I often tell my vegetarian best friend, Liz, that I could probably give up all meat for the rest of my life except bacon. And caramelized pulled pork. And turkey burgers. Ok, ok, I would make a lousy vegetarian. I admit it.
Perhaps that is why I can actually picture myself going 30 days on the Whole 30 eating plan
The idea of a short-term elimination diet is appealing to me for several reasons. For one, no alcohol. This should be obvious, but for those of us that drink, why not give it up for a while and give your liver a break? Two, the practice of self-restraint is valuable in not just dieting, but in all areas of life. If I can say no to a craving that would sabotage the eating plan then I am practicing the art of self-control and patience. Finally, it’s time that I really gave up added sugar, junk food, and even healthful foods that might be contributing to inflammation and indigestion in my body. Does anyone want to give this a go with me?
Whole30: BLT BREAKFAST SALAD
inspired by Gina’s recipe from the blog “So…Let’s Hang Out”
makes 2 large salads
2.5 ounces greens, I used a blend of kale, chard, and spinach
1 cup baby tomatoes (cherry, sugar-plum, etc…)
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
4-6 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 ripe avocado, halved and thinly sliced
2 eggs, fried, poached, soft or hard-boiled
salt & pepper to taste
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
juice of 1 large lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together dressing ingredients while you are cooking your bacon. Toss all salad ingredients together and dress to taste. Super easy but so yummy!
Dahlia Kitchen 
Hey Alicia,
I’ve done two Whole/Mostly Whole30s 🙂 during the last year. I really enjoyed them and determined to change my eating permanently. Then the holidays hit and the cookies and chocolate and cheeses derailed my self-control and my digestion. I discovered that after you’ve cleaned out your insides and fall off the wagon, it is not uncommon to have harsher reactions to foods that didn’t seem to be a problem previously. So I have enjoyed the taste of the holiday goodies, but I have paid for it later in the form of strange pains and digestive discomforts. I am pretty much ready to stop abusing myself again and submit to what I know to be safe for my body. Having a buddy or community to journey with would help a lot. Otherwise my willpower is a bit pathetic. Thanks for this reminder to load up on bacon for when the going gets tough! 🙂
I don’t know if you’ve already discovered these blogs, but Mel Joulwan’s The Clothes Make the Girl/Wellfed, Michele Tam’s NomNom Paleo (and corresponding cookbook and app), and Steph Gaudreau’s Stupid Easy Paleo/Harder to Kill Radio (podcasts) have been invaluable for me. And, of course, the book from the Whole30 founders, It Starts with Food.
Good luck to you if you decide to take the Whole30 plunge!
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Hi Sarah! Thank you for sharing and for your encouragement! I think Patrick and I are going to give Whole30 a try sometime within the next month or two. I might stock up on a few “staple” Whole30 recipes first 🙂
I’m definitely going to check out the blogs, podcasts, and cookbooks- so helpful of you to recommend them. Good luck to you as well in your cooking and eating endeavors. Cheers and Happy New Year!
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Yum! Love the idea of a breakfast salad, especially with bacon and egg, though I would be more inclined to poach or fry the eggs so their yolks are delightfully rich and runny.
This post would make a great addition to Our Growing Edge, a link up just for new food adventures. It’s a fun way to share your new food experiences and flavours with other foodies. This month’s theme is HEALTHY STARTS including breakfast ideas or new healthy food habits for the start of 2017.
More info including how to submit your link here: http://bunnyeatsdesign.com/our-growing-edge/
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Thank you! And I agree, after trying a hard boiled egg on the salad I would much prefer poached, fried, or soft-boiled!
Your monthly event “Our Growing Edge” is such a great idea! Thank you for the information. Also, I see you live in Auckland; I had the opportunity to visit in January of 2016 and I can’t wait to go back someday!
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