Post Memorial Day Weekend Woes? Beat the Burger Blues with a Tangy Watermelon Avocado Salad

It's Tuesday morning and barreling around the corner comes the emotional “hangover” that comes with the acceptance that you are going back to your routine life after a blissful 3-day Memorial Day Weekend…I was dropping my son off at school this morning and as he sat down at the little breakfast nook, he locked his fingers with mine and said, “Best friends, momm-ay.” I felt my eyes well up with tears knowing that our perfect time together of splashing in the pool, playing Bocce ball and making campfire cones was coming to an end (even though we just planned our weekend wilderness getaway to the Pocono Mountains for late June!).

We spent the weekend at my parents’ house, as their community has a luxurious pool, spa and ice cream bar (err…for the kids, right?). Rylan loved sampling all of our ice creams and playing in the fountain at the shallow end of the pool. In the evenings after we grilled our dinner, we took waffle cones and filled them with marshmallows, chocolates, berries and nuts; wrapped them in foil and tossed them on the grill for a few minutes—Campfire Cones! Be forewarned because the undercarriage of the cone is prone to getting charred—but if you keep a watchful eye on them, the combination is ooey gooey amazingness! I especially delighted in the melted dark chocolate with the blackberries.

The relentless May sun began to do quite a number on my delicate and newly homed peach verbenas and royal purple salvia buds. I ended up venturing to the garden market for the fourth time in a week, bright and early on the morning of Memorial Day in search of a leafy banana plant to shade my
parched plants. The fabulous attendant scoffed at the thought of the poor banana plant scorching in the sun, and sent me home with none other than my absolute favorite plant in the world—a tiny Meyer lemon tree. The Meyer lemon is a phenomenon from China, brought back by Frank Nicholas Meyer in the early 1900’s. It bears similarities to both a traditional lemon and a mandarin orange, and is sweeter and less tart than the lemons we find on the rim of our iced tea. They contribute to tangy cocktails and your mama’s lemon bars will pack a punch at the next Memorial Day BBQ if you use Meyer lemons! Stay tuned as my little tree begins to yield fruit, and we will get into all the joys of making Meyer lemon soaps and curds (and perhaps, a very berry Meyer lemon trifle as well)!

Speaking of tantalizing food—my, oh my were there some amazing dishes churned out this Memorial Day Weekend! My favorite epicurean delights were simple grilled basil & lime grilled shrimp kabob,

tangy strawberry and spinach salad with walnuts; and a mixture of diced watermelon, tomato, avocado, cucumber, balsamic vinaigrette and fresh herbs. 

For the Salad:
1 pack of grape tomatoes, in assorted colors, cut in half
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup 3/4-inch-cubed red seedless watermelon chunks
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

For the Dressing:

1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs, in any combination: basil, tarragon, chives, cilantro, lemon thyme
1/4 teaspoon coriander seed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Assemble chopped ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl, mix balsamic, olive oil, coriander seed, and herbs/seasonings and drizzle over the chopped ingredients and gently toss.

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Three-day weekends are a fantastic opportunity to spend rare quality time with your loved ones while enjoying outdoor fun in the sun, but it's also a great time to really, truly feel the gratitude in the depths of our souls toward those who have suffered for us to have those freedoms (and those who continue to sacrifice so that we can maintain our privileges). Carve out time to reflect on where you are in this moment, hopefully with food on your tables and joy in your hearts, and know that you are so very loved--and return that infinite love to others. They say the truest concept of "enlightenment" is to be able to look up at the sky and want nothing more from life than to be where you are; to feel the absence of desire or suffering. Let's all strive to feel a fraction of that calm and content, and project our positivity onto those around us. You are enough.

Tired of the Living in a Fog? Reset Your Body and Mind with Whole30 Challenge

Take a minute to answer these simple questions:

Do you need to drink 3+ cups of coffee a day to stay alert?
Do you constantly fall victim to the after-lunch fog?
Do you feel sluggish or lack energy more often than you care to?
Do you suffer from digestive issues (heartburn, acid reflux, feeling hungry or full all the time)?
Do you have skin problems for no reason (acne, random rashes, hives, dry skin)?
Do you feel sugar or carb withdrawals?
Does your diet revolve around sugar, carbs and dairy?

Around the holidays, I was horrified to stumble upon pictures of myself at a company holiday party and couldn’t believe how round I had become in the year past. It was so discouraging to see that my overconsumption of Christmas cookies and seasonal beer had caused me to look like a lump of rising sourdough, expanding slowly day by day. I feverishly embarked on a carb-free diet which consisted of nutrient-lacking protein shakes and cheese. I was so deflated 2 months later to realize that those empty calories were not making the weight melt off.

