If you missed it, I started my very first Whole30 this past Monday! After a week of drinking and eating ALL the things in Croatia and Vienna, my body was craving a major detox. I’ve been wanting to do Whole30 for a long time, but was struggling to find a good time to do it between vacations, bachelor parties and the holidays. I finally decided to just go for it and literally dove in head first, somewhat unprepared on Monday.
On our flight home, I had made a meal plan for the whole month–I know, might be a little crazy, but now that I’m one week in, I’m so thankful I did that because I’m afraid I would have already screwed up if I didn’t have a plan in place.
So far, it hasn’t been that hard! For the most part, I already didn’t eat much dairy or gluten or sugar, so it hasn’t felt like a massive change. I do miss snacking on Owen’s pretzels after school though, haha!
I’ll keep you guys updated on the process and I’m sure I’ll do a post when it’s all said and done, but so far, I’m feeling good! My major complaint before was energy and while I’m not 100%, I’ve had days where I feel less foggy and more energetic than normal and that is a huge blessing!
The toughest meal for me to stick to Whole30 with is lunch. Ugh, lunch is always my nemesis. Now that it’s cold outside, having soup and stews on hand make it so much easier. They’re easy to reheat, always tasty, and honestly taste even better after they’ve been sitting for a day in the fridge, ha!
This recipe is very much like a regular chili, but no beans! Instead, I added sweet potato for a little starchiness and sweetness (also good because no sugar is allowed!), and it was fabulous! I love serving it with some avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime on top for a fresh finish.
Whole30 Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8oz. mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small sweet potato, chopped
- 1 bell pepper , chopped
- 1-28oz. can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 lb. ground buffalo
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- Dash of cinnamon & cayenne
- 1 cup bone broth (or regular broth)
- Season to taste with S&P
Directions
- Sauté onion, celery & pepper in olive oil to a dutch oven over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Add garlic & mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add spices, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, sweet potatoes & broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes—until sweet potatoes are soft.
- Season as needed and serve with avocado, cilantro and a wedge of lime.
Have you done a Whole30 yet? And if so, what recipes were your favorites?
BTW, Whole30 chimichurri steak salad, and easy Instant Pot bone broth.
