Target Shopping for Whole30

This list was last updated March 5, 2018

Note: As always, double check ingredients, 
as product ingredients are known to change. 

Better safe than sorry!

One of my favorite local stores! Below is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

For a PDF file of this list to download, click HERE

Walmart Shopping for Whole30

This list was last updated March 5, 2018

NOTE: Always read your labels, as manufacturers change ingredients from time to time.

For a PDF file of this list, click HERE

Whole Foods Shopping for Whole30

NOTE: Always read your labels, as manufacturer’s change ingredients from time to time.  Keep an eye out for carageenan, sulfites, added sugar, and other non-compliant ingredients!  

To download the following in PDF format, click HERE.
     

Aldi's Shopping for Whole30

PLEASE NOTE!!!!

• Not all locations carry all items
• Brand names vary between locations and also may change in each location, so check for non-compliant ingredients at all times! (mostly problematic are added sugar, non compliant oil, carageenan)
• Aldi's is a cash-and-carry establishment; however they do take debit cards
• You'll need to pay to use a shopping cart, but get your money back once you return the cart

To download this as:

• PDF format, click HERE.

Preserving Zoodles

Simmie Sinow

Preserving zoodles -- this was a thorn in my side for the last year, until I decided to apply the process I use on leafy green vegetables to zoodles!

I've tried blanching the zoodles and then freezing them -- yuckityuckity, mushy zoodles is not my cup of tea unless I'm deliberately overcooking (almost to the point of burned) so they have that caramelied onion familiarity to them.

So the following is how I get them to last over 10 days in the refrigerator.  I'm so jazzed about this.

Basically you're going to wrap your zoodles like a Christmas gift (no open ends!), then put them in a ziploc bag, squish the air out and put them in your refrigerator.

When you take them out, they will seem very dry.  Don't concern yourself with that -- once you saute them, they will absorb just enough moisture to be perfect!

FIRST: Julienne/zoodle-ize your zucchini (and this can be done with butternut squash, potatoes, etc.).  I use a julienne tool, as I have yet to find any other tool that works as well.  For this use, I didn't want curly zoodles, so I just whipped them out straight; when I want curly ones, I go around the zucchini instead of down.

THEN take enough paper towels (still connected to each other) to accommodate your zoodles and spread them on the paper towels. For one fairly good sized zucchini, I use 3 regular sized paper towels.

THEN....you're going to wrap this like a Christmas present (no open sides/ends), so I first fold up the sides, then just LOOSELY roll it all up. Leave on the counter for 5-10 minutes to allow the first layer of paper towels to absorb some of the moisture.

After that is done, wrap it again in another paper towel.

NOW: move it into a ziploc bag, squish the air out and store in the veggie bin in your refrigerator.

All Purpose Spice Mix

Simmie Sinow

This is my all-purpose spice mix that I use for just about anything and everything!  It goes on eggs, rubbed on chicken before baking, a little sprinkled on salmon before broiling, dumped in an oil+other spices mixture for spicy casseroles -- basically, you name the dish, it gets some of this put on it.

I got tired of having to keep making it in the smaller bottles I have, so I am using an old large Costco Granulated Garlic 18 oz jar for it and made 6x the recipe (the recipe I use is 1 Tbsp each, more or less).  I'm hoping this will last me a while!

EQUAL PARTS of:
Smoked Spanish Paprika (this is sweeter than the usual paprika)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Ancho chile powder or Chipotle powder
Salt

Sometimes I modify it and use a BBQ spice in this as well.

Whole30 Rules and Recommendations

Simmie Sinow


Rules and Recommendations!!!! This is a quick graphic that you can keep with you to help you remember what's allowed and what isn't.

Rules, if broken, are a "Back to Day 1 for you" thing, so do your best not to go there!

It is, in my opinion, so very important to follow both of these lists (even though the Recommendations are not requirements).  If your Whole30 doesn't go as planned, if you haven't followed the Recommendations, then you really don't know WHAT the cause for a less-than-stellar Whole30.  If, on the other hand, you have followed the Recommendations, then there's one thing you can toss out as a possible source.

Good luck with your Whole30!

Tilapia Filets with Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise

Modified from Betty Crocker recipe

1 Tbsp Ghee
1 1/2 - 2 lb tilapia filets
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika (smoked paprika would be wonderful!)
1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise (recipe HERE)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
1/4 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, minced

Heat oven to 400°F. Using about 1/4 of the Ghee, lightly grease shallow baking pan.
Arrange tilapia fillets in buttered pan. Brush fish with remaining butter; sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.

Bake at 400°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; blend well.


Serve fish with mayonnaise mixture.

