Kelly’s Whole30 Thoughts/Suggestions/Tips Here are some of my thoughts and tips about my Whole30 experience (for what it’s worth). Not an expert and you may disagree, but these were some of my thoughts, questions and challenges going through the Whole30 that I thought might be helpful. Why do a whole30? – After doing a lot of reading and being part of facebook groups and reading blogs, people do whole30 and elimination diets for many reasons. Some to lose weight, some for medical reasons etc. etc. I found that doing the strict 30 days was helpful because it forced me into a new relationship with food. If you haven’t been eating clean, whole non-processed food before this point you have more addictions to food than you realize. I realized how addicted to sugar I was and after 30 days I no longer craved that food and I could really taste food properly. Doing a whole30 is like starting boot camp. If you are all in, it makes it so much more a part of your life which will give you a better relationship with food after the initial 30 days, even if you decide to add in some of your favorite non-paleo foods. After the initial shock of feeling like there is nothing you can eat, you start looking at food differently and realize all the food you can eat and it totally changes your viewpoint. Don’t think about what you CAN’T eat, think about all the awesome food you CAN eat. What I love most about Whole30/Paleo living – I have lost weight eating real, tasty food without counting calories or points. Food is no longer a controlling factor in my life and that has never happened before and I have gone through many stages of unhealthy eating in my life (both eating too much and too little). What’s the difference between Whole30 and Paleo? – Whole30 is a VERY strict version of eating Paleo. If you are eating Paleo you probably already have a pretty good relationship with food so eating some honey, natural maple syrup, or Paleo baked goods will not mess with your system. During the Whole30 this isn’t allowed and SWYPO food isn’t either (see below). What’s the deal with SWYPO food?- When I did my first whole30 I didn’t really understand why you couldn’t drink healthy smoothies, eat paleo pancakes etc. etc. I slowly realized that those foods are easy substitutes for their less healthy counterparts. Plus, if you chew your food and really think about what you are eating it makes a bigger impact on your day, life, etc. and you will slowly start to really enjoy “real” food vs. “quick” food. If you are eating paleo pancakes, you are not eating a good size portion of protein, veggies and healthy fat. Once you change your relationship with food, these options aren’t a big deal anymore and you are less likely to eat a huge stack of paleo pancakes, so adding those in sometimes isn’t as big a deal. Biggest challenges I faced with Whole30 - There is nothing quick about eating clean, real food. In our busy lives, I found this to be the most challenging aspect (and still do, though it has gotten easier). Every week needs to be planned or I would be without food. There is very little you can pick up at a store to eat that is Whole30 compliant. The first week was painful, since it felt like a detox and I felt like crap. I was VERY addicted to carbs and sugar so getting those out of my system was painful. I had more trouble working out and I really could not see how I was going to continue exercising at the gym while eating this way. It got better and it wasn’t a problem after the first two weeks. I gradually started feeling better and better. Thankfully I don’t drink coffee and I gave up diet coke in January (which was a huge feat for a chronic diet coke drinker), but I have heard this is very challenging for lots of people. I have heard people using coconut milk (full fat, in the can) and drinking bullet proof coffee, but I have no experience with this. I hated all the dishes that I constantly needed to clean! Also, it was challenging figuring out cooking for my family. After the first 30 days, I figured out a better system that would work for me long term to feed myself and my family (that wasn’t quite as much work as the first 30 days). I cook non-whole30 for them sometimes and I eat left overs
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Kelly’s Whole30 Thoughts/Suggestions/Tips
Here are some of my thoughts and tips about my Whole30 experience (for what it’s worth). Not an expert and you
may disagree, but these were some of my thoughts, questions and challenges going through the Whole30 that I
thought might be helpful.
Why do a whole30? – After doing a lot of reading and being part of facebook groups and reading blogs, people do
whole30 and elimination diets for many reasons. Some to lose weight, some for medical reasons etc. etc. I found
that doing the strict 30 days was helpful because it forced me into a new relationship with food. If you haven’t been
eating clean, whole non-processed food before this point you have more addictions to food than you realize. I
realized how addicted to sugar I was and after 30 days I no longer craved that food and I could really taste food
properly. Doing a whole30 is like starting boot camp. If you are all in, it makes it so much more a part of your life
which will give you a better relationship with food after the initial 30 days, even if you decide to add in some of your
favorite non-paleo foods. After the initial shock of feeling like there is nothing you can eat, you start looking at food
differently and realize all the food you can eat and it totally changes your viewpoint. Don’t think about what you
CAN’T eat, think about all the awesome food you CAN eat.
