Whole30 (#2) for Immunity

By Steph Farrar

Recently I was diagnosed with a common autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's, chronic inflammation of the thyroid. I know, I rolled my eyes too when I got the news of antibodies present in my blood, antibodies whose levels are gradually going up. After a follow up blood draw, and the news that selenium intake and mild diet changes didn't affect my levels, I decided to go full elimination (well not full, that's just too crazy for someone with the lower levels I'm experiencing.)

In lieu of jumping on a medical train, I'm adjusting diet and limiting stress (is that possible?) and retesting my blood levels in a few weeks. I've read and been told that eliminating gluten and dairy is a great first step, so I figured why not get rid of booze and sugar while I'm at it? I'm crossing my fingers diet helps reduce the inflammation and I can avoid taking drugs to aid my issue. 

I love being in control, hence a Whole30, or my version of it. 

Egg white scramble with turkey sausage, tomato and fresh basil ~ Heat a tbsp olive oil over medium heat and brown sausage, remove from pan. Add cut tomatoes to hot pan and cook for a minute, return sausage to pan, cover in beaten egg whites (or whole eggs) and scramble for about 1-2 minutes. Top with freshly torn basil.

I'm sharing my previous two weeks of recipes and a shopping guide to successfully complete the first half of your Whole30. I'm currently on Day 17, over halfway!! I'll share more recipes at the end as well. I finished a Whole30 last year and felt nothing short of amazing and 11 pounds lighter upon completion - read here about my first experience. Yes you're going to feel tired, you'll feel bloated, and you'll feel like you climbed Mt. Shasta once you're done. But it'll be worth it. Just don't celebrate with a whole bottle of champagne. Start with a glass! And make sure you slowly reintroduce foods. I'm serious. 

Zoodles with Turkey Bolognese ~ with a spiralizer, spin four zucchini into zoodles to whatever width you prefer, add a nice layer of salt and let them sweat in a colander over the sink while you make the sauce. For the sauce, heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium/high heat and brown your turkey (or chicken or beef). Remove from pan and drain excess fat, if any. Add another glug of olive oil and one finely chopped onion along with 3 cloves chopped garlic, cook for about 3 minutes. Add meat back to pan, along with a 28 oz can hand crushed tomatoes. Add salt and pepper and chopped herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley to pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Heat another pan with a tbsp olive oil and add zoodles, cook briefly to heat. Top noodles with sauce, fresh basil and crushed red pepper flake.

I'm a huge fan of zucchini, especially since I now get a weekly box of fruits, vegetables, and eggs from Out of the Box Collective. Can't suggest their produce enough for Southern Californians. If you struggle to make it to the Sunday farmer's markets while chasing your two insane kids around the neighborhood, this service is for you. 

Chicken Stir Fry ~ (Substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce, or Tamari for gluten free) recipe here.

Malibu Salad ~ Enjoy a light salad with crunchy Romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, cut cucumber and celery, shredded carrots, rotisserie chicken, peaches and Whole30 approved prosciutto. Add some salt pepper and use mustard for dipping! And always avocado if you have one.

Summer is a very busy time for us, as I'm sure it is for most peeps, whether you have kids or not. Either you're having way too much fun at the beach sipping on Rose' and balancing when to visit your therapist or pilates class (jerk) or you're managing four schedules, two adult's jobs, nannys, a social life, laundry and feeding humans. I'm the latter, clearly. And sometimes a plate of grab-and-go goodies does the trick. We get to spend time here and there in Malibu with Sam's parents, so Pearly always spoils us with the freshest of ingredients. And blue and white everything. 

Pretty and pretty easy ~ soft scrambled farmer's market eggs with fresh strawberries and blueberries along with a Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk cappuccino. Breakfast doesn't have to be hard, but can be hearty. Heat olive oil on medium / low heat and slowly scramble eggs until softly formed, don't overcook. Season with salt and pepper. Add avocado for a yummy fat.

Roasted sweet potatoes with over-easy egg and avocado ~ YES, you can have sweet and regular potatoes!!!! Cut sweet potato into cubes and combine with a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees (I like them crispy). Top sweet potatoes with over-easy egg and fresh avocado. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flake.

This kind of detox really doesn't seem like you're missing much. Once you get into the groove, you forget that grains, gluten, a glass of wine, and cheese (the hardest for me) aren't in your system (kind of). You just feel so damn good, and so full, that it doesn't phase you. I swear. And It isn't forever. It's just 30 days. Don't forget that you're being good to yourself today. Also be reminded you will sleep the way your body is meant to... well, long and heavy. And you won't wake up in the middle of the night. Without sugar... I swear it's the enemy... our bodies are free. 