NOTE:
Instead of the roasted red bell peppers, for those who enjoy some heat: use some ancho chile powder or some chipotle powder in your mayonnaise.

Fish Baked in Lettuce Packets

Modified from Betty Crocker recipe

What a great idea -- something different than wrapping fish in cabbage (which not everyone can tolerate)!!!

6 large lettuce leaves or 12 small lettuce leaves
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen (thawed) fish fillets, cut into 6 serving pieces
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Ghee

Heat oven to 400ºF. Place a few lettuce leaves at a time in hot water. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until wilted; drain.

Mound a portion of the carrot and zucchini near stem end of each lettuce leaf. Place 1 piece fish on vegetables. Sprinkle with marjoram, salt and pepper; put a small dab of ghee on top.

Fold lettuce leaf over fish; place seam side down in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. (Vegetables should be on top of fish.) Cover and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Veggie Loaded Breakfast Bake

Simmie Sinow

This recipe is intended to make 4 good sized servings. You can make it into a much larger dish by simply doubling or tripling the ingredients.

This is great after being refrigerated overnight (after eating one serving!) and warmed up in your microwave.

Gather up your ingredients:
1 cup cut mini sweet peppers (I chop the end off, slice it lengthwise and cut crosswise)
1/2 to 3/4 cup cut olives (cut in half crosswise is fine)
1/2 large zucchini chopped (not real small)
Other veggies of your choice

6 eggs
seasoning 

1 Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage, sliced

How to put this together:
Combine in a mixing bowl and mix together well:
1 cup cut mini sweet peppers (I chop the end off, slice it lengthwise and cut crosswise)
1/2 to 3/4 cup cut olives (cut in half crosswise is fine)
1/2 large zucchini chopped (not real small)
Other veggies of your choice

Put the above in an oiled small baking dish.  I use one that makes 4 decent sized servings--fairly small baking dish as it's only me I'm cooking for.

In the mixing bowl you just emptied, combine:
6 eggs
seasoning

Whisk well, then pour the mixture over the veggie mixture, making sure the vegetables are covered by the eggs.

Then:
1 Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage, sliced

Add these to the top, scattered, then push them down so they are covered by the egg mixture.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.  Fork test at the end to make sure it's cooked through enough, then place on a cookie cooling rack to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and eating.

I put some salsa on top and it's good to go.

Notes:
On the olives, you can use green or black or whatever kind you want. I found the green olive flavor to be a bit overpowering in this recipe, so the next time I make it, it will probably have black olives in it instead.

Instant Gratification?

Simmie Sinow

One of our biggest problems with going on a weight loss program (yes, I know Whole30 is not for weightloss primarily, but let's be honest--a lot come to it for just that very reason, especially with the mixed messages on that from the Hartwigs) is the need for instant gratification. We expect to change our eating habits and lose a gazillion pounds in days and if we don't see a drop, we give up. It is a process that takes time and effort, we CAN'T give up on ourselves, we have to keep trying, keep pressing onward and upward because the dedication is what will win in the end.

The same things we tell our children when we want them to walk...they fall and we stand them up..it takes them months to walk, months to talk, years to speak and converse well, months and years to learn but we want to lose weight in days. How happy are we for them when they accomplish these things? How hard do we push them to reach their goals?

How hard do we push ourselves to reach our own?

How quick are we to give up on ourselves when we don't see immediate results?

We are not being fair to ourselves or the process!!

Use that same methodology we use for the children...patience, perseverance, dedication. We have to keep working at it and it will pay off in the end. Have faith, do not give up. Be strong together as a group!!!

It is nice to lose weight quick (which not all experience), but the issue is that we can easily put it back on just as quick as we lost it if we don't change our way of thinking. The loss will be temporary, not permanent -- learn those new eating and dietary habits and have them become a true *habit*. If we are not willing to do this, then no diet or lifestyle change is going to work, not even this one. Get the change in your heart and brain, and you'll be ready to transition to a more habit-filled Paleo (or whatever you decide to do after Whole30).

We ARE an instant gratification society, especially with weight, but think about it:

HOW LONG did it take all of you (especially those of us with over 50 pounds to lose) to GAIN the weight?

It is not going to come off fast, it is a gradual process.

And to keep it off, a MINDSET change HAS to happen.


Otherwise, you may as well go on to the next diet right now.

Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

Tina Thomas

A big thanks to Tina for this one! This really hits the spot!

Small onion, chopped
2-3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
Minced Garlic (optional)
Bag of frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots--or any combination you enjoy)
Red Potatoes
Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic salt, red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can Coconut milk or equivalent amount of unsweetened almond milk

Grease the bottom of your crockpot with olive oil or avocado oil.  Add all the ingredients except the coconut milk and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

After 6-7 hours, add the can of coconut milk and cook for another hour.

