Time: Batch cooking using the crockpot and more

I have friends who are lacking inspiration, initiative and knowledge for making food at home which is nutritious and instead eat most food by delivery or going out. I realized that through this experience, I have some insight on how to make delicious meals! What a better place to begin, than large batch slow cooking.

Definitely one way to maximize your time while on Whole30 is to use a slow-cooker. Usually you can find delicious recipes which take about 20-30 minutes in prep and then you leave your meal cooking for 2-10 hours depending. What a great way to prepare healthy food while asleep, heading out with friends, or going to work - and everything will be ready when you return!

Kalua Pig - shredded with roasted root vegetables

Another great way to maximize your time is to find larger recipes which take under an hour to make, and then having leftovers for the week or to freeze for later!

It's also helpful to separate the dish into meal sized containers so that you can just grab and go. Even if I'm eating it at home, I'll reheat a meal from the container and not need to worry about portion size. This way you know how many meals you have covered and when you'll need to cook again!

Here are some ideas for your next meal: favourites, ones I have bookmarked for later, and recipes from trusted cooks!

Slow Cooker Recipes:

Beef Bourgignon - The Healthy Foodie: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/slow-cooker-squeaky-clean-beef-bourgignon/

Bone Broth - Oh Lardy: http://ohlardy.com/chicken-bone-broth
[This is a great bullion replacement for soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and even to drink]

Crock Pot Whole Chicken - Cook Eat Paleo: http://cookeatpaleo.com/crock-pot-whole-chicken/

Kalua Pig - Nom Nom Paleo: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/10031990774/slow-cooker-kalua-pig
[careful because my slow cooker is a lot stronger and I only needed 7-9 hours to cook the same roast!]

Lamb Stew with Butternut Apples and Ginger - Healing Family East: http://healingfamilyeats.com/lamb-stew-with-butternut-apples-and-ginger-aip/
[I used beef and it was delicious; it can be cooked in the oven, or you could use the crock pot!]

Slow Cooker Apple Rosemary Pork roast - Pure and Simple Nourishment: http://pureandsimplenourishment.blogspot.ca/2014/12/slow-cooker-apple-rosemary-pork-roast.html
[Granny Smith, honeycrisp, or crispin apples if you don't have access to Lady Pink apples!]



Batch Cooking:

Cleansing Detox Soup - The Glowing Fridge: http://www.theglowingfridge.com/cleansing-detox-soup/

Chicken Mulligatawny

Chicken Mulligatawny - Naked Cuisine: http://www.nakedcuisine.com/chicken-mulligatawny/

Roasted Chicken - Primal Palate: http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-recipe/roast-chicken-with-rosemary-and-thyme/

Shepherd's Pie - Noshtastic: http://www.noshtastic.com/easy-shepherds-pie/

Sweedish Stew (Kalops) - The Domestic Man: http://thedomesticman.com/2013/04/16/swedish-stew-kalops/#more-4545


Trusted Blogs:

Simply Nourished Recipes: http://simplynourishedrecipes.com/category/whole-30-friendly/page/2/

First Steps: Finding Recipes

When I began doing Whole30, I found that my temptation to eat out (and probably compromise my Whole30) was highest if I was bored with the meals I was preparing. I would never have survived the Whole30 if it weren't for good recipes and varied foods. I have been craving a Shish Taouk platter (or that warmed up Double-smoked bacon, cheddar and egg breakfast croissant I just prepared for a customer) for about a week - every time I am caught without food at meal time, I've been eating the same thing for a few days, or I'm emotionally raw, or sick and exhausted.

This round I am using plantoeat.com to help me store my recipes, plan my meals, and create my grocery list. In the past I have built boards on Pinterest for each week's worth of meals. I have also used Excel to calculate my macros because I was feeling like I had too much starch and not enough fiber. Buying books or printing off my recipes have also been a part of my journey - but soft copies always make integrating meals easier. 

