Next Week's Meal Plan: GF DF W30 with AIP Modifications

Your done-for-you meal plan for next week!

I can definitely vouch for how delicious this meal plan is by the fact that there is none left, and also by the fact that my husband, who generally eats and enjoys what I cook but doesn’t always say it, gave a thumbs up and an audible “that was delicious” after dinner one night!

We’ll get right to it. Lately I’ve been prepping B and L and parts of dinners over the weekend, then adding the finishing touches to meals on Monday and Tuesday nights. We then eat leftovers for the rest of the week.

Here’s this week’s meal plan:

B: Pumpkin Porridge // I used my Spaghetti Squash Porridge recipe here, but replaced half of the squash with a full can of pumpkin, skipped the Superseed blend, and added in 1/4 cup chia seeds. For a protein boost, I also added in 2 scoops of Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen (this is one of my favorite VP products!) and 4 scoops of Vanilla Nuzest Pea Protein (omit the latter for W30). This is a tough recipe to convert to AIP, but in the past, I have used the squash, dates, pumpkin, and the coconut milk, added in some coconut flour to thicken, and lots of collagen!

L: Chicken and Veggie Soup with Avocado // I used my simple chicken soup recipe, as described here, with the addition of 1 large white sweet potato that I chopped into 1/2” cubes and two bags of baby spinach that I roughly chopped and added in at the end to wilt. I stocked up on avocado to top off each bowl, along with some sauerkraut! This recipe is AIP and W30 as written.

D1: Meatloaf with Creamy Carrot Parsnip Mash and Crispy Kale // What is it about meatloaf that is just so delicious!? I used this recipe, modified a decent amount to fit what I had on hand, and topped it off with Naked Bacon (wholedailylife for discount!). For the Carrot Parsnip mash, I roasted 1# each of carrots and parsnips, chopped into coins, with coconut oil at 350 until tender, about 30-40 minutes. After those cooled a bit, I puréed them in my food processor with coconut milk and broth (from the soup) until creamy. Lastly, for the crispy kale, I just de-stemmed one bunch of kale and chopped it into thin ribbons, added it to my Green Pan (we have been LOVING cooking with this!) with about 3 tbsp ghee, and let it cook until crispy! This combo is all AIP and W30 as written (with the AIP mods as suggested in the meatloaf recipe, aka, omit the egg).

D2: Ginger Scallion Chicken Meatballs with Cucumber Salad, Microgreens, and Butternut Squash // I used this recipe for the meatballs but subbed chicken for pork. For the cucumber salad, I sliced up 4 Persian cucumbers on my mandolin, then tossed them with 3 tbsp sesame oil, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 3 tbsp coconut aminos, and about 1” of finely minced ginger. This was a total wing-it recipe, but I’m happy with how it turned out! I made that fresh on the night we ate it, so it didn’t make it into the photo above. Since I also wanted some leafy green with this meal, I added the microgreens. I’ve been growing my own using kits from Hamama Greens and I’m hooked! So fresh and SO cost effective compared to what I was buying from the market!! (wholedailylife for discount) Lastly, for the butternut, I simply roasted chopped butternut with coconut oil and salt at 350 until tender and golden, about 30-45 minutes. Those roasted purple potatoes were leftover from the weekend and we used them up with this meal! All of these recipes are W30 and AIP as written!

These are some of my favorites, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! If you have any questions, ask away, and I’ll see you over on Instagram!

Have a great week!

-Tracey

Instant Pot BBQ Beef + Weekly Whole30 Meal Plan

Hi friends,

I’ve missed being able to share my weekly meal plans and recipes with you this past month! In mid September I was in Baltimore for several days attending Expo East. That was such a fun experience and I’m looking forward to sharing more about what I found there with you all in coming weeks. The week after that was my husband’s and my 6th anniversary (you guys showed us so much love on this post!!), and since then we’ve been juggling a lot of big decisions, which I’ll fill you in on very soon! (Hint: they involve some big changes around here!)

