Whole 30 – Egg Roll in a Bowl

And another one *DJ Khalid voice.

In April, I went vegan for 21 days. I lost about 13 pounds. I saw some pretty cool health benefits, such as,  no acid-reflux, better sleep, and the 13 pounds gone. The downside, I was consuming too many carbs, especially, for someone pre-diabetic. I needed a healthy eating solution but I this was not it. So, I set out to find another one.

I have been attending this boot camp that consists of HIIT weight training. The instructor/owner does this 30-day Challenge every month. I had been researching Whole 30 for nearly a year – no lie. It seemed easy to align the 30-day elimination diet, Whole 30, with the 30-day workout challenge.

I decided to spend my Sunday meal prepping as to make this journey a little easier. Below is my go at an Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe I found online and tweaked. What do you think?

1 head of cabbage

1/4 cup red onions

5-6 coves of garlic

6 green onions

2-3 tablespoons of coconut aminos

1 tablespoon of garlic chili sauce

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

pepper to taste

Sauce:

1/4 cup mayo

1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce

salt to taste

A Girl, an Egg and a Brush

I was all excited to write about my meal planning for this week, this new cactus bristle brush I had purchased and sticking to my workout plan over Thanksgiving. Truly excited until a friend told me about her weekend and I realized how incredibly mundane and boring my life is. lol

A co-worker used to jokingkly call me Sister Mary Francis, you know Whoopi Goldberg's character from Sister Act. I am always the good church girl –  and black – so she thought the name was fitting. That is cool and all but I am no longer a girl. I am a woman in her thirties who needs a little excitement in her life.

Except, I do not know the first thing about excitement. lol I like museums, good books, plays and Nova on PBS.

SOOOOOO BORINNNG!!!!!

Anyway, I decided to try this 'omelet in a muffin' pan idea.

 

12 eggs

1/2 scallions

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

You spary the muffin pan with oil spray. Use a 1/3 cup measuring tool to scoop the mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a fork can be inserted into the center and pulled out clean.

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I placed them and baggies and froze them for the week. I think I will cook the egg whole next time instead of whipping them into an omelet.

 

Click for enlarged view

I bought this brush and started dry-brushing in the morning.  You start from your ankles stroking upward until you have brushed your entire body. It did wake me up this morning.  It is supposed to improve circulation and stimulate the lymphatic system. That is about all the stimulation my weeked brought.

I am Sister Mary-Freaking-Francis!

*sigh*

 

This Girl Be Cooking Yo. . . Cornbread!

In my effort to increase my culinary skills, I have taken on some staple recipes. This week's item is cornbread, and not that sweet corn cake known as Jiffy Mix either. I got this recipe from the queen herself – Paula Deen.

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for baking dish (I substituted an equal amount of olive oil for the butter.)
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I substituted lowfat buttermilk.)

Mix dry indredients in one bowl. Mix eggs and buttermilk in one bowl. Fold egg mixture into dry mixture. Oil 8 inch pan. Pour mixture in pan. Cook for 20 minutes at 425 degrees (preheat oven) or until golden brown. Test center with knife or toothpick. If it comes out clean, it is done.

I also cut this recipe in half. I used this website to make it easier seeing that the measurements are not metric.

I LOVE this recipe. It is easy, simple and tastes so yummy. It is not too sweet either. The bread came out moist and soft. My mother can really cook. . .everything but cornbread! lol I am going to make mine for her when I visit home. Envy me, Mom, envy me! lol

Check out my pics:

Ingredients
Ingredients

DryIngredients
Dry Ingredients

Batter
Batter in Pan

GoldenBrownFinish
20 minutes in oven at 425 degrees

Slice

Have a slice?

 

I made some vegan black eyed peas yesterday. I am taking them and this cornbread to work for lunch tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Heat Damaged Hair – The 1 Week Repair Test

So I really needed my ends clipped BAD and I usually do it myself but I thought, girl treat yourself. So I had someone straighten and clip my ends. Beautiful cut, style – very BAD ENDS results.

