What’s for Dinner 1/2-1/6

Note: All recipes over the next 4 weeks will be Whole30 Compliant! 

So, it’s time for the Whole30. Are you ready? I am. I’ve been sneaking in (OK, maybe not sneaking since I’ve actually been on the couch watching old reruns of The Cosby Show with the fam) treats the last few weeks, knowing that the Whole30 was coming up. My old demons of back pain/neck pain/morning joint pain/foggy head have reared their ugly heads. I’m actually thrilled to be strict again as I know just how awesome I feel when I’m eating this way. I do anticipate, though, some withdrawal symptoms. I’ll be sharing my journey over the next 30 days…hope you’ll share yours, too! Here’s this week’s dinner menu:

Monday: “The Grub” Meatballs with green salad, balsamic vinaigrette dressing and bananas/apples

Recipe: “The Grub” Meatballs

3 lbs ground beef (grass-fed preferred)

2 TBSP garlic salt

1 onion, diced small or grated

2-3 stalks celery, diced very small

2 eggs

3 TBSP chopped cilantro

2-3 TBSP olive oil

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix with hands until well incorporated.

Form into golf ball-sized meatballs (or a tad larger). Place into heated pan and cover for about 6 minutes. Remove lid, flip meatballs over with tongs, and cook, uncovered, for another 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside and repeat with remaining meatballs. I kept mine covered with foil on the “warm” setting in the oven while I cooked the rest.

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe: Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1 cup olive oil

Little less than 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP minced garlic

1/2 Tsp. salt

1/2 Tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small mason jar. Shake and enjoy!

Tuesday: Skillet Dover Sole with Pan-roasted Brussels sprouts and blueberries

Recipe: Skillet Dover Sole and Pan-roasted Brussels sprouts

2 lbs Dover Sole

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBSP garlic salt

1 TBSP pepper

Place all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and marinate for at least one hour. While that’s marinating, heat a few tablespoons olive oil in skillet.

 

Here’s the Brussels Sprouts recipe:

2 pounds Brussels Sprouts

1 onion

Few tablespoons olive oil

Garlic salt, pepper

While oil is heating, cut rough ends off Brussels Sprouts and cut in half and slice onions in thin slices. When oil is hot, add onions and cook for 7-8 minutes until beginning to turn brown. Add Brussels Sprouts and garlic salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes, until edges of Sprouts begin to turn dark brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Cover to keep warm.

Now back to the Sole: Remove Sole from marinade and place into heated pan (with drippings/pieces of Brussels sprouts). Cook about 2-3 minutes, flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

Wednesday: Crock pot pork chops with broccoli and mandarins

Recipe: Crock pot pork chops

6 pork chops (fresh or frozen)

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 TBSP dried basil

2 TBSP minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Put pork chops in crock pot. In separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops. Set crock pot for desired time (when I use frozen chops, I put them in by 7 a.m., and set the crock pot for 9 hours on low). Close lid and let the machine work its magic!!

Thursday: Leftovers from previous days

Friday: Spaghetti Squash with diced chicken, green beans and olives*

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash with diced chicken

1 large spaghetti squash

Few tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 pound chicken, chopped

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 TBSP dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375  degrees. Using a very sharp knife, remove stem from spaghetti squash and cut in half. Scoop seeds out. Place squash halves, flat side down, in baking dish filled with about a 1/4 inch water and put in oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until the squash can easily be shredded with a fork.

While squash is in oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onion until translucent. Add chicken and brown. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and salt and pepper. Set aside until squash is done.

Once squash is done, shred it into a large bowl, and pour chicken mixture over it. Serve promptly.

*Note about olives: make sure to buy olives with no added ingredients. I buy the “Lindsey Naturals” from Costco that just have olives, water and salt. 

For those of you participating in the Whole30, I hope your first week goes well! Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel great. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to really start to feel a difference. Come back and let me know how things are going for you!

Like what you read? Sign up here and get my Top 10 Recipes ebook for free!