Protection against obesity: Making vegetarian foods wonderful, tasty and helpful for health

WHILE THE WHOLE30 WASN’T DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR VEGETARIANS, we do have a loyal following who prefer leaving red meat and poultry off their plate. The good news is that seafood, especially the wild-caught varieties, is packed with nutrition (including anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats found in cold-water fatty fish like salmon) and protein. We’ ve had many a pescetarian complete the Whole30 using only a variety of seafood and eggs as their protein source, with great success. (See our Whole30 recommendations for vegetarians and vegans.) Fish and shellfish are sometimes intimidating for new cooks. You wonder how you’ll know if the fish is fresh, whether frozen fish really tastes as good, and how to cook it. The good news is that fish is actually easy and fast to cook (the recipes we give you here generally require less than 20 minutes of active cooking time), and it’s really easy to swap out one kind of fish for another in these recipes. Plus, frozen fish and shellfish are a cost-effective way to source healthy protein. And don’t overlook the little guys! While we haven’t included any specific recipes here, small fish like sardines, herring, mackerel, and anchovies are loaded with healthy fats and are low in toxins. You can categorize fish into three simple categories, based on texture: firm, moderate, and flaky. Use these classifications to help you find the best substitutions if the fish we call for isn’t available (or is too expensive). FIRM: catfish, grouper, halibut, sea bass, snapper, mahi-mahi, salmon, swordfish, tuna MODERATE: rockfish, shrimp, tilapia, walleye, orange roughy, ocean perch, trout, mackerel FLAKY: cod, flounder, haddock, pollock, scallops, lingcod, whitefish When buying fresh fish, the best rule of thumb is actually a rule of nose. Smell your fresh fish—it should remind you of seawater, or cucumber. (Strange, but true.) If it gives off a strong odor, that means it’s past its prime, so pass on it. The flesh should look shiny and clean, with no dull or discolored patches. If you’re allowed, press the flesh with your finger. It should spring back quickly—if the dent remains, you know the fish isn’t super fresh. Make sure you either cook or freeze fresh fish within two days of purchase. High quality frozen fish will have basically no odor at all, but if there are ice crystals on the fish itself, that means it’s lost some moisture, and likely won’t taste as good. Never thaw frozen fish on the counter—either thaw it overnight in the refrigerator (plan on about 24 hours for one pound), or thaw it faster by placing it in a bowl under running cold water. And once it’s thawed, cook it right away—don’t delay more than a day, and don’t ever re-freeze. Scallops are sold either fresh and shucked, or frozen and vacuum-sealed. Both are delicious, fast-cooking options. You can also buy shrimp fresh, frozen, or pre-cooked; the latter are a great option to add to a salad or leftover veggies for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. Don’t try to defrost scallops or shrimp under running water, however—they’re pretty sensitive, and the water can ruin the texture. Use your refrigerator or thaw them under cold water while they’re still inside the bag, and pat them dry before cooking. You’ll want to check your fish often during cooking. That’s because unlike beef, seafood becomes tougher the longer you cook it. Plan to stick close to your oven or pan during these recipes, to make sure your shrimp don’t have the consistency of a bicycle tire. But if you’re in the kitchen checking on your fish anyway, why not whip up a batch of Basic Mayo? In fact, your Whole30 rule of thumb should be this: If I’m in the kitchen waiting for something to cook, I’m thinking ahead and doing some food prep. No need to thank us for this tip—you’ll thank yourself later. recipes mexican tuna boats halibut with citrus-ginger glaze cod with mushroom and red pepper relish romesco garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles poached salmon with cucumber dill sauce mexican tuna boats SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes 1 avocado, pitted and peeled 2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna, drained 3 green onions, thinly sliced Juice of 1½ limes ½ jalapeño, minced 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon black pepper 1 head endive, separated into leaves This dish makes for the perfect lunch—just pack up your tuna in a glass container and wrap your leaves in a slightly damp paper towel inside a resealable bag to keep them crisp. Or, stuff the tuna salad inside a romaine lettuce leaf, hollowed-out bell pepper, tomato, or cucumber cups. This dish would also work with canned chicken or salmon and would taste amazing with a drizzle of cool Ranch Dressing or Avocado Mayo. IN a medium sized bowl, mash the avocado with a fork, leaving it slightly chunky. Add the tuna to the bowl, flaking it apart with a fork, and mix to combine with the avocado. Add the onions, juice of 1 lime, jalapeño, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper and mix well. SPOON the tuna mixture into the endive leaves. Sprinkle a dusting of chili powder. Squeeze the juice from the remaining ½ lime over the top and serve. MAKE IT A MEAL: While there are some greens in this dish, you’re lacking serious veggie power. Try serving the lettuce wraps with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Gazpacho, or raw carrots, bell pepper strips, and celery with Avocado Mayonnaise for dipping. ✪VEGETABLE CHOPPER You could trim a few minutes off your prep time with a chopper, which makes fine dicing your jalapeño a snap. You can get one for around $20, and while it’s not a musthave kitchen tool, it will make things like our Salsa and Gazpacho 74 percent faster to prepare. halibut with citrus-ginger glaze SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes FOR THE GLAZE ½ cup apple cider Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons Juice of 1 orange ½ tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger) FOR THE FISH 3 tablespoons cooking fat 2 halibut fillets (5 ounces each) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Halibut is delicious, but it can also be expensive. You can substitute a variety of white fish here—try cod, turbot, dogfish, haddock, or striped bass. If you don’t want to juice the orange by hand, substitute ¼ cup store-bought orange juice. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. FOR THE GLAZE: Cook the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the lemon juice, orange juice, and ginger and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon zest. Set aside. FOR THE FISH: Heat 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat in a large skillet over high heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. While the fat is heating, season the halibut with the salt and pepper. When the fat is hot, place the fish top-side-down in the pan and sear for 2 to 3 minutes. While the fish is searing, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon cooking fat (if necessary), line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and brush half of the fat on the paper. REMOVE the halibut from t and spoon the glaze over the top just before serving. ✪HALIBUT Halibut and other white fish are a little tricky to cook; there is very little oil in halibut, so it dries out fast. Check this dish in the oven every few minutes as it gets close to the end of cooking. If you’re worried about overcooking, pull it out just before it looks done (when the flesh almost flakes with a fork) and let it rest on the pan for a minute, as it will keep cooking once you take it out of the oven. You can also use a meat thermometer—pull it out of the oven when the center of the fish is between 130° and 135°F. MAKE IT A MEAL: Pair with Green Cabbage Slaw and Cauliflower Rice for an Asian-inspired feast. Or serve with our Roasted Beet, Orange, and Avocado Salad for a fresh, simple meal. cod with mushroom and red pepper relish SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOKING TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes 1 pound cod ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons cooking fat ¼ onion, finely chopped 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pint (2 cups) button, cremini, or portabella mushrooms, sliced 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped This dish isn’t in our Fancypants Meal section, but it’s beautiful enough to wow guests. Plus, our pairing suggestion of roasted squash can cook at 350°F, so your oven can easily pull double duty. The squash will take about an hour to roast at this temperature (assuming a large dice), so put it in the oven about 45 minutes before you start cooking the fish. Or, start your cauliflower steaming just before you start prepping the fish—it should be done and ready to blend in the food processor as the fish is coming out of the oven. Make your dressing ahead of time and throw together a salad while the fish cooks and you’ve got a company-worthy meal. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper. CUT the fish into portions and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Season evenly with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ⅛ teaspoon of the pepper and place in the baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the flesh in the center of the fish no longer appears wet or spongy in texture when you pierce it with a fork. It’s done when it just barely starts to flake when pulled apart. WHILE the fish is cooking, add the cooking fat to a large skillet over medium heat. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. The mushrooms will release moisture, bringing the flavors together, and then become more dry in appearance. Add the roasted red peppers and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and stir for 2 minutes, allowing the peppers to warm. Remove the pan from the heat and hold covered to keep warm. REMOVE the fish from the oven, spoon the mushroom and pepper mixture generously over the top of the fish, and serve immediately MAKE IT A MEAL: This dish goes beautifully with a simple green salad dressed with our Balsamic Vinaigrette and either roasted butternut squash or a simple Cauliflower Mash. ✪DRIED MUSHROOMS Using a mix of more exotic dried mushrooms like shiitakes, porcini, morels, or chanterelles in this dish will boost the flavor and texture of your relish, and make the finished look even more impressive to company. You’ll want to use about 3 ounces of dried mushrooms for this dish—feel free to mix and match varieties. Soak them in warm water for 30 minutes first, to rehydrate them and rinse off any dirt or grit. Then, slice them (or dice them, depending on their shape and size) and prepare your “relish” as directed. romesco garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 45 minutes COOK TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes 4 medium zucchini (about 4 cups of “noodles”) 2 tablespoons cooking fat ¼ onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves Romesco Sauce You can save yourself 25 minutes of prep time and make your Romesco Sauce up to two days in advance. This dish is just as delicious served cold, substituting Pesto for the Romesco Sauce, and cold cucumber noodles instead of steamed zoodles. You can also cheat and buy cooked shrimp—just skip the ¼ cup water and covered cooking at the end of the third step. PEEL the zucchini with a regular peeler. Then, using a julienne peeler, make long slices along one side of each zucchini until you get down to the seeded core. Rotate the zucchini and continue to peel until you’ve done all four sides. (If you have a spiral slicer, you can use that instead of a julienne peeler.) Discard the core, and set the noodles aside. ADD 2 cups of water to a large pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil while you begin cooking the shrimp. MELT the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp, toss to coat with the onion and garlic, and cook stirring, for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water to the skillet and cover with a lid. Cook until the shrimp form the shape of a “C,” 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl (draining any remaining water), and season with the salt and pepper. AFTER you add the water and cover the shrimp, place a colander or steamer inside the large pot of boiling water. Add the zucchini noodles, cover, and steam until the zucchini is al dente in texture, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the “zoodles” and transfer to a serving dish or individual plates. SPRINKLE the shrimp with the parsley, toss, and spoon over the zoodles. Spoon the Romesco Sauce over the shrimp and zucchini and serve. ✪SHRIMP Shrimp are quite easy to prepare, but they get tougher the longer you cook them. Perfectly cooked shrimp will be pink in color, and shaped like a “C”—if they are curled up tightly into an “O” shape, they’re overcooked. If you’re using frozen shrimp, make sure they are completely thawed before you start cooking. poached salmon with cucumber dill sauce SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 25 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes ½ cup rice vinegar Juice from 3 lemons, divided 1 bay leaf 6 black peppercorns 2 salmon fillets (5 ounces each) ½ cup Basic Mayonnaise ¼ cup coconut cream ½ cucumber, peeled and diced ½ shallot, minced 2 sprigs fresh dill, leaves only, chopped 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ lemon, thinly sliced Poaching fish helps keep it moist while adding and infusing flavor, but if you’re short on time (or ingredients), you can use our Perfect Oven-Baked Salmon technique. Make a double batch of this Cucumber Dill Sauce, as it’s delicious mixed into a Protein Salad. