First in our Cafe- skip the cooking and bring something amazing!
Let Chef Chris and our cafe staff
do all the work.
Choose cleaner options for the grill:
Tag: paleo
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Whole 30: The Reset You Might Need
This blog post chronicles the experience of one of our brave produce team members, Cheryl, who recently experimented with the Whole30 diet.
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Make sure your food is truly nourishing you.
Being constantly inside during the winter can encourage poor habits, such as sedentary behavior and unhealthy food choices. Sometimes even when we think we are making good choices, our bodies still don’t feel well due to food sensitivities. Foods that are labeled as nutritious, such as “whole grain,” “calcium-rich” or “vegan” may be causes for bloating, headaches, brain fog, low mood, aches, pains and a plethora of other symptoms.
This is where eliminating these culprits is a great way to start off the spring. With this in mind, a guide to help you do this is essential. One method available that I recently used is the Whole30 plan, named for its thirty day span and menu of unprocessed whole foods.
This plan really needs preparation, but in spite of that, I did it spur of the moment. I woke up one morning, tired of feeling bad after years of feeling tired, foggy, bloated, having periodic headaches and trouble sleeping. I stopped eating questionable foods that day and had the good fortune to work in place that sells healthy food and the Whole30 book. The plan’s goal is to create a healthy relationship with food, boost sluggish metabolism, improve the digestive system, boost immunity and eliminate chronic inflammation, thereby eliminating numerous conditions.
My diet generally consists of organic foods, not a lot of refined sugar and all of the food groups–It’s no accident that I work in a health food store. The Whole30 requires that for thirty days you eliminate sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy and legumes. This includes peanuts. Which means peanut butter. Which would have been the deal breaker, if I wasn’t feeling so bad.
The book has all of the information necessary and also gives you a day-by-day idea of symptoms may occur as you go through the month. I suffered many of these things and the knowledge made it a little more bearable. Even after three days I was fatigued and headachy from withdrawal–but not bloated. After that, there was no turning back.
I don’t miss many of the things and the simple fact that I don’t want to feel that way again has made me resist the foods that make me unwell. I’ve been off the Whole30 for a few weeks now and feel much better overall. I was sure the moment I was done I would jump into a vat of peanut butter, but nope–I wanted rice. Just rice. With pepper. It was marvelous.
So, give it a go. Start off Spring by eliminating food sensitivities and allowing the food you eat to do its job and nourish you! If you have any questions about the Whole30 or my experience, you can find me in the Flemington store produce aisle 🙂
Cheryl shared this amazing chicken recipe to help you find success like she did!
Cheryl & John’s Whole30 Approved Chicken
9 chicken thighs
1 lb Niman All Natural Italian sausage links
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
4 potatoes, quartered
8 oz. mushrooms (baby ‘bella or button)
1 large onion
1/2 head Garlic
1 large can Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Parsley
Oregano
Basil
Black pepper
Frontier Poultry Seasoning
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Chop the peppers, onions, mushrooms and Garlic and add to a large roasting pan. Add the quartered potatoes, tomatoes, vinegar and wine (if using). Season to taste with the herbs and stir to combine. Nestle the sausage in the mixture. Season the chicken with poultry seasoning and arrange on top of the pan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve.
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Nourish Your Body: Recipes We LOVE!
You know there are better choices, but in the dreariness of winter, it can be hard to turn down comfort food.
We’ve collected some inspiring recipes from around the internet that have our stomachs growling. These recipes will not only feed the craving, but NOURISH your body on several levels. Go for nutrient density in everything you eat!
Lets start with a common craving: CHEESEBURGERS.
Yes, I know- these are everywhere. You can get one in 5 minutes or LESS if you’re driving. You can throw one together easily at home with good ingredients, but theres a way to make it quick, tasty and full of good stuff. Put it all in a bowl!
http://brihealthy.com/2017/01/cheeseburger-bowl/
Next up- a easy comfort staple: NACHOS.
How could these possibly be ok to eat? Well, you could load them up with veggies, of course, but there are some creative swaps on ingredients that turn this simple snack-y favorite into a meal.
A good old CASSEROLE.
Maybe you hate them or maybe they remind you of your childhood. This recipe is creamy, satisfying and full of nutrients. (and Whole 30 approved- which is a plus!)
https://paleoglutenfree.com/recipes/creamy-whole30-bacon-garlic-spaghetti-squash/
ICE CREAM.
We all love ice cream, but it doesn’t always love us. I’m sure you’ve heard of Nice Cream- but maybe you haven’t tried it yet. Here’s a nice little collection of variations that will tempt you to give this healthy alternative a shot.
