Italian Sausage and Zucchini Ragout with A Fried Egg

This is another example of a recipe that came about due to leftovers in the fridge + it’s cold and I need comfort + I want some freakin tomatoes in my life. One of my Nerd Fitness buddies said the description looked like exactly what he was wanting, so I figured you guys might like it too.

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Italian Sausage and Zucchini Ragout with A Fried Egg

Tomato sauce – I actually used a sugar and crap-free jarred prepared variety of marinara (a standard sized glass jar full) and doctored it up with spices because I wanted to see if it could be done without tasting horrible. It wasn’t bad, but I would have much preferred the fresh marinara from this recipe – sans wine, or from this recipe as-is

1 – 1.5 lbs. hot Italian sausage (check your ingredients!)
10 ounces to a pound of crimini (or button) mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 eggs
Salt & pepper
Coconut oil or grassfed butter
Red pepper flakes

Set a large tall-sided pan over medium heat. Slip the sausages out of their skins into the pan and break up with a spoon into small bits. Brown. Drain most of the fat and add the onions and mushrooms. Sautee until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are beginning to break down.

Add the tomato sauce and stir. Taste for seasoning – add salt, pepper and red pepper as needed. Cover. Drop the heat to a simmer and let go 20 minutes to half an hour.

In a separate pan, heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, hit with salt and pepper and sautee – stirring frequently – 5 minutes or until al-dente. Add to a bowl.

Heat a Tablespoon or so of coconut oil or butter over medium heat. Add the eggs and fry to your liking, seasoning with salt & pepper as you go.

To assemble: zucchini chunks on the bottom, top with a generous half cup or so of sauce, and top with the eggs.

Whole30 2 – Day 11

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Day 11 on Whole30 was ok, I suppose. I missed my smoothie terribly, and stress has me *still* craving a cigarette & a Reese’s Nutrageous. And I still want the salsa that doesn’t exist in this state.

Breakfast

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Sad face. No smoothie today, or tomorrow.

Lunch 

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Leftover Italian sausage & mushroom ragu.

Dinner

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Balsamic beef with broiled broccolini.

After Dinner Snack

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1 ounce plain almonds.

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Whole30 2 – Day 10

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Day 10 on Whole30 was another day a hairsbreadth away from disaster. Bad planning on my part and lack of communication between my DH and I almost led to my hangries reaching out and eating people on the train.

Breakfast

My typical weekday breakfast – one of my DH’s green smoothies. These days, we’re eating them sans banana and plus the juice of 1 lime. Yum.

Lunch 

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The last of the Double Beef Chili I made last week.

Post Lunch Snack

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This was supposed to be my post-workout pre-meeting snack to stem the tide of hangries I knew I’d face if I was forced to go the whole hour train ride between home and my meeting with no food. But noooooo, Blue Diamond had to go and put corn maltodextrin in their sea salt nuts.

Asshats.

And, if I would have known my DH wasn’t all that hungry, I’d have grabbed some balsamic beef to chow down on while traveling.

So, I was hangry. Hangry and fighting car sickness with every stop. Fun times.

Dinner

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I had roughly half an hour to grab dinner & wolf it down. Luckily, there was a BBQ joint within walking distance (even in 17 degree weather). I had most of our 3/4 lb. order of pulled pork + a cup of collards. I barely tasted it all, but I’m fairly certain it was delicious.

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Whole30 2 – Day 9

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Day 9 on Whole30 wasn’t bad. I finally got to try the balsamic beef I’ve been thinking about for weeks, and lunch was some great leftovers.

Breakfast

My typical weekday breakfast – one of my DH’s green smoothies. These days, we’re eating them sans banana and plus the juice of 1 lime. Yum.

Lunch 

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Leftover Double Beef Chili from last week.

Dinner

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Balsamic beef with Brussels sprouts & bacon.

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Whole30 2 – Day 8

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Day 8 on Whole30 wasn’t bad, despite a blind restaurant pick that could have been disastrous.

Breakfast

My typical weekday breakfast – one of my DH’s green smoothies. These days, we’re eating them sans banana and plus the juice of 1 lime. Yum.

Lunch 

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A repeat of Friday – broccoli slaw/kale/chicken salad with balsamic vinegar & grapeseed oil.

Post Lunch Snack

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1 ounce plain almonds.

Dinner

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Dinner could have been disastrous. My husband and I had a last minute change up of plans and ended up needing to eat out in an unfamiliar, primarily Russian, neighborhood. We took a chance on a restaurant with a pirate outside and I ended up getting a whole pan fried fish with grilled vegetables. Score!

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Whole30 2 – Day 7

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Day 7 on Whole30 wasn’t bad. Day 3 of craving salsa (specifically, a type of salsa from a deli department in a state I no longer live in), but not bad food – wise.