Shred the chicken and enjoy!

Eggroll in a Bowl or Eggroll Insides

Modified recipes from various sources and combined

In a large, deep skillet, brown/saute the following:

• 1 lb or less ground meat (pork, beef, lamb, chicken, etc.)

After the meat has browned, add:

• green onions, diced
• celery, diced

While the meat is browning, in a small bowl combine the ingredients below

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup soy sauce replacement (coconut aminos or heavily salted water)

Once the meat is cooked, add dry coleslaw mix to skillet and stir well. Pour soy sauce mixture into the skillet and stir, continuing to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until cabbage is wilted, but still a bit crunchy. Serve with sliced green onion.

NOTE:
Alternatively, you can pre-saute the cabbage and just combine it with the cooked meat when you get to that point; this can save a little bit of time if you are in a rush.

Hoisin Sauce

Modified from MyPurplePaleo

I love my hoisin sauce!  I found a recipe online and modified it a bit to my liking!

This will give you about 1/4 cup

¼ cup coconut aminos
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 - 2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 tsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot sauce (try Frank's Hot Sauce which is Whole30 friendly)
1/8 tsp black pepper


Combine all the ingredients together in your blender or food processor and blend it until it is well combined.  With the almond butter, it will be a bit thicker than just a liquid sauce, which is how it should be.

Note:
Normally I would say if you don't want to spend the money on the coconut aminos ($7/bottle), to just use heavily salted water.  In this recipe I'm not sure the heavily salted water would work; I've not tried that yet, but down the road I probably will.

The coconut aminos are a replacement for soy sauce, but not that close as they are definitely on the sweet side and very little (if any) salt to them.

Herb Meatballs

Simmie Sinow

These are so good!  You can also throw in a handful of raisins for a surprise flavor in them! Use them as an appetizer or over spaghetti squash with marinara sauce.

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1/2 finely chopped onion
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1 Tbsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
Sea salt and pepper to taste

350 oven.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Make meatballs with a tablespoon measure and place them on a baking sheet or in a mini muffin tin and cook for about 25 minutes.

Make-Ahead Bulletproof Coffee Fixins

Shi Breedlove

1 cup homemade nut milk

3/4 cup coconut cream

3 Tbsp ghee

Spices of choice (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, unsweetened carob)

Melt first 3 ingredients together in microwave

Add spices & blend in blender on high for 30 seconds. 

Store in refrigerator. I use mine up before I have to worry about it going bad. I'm sure it will keep for a couple of weeks. Enjoy!!

Notes from Simmie: 

• The nut milk can also be store bought, for those who don't want to make their own!
• The good-by date for this would be that of the nut milk or coconut cream; homemade nut milk generally lasts about 5 days or so, whereas store bought will last a bit longer.

Crockpot Ketchup

Modified from a recipe on BalancedBites website

This was taken in part from a recipe on Diane Sanfilippo's website, and modified a bit in both ingredients and the process.  It's still a bit of an in-the-works project, as it is a bit thicker than I like my ketchup -- but the flavor is to die for!

1 small onion, diced
2 apples, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pinches of cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 pitted Medjool date
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (next time: 2.5 Tbsp, see note below)
1/4 cup water (next time: 2/3 cup, see note below)
6 oz tomato sauce

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and stir to combine. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 4 hours.  I have a small crockpot (2 quart) that I use for making my own Ghee and for individual portions of food items, so I used my small crockpot.

After 4 hours, remove the crockpot from the heating element and let it cool just a bit and then put in your food processor or blender.  Be sure not to fill your blender too full, as warm items tend to expand. Blend until smooth.

Since this is fairly chunky to begin with, what I did was I put it in my larger Ninja and blended the heck out of it, then transferred to my smaller one and blended until I thought it was ready, and then kept blending.

NOTE:
This was still fairly thick, and I'm thinking that it was because my small crockpot runs a bit on the warm side, so next time I will increase the water from the original 1/4 cup the recipe calls for, to 2/3 cup, and also add 1/2 Tbsp extra apple cider vinegar, possibly at the very end of the cooking process for the extra being added.  Another option is to cook less time, thereby keeping more of the water in the crockpot and not evaporating as much.

Once blended, place the ketchup into glass containers and allow it to come to room temperature before refrigerating.

Crispy Bacon Chili

Modified from recipe on The Chew website


1 lb bacon (chopped)
2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large red onion (diced)
1 jalapeno (diced; optional)
2 tsp dried oregano
56 ounces canned fire roasted tomatoes
Garnish
Scallions
Diced Red Onions
Hot Sauce

In a large dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy (about 5-7 minutes). Remove bacon and reserve for garnish.

