on the horizon, a court-side Laker Game, no kid-duty until 7 am the following morning (there's the compromise). I do not recommend a big night before you start your elimination 30. It will make it more difficult to cleanse toxins in the those first few days, hence restless sleep, night sweats, even insomnia.

No one likes a hangover anyway.

About three days in, after the charm wore off, I started to question myself on why the hell I was doing this cleanse. I was scared. 30 days began to feel like an eternity ahead of me, after counting the hours of the previous three days, eager for bedtime. I'm one-tenth of the way there? This. Is. Bullshit.

So I visited a dear friend's local community garden a few days into my Whole30, picked veggies and herbs along with one beautiful strawberry, kickstarting my cleanse with fresh air, hot coffee with my favorite almond milk, and the biggest beet I've ever roasted. Along with some Fava Beans I couldn't even eat (no legumes on Whole30... here'swhy).

The ONE strawberry Vesper later savored

Craig, The Magus of Wattles Garden.

Sorry Craig. Had to show the world what this master botanist looks like! I will be visiting Craig more often ... to steal his produce and any free time I can sucker out of him. When you've known someone for over 20 years, there's never enough time to catch up.

A ladybug for good luck

So here it is. My brief rundown of what's to come in the next 30 days. This article is a great resource for what to expect, but it's not always the same for everyone. I'll kick start with a few words of encouragement, along with the ladybug above for good luck on your adventure. I'm 14 days post Whole30, and not only am I insanely proud of myself for finishing, but these last two weeks off the Whole30 has been much more difficult than on it. My body is so clean and tidy, it doesn't want a patch of dirt in it!

There are many good reasons why you should reintroduce foods slowly, nausea being #1. My tummy hasn't warmed to most ingredients not on the program. My palette is responding to less flavor than I've ever previously enjoyed. It's taking time to freely eat again. It's been a while since I've felt as accomplished, light on my feet, and awake as I have in the last four (now 6) weeks. So I'm trying to take it slow.

After friends Jason and Katie finished a Whole30, glowing like a perfect California summer day, nearly 20 pounds lighter between the two, and gushing about the benefits, I picked a day 30 days in my near future, with something to look forward to and celebrate... my best friend's birthday party was in 33 days. Perfect.

I highly encourage you to pick a day to celebrate... but maybe not your best friend's birthday where you could potentially get loose enough that your friends think you may have been roofied. Skip the pre and post drinking nights people. Seriously. I've yet to get back to par.

MY WHOLE30

Days 1-3: Clearly, on day 1, I felt horrible. Terrible hangover, so I didn't mind eating such a clean diet, minus avoiding milk and sugar in my coffee. I had gone to Whole Foods the day before to make sure I had a few staples to get going. Eggs, fruit, avocado, coconut almond milk, etc. I had lunch with my dear pregnant girlfriend and ordered a simple salad... brought my own dressing to avoid dealing with potentially cheating, especially as it's my first day! Dinner... easy, going to bed... easy, as I was exhausted from general life stuff. Day 1, down!

Day 2 was better, as I clearly wasn't hungover, but quite the opposite. Awake with wild energy, still hating the coffee and missing yogurt, but fine. Day 3, I was able to spend with my daughter, at a friend's kid's birthday party followed by a dinner at Au Fudge... my first night out, no booze. Kind of a relief to not have to pay for booze or an Uber! But I really missed the social aspect of it. Nights 2 and 3 were very rough. Patchy sleep at best, night sweats and tossing constantly. I could literally feel all the junk coming out of my body.

Days 4-8: Someone kill me, what have I signed up for? Oh wait, I'm the only one in charge? I can quit this thing right?

No!!! Keep going.

I think my husband would have poisoned me if he didn't know this cleanse had an end-date. So cranky. So mad at myself for putting us through this. Feeling guilty that Sam was attempting to go along for the Whole30 ride. Oh by the way, total exhaustion. Even after the first night of great sleep I've had in years, Night 4.