What I love most about Whole30/Paleo living – I have lost weight eating real, tasty food without counting calories or
points. Food is no longer a controlling factor in my life and that has never happened before and I have gone through
many stages of unhealthy eating in my life (both eating too much and too little).
What’s the difference between Whole30 and Paleo? – Whole30 is a VERY strict version of eating Paleo. If you are
eating Paleo you probably already have a pretty good relationship with food so eating some honey, natural maple
syrup, or Paleo baked goods will not mess with your system. During the Whole30 this isn’t allowed and SWYPO food
isn’t either (see below).
What’s the deal with SWYPO food?- When I did my first whole30 I didn’t really understand why you couldn’t drink
healthy smoothies, eat paleo pancakes etc. etc. I slowly realized that those foods are easy substitutes for their less
healthy counterparts. Plus, if you chew your food and really think about what you are eating it makes a bigger impact
on your day, life, etc. and you will slowly start to really enjoy “real” food vs. “quick” food. If you are eating paleo
pancakes, you are not eating a good size portion of protein, veggies and healthy fat. Once you change your
relationship with food, these options aren’t a big deal anymore and you are less likely to eat a huge stack of paleo
pancakes, so adding those in sometimes isn’t as big a deal.
Biggest challenges I faced with Whole30 - There is nothing quick about eating clean, real food. In our busy lives, I
found this to be the most challenging aspect (and still do, though it has gotten easier). Every week needs to be
planned or I would be without food. There is very little you can pick up at a store to eat that is Whole30 compliant.
The first week was painful, since it felt like a detox and I felt like crap. I was VERY addicted to carbs and sugar so
getting those out of my system was painful. I had more trouble working out and I really could not see how I was
going to continue exercising at the gym while eating this way. It got better and it wasn’t a problem after the first two
weeks. I gradually started feeling better and better.
Thankfully I don’t drink coffee and I gave up diet coke in January (which was a huge feat for a chronic diet coke
drinker), but I have heard this is very challenging for lots of people. I have heard people using coconut milk (full fat, in
the can) and drinking bullet proof coffee, but I have no experience with this.
I hated all the dishes that I constantly needed to clean! Also, it was challenging figuring out cooking for my family.
After the first 30 days, I figured out a better system that would work for me long term to feed myself and my family
(that wasn’t quite as much work as the first 30 days). I cook non-whole30 for them sometimes and I eat left overs
and we all eat the same thing the rest of the time. I would love them to eat whole30/paleo with me all the time, but I
have to tackle me first before I hear the complaints of my husband and children!
Every single person choosing to eat this way will have different challenges since everyone does it for different reasons
and has a different lifestyle.
Resources I used during my Whole30 and now– “It starts with food” (of course). All my recipes came from Pinterest
(if you don’t use it already, I highly recommend). I actually don’t own a Paleo/Whole30 cookbook. I started a Paleo
board in Pinterest and most of the recipes are Whole30 compliant (just be careful because many recipes have honey
which isn’t allowed during Whole30). I joined a facebook group called Whole30 recipe exchange. Here are some
great websites (not all the recipes or websites are whole30, but I found them helpful): whole30.com,
1 ¼ lbs ground turkey or Ground beef or mixture of both
1 yellow onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking Instructions:
In a large deep skillet brown ground turkey or ground beef over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook
until softened. Add tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Stir together until the mixture is combined. Pour in the
chicken broth. Add oregano, basil, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and butter. Mix well.
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil 4 tsp dijon mustard 6 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper zest and juice of 2 lemons 4 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
Whisk together olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon. Pour over chicken and refrigerate for 2-12 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done.
Mustard Balsamic Baked Chicken
Ingredients
8 boneless chicken thighs;
1 tbsp. Dijon or homemade mustard;
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar;
1/2 cup of olive oil;
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice;
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced;
1 garlic clove, minced;
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; Preparation
1. In a bowl, combine the mustard, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, and season to taste with salt
and pepper.
2. Slowly pour the olive oil in with the mixture while whisking.
3. Place the chicken in a marinating container (glass or plastic; don’t use metal) and pour the mustard balsamic
marinade on top. Place in the refrigerator or leave on the counter, covered, and marinate for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 375 F.
5. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and empty the remaining sauce on top.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked.
Directions: Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!