I also had a big project deadline that wrapped up with the end of the September Whole30 challenge, and I’m happy to say that I met my goal! I definitely could not have done it without all of your help, and I wish I could personally thank each and every one of you who supported me through the finish line.

There has been lots of positive feedback when I share my Friday night meal preps on stories, along with requests to continue to provide the recipes in a written format. With that in mind, I’m going to continue to do both as often as possible for now! How many of you actually use the step by step flow (where I break down how to do all of this in an hour, like this)? Let me know in the comments of this post over on IG. If it’s helpful, I’ll keep doing it!

Here is this week’s meal plan:

Breakfast: Chicken in Ginger Lime Sauce with Cauli Rice and Spaghetti Squash // I have been making this recipe by AIP Lifestyle for years, and it never disappoints! This week the store was all out of whole chickens (at least in the only brand I’ll buy from the regular grocery store; I prefer to buy from US Wellness Meats or my local farmer), so I used chicken tenders instead. I made this in my Instant Pot by cooking it on manual high pressure for 20 minutes and then letting the pressure naturally release. I also cooked the spaghetti squash in my IP: just cut in half (you can even leave the seeds in!) and steam for 8 minutes with quick release! At the same time, I cooked the cauliflower rice on my stovetop by simmering it in some bone broth that I needed to use up. I’m always looking for opportunities to work more broth into my diet!

Lunch: No Cook: Sardines, ZUPA, Apple // You can find more about how I put together a no-cook meal here. Lately I’ve been doing Safe Catch tuna or salmon or Wild Planet sardines at lunch to try and get more seafood into my diet on a regular basis! For more on why I only eat Safe Catch brand tuna, check out this post. I usually use a bottle of ZUPA NOMA as my lunch time veggie (wholedailylife for 15%), but I also like to take sliced carrots, cucumber, radish, etc! I also grab a fruit. (Organic apples this week!)

Dinner: IP BBQ Beef with Green Beans and Potatoes // This beef is about 1/3 of what came in my Bulkbox delivery, which includes about 5# of grass fed/finished beef trip tip (along with 8# of organic veggies, all for around $55 with free delivery!! wholedailylife saves you 15% off your first three orders). I cut it up into small pieces (about 1” by 1/2”) and then marinated in half of a bottle of Tessemae’s BBQ sauce overnight. When ready to cook, I just transferred it to my IP and cooked on manual high pressure for 35 minutes with a natural release! I shredded this batch with two forks and added some extra sauce for a flavor boost. Super simple, tender and full of flavor! While the meat cooked, I steamed the green beans on my stovetop and roasted the potatoes in the oven.

Snack: RX Bar // I always bring a bar or something similar just in case I need a little extra food during the day. I eat based on my hunger, and hunger naturally varies! This week it is the pumpkin spice RX Bars that just came out for this year!

That’s it for this week! Because I used my Instant Pot three times in this prep, it took me a little longer since I had to wait for the pressure to naturally release. If you’re in a time crunch, I recommend doing the ginger lime chicken in the oven or on the stovetop, which would allow you to get everything done in an hour!

Have a great week!

-Tracey

Smoked Salmon and Caper Frittata Recipe + Weekly Meal Plan

Did you see the big news last week? I finally launched the meal prep guide that I've been wanting to write for years! (I know, it's silly that it has taken me so long, but ya know, life and whatnot.) If you missed it, I teamed up with ZUPA to create a 4 page guide on how to efficiently meal prep for the September Whole30, including all of my favorite strategies and recipes. You can find more about it here, and the best part is, it's totally free!!

The OTHER big news is that ZUPA launched a new flavor this past week: Pumpkin Spice. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I LOVE IT. It tastes like a cross between apple pie and pumpkin pie. Refreshingly tart and sweet and savory all at the same time! This might be my favorite flavor to date, AND it has collagen in it. I highly recommend trying it out, I can't imagine anyone not liking it! If you do, be sure to use "wholedailylife" for 15% off your order and free shipping over $50!

