Whole30 Round 2: Update & Grocery Haul!

As many of you may have seen over on Instagram.... I'm embarking on my second Whole30 starting January 1st!  I'm really excited this time around, since there are SO many people starting at the same time.  That means lots of people sharing recipes, motivation, "what I ate" posts, etc. on social media sites, which is going to be so helpful to keep me going!

Creamy Spiced Butternut Squash Soup {Paleo}

Since receiving a new camera for my Master's graduation, I have been so much happier with my blog photos.  My older recipes, though still awesome in flavor, have sad old pictures taken with an old iPhone... not the best for selling the beauty of a dish!

I decided to slowly update some of my older posts that might have been missed by some of my newer readers, or skipped due to their not-so-pretty pictures.  Here's an old favorite of mine that has gotten great reviews... Butternut Squash Soup!

Whole30 Eats: Packaged Protein

In honor of the new year coming up, I decided to do another "Whole30 Eats" post.  (See my previous post here: Whole30 Eats: Precooked Meats)

Photo from the Whole30 website:  whole30.com

Many people embark on a Whole30 program challenge at this time of year; and others commit to cleaning up their diet since the holidays are coming to a close.  Whether you are completing a Whole30 or not, all of these meats are great options for anyone who follows a "clean eating" or Paleo diet.

Protein can be time-consuming to prepare, but is necessary to have on hand for quick lunches and dinners.  I love that each of these products can be found at a variety of stores for a good value (especially Costco!)... but my favorite thing is how much they simplify meal prepping.  Because let's all admit it~ while it's fun to make things from scratch... sometimes it's just not realistic!

Friday Five: Winter Skincare Favorites

First things first... I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!  Each & every one of you who has taken the time to support my blog in some way is a friend of mine~  & I wish you all a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.

Please don't hesitate to send any blog post requests my way, especially as we approach the "fresh start" season, when so many of us embark on Whole30 and healthy eating challenges.  If there are any types of recipes or tip posts you think would help you out on your journey, I would love to help!

For today's post, I thought I would share a "Friday Five" for those of you who share in the struggle of dry/dehydrated skin in the winter.  I have super sensitive skin in general~ but dryness just makes everything much worse.

These products have been life-savers for making my skin look & feel more hydrated when I'm most desperate:

Click the product names below for more info!

Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed bell peppers make a super versatile dish, perfect for Paleo eaters.  Mix up whatever filling you'd like, with meat & vegetables of your choice, cut open some peppers, and bake 'em.  

For this recipe, I chose to go with an "enchilada" flavor profile.  I added the spices I would use for a red enchilada sauce, then combined it with tomatoes, green bell peppers, and cauliflower rice to bulk it up a bit.  I decided to shred up rotisserie chicken for this dish since we had one on hand- but you could easily grill up your own chicken for shredding.  

German Chocolate Cake Bars (Paleo)

I recently asked my friends over on Instagram what they'd like to see here on the blog in the near future, and I got a couple of requests for Paleo-friendly holiday treats that could be packaged up for loved ones.  Since anything "German chocolate" is a favorite around here, I decided to come up with a bar version that could easily be sliced, plated, and given away.

Paleo Biscuits & Gravy

I was a pretty picky eater growing up.  For many foods I would decide that I "didn't like that", without ever even trying it.  Biscuits & gravy was one of those dishes I decided sounded gross and did not want to try....

Fast forward 15 years & I'm living with the man of my dreams, whose all-time favorite pre-Paleo breakfast was biscuits & gravy.  After creating amazing Paleo Drop Biscuits, a "biscuits & gravy" dish was the next logical step.  So I made it, had Dathan do all of the taste testing, ate it begrudgingly..... and fell in love.

Holiday Gift Guide 2014

Something new for the just Jessie B blog... a holiday gift guide!  

I compiled a list of gifts that I thought some of my loved ones would enjoy... and hopefully yours would too.  :)  It's organized by different "types" of people you might be shopping for, with a few of my recommendations for each.

I hope you find my guide helpful, and that you get a few new ideas to add to your shopping list this year!

The Athlete