New Year’s Eve and Whole30 on the Horizon
If you’re on vacation somewhere warm and tropical, then God bless you and just go ahead and skip this entire post. In fact, order a margarita for me and put your feet up. We’re in the mountains of Idaho and it’s COLD. Especially since our heat went out today and I’m writing this sitting as close to the fire as humanly possible. Don’t worry, help is on the way! We’ll be eating all the comforting soups and hearty stews to stay warm and cozy.
January 3 will be my first day of Whole30 and I hope you’ll join me. This will be my 4th (or 5th?) Whole30. I have several weeks of Whole30 meal plans and recipes on my site already, but get excited for some amazing new recipes as well. I’m truly looking forward to a reset and cravings reboot. Some of my auto-immune issues are coming to a head and I hope Whole30 will help calm some inflammation and let my immune system do its job.
SUNDAY
My husband and I are headed to a Sun Valley Film Festival screening, so I’m gunning for a date night dinner at the counter of one of our favorite local spots. My kids will have split pea soup made with leftover ham. Pamela Salzman’s cheesy pull apart bread is delicious on the side.
MONDAY
Dinner at home after a day of skiing. Carbonara to the rescue. I’m really piling it on thick before Whole30 starts! To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free spaghetti. I like this recipe with about a cup of peas added to the mix, but alas “my people” do not. Add a side of roasted Brussels sprouts on the side.
TUESDAY
Happy New Year! We are heading out to ring in the New Year with friends and family. If you’re celebrating at home, I think it’s a good night for an extra big batch of weeknight chili or lasagna. Or maybe a bunch of snacky foods, like fondue, buffalo chicken wings, pigs-in-a-blanket and some healthier artichoke dip and crudité. A friend called to ask what she could make in the morning so she could ski during the day. My suggestion was carnitas in the slow cooker (which I’m planning to make for my family later this week) with all the taco fixings on the side. To make it easier, everything else you need can be purchased at the store: Guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro and pickled jalapeños.
WEDNESDAY
New Year’s Day! We’ll be watching football and taking it easy. I’m making my easy bolognese that’s packed with extra hidden vegetables. As is, the recipe calls for two pounds of grass-fed beef. I’m making it with half pork and half beef for extra flavor. And it’s good luck to eat pork on New Year’s Day! Serve with rigatoni or spaghetti squash or stuffed into baked potatoes.
THURSDAY
Today is my last hurrah before starting Whole30 tomorrow. We’re having a winter fondue lunch with some close friends and there will most definitely be some sparkling wine involved. Since I don’t want to spoil my relaxation after lunch, I’m putting pork shoulder and onions in the slow cooker this morning. Pork carnitas will cook low and slow all day, and we’ll top it off with all the taco toppings.
FRIDAY
Day 1 of Whole30. Since it’s Friday night and we’ll be eating at home, I’ll make a big batch of Whole30 stir fry in my new DaTerra wok. Use coconut aminos instead of soy or tamari. You could always add some leftover carnitas meat to the pan or a pound of dark meat ground chicken that you sauté before adding the vegetables.
SATURDAY
Grilled lamb chops and chermoula for the win. If you don’t feel like grilling outside, use a grill pan or a cast iron pan instead. You could make this exact same recipe with pork chops if you prefer. Roasted root vegetables on the side (just omit the honey from this recipe if you’re doing Whole30 with me).
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