Whole30 Greek Salad ~ In a bowl, combine Romaine (or leafy greens), cut tomato, red pepper, cucumber, black olives, red onion, cooked chicken, avocado and top with slivered almonds. For your dressing, combine, 3 tbsp olive oil with 1.5 tbsp of balsamic oil, a dollop of mustard, salt and pepper and emulsify until combined. Or you can use a store bought balsamic vinaigrette without sugar added like Tessemea's.

When I have an organizing job (yes, I do that too), I always take my lunch with me so I don't have to stop for a break. The hours fly by when you're helping someone purge, and a quick salad is easy to chomp on while reorganizing a pantry. Grab some almonds and an apple and you're good until dinner. 

Take it easy on the nuts. They are NOT a low calorie food. 

Malibu Salad 2 ~ Another Malibu spread. I'm obsessed with pickles and olives. Don't be afraid to use these as your salt. Crisp romaine lettuce, fresh peaches, cut carrots and pickles, served with smashed avocado with lime, salt and pepper. I make little wraps with the ingredients. A Whole30 taco! And I never forget a La Croix. Why didn't I buy stock?

Baked eggs with leeks, mushrooms and thyme ~ Another oldie but goodie. Don't overcook the egg if you like them runny. Top with fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Recipe here. Make sure your hot sauce is sugar-free.

I forget how much I love mushrooms sometimes. They aren't a go-to for me, like tomatoes or cabbage, carrots or even beets. The earthiness works so well with the fatty, runny egg and one of my favorite onion flavors, leeks. And thyme, all the time (dork). 

Cedar planked salmon with cucumber jalapeño salad ~ Soak your cedar plank for as long as possible, at least 6 hours. Heat your grill. Generously salt and pepper both sides of salmon and place on cedar plank, skin side down. Grill for 13-16 minutes, but don't overcook. Salad recipe here. Make brown rice if you're gluten not grain-free. For tomatoes and asparagus, combine 3 tbsp olive oil with three minced cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. Quickly whisk for about 30 seconds. Combine with both asparagus and tomatoes and place on cooking sheet. Roast for 18 minutes on 400 degrees while salmon cooks on the grill.

It seems like a lot of eggs. It is. They're my favorite. Just take a break when you can. No one ever said you can't have salad for breakfast. 

Spinach frittata with turkey bacon and tomatoes ~ This can last you a few meals, by the way. heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 1 tbsp olive oil to medium heat and add turkey sausage until cooked through. Remove from pan. Add a little more olive oil, add tomatoes and cook for one minute, add spinach and cook until wilted, another minute. Add sausage back to pan and combine. In a bowl, beat 6-9 eggs (depending on how thick you'd like your frittata) with salt and pepper. Add to pan and coat all ingredients evenly. Cook on medium low until egg sets. Place in oven for 18-25 minutes, until egg is set and cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve with salsa and / or hot sauce and avocado (of course).

I love any combination of frittata as you can grab it from the fridge, heat it up quickly and run out the door with your robe on, hair wet, and no bra. If you want to know what most mornings look like around here, there you go. 

Turkey Chili (with or without white beans) ~ Skip the shredded cheddar, sour cream and corn chips and you're Whole30 compliant. And then cry. Turkey chili recipe here, but leave out the white beans. And cry again.

Let's not forget soups. You can have soup for almost every meal here if you want. The next few weeks I'm going to play around with some new soup ideas. It's been a stretch to go there, since it's been 110 freaking degrees this week. And without a baguette to dip, my heart breaks a little. But this turkey chili is extremely filling and can last a few meals, like the frittata. 

I hope these recipes inspire you to give the Whole30 a try. Or at least give hope that this kind of detox is possible. In the meantime, while you're deciding whether or not to commit, eat that chili with beans and cheese, sour cream and a beer. Do it for me. 

Below is a shopping list to get you started. Beware of Whole30 snacks like nuts, dried fruit, Larabars, and Power Snacks. These calories will creep up on you and aid in bloating. 

See you in two weeks, with a glass of wine. 

2 week Whole30 Shopping List

Proteins:

• 2 dozen organic brown eggs

• 2 lbs. ground turkey / beef / chicken (or combination)

• 1 cooked rotisserie chicken

• 1 lb. turkey sausage

• 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken

• 1.5 lbs. wild salmon

• prosciutto

• 1 lb. sliced deli chicken (no sugar)

Vegetables / Fruits:

• tomatoes

• 4-6 zucchini

• 2 large onions

• head garlic

• head green cabbage

• shredded carrots

• 3 red peppers

• scallions

• 2 sweet potatoes

• spinach

• mushrooms - large cremini or button

• 2 leeks

• romaine lettuce

• 2 cucumbers

• celery

• avocado (at least 3)

• bunch asparagus

• jalapeno

• lemons / limes

• strawberries / blueberries

• 3-4 peaches

• cantaloupe

Spices / Herbs / Pantry

• basil

• cilantro

• thyme

• cedar planks

• coconut aminos

• almond milk

• almonds / variety of nuts

• olives

EAT UP!!!!

