Category: Whole 30

Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats

I pretty much love anything and everything that involves buffalo chicken. Now that I think of it, I can say the same for zucchini. It’s no doubt that I paired them together for this easy go to weeknight meal of Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats for me.
zucchini boats
I know I say this often, but in order for me to sustain this lifestyle I have to keep it simple. Dinner needs to be ready in a matter of minutes for me. The best part about this recipe is that it is great for leftovers. So easy to just heat the oven and put these in there for a bit as I pack my lunch for work the next day. Sometimes if I’m really lazy, I even eat them cold! Topped off with my Whole 30 compliant ranch.
Whole 30 and Paleo Shredded Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats with Homemade Ranch
Ingredients:
1 lb of cooked boneless chicken breast, shredded
4 zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
2/3 cup red hot sauce
2 Tbsp of ghee or coconut oil
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1-2 Tbsp of fresh dill (I love dill so the more the better, just depends on preference)
Directions:
  • Boil chicken on the stove top in a sauce pan for 20-25 minutes. Pull it out and shred with two forks
  • Melt ghee on stove top in a saucepan. Add hot sauce, celery salt, ghee
  • Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit
  • Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scrap out the middle seed area with a spoon. I used the inside to mix with the onions and chicken but you can toss them if you don’t like the insides.
  • Place zucchini in oven and cook for 18 minutes
  • Saute the onion and zucchini insides (if you saved them) in salt and pepper in a pan
  • Add the shredded chicken and sauce to the pan with the onion and zucchini insides. Mix together
  • Pull out the zucchini boats from the oven and stuff them with the chicken and onion mixture.
  • Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes
  • Garnish with more dill
  • I enjoyed mine with homemade (Whole 30) dairy-free ranch

Chicken and Bacon Cobb Salad

I know this might not be the popular opinion, but I have always been a huge salad person. My parents have told me even when I was a toddler, I would always eat my salad greens they would serve me. I didn’t even know toddlers should eat salads but that’s a whole other topic…
Salads have gotten such a bad rap over time. Either they are too bland boring, or they are full of really unhealthy things and you have defeated the purpose of making a better choice. While at restaurants the latter certainly seems to be the case, I am determined to salvage the reputation of salads by proving there are so many ways to make salads delicious AND healthy.
Whole 30 Paleo Chicken and Bacon Cobb Salad
The key is in the dressing to me. Which is the first place you can go terribly wrong in terms of making it real unhealthy real quick. But there are so many ways to make your own in under 30 seconds if you just invest in a couple of vinegars and a light tasting oil.  I usually use an extra light virgin olive oil or an avocado olive oil. Throw in your favorite herbs – fresh or dried – and you’ve made yourself a great dressing. Check out my dressings recipes, such as my homemade dairy free ranch, for some ideas!
Whole 30 Paleo Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad with Ranch
Or if that seems too much there are numerous companies that are choosing mindful ingredients in their dressings. I scan the ingredients list and avoid any preservatives, added sugar, or anything I can’t pronounce. While these are more expensive than making your own, they are great and convenient and if they hep you make a healthier choice, you have my full support!
I made this Cobb salad because who doesn’t love a big beautiful Cobb salad. So many colors, so many vegetables you can add on to greens and top it off with Grilled Chicken and Bacon. This salad is so easy to exchange your favorite veggies or seasonal veggies and make it your own. Perfect for a warm summer day, as we have had a LOT of here lately.
Ingredients:
2 cups of romaine lettuce or any green of your liking
Grilled Chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1/4 cup of cucumbers chopped
1/4 onion finely diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 of avocado
1 hard boiled egg chopped
1 slice of Bacon – uncured with no added sugar if you are following a whole 30 or paleo diet
2 tbsp of dressing of your choice. I used Tessemae’s Avocado Ranch

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Dairy Free Homemade Ranch (Whole 30)

Ranch is such a staple in my life that when I did my first Whole 30 I didn’t know what I was going to eat considering I had to give up dairy and added preservatives, which meant Ranch. Back in the “stone ages” when I did my first Whole 30, all the store bought dressings didn’t exist. Luckily, I quickly learned I didn’t have to give up my beloved ranch up, I just had to make my own!

I personally am not a huge fan of coconut milk in homemade ranch. So many recipes out there now include that so I needed to improvise and came up with this one! I think the coconut flavor overpowers the other ingredients so I leave it out of mine.

There are SO many variations you can make to this to make to spice up your life even more. Add a couple of slices of diced, cooked bacon and you have Bacon Ranch. Add a few tbsp of your preferred hot sauce for Buffalo Ranch. There are also a ton of store bought which can really be a life saver in a pinch. However, I don’t always trust the oils they use and it’s also not very budget friendly.

