From Whole30 co-founder Melissa Urban:
To say Mel Joulwan is one of my favorite humans ever is an understatement. Mel has been one of My People since before the Whole30 was even in existence, and in a way, she grew and shaped the program right there with us—offering her feedback, sharing her results and struggles, and giving her expert advice to her Well Fed community and ours. She, like, GETS IT, and her cookbooks (including the new Well Fed Weeknights, which I am so excited to cook from) reflect this exact philosophy. I hope you love this concept as much as I do.
Eating, yay! Cooking, not so much.
I have a confession to make that might seem strange coming from a cookbook author: Cooking is not my favorite thing… Eating is my favorite thing. Maybe you feel that way, too. But if you’re a Whole30-er, eating delicious, healthy things means you probably need to cook more often than you might like.
And while eating well is a big part of an awesome life, it’s not the only thing. There’s yoga class, chauffeuring your kids, making time for romance, and appeasing a demanding boss. There’s laundry and grocery shopping and meal planning and taxes and so many other mandatory to-dos.
In the midst of all of that, the addition of cooking a fresh, wholesome, from-scratch meal can be overwhelming—never mind that if you’re on the Food Freedom path (I like to think of it as the path of the righteous), that meal needs to be nutritious and flavorful, and something your potentially picky dining partners will actually eat (preferably without complaint).
You might be one of the fortunate: a leisurely cook who enjoys spending time in the kitchen. (Happy cooks, I salute you!) I am not. When I’m in Make Dinner mode, I’m a dervish. I go full speed with all the burners fired up and multiple timers ticking.
My focus is on the sizzle of fat in the skillet, the aroma of the spice clouds hovering above the stove. Now that I see it in type, it seems romantic, but it’s not. I’m no Nigella Lawson! My weeknight kitchen vibe is all about getting it done as quickly as possible.
That go-go approach, however, is in direct conflict with one of the most important concepts of the Whole30 program. The Whole30 and, ultimately, Food Freedom are built on the idea of making conscious decisions about what we eat, savoring our food, and eating mindfully so our souls are nourished while we feed our bodies.
Today I want to share the mantra that’s taken hold in our house:
Cook quickly, eat slowly.
I’ve been working on the “cook quickly” part for the past two years, developing recipes that are the kinds of things I like to eat: Luscious things. Gloppy things. Spicy things. Crispy things. All the delicious things!
That kitchen research led to my new cookbook Well Fed Weeknights: Complete Paleo Meals in 45 Minutes Or Less. All of the recipes make a complete meal—protein, veggies, and fats—sometimes in one pan (!) and 100 of the recipes are ready in half-an-hour or less.
The recipes are inspired by food trucks, secret restaurant menus, and crazy-good meals I’ve eaten on my travels. I live by the Whole30 guidelines, so the recipes are free of grains, dairy, legumes, and soy, with options for a little added sweetener once in a while if you’ve found your food freedom.
These new recipes minimize the time and stress that can sometimes go along with getting a healthy, luscious meal on the table. And bonus! They’re really fun to make and eat.
But as anyone who’s tackled the Whole30 knows, food is only part of the equation.
As much as I love food, I haven’t always been a good eater. For nearly 30 years, I don’t think I ever truly enjoyed my food. I was either on a deprivation diet, eating “punishment food” like salad with low-fat dressing, plain grilled chicken, and steamed broccoli with lemon juice.
Or I was enjoying the “eat whatever you want, deal with the consequences later” diet plan that came with a free side dish of self-recrimination and a dessert course of shame.
Thanks to Melissa’s friendship and the Whole30, I’ve learned to take pleasure in food like never before, while still making good choices about what makes it onto my plate. (I know Melissa calls that Food Freedom; I call it peace.)
Even if you’re new to the Whole30, you can start using mindfulness right now to enjoy your food more and begin to improve your digestive health.
In Food Freedom Forever, Melissa explains her love of Cadbury Créme Eggs… [content preserved as-is, split for readability]
Pause and reflect
It can be very tough to downshift from the doing task of making dinner to the eating phase of the meal, so a deliberate pause between plating your food and taking your first bite is a helpful way to change course.
I like to arrange my utensils and dish just so, let my gaze slowly rove over my food, and take a deep inhale-exhale to let the frenetic cooking energy dissipate.
Some people say a prayer or express gratitude for their meal, to themselves or aloud. Experiment to find the ritual that’s right for you.
That kind of mental break contributes to a physical state that will aid digestion and produce feelings of satisfaction.
Eat at the table
We have an awesome table in our kitchen, but I don’t always sit at the dining table to eat…
Say no to screens
Fact: We eat more when we’re distracted…
Use a plate, bowl, and utensils
I’ve already admitted that I often eat standing up…
Fork down, chew well
My parents were sticklers for good table manners when I was a kid…
Wait 20 minutes
This is an old-school dieter’s trick that is actually legit…
Enjoy your food
For about thirty years, I tortured myself with diets…
Melissa Joulwan is the author of the best-selling Well Fed cookbook series and the blog www.MelJoulwan.com…
