It’s Day 6 of January Whole30 and by this point, the shiny newness is starting to wear off and you’re wondering – how will I literally survive? Reality check: these are first world problems, friends and YOU WILL SURVIVE. The challenge is only 30 days. And at some point, you’ll reach that breakthrough point when you actually BELIEVE yourself when you say, “I got this!”. Last week I shared some of the basic rules of Whole30, a meal plan and some recipes to get you started. This week, I’ll share some further tips along with the remaining recipes from the meal plan to help you over the hump. Read on for the tips, tricks and recipes.

Here we are in week 2 of January Whole30. We’ve all got some skin in the game now, so it would be THE WORST to quit now. You figured out what was in and what was out. You made it through the weekend and maybe even uttered, “no thanks” at some social events. If you’re still questioning your willpower, YOU ARE NORMAL. Even the second time around, I found myself going to bed a little hungry the first two days because I sorta forgot the QUANTITIES of foods YOU GET TO EAT when you’re eating so healthfully. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind to retain your sanity:

SURVIVAL TIPS: PART TWO
1. KEEP IT SIMPLE: Yes, Whole30 is dependent on planning ahead and meal prepping. But it’s nearly impossible to meal prep every meal, every snack, for every day. Especially complicated recipes. Make some of the more time-consuming recipes on the weekends and save the easy ones like sheet pan meals for the weekdays when you won’t have as much time. Dinner is probably the easiest thing on this program: chicken/fish/eggs with vegetables with different seasonings/marinades. Easy. Don’t make it hard on yourself.
2. DOUBLE IT UP: During the week, make lunchtime a breeze by doubling whatever you make for dinner the night before. It adds some variety so you aren’t eating the same meal prepped meal every day. And it doesn’t take that much extra time. Dinner, and lunch: done.
3. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A SNACK: I repeat, NEVER leave home without snacks on hand. This is the danger zone. Make sure your kitchen, your purse or man bag (no judgment) and desk drawers are loaded with snacks so that you don’t make bad choices.
4. SWITCH IT UP: Last week I recommended identifying your MVF’s (most valuable foods) to always have on hand, but be careful to ensure you’re not eating to much of the same things. You need to keep in mind getting a balanced diet, too. For example, it can be super easy to eat gobs of almonds or dried fruit because they’re easy, filling and most importantly, compliant. Remember that nuts are high in calories and dried fruit (even the unsweetened kind) is high in sugar. Throw in some fresh fruit or vegetables, which contain more water and fiber to keep you full longer.
5. HAVE FUN WITH IT!: Think of this as an opportunity to try a bunch of foods that you otherwise wouldn’t have picked up. Last year, I’d never tried papaya and OMG what an amazing dessert on its own. This week, I picked up a persimmon. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it. Like, no idea. If you have ideas, let me know. That’s the fun in this: discovery and perhaps learning some culinary skills, too.

Let’s revisit tip #1: KEEP IT SIMPLE. Since most of us can’t meal prep everything, rely on some pre-packaged items to help you get through. Here are a few of my staples:

WHOLE30 COMPLIANT PACKAGED GOODS (from left to right):

–Sun-Made Raisins: These golden raisins are like nature’s candy without added sweeteners. They’re easy to take with you on the go when your blood sugar gets low. Just be careful not to overdo it on dried fruit, especially if you’re trying to get rid of a nasty sugar habit. Trader Joe’s also has a number of dried fruits without added sweeteners. I like the apricots and mangoes.
–Larabars: These protein bars are made with simple, wholesome ingredients like dried fruit, nuts and spices. My favorite is this variety pack of mini cashew cookie and apple pie bars, which are only 100 calories each. Make sure to read the label though since the versions that include chocolate or peanuts are not compliant.
–RX Bars: These are more substantial protein bars (200-300 calories) that are made with egg whites, dates, nuts and seasonings. Again, make sure to check the labels since the versions containing chocolate, peanuts and maple syrup are not compliant.
–RX Nut Butters: These single serve almond butters with egg whites are a life saver on the go. I’ll eat the packet by itself pre/post workout or with an apple or banana.
–GT’s Kombucha: There is some controversy whether kombucha, a fermented tea, is actually Whole30 compliant. It is as long as sugar isn’t added after the fermentation process. I won’t go into the grave details, but for the official word from the Whole30 program, read this article. GT’s Kombucha has a number of varieties that are compliant. I like to drink this on a Friday or Saturday night since it tastes and feels a little like a not-so-sinful cocktail and is also beneficial for gut health.
–Blue Diamond Almonds: Almonds are an easy, protein-rich snack in between meals that can also feed a cravy for something crunchy and salty.
–NutPods: Drinking black coffee was one of my biggest fears doing Whole30 the first time around. You might say I’m someone who likes coffee with my cream. After many trials and tribulations with a variety of plant-based creamers that didn’t cut it, Nut Pods made the cut. This creamer is made from almonds and coconuts without any added sugars.
–Wholly Guacamole: these single serve cups of fresh guacamole are one of my life hacks. It takes your average sweet potato hash next level and dare I say that guac with carrots might be better than guac and chips? By the end of Whole30, you might be a believer too.

