Dallas Whole30 Blog | Fortuitous Foodies

Hi Friends! We’ve made it through the first week of Whole30 and are feeling awesome! Are you doing #JanuaryWhole30? Let us know in the comments below! Now onto our Whole30 meals for week one…

Disclaimer: Do not take this post as a nutritional recommendation or think that we are an expert of any sort. Just sharing our journey on how we’re working to be healthier in 2017!

Emily’s Whole30 Food Diary | Week 1 Recap

{Monday 1/2/2017}

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with avocado and tomato
Coffee black

Snack

Ginger G.T.’s Kombucha

Lunch

Beef & Sweet Potato Chili (from the Whole30 Cookbook)

Snack

Cashew Cookie LaraBar these are so yummy and did you know that cashews also have a lot of magnesium that helps reduce stress and aids in better sleep?!

Dinner

Chimichurri beef from Snap Kitchen (did not love this)

How I felt: Good but tired. Went to bed two hours earlier than normal.

{Tuesday 1/3/2017}

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with avocado
Coffee black
Lemon water

Snack

Banana

Lunch

Crispy Chicken from Snap Kitchen (tasty!)
Organic Made in Nature Dried Pineapple Slices (yum!)

Snack

Lemon Bar LaraBar

Dinner

Shrimp & Green Bean Coconut Curry with Cauliflower Rice (Awesome!)
Digestion tea after dinner
Lemon Water

How I felt: Great during the day and just a tad bit tired. Went to bed at my normal time and had a really hard time falling asleep. This restlessness resulted also with bad dreams. Woke up with a headache and feeling awful.

{Wednesday 1/4/2017}

Breakfast

Banana
Coffee black
Chai Cashew Shake from Snap Kitchen (delicious!)

Snack

Dang coconut chips (love these! I keep them in my desk at work)

Lunch

Breakfast hash from Snap Kitchen

Snack

Lemon LaraBar

Dinner

Tuna salad with yellow squash side

How I felt: With the headache I woke up with, I went back to sleep and forgot to set my alarm. I was able to get 2 additional hours of sleep but they did make me a little late to work and I felt rushed and super grumpy.

{Thursday 1/5/2017}

Breakfast

Whole Foods Whole30 Smoothie
Coffee with Kelapo’s mixture of coconut oil and ghee

Snack

Dang coconut chips

Lunch

HG Bowl with burger, sweet potatoes and cauliflower grits

Snack

Carrot Cake LaraBar

Dinner

Salmon with roasted asparagus and potatoes

How I felt: Woke up as normal. After having a cup of black coffee with Kelapo’s mixture of coconut oil and ghee I was feeling great! Throughout the day I’ve been stable and am feeling lighter. I’m excited and motivated!

{Friday 1/6/2017}

Breakfast

Whole30 Smoothie Bowl
Coffee black with a pinch of cinnamon from Royal Blue Grocery

Lunch

HG Bowl with burger, sweet potatoes and cauliflower grits

Snack

Fruit

Dinner

Leftovers

{Saturday 1/7/2017}

Breakfast

Rustic Veggie Frittata
Half a grapefruit

Lunch

Banana + mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews // Back To Nature has some great selections)
Coconut milk

Dinner

Filet Mignon, Sweet Potato Mash, Balsamic and herb mushrooms, roasted asparagus with EVOO + garlic + lemon

How I felt: Woke up as normal. Had a lot to do so was thankful for the energy kick! Knew we had a bigger dinner so had a very light lunch. That being said, I definite should have added more protein to lunch and had a snack because by the time dinner came around I was extremely hungry and feeling a bit weak. Thirty minutes after eating I was feeling much better.

{Sunday 1/8/2017}

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with salsa and avocado
Coffee

Lunch

Leftovers

Dinner

Mexican Stir Fry
Apple slices with cinnamon

How I felt: Woke up as normal. Had a lot to do so was thankful for the energy kick! Knew we had a bigger dinner so had a very light lunch. That being said, I definite should have added more protein to lunch and had a snack because by the time dinner came around I was extremely hungry and feeling a bit week. 30 minutes after eating I was feeling much better.

