This Whole30 compliant side dish is equal parts healthy and creamy!! This cauli-potato mash has been a lifesaver for meal prep and family dinner while John and I complete a Whole30. (We’re currently 19 days in and still holding strong!) This Whole30 Cauli-Potato Mash pairs well with almost anything you’d make for dinner! It preps well to eat all week and pairs expertly with my Secret Ingredient Swedish Meatballs as pictured above! If you haven’t made them yet, go try them out!
Now, I’m sure you cauliflower haters are thinking this sounds disgusting, but you honestly can’t taste the difference! You can ask my husband – he has picky eating tendencies and enjoyed these SO much. He loved that he was sneaking in a veggie that he doesn’t normally eat on its own too!
Great for meal prep. Great for picky eaters. Just easy, healthy, and delicious. Go. Try. It.
Ingredients:
4 white potatoes peeled
1 bag (16 oz) frozen cauliflower
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp coconut cream (you can use the hard top of a can of full fat coconut milk) – can also sub Nutpods!
3-4 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
In a pot, boil water with peeled and cubed potatoes – you want a lot of extra water above the potatoes since you’ll add the cauliflower later! Boil for 10-12 minutes or until nearly fork-tender.
Add frozen cauliflower and allow to boil for 5-7 more minutes until cauliflower is boiled through and potatoes are fully fork-tender.
While cauliflower and potatoes are boiling, roast the two garlic cloves in a skillet. I like to use a cast-iron skillet and allow the sides to brown. This will bring out a sweet flavor profile and really add a delicious garlicky twist to the cauli-potato mash.
Drain potatoes and cauliflower.
Using an immersion blender or mixer, mix all remaining ingredients into the cauliflower and potato mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue to mix/blend until the mash is as smooth as you like!
Serve next to your favorite meal for some extra hidden veggies!
Be sure to let me know how you like this recipe! If you enjoy it, share the love with your friends and family on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #biteswithbeth — and tell all of your friends! They need this recipe in their lives too!
John and I decided in late December to complete a January Whole30. We’re on day 11 and going strong! One thing that I’m loving about Whole30 so far is how creative it has pushed me to be in the kitchen.
If you follow me on Instagram (@bethannsbites – go follow if you don’t already!), you saw the Swedish meatballs I prepped for week one. I was so excited to share this recipe with you that I even shared a glamour shot preview!
These Swedish Meatballs are your meal prep dream. The real deal plus a special ingredient that makes them my own. They freeze well and reheat well for meal preps or leftovers.
I bet you’re wondering by now what the secret ingredient is, it’s sage. Swedish Meatballs are typically seasoned with allspice and nutmeg but I’ve added sage for two reasons: 1. I love a sage sausage. 2. my parents always get their pork processed with the same butcher and have for my entire life and he puts a heavenly amount of sage in every batch, so it’s partially nostalgia.
Regardless, I PROMISE you won’t regret giving this recipe a try whether you’re on your own Whole30 journey, Gluten Free, or just looking for a decently healthy meal for the family!
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1 lb plain ground pork (I got an 80/20 ratio)
1 lb ground beef (I got a 93/7 ratio)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp sage
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
For the gravy
1/4 cup clarified butter or ghee
3 tbsp arrowroot starch
2 cups beef broth or beef bone broth (if you’re on Whole30 check for sulfites and sugar!)
3 tbsp coconut cream (can sub nutpods or compliant milk if on Whole30)
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure
In a skillet, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat until they become almost clear.
In a large mixing bowl add sautéed onions to ground beef, ground pork, almond flour, eggs and seasonings. Mix well and form into 1-2 inch meatballs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes on a baking sheet – I sprayed mine with avocado oil.
While meatballs are baking, heat ghee, beef broth, and coconut cream in a saucepan over medium heat.
Take about a 1/2 cup of broth and place in a small bowl. Whisk arrowroot starch in. It will turn white-ish in color and be thin at first.
Add the arrowroot slurry to the beef broth that is still on the stove. Continue to whisk the gravy until it thickens.
When you noticed it has thickened, remove from heat or place on very low heat setting and avoid much stirring. Arrowroot gravy can come apart from overheating or over-stirring.
Serve with a great mashed potato and a veggie side for a balanced meal.
Be sure to give this recipe a try! If you like it, share on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #biteswithbeth — and tell all of your friends! They need this recipe in their life too! These Whole30 approved Swedish Meatballs will change your life!
