My Whole30 Journey - Our Favorite Recipes

I am so thrilled that so many people have come to me with questions about the Whole30 after I recently shared my Whole30 Journey on Instagram and Facebook.  So many people have asked me for recipes for the yummy food I've posted pictures of that I decided to do a blog post dedicated to our favorite Whole30 recipes.   

I read countless times while researching the Whole30 that "it changes your life" and honestly I thought that was a bunch of bologna!  

I started the Whole30 because I wanted to lose weight, 

I continued the Whole30 because I felt so much better, 

and I'm still living by the Whole30 guidelines after completing my 30 days because I want to be healthy and take care of this one body God gave me.  

So yes...the Whole30 will change your life.  It will change your body composition and you will lose weight.  However, it will also change your relationship with food, demolish your sugar and carbohydrate cravings that are controlling your thoughts, you will sleep better, have more energy, clearer skin, and just feel better.

The food we eat either makes us healthier or less healthy, there is no gray area.  Is your food making you healthier?  Fueling your body with energy?  Healing you from the inside out?  Mine is.

Dirty Eggs

According to Whole30 your serving of eggs is the number of eggs you can hold in your palm.  Mine is three. 

Diced Bell Pepper and Onions sautéed in Coconut Oil 

3 Eggs scrambled

Heaping spoonful of Salsa 

After sautéing bell pepper and onion add scrambled eggs, salsa, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Crock Pot Pulled Pork BBQ

Rub Pork Loin with BBQ dry rub (I use Stubb's BAR-B-Q All Natural Spice Rub) and place in crock pot, fill crock pot with water until it is almost covering pork.  Cook your Pork Loin in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours (depending on size).

Once pork loin is done and falling apart.  Remove from crock pot and shred with a fork.  

Mix with BBQ Sauce

1 cup Tomato Sauce

1/3 cup unsweetened Apple Sauce

2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar (I use Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar)

2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos (similar taste to soy sauce, but Whole30 compliant)

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tsp Hot-pepper sauce 

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Paprika

1 clove Garlic

1/2 Tbsp coconut oil

Whisk ingredients together. Then sauté minced garlic in coconut oil.  Add sauce to saucepan and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes.  It smells and tastes a little more tomatoey than your typical BBQ sauce but once it's mixed with the pulled pork it tastes delicious. 

Baked Sweet Potato, Garlic Roasted Asparagus, and Grilled Greek Chicken

I love sweet potatoes!  I eat half a baked sweet potato with cinnamon sprinkled on it as a side pretty frequently. 

We also love asparagus!  Our favorite way to cook it is drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a couple garlic cloves in the oven on 425 until it's tender. 

Grilled Greek Chicken

This was our favorite way to grill chicken prior to Whole30 and I was pleasantly surprised than one minor adjustment made it Whole30 compliant. 

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice 

1 tsp. fresh lemon zest or 1/4 tsp. dried lemon zest (or use a little more lemon juice if you don't have lemon zest) 

1 tsp. Cavender's Greek Seasoning (this is the modification Cavender's contains MSG, soy protein, and sugar making it a Whole30 no-no) so instead I add...

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/8 tsp. Onion Powder

1/8 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. poultry seasoning 

1 tsp. dried oregano 

black pepper to taste

Whisk everything together and let chicken marinate at least an hour before cooking.

White Chicken Chili

 This was a Pinterest win.  Follow this link White Chicken Chili to get this recipe. 

Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

We ate this over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.  This is also a Pinterest discovery.  Follow this link Mamma's Meatballs and Marinara Sauce to get the recipe. 

Chicken Stir Fry

So so easy and so yummy! 

1 bag of frozen Stir Fry Vegetables

2 Chicken Breasts - diced

Coconut Amino's 

Coconut Oil

Dice raw chicken breast, cook in frying pan with coconut oil, salt and pepper, and drizzle with Coconut Amino's.  Once chicken is done set aside.  Add a little more coconut oil to pan and pour in frozen veggies, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with Coconut Amino's and cook until thawed and tender.  Mix together chicken and veggies. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

Place 3 chicken breasts in the crock pot on low for 6 hours.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash seasoning.  Once done remove chicken from crock pot and shred with a fork. 

Stir in Whole30 Mayo (I tried several recipes but this is my favorite)

Diced Celery

Diced Onions

Red Grapes (halved)

Almond or Pecan Pieces/Slices

Salt and Pepper to taste

Buffalo Ranch Stuffed Peppers

Brandon found these recipe through a google search and it's definitely a winner! 

Buffalo Ranch Stuffed Peppers

Sausage and Cabbage Soup 

Another Pinterest Win! 

Sausage and Cabbage Soup

Crock Pot Balsamic Beef Roast

This roast was so good!  We've fixed it twice and I would recommend it regardless of whether someone was doing the Whole30 (honestly I'd recommend all of these recipes to anyone). 

1 Beef Chuck Roast 

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 cups Beef Broth

4 Garlic Cloves

1 Medium size onion (quartered)

3 tsp. Coconut Amino's

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional add baby carrots and/or red potatoes.

Cook for 6-8 hours on low (depending on size) meat will be falling apart when done. 

Quick Chicken

This really isn't even a recipe but...this is my favorite way to fix chicken quick and easy.  I buy the chicken tenderloins or you could butterfly a chicken breast.  Melt coconut oil in a frying pan and place chicken in sprinkle with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasoning (italtian, lemon and pepper, mrs. dash, essence of emeril...whatever your in the mood for).  Flip and sprinkle the over side and cook until done. 

I usually eat the chicken on a salad or with steam able veggies for a quick and easy meal. 

Salsa Chicken and Spanish Cauliflower "Rice"

Place chicken in baking dish, pour Whole30 compliant salsa (we also added some fresh pineapple we had in the frig) over chicken and bake at 375 until done. 

Spanish Cauliflower "Rice"

Follow this link for the recipe Spanish Cauliflower Rice

My favorite sweets were plain old fruits, because sugar and sweeteners are off limits (with the exception of fruit juices).  You will be amazed at how much sweeter fruit tastes by day 30 though! 

Fruit Kabobs

Just a fancy way to eat fruit.  The kids loved it ;) Add any fruit you want.  We made red (strawberry), white (bananas), and blue (blueberries) for the 4th of July. 

Fried Apples and Peaches

Coconut Oil 

Apples (thinly slice)

Peaches (thinly slice) 

Cinnamon

Melt coconut oil in frying pan.  Add apples and peaches and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Fry until apples are tender. 

Cream

Blend together thick (canned) Unsweetened Coconut Milk and a couple tbsp of pineapple juice. 

Pineapple Dream

Freeze (overnight) 1 1/2 cups pineapple and 1 banana, cut up. 

Place frozen fruit and 1/4-1/2 cup (depending on texture) Coconut Milk in blender or food processor (I used my Ninja) blend until smooth and top with unsweetened coconut flakes. 

These are some of our other Whole30 staples. 

Nuts - cashews and almonds are my favorites.

La Croix - is a nice change if you are getting bored with water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee. It can also replace your soda if you are a soda drinker. 

Larabar - so...yummy!! I love these.  My favorites are Coconut Cream Pie and Apple Pie.  (note - the ones containing peanut are not Whole30 compliant)

Kombucha - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  If you've never tried it, do it!  Kombucha is basically fermented tea.  It is full of good bacteria that improves you're digestive system and immune system.  Plus, I just love how they taste.  The three pictured are my favorites.