And let me know how it's going please. I LOVE COMMENTS!!!!

Greek Salad with Tomato-Water Vinaigrette

By Sierra French Myerson

Here’s the deal… I was spoiled rotten by a tremendous vacation to Greece this summer.  It was truly life altering for many reasons.  I was blessed enough to get a much needed escape.  I thickened some very cherished friendships.  I developed some sure-thing life-long new relationships.  And, I fell in love with the Grecian way of life.  It really is so transforming to get out of your constant.

I could eat hundreds.

I experienced the archipelago for a week aboard the epic Sir Winston Churchill, a spectacular sailboat.  I told you I was spoiled rotten…truly killed with kindness by the generosity of old friends.

The Majestic Sir Winton Churchill

The color of the Aegean Sea is incomparable.  The landscape of the islands is stunning.  The food is delicious.

Greece is a family style country.  They pass and plate and share.  They take their time.  It’s really a lovely way to appreciate the understated goodness that is Greek food.

Two of my all time favorite things

In fact, one evening (night really…dinner doesn't happen until at least 10 o’clock), we went to a recommended restaurant on the island where we were docked.  My fellow Americans had clearly not taken notice of the family style notion during our previous meals, and preceded to order “entrees” individually.  Our confused waiter left the table and within seconds the chef appeared.  He was bewildered by the number of duplicate requests of main dishes.  Quickly, friends (whom had grown up spending the summers on the island) adjusted the order and set it straight.  Then, slowly, large platters of deliciousness started to be shared around the table.

The fruit of the nectar.

The mid-days while on The Churchill will forever resonate with me.  We would anchor ship at a swim spot.  Jump in the insanely beautiful water.  Dry off in the sun.  Pour a glass of wine.  And, gradually, gather around the large dining table on deck.  Me being me, I would position myself so that I could watch the chef prepare our lunch through the galley’s port hole.  And, then, exquisite dishes of seafood or traditional fare would be served.  Every day was something different and delightful.

After a gorgeous meal.

Not a meal went by without some version of a Greek salad, which for anyone that knows me understands that this is a very good thing.  It embraces two of my favorite things…peak in season tomatoes and cucumbers.  The sweet, salty, tangy, crunchy, briny goodness of this effortless salad just makes me happy.  It’s an ideal companion to any summer meal.

(Foodie Nation, keep your eyes open for Chef Kostas Papacharalampous.  He’s going to be a big deal.)

Greek Salad with Tomato-Water Vinaigrette

What you’ll need:

• 2-3 ripe summer tomatoes

• 2-3 Persian or Japanese cucumbers (or 1/2 an English cucumber)

• 1/4-1/2 green bell pepper

• 1/4 red onion Greek olives

• Good Greek feta cheese

• Oregano (I prefer dried for this recipe, fresh is a little too strong)

• Olive Oil

• Red wine vinegar Sea salt

Directions:

There aren’t too many rules to this recipe.  Really only five suggestions in order to make the salad in the way that the Greeks do it:

Cut the vegetables into big chunks.  This is not a diced salad the way that we see it in deli cases in The States.

Top the salad with 1 or 2 big slices of feta, or several slabs if you’re making this for a crowd, generously sprinkled with oregano.

Serve the salad in a shallow bowl or serving dish.  This is not a tossed salad so there is no need for a bowl here.

Be sure to have a big hunk of crusty bread to sop of the delicious juices that will accumulate.

Always use the freshest vegetables, obviously.

*Oh…treat yourself to a really good bottle of Greek olive oil!  They’re wonderful.

Makes 2 servings. Easily multiplied.

Directions For The Tomato-Water Vinaigrette:

*Inspired by Michael Ruhlman’s Pasta with Tomato-Water

The salad is absolutely satisfying with a splash or two of red wine vinegar, a healthy drizzle of olive oil and a good sprinkle of sea salt.  But, I’m such a junkie for the liquid goodness that pools beneath the veggies that I decided to play around with a quick tomato-water dressing to amplify the salad’s nectar.

Cut up the tomatoes first and season them generously with salt.  Set them aside in a bowl.  Allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes, and up to an hour.  By now, a generous amount of tomato-water should have been drawn out of the tomatoes.  Pour the tomatoes into a strainer over another small bowl.  Add a hefty splash of red wine vinegar to the tomato-water.  Whisk in olive oil.

Pour some of the vinaigrette into the base of the serving dish.  Arrange the vegetables and olives.  Remember, this is a rustic easy dish, don’t over think the presentation.  Pour more vinaigrette over the vegetables.  Place the oregano topped feta cheese on the vegetables.  Generously drizzle with olive oil.  Finish with a bit more sea salt, if desired.

Greek Salad