whole 30, otherwise known as the double-edged sword of "starving" & "feeling better than ever," is what i have been up to lately. i was feeling sluggish and uninspired after working out consistently and not seeing any less of my "thunder thighs" (i know i sound dramatic, but i'm having a personal crisis here, bare with me). the sun had come out & so did my shorts (that, by the way, fit uncomfortably snug). i started thinking about how i would soon have to slip on a bathing suit and, in that moment, i immediately regretted all those sweater season decisions i had made--decisions such as donuts, seconds, and loving carbs as much as they love me, a lot. more than physically, i needed a drastic lifestyle change as i was feeling sluggish and tired and irritable and even more tired (which i am starting to think is unavoidable). i was feeling pretty blah when whole 30 hopped into my lap via the advice of a good friend. i wasted no time saying yes to a process which promised so much in return. so, you can google it and get all the details & more fluff than you could ever want, along with an endless amount of resources, but to me whole 30 is this: it is everything & nothing. it's liberating, yet controlling. you hate it almost as much as you adore it,
almost. in the literal sense whole 30 is this: cutting out all processed foods of any type from your diet. no sugar (real or fake), no dairy, no grains, no carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites, & no legumes/soy. the idea seems hard, but i'm on day 14 and i have a high that is addictive. as much as i miss pasta, beans, and sugar, i haven't felt this good in a really long time. yeah, sure, sometimes i want to burry my face in a pile of churros, but mostly i just want to keep up with all that i've benefited from this. i'm thinking on day 30, i'll indulge in my most missed sweets, but in reality, i hope to keep with the whole foods and nibble on things only like my sweetest lu. i've included some of my favorite recipes from my trials below, i do hope you enjoy!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
take a package of trader joe's shaved brussel sprouts and sprinkle them across a baking sheet (i like to line mine with tin foil--less mess later).
drizzle extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with salt and pepper.
pop in the oven for 10-14 minutes & remove once slightly blackened & crisp.
toss with lime juice, garlic powder, and annie's dijon mustard.
serve immediately.
Zucchini Fritters
take 2 medium sized zucchinis and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skins.
take a cheese grater and grate them over a colander.
let sit in sink for about 10 minutes, then take a kitchen towel and wring out excess liquid.
transfer into a mixing bowl and add 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper to taste, half a chopped onion, 3 tablespoons of chives, sprinkle of onion powder, 1/4 cup of almond flour, and 1 whisked egg.
mix well.
coat a medium skillet with avocado oil and turn burner up to medium high.
once oil is heated through spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan & flatten with a spatula. repeat.
allow to cook until golden brown and then flip, cooking the alternate side through.
remove from heat & place on a paper towel-lined plate allowing excess oil to collect.
serve warm.
Dill Dressing
combine 1/2 cup of full fat canned coconut milk, 1 cup of light oil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, and 3/4 tsp onion powder in a blender.
mix on medium high speed for 1 minute.
add a handful of dill to the dressing and pulsate until herb is well combined. serve with fritters above, or keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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