Plantoeat.com Planner

 
Using this website helps me to have my food prepared for meal time, add delicious varied foods, and to plan ahead for difficult situations and busyness. Finding the recipes to use can take time but the internet, library and friends can be a great source of ideas. Whatever your source, I would suggest finding at least a dozen recipes that help you to enjoy each meal.

You might not be as picky as me, and can survive off eating the same few meals week after week. I envy you. Don't feel like you need to add variety for variety's sake. Just know yourself and your weaknesses. I have 80+ recipes saved to Plan to Eat, and I continue to refine and develop my list. Add me if you're using the website too!

Plantoeat.com Recipes

Having that database, I am able to plan a few week's worth of meals and foresee my groceries and the time needed for preparing new dishes. I definitely have room to improve and refine my planning, but this is a lot better than before. It is so helpful to have it all together and takes away some of the stress. I posted here about how I would manage to prepare a week's worth of meals in just a few hours. When you make everything together, you don't have to clean and prepare your mise en place multiple times. I included foods of many different colours (for vitamins) and different meats (for change) and different cuisines (for flavours).

Beyond the recipes I included in my one week plan, below I have included a few easy recipes which I continue to include in my meal planning. Easy is not always boring, but it helps to cut down on the time you need to invest in eating healthy, which is so helpful.

Let me know what recipes have helped you on your Whole30 journey, I'd love to try some!

Poultry Mains -

Chicken Tagine with Fig and Ginger by Cook Eat Paleo: http://cookeatpaleo.com/mediterranean-paleo-cooking-fig-and-ginger-chicken-tajine/

One Pot Paleo Chicken Curry Stir Fry by Sweet C's Designs: http://sweetcsdesigns.com/one-pot-paleo-chicken-curry-stir-fry/
 

Sweet C's Chicken Curry Stir Fry

30 Minute Clean Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs by ifoodreal: http://ifoodreal.com/30-minute-clean-thai-turkey-zucchini-meatballs/

Salads -

Chopped Thai Salad with Coconut Curry Dressing by The Wicked Noodle: http://www.thewickednoodle.com/chopped-thai-salad/

Pesto Chicken Salad by The Nordstrom Cafe: https://www.instagram.com/p/sq3rQXrDEe/

Thai chopped Salad with Lime Ginger Dressing by From Cup to Cup: http://fromcuptocup.blogspot.ca/2014/01/thai-chopped-salad-with-lime-ginger.html

Thai Turkey Meatballs by iFoodReal: http://ifoodreal.com/30-minute-clean-thai-turkey-zucchini-meatballs/ 

South Jordan Beet Salad by Whole Sisters: http://www.whole-sisters.com/#!South-Jordan-Beet-Salad/c1v9p/551cbdbe0cf21933cd2e24e4

Whole Sisters' South Jordan Salad

Beef Mains-

Sukuma Wiki (Kenyan Braised Collard Greens and Ground Beef) by The Domestic Man: http://thedomesticman.com/2013/07/02/sukuma-wiki-kenyan-braised-collard-greens-and-ground-beef/

Simple Skirt Steak with Romesco Sauce by PaleOMG: http://paleomg.com/simple-skirt-steak-with-romesco-sauce/#

The Perfect Burger by Stupid Easy Paleo: http://stupideasypaleo.com/2014/03/27/perfect-burger/

Perfect Burger by Stupid Easy Paleo

Egg Dishes -

Easy Artichoke, Spinach and Herb Frittata by Linda Wagner: http://lindawagner.net/blog/2014/06/easy-artichoke-spinach-herb-frittata/index.html

Chorizo Scotch Eggs by Popular Paleo: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/paleo-chicken-scotch-egg/

Time - Building a week's meal plan

I have found that building a week's Meal Plan can be a big challenge. I often over planned, over bought, and wasted foods. I've also made batches that were bigger than I could eat in a few days, and lost interest. And sometimes recipes flop, and I have to plan another meal.

Some people might just have a knack for planning meals for a week, but I have had to learn along the way. To help someone who is just starting, I wanted to provide a week's Meal Plan which you could follow, or adjust, or just use as a guide.