Alright, on to this week's meal plan:

Breakfast: Smoked Salmon and Caper Frittata with Asparagus

Lunch: No-Cook

Dinner: Curried Beef with Cauli Rice, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini

Rather than write out the step by step this week, I'm going to share the recipe for the Frittata. You can find more details on my no-cook approach in the guide or on the #wholedailylifenocook hashtag, and the recipe for the curried beef is in my cookbook! All of the veggies this week are simply roasted in the oven with oil and salt at 350 until tender and golden. 

Smoked Salmon and Caper Frittata

Ingredients:

12 eggs

4oz smoked salmon, chopped into small pieces

1/4 cup capers

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

5 oz organic baby spinach, roughly chopped

1/2 cup black olives, sliced (I used these)

2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1 cup sliced green onions

Optional: Miyokos dairy-free cream cheese spread (ingredients are W30 compliant, but nut-cheese is a debated inclusion on a Whole30)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a large glass baking dish.

2. Place a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil, and add the chopped spinach to wilt.

3. While the spinach is wilting, distribute the sliced zucchini in a single layer over the bottom of the pan. Top with the wilted spinach, half of the fresh basil, the chopped olives, the sliced green onions, the capers, and dollops of the cashew cheese, if using.

4. Crack all of the eggs into a large bowl, then whisk until combined. Pour over the top of the rest of the ingredients, as evenly as possible.

5. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, until the middle sets and edges are starting to brown. Top with fresh basil to serve.

Have a great week!

-Tracey

Easy Nightshade Free Meal Plan (low FODMAP and Whole30!)

Many of you have been asking for a nightshade free meal plan, and I'm happy to be able to share one with you this week!!

Adjusting to a nightshade-free diet can be a challenge because nightshades are both convenient and full of flavor. Nightshade foods include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes, along with a few others. (See a more complete list here.) These foods contain compounds that can contribute to a leaky gut. (More info on that here.)

I eliminated nightshades from my diet back in 2015 when I first started on the Autoimmune Protocol, and lived without them for a long time. I gradually started adding some back in over the years without negative effect, and now I enjoy them when they're around. However, if I ever have pesky symptoms that pop up, nightshades are one of the foods that I minimize or eliminate to reduce the burden on my gut. Right now it's prime nightshade season (tomato crop galore!), and as such, I've been having them a little more than usual. Unfortunately, I've also been seeing some minor symptoms flare up. This could be related to several different things, including a change in my supplements as well as my skin care routine, but reducing/eliminating my nightshade consumption wouldn't hurt, so this meal plan is timely! Coincidentally, it is also Whole30 compliant and low-FODMAP!

Here's the plan for the week:

Breakfast: Zucchini Bread Bowl with Collagen

Lunch: Nightshade-Free No-Cook Plate

Dinner: Beef with Chimichurri Sauce, Squash, and Sweet Potato

Ingredients by recipe:

Zucchini Bread Bowl (5 servings)

1.5# organic zucchini

1 small spaghetti squash

3 very ripe bananas

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg (or mace, for AIP)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup Guiltless Goodies Superseed Flour (or 1/4 cup each ground flax and chia, or omit for AIP)

5 eggs (omit for AIP)

5 scoops collagen

Toppings: pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, almond butter, etc

Beef with Chimichurri Sauce and Veggies

1.5# tri-tip (I used Bulkbox, "wholedailylife" for 15% off)

2 cups parsley

2 cups cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves, peeled (if tolerated; alternatively, sub half garlic infused evoo above)

2 tsp salt, divided

4 small sweet potatoes

5 organic yellow summer squash

No-Cook

5 bottles ZUPA: Kale + Avocado, Cucumber Avocado, and Carrot Coconut Lime are all nightshade-free! (wholedailylife for 15% off) // alternatively, sliced carrot, cucumber, radish, and avocado

5 servings fruit

5 portions protein (I'm using Safe Catch salmon and Wild Planet Foods sardines)

Common Ingredients

Oil of choice (Dignity Coconuts, Tin Star ghee, and Kouzini olive oil are my staples)

Salt

Step by step:

1. The night before (or morning of) meal prep, slice the tri-tip into 1/3" slices and marinate with the juice of half of the lemon, a heaping tsp of salt, and about 3 tbsp olive oil.

