(Part 2) Top products from r/whole30

I'm not currently doing a Whole30, but here are some W30-compliant recipes I've been loving lately. Even though it's summer, I still love warm food!

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken. THIS IS SO GOOD, and my boyfriend and I usually get 3 meals each out of it. Have this turmeric cauliflower (either cauli heads or riced) on the side: 1 large cauliflower, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 3 tbsp coconut oil. Toss the cauli in the spice mixture and coconut oil, roast on a sheet pan at 425F for 30 minutes.

(The cauli recipe comes from this cookbook, which obviously isn't 100% W30-compliant, but damn there are so many recipes in here to give your veggies some variety.)

Easy Pulled Pork. We've made this pulled pork sans tacos during W30 and ate it with roasted veggies like carrots, sweet onions, sweet potatoes or red potatoes.

Fall Harvest Turkey Thai Soup. So, so delicious, but if you're not used to eating red curry paste, you may want to use half the amount of it, or even pass on it completely.

I have several cookbooks that I used (and you still have time to get them from Amazon if you wish).

Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook

Well Fed <-- GET THIS ONE IT IS AMAZING

Paleo Comfort Foods

Some of the recipes needed some tweaking to remove added sugar / whole30 non-compliant foods. All the recipes in Well Fed are 100% compliant though, and they're AMAZING.

The good thing is that many of these cookbooks have a "meal plan" in their intro pages, so you can look to that for guidance.

Additionally, these resources should help you out:

http://nomnompaleo.com/recipeindex (She also has a whole30 guide here)

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/category/recipes/

As always, vet these recipes to make sure there aren't any added sugars or tamari or anything like that. In general, though they should be ok. I sat down beforehand and made 3 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists so I had NO EXCUSES, and then sort of winged it the last week (LOTS of leftovers).

From my experience, I was unprepared for the amount of food I was cooking. I only planned dinners, and budgeted the leftovers for lunches. Even so I was still overwhelmed with food (especially because my husband was only eating the dinners about 4 times a week).

The secret is to plan plan plan so you cant' fail :)

EDIT: They just posted this over at the Whole9 blog today! http://whole9life.com/2013/07/whole30-meal-plans/

For me - weekends are for cooking lovingly with lots of invested time whilst hectic weekdays for speed-cooking, so the meals I make the most are those that take the least of my time. Here's a few of my speedy staples:

1. Lamb burgers! Combine minced lamb, shallot, mint and a little bit of salt and pepper - pop it under a grill or in a George Foreman and you're set. I like to have it in a lettuce "bun".
   
   
2. Also made this (http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefood/2011/09/paleo-spaghetti/) the other day with some modifications and it turned out great! My modifications were to the bolognese: I fried some garlic before adding the meat and I added some oregano, salt and pepper when I added the tomato sauce.
   
   
3. I also like to stir fry some prawns with a little garlic, fresh lime juice, and fresh coriander- it's zingy and done in less than 5 minutes.
   
   Also seconding Well Fed as a cookbook, I've also recently bought Practical Paleo (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608758) which has some lovely chicken recipes in that are mostly compliant with Whole30 - not had a good chance to read through it properly yet though.

Honestly, Whole 30 sort of saved money for me because I'm not going to bars and spending money on alcohol anymore. I suppose if you're not seeing any cost savings in this area it means you didn't drink much before, but you should also be saving some money in terms of going out to restaurants/buying baked goods and quick convenience foods.

As far as groceries go: green cabbage and collards are extremely cheap and filling. If you can figure out some ways to prepare them to your liking they'll help with the budget. Canned tuna is good for inexpensive meat. Sweet potatoes are pretty affordable and are very filling.

You can make this work. I think your hormones are probably getting to you a little bit. The PMS is worse this time around because your glucose levels are lower. Here's a good book that explains why this happens during our cycles. Go for a walk. Get some fresh air. Figure out what's going to alleviate some of the stress for you.

It's going to be OK. This is far from the worst thing that's ever happened to you. Struggle builds character. I think down the road you'll look back at this post, this moment, this feeling of frustration, and realize you came out better for it.

We've got a pre-order going here that includes a 4-week meal plan and a bunch of other goodies, and supports us. Amazon also has the book, and they're selling it significantly cheaper than we are -- because they can. (We don't feel like it's fair to undercut every other retailer who might carry the book by offering it for less than retail. That said, we're happy for you to buy the book wherever you'd like.)