An example for one week (21 meals):

- Savory Pumpkin Pie (a sort of quiche) - makes 6
- Garlic Lime Chicken Wings (thighs) - makes 3
- Thai chopped Salad with Lime Ginger Dressing - makes 6
- White Fish with Black Sesame Seeds - makes 3
- Roasted cabbage/eggplant make for 6 meals
- Beef Stroganoff -  makes 4-6 meals
- Fresh vegetables to eat raw, fruit, olives, and probiotics
- and leftovers from last weekend, or meals out with friends.

A likely schedule:
On Saturday, I made the marinade for the chicken (about 10 minutes) and put it together with the meat in the fridge over night. Then I cut up:

• Pumpkin Pie onions, garlic and whatever else for a 'quiche'

I sauteed the onions and vegetables for the Pumpkin Pie (about 15 minutes). Then I mixed the rest of the recipe (about 10 minutes) and cooked the Savory Pumpkin Pie (unattended for about 45 minutes). Then I chopped:

• Raw vegetables for sides - carrot sticks, cucumber coins, pepper slivers, tomatoes, avocados, etc
• Thai salad vegetables, and tossed in a bowl
• Mushrooms and carrots for Beef Stroganoff (put aside for later)

I split the Thai salad between 6 containers and opened a can of tuna to split between 3 of the salads. Then I made the dressing (about 10 minutes) with my immersion blender (or a whisk) and put the dressing one the one salad to eat immediately, and left the rest in a container in the fridge.

Once the pie is cooled, I slit it into 6 containers. I would cut up a cucumber, or celery to eat with the pie in the following days.

Then prepare the White Fish according the the recipe (about 20 minutes), and steam some spinach (or any greens) with garlic (about 15 minutes). And enjoy this for dinner.
Once the Beef was finished cooking, I divided it into containers for meals later in the week.

On Sunday I would enjoy the Pumpkin Pie for Meal 1. The Thai Salad with tuna for Meal 2. For Meal 3, I sliced an eggplant or cabbage (enough for about 2 slices for 4 meals), and brushed it with extra virgin olive oil and topped it with my favourite spices (garlic, onion, cumin, and nutritional yeast). I roasted the vegetable on a cookie sheet (for about 30 minutes) and the marinated Chicken (about an hour) in a roasting pan together at 350F.

By day 4 (or one day before meals were low), I would put all of the ingredients in the Crockpot for the Beef Stroganoff and start just before bed, or before leaving for work in the morning. Be careful to time it so that you are home and awake when the time is up. I would add vegetables depending on availability.

I would then enjoy these meals for the week with an occasional meal out, or special event. I often make a stir-fry with any remaining vegetables, eat fruit on he side, and slice raw vegetables to add flavours to my repetitive meals.



I did eat most of these things in the past week and I think that they have good flavours and help me to preserve my precious time whilst prioritizing my health. I hope that this helps give you ideas for your own Whole30 journey!!

Whole 30 - Where to start?

I am always surprised when friends and acquaintances tell me that they've read my blog. I write in a different voice than I speak, and share more personally than I would with an acquaintance. It's not that I am ashamed of what I write, but it lacks the give-and-take of a new friendship and I feel like I need to catch up on what they've read. This weekend, a friend told me that she had read my blog so we took a minute to discuss the content of what she'd read. She tole me that she wanted to take her health more seriously. But she had no idea where to start, and lacked the experience to make up her own recipes.

So this post is a few suggestions for anyone who is considering eating more healthfully or to do a Whole30. She and I agreed that although she's working full-time and studying part-time, we're all busy. There is never a better time than NOW to put your health as a priority.

Let's assume that you don't have more than an hour every night to eat dinner and prepare for tomorrow's lunch and dinner, like my friend. What can you do?