Key learnings so far:

I have a new found love of cashews!
Don’t skip meals. When I would snack or lightly graze through lunch I felt tired and weak later. Not good. Eat lunch!
Drink lots of water. I feel better when I’m well hydrated! This filtered water bottle makes it easy!
Black coffee really isn’t that bad especially when you add Kelapo Coconut Oil and Ghee 50/50 Blend Packets to it!
Always check food labels – sugar is hiding in SO many things! Scary!

Barbie’s Whole30 Food Diary | Week 1 Recap

{Monday 1/2/2017}

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with avocado and tomato
Coffee black

Snack

Guava Goddess G.T.’s Kombucha

Lunch

Beef & Sweet Potato Chili (Whole30 Cookbook)

Dinner

Baked Chicken with Garlic Sautéed Spinach
Lime La Croix

How I felt: Pretty good overall, except for a minor headache.

{Tuesday 1/3/2017}

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with a slice of Whole30 compliant paleo turkey and sliced tomato
Coffee black

Lunch

Baked Chicken with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash
Coconut La Croix

Snack

Cherry Pie LaraBar

Dinner

Paprika Spiced Baked Salmon with Avocado, Pineapple, Red Bell Pepper, Cilantro, and Lime Salsa (Inspired by Whoe30 Cookbook recipe, but adapted to be made using ingredients I had on hand)
Water with lemon

How I felt: I felt low energy most of the day and had a headache along with some body aches. I constantly felt hungry within thirty minutes to an hour after eating my meals.

{Wednesday 1/4/2017}

Breakfast

Egg baked in half an avocado seasoned with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and lemon
Coffee with Kelapo’s mixture of coconut oil and ghee

Lunch

Leftover baked chicken with Brussels sprouts, squash, and sweet potatoes

Snack

Banana
1 TBSP raw almond butter

Dinner

Spaghetti squash with beef bolognese made with Trader Joe’s Whole30 compliant Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

How I felt: I had a terrible headache most of the day and continued to feel fairly low energy. I continued feeling hungry often. However, I started to notice that I am falling asleep much quicker at night and sleeping more soundly.

{Thursday 1/5/2017}

Breakfast

Banana Chia Pudding
Coffee black

Lunch

Baked chicken breast on mixed veggie salad with sliced avocado and apple all topped with Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing

Dinner

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Cauliflower Fried Rice
Coconut La Croix

How I felt: The headaches seem to be subsiding and I feel like I am gaining more energy. My appetite and body seem to be adjusting to this new diet of natural, mainly non-processed foods and my constant hunger is subsiding with my meals leaving me more satisfied.

{Friday 1/6/2017}

Breakfast

Banana Chia Pudding
Coffee black

Lunch

Egg baked in half an avocado with side of sweet potato, beef, tomato hash
Lime La Croix

Dinner

Zoodles with Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage and Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce
Lime La Croix

How I felt: The headaches have finally subsided and I am feeling more energized! I am getting better sleep, despite having some weird dreams. Also, it seems much easier to wake up in the morning and I feel more fully alert quicker even before my first cup of coffee. I can already see a difference in my skin after just one week of eating clean and packing my diet with a ton of raw fruits, veggies, and good fats. My skin has cleared up and even has a subtle glow to it.

{Saturday 1/7/2017}

Breakfast

Egg baked in half avocado seasoned with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and lemon
Whole30 compliant paleo turkey bacon from Whole Foods
Coffee black

Lunch

Carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes with Dump Ranch (Whole30 Cookbook)
Lime La Croix

Snack

Apple Pie LaraBar

Dinner

Filet Mignon, Sweet Potato Mash, Balsamic and herb mushrooms, roasted asparagus with EVOO + garlic + lemon
Topo Chico with a slice of orange and a sprig of fresh mint

How I felt: I woke up feeling energized and alert. I had a light lunch, knowing we had a big dinner planned. We went to the movies to see La La Land and it was a bit challenging to smell the tempting popcorn and to see everyone eating and drinking all around us, but I came prepared with a Lara Bar stashed in my purse as a satisfying snack.