Ingredients:
1 cup of homemade mayo
Juice of 1/4 lemon or lime OR 2 Tbsp of Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
Handful of fresh dill (I LOVE fresh dill but you could use 2 tsp dried dill)
Handful of fresh cilantro

Directions:

  • Fold in spices to mayo and add lemon or lime juice. Mix to combine.

Homemade Dairy Free Tzatziki Sauce

I love love love Mediterranean food. If you made me choose between Mediterranean and Mexican, I would choose death. Maybe that’s a bit dramatic but sometimes I feel passionate about food!

There are just certain things I was unwilling to give up in my food freedom and “Life After Whole 30”. Ranch and tzatziki were two of those sauces I couldn’t live without. Luckily, they are very similar bases and require almost the same ingredients. You could easily double the mayo and save half for ranch and half for the tzatziki.

Such a great additional to a Mediterranean inspired dish or a salad to add great flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup of homemade mayo
1/2 cucumber, shredded
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
Handful of fresh dill (I LOVE fresh dill but you could use 2 tsp dried dill)
Handful of fresh cilantro

Directions:

  • Fold all of the ingredients into the mayo and enjoy!

Sloppy Joe

This Whole 30 version of Sloppy Joe is good enough to turn the biggest hater. Growing up I was never a fan of Sloppy Joe’s. Something about all the mess, the soggy bun, just nothing really was appealing to me.

I recently tried to give food – much like Sloppy Joe’s – that I wasn’t a fan of growing up another chance. It is really crazy how much your taste buds change as you grow up. It’s even crazier how your taste buds change after doing a Whole 30 or switching to a whole foods based diet.

This was one of the first dishes I made for my boyfriend. He meal prepped it for his lunches for NO LIE 8 weeks straight! It is so easy to make in a large enough batch that will last all week. It’s also super budget friendly. Just bulk the dish up with cheaper in season veggies such as zucchini or squash.

Whole 30 Paleo Sloppy Joe

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground turkey or ground beef
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini, diced (optional)
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
6 oz of tomato paste
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of crushed red pepper
1 tbsp of olive or avocado oil
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp of fennel seeds
Pair with sweet potatoes, zucchini noodles, russet potatoes, or even a bun if you tolerate gluten!

Directions:

  • Heat oil in a large pan
  • Heat oil in a large pan
  • Add onion and allow it to cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes)
  • Add ground meat and spices and let brown (about 4 minutes)
  • Add diced green and red pepper, diced zucchini, and diced tomatoes
  • Let all cook together for about 5 minutes. There should be a decent amount of liquid in the pan at this point
  • Add the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and tomato paste and mix it into the dish, distributing evenly
  • Don’t be hesitant to add more Dijon or apple cider vinegar if you like yours extra tangy.

Whole 30 Guacamole

I didn’t even know if this Whole 30 Guacamole deserved a whole post because of how simple it is. I figured though, there was a time when I didn’t know how to put simple flavors together in a way to make them mesh and would have appreciated this myself. So if I can even help one person, this is worth it!
Guacamole is so easy to bring to friend’s house for get togethers, celebrations, Super Bowl, you name it! I know there are so many pre-made ones out there but none that are as good as the freshness you get from grinding up your own. Sometimes I just make this for myself for the week for easy snacking (I like to dip with carrots on a whole 30), to put on salads, or you know..eat with a spoon out of the refrigerator (No shame in my game).
Ingredients:
2 large avocados (I really do think organic ones are creamier and worth it. At least in Ohio)
1/4 red onion
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes cut very small (optional)
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped finely
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
Directions:
  • Mash the avocados first to get them in a desired consistency.
  • Fold in the remaining ingredients and mix everything together
  • That’s it! Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

As soon as the weather starts getting nicer in central Ohio, I start to crave all things on the grill. Grilled chicken, grilled steak, grilled veggies…you name it, I want it grilled! If you live in a place where warm weather comes and goes before you can blink, you too may understand where I’m coming from here. Not only does it help to keep your home cooler by avoiding the oven, but it makes for easy clean up as well.
Whole 30 Paleo Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kebabs
I know you can buy these pre-made at the store, but if you are on a tight budget, I swear taking the little bit of extra effort to customize these yourself is such a money saver! It’s even kind of fun to do! Get the kids together to help out or challenge your significant other or friend to see who can build the fastest kebab. We had a blast and maybe got a little competitive.
Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
1 large yellow squash
1 orange pepper
1/2 red onion, chopped in large cubes
2 cups (I package) of white mushrooms, cut in half
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch cubes
**Tip: try to cut the chicken thinly so that it cooks at the same rate as the   vegetables**
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of seasoning salt (read your ingredients if you are on a whole 30. Trader Joe’s has a great option)
These are the vegetables I used, but you can mix it up to cater to what you like best or what you can easily find and prefer.
Directions:
  • Place cut vegetables in a gallon bag with seasoning and oil. Let this marinate overnight or at least for 2 hours for best results. It’s important that the vegetables have enough liquid or it will be harder to grill.
  • If you are using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling so they do not burn.
  • Place vegetables and chicken on skewers in whatever order you prefer. I love to see all the colors come together.
  • Place on medium heat grill and let cook for about 10 minutes per side. 5 minutes if you can master flipping on all four sides.
  • Enjoy!