With the bacon drippings in the pot, add the beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and crispy (about 10 minutes). Push the meat to the side and toss in the onions, jalapeno, and garlic.

Sprinkle in the seasonings and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes until softened then stir into the meat. Pour in the fire roasted tomatoes and adjust seasoning to taste.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until mostly thickened.

Serve with your choice of garnish and reserved crispy bacon.

Turkey Vegetable Breakfast Egg Cups

Recipe Adapted by: Simmie Sinow

From Biggest Loser Recipe

12 slices thinly sliced deli turkey (direct from your butcher, sliced from turkey breast, not pre-packaged)
3/4 cup salsa or marinara sauce
Fresh cut up vegetables
18 large egg whites 

These can be made in either a standard size muffin tin or a jumbo sized tin.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

Lightly coat each cup of your nonstick muffin pan with coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray.

Separate the egg whites into a large measuring cup and whisk.

Line each muffin cup with 1 slice of turkey.  If there is some excess on top, that is ok--fold it into the muffin cup.

Spoon 1 Tbsp salsa or marinara (marinara has a lot less sodium) into each cup.

I put one baby spinach leaf on top of the salsa/marinara and then add some of the cut up vegetables (I use mushrooms, bell peppers and either green beans or asparagus).

• For standard-sized muffin tins: Measure just under 1/4 cup (actually 3 Tbsp) of the egg whites or egg substitute into each muffin cup
• For jumbo-sized muffin tins: Measure 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the egg whites or egg substitute into each muffin tin

Top with some more of the salsa.

Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are puffed and the center is set.  For Jumbo muffins, bake for approximately 30-45 minutes.

Carefully remove the baked eggs from the pan and get ready to enjoy!

These can be stored for a week or so in your refrigerator.  Freezing them and then re-heating works ok, but not great.

Meals on Whole30

Simmie Sinow

How much should you eat, and what should you eat on Whole30?

Here's a graphic that will help you visualize how much of each category you should eat -- remember 3 meals, no snacks.  Eat enough at each meal to sustain you until the next one.

If you're exercising, your snacks before/after should be a mini meal, not a true "snack."

Butter Alternative, Paleo and Whole30 style

Adapted from Predominantly Paleo's recipe

Someone posted a recipe for Paleo Butter recently, and it sounded so easy I thought I'd give it a go.

It was wonderful in liquid form!!!! However, once it firmed up, the salt seemed to rise to the top and it was like dipping my spoon in a shaker of salt.

NOT good!

Since I plan to use my Butter that I made in liquid form -- over veggies or maybe even in my frying pan (I haven't figured out if I want to try that or not), it's no big deal as I can just stir it up and it'll be fine.

What I wound up doing is making a double batch and using just a PINCH of salt.  Pinch as in grabbing a small amount of salt between your thumb and forefinger and putting a little in the container you're making it in.

OR....what I just did was I made a double batch and used 1/4 tsp of salt and that seems to be just about right.

So here is my final modification for the recipe:

4 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
6 Tbsp olive oil -- this can be light olive oil as well
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
6 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blend it well, until it is completely blended.  Then place in the refrigerator to firm up, or in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.

Trader Joe's Shopping for Whole30

One of my favorite stores! Kudos to them for also having great prices on most items!

Below is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

For a PDF file of this list to download, click HERE

Sweet Pulled Pork

Simmie Sinow

1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp crumbled dried oregano
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 apples, chopped/diced small
4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture.

Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture. Put the diced apples alongside the pork as well.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours.

When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

NOTES:
Cooking time will vary depending on how hot your crockpot cooks. My primary crockpot takes about 5-6 hours total; I have another one that takes about 8-10 hours.


The pork in this recipe really does fall off the bones of the pork roast. You can eat this with tortillas or not – it’s so good that I’ve just generally had the pork which is more like shredded and some vegetables or potatoes on the side.

Beef & Butternut Stew - Crockpot

Stacy Cunningham Schott

1 lb. beef cubes for stewing
1 butternut squash, diced
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, diced
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 oz spinach, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano

Quickly sear stew meat on medium-high heat in the skillet; transfer to crockpot.

Add all remaining ingredients except the spinach and mushrooms.

Stir and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add mushrooms 30 minutes before stew is done.  Add spinach just before serving.


ENJOY!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Balancing Paleo

Yes, completely Whole30 compliant!  Thanks to Balancing Paleo for this gem!

2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
1/3 c. coconut cream (scooped from the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

For the details on how to make this, go here for the "scoop!"