Slid(er)ing into Whole30 like…game on! After downing sugar cookies like it was my job, I’m diving head first into the new year and another January Whole30. Since this is round two of January Whole30, I like to think I’ve grown to be a bit wiser so here I am sharing with you my wisdom (and pitfalls). The key to success? Planning. And lots of snacks. Read on for a Whole30 meal plan (and recipes!) that will save you from the hangries.

In case this is your first rodeo, the Whole30 program was started by Melissa Hartwig, a nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author of The Whole30, Food Freedom Forever, It Starts with Food and The Whole30 Cookbook. The idea arose in 2009 to eat only clean foods for 30 days as a personal challenge that caught fire. And here we are following in her footsteps, with a focus on cleansing the body of inflammatory foods and more mindful eating. The rules are simple, but it’s a tough act to follow.

Here’s a quick recap of the rules, which you can also find on the Whole30 website:

Whole30 Rules

Rule #1: Eat real food. Whole foods, with ingredients you recognize.

No artificial garbage.

Rule #2: Avoid these potentially inflammatory foods.

That means no:
-Sugar, real or artificial.
-Alcohol, even in cooking.
-Grains or gluten-free pseudo grains.
-Legumes or peanuts.
-Dairy, cow or sheep.
-Baked goods, junk food or treats that contain “approved” ingredients. For example, pancakes. The goal is to break the craving, not replace it with coconut flour pancakes.

That’s a heckuva lotta ‘no’s. But, it’s doable. Here are my critical tips for success:

1.) PLANNING: Meal prep and planning is critical. There’s nothing worse than realizing you don’t have anything to eat and then falling off the bandwagon. Make large batches of compliant foods on Sundays so you can eat care-free for the rest of the week. Or, make larger portions for dinner so you can eat leftovers for lunch.

2.) SNACKS: Finding yourself hungry without compliant foods is the danger zone. Assemble an army of MVF’s (most valuable foods) that will keep you energized in between meals like fresh fruits, nut butters, unsweetened dried fruit, nuts (with the exception of peanuts) fresh veggies and guacamole.

3.) HYDRATE: Oftentimes when we’re hungry, we’re actually thirsty. The great thing about Whole30 is that it causes us to think first before grabbing something. If plain water doesn’t do it for you, try prepping water with lemons, cucumber, berries, etc. for something more flavorful to sip. Sparkling waters are a great option if you’re craving something with bubbles. Teas without caffeine also keep me from reaching for sweets, especially at night.

So where to start? See below for my 6-day meal plan, along with my original recipes for survival. Note that this is part 1 in a two-part series. I’ll be sending along the remaining recipes in part 2. Good luck and stay compliant, my friends!

Delicata Egg Sliders
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
-2 Delicata squash, sliced into 1-inch rounds as shown
-12 pasture-raised eggs such as those from Vital Farms
-Salt, pepper and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-optional fresh parsley and Parmesan*

*Recipe is both Whole30 and Low FODMAP if Parmesan is excluded.

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Drizzle olive oil on a large sheet pan and place the squash rounds in a single layer on the pan. Drizzle with additional olive oil using your finger to ensure the surface is fully coated to get a nice golden crisp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the squash from the oven and flip over the squash rounds. Crack an egg in the center of each ring and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Place
back in the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on how done you like your eggs.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the oven and option to garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan. Serve two slices each on their own, with a grain such as quinoa or with additional roasted veggies like brussel sprouts.

Spaghetti Squash with Cashew Ricotta
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Spaghetti Squash
– 1 spaghetti squash
– 1 jar of marinara sauce (without added sugars)
– option to add meatballs, ground turkey or ground beef
Cashew Ricotta
-1 1/2 C cashews, soaked overnight (or at least 4 hours)
-1/2 C water
-1 T apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
-1 clove of garlic
-2 T nutritional yeast
-dash of onion powder, salt and pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Make the spaghetti squash by cutting in half horizontally with a very sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and strands. Place a damp paper towel on a microwave safe dish. Put the spaghetti squash halves on the paper towel-lined dish, cut side up. Microwave for 15 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is tender. Remove from the microwave and once cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape out the strands. Place the spaghetti squash strands in a large bowl.
Step 2: Prepare the cashew ricotta by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Place in a small bowl.
Step 3: Heat the marinara in a microwave safe dish or over the stove top in a sauce pan until warmed. Add the marinara to the bowl of spaghetti squash and stir until combined. Option to add the ricotta directly to the bowl of spaghetti squash, adding as much as you like. Alternatively, plate individual servings of the spaghetti squash and marinara, topping with your desired amount of cashew ricotta. Option to add your desired meat.

