Whole30, day 7: Haddock & roasted vegetables

Yay! I finished my first week. That alone makes me feel good. The only thing that bugs me, is that I'm not allowed to weigh myself. I am really curious. But...I won't do it. I took this challenge, and I will complete this, including every single rule.

Is it my imagination or am I sleeping better? I went to bed last night at 12 and woke up, fully rested at 7:30. Normally, I wouldn't be rested with less than 8 hours of sleep, especially not in march. I'm better with less sleep in the summer. The early morning sun usually gives me more energy. But in this time of year, I always feel I have to hibernate, sleep for hours and hours...so I was a little confused when I woke this early. Oh well, more time to do stuff!

Stuffed Sardines

A few years ago, while on holiday in Italy, I ate fresh sardines for the first time. Before that I only had these little fish out of a can. Such a waste, because they're very tasty and versatile when fresh. And very hard to get. Sardines are not very popular in Holland. We eat the look-alikes (herring, raw and fermented) a lot, but not sardines, so the fishmongers hardly ever sell them. Last week I told my boyfriend how I would love to have some sardines again and the next day, while shopping at our local market, I saw them. A big pile of fresh sardines! How's that for coincidence (or was it fate...hmm...)?

Super fast smoked fish salad

This recipe is great for lunch on the go. Because it has no leaves in it, it won't go limp if you don't eat it right away. And best of all: it's really easy to make!

You can use any kind of smoked fish you want. I chose smoked trout for this recipe, but I'm sure some smoked mackerel will be just as good. Or even smoked chicken. It's just that the smokiness is so good with the freshness of the rest of the ingrediënts.

Onion and garlic stuffed trout with bacon

I love the versatility of trout. If you buy a nice fresh trout, you can stuff it with a great variety of herbs, spices, vegetables...you name it and it can be put in or on a trout and it immediately changes the flavor of the fish. Meditarenean trout, Asian trout, whatever you want. This recipe, which uses bacon to seal, is incredible.