Recipes, NutritionErika NishizatoFood, Wellness

My Version of the #Whole30

Recipes, NutritionErika NishizatoFood, Wellness
My Version of the #Whole30

Recipe

Whole30 Roasted Kabocha Squash & Bibb Lettuce Salad

Servings: Varied
Prep Time: 25 Minutes

March 3, 2017  •  By Seamus Mullen

While preparing for spring and the cycling season, I decided I wanted to get as fit, lean and clean as possible. For that reason I’m doing my own version of the Whole30, the 30-day re-boot that follows some simple guidelines. In broad strokes, it means cutting out alcohol, dairy, grains, sugars and most legumes for 30 days. This is not a radical shift from how I normally eat, but since starting a week ago I’ve noticed all the little places sugar creeps into my diet. And even though it’s only been a few days, I already feel a tremendous difference—I feel trimmer and I have more energy!

Since this sort of thing can be quite daunting and might seem like it means zero pleasure or joy in terms of food, I thought I'd share my approach to this program.
 

BRIGHT SPICE & PUNCHY ACID

I found one of the most important ways to overcome the potential boredom with the Whole30 plan is to cook with bright spices and dynamic flavors. My work-from-home lunch today was super simple, took less than 30 minutes to make and was incredibly satisfying. I have to say, this Whole30 thing is really not such a bad idea to do from time to time. With a little creativity you just might find you’re not really missing anything!

Here’s what I made:

roasted kabocha squash
  • Roasted kabocha squash with coconut oil, harissa and sea salt
  • Bibb lettuce salad with shaved cucumber, radish, cabbage and kumquats, topped with toasted pepitas and yuzu-olive oil vinaigrette

TIP: Make eating plenty of veggies easy and quick with a mandoline and spiralizer. These essential tools make it easy to get plenty of vegetables into your belly!

Ingredients

Squash

  • 1 Kabocha Squash

  • Coconut oil

  • Harissa

  • Sea salt

Salad

  • Bibb Lettuce

  • Cucumber

  • Radishes

  • Cabbage

  • Kumquats

  • Toasted pepitas

  • Yuzu

  • Olive Oil 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Cut kabocha squash into 1/2-inch thick half-moons and tossed with coconut oil, harissa and sea salt. Roast in oven for 20 minutes.
  3. While the squash is roasting, use a mandoline to thinly slice cucumber, radishes, cabbage and kumquats—which add a floral, citrusy punch! Toss with bibb lettuce, yuzu and olive oil and top with toasted pepitas.

NOTE: You may wonder why ingredient quantities are left open-ended. While it's easy to get hung up on the details, I think of recipes as a guideline around an idea, rather than a fixed set of directions. So enjoy the process of experimentation by bringing your own preferences and pantries to the mix!