Well folks, we've completed our Whole30 challenge! It wasn't always easy (I had plenty of meltdowns and low points) but making this lifestyle change was one of the best decision we have made. Cutting out carbs, processed foods, sugar and dairy was an extreme change. That being said, I don't regret it! I can honestly say that I feel 100% better. No more stomach aches, bloated tummy, or even (yes, I'm going to say it) gas! Eating Whole30 has completely transformed my digestive system, cut down my cravings and decreased the number when I step on the scale! Yay for that last one, am I right?!
Listed below are a few of my favorite recipes that we enjoyed during this Whole30 month. It's KEY to find foods that you enjoy eating throughout the journey!
--------------
Lettuce Wrapped Turkey Burgers
During this month of Whole30, burgers became a weekly dinner for us. To make the burgers, I used ground turkey (or you could use beef, lamb, whatever meat you like!) and seasoned it with some salt, pepper, onion & garlic powder. To add some heat, you could add in cayenne or even minced jalapeno. Once the patties were cooked, I added sliced onions and mushrooms to the skillet. Keep the drippings from the patties in the skillet -- it adds great flavor! Lastly, we added our “condiments, pickles, tomatoes and wrapped our burgers with iceberg lettuce. Some nights, I would make baked sweet potato fries (link here for Paleo Running Mama’s tutorial) or pair the burgers with the veggie “chips” from Terra.
--------------
Cajun Fish
This dish is packed with flavor. The I simply heated a skillet to a med-high temperature and pour in about 2 Tbsp avocado oil. While the skillet heated up, I coated the fish in the seasoning blend. You could use any white fish for this, but we always have tilapia fillets in the house (thank you Costco). When the skillet was hot, I added the fillets to the skillet and cooked them for about 4-6 minutes on each side, or until the fish can be separated with a fork. This won’t take long, I promise! Once the fish are fully cooked, remove them from the skillet and let rest while you get the rest of your meal together. For us, we chose to do a super simple salad. Enjoy!
*Note: if not participating in Whole30, this seasoning blend is PERFECT for spicy fish tacos!
Ingredients
3 Tilapia filets
Avocado oil
Spicy Cajun seasoning blend:
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp onion
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
--------------
Baked Salmon & Roasted Vegetables
This recipe is so simple, it’s a joke! I simply seasoned the salmon with salt, pepper, garlic and slices of lemon. The veggies were seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and then drizzled with avocado oil. The salmon and veggies roasted together on a sheet pan for 25-35 minutes until cooked (I usually eye ball it after 25 minutes until everything looks nice and ready!)
--------------
Eggs All-ways
One of the benefits of Whole30 is being able to eat eggs all the time which is especially great since we have chickens, so I have an endless supply of eggs! Yippee! For breakfast, I’ll have them scrambled, over medium, hard boiled, omelet style and one of favorite ways, in a frittata! Frittatas are fun to make because you can combine all of your favorite veggies into a baking dish, pour scrambled eggs over the top and bake! I made a huge frittata which lasted me a week of breakfasts. Meal prep at it's finest my friends.
--------------
Acai Bowls
Acai bowls are something from tropical heaven. No, seriously. I’m sure you’ve heard of acai bowls, and if you haven’t, you should check them out! They are delicious smoothie bowls, packed with protein, antioxidants and sweet fruit. I found some acai bowls pouches in the frozen section of Costco and decided to try them out. Boy oh boy did they hit the spot! You blend one pouch (per person) with a banana and some almond milk (I also added frozen peaches for extra flavor), and simply top with your favorite fruit, sliced almonds, or even shredded coconut if you’re feeling festive!
These were just a few of my go-to recipes this last month. Now that the strict Whole30 month is over, we've decided that we enjoy how we feel eating this way and are hoping to stick to the eating plan as much as possible... still gotta have a glass of wine here and there!
After all, it's all about balance!
Cheers!