Let me just start off by saying that while my body was ready to go back to Whole 30 after the holidays, my brain was not. It was yelling, “Hey, where are the christmas cookies to go with the coffee every morning?!?” I decided to start on January 1st, partly because I needed my digestion to go back to normal, and partly because Whole 30 was launching a new site on 1/1, and I kept seeing all of the promo stuff on their social media sites preparing for that. Peer pressure in the best possible way, ha! Honestly, though, it felt great to jump back into it and is a perfect way to start off the new year. It is amazing how you notice the little changes in your body once you become aware, and have been doing this for a while. I just feel better when I stick close to the plan. If you are new to Whole 30, you are probably wondering what I am referring to when I say little changes, so let me clarify….
1. I crave sugar way less often on Whole 30. Once I have dessert or other sugary treats for a few days in a row, I start to crave them everyday. It is exactly how they explain it in the book. It is “Food Without Brakes” in action. On Whole 30, (or even just sticking close to it with a few minor tweaks), I don’t think about sweets often at all.
2. Less tummy bloating! Digestion just works better when I eat this way.
3. Energy levels are consistent throughout the day, not up and down. I don’t feel like I need a caffeine or sugar “pick-me-up” in the afternoon.
These three things are just a few of the many, many benefits of doing a Whole 30!
For Week One, I relied on old favorites as far as dinner recipes go. This time around, one of my goals is to eat more green vegetables and salads. We love basic olive oil and balsamic vinegar on our salads, but wanted to venture out more. My daughter, the Caesar salad lover, especially wanted to try something different. She found a compliant recipe online from “The Paleo Effect” for Caesar dressing that is amazing, and we tried both the Ranch and Dreamy Avocado dressings from “It Starts With Food.” Gotta keep the salads interesting! All of these are made using the Olive Oil Mayo from “The Clothes Make the Girl.” The dressings are also great as dipping sauces for meat or veggies! All 3 recipes are listed below.
Caesar Salad Dressing (From: “The Paleo Effect”)
1 Tbsp Anchovy Paste (Read the label to make sure it is compliant!)
2 Egg Yolks
¼ tsp Sea Salt
¼ tsp Pepper (fresh ground)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Garlic cloves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil Mayo
1 Tbsp Stoneground Mustard (Read the label)
¼ – ½ cup Olive Oil (use less if you like the dressing thick)
Blend all ingredients except the oil in a blender (or Bullet!) until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
Slowly add the oil to emulsify. If you are using ¼ cup for a thick dressing, you don’t have to add it slowly, you can just add it all and blend again.
Ranch Dressing (From: “It Starts With Food”)
You will need: 1 clove minced garlic, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves, 1 Tbsp dried chives, 1/2 cup Olive Oil Mayo, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and black pepper
In a small bowl, mix the garlic, paprika, parsley, chives, and mayo with a fork. Drizzle in the lemon juice while continuing to mix, then taste and season with salt and pepper. If its too thick, add either lemon juice or water-1/4 tsp at at time-until it’s the right consistency.
Dreamy Avocado Dressing (From: “It Starts With Food”)
You will need: 1/2 large avocado, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup Olive Oil Mayo, 1 small garlic clove, 1/2 Tbsp pickled jalapeno rings (optional) 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves (optional), 2 Tbsp water, salt and black pepper
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree to desired consistency, adding additional water 1 Tbsp at a time, if necessary. Allow the flavors to meld together for 30 min before serving.
Going to try these this week! Thanks for sharing!!
Let me know what you think…hope you like them!