Grill preparation: Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat Coconut oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Tropical flank steak
Ingredients
o 1/3 cup pineapple juice
o 1/3 cup coconut aminos (like soy sauce, found in Asian section or health/gluten free section)
o 1/4 cup chopped chives or thinly sliced green onions
o 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
o 1 clove garlic, minced
o 1 to 1 1/2 pounds flank steak (allow about 3 ounces per person)
o Oil or cooking spray for grate
Instructions
1. In a gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag, place the pineapple juice, soy sauce or coconut aminos, chives or green
onions, ginger, and garlic. Add steak (frozen if you wish) to bag. Seal and place in a bowl, dish, or in your camp
cooler and marinate for at least 3 hours, turning once if possible.
2. Heat grill to high.
3. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade. Coat or spray grate with oil. Grill 16 to 20 minutes or to desired
doneness, turning a few times and basting with reserved marinade.
4. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly across the grain.
5. For a make-ahead meal, freeze meat and marinade in the bag. Defrost in refrigerator before grilling.
Chocolate Chili (From my cookbook Well Fed: Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat)
Prep 20 min | Cook 2-3 hours | Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth
1 cup water
(Note from Kelly; I add a ton of veggies to this, zucchini, carrots whatever)
Directions:
1. Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add onions, stir
with a wooden spoon and cook until they’re translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and as soon as it’s fragrant,
about 30 seconds, crumble the ground meat into the pan with your hands, mixing with the wooden spoon to
combine. Continue to cook the meat, stirring often, until it’s no longer pink.
2. In a small bowl, crush the oregano between your palms to release its flavor, then add the chili powder, cumin,
cocoa, allspice, and salt. Combine with a fork, then add to the pot, stirring like you mean it. Add tomato paste and stir
until combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat
so the chili enjoys a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours. Do not skimp on the simmer! Serve in
deep bowls with big spoons.
Homestyle Meatloaf
Ingredients
Ketchup
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp dry mustard
⅓ cup water
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 pinch ground clove
1 pinch ground allspice
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Meatloaf
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork (or turkey or beef)
1 egg beaten
½ of batch of ketchup
½ onion, very finely diced in a food processor (don’t puree it but you don’t want to be eating chunks of onion in your meatloaf so dice it finely)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1tsp thyme
3 tbsp of finely chopped parsley
2 tsp coconut aminos
1 tsp blk pepper
2 tsp salt
8 oz mushrooms, pulsed to fine ground in food processor (should have an almost ground beef-like texture)
¼ cup almond flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
Instructions
Ketchup
1. Mix all ingredients well
Meatloaf
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all ingredients in bowl until combined. Do not overwork meat or you’ll toughen it.
3. Shape into long loaf in glass dish. Make 2 smaller loaves if easier.
4. Top loaf with other half of ketchup.
5. Bake for 1.5 hours.
6. Let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Rosemary Lemon Chicken
Ingredients:
o Potatoes (halved or quartered_-1 lbs
o Chicken legs and thighs- 6-8
o Chestnut/Crimini Mushrooms (optional)- 8-10
o Lemons-2
o Garlic cloves-3
o Rosemary- 3 sprigs
o Olive oil- 3 tbs.
o Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 450F/250C
On the cutting board chop up rosemary leaves roughly. In a mortar combine chopped rosemary, garlic, a pinch of
coarse salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil and bash it all together with a pestle until you have a paste, then add the rest of the
olive oil and the juice of the lemons, reserve the lemon halves.
Arrange the chicken pieces, potatoes and mushrooms on a baking tray and spoon the rosemary mixture on top
making sure it covers chicken and potatoes. Stick the lemon halves wherever you have free space on the tray, they
will infuse more flavour into the dish.
Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear. Halfway through the cooking baste your chicken and potatoes with the liquid at the bottom of the pan.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray (make your own using a spray bottle)
5 large bell peppers (7 oz each whole, 6oz without refuse)
1 medium cauliflower head, cut into large chunks (12oz without refuse)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (8 oz)
1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick spray. 2. Remove the tops of the peppers, core and seed them. Cut each bell pepper in half, lengthwise. 3. Place the cauliflower in the food processor. Process until it resembles rice. 4. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Add the riced cauliflower, the
onion and the beef and cook, stirring and breaking the beef up as it cooks, about 7 minutes, until onion and cauliflower are soft, beef is lightly browned and liquids have evaporated. The mixture will not look very appetizing at this point. Don't worry about it, it will transform once you add the spices.
5. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika and tomato paste. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring, until everything is well-blended. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
6. Fill each bell pepper half with 1/10 of the mixture, packing it in, and place in the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese, if using. Lightly spray with olive oil spray. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, until pepeprs are tender and cheese is melted. Remove from the baking sheet onto paper towels and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.