Breakfast

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Breakfast at the diner – steak & eggs. I was supposed to get salsa, but the waitress forgot and I was too hungry to complain. Black coffee on the side.

Lunch 

I skipped lunch – breakfast was late and I was busy.

Dinner

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Dinner was a couple of pan cooked minute steaks with a small grated sweet potato, hand full of fresh spinach & Louisiana brand hot sauce.

After Dinner Snack

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Half an orange, split with the dog.

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Double Beef Winter Chili

There’s nothing better than coming home to a big bowl of beefy chili come winter. This slow cooker version uses root vegetables for bulk and some added umami-rich boosters for extra flavor. Whole30 compliant and delicious.

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Double Beef Winter Chili

1 pound grass fed stew beef
1 pound grass fed ground beef
4 parsnips (about 1 pound)
2 carrots (about 2 cups)
4 stalks celery
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
2 (15 ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes – with or without chiles (I used Muir Glen)
2 Tbsp. Red Boat fish sauce
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
4 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 big pinches Kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper

Brown your beef(s) and add to a 6 quart crockpot when done. Chop the parsnips, carrots, onion and celery into roughly half-inch pieces and add to the pot when done. Chop the garlic and add. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine, adding a can of water if your mixture looks dry.

Set on low for 8 hours and go to work. Come home and enjoy!

Whole30 2 – Day 6

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Day 6 on Whole30 was challenging. An impromptu Ikea trip and dinner booked months ago sought to trip me up, but I persevered.

Breakfast

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No smoothie today. Sugar-free bacon + eggs cooked in grass fed butter. Yum.

Lunch 

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Went to Ikea, and this was the only thing on the menu I could safely eat (ish). I ate the smoked salmon, and everything in the salad but the green peas & kidney beans.

Dinner

Months ago, we booked a dinner cruise. I completely forgot said cruise when signing up to do a Whole30. Luckily, the limited menu had options I could work with.

Kale Caesar salad with fresh dressing, which may or may not have had a trace of (non-compliant) Dijon. What I ate:

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My discard pile:

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Bouillabaisse – luckily, pretty compliant. Traditionally, this soup isn’t made with wine – and I didn’t taste any. Nice and spicy.

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My discard pile: potatoes.

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The whoopie pie I didn’t eat, which strangely made me crave a cigarette like no one’s business. I have not smoked in over 4 years and haven’t craved a cigarette in recent memory. Something about being pent up on a boat and unable to leave + my brain’s own crossed wiring gave me tight lungs and the beginning of the panics. Fun times.

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All in all, a pretty successful dinner. I managed to avoid the hot bourbon toddy with local honey I wanted, said no to dessert, and found some most likely compliant food on the menu; and all it cost me was some lung distress.

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Whole30 2 – Day 5

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Day 5 on Whole30 was a little challenging. I had to pick around non-conforming lunch items & really compromise when it came to dinner.

Breakfast

My typical weekday breakfast – one of my DH’s green smoothies. These days, we’re eating them sans banana and plus the juice of 1 lime. Yum.

Lunch 

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Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad with Chicken with the sweetened cranberries picked out and a simple dressing made of lemon juice, balsamic & grapeseed oil.

Post Lunch Snack

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Almonds

Dinner

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A big compromise. I wanted salsa with every single tastebud – but had nothing even coming close to that. So, I made a mashed sweet potato & avocado bowl with salsa-y spices & a burger patty. It was delicious and satisfying.

After Dinner Snack

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More almonds. I need more snacks.

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Arugula & Orange Salad with Pulled Pork and Tomato

This salad came about because, here in January, I couldn’t stand not eating tomato any longer. Enter Fresh Direct. They tempted me with a beefsteak tomato – that while fairly costly, was actually fresh and actually tasted like tomato. Not sure if it was hot house (there was no mention in the description and it certainly didn’t taste like it), magic fairy house, or teleported from somewhere warm – but it was delicious. Just the breath of warm I was craving.

I ate this for lunch on my second day of Whole30 Take 2 – and didn’t feel deprived in the least.

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Arugula & Orange Salad with Pulled Pork and Tomato

2 cups arugula
1 tomato – I used a big beefsteak
1 orange – I used a Cava Cava orange, which was delicious – blood orange would also be great here, or clementine — any orange with a lot of taste
2 Tbsp. gremolata
2 tsp. grapeseed oil
4 ounces leftover pulled pork 

Supreme (cut off the outer rind and slice out each wedge individually – for video instructions, click here) your orange and cut the pieces into bite-sized chunks.

Cut the tomato into bite-sized chunks.

Warm your pork if needed.

Chuck the arugula, pork, tomato and orange into a big bowl and toss to combine.

Sprinkle with gremolata, the juice from the orange middle, and grapeseed oil.

Serves 1 for lunch.