We had friends over for brunch that first Sunday and serving them up Proseco wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I didn't even want it. At this point, I'm not only full of pride in my already successful first few days, but also full of what feels like air. SO BLOATED. And the time is passing very slowly. Days 4 and 5 were equally boring... tired and bloated, but sleeping so well that's it's nearly worth it. By day 6, the tyrant in me erupted. I was exhausted and extremely cranky. And stressed for some reason, perhaps giving up things I love, like wine, bread and cheese, was causing some anxiety. Days 7 and 8 lit up a bit... I felt lighter and happier, yet still very gassy and bloated (tmi). I managed to hit up yoga and hike both days, felt enlightened and energized. Starting to think this could be the new me.

Days 9-14: This stretch was particularly difficult. Days 9-11 fell on a weekend where all I did was cook. This was the lovely anchor of time where Sam and I tested some new recipes. We whipped up a veggie frittata for dinner, and for breakie the following morning. We turned Bobby Flay's salmon with brussels and gala apples into a Whole30 dreamboat. We also used my friend Craig's staples from his gorgeous Wattles Garden into a beet, avocado and edible flower salad. By Day 13, after counting the days to what I've heard as "Tiger Blood" day 14, I'm ready for a turnover. I need the bloating to clear, I want my stomach to be flat (like I'd earned), and yoga classes to feel good. None of which became true.

But still, epic sleep. And an overall, undying commitment to finishing.

Days 15-22: By Day 15 I felt great, had found a new normal, and somewhat forgot about this wild new diet. I ended daily journal entries about Whole30 timeline and recipes, and just decided to live. Also at day 15, my face completely broke out... as if I was going through puberty all over again. Luckily it cleared quickly, but herein lies another shining example of toxic elimination. Knowing I had less to go than the time I've already put into my first Whole30, the time began to fly by. And my sleep grew even deeper, my energy level was through the roof, and my overall attitude healthier and happier. One day at a time.

Days 23-29: By this point, I'm bored with food, sick of cooking, and over it. But of course I'm feeling full of energy and addicted to finishing strong. I remember actually stopping by the mirror more frequently to check out my thinning thighs and bootie. Only a few days to go.

Day 30: There's no way I've actually made it. Absolutely no way. What the hell am I going to do now? The evening of this last night took all my willpower to not pop open the special bottle of wine I bought for myself for day 31. I must admit, this in fact, was my hardest challenge... finishing. But I did it.

And the next early afternoon, Sam and I shared this:

SO WORTH IT.

And all the sudden I was quickly tipsy on Dom... and truly satisfied in my ability to enjoy it, without needing it.

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that this experience will change your life. It will empower you, energize you, reveal your will power, and your commitment to the promise you made to yourself. It will change the way you see food. It will change the way you order food, the way you shop, and the habits years of bad choices have led you to. You will read labels and find sugar in nearly everything. You will learn you don't have to drink alcohol to relax. You will be so damn proud of yourself that it will rub off on everyone in your life.

So do it. And let us know how you did!!!!

WHOLE 30 APPROVED RECIPES:

(written recipes in following Farrar post, here)

1. Ground Beef with Roasted Sweet Potato and Sunny-side up Egg, sliced avocado

2. Roasted Macadamia Nut Salmon with Brussel Sprout, Apple, Raisin and Bacon Salad

3. Mango, Avocado and Cabbage Slaw

4. Beet, Arugula, Avocado, Edible Flower Salad

5. Asian Cauliflower Rice with Egg and Bacon

6. Kale Chips

7. Breakfast Frittata Mini muffins

8. Nut and Herb Pesto with raw veggies

Basket of goodies!

A Simple Stir Fry

By Steph Farrar

I can't seem to say goodbye to summer. It's certainly having difficulty leaving us, based on the current temperature in late October. But I won't complain. Instead of zucchini, I'll have apples and persimmons. And those will do just fine by me.

I'd like to endlessly agree with my partner, Sierra, on the great anticipation of things to come. There's an urgency present as the year begins to wind down into the Holidays; there's a magic pulse pushing its impatience on me. There's the yoga I should be doing to relax, yet I tend to pour that third cup of coffee instead. And often, in lieu of sitting down to write, I look around our beautiful home and realize I will always want to update, change or buy something to improve it. I'm dying to plant a million new flowers and trees in the backyard, and elevate Sam's studio into a botanist's dreamscape. There will always being something to distract me. Always. So take it easy girl. One day at a time. Rome wasn't... yada yada yada.

