Whole30 France: Week 3 “Tiger Blood”

My Whole30-compliant (and Marie Kondo-approved) office

Tiger blood in Whole30 terms means you feel stronger, more energetic and generally amazing. It’s supposed to kick in around Day 16 and, for me, it did. My energy levels were such that I happily spent a weekend reorganizing my entire office and the kids’ rooms. I woke up in the mornings without having to laze about in bed for half an hour before finally crawling out of it. I had trouble falling asleep most nights until 1 am because I was too awake! I could have been exercising the extra energy away but I’m doing a controlled experiment to see how much Whole30 changes my body on its own. (If you believe that, I’ve got a border wall to sell you… Too soon?)

This was the week I turned into a walking testimonial. Maggie K. from Paris says, “It’s life-changing! I look and feel younger! Fitter, better, more productive.”

I’m energetic enough to try a brand-new recipe at 9:30 pm after a long day of work, errands and meetings. My clinical levels of procrastination have gone down considerably. I have the willpower to go to a party or restaurant and avoid wine, sweets and bread with almost zero difficulty. Plus, no PMS symptoms this month.

A negative? I’m way more aggro than usual. I’m not a passive person by any means, but patience and politesse have gone the way of carbs. Which means I’ve snapped at the kids and hubby more (oops) and instead of just thinking I want to say something, I say it. It’s helping my DGAF resolution, if not my social standing.

Avocado and bacon pasta

These are the recipes and gadgets that have helped me sail through the past three weeks:

Apple and cinnamon porridge. The whole family loves Susan Joy’s porridge. A tip: It is way more filling than you think so serve less and save the rest for the next day’s breakfast or snack.

Creamy avocado and bacon pasta. Luscious, creamy things are what I miss most about eating clean, but this has all of that, thanks to avocado and coconut milk. Plus, BACON.

Baked mustard lime chicken. Hadley shared this recipe with me and it’s amazing! Lose the chili powder if your kids don’t like spice. I went a little overboard and even though it was too hot for the kids, they ate most of it (in between gulps of water) because it was that good.

Turkish stuffed eggplant. I’m not a huge eggplant fan, but this recipe is so simple, filling and yummy that I’ve made it twice already.

Chicken coconut curry. This is the first time I’ve ever made (instead of ordered) curries. I don’t know what took me so long. They’re delicious over sweet potatoes or cauliflower rice and this version is kid-friendly because it’s not a bit spicy.

Spiralizer. This is the model I have and it’s not a necessity, but the kids and I love making zoodles (courgette noodles). I’m a pasta junkie, so zoodles have saved my life this month. I’ve used them in everything from Asian to Italian dishes.

Food Processor. I have a Magimix that was a Christmas present from my MIL years ago—and it’s so useful. For Whole30, I’ve mainly used it to make pesto and cauliflower rice. But if you cook at all, a food processor is a must. There are models for every budget.

Whizzer (aka milk frother). I use this everyday to froth my coconut oil and mushroom coffee together. And when I was still drinking cappuccinos, to make the milk foam. It’s great for hot cocoa, too. And it’s €3!

The Advice You Don’t Want To Hear: Meal prep is going to make your life so much easier. Having zoodles, chopped veggies and hardboiled eggs on hand at all times makes putting a meal together simple and fast. Of course, this means you actually have to do the prepping and chopping at some point. (Sundays and Mondays are good days.) For everyone in France, take advantage of Picard’s pre-chopped garlic, onions, ginger and herbs.

Pasta Image by Anya’s Eats

One week to go! You can read about Week 1 and Week 2 and don’t forget to join our FB support group.