Growing up, I didn't really think much about the importance of what I ate. I was just reminiscing recently on how much I loved the $.59, $.79, $.99 menu at Taco Bell. I may have just aged myself, but anyone else with me?? 🙋🏻♀️ Freshman year in high school, it was an almost daily occurrence to get a $.99 Whopper at the Burger King across the street, or maybe two monster tacos from Jack in the Box. Bottom line is in those days, I was more interested in what I could get for a dollar than what it was made of or how much nutrition it was going to give me. In the neighborhood I grew up in, there were more important things to be focused on vs. the food we ate.
With that said, I never imagined I'd grow up to be the crunchy, hippy that has become really passionate about the importance of the food my family and I eat. But as I started to learn about cooking in my early 20s, it took me down a path to learn more about various ingredients, the quality of said ingredients, and where those ingredients are sourced from.
Over time, I have moved to a more Paleo or Whole30 based diet. In the simplest sense, that means I try to eat as many whole foods as I can like organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, and fish. Yes, that means I try to avoid processed foods like sugar, grains, legumes, and so on. But guess what, I'm also a mom of two boys under 3, so a Mama's gotta take shortcuts where she can.
In Whole30 language, they would call all of the options below SWYPO (Sex With Your Pants On). I swear I didn't make that up. Whole30 is all about breaking your emotional relationship with food and identifying what foods may be making you ill. So, if pasta is your go to comfort food, you may want to avoid these recommendations. If that's not you, cut yourself some slack and give these a shot.
Here are my top 5 grain-free and dairy-free staples:
This is hands down the BEST grain-free and gluten-free pasta option I have tried. If you didn't tell someone it wasn't "real" pasta, I honestly don't know that they'd be able to tell. I find this at my local Whole Foods in the freezer section. I have the Gnocchi in my freezer ready to try, so will update this post if it's just as good.
OK, so we're breaking the rules here. Edamame is not Whole30 or Paleo because it's soy, which is a no no. But after doing the Whole30 twice, I know my body doesn't have any trouble digesting soy and therefore this is a delicious alternative to a grain based pasta. One of the biggest deal breakers for me with most gluten-free pasta is it's missing that snappy, chewy deliciousness of perfectly al dente pasta. This option comes pretty darn close. My local Costco carries it in bulk, so check yours out! Did I mention it only takes 3-5 minutes to cook and it has 25g of protein per serving, which is perfect for a quick meal for hungry, picky kids? Create a quick and simple sauce with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, fresh minced herbs like basil, and salt and pepper. If you're not sensitive to dairy, grate some fresh parmesan over the top.
3. Miracle Noodles:
This is another option that is very popular and abides by Paleo and Whole30 guidelines if you're willing to turn a blind eye to the SWYPO rule. The consistency is a little less like pasta, but will still work as a great alternative to the glutenous options. Can also be found at Costco and doesn't even need to be heated depending on how you're preparing it. I tend to lean on these as alternatives in asian style meals, but you can also pair with a Paleo friendly pasta sauce like Rao's Marinara.
I'll be honest, they kind of freaked me out a bit at first and sat at the back of my fridge for weeks before I finally tried them. I think it was the fact they're packaged in liquid and sloshed around. But don't be weird like me, and try these. They're delicious!
4. Bitchin' Sauces:
I have tried a lot of nut-based cheeses and dips, and the Bitchin' line is far superior. My favorite flavors are Original and Bombay which is more of a curry base. The texture is much more like cheese spreads you may have had previously. I can plow through these with a bag of Terra Plantain chips in one sitting. I wish I was kidding, but it's happened twice. OK, maybe three (meh, four) times. I find these at my local Whole Foods in the refrigerated section with all the salad dressings next to produce.
Over the last year, my doctor told me to cut out dairy and caffeine. There went my happily wired Saturday mornings! While I still sneak in the occasional caffeinated cup of Joe, I have made the full switch to Better Half creamer. This isn't like the watery dairy-free alternatives. It truly leaves your coffee nice and smooth. If it's saying anything, my husband is a skeptic when it comes to most of my alternative food preferences, but he has also made the switch to this creamer. We buy it in bulk on Amazon.
Gah, I forgot about one more option I love, but I'm too lazy to change all the graphics I just made. So here's a freebie.
I've tried a number of paleo pancake recipes at home, but none compare to this super convenient option I can have sitting in my pantry at any moment. Another option my husband has converted to and he is the pancake prince! Slightly sweet from the coconut, but we still drizzle a little honey on it or throw some blueberries in.
So, there you have it! If you are planning to try eating Paleo or going to start a Whole30 and are not crazed about abiding by the perfect rules, then check these options out. As long as you don't have serious health and autoimmune issues, I'm a big fan of this phrase when eating Paleo and Whole30: try your best and wing the rest (should I trademark that?!?). Otherwise, you'll make yourself (and others) crazy.
