This week’s Paleo Meal Plan is a special Whole30 edition – tailored for those doing a January Whole30. Whether or not you’re doing a whole30, you’ll find delicious, easy-to-prepare healthy dinner recipes that are perfect for meal prep right here. Remember to print out the grocery list to grab everything you need in one go!
Happy first meal plan of 2021!
Are you doing a January Whole30?
Just trying to clean up shop a bit by eating more mindfully?
Or proceeding as normal, business as usual with your balanced lifestyle?
In the past, I found elimination diets like Whole30 or Keto to be massively helpful in getting my blood sugar under control after holidays or any stints of eating sugar and drinking alcohol in excess. For me, the purpose of eliminating processed foods (particularly sugar) was to get my hunger cues under control and regain my energy.
This to say, if you’re doing any form of elimination diet for a specific goal this year, good on you! Stand your ground, don’t feel like you need to justify your decision to anyone, and stay true to your own self.
Diet culture has been given a bad rap over the last few years, some of it warranted, some of it overblown.
My food philosophy is to eat what works best for your personal optimal health, and if that means you tolerate sugar like a champ, why change it? However, what is more common is most of us could use a little self-control from time to time for a certain period of time just to get our minds and bodies back into alignment with one another.
Truth be told, I haven’t done a Whole30 (or any type of elimination/cleanse diet) in years. I have a history of having a weird relationship with food and have come to realize that living without labels is what serves me the best. Sure, I eat a pretty clean diet, but I found I get myself in trouble when I give myself rules.
Natalie and I are here to provide Whole30-centric meal plans this month for those of you who are doing a January Whole30, or simply for those of you who like to meal prep nourishing meals! We will resume our regular Paleo meal plans (which are very similar to Whole30 😉 in February.
Remember, Whole30 and Paleo are similar but non synonymous. Whole30 cuts out all sweeteners and anything dessert-like in nature. We do include a healthy paleo dessert recipe in this post for those who aren’t doing a Whole30. For those of you who are, look at it as something to look forward to for when you finish your 30 days!
So without further adieu, here is this week’s Whole30 Meal Plan – a fabulous way to ring in the New Year!
Anti-inflammatory, nutrient-packed Carrot Ginger Smoothie is loaded with health benefits and goes down real nice! The antioxidants and probiotics in this healthy smoothie recipe provide a big boost to your immune system. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or are trying to stay on top of the weather, this nutritious anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe is here …
Your favorite recipes from this past year! Here are My Top 20 Recipes from 2020! These nutritious recipes were made with love with the intention of becoming staples in your home. 2020, WOW! I gathered up all of my top recipes from 2020 and stuck them right here to recap the year’s tasty eats. As …
How to make the perfect beef tenderloin roast for a super tender, mouth-watering meal. Whether you’re enjoying a fancy evening in with your special someone or serving guests, this beef tenderloin recipe is sure to please! If you checked out my Prime Rib Recipe or my Rack of Lamb Recipe, you can probably pinpoint the …
This easy Creamy Carrot Soup with ginger and coconut milk requires only a handful of basic ingredients and not much time to prepare. Healthful, flavorful, vegan, and paleo, this is a something-for-everyone comfort food!
During the fall and winter when it gets dark early and the weather is chilly, I love curling up to bottomless bowls of soup.
Creamy vegetable soups are some of my favorites! Sweet Potato Soup always gets the limelight, but I enjoy creamy carrot soup even more!
Carrot soup is naturally sweet, a touch earthy, and pairs magnificently with Thai flavors like ginger, cumin and coconut milk. That’s the route I’m taking with this carrot ginger soup recipe!
The recipe contains no cream, butter or oil. Simply all squeaky clean ingredients that leave you feeling nourished and happy. The texture is pillow-y smooth and the flavor is sweet and subtly curry-like with a little kick.
Let’s dive in to the details!
Tuna Noodle Casserole made with gluten-free pasta noodles, a rich and creamy sauce, and a crispy topping for an amazingly filling and nourishing meal.
Tuna Noodle Casserole was my second favorite meal growing up (the first being lasagna). It has always been one of those meals I can power through and just eat bottomless bowlfuls.
Perfectly tender carby noodles swaddled in a creamy well-seasoned sauce with plenty of chunks of tuna and a nice portion of cheese? What more could we want in a casserole??
Maybe bacon. You can totally add bacon!
This tuna noodle casserole recipe is a bit different from the classic. I make it using gluten-free noodles, and I make the sauce with full-fat canned coconut milk instead of regular cow’s milk or cream.
The end result is still that incredibly comforting, satisfying casserole that can feed a crowd and make your belly beam with joy.
If you don’t do noodles of any kind, you can always visit my Tuna and Rice Casserole – it’s a low-FODMAP recipe for those who have sensitive GI tracts, and it’s just as cozy!
