If you’re a longtime gofrenchyourself.com reader, then you know that I believe in the great benefits that come of healthy diet. Whether you’re trying to shape up or improve your skin, what you eat plays a big role in helping you look and feel your very best. But what happens when you’re not feeling your best and brightest, but you’re having trouble identifying the cause? Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition, like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies, or chronic pain, that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms are often directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you? If you think that a food sensitivity could be the source of your discomfort, then it might be time to try an elimination diet like The Whole30.

What is the Whole30? From Co-Creator Melissa Hartwig

"Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it.

Strip them from your diet completely. Eliminate the most common craving-inducing, blood sugar disrupting, gut-damaging, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the reset button with your health, habits, and relationship with food, and the downstream physical and psychological effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day-to-day life, long term health, body composition, and feelings around food.

This will change your life.

I cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact—the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food. It will change your tastes. It will change your habits and your cravings. It will restore a healthy emotional relationship with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. I know this because I did it, and millions of people have done it since, and it changed my life (and their lives) in a dramatic and permanent fashion."

So being a person who is allergic to dairy (yet loves it and eats it anyway) and being a sugar addict and a person who has emotional attachments to food---I knew this would be a great lifestyle change for me. My friends Kendal and Sam were diving in so we decided to dive in together almost 3 weeks ago. I knew it would be hard with an Austin trip coming up putting me on the road for 9 days around lots of temptations. But there never is a good time to start. Had I waited until May it would have been Cinco De Mayo and The Derby along with all the foodie campaigns on the books for May. (Not quite sure what I will do there but one thing at a time) So bottom line, you just have to want it and do it.

And I am so badly wanting it so I am doing it!!

Filtering through the countless recipes can be challenging as their are great ones and not so great ones so I have decided to share my faves from the program every two weeks or so. I plan on staying on this program as long as possible too so feel feee to jump in at any month with me!

Photos by Amy Rains

My absolute fave recipe thus far is this beef enchilada bake!! I have been yearning for Mexican food and this just hit the spot!!! This recipe is from Amy Rains.

BEEF ENCHILADA BAKE WITH CILANTRO AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash skinned and diced into cubes
2 large poblano peppers cut into small pieces
3 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp salt
1.5 lbs ground beef
For the Enchilada Sauce:
3 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1 large clove garlic crushed
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder optional
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
For the Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce:
1 avocado
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cumin
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup water
1 tsp salt

Instructions...

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish, and butternut squash and poblano pepper. Lightly brush 1-2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil over veggies. Sprinkle with salt. Bring to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are softened and lightly golden. Remove from oven.
Meanwhile, make the ground beef in a large saucepan. Heat to medium high heat, add a tbsp of oil once hot. Cook the beef stirring frequently until no longer pink. Set aside.
While beef is cooking, make your enchilada sauce. Mix together arrowroot, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder (if using), onion powder and salt. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute 1-2 mins until fragrant. Turn heat down to medium low. Add spice mixture to the pan to form a paste. Now stir in broth, vinegar, and tomato paste. Heat to medium high and whisk while the sauce begins to thicken. Reduce heat once again, continuing to whisk for another 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Remove vegetables from the oven. Top vegetables with beef and enchilada sauce and mix well. Return back to the oven, lowering to 375. Bake for 10 mins.
Now make the avocado cilantro sauce. Combine the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Remove enchilada bake from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes. Top with avocado sauce, fresh cilantro, and any other desired toppings. Serve hot.

Photo by Kettle & Fire

Sweet Potato Toast Recipe

I actually prefer this over avocado toast. I can't thank Kettle & Fire enough for the recipe!

