Recipes

Spicy Peanut Butter Curry Stew {vegan, gluten-free, whole30}

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A big thanks to Kroger for sponsoring this post and for challenging me to think inside the pantry.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m heading into the third year of my PhD program in a little over a week, and I can’t help but feel like I’m battening down the hatches for a big storm.  I’ve kicked into total preparation mode, trying to get the maximum amount of stuff done now in order to make the months ahead a little smoother.  One by one, simple things like get a haircut, get teeth cleaned, and get cholesterol checked are being crossed off my to-do list.  Next up:  new breaks!

Even with all the preparation, the semester will undoubtedly get away from me.  Hours clocked at my desk will bubble out of control like a neglected pot full of pasta on a hot stove, and I’ll find myself falling into a sad routine of expensive takeout.  Don’t get me wrong, I love takeout on occasion, but even I have my limits!

This semester, I’m giving something new a try:  ONLINE GROCERY SHOPPING.  Who’s excited?? (It’s me.) Though I’ve converted to doing most of my shopping online, I’d never thought to try ordering groceries on the web.  Now that I have a couple of years of grad school under my belt, I know there will be times during the semester when I’ll find myself so stretched that I only have enough time to grocery shop OR cook.  Not BOTH.  That’s the truth folks, and it’s not a problem unique to grad school.  Life just keeps getting crazier and crazier, doesn’t it?

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Food Talk, Resources

Vegetarian Whole30: Week Two Menu

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I just keep rambling on and on about how easy the Whole30 is, and I get the sense some of you are virtually rolling your eyes at me.  So let me be honest here.  I ate a slice of bread with butter this weekend.  It happened, and I’m not proud.  But when you get invited to a retreat in Hocking Hills and you’re too embarrassed to BYO vegetables, the Whole30 becomes significantly more challenging.  Especially when dinner on night #1 is pasta and bread.  It wasn’t even special.  Just a small hunk of cold french bread with a bit of butter to quiet my growling belly.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt angry.  It took me a bit to put my finger on it, but I realized that I was angry I’d lost control.  And that perhaps the reason I like Whole30 so much is that it appeals to my strong desire to be in control.  (Verdicts still out on whether this is a good or bad thing. . . )

Kale & Onion Potato Pie #whole30 {ferventfoodie.com}

On day #2 of the retreat, I got back on the wagon.  While my comrades indulged in biscuits and gravy, french fries, all-you-can-eat pie buffets, and 13-variety wine tastings, I ate eggs and potatoes, SALAD BAR x 100, and maybe a little too much coffee.  And I felt really good, actually.  Even when I turned down a cheese-loaded potato skin.  Even after passing on the gooey candied apple.  Even when declining the wine slushy.  Even when offered a hot gooey brownie FOR BREAKFAST. (Full disclosure:  I brought the brownie home and popped it in the freezer for post-Whole30 enjoyment.) I felt so good, I decided to start my Whole30 over again, to make up for that lousy slice of bread and butter.

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Food Talk, Resources

Vegetarian Whole30: Week One Menu

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The idea of cutting dairy, sugar, grains, beans, alcohol, and processed goods from your diet can feel a bit… suffocating.  Granted, this a big change from how most of us regularly eat, but I’m often surprised to find how freeing the Whole30 process feels.  Anyone who has struggled to come up with a weekly meal plan or who has stressed over what the heck to cook for dinner tonight will likely appreciate these feelings of relief.  When you drastically limit the number of options, it makes the decision process simpler.  It’s like trying to select an outfit from a closet packed to the brim with hundreds of pieces versus picking an outfit from one of those cool, minimalist capsule wardrobes.  When you keep a closet stocked with only versatile pieces you love and that actually fit, picking an outfit is a cinch.

I spent the NYE weekend eating my weight in bagels and cheese and talking to friends about Whole30, and I realized one of the biggest Whole30 concerns was WHAT to cook.  To return to my wardrobe analogy, it’s as if everyone really wants a capsule wardrobe (I do, I do!), but they’re just not sure what pieces (recipes) make the the cut.

Good news.  This January I’ll be sharing some ideas for weekly menus, in an effort to get those Whole30 juices flowing.  Rather than a restrictive, all-inclusive 7-day meal plan, these menu ideas are meant to serve as a jumping off point.

First time doing a Veg Whole30?  Check out this post.  Snag the Week Two menu here.

Frittata with Simple Arugula Salad {ferventfoodie.com]

My Whole30.  

In my last post, I laid out some of the differences between regular Whole30 and Vegetarian Whole30, including all the good stuff Vegetarians get to swap in place of meat.  No matter what type of Whole30 you do, planning is crucial, and batch cooking over the weekends will make life much easier.  Things get a little more complicated when you have a variety of eaters in one house.  Say, for example, you’ve got a meat-eater and a vegetarian.  Vegetables and fats can be shared by all, but some things that are OK for Veg Whole30 (beans, tofu, tempeh, etc.) are not allowed for regular Whole30.

In my house, we have a meat-eater who likes to regularly eat meat-free and a part-time pescetarian who prefers a veg-based diet with occasional seafood (1-3 meals per week).  So, our version of Whole30 is  a blended one:  Veg Whole30 plus occasional seafood (meat for the carnivore).