This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, but includes some of my favorites. Leave a comment if you have any other recommendations or questions. Otherwise, read on for the meal plan and recipes.

For the days when you do have time to meal prep or cook, here’s a look again at my Whole30 diet plan for week 1. I shared a few of the recipes in my past post and FINALLY the day has arrived – the remaining recipes! Hope these give you renewed hope for your Whole30. Or for you pro’s, a fresh take on the program!

Chorizo Zucchini Boats:
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
-2 large zucchini
-10 oz of chorizo
-1 bell pepper, diced
-1/2 onion, diced
–Wholly Guacamole or homemade guacamole
-optional: salsa verde from a jar and cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly coat a sheet pan with olive oil. Make the zucchini boats by slicing each lengthwise in half and trimming the ends. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the pulp along the center, leaving about a 1/2 inch rim around the edge. Option to toss the pulp, or small dice it to add to the sauteed bell pepper mixture you’ll make in step 3. Place the zucchini halves on the sheet pan, flesh side up.
Step 2: Cook the chorizo by adding it to a medium saute pan over medium heat on the stove top. Use a spatula to crumble the mixture, stirring occasionally until browned. Once cooked, place in a separate bowl.
Step 3: Make the vegetable saute by adding the chopped bell peppers, zucchini pulp and onions to the same frying pan you used to cook the chorizo. If it’s dry, add some olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened the onion translucent. Remove from the heat.
Step 4: Assemble the zucchini boats by spooning the cooked chorizo into the zucchini halves. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh of the zucchini. Remove from the oven, then spoon some of the cooked bell pepper mixture over the zucchini boats. Top the boats with guacamole and optional salsa verde or cilantro.

Pumpkin Chia Pudding
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
– 1 C of Libby’s Pumpkin Puree (about 1/2 the can)
– 1 1/2 C of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
– 1/4 C of chia seeds
– 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
-optional toppings: bananas, whipped coconut cream, pecans

Directions:
Step 1: Make the chia pudding by placing the pumpkin puree, almond milk and pumpkin pie seasoning in a large glass mason jar or bowl. Stir to combine. Add the chia seeds and stir again. The chia seeds will very quickly start to bind together, which is why I like to ensure all the other ingredients are mixed together before adding the chia seeds. Place the mason jar or bowl in the fridge overnight.
Step 2: Remove from the fridge and enjoy as-is. Or, make a single serve parfait as shown by layering 1/3 of the pumpkin chia pudding in a bowl and topping with 1/2 sliced banana, handful of pecans and whipped coconut cream (check my prior post for the coconut cream recipe used on the sweet potato toast).

Kale Basil Pesto Gnocchi Bowl with Roasted Vegetables
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Kale Walnut Pesto
-1 bunch of curly kale, stems removed
-1 bunch of basil, about 1 C
– 1/4 C walnuts
-1 lemon
-1 garlic clove
-1/2 C of extra virgin olive oil
-salt and pepper to season
-optional 1-2 tsp nutritional yeast
Gnocchi
-1 package of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
Roasted Vegetables
-1 lb of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
-3-4 rainbow carrots, peeled and chopped into medallions
-salt and pepper to season

Option to add smoked salmon to the bowl, as shown.

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-head the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle a sheet pan with olive oil and place the trimmed veggies on the pan. Season with additional salt, pepper and olive oil, tossing to coat. Place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes, checking and stirring after the first 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. 
Step 2: Make the pesto by placing all the ingredients in a few processor. Pulse for a chunkier consistency or puree for a more liquid pesto. Taste and add more olive oil, salt or pepper to achieve desired flavor and texture. You will have plenty of extra and this will keep in the fridge for a week. Great to use on fish, chicken and pasta.
Step 3: Make the gnocchi by following the stove top directions. When adding the water, add a few heaping spoonfulls of the pesto to achieve your desired coating.
Step 4: Assemble the bowl as shown with option for additional pesto on top and smoked salmon for protein.