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. TO make the poaching liquid, combine 2 cups of water with the rice vinegar, the juice of 2 lemons, the bay leaf, and peppercorns in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat. PLACE the salmon fillets skin-side down in a casserole dish (choose a dish that is deeper than the thickness of the salmon). Pour the poaching liquid over the salmon. Transfer to the oven to poach until it’s slightly translucent when you cut into the center, around 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. WHILE the salmon is poaching, mix the juice of the remaining lemon, the mayonnaise, coconut cream, cucumber, shallot, dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. DISCARD any poaching liquid left in the casserole, along with the bay leaf and peppercorns. Place the salmon on a serving dish or individual plates. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and garnish with the lemon slices. ✪PERFECT POACHED SALMON Overcooked salmon loses its moisture and tenderness, so check often as you’re nearing the end of your cooking time. It’s better to remove the salmon from the oven slightly underdone, as it will continue to cook even on a serving plate. Poke a butter knife into the salmon at the thickest part and gently pull it apart. The flesh should be easily parted, and look mostly opaque (not red and raw at the top). You should see some white at the edges from the fat, and the flesh should feel firm. Don’t cook it until the flesh easily flakes, though—that’s a sign of overcooking. Poaching is a very forgiving technique, even if you leave it in the poaching liquid a little too long, your fish will still be moist and tender. MAKE IT A MEAL: This dish is perfect for Sunday brunch, or any old Meal 1. Serve with our Butternut Squash Soup or Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest. PORK BACON. THERE. WE SAID IT. We know you were thinking it, because in our larger Paleo community, pork is often considered synonymous with bacon. In fact, in our bounce-back from the low-fat craze, people are more than a little bacon-crazy. Except you won’t find any bacon in this section of our recipe book. In fact, you won’t find bacon in here at all, except for an explanation of our favorite bacon cooking technique. We suspect this makes you sad, and maybe even a little angry. But we’re not here to be popular—we’re here to give you our best recommendations for being healthy while eating real food. And while bacon is real food, it’s not even close to the most nutritious part of the pig, and it’s all too easy to overindulge, leading to the eviction of other nutrients off your plate. First, it’s really hard to find Whole30-compliant bacon. We’ve given you our favorite brands, but if you’re in small-town America shopping at your local grocery store, you’re simply not going to find bacon that wasn’t cured with sugar (and likely contains lots of other nasty ingredients). We didn’t want to give you recipes that three-quarters of you wouldn’t be able to make as directed, so this book is basically a bacon-free zone. In addition, news flash: pork is more than just bacon, sausage, and pork chops. There are a number of cost-effective, delicious cuts that are often overlooked, and including them as part of your meal rotation means you’re getting a variety of nutrients and flavors without breaking the bank. Many of these cuts are perfect for slow-cooking (like our Carnitas) making for easy dinners with way less clean up. Okay, you’re starting to like us again. Finally, there are some Whole30 Approved foods that are so close to the sweet, fatty, salty stuff you used to eat that they can become problematic too, promoting unintended overconsumption. Nut butters, dried fruit, and bacon are three common examples—all foods that can promote less-thandesired health effects when overeaten, and all too easy to overeat. So for those of you who can find Whole30-compliant bacon, let’s keep it in its place. Use it as a condiment, sprinkled over salads, soups, or stews, or as the occasional protein side at one of your meals. Feel free to keep it in the general rotation, but don’t rely on it too much, because to be honest, it’s not really a very good source of protein. (In fact, a slice of bacon contains just as much fat as protein.) And if you can’t find approved bacon, don’t worry—there are more than enough delicious cuts of pork in this section to make you forget all about the crispy, salty, fatty belly you’re craving for the next 30 days. That last thing probably isn’t true, but you’ll survive. recipes banger sausage patties with sweet potato mash and caramelized onions walnut-crusted pork tenderloin pulled pork carnitas baby back ribs with tangy bbq sauce pork chops with spiced applesauce banger sausage patties with sweet potato mash and caramelized onions SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 25 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes FOR THE SAUSAGE 1 pound ground pork ¼ teaspoon ground sage ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon onion powder ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon black pepper Grated zest of 1 lemon 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice 4 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter ½ cup full-fat coconut milk 1 onion, thinly sliced ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Don’t be intimidated by the long list of spices in this fancier sausage mixture—measuring and mixing is actually really quick. To make it easier on future you, quadruple the spice mixture (the ingredients from sage to pepper), use one-fourth of it (2 heaping teaspoons) in this batch, and store the rest in an airtight container in your pantry for the next time you want to make the sausage. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. PREPARE THE SAUSAGE: In a large mixing bowl, mix all the sausage ingredients. Form into 8 equal patties. Place on a plate and chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes while starting the sweet potato mash. COOK the sweet potatoes in the boiling water until fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of the ghee and coconut milk. Using a potato masher, immersion blender, or large kitchen fork, mash and mix the sweet potatoes with the ghee and the coconut milk. Cover the pot to keep warm and set aside. REMOVE the sausage from the freezer and place on the parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake the sausage patties in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, and no pink remains in the middle of the patty. MEANWHILE, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of ghee in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the ghee is hot, add the onion and cook for 15 minutes, turning them periodically as they begin to brown and caramelize. (Do not rush this step—the browner the color, the more concentrated the flavor will be.) TRANSFER the mashed sweet potatoes to a bowl or serving dish and top with the caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Serve with the sausage patties. MAKE IT A MEAL: Double the sweet potato mash recipe and you’ve got an easy side dish for tomorrow night’s dinner—serve with Braised Beef Brisket, Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, or Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze. ✪CARAMELIZING ONIONS Caramelizing the onion adds so much flavor to this dish, but it takes care and patience. First, don’t slice the onions too thin or they’ll dry out too much while cooking. Aim for slices about ⅛ inch thick. Make sure you use a large enough pan —crowd your onions and they’ll steam instead of caramelize. Finally, don’t rush the process! Onions should be soft in texture and a rich brown color before you pull them off the stove. walnut-crusted pork tenderloin SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes 1 pound pork tenderloin 2 tablespoons mustard powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1½ teaspoons salt 1½ teaspoons black pepper ½ cup chopped walnuts 3 cups salad greens ½ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest and most tender cuts of pork, but it’s also easy to overcook and dry out. It’s best to rely on your meat thermometer and not the clock for this cut—so watch your temperatures carefully. This recipe would work just as well with pork chops; the cooking time in the oven would be about the same. REMOVE the pork from the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes before cooking. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. IF necessary, trim the pork tenderloin, removing the tough outer skin. (This is generally not necessary on boneless cuts of pork loin, but see the tip below for details.) Pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel. Mix the mustard powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the pork evenly with the spice mixture. IN a food processor or by hand, pulse or chop the walnuts until finely chopped. Coat the pork evenly with three quarters of the chopped walnuts. Place the tenderloin in a baking pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes. SLICE the tenderloin into ½-inch-thick medallions. Place the salad greens on plates, top with the pork slices, sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts, and drizzle with the Balsamic Vinaigrette. ✪REMOVING PORK LOIN’S TOUGH OUTER MEMBRANE Most boneless cuts of tenderloin won’t have much “silver skin” (the tough membrane covering the top of a pork loin). However, if yours does, you’ll want to remove it before cooking—otherwise it dries out in the oven and turns quite tough. With a sharp paring or boning knife, pinch the meat to pull the membrane away from the muscle. Remove the outer skin by sliding the knife blade just beneath the membrane and slowly cut along the muscle (with the grain of the meat) in smooth sawing motions. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you before he or she wraps up your purchase. MAKE IT A MEAL: This dish goes great with Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest, Sweet Potato Soup, or Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts. pulled pork carnitas SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 2 hours 45 minutes TOTAL TIME: 3 hours 1½ tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 pounds pork butt, cut into 4-inch cubes 2 tablespoons cooking fat ½ medium onion, roughly chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ cup sliced (½-inch pieces) green onions Juice of ½ lime Make your evening easier by letting your slow cooker do the cooking. Before you leave for the day, complete the recipe through the fourth step (just before transferring the pot to the oven). At that point, just put everything in the slow cooker. Set the cooker on low and let it cook all day (8 to 10 hours). When you get home, not only will your house smell amazing, but you’ll have the ultimate ready-to-eat, pull-apart pork! PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. MIX 1 tablespoon of the salt and all of the pepper in a bowl. Use to season the pork butt evenly. IN a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the cooking fat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the pork (be sure not to overcrowd) and brown all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside. IN the same pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring vigorously to prevent burning, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water, the chili powder, and cinnamon. Increase the heat to medium high, return the pork to the pot, and bring to a boil. COVER the pot with a lid or tightly wrapped foil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 ½ hours, turning the meat after each hour. The pork should be fork-tender when done. TRANSFER the pork to a bowl and shred with a fork or two, discarding any excess fat. Incorporate the cooking liquid from the pot, then add the green onions and lime juice. Season with the remaining ½ tablespoon salt. MAKE IT A MEAL: Turn your carnitas into a taco salad by serving over crisp greens along with Salsa and Guacamole; serve with Green Cabbage Slaw drizzled with Ranch Dressing. ✪CUTS FOR PULLED PORK Pork butt is the most common cut used for pulled pork because it is marbled with flavor-enhancing fat. It’s also known as Boston butt, Boston shoulder, and pork shoulder roast. If you get a cut with the bone, throw it in the pot with the meat and let the nutrients and fat from the bone infuse your carnitas. baby back ribs with tangy bbq sauce SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes MARINATE TIME: 3 to 24 hours COOK TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 35 minutes plus marinating time FOR THE RUB 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon mustard powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon paprika ½ teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 pounds baby back ribs 1 cup chicken broth or water 2 cups Tangy BBQ Sauce Cut your prep in half by making the BBQ Sauce up to two days ahead of time. Feel like skipping this step? Tessemae’s makes a Whole30-compliant BBQ sauce. See Resources for where to buy. MAKE THE RUB: Mix the oregano, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set the ribs flesh-side up on a large piece of foil and coat evenly with the rub. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 24 hours (the longer the better). PREHEAT the oven to 300°F. PLACE the ribs in a casserole or glass baking dish. Pour the chicken broth or water into the dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the meat pulls back from the rib bones. PREHEAT a grill to medium heat (350°F). Place the ribs directly over the heat and grill until nicely charred, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. If you don’t have a grill, increase the oven temperature to 475°F and cook the ribs for 10 minutes on each side. REMOVE the ribs from the grill or oven and immediately baste generously with the BBQ sauce. Serve with the remaining sauce. MAKE IT A MEAL: This recipe goes great with a serving of Butternut Squash with Kale and Swiss Chard, Green Cabbage Slaw, or Roasted Sweet Potatoes. ✪WHEN ARE THE RIBS DONE? While you should cook ribs to 180° to 190°F, a meat thermometer is not much help here: It is very hard to get an accurate reading because the bones get in the way of measuring the temperature. A few ways to test whether your ribs are done: Pick up the slab with a pair of tongs and bounce them slightly. If they are ready, the slab will bow and be close to breaking. You can also poke a toothpick into the meat between the bones. When it slides in with little or no resistance (like with baked goods) your ribs are ready. pork chops with spiced applesauce SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 bone-in pork chops (about 1 pound total) 3 tablespoons cooking fat 1 onion, sliced 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced ½ cup apple cider ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon allspice 1 pinch nutmeg 2 generous handfuls frisée Don’t have access to frisée? You can use arugula, baby kale, or baby spinach. This dish can also make a delicious reappearance at breakfast—fry an egg or two and place over the top of the leftover pork, using the applesauce and freshly wilted greens as your side. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. MIX the salt and pepper in a small bowl and use to season both sides of the pork chops. MELT 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the fat is hot, add the pork chops and sear until you see a golden brown crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and sear the other side for 2 minutes. TRANSFER the pork chops to a baking dish and roast in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 140°F, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness. WHILE the pork is roasting, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon fat and the onion in the same skillet. Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the apple, apple cider, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Cook (while scraping all the tasty bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon), until the apples soften, about 5 minutes. TRANSFER the applesauce to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. PLACE the frisée on plates. Top with the pork and serve with the applesauce. ✪BACON FAT If you’re lucky enough to have access to Whole30- compliant bacon, save the fat the next time you cook a batch. You can use it in heartier recipes like this one. See Resources for a list of Whole30 Approved bacon brands (like the sugar-free pork bacon from U.S. Wellness Meats) and sources. SIDE DISHES CONTRARY TO WHAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA OCCASIONALLY PRESENTS, our healthy eating plan isn’t carnivorous. If you follow our meal template, you ’ll be eating only a moderate amount of protein with each meal. In fact, if you do the math—and we did—the lower end of our protein recommendations are exactly in line with the United States Recommended Daily Allowance (US RDA). And we balance the animals we eat with a copious amount of plants—both vegetables and fruit. In fact, after serving yourself some protein, we suggest you fill the rest of your plate with vegetables at each meal. So we’re not really sure why some people think the Whole30 is nothing but meat. We suspect an “all you can meat” diet just sounds sexier to the television advertising folks. Extreme is sexy. Moderate is not sexy. But moderate is healthy, and we’re all about healthy. Plus, we think healthy is pretty darn sexy. First, we don’t care if you buy fresh or frozen, or eat them cooked or raw. We just want you to eat your veggies, so to borrow a line from the musical group Journey, any way you want it . . . Yes, you’ll lose a small amount of nutrients if you buy them frozen, but who’s to say you’re not losing just as much during the transportation process from the farm to your grocery store? Frozen vegetables can be both cost-effective and make for a super-fast dinner, so feel free to keep your freezer stocked with some basics. And if you’re buying fresh, farmers markets for the win—local, fresh, seasonal, and affordable. As for cooked versus raw, this is really up to you, although some of you may find that raw vegetables are hard on your digestion, especially if you’re not used to eating them. If you have a digestive condition like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or find that too many salads make you feel gassy or bloated, try cooking most of your vegetables and see if that helps. Some people are also sensitive to certain vegetables and fruits—those containing higher levels of FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides, and Polyols). These short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, and pass along to the large intestine, where they are fermented by bacteria. This leads to gas, bloating, motility issues, and feeling like you might have an alien in your belly. Not very pleasant, to say the least. FODMAPs are common in grains and legumes, which are out for the program, but are also present in many vegetables and fruit. If you find that your Whole30 foods are still giving you digestive issues, try going low-FODMAP for a week and seeing if that helps. (You can download our low-FODMAP shopping list at whole30.com/pdf-downloads.) Refer to Troubleshooting Your Whole30 for more digestive troubleshooting tips during your Whole30. The vegetable and fruit side dishes we’ve given you here are delicious compliments to the meat, seafood, and egg recipes in previous sections. They also pair beautifully with simply prepared proteins, like our Perfect Steak or Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken. Who says your greens can’t be the star of the show? We’ve also included dishes perfect for every season. While you can generally find most produce year-round these days, roasting butternut squash doesn’t sound quite right in the July heat, and cold gazpacho may not be satisfying on a cold winter morning. We’ve given you substitutions for things like winter squashes if it’s not winter, and enough options (combined with our Perfect Vegetable tips) to see you through your Whole30 and then some. Our mission? To help you discover a new vegetable or two, proclaim your love for a vegetable you used to dislike, and help you see that there is a whole world of delicious, nutritious veggie offerings besides mashed potatoes, peas, and corn. Oh, but remember—technically, corn isn’t a vegetable, it’s a grain, so it’s out for your Whole30. And peas are legumes, so they’re out, too. (Same with lima beans, but no one ever complains about that.) However, potatoes of all varieties are definitely a part of our program, so really, our rules are a net win for you, because duck-fat roasted sweet potatoes > creamed peas. That’s not science, that’s just common sense. recipes balsamic roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts broccoli, mushrooms, and yellow squash with red pepper sauce butternut squash soup butternut squash with kale and swiss chard cauliflower mash cauliflower rice cold thai salad gazpacho greek salad green beans with onions, mushrooms, and peppers green cabbage slaw with lemon oil grilled asparagus with lemon zest pan-roasted brussels sprouts and squash ratatouille roasted beet, orange, and avocado salad roasted root vegetables in curry sauce roasted spaghetti squash roasted sweet potatoes sautéed kale with almonds sweet potato soup

balsamic roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into large dice 3 tablespoons melt minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until the garlic is aromatic, an additional minute. Season with the salt and pepper. ADD the Brussels sprout mixture to the sweet potatoes on the pan, spreading them evenly without crowding. Put the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are golden brown and soft and the sprouts are tender. PLATE the Brussels sprouts and sweet potato mixture and drizzle with the balsamic sauce. MAKE IT A MEAL: Make this a complete breakfast in no time! In the same skillet you used to cook the sprouts and onion, panfry some chicken sausage or eggs while the vegetables are roasting. This dish is also the perfect accompaniment to a whole roasted chicken, Pork Chops with Spiced Applesauce, and Grilled Steak with Garlic-Shallot Puree and Avocado. ✪BRUSSELS SPROUT CHIPS One of the best parts of roasted Brussels sprouts are the leaves that fall off the sprout and crisp up like a chip in the oven. You can “help” this process along by picking off a few outer leaves of each sprout after adding them to the baking sheet. broccoli, mushrooms, and yellow squash with red pepper sauce SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil ¼ small onion, finely chopped ½ pint button, cremini, or portabella mushrooms, quartered 1 medium yellow squash, cut into large dice 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt and black pepper ½ cup Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Save prep time by making the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce up to 2 days ahead of time. You could also sprinkle 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes over the vegetables when you add the garlic, add your favorite Whole30-compliant salad dressing when serving, or top with the Ranch Dressing, Chimichurri, or Curry Sauce. Note, the squash and mushrooms will give off quite a bit of water while cooking, and will continue to “shed” even after you transfer them to a serving dish. To avoid a watery side dish, use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the pan. BRING 1 cup of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander or steamer inside the pot. Add the broccoli, cover, and steam until the broccoli is fork tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the pot and set aside. WHILE you wait for the water to boil, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the yellow squash and garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until the squash is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. ADD the broccoli to the skillet and toss with the squash mixture. Lightly dust with salt and pepper, as the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is also seasoned. Transfer the contents of the pan to a serving bowl or individual plates and top with the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. MAKE IT A MEAL: You could add just about any protein to this dish—it’s the perfect “ingredient” meal, with a sauce that pulls it all together. It goes especially well with fried eggs, burgers, or Perfect Seared Chicken Breasts. ✪BROCCOLI Don’t waste those broccoli stems! You can use them to make a creamy, delicious soup. First, peel the stems and slice them into thin coins. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil, clarified butter, or ghee in a medium pot, then add half a chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, and the broccoli stems. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup full-fat coconut milk to the pot, stir, and pull the pot off the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the contents of the pot to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. butternut squash soup SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes 3 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or coconut oil ½ cup diced onion 3 cups diced seeded peeled butternut squash 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground ginger 4 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Not sure how much squash to buy for this recipe? Generally, a 2- pound butternut squash yields 3 cups once the seeds are removed, but don’t stress about having slightly more or less squash than the recipe calls for—this one is pretty forgiving. You can also buy precut butternut squash and save yourself the guess work and 10 minutes of prep time, but that’ll definitely add to your grocery bill. IN a large pot, melt the cooking fat over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pot. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, garlic, and ginger and stir until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 1 minute. ADD the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the butternut squash is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. IN one or two batches, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until smooth in texture. Return the pureed soup to the pot. HEAT the soup over medium-high heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. MAKE IT A MEAL: To make this a complete meal, add cooked chicken, scallops, or hard-boiled eggs when returning the soup to the pot for the last 7 to 10 minutes of cooking. For extra greens, add two generous handfuls of spinach or kale in the last 3 minutes of cooking. ✪PREPPING SQUASH Peeling and dicing squash isn’t that tough if you have the right technique. First, cut a small amount off the bottom and top of the squash, to give it a flat surface. Next, use a vegetable peeler to peel the squash from top to bottom. Next, rest the squash on the flat bottom surface and cut in half from top to bottom, creating two long halves. Scoop the seeds from the middle of the squash with a large spoon. Finally, lay the two halves flat on the cutting board and cut strips lengthwise, then across, to create your dice. If some pieces are much thicker than others, cut in half again, so your cubes are all a relatively consistent size. butternut squash with kale and swiss chard SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 45 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 2 cups large-diced seeded peeled butternut squash 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 bunch kale, stemmed, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons 1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons 3 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or coconut oil 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup raw sliced almonds ½ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper We’ve already said you can put a fried egg on anything, and this dish is no exception. If you have leftovers, this makes a quick, delicious breakfast. Just reheat your veggies in a pan or the microwave, slide a few fried eggs over the top, and serve. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. IN a large bowl, toss or mix the butternut squash with the olive oil until well coated. Place the squash on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until fork-tender. ABOUT 15 minutes before the squash is done, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander or steamer inside the pot. Add the kale and Swiss chard, cover, and steam until the kale is tender but not soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the kale and chard from the pot and set aside. Drain the pot and wipe it out. PLACE the same pot over medium heat, add the cooking fat, and swirl to coat the bottom. When the fat is hot, add the garlic and almonds and stir until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute. Raise the heat to high and add the steamed kale and Swiss chard. Toss for 20 to 30 seconds to combine, then remove from the heat and transfer everything from the pot to a serving dish. COMBINE the roasted butternut squash with the kale and chard mixture. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper, toss to combine, and serve immediately. ✪STEMMING GREENS To remove the stems from kale and other hearty greens, hold the stem with one hand and place the pointer finger and thumb of your other hand around the stem just above the leaves. Pull your fingers along the stem, tearing the leaves off. (It’s the same technique you use to remove rosemary or thyme leaves.) If you’re having a hard time with this technique, or if your greens are too soft for this to work well, lay the leaf upside down on a cutting board and use a paring knife to cut the leaf free along both sides of the stem. MAKE IT A MEAL: Add some cooked chicken sausage, ground beef, or roasted chicken just before serving to make a complete meal, or serve it alongside Perfect Oven-Baked Salmon or Grilled Coconut-Curry Chicken. cauliflower mash SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup coconut cream 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley This may be the most versatile recipe ever. It’s a lighter substitute for mashed potatoes, and has dozens of variations to match nearly any style of cuisine. Add more chicken broth if you like it extra creamy, or keep the chicken broth to just a tablespoon or so if you prefer it really thick. Try topping with crumbled Whole30- compliant bacon or crispy prosciutto; add a blend of fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme; kick it up a notch with 2 tablespoons of grated, peeled fresh horseradish root or 1 teaspoon chili powder; add a dollop of whole grain mustard (perfect alongside pork); or stir in shredded cabbage and kale sautéed in clarified butter or ghee. BRING 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and garlic and simmer until the florets are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. DRAIN the cauliflower and transfer to a food processor. Add the coconut cream, ghee, salt, and pepper and pulse until the cauliflower begins to turn smooth in consistency. Add the chicken broth one tablespoon at a time, pulsing to mix, until the desired consistency is achieved. Add the parsley and continue blending until completely smooth. Serve warm. MAKE IT A MEAL: This dish goes well with anything. Seriously, anything. But if you made us pick a few favorites, we’d say Braised Beef Brisket, Chicken Meatballs, Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze, and Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. ✪MASHING You can use a variety of tools for this dish, depending on how you prefer the texture of your mash. If you prefer a silky smooth mash, the food processor is a must. If you like it really chunky, use a hand tool (like a potato masher or large kitchen fork) instead. If you like your mash somewhere in between, try using an immersion blender. cauliflower rice SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets 3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter ½ onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon minced cilantro ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper This is another incredibly versatile recipe. Make a Moroccan-style rice by adding ¼ cup slivered almonds or pine nuts, ½ cup raisins, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Make rice Asian-style by adding 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (a soy sauce substitute, see Tip for details), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 2 minced green onions. Or make this a complete meal by adding a serving of your favorite chopped protein (like chicken, shrimp, flank steak, or pork) and any leftover sautéed vegetables you have in your fridge. TO “rice” the cauliflower, place half of the florets in a food processor and pulse into a rice-like consistency, 15 to 20 pulses. (Don’t over-crowd the cauliflower in the food processor, and don’t over-pulse or the florets will get mushy.) Repeat to rice the remaining florets. IN a large skillet, melt the ghee over medium heat and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the ghee is hot, add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute. ADD the riced cauliflower to the skillet and mix thoroughly with the rest of the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, cover the pan with a lid, and steam until you’ve arrived at a rice-like consistency, 10 to 12 minutes. (The cauliflower should be tender, but not mushy or wet.) REMOVE the pan from the heat and mix in the chopped cilantro. Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper. MAKE IT A MEAL: Like its mashed counterpart, this cauliflower dish goes with anything. Try it with meals that include a sauce, like Grilled Coconut-Curry Chicken, Romesco Garlic Shrimp, and Pulled Pork Carnitas. ✪GRATING If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a box grater to shred the cauliflower into rice. Patience, however, as it will take quite a while! You can also make fried “rice” by omitting the chicken broth, adding more cooking fat to the pan, and panfrying the rice until tender, about 5 minutes. For an even more authentic fried rice experience, stir two egg whites into the cauliflower while pan-frying. cold thai salad SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 25 minutes CHILL TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes 2 small zucchini 1 small cucumber 2 carrots, peeled and shredded ½ cup mung bean sprouts (optional) ¼ cup chopped cashews ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ cup Sunshine Sauce Skip the 30 minutes of chill time by placing the zucchini, cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts in the fridge the night before you prepare this dish—or just skip it altogether, if you don’t mind your salad at room temperature. If you feel like a lighter dressing, try tossing the vegetables with our Asian Vinaigrette or the creamy Cilantro-Lime Mayo instead of the Sunshine Sauce. PEEL the zucchini with a regular peeler. Then, using a julienne peeler, make long slices along one side of one zucchini, until you get down to the seeded core. Rotate the zucchini and continue to peel until you’ve done all four sides. Repeat the process with the remaining zucchini and the cucumber. You should have about 2 cups of “noodles.” (If you have a spiral slicer, you can use that instead of a julienne peeler.) Discard the cores. PLACE the zucchini and cucumber noodles in a medium mixing bowl. Add the shredded carrots, bean sprouts if using, most of the chopped cashews, and most of the cilantro. Chill for 30 minutes. ADD a tablespoon (or more) of water to the Sunshine Sauce to thin it out to the consistency of a creamy dressing and pour over the chilled salad, stirring well to combine. Garnish with the remaining cashews and cilantro and serve. MAKE IT A MEAL: Add cooked shrimp, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs to the salad before chilling to make it a complete meal. Or serve alongside Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze, Thai Cucumber Cups with Turkey, or Chimichurri Beef Kabobs. ✪THAI SOUP You could easily turn this cold dish into a hot soup. Heat 4 cups of beef or chicken broth in a large pot. While that’s warming, place a small skillet over medium heat and add the cashews. Toast them in the pan, shaking often, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the cashews from the pan and set aside. Once the broth is warm, add the zucchini, carrots, and bean sprouts to the pot and allow to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to individual serving bowls, add the toasted cashews, and top with the fresh cilantro. Serve alongside sliced cucumbers and Sunshine Sauce for dipping. gazpacho SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes CHILL TIME: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes 1 medium cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and roughly chopped ½ small onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1½ cups canned crushed tomatoes 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop each of these ingredients by hand, and then use a blender or immersion blender to mix the chopped ingredients with the tomatoes, vinegar, and olive oil. If you have some kind of vegetable chopper, that would make this job even quicker. (See kitchen essentials for our recommendations.) PULSE the cucumber in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat this process with the chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion, adding each item to the same bowl after chopping. (If you try to blend all the ingredients at once, they will mush instead of chop.) Stir in the garlic and return the contents of the bowl to the food processor. ADD the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the food processor and blend until you achieve a smooth consistency. REFRIGERATE the gazpacho for at least 30 minutes before serving—overnight is even better, as the flavors will continue to develop. MAKE IT A MEAL: You can make this a complete meal by adding cooked shrimp and sliced avocado to the soup just before serving. Gazpacho also tastes great with a Kitchen Sink Scrambled Eggs, Mexican Tuna Boats, and Chicken Meatballs. ✪VARIATIONS For even more flavor, add chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or other leafy fresh herbs just before serving. To give the gazpacho a kick, add 2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. For a sweeter version, pulse the flesh from two mangoes in the food processor, then blend with the rest of the ingredients. greek salad SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 4 tomatoes, seeded and cut into large dice 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into large dice ½ red onion, thinly sliced 30 pitted Kalamata olives, halved ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Juice of ½ lemon Give this hearty salad even more heft with canned artichoke hearts (quartered), sundried tomatoes, pepperoncini, or roasted red peppers, or top it with a creamy version of our Herb Citrus Vinaigrette. COMBINE the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and olives in a large serving bowl. COMBINE the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. POUR the dressing over the salad ingredients and top with the lemon juice. MAKE IT A MEAL: Add canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, cooked chicken or shrimp, or Whole30-compliant salami or prosciutto to make this a complete meal. Or serve with the Perfect Grilled Steak, Perfect Burger, or Perfect Grilled Shrimp. ✪PITTING OLIVES You can buy pitted black olives (they don’t have to be Kalamata), but pitting your own isn’t that hard with the right technique. Lay the olive on a cutting board. Place the flat side of a large kitchen knife over the olive, and press down carefully on the knife until you feel the olive “give.” Remove the knife—you should have a nice little seam in the olive, and the pit should be loose inside. Simply remove the pit with your fingers and discard. You can pit 2 to 3 olives at a time with this technique if your knife is big enough. green beans with onions, mushrooms, and peppers SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes 2 cups ice 2 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon salt 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed 3 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or coconut oil ½ cup thinly sliced white onion ½ cup thinly sliced button, cremini, or portabella mushrooms ½ red bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and sliced into strips ¼ teaspoon black pepper The quick cooking (blanching) ensures the green beans retain their crisp texture and vivid color when you cook them. Shocking them in cold water halts the cooking process (no more mushy green beans), and locks in the flavor, texture, and color. Properly shocked beans will be cold, bright green, and still have a firmness when snapped. CREATE an ice bath for “shocking” the green beans by filling a large bowl halfway with cold water, then adding the ice. BRING 3 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of the salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat Add the green beans and blanch for 20 seconds. Remove from the pot using kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon and shock them immediately in the ice bath. As soon as the green beans are chilled (about 1 minute), transfer to a colander and drain. HEAT the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook until the peppers and mushrooms have softened, about 2 minutes. TURN the heat to high. Add the green beans to the skillet and toss with the other vegetables. Cook, shaking the pan often, until the beans are tender, about 2 minutes. (The easiest way to test is by tasting one!) Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the pepper. MAKE IT A MEAL: Serve this colorful side dish with a Spinach Frittata, Stuffed Peppers, Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze, or Chicken Meatballs. ✪HARICOTS VERTS You might also see beans called haricots verts (French for “green beans”) in the produce aisle. French green beans are longer and thinner than regular green beans, are more tender, and have a more complex flavor. They also tend to cook up faster, so if you’re using haricots verts in this recipe, blanch for same amount of time, but cook, stirring, for just 1 minute in the last step. green cabbage slaw with lemon oil SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes 1 clove garlic, minced Juice of 1 lemon ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded 1 cup shredded carrots 2 tablespoons chopped cashews 1 teaspoon sesame seeds ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon ribbon-chopped fresh basil Save time and use 4 cups of packaged shredded cabbage, or use 2 cups of packaged shredded cabbage mixed with 2 cups broccoli slaw. Adding a thinly sliced Granny Smith apple would also give the slaw a bite of tartness. A mayo-based dressing would contribute a bit more creaminess—just replace the olive oil with ¼ cup Basic Mayonnaise. Finally, for a fun variation, make a spicy slaw! Instead of lemon oil, mix the slaw with a dressing of ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup Whole30 Ketchup, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce (see Resources). WHISK the garlic and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream until fully blended. IN a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, cashews, and sesame seeds. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine, then toss with the lemon oil. Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper and top with the basil. MAKE IT A MEAL: This crisp, fresh dish goes well with just about anything. It’s a great partner to the warmth of a Perfect Grilled Steak, is light enough to complement our Poached Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce, and is a cool companion for our Chimichurri Beef Kabobs. Or top it with cooked (cold) shrimp, salmon, chicken, or hard-boiled eggs to make it a complete meal. ✪SHREDDING CABBAGE Shredding cabbage is really fast and easy if you have the right technique. First, cut the cabbage in half, then in half again. Take each quarter and remove the core of the cabbage (the thick white stem) by cutting it out with a sharp knife. Lay each quarter on a flat side and cut crosswise into thin slices, working from top to bottom. You’ll end up with thin ribbons of cabbage, perfect for slaw. (Shredding carrots is easy too—just use the largest holes in your cheese grater until your carrot is down to a sliver!) grilled asparagus with lemon zest SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 3 minutes COOK TIME: 5 minutes TOTAL TIME: 8 minutes 1 pound asparagus, trimmed 1 tablespoon clarified butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted ½ teaspoon salt Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon To make grilling the asparagus a bit easier, try threading four or five asparagus spears cross-wise on two wooden or metal skewers before seasoning them, or place them in a grill basket or in foil on the grill. This will keep the asparagus from accidentally falling through the grill grates. If you don’t have a grill, cook the asparagus in a large skillet over medium-high heat in 1 tablespoon of cooking fat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook all sides evenly. PREHEAT a grill to medium-high heat (400°F). Line a baking sheet with foil. PLACE the asparagus on the baking sheet, drizzle with the melted cooking fat, and sprinkle with the salt. With tongs, transfer the asparagus to the grill, laying the spears horizontally across the grate, and grill until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. TRANSFER the asparagus to a serving plate. Drizzle the lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with the lemon zest just before serving. MAKE IT A MEAL: Since you’re out there anyway, pair this with the Perfect Burger, Perfect Grilled Shrimp, or Grilled Coconut-Curry Chicken. It’s also a hearty enough side to stand up to our Baby Back Ribs with Tangy BBQ Sauce, and goes great with Seared Salmon Benedict. ✪TRIMMING ASPARAGUS The tougher parts of the asparagus stalk need to be removed before cooking. The easiest way to do this is to simply grasp the lighter colored root end and bend until it snaps. The asparagus will automatically break in just the right spot, so don’t overthink it! You can even grab your asparagus in a small bundle and break the ends off all at once to save some time. pan-roasted brussels sprouts and squash SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half ½ red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon dried sage ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 3 cups diced peeled butternut squash One large squash usually yields 2½ to 3 cups, so just buy a big one and call it good—no need to measure precisely for this recipe. You can also substitute any winter squash for butternut: this dish would be great with delicata, acorn, kabocha, or buttercup. Not winter squash season? Use 2 peeled, large-diced sweet potatoes or apples instead. Serving company? Add crumbled Whole30- compliant bacon or prosciutto and pomegranate seeds as a garnish. HEAT the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the Brussels sprouts and onion and season with the sage, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the sprouts begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the sprouts and add the squash and cook everything until the squash is fork-tender, an additional 7 to 10 minutes. TRANSFER to a serving dish or plates and serve immediately. MAKE IT A MEAL: When you add the squash to the pan, add cooked sausage, chicken sausage, or chicken to make it a complete meal. Or serve with Steak Salad, Grilled Coconut-Curry Chicken, or Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. ✪OVEN-ROASTED SPROUTS AND SQUASH You can also make this meal in the oven and free your stovetop for other dishes. First, skip cutting the Brussels sprouts in half—just trim the ends and leave them whole. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, onion, and butternut squash. Add the olive oil and stir or toss until all the vegetables are well coated. Spread the vegetables on a parchment paper–lined baking tray and sprinkle with the sage, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts and squash are fork-tender. ratatouille SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK TIME: 35 minutes TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes ¼ cup coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil ¼ onion, finely chopped 1 cup diced zucchini 1 cup diced yellow squash 1 cup diced eggplant ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup Tomato Sauce 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 3 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped (optional) Got leftovers? You will if you double this recipe! Ratatouille is equally delicious cold. Serve with eggs the next morning for breakfast, or mix in some cooked chicken or shrimp for an easy lunch. IN a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pot. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant and season with the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the green and red bell peppers and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and ½ cup water. Mix completely and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. TRANSFER to a serving dish, casserole dish, or individual plates, sprinkle with the vinegar, and garnish with the basil, if desired. MAKE IT A MEAL: Make this a complete meal by adding homemade sausage or pre-cooked diced chicken during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Or serve with Perfect Poached Eggs, Chicken Meatballs, or Stuffed Peppers. ✪GRILLED RATATOUILLE You can make ratatouille right on the grill. Preheat a grill to medium high (400°F) and prep all the vegetables, cutting the onion, green pepper, and red pepper into quarters and slicing the zucchini, squash, and eggplant into long, thin strips. In a large bowl, coat the vegetables with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the eggplant on the grill first, cooking for 3 minutes. Then add the peppers and onion and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the zucchini and squash and cook until everything is slightly charred and tender, about 5 more minutes. (Flip each vegetable once during cooking.) Place on a serving dish, top with warmed tomato sauce and basil, and serve. roasted beet, orange, and avocado salad SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 35 to 60 minutes TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes 2 medium beets 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 orange, halved, one half zested and juiced, one half peeled and cut into segments ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 avocado, split lengthwise, pitted, peeled, and diced If you’re planning to double this recipe for leftovers, double everything but the avocado. The dressed beets and orange slices will hold up well in the fridge for a day or two, but avocado tends to turn brown and mushy. Your best bet is to add a fresh avocado to your leftovers right before serving. We also love adding delicate greens such as pea shoots or frisée to give the salad a little added texture. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. RINSE the beets thoroughly and carefully stab all sides with a fork. Place in a medium bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, tossing or mixing to thoroughly coat. Wrap the oiled beets in aluminum foil, pinching the top closed to create a seal. Place the beets in the center of a baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes. Check them by carefully opening the foil and sticking a thin knife into the center of a beet: If it goes in easily, the beets are done. If there’s resistance, close them back up and put back into the oven for 10 minutes. Repeat until the knife slides into the center of the beet easily. Let rest until cool enough to handle. REMOVE the skin from the beets—you may want to wear gloves and an apron, as beet juice will stain your skin and clothes. Dice the beets into 1-inch pieces and place in a serving bowl. IN a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with the vinegar, orange juice, salt, and pepper and whisk until combined. ADD the orange segments and avocado to the beets. Drizzle with the dressing, sprinkle on the orange zest, toss to coat, and serve. MAKE IT A MEAL: This fresh salad tastes great in all seasons. Serve with Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken, Beef Brisket, or Halibut with Citrus-Ginger Glaze. ✪BEETS If you get whole beets with the stems still on, remove them before roasting. Cut them about an inch above the root, not any closer. You don’t want to risk cutting into the beet itself, as that will allow juice and flavor to leak out while roasting. Beets can vary in their cooking times, so don’t be surprised if yours require a full hour to fully roast. Plan ahead, or roast them on your meal prep day—they’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Make sure you peel them before storing, though—they’re easier to peel when they’re still warm. roasted root vegetables in curry sauce SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 35 minutes TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes 1 cup peeled diced potato (any variety) 1 cup peeled diced rutabaga 1 cup peeled diced turnips 1 cup peeled diced parsnips 1 cup peeled diced carrots ¼ cup cooking fat ½ cup Curry Sauce Mix and match some of the heartier vegetables based on what’s in season, available at your local grocery store, or what you feel like eating. They don’t have to be roots, either! Beets, celery root, kohlrabi, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, salsify, or cassava (yuca) would all work well with the curry sauce. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. MELT the cooking fat (if necessary), combine with all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, and toss or mix to thoroughly coat. Spread the vegetables in one layer on the 2 baking sheets. Do not crowd the vegetables or they’ll steam instead of roast. ROAST for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned on the outside and fork-tender. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates and top with the Curry Sauce. MAKE IT A MEAL: You could add cooked sausage, chicken sausage, chicken, or sliced beef to the vegetable mixture just before serving to make this a meal—just heat your protein in a pan or microwave before mixing with the hot vegetables. You can also pair this dish with Perfect Fried Eggs, Perfect Seared Chicken Breast, or Chicken Meatballs. ✪PEELING RUTABAGA Rutabaga is a direct cross between a cabbage and a turnip, and when cooked, tastes both sweet and savory. It can be tough to peel, though—your standard kitchen peeler (especially if it’s dull) may not work. If your standard peeler isn’t getting the job done, use a paring knife. First, cut the rutabaga in half. Place each half flat-side down on a cutting board and, using a sharp paring knife, carefully slice the skin off in 2-inch increments. (You may need a few passes to get to the lighter colored flesh underneath.) Repeat on the other half. roasted spaghetti squash SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 1 hour TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 1 whole spaghetti squash 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon dried) ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper You can roast the spaghetti squash whole if you puncture the sides with a fork first, but your noodles turn out softer and wetter, as they steam more inside the full squash. We recommend cutting it in half and undercooking it slightly so it has that al-dente pasta texture. You can check for doneness by poking a sharp knife through the skin of the upside-down squash—if it slides through easily, it’s probably done. You can also use an oven mitt to flip one half of the squash over and run a fork down the side of the squash. If it comes away from the side in a nice spaghetti texture easily, you’re good. If your “noodles” are too firm or don’t easily scrape, flip it back over, put it back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, and check again. (The ultimate doneness check? Taste it! Your “spaghetti” should be tender: not too firm, but not mushy.) PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. CUT the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a large spoon. Drizzle the insides evenly with the olive oil. Place the squash flesh-side down on the baking sheet. ROAST the squash for 1 hour, until fork-tender. Carefully turn the squash flesh-side up and let cool until cool enough to handle. USE a fork to gently scrape out the flesh; the squash will come out in noodle-like strands. Season evenly with the thyme, salt, and pepper, and serve immediately. MAKE IT A MEAL: It’s supremely easy to turn this vegetable side into a complete meal. Top with a meaty Tomato Sauce; add cooked sausage, roasted tomatoes, sautéed onions, and our Pesto; or mix leftovers with steamed spinach and top with a few fried eggs for a quick and easy breakfast. ✪CUTTING SQUASH Cutting a spaghetti squash in half might be the most difficult part of this recipe. Melissa Joulwan, author of the Well Fed cookbook series, suggests using a paring knife to “score” a groove in the skin first, then following that groove with a large kitchen knife. You can see a video of her entire technique at www.w30.co/cutsquash. roasted sweet potatoes SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 30 to 60 minutes TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes 2 medium sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or coconut butter Salt and black pepper You can also slice your sweet potatoes into long “spears” before roasting—these are perfect for dipping! Add the spears to a bowl with the olive oil and mix to coat. Place the spears in one layer on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and roast as directed, about 40 minutes, until the edges are brown but not burned. These pair well with Ranch Dressing, Garlic Aioli, or Sunshine Sauce. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. WASH the sweet potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. With a fork or paring knife, carefully puncture all sides of each potato. Rub the olive oil evenly over the skin. WRAP each sweet potato securely in foil, sealing the foil on top. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Starting at the 30 minute mark, insert a fork or knife into the center of the potato every 5 minutes; they are done when they are very soft and tender. (Depending on the size of the potatoes, this may take up to 1 hour.) REMOVE the foil and cut the sweet potatoes open lengthwise. Keeping the skin on, add 1 tablespoon of butter to each sweet potato, scraping the flesh gently with a fork so the butter melts into the flesh. Season to taste with salt and pepper. MAKE IT A MEAL: This simple but delicious side goes well with just about anything. We think it complements Braised Beef Brisket, Grilled Coconut-Curry Chicken, Cod with Mushroom and Red Pepper Relish, or Pork Chops with Spiced Applesauce. Or, stuff a roasted sweet potato with Pulled Pork Carnitas and top with our Avocado Mayo. ✪COMPOUND BUTTER A compound butter would be a delicious addition to this simple side dish. Some combinations to consider: 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves and ¼ cup chopped, toasted pecans; ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and nutmeg, ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts, and ¼ cup chopped raisins; or 2 cloves minced garlic with 2 teaspoons each chopped rosemary, thyme, and sage. sautéed kale with almonds SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 5 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes 1 head kale, stemmed, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons 3 tablespoons cooking fat 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup raw sliced almonds ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon Kale is one vegetable that really needs to be washed before cooking, as it can taste pretty gritty au naturel. Your best bet is to wash it and then spin in a salad spinner until the leaves are really dry. This is especially important for baked kale chips (see the tip). Alternatively, you can wash and pat the leaves with a dish towel or paper towels until they’re totally dry. BRING 1 cup of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander or steamer inside the pot. Add the kale, cover, and steam until the kale is tender but not soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the colander or steamer from the pot and transfer to a dish towel to catch any dripping water. HEAT the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. When the fat is hot, add the garlic and almonds and cook until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the kale, and cook for 1 minute, tossing to combine the kale with the garlic and almonds. Transfer to a serving dish and season with the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Top with the lemon zest and serve. MAKE IT A MEAL: This hearty green is the perfect match for our Spinach Frittata, Stuffed Peppers, or Baby Back Ribs. ✪KALE CHIPS Want to double your kale consumption today? Make kale chips in the oven while this dish is cooking on the stovetop. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stem a head of kale and tear the leaves into large pieces. Add the pieces to a large mixing bowl along with ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and massage well to thoroughly coat the leaves. Lay them out in one layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. (If you have too much kale for one baking sheet, use two. Don’t crowd the kale, or the leaves will steam instead of crisp.) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are brown but not burned. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and enjoy! sweet potato soup SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes 2 tablespoons cooking fat 2 large-diced peeled sweet potatoes ½ teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger) 1 pinch ground cinnamon, plus extra for garnish 1 cup full-fat coconut milk ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper For a more savory soup, use ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves in place of the cinnamon, and add some fresh sliced mushrooms when you return the soup to the pot for the final stage of cooking. For more of a traditional fall flavor, use a sugar-free apple pie spice mixture in place of the cinnamon, add some finely diced sweet onion and apple in the final stage of cooking, and top with chopped pecans. For a thinner soup, simmer for just 1 to 2 minutes, then add compliant chicken broth one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. IN a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the cooking fat over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom of the pot. When the fat is hot, add the sweet potatoes, stirring to coat them with the fat. Add the ginger and cinnamon and stir for 15 seconds. Add 3 cups of water and the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sweet potatoes become soft, about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. IN one or two batches, puree the sweet potato mixture in a food processor or blender to a smooth consistency, or use an immersion blender to mix it right in the pot. Return the soup to the pot. Cook the soup to your desired thickness over mediumlow heat—the longer it simmers, the thicker the soup will become. Season to taste with the salt and pepper, garnish with extra cinnamon, and serve. MAKE IT A MEAL: You could add any pre-cooked meat to this soup and make it a complete meal—try grilled chicken, sausage, ground beef, or scallops. Or, serve alongside our Stuffed Peppers, Thai Cucumber Cups, or Mexican Tuna Boats. ✪FRESH GINGER Peeling and mincing fresh ginger can be a difficult task—watch your fingertips! First, peel the ginger root by scraping the skin off with the edge of a spoon or a vegetable peeler. (Don’t worry if you miss a few spots in the corners.) From there, you can mince the ginger by hand by cutting the root into coins, then cutting the coins into matchsticks, then dicing the matchsticks a few times until you have a very fine mince. Or, use a Microplane (like a minicheese grater) to grate the ginger. Do this over a bowl or plate to catch the juices as you grate. DRESSINGS, DIPS, AND SAUCES IF THERE’S ONE SECTION OF THIS BOOK that you want to become intimately familiar with, it’s this one. In fact, you could cook just using our Kitchen Fundamentals tips and these dressings, dips, and sauces for the entirety of your Whole30 and never get bored with your food. Dressings, dips, and sauces are literally the spice of your Whole30 life. They transform plain old meat and veggies into cohesive, flavorful meals; change Mexican-themed dinners into Asian-inspired lunches; and give you an easy way to turn one roasted chicken into three days of totally different meals. Take our Broccoli, Mushroom, and Summer Squash recipe. Without the red pepper sauce, this dish is pretty ho-hum . . . cooked veggies with garlic, salt, and pepper. Keep making sides like this and you’ll be bored out of your Whole30 mind in no time. But with the pesto, presto! You’ve got a delicious dish exploding with flavor and texture—so much so that it could easily be the star of your dinner show, served alongside any basic protein. The more you play around with these recipes, the more you’ll see that the variations are limitless! Just look at our Basic Mayo* variations. One five-minute recipe can be transformed any number of ways, adding depth, dimension, and creamy, dreamy goodness to your dishes. Wait, you don’t like mayo? Oh, but you haven’t tried our mayo. Let’s be honest—the store-bought stuff tends to be gloopy, slimy, and tastes, well, kind of funny. But our mayo, made from scratch with just five ingredients, is light and fluffy. It tastes clean and neutral, with no aftertaste. And once you mix it up with hot sauce, avocado, fresh herbs, or wasabi, you may just find yourself scraping the bowl and licking the spoon after you make yet another batch. We’re convinced mayo is the new cake batter. Including dressings or sauces in your regular meal planning also makes your meal prep easier, as most of these can be made in advance, prepared in extra-big batches, or frozen for later use. So for those of you new to cooking, let’s lay out a game plan for three nights of Whole30 dinners based around dressings and sauces. Find some recipes in this section that look delicious, and prepare three or four in advance. For example, let’s prepare a batch of Basic Mayo, our Chimichurri, Sunshine Sauce, and Curry Sauce. Next, plan your dinners for the week, shopping for simple ingredients specifically designed to go with the sauces you’ve already prepared. At dinnertime, use our Whole30 Cooking Fundamentals to prepare your basic protein and vegetables. Let’s say you’ve planned on a grilled steak with mashed sweet potato and steamed spinach; a seared chicken breast with roasted carrots and fresh garden salad; and oven-baked salmon with sautéed broccoli, pepper, onions, and mushrooms. Now, the magic . . . top your meat and veggies with one of your sauces or dressings—the steak would be delicious with Chimichurri, the chicken tastes great drizzled with Sunshine Sauce, your garden salad can be dressed in a Balsamic Vinaigrette (using mayo in place of olive oil), and our Curry Sauce is perfect over salmon and veggies. See what just happened there? You’ve got dinner in 20 minutes or less, and a family who thinks you’re some kind of culinary genius. Plus you made enough leftover sauce from each meal to make your next few meals exciting, too—eggs topped with Chimichurri for breakfast, raw celery dipped in Sunshine Sauce with lunch, ground beef mixed with Curry Sauce for dinner, and enough mayo left over to make a big batch of Protein Salad for on-the-go days. Whoa. We practically came to your house and cooked this all for you. Aren’t you lucky! For more meal planning ideas, turn to the meal template. *If you can’t eat eggs, don’t worry—we’ve given you an egg-free version of our Basic Mayo, so you won’t miss out on all of the dressing and sauce variations in this section. BACK recipes buffalo sauce chimichurri curry sauce guacamole garlic aioli wasabi mayonnaise cilantro-lime mayonnaise avocado mayonnaise herb mayonnaise roasted red pepper mayonnaise tartar sauce hollandaise pesto ranch dressing roasted red pepper sauce romesco sauce salsa sunshine sauce tangy bbq sauce whole30 ketchup tomato sauce herb citrus vinaigrette italian vinaigrette raspberry walnut vinaigrette balsamic vinaigrette asian vinaigrette latin vinaigrette buffalo sauce MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 2 minutes TOTAL TIME: 7 minutes ½ cup coconut oil ½ cup ghee or clarified butter 1 cup hot sauce 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced Want to kick your heat up a notch? Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne to the mix—more if you’re feeling feisty. You can also mix the buffalo sauce into ground beef for a spicy twist on a burger. Top with a fried egg, some avocado, and a little more of the sauce mixture. IN a small saucepan, gently melt the coconut oil and ghee over medium-low heat until completely liquefied. COMBINE the hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended. While whisking, drizzle in the melted coconut oil and ghee. The sauce should have a smooth, consistent texture. STORE this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. (Note, the coconut oil and ghee will solidify in the cold, so pull it out of the fridge, let it come back to room temperature before serving, and gently stir to reblend.) ✪BUFFALO WINGS For the perfect buffalo wings, fire up the grill! Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F). Add a pound of wings to the grill and close the lid. Turning the wings every few minutes, cook until lightly charred and the skin starts to bubble, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the wings with the buffalo sauce in a large bowl immediately after removing them from the grill—then let them sit in the sauce for a few minutes before serving with a side of celery and carrots and our Ranch Dressing. (You can also preheat the oven to 375°F and, following the same technique, have golden, crispy wings in about an hour.) chimichurri MAKES 2½ CUPS PREP TIME: 10 minutes ¼ cup red wine vinegar ¼ cup lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ shallot, minced 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup fresh cilantro ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Versatile chimichurri is a great topping for steak, lamb chops, chicken, and eggs, and is fantastic drizzled over grilled vegetables. You can also use it to marinate meat (like a flat-iron or skirt steak) before grilling. COMBINE the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and shallot in a food processor and mix on low speed. Drizzle in the olive oil while mixing; the dressing will begin to emulsify. Add the cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and continue to mix on low until the dressing is uniform in texture and the herb pieces are chopped quite small. CHIMICHURRI will last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. If making ahead, bring it to room temperature before serving. If the dressing has separated, gently whisk to reblend. ✪STORING CHIMICHURRI If you make a big batch of chimichurri, you can freeze portions in ice cube trays. That makes it easy to pop out just what you need for your next meal or recipe. Spoon the chimichurri into the trays (don’t over-fill), then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. When the sauce is frozen, remove the plastic wrap, pop out the cubes, and transfer them to a resealable plastic bag. These will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer, and each cube is about 1 ounce. curry sauce MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOKING TIME: 15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes 1 tablespoon cooking fat ½ onion, diced 1½ teaspoons minced fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 1½ teaspoons yellow curry powder ½ teaspoon red curry powder 2 cups full-fat coconut milk Grated zest and juice of ½ lime ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Like your curry on the hotter side? Substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper for the red curry powder, or simply add the same amount of cayenne along with the curry powder. This sauce is delicious on salmon, white fish, chicken, and roasted vegetables. HEAT the cooking fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring quickly. Add the garlic and cook for another minute while continuing to stir. ADD both curry powders and stir quickly for 30 seconds to open up the flavor of the spices. Once fragrant, add the coconut milk. Turn the heat down to low and allow the mixture to simmer (not boil) until the mixture thickens a bit, 8 to 10 minutes. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.) Season with the lime zest and juice, salt, and pepper. KEEP warm and serve right away, or let the flavors develop even further in the refrigerator; it’ll keep for about 5 days. (Note, the coconut milk will solidify in the cold, so pull it out of the fridge and let it come back to room temperature before serving.) ✪CITRUS ZEST You’ll notice that many recipes in this book use citrus zest. Don’t skip this step! Zest (the colored part of the peel) from lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange adds an abundance of flavor to your dish, makes for an attractive garnish, and contains even more micronutrients than the juice. You won’t regret investing in a good zester—they’re inexpensive, and will save you precious time in the kitchen. However, you can get the same effect by rubbing your citrus over the small holes of a grater or Microplane; or using a vegetable peeler, then chopping your zest finely with a knife. When zesting, make sure you only remove the brightly colored skin, and don’t peel all the way down into the bitter white pith. guacamole MAKES 3 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes 3 ripe avocados, split lengthwise, pitted, and peeled Juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon salt ½ onion, finely diced 1 tomato, finely diced ½ jalapeño, seeded and finely diced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 clove garlic, minced Guacamole is one of the most versatile condiments. Use it as a dip with carrots, celery, peppers, and jicama; drop a healthy dollop on your burger, chicken breast, or eggs; use it in place of mayo in tuna or chicken salad; or mix it with salsa for an easy Mexicaninspired salad dressing. Feel free to customize your guacamole too —add more lime juice and a dash of zest, make it spicy with ¼ teaspoon cumin and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or take a nontraditional approach and add chopped pineapple and mango, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, or kale to the mixture. IN a medium bowl, mix together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mash with a fork or potato masher if you like it chunky; use an immersion blender or food processor if you prefer a creamy texture. Mix in the onion, tomato, jalapeño, cilantro, and garlic. SERVE immediately, or store in an airtight container and refrigerate before serving. Your guacamole will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. ✪STORING GUACAMOLE Even if you store your guacamole in an airtight container, you’re likely to notice it turning brown on the top after a day in the fridge. This isn’t mold and won’t affect the taste, but it is kind of unsightly. You have two options here—either scrape off the top layer before serving, or mix it all up with a spoon until the brown color disappears. You can also try this tip from thekitchn.com for preventing the brown in the first place: pack your guacamole down tight into the container with the back of a spoon, pressing out any air bubbles. Then, pour a thin layer of lukewarm water over the top, making sure the entire surface area is covered. The water won’t let any air come into contact with the guacamole— no air contact, no browning. mayonnaise variations These mayo-based dipping sauces, dressings, and marinades all use our Basic Mayonnaise or Egg-free Mayonnaise as a base. By mixing and matching additional ingredients, you can totally change the flavor and feel of just about any dish. All variations take about 5 minutes to prepare, and make about 1 cup. Your mayonnaise is good until about 7 days after your egg expiration date, so note the date on the carton, add a week, and write that date on your mayo storage container. garlic aioli 1 cup Basic Mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, minced Juice of ½ lemon To make the aioli even more flavorful, roast the garlic before adding it to the mayo (see the tip). This is the perfect dipping sauce for raw or roasted vegetables. You can also mix it into a Protein Salad or Cauliflower Mash, or thin it a bit to make a creamy dressing for our Greek Salad. MIX all the ingredients in a small bowl until fully incorporated. wasabi mayonnaise 1½ tablespoons wasabi powder 1 cup Basic Mayonnaise Wasabi mayo is a great topping for salmon, tuna, and other fish, a nice binder for tuna or potato salad, a tasty dipping sauce for baked “fries,” and a nice drizzle for our Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest. MIX the wasabi powder and 1½ tablespoons of water together in a small bowl until it forms a firm paste. (If it’s too dry, add a little more water.) Mix the wasabi paste and the mayo in a small bowl until fully blended. Add more of the wasabi mixture if you like it spicier, but note that wasabi takes 5 to 10 minutes to “activate”—so wait and taste-test before adding more. cilantro-lime mayonnaise ¾ cup Basic Mayonnaise (replacing the lemon juice with lime juice) ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro 1 clove garlic, minced This variation is used in our Steak Salad, and also works well with shrimp and scallops, as a dipping sauce for raw or roasted vegetables, and atop the Perfect Burger. You can also use it as a creamy dressing for our Cold Thai Salad. COMBINE all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. avocado mayonnaise 1 avocado, split lengthwise, pitted, and peeled ½ cup Basic Mayonnaise Juice of ½ lime If you want a smooth, creamy texture, use a food processor or immersion blender. If you want it chunky, use a fork to mash and mix. This makes a great binder for tuna, salmon, chicken, or egg salad, a delicious dipping sauce for raw and roasted vegetables, and a creamy topping for a Mexican-inspired Perfect Ground Meat. IN a small bowl or food processor, mash the avocado with a fork, potato masher, or immersion blender; or mix in the food processor on low. Add the mayo and lime juice and mix or blend until fully incorporated. herb mayonnaise 1 cup Basic Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced mixed herbs 1 clove garlic, minced Juice of ½ lemon ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper Try a mix of fresh herbs (we like rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, and chives) and use the mayo to top a Perfect Seared Chicken Breast or to mix into tuna, salmon, or egg salad. It’d also be a great topping for our Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Or, add a little water and shake it up to create a creamy salad dressing. COMBINE all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. roasted red pepper mayonnaise ¾ cup Basic Mayonnaise ¼ cup Roasted Red Pepper Sauce MIX the mayo and sauce together in a small bowl until fully incorporated. This is a great way to change up a leftover dressing or sauce. This variation would be delicious on a Perfect Burger, Perfect Grilled Steak, over Perfect Scrambled Eggs, and as a dipping sauce for raw or roasted vegetables. tartar sauce 1 cup Basic Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves 1 tablespoon minced dill pickles 2 teaspoons minced chives Juice of ½ lemon ¼ teaspoon black pepper Tartar sauce is traditionally served with fish (like our Perfect OvenBaked Salmon), but it’s also delicious mixed into a Protein Salad or served as a dip for roasted sweet potato spears. COMBINE all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until blended. hollandaise MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes 1½ cups clarified unsalted butter or ghee 4 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) Most people think of hollandaise as a topping for poached eggs, but it’s also great over grilled fish, smoked salmon, and vegetables like asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes. IN a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter or ghee until warm but not bubbling. COMBINE the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper (if you like) in a food processor or blender and pulse 10 to 15 times to combine. Slowly drizzle in the warm butter or ghee while mixing on low speed, until the sauce emulsifies and thickens. If the sauce becomes too thick, blend in a tablespoon of warm water. SERVE the sauce immediately, or hold covered in a small saucepan on the lowest heat setting for up to an hour. Make your hollandaise fresh every time you serve it, as it doesn’t store well in the refrigerator. ✪IT’S IMPORTANT that your butter or ghee is warm but not hot— if it’s too hot, the sauce could curdle. If you made clarified butter with salted butter, skip the salt in this recipe. You can always add a dash after tasting if it needs more. pesto MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 10 minutes ½ cup walnuts 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves 1 cup spinach leaves Juice of ½ lemon 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Use this pesto in place of tomato sauce; try it mixed in with our Italian-inspired Perfect Ground Meat, or drizzled over Stuffed Peppers. Another one of our favorite “ingredient” meals is to make Roasted Spaghetti Squash, add sun-dried tomatoes and Whole30- compliant sausage or chicken sausage, and top with pesto and a sprinkle of pine nuts. It’s also delicious on eggs, or mixed into your favorite Protein Salad. HEAT a dry skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot (sprinkle some water on the dry pan—if it sizzles, it’s hot), add the walnuts in a single layer and stir or shake frequently until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. COMBINE the walnuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the basil and spinach and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the lemon juice. While mixing on low speed, add the olive oil in a slow stream until all the ingredients are fully blended. Add the salt and pepper and pulse a few more times to combine. STORE in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days, or freeze in ice cube trays (see technique). ✪ PESTO NUTS Traditional pesto uses pine nuts, but these can be expensive. We’ve used walnuts instead, but free to substitute whatever nuts you have on hand—pecans or almonds would work just as well. ranch dressing MAKES 1½ CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes 1 cup Basic Mayonnaise ¼ cup coconut cream 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon paprika This thick and creamy, kid-approved ranch is great for basting chicken, fish, or pork; makes a great dipping sauce for raw vegetables; and is perfect on a fresh green salad. WHISK together the mayo, coconut cream, and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and paprika and stir until thoroughly combined. THIS dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. ✪SUPER SNACK Prep our Buffalo Sauce, whip up our hot wings, cut up some carrot sticks and celery, and serve with the Ranch Dressing, and you’ve got yourself the perfect sports-watching, New Year–celebrating, or housewarming appetizer. roasted red pepper sauce MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 10 minutes 1 jar (16 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon capers, drained Juice of ½ lemon ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper We tell you to pair this sauce with the Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Yellow Squash, but when we “road tested” the recipe, we ended up putting the sauce on everything—fried eggs in the morning, our burger at lunch, and roasted cauliflower at dinner. Double this recipe—you’ll thank us. COMBINE all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 5 to 10 times to combine, then blend on high speed until smooth. STORE in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. ✪ YOU COULD easily change the flavor of this sauce by substituting the same amount of sundried tomatoes or roasted eggplant for the roasted red peppers, or try black olives to make a tapenade-like spread for vegetables or meat. romesco sauce MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes 2 tablespoons cooking fat ½ cup almonds, chopped 1 small onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon paprika 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Romesco is a traditional garlicky nut- and red pepper–based sauce that originated in Spain, but we’re giving it a twist by using tomatoes instead of peppers. This sauce pairs perfectly with our Garlic Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles, or serve with grilled meat or fish; over roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts; or as a burger spread. MELT the cooking fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the fat is hot, add the almonds and toast for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the chili powder and paprika and cook until the flavors open up, about 30 seconds. Finally, add the tomatoes, mix into the ingredients, and cook, stirring to bring up the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, until the tomatoes are warmed through, about 2 minutes. TRANSFER the sauce mixture to a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on low speed until the sauce is smooth, then pour into a serving dish or glass storage container. ALLOW to cool before refrigerating; the sauce will keep for up to 5 days. ✪SEEDING TOMATOES Seeding a tomato can be messy if you try to dice it before removing the seeds. Try this method: place the tomato on a cutting board, stem facing up. Slice left-to-right across the middle of the tomato, creating two equal halves. Then, scrape out the seeds and white core with a small spoon. You’ll be left with nothing but firm tomato flesh, far easier to slice and dice. salsa MAKES 3 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes 6 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ onion, finely diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, finely diced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Grated zest and juice of ½ lime Salsa is a great replacement for ketchup, and livens up just about any ingredient. It’s great on Perfect Scrambled Eggs, as a topping for a Perfect Seared Chicken Breast or a Perfect Burger, or as a dip for raw celery, carrots, and jicama sticks. It’s also a natural match for our Guacamole. MIX all the ingredients together in a small bowl and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately, or allow the flavors to come together in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours. STORE your salsa in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. ✪QUICK PREP A vegetable chopper would cut your prep time in half, and ensure all of your dice were the same size. You can find them at any kitchen store, or on Amazon—they’re generally between $12 and $30. You could use a food processor to carefully pulse each ingredient one at a time, but don’t combine them all at once, or you’ll end up with a bowl of mushy salsa. sunshine sauce adapted from Well Fed, by Melissa Joulwan MAKES 1 CUP PREP TIME: 10 minutes ½ cup unsweetened sunflower seed butter ½ cup coconut milk Juice of 1 lime 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (optional) 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar This dip (a universal favorite of Whole30ers everywhere) is fantastic with fresh, raw vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, celery, or broccoli), drizzled over roasted vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes), as a sauce for our Perfect Seared Chicken Breast, and as a dressing for our Cold Thai Salad and Green Cabbage Slaw. If you can’t find compliant sunflower seed butter, you can use almond butter instead. MIX all the ingredients together in a small bowl and stir to combine. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. ✪COCONUT AMINOS Coconut aminos are a soy sauce substitute made from the fermented sap of the coconut tree. It tastes remarkably like soy sauce, and can open up a whole new world of Asian-inspired cooking. Many smaller health food stores carry coconut aminos, but you can also buy them online through Amazon or other retailers. They’re not necessary for the Sunshine Sauce, but we think they’re so versatile they’re worth the $8 investment. (We even bring a bottle with us to our favorite sushi restaurant!) tangy bbq sauce MAKES 2 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 25 minutes 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter 1 small onion, diced 3 cloves roasted garlic (see tip) 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice ½ cup apple cider 1 can (3 ounces) tomato paste 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon chipotle powder If you roast an entire head of garlic at once, you’ll have leftovers to use in other recipes. Remove the skin from the leftover roasted cloves and place the garlic in an airtight container. Pour in enough extra-virgin olive oil to cover the cloves completely, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. No need to reheat the cloves before adding them to a recipe—just toss them into the pot or pan cold and let them reheat with your dish. HEAT the ghee in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the ghee is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown and caramelize, 15 to 20 minutes. MEANWHILE, combine the roasted garlic, sweet potato, and apple cider in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to just barely cover the sweet potatoes—do not over-cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sweet potato is fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid from the pan. COMBINE the sautéed onion and sweet potato mixture in a food processor or blender. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, paprika, salt, and chipotle powder. Add ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid and blend on low to medium speed. If the mixture is still too thick, add more liquid, ¼ cup at a time, while blending until you arrive at the desired consistency. (The sauce should pour like ketchup.) STORE in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. ✪ROASTED GARLIC You could use raw garlic here, but you’ll miss out on the sweeter, more mellow flavor of garlic when it’s roasted. To roast garlic in the oven, preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the loose outer skin from a large head of garlic and wrap in foil, closing off the top. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until the bulb is lightly browned at the top and feels soft when you squeeze it. Remove the garlic bulb from the foil carefully, and set aside until it’s cool to the touch. Peel each clove of garlic carefully, using the sharp tip of a paring knife to break open each individual clove—it may be easier to squeeze the garlic out. whole30 ketchup MAKES 1 CUP PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes 1 cup tomato paste ½ cup apple cider ½ cup apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional) Don’t expect the familiar “Heinz 57” from this recipe—grocery store ketchup is thick and sweet thanks to sugar—nearly 4 grams per tablespoon. In fact, Heinz 57 uses both high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup to sweeten their paste. We could use date paste to make our ketchup sugary, but that’s not really in line with the spirit of the Whole30. This ketchup will have more of a lighter vinegar flavor, different but still delicious on eggs, burgers, and baked potato “fries.” HEAT a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, apple cider, and vinegar. Stir completely and let it come to a simmer, but do not allow to boil. ADD the garlic powder, salt, and cloves and cook, stirring frequently to prevent scorching—you may need to turn the heat down to low or simmer here. Simmer until the ketchup has thickened enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve when cool, or store refrigerated in an air-tight container; it’ll keep for up to 2 weeks. tomato sauce MAKES 3 CUPS PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 1 hour TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 tablespoon cooking fat 1 onion, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes 1 teaspoon fresh thyme 1 teaspoon fresh oregano 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper If you’re serving this sauce fresh, you can substitute about 6 fresh tomatoes for the canned. You can also quickly turn this into a meat sauce: Just add 1 pound of leftover Perfect Ground Meat and 1 cup of beef broth in the last ten minutes of simmering. Serve over Roasted Spaghetti Squash, steamed zucchini noodles, or a pile of wilted spinach for a quick, easy, complete meal. HEAT the cooking fat in a large pot over medium heat. When the fat is hot, add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring, until the onion becomes translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. REDUCE the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring every 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf. STORE in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. ✪SAUCE STORAGE If you plan to freeze the sauce, canned tomatoes will actually taste better. The sauce will keep in the freezer for 3 to 4 months, but because ice crystals will get inside the sauce, just a word of warning—it may come out runnier than it went in. You can always thicken it up again by adding another can of tomatoes while it’s reheating. vinaigrette variations These variations are all loosely based on our Basic Vinaigrette recipe. By mixing and matching additional ingredients, you can create unique flavors for your dressings or marinades. To make creamy vinaigrette, use Basic Mayonnaise instead of the olive oil in any of the recipes. All variations take 5 to 10 minutes to prepare, and make 1 cup. As all of these variations include fresh ingredients, store them in the fridge for no more than 3 to 4 days. You’ll need to take your bottle out of the fridge about a half-hour before serving, as the olive oil will get hard and cloudy when cold. Just give it a shake before pouring. herb citrus vinaigrette 1½ tablespoons orange juice 1½ tablespoons lemon juice 1½ tablespoons lime juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper This dressing is great on our Stir-Fry Chicken, and also makes the perfect marinade or topping for fish, shrimp, or scallops, or a fresh green salad. WHISK together the orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, and mustard powder in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Add the thyme, cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and whisk until blended. italian vinaigrette ¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper This is a great marinade for chicken or shrimp, or it can be used instead of the lemon oil in our Green Cabbage Slaw. MIX together the vinegar, oregano, garlic, and mustard powder in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and whisk until fully incorporated. raspberry walnut vinaigrette ½ cup fresh raspberries, finely chopped or smashed ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro (or ¼ teaspoon dried) ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and black pepper This dressing is used in our Harvest Grilled Chicken Salad, but it’s also delicious on a summer salad of baby spinach, chopped berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries), and diced cucumbers, or mix it into any variation of a Protein Salad. You can also swap out the raspberries for a different berry in this recipe, or use crushed pomegranate seeds in the winter. MIX together the raspberries, vinegar, walnuts, and cilantro in a small bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper and whisk until fully blended. balsamic vinaigrette ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons mustard powder ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro (or ¼ teaspoon dried) Salt and black pepper This dressing is used in our Walnut-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, and also makes a great topping for grilled vegetables, white fish, and salads. We also like to make a creamy variation (sub in Basic Mayonnaise, for the olive oil) and use it as a dip for a raw vegetable tray, drizzle it over Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash, or mix it into a Protein Salad. MIX together the vinegar, garlic, and mustard powder in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Add the cilantro, adjust to taste with salt and pepper, and whisk until fully incorporated. asian vinaigrette ¼ cup rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper This makes a great alternative dressing for our Cold Thai Salad. A creamy variation (use Basic Mayonnaise, instead of olive oil) can be mixed into Cauliflower Rice or spooned over Perfect Oven-Baked Salmon. MIX together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning with a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and whisk until fully incorporated. latin vinaigrette 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced Juice of 5 limes ¾ cups extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper This is a delicious marinade for a Perfect Grilled Steak, Perfect Seared Chicken Breast, or Perfect Grilled Shrimp. WHISK together the garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking steadily to emulsify. Add the cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and whisk until blended