Whole 30 Dinners Week Two

Sailing right through Week Two of my Whole 30 challenge! This week is going so much smoother than last. I think my husband and children would agree. In fact, it’s almost becoming second nature. The biggest thing I’ve noticed so far? The need for INTENTIONAL EATING. Because I am the only one in our household doing this challenge, I have to constantly remind myself of the “rules.” When I’m preparing a bowl of fruit and yogurt for S2, I have to tell myself not to lick the spoon. When I’m slicing cheese for S1, I remind myself not to pop a piece into my own hungry mouth. (Why do we always feed our families before we feed ourselves?) It hasn’t been about craving these foods at all! Sure, I miss some foods– dairy especially– but I’m feeling great and not driving myself crazy with cravings. It’s more about remembering that I’m not eating certain things and stopping myself before it hits my mouth. (100% success so far, yay!) I like this side effect of the challenge because it is developing a habit of intentional eating. What we put into our bodies matters, and how much we put into it matters, too. Whether you are following a special diet or not, I challenge you to take a day– or more– and focus on every single thing you put into your mouth. You may be surprised!

I’m rambling, aren’t I? That’s what happens when I post past my bedtime. Come back, Alice– let’s follow the Mad Hatter to the table and get this party started. (Did you miss the Week One meal plan? You can get to it through this link.)

Sunday: Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce from Healthy Living for Real People

We didn’t make this on Sunday. We took the boys to an interactive dinosaur exhibit that was utterly exhausting. I believe that we had leftovers when we got home. Or maybe eggs and hashbrowns. It’s kind of a fog now. I think this photo is scrumptious-looking, though, and the chimichurri sauce looks very easy to make. I’ll be trying this later, for sure. Fire up the grill!

Monday: Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy from nom nom paleo

A friend recommended this recipe, and now I owe her big time. This is a whole chicken WITH GRAVY made in the Instant Pot and you only set the timer for 20 minutes. Guys. (I say that ’cause I’m from the North, not because I don’t practice inclusive language. Plus, I try to limit how often I say y’all.) But, GUYS. This. Gravy. We fought over this gravy. The words, “I will CUT YOU if you eat all of that gravy” may have come out of my mouth. The IP cooked the chicken to perfection, but this meal is all about the gravy. I’m not even a gravy lover normally. If some of this gravy ends up on your eggs the next morning, I won’t throw shade. If all you get out of this post is THIS RECIPE, you will owe me big time, too.

Tuesday: Roasted Garlic Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Squash from Cooking Classy

With a large bag of zucchini and summer squash from Costco in my fridge, this was a meal of necessity. (The recipe calls for Parmesan cheese: skip that for Whole 30.) I wish I had a picture of this moment, but I had the best time prepping this meal with S1! I bought a new veggie rotary drum slicer/grater thing, and I love it so much!!! It’s really similar to a big, clunky, stainless steel version that I grew up with, and I loved it then, too. So easy to use. It was easy enough for my 3-year-old to operate (safely, of course! I fed the veggies into it and he cranked the handle). It sliced the squash and zucchini super thin. Too thin, actually… I botched the recipe. I think I should have just let them drain for a good while to dry out. We ended up with a puddle of roasted squash that tasted great, but did not a full meal make. I had planned to serve it with leftover chicken from the night before, but HAHAHA. We devoured that gravied bird. SO! What to do, what to do. Break out the blender and whip up an amazing smoothie, that’s what. I posted my recipe, so you can make your own Ultimate Whole 30 Smoothie here. 

Wednesday: Chicken Tikka Masala from Today in Dietzville

Another wonderful Instant Pot meal. Gotta skip the rice, of course. Maybe try some skillet cauliflower rice while the chicken is cooking. Or, copy my lazy method and just eat it in a bowl like soup. 🙂 If you can’t have the rice or naan, that’s how I prefer my Indian food! We need a quick meal on Wednesday, and this fits the bill. I love that you can have a “slow-cooked” dish in the middle of summer without heating up your kitchen! Pressure cookers are the bomb. Not literally. I hope.

Thursday: Burgers with Sweet Potato Buns from Our Savory Life

I hadn’t really planned to make “alternative” bread during this Whole 30 challenge, but one of my coworkers made these sweet potato “buns” and raved about them! She states that she will never miss nor go back to regular hamburger buns again. Sounds like it’s something we should try, then! There’s a burger recipe in this link as well. Just sub coconut aminos or balsamic vinegar for the Worcestershire sauce and ghee or clarified butter for the butter to be Whole 30- compliant.

Friday: Pressure Cooker Mocha-Rubbed Pot Roast from nom nom paleo

Coffee, chocolate, and pot roast. Sounds perfectly sinful. Can you believe that we’re on a “diet” here? I cannot wait to try this Instant Pot recipe on Friday (and HOPEFULLY have leftovers for work). I love that she uses the Aeropress to make the coffee. It’s so easy and yummy!

Saturday: Take the day off!

I do NOT cook on Saturdays, and hopefully I’ve given you enough leftovers that you can take a day off from the kitchen as well! Go fly a kite, or chase a rabbit, or take your kids somewhere fun. If you are really motivated, you can start prepping your veggies and stuff for next week. You know that’s not how I roll, which is why I get these meal plans to you at the last minute every week, ha ha! Now, it’s off to the grocery store because my fridge is looking bare.

Bonus tip!

With all of the fresh fruits and veggies in the house, I found a product that is saving me a lot of frustration and money. I HATE it when I have a beautiful fridge full of fresh produce and a chunk of it spoils before I can get to it. Enter the Rubbermaid Freshworks Produce Saver. I had seen these before, but I really don’t like using plastic in my home as a general rule. I’m making an exception for this because IT REALLY WORKS. I’ve been using it for almost two weeks now with great results. I can wash and cut all of my veggies ahead of time, pack them in here, and they stay crisp and fresh for days and days. It’s a must when you are clean eating. In fact, one isn’t enough, and I just put another into my amazon cart.

Eat intentionally, friends! Once you finish this meal plan, you’ll be HALFWAY THROUGH! Yay, you! Below, you’ll see a recap of some of the products that have made my Whole 30 challenge a more pleasurable experience. Oh! Make sure to pin this image so you can come back to the meal plan easily. See you next week!