Egg Cups
Makes: 12 cups or 6 servings

Ingredients:
Egg Base
-10 pasture-raised eggs like those from Vital Farms
-1 1/2 tsp of salt
-1/2 tsp of black pepper
Variations
-Kale Basil Pesto & Sundried Tomato
-Bacon & Spinach
-Broccoli & Not So Cheddar (Nutritional Yeast)
-Chorizo & Bell Pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin pan or use silicone baking cups. Make the egg base by cracking the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs to combine.
Step 2: Choose your mix-ins and add your desired amount to the base egg mixture. For bacon, assume about 1/2 strip, crumbled, per cup. For chorizo, assume 1 T per cup. For nutritional yeast, assume about 1/4 tsp per cup. Feel free to change up the ratio and ingredients as you see fit.
Step 3: Fill each of the cups about 2/3 full with the egg mixture. Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven to cool. Noe that the eggs will puff up in the oven and then deflate once they are removed. Don’t fret! Enjoy on their own or with some hash a fresh fruit for a full meal. Assumes 2 cups per serving.

Cauliflower Mash (yes, it’s green because I made it with broccoflower, below!)
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
-3 T ghee
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 black pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Steam the cauliflower by bringing about 1-inch of water to a boil in a large pot with a steam insert. Add the cauliflower once the water is boiling, cover the pot. Allow to steam for about 15 minutes, or until the florets are soft when pierced with a fork, but not completely falling apart and mushy (very technical). Remove the cauliflower and reserve about 3/4 of the water from the pot.
Step 2: Place half the cauliflower in a food processor with 1/4 of the steamed water. Puree until smooth. Add the remaining cauliflower, butter and salt. Continue to puree, adding water as needed. The goal is to add as little water as possible since you don’t want soup, so you likely won’t need the full 3/4 C. Once the desired consistency, enjoy!

Note: ICYMI, the picture is green because I made this version with a hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli called Broccoflower. Recipe does not change with regular cauliflower. It can also be fun to make this with other colored cauliflower for various holidays like purple for Easter!

That’s a wrap on my Whole30 Survival Guide! If you have any other questions, feel free comment below. We’re all in this together, so let’s share the knowledge too. Keep calm and Whole30 on, friends! # Whole30 Diet Plan

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‘Twas the night before vacation, when all thro’ the house, not a creature was stirring, not even Moose the bulldog. Steel cut oats were warming in the slow cooker with care, in hopes that warm weather would soon be there. The parents were nestled all snug in their bed, while visions of pumpkin pie danced in their heads.

‘Tis the season for story time. The Shookman household is readying for a warm winter’s nap in New Orleans before the Thanksgiving holiday. And with the days getting shorter, the air getting a wee bit chillier, and more chairs at the table, these Slow Cooker Pumpkin Oats are just what’s needed to warm bellies while allowing you more shuteye. Read on for the dEATs, along with some tips on warming the mind & body if the changing seasons are impacting your mood and energy levels.

There’s nothing like a cozy bed, a hot cup of cider and long nights by the fireplace with family as the first snow falls this time of year. It’s the quintessential picture of hygge, the Danish concept of all things comforting and cozy. This concept of cozy contentment and enjoyment of the simpler things in life is part of the Danish DNA. It’s credited for being one of the reasons Denmark is always listed as one of the world’s happiest countries, despite miserable winters.

I’m a sun and summer lover, so while I love the cozy comforts of fall, I start to feel the energy dwindling as the daylight hours wane. This year, I’m going to try to embrace more hygge with a few simple tips to beat the winter blues (or seasonal affective disorder, as it’s more formally known).

Embracing Hygge

1.) Investing In Relationships: Home is a place we return to this time of year, but it’s only a geographic location. It’s family, friends – the people, who truly make that geographic location feel like home. This year, I’m going try to focus more on my surroundings and the people by dedicating just one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening to tech and the rest of the time to being present. There’s no hygge without home and no home without the people.

2.) Sharing the Food I Love: Food is my love language, so I’m planning to cook up a storm of comforting foods through the winter. But, I’m going to focus on simplifying – doing more slow cooker meals, more one pan or sheet pan dishes, so that I can enjoy the limited daylight hours and time with friends and family.

