for several years i've been hearing friends and coworkers chatter about the "whole 30" program. this ubiqutous culinary trend is essentially based on an elimination diet. 30 days of eating vegetables, fruits and lean meats while eliminating grains, legumes, dairy and anything processed.
some people do it to identify food allergies, some people do it to reset their philosophy of eating, but most people do it out of the vanity that it promises weight loss. me? i'm going it because i need a new culinary challenge! i've done the south beach phase one, so cutting out grains isn't hard for me. but no dairy? NO CHEESE? FOR 30 DAYS???? crazy pants. and yet, reading over some of the recipes i was genuinely intrigued. and to be honest, after my epic road trip, a few weeks of clean eating wouldn't be the worst idea to reset my body's metabolism.
i won't waste anybody's time listing the rules of the 30 days.....there's so many websites out there dedicated to it, if you want to read over them? i recommend going straight to the source:
https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/
instead i'm going to do what i always do on this blog, post food pics!! i plan to chronicle some of the stand out meals from this experience. here are the snapshots from week one.....
though the whole 30 program doesn't allow for most starches, it does allow for an ingredient i am a huge fan of, the sweet potato!! so tasty, so healthy, so filling, so versatile! there is also an allowance for frank's buffalo hot sauce and ranch dressing (if it's made with mayo and coconut milk). i have a feeling those two condiments are going to be the key to surviving this month! tonight i combined all three of these wonders and make a buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potato served along a side of sautéed zucchini.
one of the reasons i was so drawn to the idea of this diet, is it's insistence on the consumption of avocados. yay avocados!!! to serve along this green gorgeousness, i made a lightened up version of shrimp salad, with an olive oil mayo, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, hot sauce, lime juice, scallion and diced red pepper. all tossed together and placed on a bed of spinach and arugula. a very refreshing last summer meal during this heat wave we're having!
a wonderful low carb/tex-mex meal i've made in the past is taco lettuce wraps. using romaine lettuce leaves in place of tortillas. filled with seasoned ground turkey, diced avocado, scallions and an spicy mango salsa i barely missed the cheddar i would normally serve these with! and since fruit is allowed on this program, that means plantains are kosher. sautéed in clarified butter until browned they make a wonderful side dish.
i've heard mixed opinions on the allowance of potatoes in this program. i know nothing processed (so no french fries or potato chips), but whole potatoes are apparently kosher? well i hope they are, because that's what was on my plate tonight. i made a balsamic marinated roasted flank steak. and potatoes are steaks best friend! i made smashed mixed potatoes tossed with garlic, rosemary and olive oil. and a side of sautéed portobello mushrooms and sweet onions. true, this meal was begging for a glass of cabernet sauvignon, but even without it was most satisfying!
i found some absolutely gorgeous sea scallops at the store today, so had to snatch up a bag full for tonight's dinner. looking back on last year's meals i remembered that prosciutto wrapped scallops stood out as a favorite! i served them on a bed of spinach wilted with sautéed shallots and finished the dish with sweet potato fries. an excellent start to the weekend!
there's a place near us called the "caveman kitchen" that specializes in bbq'd meats done in a smoker. of course smoked salmon is one of the best sellers in this area. thick chunks of tender salmon steaks that are the PERFECT taste and texture. tonight i put these wonderful gems from the sea on a salad with avocado, bacon, asparagus and a variety of greens. smoked salmon and bacon might just be the best combination in the culinary world.....
sunday night's meal was simple and quick. some pan seared chicken andouille sausage that was tossed with some pineapple and topped with scallion. for a side some fresh green beans. simple. clean. tasty. the spiciness from the sausage paired with the sweetness of the pineapple made for a great combination. i love it when a meal is easy, and tastes good!
often when i make dinner i try to make enough so that there's leftovers for lunch the next day. sadly, that's not always how it works out (next day scallops just don't reheat well) and i have to have some auxiliary plans for lunches. one i have become particularly fond of is a tuna waldorf salad, served with celery sticks. laden with fuji apple chunks, dried cranberries, red onion and pieces of walnut.
early in the week i roasted some chicken tenders for an easy salad addition. placed on a bed of spinach with fresh berries and tomatoes, with a little balsamic dressing, this salad was hearty and satisfying. i will certainly be making this again (ok, when i'm not restricted....i'll add some feta, because that would make this PERFECT)
a meal inspired from a summer trip i spent in tuscany was a salad of cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto served on a bed of arugula and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. a little sprinkling of sesame seeds added a lovely texture and crunch to this light salad.
my personal philosophy to eating healthy is 1) you have to have flavor and 2) you HAVE to have variety. so i needed some breakfast options beyond the recommended chicken sausage and eggs. (which i do love, and eat often....but still). many moons ago i posted about my recipe for roasted bananas. this is an expanded version of that recipe. sliced bananas sautéed in clarified butter with unsweetened coconut flakes, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, a splash of coconut milk and just a dash of almond butter. surprisingly filling, and a delicious as well!
another meal utilizing the wonderful smoked salmon from caveman kitchen. for breakfast i served the tender pieces with a simple poached egg and roasted asparagus, this is a wonderful way to start the day!
with desserts out of the question, i wanted to have an easy-to-grab snack that would satiate the post-dinner munchies. i turned to a stand-by appetizer. bacon wrapped figs. now normally i would have these babies stuffed with bleu cheese, but they still hit the spot in their simplified from!
thus ends my first week of whole 30. i'm sure i fudged some of the stricter rules, but i like to think i was fairly compliant by the programs guidelines? removing grains and sugar wasn't a problem. but coming up with recipes that don't rely on dairy was certainly a challenge. and i'm really happy with the meals i came up with! i'm happy to add these to my revolving (and evolving) recipe box!!
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