I am on Week Two of Whole30 and I am doing pretty f*cking good (if I do say so myself). I usually make it until lunch on a new diet plan, but I embraced this diet as more of a lifestyle challenge than a diet and I can honestly say that I have stuck to the program wholeheartedly. I did have a brief encounter with some Thai food the other day that almost set me back, but fortunately my husband restrained me long enough to let it safely pass. Thank you honey!

I have even gone out to eat and made smart choices. I’m sure my servers hate me for being “that person” who can’t just order from the menu, but I don’t really give a sh*t. Besides, I’m pretty sure no one orders directly from the menu anymore anyway. I had a cobb salad yesterday. I had them hold the bleu cheese and bacon and throw on some extra unseasoned grilled chicken too. And although I really wanted a thick, creamy ranch dressing, I just had some olive oil and balsamic vinegar-not even vinaigrette. Not really my favorite dressing, but Whole30 compliant, satisfying and pretty tasty actually. Thank you Red Robin!

Here are some things that I am noticing on Whole30:

I don’t feel as sore as I have the past few months. I would wake up and feel like every join in my body was stiff. I don’t feel like that when I wake up anymore (with the exception of the broken ankle. Youch!
I am much less puffy. I mean I definitely have weight to lose, but I don’t feel bloated and swollen.
I have more energy and am much less tired and alert. My focus seems to be a little better also.
I am not hungry. I thought I would be. Every diet I’ve tried in the past had been a constant battle of will. My brain was consumed with what was I going to eat next. And of course the mindset of “What’s one cookie?” was always there. But, I don’t really have that going on with this. I want to keep going because in only two weeks, I feel better and I look better.
Yup, I look better! My face was looking really old. My skin was dull and I could really see the fine lines more than ever. I was also having total teenage hormonal breakouts. What’s up with that?! Now my skin is visibly clearer and brighter than it has been in a long time and I don’t look like an oily teenager.
I feel smaller. Whether or not any more actual weight has come off, I can’t say, but I can say i was curious to see how an old pair of jeans fit and they fit sooooooooo good! I even had to tighten the belt notch! Bikini here I come!
I’ve been way better at food prep. There aren’t any Whole30 choices that come pre-packaged (duh) so preparing ahead of time is absolutely essential for success. I’ve never been a big planner, so this is a big step for me and so far, it has served me well. I even got a new board for the kitchen to help organize meals and schedules. “Don’t bug me! Look at the board!” To those of you out there that are grabbing pizza on the way home because you don’t have anything out for dinner (old me hand raised) I’ll share some of my food prep later on. If I can do it, so can you!
I am really figuring out my eating patterns too. I wouldn’t say I am an emotional eater as much as I am a boredom eater. Late night snacking has been the hardest struggle for me. At the end of the day when I am sitting watching tv and my brain is shutting down, that’s when I want a snack. Salty, sweet, whatever! Popcorn or honey mustard pretzels, or crackers and cheese, or sometimes even a Pop Tart. Depends on my mood at the time. I realize hot tea helps with that, so I drink a lot of tea at night and sometimes if I really need something I have a handful of nuts or some veggies and ranch dip.

whole30 ranch dressing and dip

Speaking of Ranch dip

This dip/dressing is the f*cking bomb! It has totally been my salvation these past two weeks. I made this once and have kept a constant supply of it in the fridge since. For those of you doing Whole30 and for those of you aren’t, you have to make this. It’s easy, healthy, delicious and honestly better than any dressing you can buy at the store.

Here’s a couple of notes about this dreamy dressing.

How do you get a creamy dressing since dairy is a no-no on Whole30? I’m so glad you asked. The creaminess comes from whole fat coconut milk. Whole fat. Don’t get the light sh*t! You need that coconut cream that you find on the top when you open the can (or you can buy it by the can) to thicken the dressing or it’ll be liquid-y. I usually mix the cream into the can before I measure, but if you are making a veggie dip, scoop the cream off the top and use that, don’t mix it up with the rest of the milk in the can. It’s good stuff people. Good stuff! Fat is not your enemy!

You can switch up the herbs too. I use a lot of parsley. I always have some on hand. It adds beautiful color and an a bright, almost lemony note to things. It’s my absolute favorite herb. Make sure when you buy fresh parsley you get the Italian flat-leaf and not the curly parsley. Unless you are making tabouli, then you need the curly stuff, but that’s really the only thing I ever use it for. Oh, and garnish. It’s pretty.

You really need to use an immersion blender with this recipe or it won’t emulsify properly. A regular blender will do in a pinch, but an immersion blender (or boat motor as we refer to it) works best. Don’t have one? This is the one I use and I love it. It does everything!

So, skip the dressings on the shelf. They are loaded with crap you don’t need or want, like excess sugar and preservatives. Make this instead. You will be amazed at how creamy and delicious it is. Trust me! And wait till I share what it goes great with! Any guesses? Hmmmmm?

By the way, Red Robin has no idea who I am or what a giant pain in the ass I can be. I just love them. Just sayin.

Ranch Dressing

A delicious, healthy, easy to make ranch dressing or veggie dip. No dairy or added sugar. Only healthy, fresh ingredients your body will love.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup "light" olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper fresh cracked
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1 handful fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh dill

Instructions

Blend with an immersion blender in a wide mouth mason jar or large container. Start with your immersion blender at the bottom of the jar and work your way up to the top after you see it start to thicken. Add your herbs at the end and blend for about 15 seconds or your ranch will turn green. It'll still be tasty, just green.

Recipe Notes

If your ranch is too thin you can always add another egg. It may not have emulsified properly
Make sure you are using full fat coconut milk
3 Tablespoons of dried herbs can be used in place of fresh

This recipe was slightly modified from the amazing Nan and Nicole at Whole Sisters

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