I decided in late December after finally having the chance to read The Whole30: 30-Day Guide to Total health and food freedom, to do my first Whole30 in January of 2020. After I mulled over grocery lists, made sad attempts at meal plans, and made several off-hand comments about how difficult this was going to be (I know, I know, “This is NOT hard…”), John decided Whole30 would be a great idea for him as well. I’m very persuasive, obviously.
If you’re currently planning and prepping for your first Whole30, you may be in the “sticker shock” stage that I found myself just a couple weeks ago. Whole30 is a temporary shift in your diet to eliminate problematic things that may be causing food sensitivities and allergies or otherwise not making you feel your best. Unfortunately, many of those things that may not be making us feel our very best are in like, EVERY-thing. This can make buying higher quality alternatives to your normal grocery items seem very expensive.
Not to fear, you don’t need to shop exclusively at trendy health-food stores to get the supplies you’ll need to sustain yourself for the next 30 days, Aldi has our backs.
1.Produce
Aldi has an array of affordable produce. This is especially helpful if you’re attempting a Whole30 in a state with colder weather in the middle of the winter. Although I live in Texas with year-round affordable produce (woohoo!), I remember my days as a broke college student who could only afford the Aldi produce section during the winter months. Aldi often has “club packs” of avocados like you’d find at Sam’s Club for $2-3 less than Sam’s. They carry lots of seasonal fruits and veggies often with organic varieties as well.
2. Nuts
There were a variety of nuts available at Aldi – the thing you want to pay attention to is whether they are dry roasted or if they may contain oils or preservatives that are not Whole30 approved.
I found two versions of pistachios: Roasted with Shells and Shelled. In the true spirit of Whole30, although the shelled option appears convenient, it can turn into a situation where you consume many more Pistachios due to the extreme convenience. Before you know it, you’ve eaten the entire bag of pre-shelled pistachios.
3. Salsa
I found 4 or 5 Casa Mamita varieties of salsa that contained no sugar, sulfites, cornstarch, etc. They carried both a more Artisanal-feeling Organic variety as well as a variety that is not organic and seems comparable to Tostitos Salsa.
4. Hot Sauce
I found this Valentina hot sauce for just over a DOLLAR for the biggest bottle they make! Hot sauce is a great way to add some variety to your recipes later in the month when your routine may feel monotonous.
5. Kombucha
I found this GT’s Kombucha, which is Whole30 approved, for about 50 cents cheaper than I’ve found it in other stores! They have many more varieties of Kombucha but GT’s was the only variety I found at Aldi that had no added sugar and was appropriate for Whole30.
6. Barbacoa and Carnitas – convenience proteins!!
One of the daunting aspects of Whole30 is that it is so much prep from scratch. This can add hours to your kitchen prep time. I was pleasantly surprised to find this compliant Barbacoa and Carnitas that are a good convenience protein to be reheated when you’re low on time.
7. Fresh Meats
I found compliant ground beef, pork chops, stew meat, and various other cuts of beef and pork. Read labels carefully in the meat section! It seems to be of a pretty good quality, especially for the price point. I did note, however, that none of the chicken I saw was compliant as it had preservatives in it that are not Whole30 approved.
8. Bone Broth
Bone broth can extremely expensive and I’ve found many varieties in other stores that have added sugars or unapproved starches. I was pleasantly surprised to find Chicken or Beef Broth for only $2.99. If you find yourself without 6-12 hours to make your own bone broth (hahaha), this is an excellent Whole30 compliant option.
9. Chicken Sausage
I found this Never Any Country Style Chicken breakfast sausage that is Whole30 Compliant! This might make a quick addition to your breakfast before work. Pair it with fruit and potatoes or another vegetable for a balanced breakfast.
10. Olives and Peppers
The Tuscan Garden variety of black olives and Banana Pepper Rings as well as the Specially Selected Kalamata olives are Whole30 compliant. The banana pepper rings are a great find – I looked at the name brand in HEB and it contained noncompliant preservatives plus it was more than a dollar more expensive!
11. Tomato Paste and Sauce
Happy Harvest Tomato Paste and Tomato Sauce are both Whole30 compliant and at an extremely reasonable price point. Watch canned varieties of tomatoes (diced, stewed) carefully, though – I found several that were not compliant!
