Lent is underway, and this year, I have given up spirits and weekday (Monday to Thursday) drinking in general. This isn’t to say that drinking is a problem because it’s not, BUT I have just started to find myself not feeling very good after one beer/drink at dinner later that night or the next morning, so I think a break would do my body some good. And in the conversations that Frankie and I have been having regarding the removal and giving up of foods we know are not the best for us, we’ve seriously considered doing the Whole30 in March!

A lot of our friends are doing it right now, or have told us about how they did it recently, and the positive changes that it has made for them, and since our impending wedding is making us both more health conscious, Frankie thinks we should try it to help get a jump start on things! Since I am already getting back into a more consistent workout regime (also, not to plug, but I’m going to plug, the SWEAT App, specifically Kelsey Wells’ PWR Workout Program is LEGIT mind-blowing! Some of the best workouts I’ve been getting most recently!), it seems like a good idea!! So, in March, look out for Whole30 posts & weekly summaries to come, and hopefully, if you are already thinking about doing something like it, my own experience might sway you one way or the other. Plus, it’ll be a GREAT way for me to practice my willpower and not spend money out on food for a while. And naturally, I’ll be nothing but honest about my experience and will try to keep a day-to-day summary of what I’m eating, how I’m feeling, etc. I just want to be accurate and detailed if something like this can be helpful to you dear readers!

As for our Fat Tuesday indulgence? Well, while we were in Breckinridge over the weekend, we happened to make a quick visit over to Ft. Collins and visit with Frankie’s older sister Katrina, and his youngest brother, Ed! Well, Ed is a fabulous cook as well, and he decided to make gumbo for Fat Tuesday at Katrina’s house, and while I was not able to actually eat any of the gumbo that he made, I did get to taste the soupy broth before we left for the airport to come back to Chicago, and was instantly like “this, I need to make this as soon as I get home.” So I did!

Ed got the recipe from Munchies, and I will tell you now, when it says 3-hour simmer, it means a 3-hour simmer, and you’ll want to do a 3-hour simmer. I also had no idea that a roux could get as complex and deliciously deep in flavors as this one did! Oh, and Grapeseed oil is my new favorite oil! Ed told me that it is a great substitute from olive oil when you’re stir-frying or cooking anything on high heat because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil, so it won’t get that bitter burnt taste as easily! I wouldn’t replace olive oil entirely with it, but it’s nice to have an alternative when cooking on high heat! And the gumbo itself was so delicious, that I don’t think I’ll ever keep another gumbo recipe handy (though Frankie did gift me with a true Louisiana/New Orleans Cookbook, so I will definitely have to peruse and compare one of these days). But if you’re looking for something rich, elegant, and hearty as get all, this is the recipe to try next, without a doubt! Enjoy my fellow eaters! – Cooking Maggie

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo from Munchies