Shredding.

A few weeks back, Sierra and I visited a dear friend at her newly renovated home, brought three bottles of wine and some groceries for this simple stir fry. Needless to say, three bottles wasn't enough.

I'm serious. And this was on a Monday. (cut to: the reason I no longer imbibe during the week, unless on vacation, a special occasion or a wrecked day deserves a kick back).

All the ingredients you need!

The early evening quickly took a turn for a late night hang and three girls devouring not only the stir fry, but each other's presence and conversation. This is, literally, besides my family, what I live for. Bringing friends together in a comfortable atmosphere, kicking off our shoes, sipping on something delicious and letting our mouths and minds wander free. To gather, to converse, to share, to let it all out. This is everything to me.

Which is the basis for our collective anticipation of such amazing things to come for French and Farrar. This is what we do... and what we should all do more often. Get together. Cook. Drink. Chat. Repeat.

This is the exact kind of "one grocery bag" meal that makes dinner so much more than just about the food.

Simple Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken, sliced into either thin strips or small cubes, or you can cook the breasts and cut after

• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut 1/4 inch, or shredded (my preference)

• 1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (optional)

• 1/4 tsp ground or dried ginger

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions

• olive oil (or canola)

Directions:

Combine soy and teriyaki sauces in a bowl, add garlic and ginger. Add the chicken to the bowl and let marinate for at least ten minutes in the fridge. The longer the better.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add chicken and let cook through, about 3-4 minutes, stirring. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add carrots and red pepper to the pan and let soak up the juices. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add cabbage, and any remaining sauce unused from the marinade bowl.

If you want more sauce, just add soy and teriyaki in small amounts, testing it along the way. Throw the chicken in and let it all mold together, stirring often. until soft, but still painting a light crunch.

Remove from heat and serve with chopped scallions. Serve over rice if you desire or with a dash of red pepper flakes, but it certainly doesn't need it.

I can eat this five nights a week.

Raw Vegetable Salad with Avocado & Pistachio Dressing

By Steph Farrar

With one hand on the steering wheel and the other double-checking I packed enough snacks in Vesper's Spiderman backpack, I finally reverse out of my Valley driveway, earlier than we are all ever usually awake. What happened to my youth?

I never in a million years thought I would be posting on my own food blog about anything raw (unless an oyster or sushi) or vegan (unless a pair of stilettos). But here we are. It's happening. It's becoming clearer to me every day that my daughter is in real school, life is all about balance. And I've been out of balance for the last few years. Trying to juggle it all, make everyone happy, not rock the boat, forge ahead with content and grace. Well forget that. Just breathe girl.

And take it one day at a time.

Juiciest Limes from our new tree

And take it easy on myself. Think things through before worrying or jumping the gun, or even before speaking. I feel like I should be back in Kindergarten, learning the simplest yet profound tools in life. "You get what you get, and you don't get upset."

Now there's a rule to live by.

Balance was brought to me in the form of zucchini a few weeks back, when the summer staple was on its way out, sadly. My last chance to use my new spiralizer that's all the rage around this house. "Crunchy, green pasta?" wonders Flynn. Yes. It's crunchy green pasta, forever son.

Crunchy. Green. Pasta.

I never wanna sound like a preacher, but I certainly learn something new every day, and usually either through the meals I cook or the things that come out of a family members' mouth. In Sam's absence, I learned that Vesper is completely boy crazy, knows every member of One Direction, wants to marry Niall, she will be a famous singer before she's 21, and Flynn will be her tour manager. So I'm thinking Sam and I should hang up our hats. Those 1D boys are doing pretty well.

I also learned that an avocado makes an amazing dressing base.

Julienned and sliced Veggies

Take your hands off my salad tossers!