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Food Talk, Resources

How to do a Vegetarian Whole30

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Nearly every year, somewhere in the weird limbo land between Christmas and New Years, I get these strong put-my-life-back-together pangs. I think about January, the new year, and how I’m going to finally fix everything I’ve been doing wrong. Eat less, exercise more. Stress less, sleep more. Waste less, wash my sheets more. My internal monologue is filled with lots of LESS-of-this and MORE-of-that, and visions of me emerging from January skinnier, shinier, and noticeably more muscular than I entered it.

You feel me?
how-to-do-a-vegetarian-whole-30-v3

The last few Januarys I’ve succumbed to this self-imposed pressure by voluntarily committing to a January Whole30.  For those who aren’t familiar, Whole30 is a nutritional reset program. Thirty days of super clean eating to help you cleanse your body (and your mind) and get your eating habits back on track. The simplest, shortest way to explain Whole30 goes a little something like this: a lot of vegetables, meat, and healthy fats and… nothing else. That means no grains, no beans, no sugar, no dairy, no processed what have you’s, no Paleo baked goods (or other technically-Whole30-approved “junk food”), and NO BOOZE for thirty days.

That’s right, just vegetables, meat, and healthy fats. There’s just one problem. Over a year ago, I quit meat. It wasn’t planned, and it may not last forever, but for the foreseeable future, I won’t be putting any land animals in my mouth. So, what happens when you take meat out of the Whole30 equation, and all you’re left with is vegetables and fat?

According to the official Whole 30 book It Starts With Food, you can’t really do a vegetarian Whole30.  Pescetarian?  No prob.  Vegetarian though…  First, the authors do their best to convince vegetarians to just “give up” their meat-free ways for 30 days, like it’s as simple as deciding you’re not going to eat ketchup anymore.  If you aren’t up for such a sacrifice, a vegetarian diet will require some Whole30 modifications to ensure your food intake is balanced and wholesome.  It’s called Veg Whole30.

bell-peppers

Here’s what you get to swap in for all the meat when you do a Veg Whole30:

  • Limited dairy from pastured, organic, fermented sources (like yogurt and kefir)
  • Minimally processed, fermented soy products like tempeh or natto
  • Organic edamame
  • Nonfermeted soy (extra-firm tofu)
  • Legumes (soaked for 12-24 hours, rinsed, then boiled for at least 15 minutes to reduce anti-nutrient and inflammatory compounds)
  • Whey protein powder from grass-fed organic sources
  • Hemp or pea protein powders

The authors caution to avoid all grains and grain products, including seitan and quinoa, while doing the Veg Whole30.  Likewise, they suggest eating beans and tofu in rotation (i.e., not eating them every day).

When you quit meat, people often wonder how the heck you get your protein in.  It’s a good question, though, I think most people are eating way more protein than they need each day.  I recently read a series of posts on No Meat Athlete, which argue that only 10-15% of our daily calorie intake needs to come from protein.  Say you eat about 1800 calories a day.  That means at least 180 should come from protein, which is the equivalent of at least 45 grams of protein a day.

#vegwhole30 {ferventfoodie.com}

Here’s an example of how to easily hit 45g of protein by lunch time under Veg Whole30:

Breakfast:  2 eggs* + 1 cup sauteed kale + 1/2 cup lentils  = 23g protein

Lunch:  3 oz tempeh + 1 cup broccoli + 1 med banana + 1 tbsp almond butter = 24g protein

*Note that if you don’t eat eggs, you could easily double the kale/lentil combo and exceed the 45g protein goal.

At risk of sounding crass, Veg Whole30 isn’t really that hard.  Sure, it takes dedication, planning, and more time spent cooking than most folks are used to, but I actually enjoy all that stuff.  I like the excuse to get into the kitchen, and I think it’s fun to make every darn thing from scratch.  Whole30 isn’t meant to be a long-term “diet” — it is a 30-day reset.  Which, in January, feels especially welcome after weeks of holiday overeating under our bulging belts.  Speaking from the other side, Whole30 will change the way you eat (and drink) long term, far past the end of January.

      

Some links that may be useful:

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Recipes

Broccoli, Leek, & Potato Soup {vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, whole30 recipe}

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I wrote this Broccoli, Leek, & Potato Soup post as part of a series for Tasteful Selections Potatoes, which is sponsoring Katie’s Krops, an awesome hunger-focused nonprofit fueled by kid-run gardens, through January 2016 (details below).  

This January, I’ve committed to refocusing on healthy living.  Just like the rest of humanity.  Sure it’s cliché, but in my mind New Year’s Day is like hitting the “reset” button on the Nintendo.  While I’m normally pretty health-focused, things got a little crazy last year (as they do every year), and I’m thankful for this month to refresh.  At this time last year, I was timidly beginning my first Whole30–a nutritional reset program focused on super clean eating for thirty days–and I’m doing the same this year.  When I mention the Whole30 in conversation, I often get concerned looks and questions of “wait… what the heck do you eat?”  In a nutshell, the Whole30 rules out grains, sugar, beans, soy, dairy, unnatural ingredients, and booze.  Which leaves us with protein, fats, and veggies.  Lots and lots of veggies.

Broccoli, Leek, & Potato Soup Recipe {vegan, gluten free, whole30}

(bowls by JMNPottery)

The secret to a successful Whole30 (or any clean-eating program, for that matter) is planning, and my plan includes batch cooking tons of vegetables each week.  This week, for example, I sautéed an entire head cabbage, roasted three pounds of brussels sprouts, sautéed three bell peppers and two onions, bought a giant container of baby spinach to toss in EVERYTHING, and made this hearty Broccoli, Leek, and Potato Soup.  More vegetables than a vegetarian, as they say.

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