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
1 avocado
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper chili flakes

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375°F.
While the oven is heating, cut sweet potato into four quarter-inch thick slices with a very sharp knife.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the four sweet potato slices on the paper. Drizzle olive oil over the sweet potatoes to evenly coat. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Once the water is boiling, carefully place eggs into the pot and let boil for exactly 6 minutes.
Slice the avocado in half and spoon into a small bowl, discarding the pit. Add the garlic sea salt and smash lightly with a fork.
Once the eggs are done, carefully peel the shell under cold running water.
Assemble on a plate using the sweet potato as the toast. Spread avocado mash onto the toast, top with soft-boiled eggs, and garnish with crushed red pepper chili flakes.

Photos by Chrissa

Whole30 Sloppy Joe Bowls Recipe from Physical Kicthness

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 medjool dates, pitted
2/3 cup water (reserved)
russet potatoes (one per person)

Instructions

Brown the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the onion. Drain any excess grease
Reduce the heat to medium and add the green pepper, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, dried parsley, and salt. Mix well
Meanwhile, in a separate small pot, bring 2/3 cup of water to a boil and add the dates. Boil 30-60 seconds, just long enough to soften the dates. Remove the dates from the pot (reserving the water for later)
Place the dates into a food processor or blender, then add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Blend well then add to the ground beef
Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved date water to the pan of beef
Wash and dry a russet potato. Poke the potato with a fork or knife a few times, then microwave for 5-7 minutes, until potato is soft inside
Serve sloppy joe mixture on top of baked russet potato and garnish with green onions

Photos by Debra

Whole 30 Taco Salad Recipe from Debra Worth

INGREDIENTS
1 batch taco meat (see below)
¼ cup black olives, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 sweet peppers (I used red, orange, and yellow), chopped
1 avocado, cut into cubes
2 heads of romaine, ripped or cut into bite size pieces
Appr. 4 oz plantain chips
1 recipe creamy cilantro and chipotle dressing (see below)

INSTRUCTIONS

You can make one big salad as pictured by tossing everything together, or building individual salads with all of the ingredients. I recommend building individual salads buffet style, unless you are going to a pot luck or serving a family style dinner.

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup raw hemp heart seed
2 tablespoons lime juice (1-2 small limes)
6 tablespoons water
2 medjool dates, or a bit of honey to taste if not on whole30
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon real salt
¼+ teaspoon chipotle (I have to keep it mild for Natalia right now)
½ cup low-flavor oil (not refined coconut as it will get hard, refined olive or virgin avocado will both work)
¼ cup rounded cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend together the hemp, lime juice, water, medjool dates, garlic powder, salt, and chipotle until smooth.
Drizzle in the oil while blending.
Add the cilantro leaves and pulse in to combine. I chopped them pretty small (as you probably can see).
Add more chipotle to taste, I would have made it spicier but my middle daughter can not really handle heat right now.

TACO MEAT

INGREDIENTS

1 lb beef, preferable grass fed but lean also works
1 tablespoon cumin
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1½ teaspoons coriander
⅛ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chipotle
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup unsalted beef stock or water
1 teaspoon starch (use arrowroot starch or tapioca starch for whole30)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the beef with the spices. Mix the starch in the stock or water, add to the beef. Boil away until the taco meat is moist, but there is not really standing water.

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Recipe (Paleo, Dairy Free, Gluten Free) FROM Cheryl Malik from 40 aprons

Ingredients

4 slices Whole30-compliant bacon , cut into about 1/2" pieces
1 pound Italian sausage (recipe below)
1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 medium yellow potatoes , about 1 pound 3 ounces, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 medium white or yellow onion , diced
2 tablespoons garlic , minced, about 4 cloves
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 bunch kale , stems removed and leaves chopped, 4 cups
1 can coconut milk
Salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed medium pot over medium heat, add Italian sausage and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over. Use a spoon to break up the pieces. When browned and cooked through, drain and set aside.
Cook the bacon pieces in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the crisp bacon and set aside - don't get rid of the bacon fat! Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onions and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 10-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk and the cooked sausage; heat through. Add the bacon and the kale into the soup just before serving and cook 'til the kale is bright green and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Whole30-Approved Homemade Italian Sausage

Not only is this homemade Italian sausage recipe so, so easy, but it's customizable to your tastes AND Whole30 approved!