Whole 30 Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles

Growing up, one of my favorite dishes was spaghetti and meatballs. My parents divorced when I was young and I distinctly remember every Friday my dad would pick us up from school and we would eat his homemade spaghetti and meatballs. It was almost a ritual in that I even had it on the same plate every time. Memories like these are so precious to me.
Whole 30 Paleo Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles
So when I began making healthier food choices, this was one of the first things I wanted to try to make. I wanted a healthy version with the same comfort! I think we can all agree there is something incredibly comforting about warm meatballs and sauce simmering on the stove all day.
Whole 30 Turkey Meatballs with zucchini noodles
The best about these meatballs is that they are super easy to make and freeze for another time. You could even make a double match and save half! They are also great as a base protein for so many other recipes. Start with these and you can add them to any desired meatball dish.
Whole 30 Paleo Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles
Sauce Ingredients:
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Pinch or more of crushed red pepper
15 ounces of tomato sauce
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
Meatballs and “Zoodles” Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey (I used 93% lean 7% fat. You could also use 1lb of ground beef)

3 medium zucchini
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel
Pinch crushed red pepper flake
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
  • Use a noodler like this one to spiralize your zucchini
  • Put ground meat and remaining meatball ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to mix together and form into small balls
  • Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes
  • Add all ingredients of the sauce to a large pot and let come to a boil, crushing the whole tomatoes if you want
  • Add the baked meatballs into the sauce and lower it to just simmer
  • Let cook together for at least 20 minutes but even longer if you can to let the flavors come together
  • I like my zucchini crunchy but if you do not sauté them for 3 minutes in olive oil
  • Place meatballs on top of the zoodles and enjoy!

Best Potato Salad

I am not one to normally to brag buttt…. this is the BEST potato salad I’ve ever had or made. The mix of the starchy potatoes with bacon along with the lemon kick with mayo does something to me. I actually have to strategically plan how far in advance I can make this so I don’t indulge in all of it before I’m supposed to serve it to others!

I love this dish for so many reasons; it is so simple and quick to make, it isn’t full of any junk or artificial flavors like so many store bought ones are, and the ingredients balance each other perfectly for a great bite (Or 20).

This is usually in my rotation for bringing to a friend’s house for a get together or enjoying a summer BBQ with my family. I have never left a gathering with ANY of this left, which is a perfect indicator of how well it is liked.

 

Ingredients:
5 lbs of potatoes – chopped and heavily salted
1 package of whole 30 approved bacon, chopped
1/2 cup of scallions
1 1/2 cup of mayo
2 Tbsp ground mustard
1/2 juice of lemon
1 tsp of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Directions:

  • Cut red skin potatoes in small cubes that are all the same size. You can make them as big or as small as you desire, just try to make them even throughout
  • Place potatoes in a large stove pan and fill it with water that adequately covers the potatoes. Generously season with salt
  • Bring the pot to a boil and let cook another 15 minutes. Don’t let the potatoes get too soggy as they need to be firm to mix with the other ingredients later
  • Strain the potatoes and place them in the fridge and allow them to cool completely.
  • Mix potatoes and remaining ingredients together
  • Enjoy!

Homemade Mayo

I put this ISH on everything and I’m really not kidding. I use this as a base for so many recipes and put it on so many dishes. I make this at least once a week and always have it on hand.

If you are on a Whole 30 I highly recommend finding a mayo type of sauce and utilize to get some healthy fats in your meals to keep you more full during the day. This has been key for my success in my Whole 30 rounds. My immersion blender has also become my very best friend and is perfect for making your own mayo or dressing in general!

Homemade Mayo Video!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups of avocado oil
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
Juice from 1/4 lemon

Directions:
  • Crack eggs into an immersion blender friendly container
  • Combine oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mustard powder into the container
  • Place immersion blender at the bottom and let it run. I usually let it run without moving it for 20 seconds and then slowly lift it up the container and let all the ingredients mix.
  • Enjoy!