Let’s dive right into the details!
Chocolate covered chickpeas are an easy dessert recipe that only requires three basic ingredients: chickpeas, oil, and chocolate chips. This fun, crispy treat is perfect for chickpea enthusiasts! If you’re looking for the easiest chocolate dessert recipe that involves your favorite magical fruit, you’ve found it! These chocolate covered chickpeas are quick and easy to …
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls made dairy-free are perfectly sweet and cinnamony. These soft yet crispy sweet rolls taste rich with layers of cinnamon-sugar fluff.
This no-knead cinnamon roll recipe is a fun baking project and is loved by even those who eat gluten and dairy. 🙂
My favorite part about baking cinnamon rolls is the way the yeasty dough smells. That warm fermented scent is so inviting and brings life into the kitchen! The process of yeast consuming, reproducing, and growing is an incredible symphony that is easy to take for granted.
Having grown up in a household where my mom was constantly baking fresh bread, cinnamon rolls, or some sort of pastry, the scent of yeast working its magic is one of the most comforting smells.
In fact, cinnamon rolls were often our special holiday breakfasts when we were growing up.
Full disclosure: cinnamon rolls require a bit of time to prepare.
The good news is, you won’t need to do any kneading as there is no gluten to knead!
So put on some of your favorite jams or a podcast, get those fuzzy socks on, sip some hot cocoa, and rejoice in the beautiful art of baking!
Hot Buttered Rum with just three ingredients! Made paleo-friendly, this is a unique spin on the classic and is a warm and inviting cocktail, perfect for holiday season! The refined sugar-free hot buttered rum code has been broken! Can you guess the key? Spoiler alert: apple cider’s the answer! Let’s just address the most …
Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole with chicken sausage, kale, tomatoes, and feta cheese. This easy egg casserole requires only 5 ingredients, is easy to put together and is BIG on flavor! A low-carb, keto rustic breakfast perfect for sharing with family or meal prepping for the week.
As much as I love our family’s tradition of pancakes, waffles, or crepes for breakfast when we get together for the holidays, I personally believe nothing beats an amazing breakfast casserole, scramble, or frittata.
Load it up with veggies and breakfast protein like sausage, bacon or ham, and I’m happy as a lark!
Starting my day with a hearty protein-packed breakfast is a surefire way of ensuring my energy stays high throughout the day, with no anxious cravings for sweets.
A fun and frisky flavorful dish, like this Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole, or my Sweet Potato, Sausage and Kale Breakfast Casserole , Spinach Frittata with Zucchini Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese , or Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Scramble are amazing for sharing with family, and are also great meal prep recipes!
In fact, I often prepare this very concept to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner a cinch throughout the week.
Speaking of meal prep…
This easy breakfast casserole recipe can be prepared the day before and reheated to make your morning food prep simple.
Let’s get to it!
Low-Carb Keto Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are a fun and easy dessert! This easy dairy-free, sugar-free cookie recipe is made with almond flour, cacao powder, and sugar-free sweetener for a grain-free healthier treat. The recipe is also dairy-free!
Bake up a batch or two for the family, a cookie exchange, or to give away as holiday gifts.
When I bake a batch of crinkle cookies during the holidays, I wonder to myself why I don’t bake them more frequently throughout the year.
They’re just so vivacious and fun with their deep crevasses and puffs of powdered sugar.
I whipped up a low-carb keto chocolate crinkle cookies recipe for those of us who are all about those little indulgences but try to keep our blood sugar within the realm of sanity.
Low-Carb Chocolate Fudge Recipe made with cleaner ingredients. This easy fudge recipe is perfect for sharing during the holidays, gift giving, or enjoying as an occasional treat! Rich, fudgy, and decadent, this low-carb fudge is a healthier alternative to classic fudge. Well, I have exciting news for you, my friends! Not only do I have …
The BEST Rack of Lamb recipe resulting in the most mouth-watering, juicy yet crispy lamb chops for an amazing evening in!
Love ordering lamb at restaurants? Now you can make restaurant-quality lamb at home with this elegant, easy recipe.
If you love lamb but have been hesitant to make it at home, now is your time to shine!
I am here to enthusiastically report that if I can make a rack of lamb, so can you. It doesn’t require much skill and the result is so satisfying that you’ll be fired up to prepare it over and over.
Technique is everything when it comes to cooking delicious, tender, perfectly cooked meat, and lamb is no exception.
With a few simple steps, you’ll end up with the most amazing rack of lamb to really impress your family (or guests)!
You don’t need a ton of ingredients or fancy cooking tools! A large cast iron skillet, a meat thermometer, one rack of lamb, and seasonings are all you need to an incredible result.