3.) Breathing Fresh Air: It can be super easy to get lost in Netflix and chill this time of year, which isn’t a bad thing, but the body does need that mood boosting Vitamin D. My goal is to take the bus less (do more walking, while bundled up!) and to try to take a brisk walk over my lunch hour to get a breath of fresh air, some sunshine on my skin and to get the blood flowing in between meetings and loads of desk time.

4.) Indulging in Self Care: I’ve taken to “Selfish Sundays” with a pampering session that I plan to continue through the winter months, warming a nice bath withessential oils like lavender to calm and epsom salt to relieve tension or a revitalizing mask at home. This winter, I’m going to infuse more of this self care in my daily routine using orange peel essential oils to awaken and revitalize in the morning, adding maca to my daily bowl of oatmeal to relieve stress and listening to inspiring podcasts on my walk home rather than business books or music.

5.) Planning Wellness: I’m generally very diligent about being active most of the year, but when it’s constantly dark “outside office hours” it can be hard to find the motivation. This year, I’m going to be diligent about planning my workouts in advance to hold myself accountable and schedule those workouts in the morning to set the right tone for both mind and body at the start of the day.

Now that we’ve fully embraced hygge, let’s make some hygge food!

What I love about these slow cooker oats are 1.) versatility 2.) set and forget 3.) feeds a crowd for the day or a two-person household for the week! While I’ve infused this recipe with the epitome of the season (pumpkin and spices) you can adapt this recipe as you see fit, or go plan jane allowing for customized toppings. The only watchouts are to make sure not to let the kiddos (or significant other) lift the lid too soon to steal a sniff (every lift of the lid will set you back an hour) and also note that in the morning, the oats will seem more liquid until you give them a good stir. They’ll continue to thicken as they cool.

Enjoy one of my favorite recipes for some hygge vibes!

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin & Spices
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
-2 C of Quaker steel cut oats
-6 1/2 C of water
-1 1/2 C of Blue Diamond unsweetened vanilla almond milk
-1 can of Libby’s pumpkin puree
-1/4 C of brown sugar, packed (option to sub coconut sugar)
-2 tsp of pumpkin spice
-1 tsp of cinnamon
-1/2 tsp of salt
-1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:

Step 1: Prep the slow cooker by spreading a layer of butter or coconut oil on the sides and bottom of the bowl to avoid the oats sticking. Add all of the ingredients with the exception of the vanilla. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Turn the slow cooker to low for 8 hrs, covered. Get a good night’s rest and awaken to the sweet scents.
Step 3: Stir the oats after 8 hours have passed, adding the vanilla. Enjoy with your favorite toppings (shown: brown sugar, pecans, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds).

To make plain overnight oats, simply add an additional cup of water, remove the pumpkin puree and the seasonings. Adapted from ChowHound.

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Shakshuk-it-to-me. Say what? Shakshuka, that is. This Mediterranean dish is a one-pot wonder of poached eggs basking in a smoky, spicy tomato and bell pepper sauce. My version gets an extra kick from harissa, tempered with a dollop of creamy ricotta. And with a sauce like this, you need something to scoop it all up, so I’ve paired this with triangles of Simple Mills gluten free flatbread, made with almond flour – a staple that got me through my first Whole30. This dish makes for an epic brunch or a mindlessly easy meatless meal. Save this one for that next meatless Monday because it does. not. disappoint. Get the dEATs below!

In Israel, the word “shakshuka” is actually synonymous with breakfast. But this breakfast dish is hearty enough to fulfill your wildest meatless Monday dreams. It’s also a crazy simple one pot dish that really only requires a few minutes of “active work” in the form of chopping up an onion and a red bell pepper. My younger brother first tipped me off to this dish when he made it a few months ago. He’s vegetarian, but has been exploring more Paleo and Whole30 recipes to clean up his act. I couldn’t get enough of the savory slop and had to put my own spin on this traditional Mediterranean dish.

What I love about this dish is that it’s incredibly versatile. I like to try just throwing in a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This approach doesn’t work quite as well in baking, which requires more precision and knowledge of chemistry (xyz will help the baked good to rise, abc will make it crisp, etc.). That’s why I generally prefer the creativity in cooking over baking. If you’re one who likes to get those creative juices flowing in the kitchen, below are a few tips.