2. When ready to start prepping, cut your spaghetti squash in half and place in your Instant Pot with the steamer insert and about 1 cup of water. Close and lock the lid and steam for 9 minutes, then use the quick release.

3. While the squash is steaming, prepare the chimichurri. In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro, remaining lemon juice, garlic cloves, remaining olive oil (about 1/3 cup), red wine vinegar, and 1 tsp salt. Process until smooth to your preference, then set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 350. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1/2" cubes, then place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with about 2 tbsp oil of choice and a hearty sprinkle of salt, toss to combine, then place in the oven.

5. The squash should be done by now, so carefully remove it from the pot and set aside to cool. Drain any liquid in the pot, then add the beef that has been marinating, along with 2/3 of the chimichurri sauce. Stir briefly to combine, then close and lock the lid. Set to high pressure for 30 minutes, then allow pressure to naturally release.

6. While beef is cooking, chop your yellow squash into 1/2" pieces and place on another baking sheet. Add oil/salt and place in the oven with the sweet potato.

7. Rinse out your food processor, change the blade to the shredder, and shred your zucchini. Transfer the zucchini to a large pot on the stovetop, add the can of coconut milk and the spices, and turn the heat on to medium. 

8. Mash the three bananas, then add that to the pot with the zucchini, along with the Superseed Flour (or flax and chia). Stir well to combine. Check the veggies in the oven and toss so that the cook evenly.

9. In a small bowl, whisk the 5 eggs until smooth. Slowly pour into the pot with the zucchini, stirring quickly so that they incorporate instead of cooking on top. (See a different approach (tempering) in this post.) Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes, until mixture thickens as the eggs cook. Finally, stir in the collagen before portioning into 5 containers and adding desired toppings.

10. Remove the veggies from the oven (if cooked to your preference) and portion into 5 containers. Portion out no-cook fruit and veggies, if necessary. When the beef finished cooking, turn off the Instant Pot and allow pressure to release naturally. (You can put a wet dishtowel on top to help the pressure release more quickly!) When the seal breaks, portion out the beef into your containers with the veggies and call it a day!

NOTE: I kept the juices/sauce that was left behind from cooking the beef and have been using it on top of veggies or eggs. It's packed with flavor and delicious!

If you use this meal plan, I'd love to hear what you think! Please tag me in your photos and stories on Instagram! 

Have a great week!

-Tracey

Matcha Recipe + Step by Step 1 Hour Whole30 Meal Plan

Hi everyone! I love your feedback on these posts, as I learn how I can optimize them to make them the most useful! One suggestion was to break out the ingredients by recipe in case you decide to only make part of the plan, so I did that this week!

I also wanted to talk briefly about the matcha that I've been making in the mornings. I've never been a matcha drinker, but I have been LOVING this combo, and I look forward to it every day! I start with about 8 oz cold water in a saucepan and add about 1/4 cup Vanilla Lemon nutpods (wholedailylife for 15%). I sprinkle 1 scoop Vital Proteins gelatin over the top and let it absorb soften in the liquid, then whisk in 1 scoop Vital Proteins matcha collagen and about 2 tsp Bulletproof brain octane. (This combo is great for gut health and brain power!) I turn the heat on to medium and whisk until everything is smooth and well combined. The Vanilla Lemon really makes the flavor pop, and the gelatin makes it so creamy and smooth! 