Chorizo Sweet Potato Sliders
Makes: 12 sliders
Ingredients:
Sliders:
-1-2 sweet potatoes
-1 chorizo package, 10 oz.
-1 bell pepper
-1 jar of salsa verde
Guacamole:
-2 avocados, pitted
-1 small plum tomato, diced
-1/4 onion, diced
-1 lime, quartered
-handful of cilantro, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Make the sweet potato “buns” by slicing the sweet potato into thin rounds, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan to lightly coat the entire surface. Place the sweet potato rounds on the sheet pan in a single layer. Put in the oven for 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork. There should be some brown toasted marks as well. Remove from the pan to cool.
Step 2: Make the guacamole by mashing the avocados in a small bowl. Add the diced tomato, onion and cilantro, stirring to combine. Squeeze in 1 wedge of lime and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir, taste and add more lime, salt and pepper as desired.
Step 3: Prepare the chorizo by adding it to a pan on the stove top over medium heat. Break apart the chorizo into crumbles as it continues to cook. It’s done once browned and slightly toasted. Remove from the stove top.
Step 4: Assemble the sliders by adding a heaping spoon of chorizo to each sweet potato round. Layer on guacamole, a sprinkle of the chopped red pepper, cilantro to garnish and a drizzle of the salsa verde.

Sweet Potato Toast, 3 Ways

Ingredients:
-1-2 sweet potatoes
Cinnamon Banana “Toast”
-1 banana
-Nut butter of choice
-Cinnamon
Avocado “Toast”
-1 avocado
-1 lime
-salt and pepper to taste
-black sesame seeds
Berries ‘n Creme “Toast”
-1 can of full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
-1 carton of fresh berries

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Make the toast by slicing the sweet potato horizontally, approximately 1/4″ thick. Spray or drizzle a sheet pan with olive oil to lightly coat. Place the sweet potato slices on the sheet pan in a single layer. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. The slices are done when easily pierced with a fork and slightly browned. Remove from the oven to cool.
Step 2: Assemble the Cinnamon Banana “Toast” by layering your favorite nut butter on a slice of the sweet potato. Slice a banana and place the slices on top of the nut butter covered “toast”. Sprinkle on cinnamon.
Step 3: Assemble the Avocado “Toast” by thinly slicing an avocado. Place as many slices as you like on a sweet potato slice. Drizzle with a lime wedge, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and black sesame seeds.
Step 4: Assemble the Berries ‘n Creme “Toast” by first placing a metal bowl in the fridge or freezer an hour beforehand. Open the can of coconut milk (which should have been in the fridge overnight or at least 8 hours). The cream and water should have separated. Scoop the cream out of the can and place in the cooled metal bowl. Beat with an electronic mixer until soft peaks form, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Scoop a heaping spoonful of the cream onto the sweet potato slice. Top with your favorite berries. Option to layer on honey (not Whole30 compliant).

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
-1 can of full-fat coconut milk in a 14 oz. can
-2 mangoes
-1/4 C of chia seeds
-optional unsweetened coconut chips for garnish

Directions:
Step 1: Make the chia pudding by opening the can of coconut milk into a medium mixing bowl. Use an immersion blender to combine the solids and the liquid so no chunks remain or whisk by hand. Once blended, stir in the chia seeds so distributed throughout. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
Step 2: Make the mango puree by slicing the mangos into chunks. Then, peel the mango and toss the skin. Place the flesh in a food processor and pulse until it is the consistency of  a thick jam with some chunks remaining. Alternatively, use a fork to mash by hand, but this will take some time and muscle.
Step 3: Assemble the mango chia pudding by layering about 1/4 of the mixture in the bottom of 4 glasses, reserving a little of the mango puree as a garnish. Remove the coconut chia pudding from the fridge and layer evenly across the glasses. Garnish each glass with the remaining puree and optional coconut chips. Enjoy!