In late April, I overheard a coworker talking about a month long challenge that she was mid-way through, called the Whole30. She described it as a body reset, eliminating grain, dairy and sugar and sticking to the basics of meat, fruits and most veggies. Her complexion was glowing and she seemed so alert, and she was only halfway through the challenge! I was immediately intrigued because I love a challenge and a month did not seem like an overwhelming amount of time to take a step in the right direction toward improving my health and wellness.

I fully recommend reading up on the Whole30 program before starting it, as there are a good amount of restrictions that you absolutely cannot get around. For me, I cut out all condiments but increased the seasonings and fresh herbs used. I use only coconut oil to cook with, and coconut and almond flour to coat meats only. I opt not to eat any nuts and limit sweet potato consumption (for those who have higher carbohydrate needs, sweet potatoes will be your best friend). I drink my coffee black with a splash of coconut milk but I do not use any sweetener of any kind. I have completely cut out snacking in between meals and put the most emphasis on a filling breakfast (usually 2 hardboiled eggs, a banana and black coffee). For the first 10 days, I did not get inventive with recipes because I wanted my body to FEEL the changes I was making, instead of replacing bad food with a healthier alternative. I wanted to rely on the primitive aspect of eating plain (mostly raw) vegetables, and taking whole pieces of fruit for a meal. On day 11, I started experimenting with different flavors, seasonings and preparation methods. Everything that was being churned out of my kitchen was zesty and vivid in color.

I started making video blogs (vlogs) to chronicle my experiences for friends who had a desire to try the challenge. I made one for Days 1-10 and Days 11-20 (I am currently on Day 23 and will record my final one on May 31). It was super encouraging to see the way my face had slimmed down from the first vlog to the second. I even had a dewier complexion and my eyes were brighter. I was initially going to wait until I was completely done with the challenge to publish a blog post about the Whole30, but I am being approached by many people about the challenge and I feel compelled to share my story to inspire those of you wishing to make a life change and feel phenomenal!

I recommend briefing yourself on how you will feel on a day-to-day basis on the Whole30. It really does help explain why some days will seem darker than others, and some days you will feel on top of the world. My best advice for starting—DO NOT treat yourself to a binge-day before starting. Anything you put in your body before the Whole30 WILL BE DETOXED out of you and it will make you feel like crap-ola. If you have a day of cramming donuts in your mouth while watching Netflix, you will have a sugar come-down for the first few days of the Whole30. A sugar come-down pretty much consists of migraines, tiredness, mood swings and intense cravings. JUST SAY NO. This isn’t a diet, it’s a change of life where you will now be aware what you are putting in your body and how it affects your entire system. Also, if on Day 14, you are having a hankering for that baby shower cake in the break room…know that it will completely throw you off track in the worst way…and they DO say you will have to start completely over from Day One. I have literally had a spoon of buttercream icing ripped out of my hand by a conscientious objector. On that note, TELL EVERYONE YOU SEE. You know how vegans tell everyone they’re practicing veganism? Probably because they need their friends to help them stick to their dietary change or they would lock themselves in the utility closet at work with a handful of Slim Jims and pork rinds in a moment of meat-induced weakness. So tell your biggest cheerleaders that you are embarking on this challenge and let them encourage you. The positive reinforcement is one of the best parts of the Whole30 because people will see your willpower and your dedication. It’s not easy. Certainly not for foodies like me—when I say icing was forcefully removed from my iron grip, that is no exaggeration. There will also be a point in time when you will dream about sugar-laden delectables. This is normal—this is your body mourning the loss of a certain way of life while your mind embraces the new routine. STAY ON TRACK!

If you need inspiration and encouragement, feel free to watch my vlogs whenever you need to! They cover how I felt day to day, how you will feel if you happen to get a cold during the challenge, and how reinforce how amazing you are for taking this day by day for yourself and your health!

I will also be periodically posting paleo and whole30 approved recipes to inspire you throughout your journey! 

Turmeric Rubbed Chicken with a Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients: For the Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tbs turmeric
1 tbs red pepper chili flakes
1/2 tsps red cayenne pepper
1 tbs chopped basil
1/2 tsps coarse salt
2 limes
1 clove minced garlic

Combine tumeric, chili flakes, cayenne and salt in a bowl and coat chicken evenly, rubbing in the spices. In a pan on medium heat, heat 1 tbs Sesame Oil (or coconut oil) and garlic. Sautee chicken evenly on both sides until golden brown, and baste with lime juice when they are done.

Ingredients for the Salsa:

2 ripe mangoes
2 ripe avocados
1 red onion
10 grape tomatoes (optional)
1 tbs chopped cilantro
1 clove minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime

Dice all ingredients and combine in bowl. Serve cold or warmed overtop chicken.

BUTT-KICKIN RESOURCES:

The WHOLE Whole30

What to Expect Day by Day

Recipes/Meal Plans

Business Insider Article about What the Whole30 is Like

My personal experience with the Whole30:

Days 1-10 Vlog

Days 11-20 Vlog