{Sunday 1/8/2017}

Breakfast

Whole30 compliant paleo turkey bacon
Smoothie: mixed greens, half avocado, frozen pineapple, banana, strawberry, mango, and coconut water
Coffee black

Lunch

Chicken tenders with Dump Ranch (Whole30 Cookbook)
Side salad with Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing

Dinner

Apple slices with a pinch of cinnamon
1 TBSP almond butter
Almonds

How I felt: I’m starting to feel more attuned to my body and am more aware of my natural hunger cues after a week of being on Whole30. This is why I had a smaller dinner tonight – I simply wasn’t feeling hungry after Saturday night’s large meal and the larger than usual lunch I had today. I’ve also been having some digestive issues during this first week of the program that I’m hoping will normalize over the course of the next three weeks.

Key learnings so far:

Read the ingredients! I was shocked to see how much sugar is in so many of the food products I consume on a regular basis. Doing Whole30 has made me stop to check the ingredients on every label and it has truly been eye-opening to see how much sugar is unnecessarily added to so many processed foods.
Weekly meal planning is key! Whole30 can be overwhelming, but planning your weekly meals out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Sunday can save you the stress during the busy week when things get hectic. Meal planning also allows you to minimize your grocery store runs during the week and ensures you have all of the ingredients you’ll need for each meal.
Leftovers are good! I will be the first to admit that I usually hate leftovers. But on Whole30, dinner leftovers have been a lifesaver to use as lunch for the following day! It’s also a great idea to make a double batch of freezable dishes that you can heat up in an emergency or if you forgot to plan a meal. This saves time and your sanity!
Having a support group helps! We are lucky to be a part of a small local support group of several friends and fellow bloggers doing Whole30 and also of a larger DFW group. Having a support group is important because doing Whole30 is not exactly easy or enjoyable everyday, especially at first when you’re experiencing detox symptoms and wondering if it’s worth it. It is! A support group will help you stay inspired to stick it out to better your health, lend words of encouragement, share recipes, and give advice on the many questions you’ll likely encounter. Check out Stephanie Drenka and Loubies and Lulu for more information!
Keep it simple! My tendency is to want to create delicious, creative meals every night for dinner, but when you’re doing Whole30 for the first time and just trying to make it through the first week sometimes keeping it simple is the best option. Just remember, simple doesn’t have to mean boring! For example, the Paprika Spiced Baked Salmon with Avocado, Pineapple, Red Bell Pepper, Cilantro, and Lime Salsa I made for dinner one night was fairly simple and far from boring. Or even an egg baked in half an avocado topped with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and lemon something that is so simple, yet so delicious!

Whole30 Essentials

This ‘Carrot & Leek Soup‘ is absolutely delightful! We made it for a Whole30 dinner party and everyone asked for the recipe! #Victory

It’s a beautiful soup for the winter as it is incredibly warming with aromatic ingredients such as cardamon and fresh ginger. You’re sure to enjoy this healthy and clean ‘Carrot & Leek Soup’ just as much as we do. Bonus, it also makes your kitchen smell amazing!

Recipe: Carrot & Leek Soup

We love this soup! It’s paleo, Whole30 approve and you can also make it vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

6-8 servings Prep: 10 minutes Total cook time: about 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee
2 leeks, white and light green parts, rinsed (remove all dirt and grit!), and thinly sliced
1 1/2 pound bag of large carrots, peeled and cut into bit size discs
1/2 cup diced red or green apple
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock/broth if you want to make it vegetarian
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
Freshly ground black pepper
Himalayan salt
Optional: lemon or lime for finishing

Kitchen Essentials:

Instructions

Melt the ghee in a pot over medium heat. Add the cleaned and sliced leeks, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté on low until translucent, about 7 minutes.
Throw in the carrots, apple, ginger, cardamom, and turmeric and stir until aromatic, about 4 minutes.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Yum!
Purée the carrot and leek soup directly in the pot with an immersion blender. Remember to be gentle and careful, you don’t want hot soup flying up at you! Also, have patience and purée until smooth, this will take a few minutes. Trust us, you’re going to love how velvety smooth this soup is.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking with salt and pepper.
Optional: Spritz some fresh lemon or lime over the top of the soup for added zing and freshness.
Enjoy!

Cheers!

Emily & Barbie

Pictures by Stephanie Drenka