Whole 30 Dinner Recipes For Two

Sharing quick and easy Whole 30 dinner recipes that are delicious too!!

Do you know about the Whole 30 aka Whole Food Diet? My neighbor asked me this question a few weeks ago when she told me that she and her husband were going to try it to get a handle on their sugar and carbohydrate intake. I had to admit, I had never heard of it until she started the conversation. She let me borrow a couple of her Whole 30 cookbooks to check it out and to see if my husband and I would be interested in starting it too.

Basically, the Whole Food Diet is “based on the philosophy that eating means eating fresh, natural foods that are unprocessed and free of chemical additives.” I liked that philosophy as it goes with the midlife cooking habits I have had to adjust to since my husband developed his midlife health issues.

Foods that can be consumed on the Whole Food Diet include meat (so long that they aren’t processed or have any added sugar, MSG or sulfites); eggs; seafood (again not processed); all vegetables; all fruits; healthy cooking fats such as ghee, clarified butter, and olive oil; nuts and seeds in moderation; dressings such as avocado, unsweetened coconut, and sesame oil; herbs and spices; and drinks including club soda, coconut water, vegetable juice, fruit juice, naturally flavored waters, and tea.

What is not allowed on the Whole Food Diet? It’s easy to remember: no added sugar, grains, alcohol, legumes (including peanuts and peanut butter), all soy, dairy, and vinegar if is has added sugar or is malt vinegar.

The Whole 30 refers to sticking to the Whole Food Diet for 30 days to reset your eating habits. Another benefit is losing weight because when you aren’t eating sugars and high carbs, of course you will lose pounds. And when you weigh less, you also have more energy.

I’ve done a lot of research on eating healthy and the Whole Food Diet really sports the research of other popular diets like Weight Watchers. Since we already observe many of the Whole Food Diet recommendations (added sugar and carbs from grains are my weakness), I decided to give it a go for 2 weeks before we traveled to visit family for a grandson’s birthday and baptism celebration. I knew we’d be eating lots of food not on the Whole Food Diet so I figured if I got my eating in check before the trip, I would have a better chance of limiting — and even possibly passing on—those sugary and carb loaded foods.  Besides, I could use some new dinner recipes too.

Everything we tried for dinner was delicious, easy to make, and didn’t have any weird ingredients. Here is a sampling of our favorites:

Whole 30 Fast & Easy by Melissa Hartwig

Served on Cauliflower Rice

Whole 30 Fast & Easy by Melissa Hartwig

After putting filling on lettuce leaves, roll up.

Whole 30 Fast & Easy by Melissa Hartwig

Whole 30 Fast & Easy by Melissa Hartwig

Two weeks was not that bad; I didn’t feel like I was really sacrificing. And I really liked that I lost 1-1/2 pounds, my clothes felt better, and I had more energy. When we were on our trip, I was able to maintain my Whole Food Diet mindset. While I did end up consuming some of the no-no foods, it was in moderation. When I got home, I set out to observe the Whole Food Diet for another couple weeks before we leave on a cruise. Again, my intention are to get my good eating habits in check so that I can enjoy all the cruise food without worrying about any prior health issues.

If you’re looking to lose some extra pounds, be more energized, and get rid of processed laden foods from your diet, I wholeheartedly suggest the Whole 30 plan as a way to jump start to better health.

Have you tried a Whole Food Diet? What has been your results? Any favorite recipes to share?