Whole30 Beef, Butternut Squash and Kale Soup

For years now I’ve been all about the 80% clean eating nutrition plan and 20% allow for treats. But recently I’ve been intrigued by other nutrition plans that follow the clean eating lifestyle but are slightly more strict with foods that are allowed. If a plan follows my general belief’s in how I think one should fuel their body, then I’m game for giving it a try. So don’t be asking me to try out a plan that requires me to eat a processed granola bar for a meal replacement. No Thank You! I enjoy eating REAL whole foods for my meals and my body reacts to real whole foods positively.

Which brings me to why I was intrigued about the Whole30 nutrition plan when I heard about it. I won’t get deep into what the whole30 is, but basically it’s a short-term nutritional reset, to help put an end to unhealthy habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heals your digestive tract and balances your immune system. The belief is that certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) might have a negative impact on ones health and fitness. To learn more you can visit their site here (whole30.com). My intentions are to see how my body reacts and feels on this plan. The goal is to reset my body after the holiday treats and to see if my performance improves during my workouts. Weight loss is not a goal of mine so monitoring my calories will be something that I focus on too.

I personally do not eat a lot of dairy or sugar. But I did eat plenty of grains and legumes (hello, PEANUT BUTTER LOVER!) So I did not have a lot of food items that I needed to eliminate from my current eating habits which is why I didn’t feel like it would be a HUGE step for me to give this a try.

I’m on day 2 and I feel like a million bucks. But I will give you a report at the end of week 2 and week 4 and let you know how I really feel about the plan. So far I’m enjoying the energy, focus and clear mind that I’ve been experiencing… oh and the flatter abs have been nice too. 😉

If you are thinking about giving this plan a try. I have one tip for you. Research delicious recipes that are whole30 approved! Otherwise I can see how one could get sick of this plan after day 3 if they’re just eating chicken and broccoli for every meal. Plus if that’s all you’re eating you’re 1. doing the plan wrong and 2. really missing out on all of the other nutrients in all of the amazing whole foods out there to try. So get creative!

Last night I made this delicious whole30 approved soup that was too good not to share! I made it my own (like I do for most recipes based on how Kenny and I like our foods). Kenny told me that I could make it again, so it must be a winner! Plus it’s the perfect comfort food for a cold bitter evening!

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 2lb Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed

• 3 – 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2lb lean beef chuck (chunks or ground; Hubby brought home ground so that’s what I used!)

• 32oz Organic Vegetable Broth (no additive or sugar)

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tsp. dried thyme

• 1 tsp. dried rosemary

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (omit if you don’t like spicy soup, you can always add it later to your own bowl if you decide you want it.)

• 2 cups of kale (cut into bite size pieces)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the squash; peel the skin off, remove the seeds from the center and dice into cube sized pieces.

2. Dice up the onion and the beef if it’s not already prepped to be cooked.

3. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a big soup pot, add the onion and saute for a couple minutes, then add the beef and cook it until it’s brown.

4. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, sea salt and peppers. Bring to a simmer.

5. Add the butternut squash and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.

6. Once all the ingredients are cooked through, remove the pot from the heat and add 2 cups of kale. Mix it around until it gets mixed into the soup. (note: do not cook the kale with the rest of the ingredients, it will cook out all of the good nutrients!)

ENJOY! If you try this recipe make sure to take a picture, upload it to Instagram and tag me (@curlysfitness) in it!

#Lunch #Whole30