Tips:

1. Batch cooking recipes that you like, and don't require a lot of attention. Slow cookers are really helpful!
2. Pick a day where you can prepare most of the recipes (a weekend!). Try to find the best way to maximize your time, and have your groceries ready.
3. Try to add variety with your meats, flavours, and raw foods on the side.
4. Think of your meals as #1, #2 and #3 to avoid getting into a rut.

Whole30 Guidelines:

• Build your Plate (PDF): palm size of protein, fill the rest of your plate with vegetables (especially leafy greens and fibrous vegetables), 1-2 servings of fruit per day, one or more fat source per meal (olives, avocado, nuts, oils and coconut). Add fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut and kombucha as you like.
• No cheats, no slips, no excuses. Remember this is a marathon and not a sprint.
• Find a support network of friends and family who can help you make it through. I'd love to help :)

I've read from one blogger that for her first Whole30, she and her husband took it easy and just had roasted chicken breast, steamed vegetables and sliced avocado for all of their meals, for 30 days. I would have gone crazy! But I know people who do it and love it! No fuss :)

For me, if I eat the same thing for dinner 3 times in a row, I start to loose interest and will end up throwing out the wasted food. I have written a post that outlines one week's worth of meals for me - which maximizes my time without loosing variety in my meals. It explains how to prepare all of your meals in just one afternoon so that meals are ready for work through the week. You can find it here.

When I started doing Whole30, it was hard to find recipes which I could enjoy but didn't take hours to prepare. If you would like to find some simple recipes which could help you as you start to compile your own database, you can find some here. I have split them up by categories to help you navigate.

Don't loose heart as you persevere through the challenges towards better health! I am always learning more about myself and nutrition and realize some mistakes I made in my first round, and even just yesterday. This is an important journey, and you're worth it!!

The naked truth: Whole30 and my health

I wrote this to a close friend, about a year ago to explain my rationale for Whole30 and the process I'd been on.

**

I have been overweight most of my pubescent and adult life. As a little girl, I was small and average never having excess weight or nutritional issues. Once I hit puberty I was packing on the pounds and called "big boned" although I had not changed any of my habits and we were eating healthy at home.

Ever since, I have resented the fact that others can eat anything they want, but I'm the one who has to suffer gaining extra pounds. I have felt defeated and un-beautiful, and unhealthy.

Many times I have gone on fasts or diets and lost some weight, but I was counting down the minutes until I could eat everything I'd cut out. Then all the weight came back, and over the years so much more!

When my healthy, beautiful friend suggested Whole30 to me, I was critical. I needed to know that I didn't need to buy all of my food from the company, or all of their recipes, and that it was actual science that backed up their claims. I had been receiving emails from 'nutritionists' who never say anything concrete until after they've convinced you to buy another thing from them or their affiliates, and I was sick of it!

One day I felt God's nudge to look into Whole30 so I bought the book and read the science and realized for the first time how my hormones and gut were contributing to my poor health. It wasn't the calories or the fat I was ingesting, but the things that turn into fat or cause fat to be stored that were making me unhealthy.

Whole30 cuts out all foods (for a minimum of 30 days) that cause any of the 4 major health issues: addiction, hormonal imbalance, gut permeability, and inflammation. Anything that is processed is eliminated because of it's unnatural addictive qualities, sugar and alcohol are also addictive. But rather than focusing on what you cannot eat, I found oodles of delicious recipes full of protein, fiber, good fats, and carbohydrates. I even made my friend and her family (3 children under 4 and her hubby) her birthday dinner (Whole30 compliant) and they all loved it! She even scooped up the leftovers and had it for lunch the next day!

But one thing that has really changed the game for me is realizing that:

- I am an adult and no one else can make decisions for me

- My life is worth more than not doing this

- I need to take myself seriously, cause God does

- None of the foods I crave actually fix my problems

- Enjoy things  because they are delicious, in an intentional manner 

Since finishing my Whole30, I have realized how much my brain lies to me about food, and how much I idolize it! Now, I am making more conscious decisions about what I eat, and I am really enjoying vegetables for the first time!

Anyways, if you want to talk more about my experience just let me know!

Lots of love and compassion,