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork
1 T red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed if desired
pinch dried oregano
pinch dried thyme

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until very well combined with your hands. Use in a recipe or refrigerate for later use.

MANGO CHICKEN WITH COCONUT CAULIFLOWER RICE Recipe {WHOLE 30 + PALEO + HIGH PROTEIN}From Food, Faith, & Fitness

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 1/2 tsps Coconut Oil divided
1 1/2 tsp Fresh ginger minced
1 tsp Garlic minced
1/2 tsp Habanero pepper minced
3/4 Cup Orange Mango or Mango, Juice (100% pure juice)
1/2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 tsp Tapioca Flour

For the chicken:

3 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
8 oz Chicken breast patted dry and cut into one-inch cubes
Salt + Pepper
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

For the cauliflower rice:

3 Cups Cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Unsweetened coconut flakes

For garnish:

1/2 a Large mango cut into cubes
Roughly chopped cilantro
Diced Green Onion
Toasted sesame seeds

BRUSSELS, SAUSAGE & BACON QUICHE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST Recipe from Michele Rosen

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 large Japanese sweet potato my variety of choice, but use what's available to you*
2 tbsp coconut oil for greasing/roasting sweet potato crust
sprinkling of fine grain sea salt for crust

For the Filling:

1 and 1/2 - 2 cups roughly chopped brussels sprouts
1/2 small onion diced
3-4 slices bacon use sugar free for Whole30
1 precooked organic sausage link diced - use your favorite! Sugar free for Whole30
7 large eggs
1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder *optional

Instructions

Make the Crust:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel your sweet potato and slice it thinly into rounds about 1/8 inch thickness for the bottom of your crust. For the sides of the crust, slice into semi circles (shown in photo above)
Grease a 9 inch pie dish with coconut oil, and, grease your sliced sweet potatoes lightly with coconut oil as well as you arrange the crust in the dish. Overlapping a bit is fine, since the potatoes will shrink when roasted.
Sprinkle the crust with a bit of sea salt, and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and beginning to brown. Check them midway to make sure none are browning too quickly.

For the filling:

As the crust bakes, prepare the filling. Cook the bacon slices over med-hi heat in a heavy skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
Add the chopped brussels sprouts to the skillet and cook, stirring until they begin to soften. Add the diced onion and continue to cook for another minute until softened.
Once the brussels sprouts and onion are soft, add the diced sausage link to the pan and cook, stirring, for another minute to brown a bit. Remove from heat, then crumble the cooked bacon and add to the skillet. Stir to combine.
Once the crust has baked, pour the entire brussels sprouts mixture into the crust evenly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the brussels sprouts mixture evenly - it will spread throughout the dish, which is fine, since the eggs will "fill in" any empty spaces between the sweet potatoes.
Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees, and bake the quiche for about 25 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden brown and the middle has just set. My sweet potatoes did not overly brown, but if yours begin to just cover the top with foil as it bakes.
After removing from oven, let the quiche sit for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing to serve (this helps it to "set" more for easy serving) Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

And for that sweet tooth darlings ! This is currently saving my life!

CARROT CAKE SMOOTHIE Recipe From wallpaper kitchen

NGREDIENTS

1 large carrot peeled and grated
8 walnut halves preferably soaked overnight
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice mix
4 dates chopped and pitted
120 ml / 1/2 cup almond milk or more if needed
optional 1 tsp vanilla extract

Simply blend ingredients together!

SOOO SOOOOOO GOOD!

Austin, Houston, and Dallas actually made it very easy to keep eating on the Whole30 plan and I cannot wait to share those places with you soon!! In the meantime, let me know your favorite recipes!!

I will be back in two weeks with more faves from the things I am trying everyday!!!