If you're new to 'Well Fed,' check out the 'All 3 Books' deal in our shop. That'll get you about 500 paleo recipes for $45 (plus the electronic copies, the meal plan, etc).

Edited to add point about 'buy the book where you'd like.' Because truth.

Crock pot meals! Crock pot chili, crock pot chicken, crock pot soups etc. I live in a really old building and I don't have a dishwasher or a disposal. I got a mesh strainer for my drain like this one from the dollar store. Make a crock pot meal, tupperware the rest for the week, and then use things like trader joes cauliflower rice/broccoli rice to beef up the meals and add a side like microwave steamed veggies or a salad. Alternatively, rotisserie chickens are ok too, I just find the chicken too dry to reheat in the microwave, but they are great for making soups or using in other dishes.

This book was a lifesaver when I had to do an elimination diet/ Whole30 a while ago. There’s a whole section on recipes and meal plans and foods to focus on for people going through chemo. This is the best $30 I’ve ever spent.

Practical Paleo, 2nd Edition (Updated and Expanded): A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628600004/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WTvKAbHBEQGFE

wow, I remember when you first posted about W30 not helping with the pain and it's incredible that you finally got a diagnosis!

If you're still needing inspiration for meals check out this book for low FODMAP: https://www.amazon.com/Low-FODMAP-6-Week-Cookbook-Step-Step/dp/1592337899/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521310315&sr=8-1&keywords=suzanne+perazzini

The author has a really popular website helping people with IBS change their diets.

I was unable to find it at Albertsons and instead found it at Sprouts. It's also available on Amazon.

Here's the one I drink at work and absolutely love: https://www.amazon.com/Numi-Organic-Rooibos-Spiced-Count/dp/B01ELHXM2U/ref=sr_1_3_s_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1488076902&sr=1-3&keywords=rooibos+tea+numi

Here's the one I have at home and don't love as much but have been adding cinnamon to it to make it more like the one above: https://www.amazon.com/Choice-Organic-Caffeine-Rooibos-Herbal/dp/B000RQMQAO/ref=sr_1_11_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1488076880&sr=1-11&keywords=rooibos%2Btea&th=1

Or buy a $20 mandolin. Sorry for the poorly formatted link, I’m on mobile! This is the one I have and it’s the brand a lot of professional kitchens use. No bells and whistles, but it works like a charm.

Vegetable Slicer Green (Old Version) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VZ57C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UuzJAbVWC1K6X

Sparkling water is compliant. You may see "Natural Flavors" or "Citric Acid" on some of them and those are okay. I will also drink Spindrift which is sparkling water with a bit of unsweetened, no sugar added, juice.

If you're talking about these no way.

The other point with sparkling water is to not use it as a swap for diet coke or any other less-than-ideal beverage habits.

I have one of these Evriholder Dressing to Go Salad Dressing Container, 2-Ounce, (Colors May Vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A4YGC4A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Y7sSAb6FJWDH4

Super durable.


Although now I just keep a whole bottle in the work fridge. But i realize that’s not and an option for everyone.

Yes there's a book. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0544609719/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518363803&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=whole+30&dpPl=1&dpID=61WFjEDBktL&ref=plSrch

There's also a few cookbooks now too. Just put whole 30 into the Amazon search.

The Frugal Paleo Cookbook

I found it at my local library and wrote down the recipes I liked.

You might try PerioWash. We use the cinnamon version and really like it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000I4C22C?pc_redir=1411889816&robot_redir=1

Done.

I would suggest also posting in /r/glutenfree /r/hypothyridism where there are a lot of people with Hashimotos and other autoimmune diseases which may make them more aware of food sensitivities. You may also want to pick up this book Why Isn't my Brain Working which explore a lot of immune and dietary issues that can inflame and degenerate brain function.
edit: formatting

If diet and Yoga/PT didn’t help, it could be mental.

Check out the reviews for this book: Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection https://www.amazon.com/dp/153871261X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FLFWCb98W7H6R

It’s pretty interesting. I cured my chronic back pain with a mix of Pilates and mind work.

PAN

This is the one I have! I've had it for years and use it often and it still works!

https://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-Spiralizer-Counter-Mounted/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrbuK2cy54wIVDxgMCh3xJgkOEAAYASAAEgK0FvD_BwE&hvadid=214083970218&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028277&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4213178468777805126&hvtargid=kwd-296038788682&hydadcr=21846_9711816&keywords=spiralizer&qid=1563285652&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011%2Cp_89%3APaderno+World+Cuisine&rnid=2528832011&rps=1&s=gateway&sr=8-1