 

StraightStyled

The Straightened do.

Heat_Damage

The heat damage. Hair is straight near the roots and will not revert back to curls.

When flat irons are too hot they break the bonds in your hair that create the curling pattern, similar to a relaxer. Stylists unfamiliar with the natural mindset think that you want your hair to "last" and be "bone" straight. I wanted neither, I just wanted my ends clipped.

So now I need to repair my hair. I have been reading good things about almond oil and apple cider vinegar. So My experiment will be – apple cider and water rinse (instead of shampoo wash), almond/glycerin spray, and almond oil massage/ silk bonnet at night.

Since the straightening episode, which was a couple months ago, I have noticed hair shed. One week of this routine and I will update you on the results.

Recipes below:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

1 cup apple cider vinegar

4-5 cups of bottled water

Rinse hair in the shower with water, detangle with wide tooth comb, add apple cider vinegar rinse, leave on a few minutes, then rinse with cool water. This seals the cuticle shaft and will help eliminate frizz. You will notice the results instantly as your hair will feel silkier.

2. Vegetable Glycerin and Water Spritz

1:4 or 1:5 ratio of vegetable glycerin to water

Place ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until glycerin is dissolved completely.

Spray after apple cider rinse, massage into hair, add almond oil to seal in moisture.

 

This is my first time using almond oil so I am opting to add it separately to my hair instead of adding it to the spritz.

Results in one week.

Build-A-Man Just like Build-A-Bear but Cheaper

I was over at Very Smart Brothas and ran across a post entitled, "Building the Perfect Woman." I won't go into the ridiculousness that men consider "perfect" on a woman. Suffice it to say, if it were left up to men, women would be a conglomeration of double d's, a big butt and a smile.

The post did get me to thinking about the perfect man. This topic is right on time considering the fact that me and my friend spent yesterday discussing our "lists". The "LIST" consists of the qualities we want in our future husbands.

So making a list and checking it twice. To make it fun, I'll use celebrities. Here we go (No particular order):

1. Intelligence like President Barack Obama.

2. Smile like Laz Alonso.

3. Eyes like Omar Epps.

4. Heart like Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.

5. Character: A man after God's own heart

6. Body like *inside my own head* lol Too many to choose from.

7. Enterprising like Michael Lee Chin



8. And swagger like DENZEL!!!!!

Build your man in the comments.

Choices – The Old and Familiar or the New and Untried?

I became so frustrated with the lack of quality stories on TV and in the theater that I began to write again. I stayed at it and fully edited the first half of my novel. I began to fall in love with the characters again.

I think i know how I want the story to end. I need a little help from the few readers that still follow. If you had a choice between the man you have always wanted but who had not always wanted you and something totally new (but all good so far) What choice would you make and why?

Happily Ever After

I wrote a first version of the ending and I was hesitant to let the character have it all. So I ended it two ways – one in which she does not get the guy of her dreams and one in which there is a cliff hanger. Someone told me, "Hey this is your story, why can't the girl have happily ever after." The truth is I do not know a lot of happily ever afters.

 

Could I create one? Would it be worth the read?

Ugh!!! Now you see my dilemma.

Ramen Noodle Recipes – #1

I decided this week, I will switch things up a bit. Each day, I will post a budget recipe or tip. You may add your versions in the comments.

I know we are all familiar with Ramen Noodles. Many a college microwave have experienced the late night nuking the salty dish. I know many people who put their spin on the dish. I try to make it a bit healthier by adding some veggies.

Check this one out.

Ramen Noodles with Spinach

1 package of Ramen Noodles

1/2 cup of frozen spinach

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

Throw all of it into a pot and boil until desired tenderness is reached. The vinegar an cayenne pepper can be added afterwards as a garnish. Delish!

Some of you may prefer to substitute the cayenne pepper and vinegar for hot sauce but the noodles are uber salty already and hot sauce just adds to the sodium content. You can create the same effect with cayenne and vinegar.