Did you ever think you’d see a giant chocolate chip cookie on the Whole30 website? This is not your typical Whole30 cookbook roundup!
The Whole30 has been life-changing for millions of people. Still, those 30+ days are just one small part of the bigger picture. The point of the Whole30 is to get you to lasting food freedom. In this phase, you know the foods that work best in your unique body, and you trust yourself to make the choices that feel best for you. For me, food freedom has been the sustainable, joyful, expansive way of eating that has served me for the last 6+ years.
You can easily adapt any Whole30 recipe for your food freedom. (Here are some Original Whole30 and Plant-Based Whole30 examples!) But in your food freedom, your recipe repertoire can also expand well beyond our Whole30 cookbooks! Today I’m sharing 6 of my favorite food freedom cookbooks. They all feature Whole30 (or easily adaptable) recipes, plus food freedom ingredients like corn, rice, dairy, and beans. You’re sure to find a new recipe (or ten!) that suits your Food Freedom plan!
Don’t Think About Dinner, by Jenn Leuke
I’d made at least a dozen of Jenn’s recipes before I even got the cookbook, and they’ve all been delicious. She perfectly balances fast and easy with hearty, tasty, and protein-packed, and my whole family loves her food. Don’t Think About Dinner is more than just a cookbook; it’s a whole meal planning system. She gives you substitutions, alterations, and pairings such that you really don’t have to think about dinner. Her recipes are often Whole30-friendly, but she also uses plenty of food freedom ingredients like quinoa, beans, cheese, tofu, tempeh, and bread. Most of her recipes can be made gluten-free or dairy-free, and she’s got a yummy beverage and sweet treat section in the back.
Order Don’t Think About Dinner and whip up the Hidden Veggie Spaghetti with Crispy Kale and Sausage on page 273 (we made it with rice pasta), or the Creamy Spinach Chicken on page 196.
Big Bites: Time To Eat, by Kathleen Ashmore
Kat’s recipes are as delicious as they are family-friendly. You’ll find lots of protein, veggies, and fruit, but also pasta, cheese, yogurt, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, and more. She’s famous for her Hungry Girl Salads, and the Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad with Grapes (page 105) is a stunner. Kat also makes some simple but decadent desserts, all of which are gluten-free. (The Spicy Zucchini Cupcakes are my favorite!) There are also 22 full menus in the back, from “Girl Dinner” to “When You Need Emotional Support” to “I Don’t Feel Like Cooking Tonight.” Kat gets it. She really, really gets it.)
Order Big Bites: Time To Eat and make the Italian Stuffed Cabbage Soup we’ve been living on (page 120). Also, the Melty Cheddar and Broccoli Rice Bake (page 168) is one heck of a comforting casserole.
Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good, by Arash Hashemi
We made our first Shred Happens recipe on Christmas Day 2024, and have been hooked on his Mediterranean-inspired dishes ever since. This cookbook has so much potential for any Food Freedom plan. For pasta, you might choose traditional wheat pasta, chickpea pasta, or rice pasta. Rice could be made with brown or Jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or Kaizen rice, made from lupini and fava beans. (It’s delicious, and packs 20 grams of protein per serving!) If you eat dairy, you’ll find lots of feta, parmesan, and yogurt. (And, of course, the cottage cheese found in so many high-protein recipes.)
Order Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good and try the high-protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta on page 168 (featuring cottage cheese), or the Pillowy Mediterranean Zucchini with Garlic Feta Sauce (page 37).
The Korean Vegan: Homemade, by Joanne Lee Molinaro
I’m a new follower of Joanne’s, but the second I realized she was a badass lawyer-turned-James Beard Award Winning-chef, I ran for her cookbooks. Homemade exceeded my expectations on every level. The photography is rich and moody, her storytelling brings the recipes to life, and the food… I never knew vegan dishes could be this comforting. She’s got so many flavor bombs (the Spicy Stuffed Cucumbers on page 179, the Firecracker Broccoli on page 273), and if, like me, you’re not vegan, you can sub some of her ingredients (like vegan cheese or cashew cream) for your own food freedom favorites.
Order The Korean Vegan: Homemade and head to p. 260 for the Baked Kimchi Cheese Fries… although the Tofu Katsu on page 334 is a close second.
Zoë Bakes Cookies, by Zoë François
In all of the other books I mention, you’ll find a good selection of Whole30-compatible recipes amongst my food freedom favorites. Not this one! Zoë Bakes Cookies is 100% food freedom, because, you know… cookies. (Plus brownies, bars, and more!) Still, I just bought my first KitchenAid stand mixer, and I could not wait to dive into Zoë’s cookies. Though she uses all-purpose flour (containing gluten) in her recipes, I’ve been able to successfully recreate two of her recipes using all-purpose gluten-free flour in a 1:1 ratio. If you tolerate gluten well, I’d recommend sticking to the recipe for that extra fluff and rise, but know you have options!
Order Zoë Bakes Cookies and immediately make the Smash Cookies on page 182 (I have made these using orange dark chocolate chunks), but my husband loves the Ultra-Peanut Butter Cookies on page 81 the best.
Cookbooks to fuel your Whole30 and beyond
I love exploring cookbooks that feature my favorite Whole30 proteins and veggies, and add a dash of cheese, rice, corn, beans, or peanuts in my food freedom. I’ll be sharing a sneak peek recipe from each of these cookbooks in the coming months, so stay tuned!
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