Vegan Whole 30
Let’s eat!
Now that Christmas has come and gone, I no longer feel like I have an excuse to allow my cravings dictate my diet. I mean…as much as I love a good cinnamon roll, buying four to ensure I don’t run out while places close for the holidays might be a bit excessive haha. So, I’ve decided to give Whole 30 a dry!
For anyone who has done Whole 30 before, you know meat, vegetables and fruits tend to be the bulk of your meals. You cut out things like sugar, grains, and dairy. One thing that is going to be different for me however, is that I will also not be including meat seeing that I follow a mainly vegan diet. Instead, I will continue to consume my beans and lentils even though that goes against the Whole 30 rules. I guess in a way you can say I’m making up my own Whole 30 in a way.
Now although many people start their NYE revolutions after the first of the year, I’ve never been that big into believing one day should signify when you decide to adapt, change, set a goal and be accountable. So, with that mindset continuing, I decided to start my first day of Whole 30 today!
So far I’ve had a vegan protein smoothie (recipe shared here) and had a greek salad for lunch. This hasn’t been too outside of my norm, but what I’m finding is that I need to get creative with my condiments. So many have added sugar, gelatin or gum as key ingredients. So, to help with this, I’ve decided to meal plan for the week and make a few homemade dressings as well. Hot sauce is a must for my breakfasts, along with a salad dressing or two.
My First Week
I always find that the first 7-14 days of adjusting my diet is typically the hardest. So with that in mind, I plan to meal prep a bunch for the week up front. Not only will I not have to think about my choices as much, but I will also have delicious food to look forward to. Think soups, salads, protein packed bowls, etc. It might sound daunting up front, but anything is possible and the options can be endless!
Here is a complete list of the dishes I’ve decided to indulge in to get things kickstarted. All of the ingredients I use will be vegan. Product substitutions can be made where you see fit if you decide to join me on this journey!
Balsamic Brussel Sprouts and Pomegranate
I know Skittles coined the phrase “taste the rainbow” but I would take this gorgeous salad over a pack of processed sugar any day of the week. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good piece of candy just like everyone else. This just looks decadent and well balanced to fulfill my tastebud needs of both savory and sweet!
Brussel Sprouts can be a labor of love when it comes to cooking them to perfection, so be sure to follow the directions as best you can. The key is to not overcook them! Cook by Color walks you through the step by step directions to achieve this greatness!
Dairy-Free Broccoli Cheese Soup
The Wooden Skillet has a wide array of recipes on her website from Paleo, to gluten free, to plant based, and Whole 30. If you need any creative meal ideas that offer a healthy balanced diet, I would highly recommend checking her site out. One that I’m dying to try out is her vegan broccoli cheese soup! Nom nom nom.
This dairy-free cheesy goodness is made with nutritional yeast and cashews, and trust me, if you’ve never used that combination as a cheese substitute, you will likely be surprised at how delicious and creamy it is. If you don’t want to take my word for it, just look at this tasty photo as proof. I am not going to skimp on this recipe and will be cooking it in bulk to make a extra for the freezer.
Whole 30 Sauces and Dressings
Because I rarely like to wait for my food, I tend to eat a TON of bowls or salads that allow me instant gratification. Think greek bowls, vegetables with sushi rice, vegan buffalo salads, and robust wraps (both for breakfast or lunch/dinner).
To help add an extra layer of pizazz to any of these dishes, I always must have the perfect condiment combination laying around (or two or three). That’s why I’m leveraging No Crumbs Left Whole 30 sauces and salad dressing recipes to help curb my desire from reaching in my fridge and grabbing one of my store bought staples. I’m pretty excited to give these a try and bring back some of my own like my cilantro avocado dressing I whipped up earlier this year.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Last but not least I’m going to be cooking up something to curb my weekly asian cravings. Whether it be my desire for sushi 1-2x per week or my need of Thai food, I never can seem to get enough. I probably consume way too much soy sauce, but yolo.
Since I will be cutting out rice for the near future, I’ve decided to try out a new cauliflower fried rice recipe, minus the eggs of course. There are a ton of great recipe options that I found on Pinterest, and to be honest, I don’t even know if I will follow a recipe for this one, but if I do, As Easy As Apple Pie has won my attention. Does that not just look DECLICIOUS!
SHOP THE POST
Having a well balanced diet doesn’t have to be hard. If you plan appropriately, and keep diversity in your meals, your creativity can keep you smiling and your belly happy!
Bon Appetit!
Jen