12. Healthy Fats and Oils
If for nothing else, go to Aldi to stock your pantry with affordable healthy fat sources! I found this Carlini light olive oil (perfect for the Mayo mentioned in the Whole30 book!) as well as several darker varieties of Olive Oil. All of the Olive Oils I looked at in my Aldi were Whole30 approved since they contained only pure olive oil! This Carlini Ghee was an awesome find at only $6.99! There were also several other Whole30 approved fat sources in this section such as coconut oil, coconut manna, and avocado oil. There were several organic versions available as well!
13. Canned Fruits
I was able to find many varieties of canned fruits packed in 100% juice with no added sugar and Whole30 compliant. I also found many varieties of canned fruit packed in syrup so read your labels in this section!!
14. Fun toppings
I found these compliant Marinated Mushrooms and Jalapeno Guacamole that could be fun to add to a meal you have on repeat. These juicy little flavor bombs will add a fun kick to even your most boring meal and they’ll keep you on your Whole30 meal plan!
15. Fruit Juices
I found a great variety of 100% juices at Aldi including pomegranate, black cherry, cranberry, and prune. All of the ones mentioned were Whole30 compliant and can be used to flavor sauces or aide in seasoning meats. To maintain the true spirit of Whole30 they should not be consumed on their own!
16. Frozen Veggies
I found many 16 oz frozen vegetable options for only 99 cents! This is a great way to get your servings of vegetables in on Whole30 without breaking the bank!
This is by no means a conclusive list of Whole30 compliant options that can be found at Aldi! I’m sure there are many other great Whole30 compliant options at your local Aldi store. The key takeaway and one of the many great lessons of Whole30 here, is to read your labels and know what it is you’re looking for or looking to avoid. Aldi also has different varieties regionally so I’d encourage you to go explore your local store today to score some health-conscious deals!
I hope this list was helpful to you! If you’d like to see more posts like this, please leave a comment to let me know!
I’m a “New Year” kinda gal. Ever since I could remember and understand New Year’s Resolutions, I loved to set them. I distinctly remember sitting on my bedroom floor in middle school, spiral bound journal in hand – it was either late December or early January – setting a laundry list of goals I was absolutely going to crush that year. It was 400% going to be MY year. Although I’ve gotten smarter and much more intentional about my goal-setting over the years, in my heart I remain a New Year’s kinda gal.
I love the idea of a fresh, clean slate on life. Self improvement, learning, growing and changing are my jam! It comes from the part of me that is the eternal optimist and also, in part, the Catholic girl who studied saints and consequently struggled with perfectionism for decades to come.
The past couple years I’ve started choosing a word of the year as well. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, basically you choose a word that will propel you forward in the coming year. The idea is to choose a word that inspires you and gives you strength and hope for the year ahead.
2019 has been filled with an abundance of good memories but as with anyone’s year, I had trying times as well. One of the more trying times of the year was the loss of my very dear Uncle Dave. In November, he lost his battle with terminal cancer, just barely under a year after he was diagnosed.
As I reflected on my Uncle’s life and the legacy that he left behind him, somehow he left me a few lessons posthumously.
Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how to made them feel.”
Dave’s legacy was the way he made people feel. He made people feel seen, heard, respected, and important. His smile was infectious largely because of it.
As I looked at pictures that spanned a too-short lifetime with my cousins, my sister, and husband by my side, we laughed and reminisced. It occurred to me that I could no longer live small. I want to have the kind of impact on the world that my Uncle had.
Too many times in my life, I have questioned if my care was placed correctly. I’ve wondered if I was weird for caring or bringing a casserole or checking in. My voice has stayed quiet when I wanted to express my concerns, my appreciation, my admiration. I have lived in fear of the opinions of others even when my intent was the best at its very core.
That’s why my word of the year in 2020 is radical.
rad·i·cal adj.
:very different from the usual or traditional, EXTREME;
:of or relating to the origin, FUNDAMENTAL;
:favoring extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions
In the coming year I want to:
LOVE the Lord and others radically, without fear of judgement or rejection;
Love MYSELF radically, without demeaning or wavering;
FORGIVE radically, keeping in mind the intent and not just the outcome;
Push myself radically towards my goals;
TEACH radically, in a way that makes my heart sing;
SPEAK radically with words of encouragement, appreciation, and admiration;
Be radically HONEST with myself and others, even when I am made to feel small or harsh;
Set healthy boundaries for myself and my family radically, in a way I never have before;
Practice radical self care;
Be radically myself without making myself quieter, smaller, or assimilating to the group;
Live radically in a state of constant change and betterment.
Bites With Beth 