The trick to experimentation is:

1.) using ingredients that are commonly paired together or complementary
2.) layering one new addition at a time so you know when you’ve gone awry and
3.) starting small – you can always add more, but reversing is a bit trickier

I started my experimentation with a bit of harissa, a North African chili pepper paste. I like my eggs with a dash of hot sauce, so the slight smokiness of harissa seemed like a perfect way to turn up the temp on this dish. Next, I wanted to amp up the veggie content and had some extra spinach in the fridge, so I threw in a few handfuls. You really can’t go wrong with adding spinach to most savory dishes, especially with a flavorful sauce that masks just about anything you throw in it. Lastly, I wanted to thicken the texture and complement the acidic nature of this sauce and tomato + spinach immediately led me to lasagna. And lasagna means ricotta. Plus, already had some in my fridge – bingo! Again, started small and the result was magnifique!

Here are some additional thoughts on adaptations:

Traditional Shakshuka
-replace the harissa with 1/4 tsp of cayenne or chili powder

Italian Shakshuka
-incorporate spinach and ricotta

Southwestern Shakshuka
-add a chopped jalapeno pepper in place of the harissa and top with sliced avocado

Harissa Shakshuka with Creamy Ricotta
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
– 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 yellow onion, chopped
– 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
– 1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
– 3 cloves of garlic, minced (or 3 tsp of minced garlic from a jar)
– 1 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp smoked paprika
– 2 T harissa paste
– 2 generous handfuls of fresh spinach
– 1/2 C of whole milk ricotta cheese
– 3/4 tsp salt
– 1/4 tsp black pepper
-6  large eggs

Directions:
Step 1: Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and red bell peppers. Cook stirring occasionally until softened – about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, stirring frequently – about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients through the black pepper and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Step 3:  Create 6 small divots in the sauce. Gently crack the eggs in each of the divots. Transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve with pita bread, challah or other bread of your choice (shown with Simple Mills flatbread).

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It’s never too early for chocolate. Especially when there is a royal wedding to watch. Yes or yes? This chocolatey bowl of baked oats and Navitas Organics cacao powder is just what the doctor ordered on this chilly Saturday morning. Look for the dEATs on this bowl of yum below!

It’s a wee bit chilly this morning, but I’m determined to go to the Green City  Farmer’s Market this morning in Lincoln Park. While I’ve already killed one sage plant this year, I continue to retain the hope that this is the year my black thumb will turn green. Only time will tell! Stay tuned for my debacles in trying to keep a simple herb alive. How my bulldog continues to survive at life is beyond me.

Given the chill, I was yearning for something to warm me up this morning. During the week, I usually make a standard bowl of oatmeal with Quaker Oats original packets and some frozen fruit (wild blueberries are my fav), but I love that everything slows down a bit on the weekends so you can take a bit more time to indulge. Knowing that I’m headed to the Farmer’s Market and will likely pick up lots of fresh veggies & fruit, I felt a little less guilty about a chocolate indulgence for breakfast. But, this isn’t as indulgent as you may think since the chocolatey goodness comes from superfood cacao powder, carob chips and my specialty vegan chocolate sauce.

Not familiar with carob chips? Well, get familiar my friends! Also know as the “other chocolate chip”, these little bits of goodness resemble chocolate, but are vegan, dairy, nut and gluten free. Carob chips are made from the pods of the carob tree, which is in the pea family and native to the Mediterranean region. The pods are dried and ground up to make carob powder, which is then used to make carob chips. Carob has a natural sweetness and is less bitter than chocolate, but don’t expect it to be quite as rich and velvety as chocolate. Check out the additional health benefits of carob in this article from Dr. Axe, including reducing cholesterol, aiding upset stomachs and managing blood sugar.  Now, on to the cacao breakfast bake!

Cacao Breakfast Bake
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
– 1/3 C rolled oats
– 2 T almond flour
– 1 T cacao powder (like Navitas Organics)
– 1/4 tsp baking powder
– 1 T maple syrup (omit if Whole30)
– Pinch of salt
– 1/3 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
– 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 T carob chips
– Your choice of toppings (shown: strawberries, coconut flakes and vegan chocolate sauce)

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat over to 325 degrees F. Coat an individual ramekin or oven safe bowl with coconut oil or cooking spray of choice.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl – maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla and coconut oil. Mix until combined. Fold in the carob chips. Reserve a few for topping.

Step 3: Spoon the batter into the greased ramekin or oven-safe bowl, topping with the remaining carob chips. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on preferred thickness.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and anxiously await the cooling process – approximately 5 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Recipe adapted from Running with Spoons.  Enjoy this cacao breakfast bake!

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