The post Whole30 Survival Guide: Part One appeared first on The Shooks Life.

The corn to my chowder, the peanut butter to my jelly. This paleo cornbread may be the sidekick to this creamy vegan corn chowder, but it could easily be the star of the show. It might be a tad early for sweet corn season, but patience has never been my forte. If you’re equally impatient, dig into the dEATs below to get your sweet corn fix.

Life without dairy and bread? Ug. The worst. Except when you realize there are options! Now, I’m not lactose or gluten free, but I’m curious AF about trying new things and making the impossible (corn chowder without cream?! bread without gluten?!) possible. So if you need a label, I’d go by flexitarian any day of the week. About 2/3 of my meals are plant based or vegan, but being from Wisconsin, I can’t 100% give up cheese. Puh-lease. Both of these recipes will have you thinking twice about whether dairy or gluten are necessary in your life though.

Ever since I discovered the creamy texture of soaked cashews and the faux-cheesy flavor of nutritional yeast, I’ve been OBSESSED with finding more ways to get this combo in my life. Sunday was rainy and dreary, which meant I was either going to be useless on the couch all day (near impossible for someone who constantly feels the need to be doing something) or I was going to cook up a storm. And, you guessed it, I spent the day in my lab (err, kitchen) experimenting. Not all of my experiments are successful, but these two were WINNERS (maybe one day I’ll post my graveyard of mishaps).

The foundation for any good recipe is quality ingredients and corn is the star of the show here. When I was little, I thought it was SO RUDE when I saw people at the grocery store or market tearing open ears of corn. Hello, are you going to buy that? No, you’re tossing it back?! Now that I’ve gained the wisdom of age, I see the light. Come to the light with me and see below for a couple ‘o corn picking tips:

1.) First, check the tassels. If they’re brown and a bit sticky to the touch, the corn is fresh. If the tassels are black or dry, the corn is a bit older.
2.) Feel the exterior of the corn through the husk to check for even, plump kernels.
3.) Finally, pull back an inch of so of the husk if you feel the need for a visual check of plump, bright yellow and white kernels.

Once you’ve got good corn, you’re ready for the sweet satisfaction of this Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder and Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread. Go corn crazy, my friends!

Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder and Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
Vegan Corn Chowder
-1 C of cashews, soaked overnight in water
-1/2 C of vegetable broth
-1 C of almond milk (unsweetened)
-2 stalks of celery, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 yellow onion, diced
-1 tsp garlic salt
-1 tsp smoked paprika
-1 tsp dried parsley
-1 T nutritional yeast flakes
-1 C of corn (fresh from the ear or sub 1 can of creamed sweet corn)

Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
-1/2 C almond flour
-1/2 C arrowroot flour
-2 eggs
-1 T ghee (or butter)
-1 C of corn (fresh from the ear or frozen)
-1/4 C unsweetened apple sauce
-1 4oz can of sliced pickled jalapenos (option to small dice for more distributed heat)
-1 tsp baking powder
-pinch of salt

Directions:
Vegan Corn Chowder
Step 1: In a large pot, heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil over medium heat on the stove top. Add the celery, red bell pepper and onion once the olive oil is hot. Saute for a few minutes until the veggies soften. Also add the fresh corn at this time (if using creamed corn, hold off on adding). 
Step 2: Blend the soaked cashews with the vegetable broth in a food processor until smooth. Add the cashew broth mixture and almond milk to the pot of sauteed vegetables. 
Step 3: Add the garlic salt, paprika, parsley and nutritional yeast to the pot. If using creamed corn, add at this time as well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 4: Once heated, either use an immersion blender to create a smooth texture or transfer the chowder to a blender. Blend to your desired consistency and serve hot!

Paleo Jalapeno Corn Bread
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl just until combined.
Step 2: Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan with coconut or olive oil. Pour the batter in the pan.
Step 3: Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick (or stick of spaghetti) comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow to cool.

Chowder adapted from Crazy Vegan Kitchen.
Corn Bread adapted from Wicked Spatula.

The post You’re the corn to my chowder appeared first on The Shooks Life.