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/08/22/banana-ice-cream-healthy/
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The Whole Scoop on the Whole 30
Everyone makes some sort of pledge around the New Year. Almost every one of those pledges has to do with eating and fitness. How trite! How over-played, right? Most of the time- these resolutions don’t even make it out of January alive. This year, I’ve been determined to challenge that norm.
Before January 1, my family and I decided that we were going to do the Whole 30 dietary program. A few years of stress have taken their toll. Despite working at an AMAZING natural market that I love, with access to some of the best food around, my eating habits have really suffered. I’ve struggled with migraines and heartburn, and almost NO energy at the end of every day. I decided it was time to do something about that.
We bought the Whole 30 book, made grocery lists, loaded the fridge with organic meat and veggies and buckled in for the ride. In case you aren’t familiar, let me explain what The Whole 30 is. I’d describe it as a diet reset: no grain, no alcohol, no legumes, no dairy, no sugar, no SWEETENERS, no soy, no yeast, etc.
Here’s how my experience has been going with this program:
Day One: Awesome! We made some great meals, felt really full and proud of ourselves.
Day Two: It was the day before the kids had to go back to school, and Grandpa wanted to take everyone to the Museum of Natural History in NYC. We loaded in the car, bags full of fruit, Epic Bars, and the handful of Whole 30-approved bars. “We’ll make it.” I said.
The Museum was packed and we’d seen all the major exhibits. We were hungry. Our snack bags were empty and the sun was going down. We ducked out of the rain and into a delightful little Greek restaurant. The menu included a few things that were perfect- but, not palatable for the kids. My youngest got skirt steak with asparagus, my oldest got lamb sautéed with veggies. I was excited and got stuffed cabbage- forgetting that it had rice in it until I was about eight bites in. I decided to roll with it. “A little goof-up isn’t the end of the world”, I told myself. Then, my father-in-law ordered dessert while I was in the restroom. Baklava and Kaitifi. I didn’t say a word and devoured all of it. And a glass of wine. My husband and I looked at each other and declared a “do-over” the next day.
Day Three +: It wasn’t as hard as I thought over the next few days. I pre-cooked a lot of organic chicken, ground beef, and bacon. I stocked up on salad greens, veggies and fruit. We put our lunches together in the morning- assembling what were essentially “Buddha Bowls”. What are Buddha Bowls? Buddha Bowls are a life saver.
My favorite bowl to throw together is: cooked sweet potato chunks, diced pork or chicken, greens, chopped cashews and Tessamae’s Creamy Ranch dressing (PALEO and Whole 30-friendly!) This has been my go-to lunch. (see recipe below!)
After a few days, I noticed a few things: no headaches, more energy, and no heartburn.
Week Two: The second week brought challenges. We were having a hard time keeping enough food in the house to be able to build our meals. Without filler foods (bread, beans, pasta, grains), we were absolutely tearing through avocados, eggs, salads greens, and fruit. We had to rethink the way we shop. Instead of one big weekly grocery trip, we were finding ourselves re-stocking every few days. Admittedly, the cost was up, too. (I don’t have to tell you that meat costs more than beans.)
After observing our budget for the week, though, there was a savings in another place that we didn’t even consider: we hadn’t eaten out since we went to Manhattan. Not a coffee run, not a rushed lunch, not a desperate pizza order. The extra expense in the grocery budget hasn’t been an issue because we are making and eating all of our own food!
Another challenge I ran into during this time was when I neglected to eat breakfast and found myself nauseated. My instinct was to grab crackers or a piece of bread to soothe my tummy. I texted my husband who encouraged me to grab a bag of raw cashews instead. He was right- I just needed something in my stomach. It’s amazing the food we want to grab for comfort! I didn’t think the cashews would work, but they set me right and I was able to eat well the rest of the day. I learned that I HAVE to eat. I can’t skip meals.
Moving Forward: Now we’re not done with this program quite yet- we still have a week or two to go, but the results so far are enough that we want to keep going. Perhaps indefinitely. The biggest surprise for me is that I don’t miss dairy or bread as much as I expected to. The theory is that you won’t crave things as much if your body is receiving everything it needs.
If you are looking for a reset, or relief from chronic symptoms that have no answers- The Whole 30 is a solid place to start. It will challenge you, but it will also teach you what you need to truly nourish your body.
Easy Whole 30-Approved Lunch Bowl
This flexible lunch can be made ahead of time- and this makes good use of leftovers!
Cube the meat for easy eating. I was using leftover bacon wrapped pork roast.
Leftover a baked Purple Stokes Sweet Potato
I had some pea shoots from Blue Moon Acres to use as my greens. (Yum!)
Looks GORGEOUS already.
I added Cashews for extra crunch and good fats!
You can add any dressing you like, but my current favorite is Whole 30 approved and has a delightful dill flavor that I’m sort of addicted to. You can certainly make your own, of course!