Here's this week's meal plan:

Breakfast: Meatballs with Collard Greens and Roasted Butternut Squash

Lunch: No Cook

Dinner: Yai's Thai Yellow Curry

Ingredients by meal:

Meatballs with Collard Greens and Roasted Butternut Squash

1.5-2# ground beef

2/3-1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

2 tbsp spice blend (I used the Mediterranean Blend by Tiny Little Chef)

2 tsp salt (unless spice blend contains salt already)

1 large or 2 medium bunches collard greens

1 medium/large butternut squash, about 8 cups (or buy pre-chopped)

No Cook:

5 bottles Zupa ("wholedailylife" for 15% off)

5 servings fruit (I usually pick up whatever is on sale)

5 servings protein (I used DNX bars and Safe Catch salmon for this week)

Yai's Thai Yellow Curry:

1 jar Yai's Thai Yellow Curry (Sprouts carries this!)

1 can full fat coconut milk (this is my favorite brand!)

1.5# chicken

4 medium organic yellow squash

1# carrots

3 medium Hannah sweet potatoes

cilantro

Common Ingredients:

Oil of choice

Salt

Step by step:

1. First thing's first: wash those sweet potatoes and cut them into 4" chunks (basically just in half, no need to peel) and put them in your Instant Pot with the steamer insert and 1 cup of water; close and lock the lid. Press the Steam button and set timer for 14 minutes. When timer goes off, use the quick release.

2. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, set up a steamer basket over a medium saucepan on the stovetop as well and bring some water to a boil. While the water is getting hot, cut your carrots into 1/2" coins and place them in the steamer basket. Steam until fork tender, but not so long that they fall apart, about 8 minutes.

3. While carrots are steaming, preheat oven to 350, then peel and chop your butternut squash into 1/2" cubes. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, drizzle with oil of choice (I used Dignity Coconuts) and add some salt; toss to combine. Place in the oven to roast. Check the carrots, and remove from heat if done.

4. The sweet potatoes should be done by now, so carefully remove them from the IP and set aside to cool. Remove the steamer insert, drain any remaining water, then add your chicken. Season with a sprinkle of salt and add about 1 cup water, then close and lock the lid. Set function for Manual high pressure for 12 minutes. Let pressure release naturally when finished.

5. Chop up the yellow squash into 1/2" chunks. Distribute the carrots into 5 storage containers, then place the yellow squash in the steamer basket. Steam for about 8 minutes, until fork tender. Check the butternut squash and stir to help cook evenly.

6. Increase oven to 425. In a large bowl, combine 2/3-1 cup of mashed sweet potato (from what you just pulled out of the IP) with the spices and salt, then mix in the ground beef and form approximately 32 1oz meatballs. Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven with the squash; set timer for 12 minutes. If the squash is golden to your preference, go ahead and pull it out at this point.

7. Check the yellow squash, and when fork tender, remove from heat and distribute into the containers with the carrots. While the meatballs are cooking, cut the thick middle rib out of the collard greens, then chop the leaves into 1/2" pieces. (I cut out all of the ribs, stack all of the leaves, and then cut the stack.) Place in a large skillet or pot and set aside.

8. The sweet potatoes should be cool enough to handle at this point. Remove the skins, then roughly chop into 1/2" pieces. Distribute among the 5 containers with the carrots and the squash. If you haven't pulled out the butternut yet, check on that again;.

9. Check the meatballs; if they have reached internal temperature of 165, remove from oven and distribute among 4-5 glass pyrex dishes. Carefully pour the drippings and fat that are left behind into the pan with the collards, then start to sauté over medium heat.

10. The chicken should be done by this point, and the pressure released naturally. Carefully remove the chicken from the IP, chop into bite sized pieces, and add to the containers with the steamed veggies. To the broth that remains, add the jar of curry and the can of coconut milk and whisk to combine. Pour over the veggies and chicken, distributing evenly among the containers. 

11. Garnish the curry bowls with fresh cilantro...those are done!

12. Transfer the butternut squash to the pyrex dishes with the meatballs, and then when the collards have started to turn golden, add those as well. All that's left is to portion out your fruit, if needed, and that's a wrap!

If you use this meal plan, I'd love to hear what you think! Please tag me in your photos and stories on Instagram! 

Have a great week!

-Tracey