Happy New Year! I hope 2016 is off to a great start for you.

I know many of you will be thinking of positive changes that you want to make this year, so I thought I would share a little about my health journey. I had some complications after my oldest daughter was born and felt fatigued, sore, and if I'm honest with you, grumpy, for her entire first year of life. I kept thinking that once I got more rest I would start feeling better. . . but that never happened. I read about the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) and decided to give it a try last Christmas. It was hard doing such an intense food modification around the holidays, but I was desperate to feel more like myself, and eating stinky cod for breakfast seemed like the least of my worries. I followed AIP for 3 months and felt amazing by the end. I continue to feel healthy and energetic despite having interrupted sleep and two little ones to chase. I know a change in eating habits made a huge difference for me.

I've spoken to a few friends who are planning to start Whole30® soon to jump-start their health in 2016. AIP and Whole30 are very similar, although AIP has stricter guidelines as it is used to determine food sensitivities as well. If you are used to reaching for a bowl of cereal or piece of bread to finish off your meal, then you might find yourself perpetually hungry on Whole30. (Whole30 emphasizes non-processed foods and increased intake of meats and whole foods like fruits and vegetables.) I wanted to share some healthy ideas that help you stay full!

Sweet potatoes- Can't eat cereal for breakfast? Sweet potato hash. Can't eat a tortilla with your taco? Baked sweet potatoes. Can't eat rice with your meat? Diced sweet potatoes. You get the idea. These are a staple at our house!
Coconut milk- Dairy is off limits on Whole30, but coconut milk is a great substitute to add creaminess to recipes or to use in smoothies. Cartons of coconut milk typically contain additives, so I prefer canned.
Homemade bone broth- Store bought broth has a lot of water, but homemade bone broth is so healthy and incredibly filling!
Smoothies with collagen- Smoothies are a great way to increase your veggie intake and adding collagen protein is a fantastic way to fill up and improve your health. The collagen thickens your smoothie, so I add extra water to mine.
Almond butter- We are fans of almond butter around my house. It's a great substitute to Thai dishes that traditionally call for peanut butter or tastes great with sliced apples as a snack. Avoid brands that contain added sugar and look for blanched almonds- they taste the best!

Happy eating!

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I'm going to be honest with you. Even with two children at home, I thought I would have more free time for myself. I know you moms of two or more children are laughing at me. Free time? Coordinating naps? Good sleep? Yeah. So thanks for sticking with me as I write blog posts in five-minute snippets.

I've got a great one-pot-wonder meal to share with you that cooks effortlessly in the oven and requires no special instructions, complicated ingredients, or constant stirring. This meal is easy, yummy, and feeds everyone in our family, including opinionated toddlers.

I've adapted it from a recipe found in Danielle Walker's Meals Made Simple, which is my go-to recipe book for 2-3 nights a week. (Well it was my go-to. We're still getting some yummy meals delivered from friends and then just eating leftovers and scraps from the pantry currently. . .)

Ingredients:

Whole chicken for roasting (I prefer an organic, free-range)
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 Tb coconut oil or ghee
3 tsp course sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Place in roasting pan.
Stuff lemon, onion, and garlic inside chicken.
Melt coconut oil/ghee and pour over chicken.
Season outside of chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme.
Cook for 35 minutes, add carrots and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Voila! I promise you will feel like a grown-up with your fancy chicken and won't spend all day in the kitchen. We often add rice, fruit, or salad as an additional side. If you have some extra time, you could whip up this delicious pumpkin beer bread recipe from my dear friend Kristen.

A few tips to make things extra yummy (and easy):

Substitute baby carrots if you want to avoid peeling and cutting.
Leave the lid OFF the pan to make sure the skin gets browned and crunchy.
Slice the chicken to serve and then pour the broth from the pan over it for added flavor.

Enjoy!

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