In case you missed it, I embarked on a three week elimination diet to identify how my body responds to the four foods that were identified as sensitivities on my blood work: gluten, dairy, beef, and eggs. (Read the post My Elimination Diet to learn more about elimination diets and why I did one.) I also wanted to do this experiment as a way to personally prove to myself that I really could make a change in my lifestyle, since I don’t plan to make these foods a regular part of my diet again. Over the next three posts, I will document the meals I made each day, the recipes, and my thoughts on the recipes.
Overall Thoughts for the week
Week 1 was super rough. My husband came down with strep throat the week before, and then immediately came down with acute bronchitis a few days after. His bronchitis became so bad during the week that there was three days in a row where he didn’t sleep at all (and I slept very little!) We were stressed and exhausted, so it made it difficult to analyze how I was feeling and if there was any improvement to how I felt.
If I hadn’t made a full plan for what I was going to make for each meal, I think I may not have made it through. Starting the diet and also refraining from caffeine was a tough combination. It really helped to have a few recipes lined up that lasted for a couple of meals.
Even though I had researched, planned out all of my meals, and started the week with the ingredients I needed, I was honestly still worried that I would be hungry. All the time! I definitely noticed that I felt more hungry in between meals, but it was a good type of hungry — an actual hungry — and not just the ready to eat the next meal type of hungry.
Here’s the meals I had for Week 1!
Monday
Breakfast: I made a version of this recipe: Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Onion Hash. My version was to use Aidell’s Chicken & Apple Sausage, half of 1 large sweet potato, red onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of sage. Served with avocado and raspberries.
My thoughts: This was a great way to kick off the week. I had become accustomed to eating eggs in the mornings since I had started eliminating dairy and gluten, which cuts out cereal for the most part. Eggs had become my go-to fast meal for breakfast. This sweet and savory hash was a good choice to start the off the transition from eggs.
Lunch: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with supergreens and corn tortillas
My thoughts: I loved this super easy way to make chicken fajitas — why haven’t I made them on a cookie sheet before?? The spice mix is great. This recipe has already been put into the meal rotation.
Dinner: Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce with jasmine brown rice
My thoughts: Basil, chicken, coconut curry…you can’t go wrong with that combination! This recipe didn’t turn out quite the way I wanted, was hoping it would be creamer. Definitely worth experimenting with though. Next time I’ll try using one can of coconut cream in place of coconut milk to see if that helps.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Smoky Sweet Potato & Bacon Bowl with avocado and raspberries
My thoughts: Delicious combo of salty and sweet and easy to make. Will be making again.
Lunch: Leftovers of Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce with brown rice, super greens, and avocado
Dinner: Leftovers of Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with supergreens and corn tortillas
Wednesday
Breakfast: Coconut Flour Pancakes Pancakes with pears and bacon
My thoughts: These “pancakes” were probably my biggest fail of the diet. I haven’t attempted pancakes or baked goods before using the vegan options in place of eggs. Will be something I have to work on. I tried making these pancakes with almond milk and half banana/flaxseed egg mix…and they just sort of mushed and crumbled. But they ended up tasting similar to a banana muffin, so with a little drizzle of maple syrup they worked out!
Lunch: Leftovers of Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce with brown rice, super greens, and avocado
Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
My thoughts: My husband made this recipe for me on my birthday a couple of years ago and it has been one of our favorite recipes ever since. The guacamole salsa is perfect with the grilled salmon. I usually make extra guac so that I can enjoy it over a few days!
Thursday
Breakfast: Spiced Chocolate Pear Overnight Oats
My thoughts: Meh. The idea was good. Chocolate and fruit combos always have potential. But I think the recipe called for way too much cocoa powder. If I was going to try it again, I would probably cut the cocoa powder amount in half. I don’t think I liked it enough to give it another try. I would like to experiment more with overnight oats, though.
Lunch: Coleman Basil & Roasted Garlic Meatballs (I get them from Costco), leftover guacamole salsa, kiwi, and supergreens
My thoughts: These chicken meatballs are great to have on hand even though they are a little pricey. They are one of the few precooked meals that I have found at Costco that are organic and don’t contain any gluten or dairy. When they go on sale on Costco I usually buy at least a couple of packages and freeze them.
Dinner: Asian Chicken Noodle Stir-fry
My thoughts: YUM! I adapted this from a recipe I have made before, took out the mushrooms and added green beans, and improved the sauce. Made us feel like we were eating out while still getting lots of vegetables into our meal!
Friday
Breakfast: I made a version of this recipe, Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Onion Hash. My version was to use chicken & apple sausage, half of 1 large sweet potato, red onion, garlic, and sprinkling of sage. Served with avocado.
Lunch: Leftovers of Asian Chicken Noodle Stir-fry
Dinner: Night out with the hubs! Chicken and spicy lamb meatball bowl with brown rice and supergreens at Cava Mezze Grill
Saturday
Breakfast: Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Pancakes with blueberries, blackberries, bananas, and bacon
My thoughts: These pancakes turned the best of the ones I had tried. They use gluten free flour (I scored a big bag of Bob’s Red Mill GF flour at Costco). I used unsweetened applesauce and a little bit of flaxmeal and some cinnamon which gave them an apple cinnamon pancake vibe. Not bad. Also, had my first cup of coffee for the week with almond milk.
Lunch: Drunken Chicken Noodles at Thai Tada
My thoughts: I can eat one of my favorite meals at one of my favorite restaurants on my elimination diet? Maybe this isn’t so bad. Yes, I ate it all. Perfect Saturday treat.
Dinner: Dinner with family! They were serving beef pot roast, which looked delicious but I couldn’t have, so I brought along some of my sundried tomato chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s and an avocado to eat alongside the baby potatoes and salad. Yummy!
Sunday
Breakfast: Leftovers of Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Pancakes with blackberries
Lunch: Creamy & Smoky Chipotle Pork Chops with supergreens and roasted sweet potatoes
My thoughts: Oh my goodness, this was so good. The spicy chipotle with the coconut milk was a tasty combination. When I make sweet potatoes as a side I chop them up into bite-sized pieces and cook them with coconut oil, salt and pepper, and garlic.
Dinner: Neither of us felt like cooking, so we both snacked on whatever looked good. I made a Triple Berry Almond Smoothie (recipe on the back of my almond milk carton) in the afternoon and for dinner warmed up some of the Roasted Garlic & Basil chicken meatballs with marinara sauce and supergreens on the side.
Thoughts and recipes for Week 2 are now up!
Pin this!
Leave a Reply