And that Flynn likes to cook, clean, garden, play dress up, and steal my make-up. So were are truly in for it. With my sous chef / housekeeper, along with my own personal Taylor Swift, we made a balanced, early afternoon raw salad in that 102 degree summer heat. The same heat that is rearing its ugly head again this weekend.

Cutest little thief.

Sam is finally home after 5 very long weeks, and still trying to adjust to the extreme chaos. We started school. We met new families. We Facetime-d every single chance we could get. I went to my 20th high school reunion (which was EPIC, for all you Red Raiders out there). We fit it all in, because we have to. Because this is what we do. We balance it all. We make it work. We get what we get and we don't throw a fit.

And we plan for our daughter marrying a 1D member. Go girl.

Raw Veggie Salad with Avocado Pistachio Dressing

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini, spiralized or julienned

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced or julienned

• 1/2 cup either chopped cilantro, Italian parsley or a combination

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 large avocado 1

• /4 cup shelled pistachios

• 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

• juice of 1 lime

• olive oil

Directions:

In a bowl, combine zucchini, carrots, and red pepper.

Add cilantro, Italian parsley or both. Sprinkle with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.

For the dressing, add the avocado, shelled pistachios, lime juice and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor.

Slowly pulse chop the nuts, lime juice, and cilantro with the creamy avocado. While running, add olive oil 1 tbsp at a time until silky and smooth. Add a little water to thin. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the dressing with the raw veggies. Feel free to season with more salt and pepper as needed.

How I Love Pasta

By Steph Farrar

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but if I could eat pasta for every single meal, I would. Even brown rice pasta, millet, farro, barley, couscous, quinoa, whatever. As long as it's a carbohydrate that I can combine with a sauce or fresh ingredients, I want it.

So when I began my hunt for waistline-reducing-carb-free meals, zucchini noodles appeared to be all the rage. And now I know why! I'm even embarrassed to admit I want to buy this spiralizer but instead settled onthis new little gadget. I'm happy with my multi-use mandolin / grater, but I am envious of the lovely zucchini curls created by the spiralizer. Who am I kidding? I'm totally gonna buy one.

Not too much needed here

Sierra's incredible Spaghetti Squash is another mind-blowing carb-free option by the way. I'm going to post a few of my favorite alternatives as well, like rosemary-caper tuna salad in red peppers, paleo lettuce wraps, my favorite meatballs, and a Mustard Seed Cafe rip-off turkey burger salad. All to come.

Little shoestrings

So as you can see, my mandolin makes straight noodles vs. the curly pasta-like ones. They still taste and look great, but it's just not the same. It'll never be the same. Either way, zucchini is a very wet vegetable, so you need to let them sweat. I like to put the cut veggies into a colander over the sink, add a little salt and let them sweat for about 30 minutes. Don't add too much salt though. They really soak it up.

Go ahead and chop your other ingredients

While the sweating is happening, chop everything else. You can make this dish vegetarian, add rotisserie chicken during the stir-fry step, or add a pulled pork like I did. I can't claim the pork though. It was a gift from my friend Sarah. It was so good, I must to attempt to remake it. You truly could add any vegetable or protein to the noodles and sauce. This is a great basic recipe to start from.

If you're skinny, don't give a sh*t, or didn't have a baby this year, eat pasta instead.

Jerk.

The colors of Spring!

Zucchini Noodles with Pulled Pork and Lime

Ingredients:

• 3 zucchinis, sliced on a julienne mandolin, or spiralized into noodles

• 2-3 carrots, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces

• 1 red pepper, medium dice

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp thyme, cilantro, and/or parley - I would use all three if if you have them

• 2 tbsp chopped scallions

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• juice of half a lime, plus wedges for serving

• fresh ground pepper and Kosher salt

optional: 1 heaping cup of pulled pork, chopped rotisserie chicken,  or any cooked protein

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet or wok.

Add garlic and cook briefly without browning.

Add red pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add carrot and cook for additional 2 minutes.

Add pulled pork, cooked chicken, or protein and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add spices and scallions, cook for a minute.

Finally add zucchini noodles, lime, fish sauce and pepper and cook for a few additional minutes.

Salt to taste and serve with lime wedges.