CHOMPS Whole30 Dinner

This week we invited some of our Whole30 coaches and friends to join us for a CHOMPS Whole30 cooking event at The Chopping Block in Chicago. We had so much fun learning valuable kitchen skills and cooking for one another, and the end result was absolutely phenomenal. We wanted to share the delicious Whole30 compliant recipes with you, too!

The Menu

Appetizers

Main Dish

Dessert

Appetizers

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

Yield: 6-8 servings

Active time: 20 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour, 20 minutes (includes chilling time)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1/2 lime, zested
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Toss the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste, and lightly coat with grapeseed oil.
3. Grill the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the shrimp are just cooked through.
4. Transfer the shrimp to a sheet tray, and allow to cool in the refrigerator.
5. When ready to serve, transfer the grilled shrimp to a bowl and toss with the lemon and lime zest and olive oil.
6. Serve on a platter with Chimichurri Sauce (recipe follows).

Chimichurri

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot, peeled and halved
• 1 cup packed, fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Set up a food processor, and with the motor running, drop the garlic and shallot though the feed tube to mince.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, and puree until smooth.
3. Serve with grilled meat and/or vegetables.

Vegetable Crudite with Baba Ganoush

2 pounds of vegetables, including 4 or more of the following:

• Carrots, peeled, cut in sticks
• Celery, cleaned, cut in sticks
• Red or green bell pepper, cleaned, cut in sticks
• Jicama, peeled, cut in sticks
• English cucumbers, cut in sticks
• Broccoli florets, blanched
• Pea pods, blanched
• Cherry or grape tomatoes

Baba Ganoush

Yield: 2 cups

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-size eggplant
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dried sumac powder, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Cut the eggplant in half, and place cut side down on a parchment-lined sheet tray.
3. Roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool, and then scoop out the flesh and set it in a bowl.
4. Mince garlic by dropping the cloves into a food processor while the motor is running.
5. Add the roasted eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, smoky paprika, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Process until well blended.
6. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with additional olive oil, and sprinkle with sumac

Spicy Tuna on Cucumber

Yield: ~2 cups / 20 portions

Ingredients:

• 1 pound tuna scrapings or diced tuna pieces
• 1 tablespoon siracha
• 2 teaspoons sambal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon scallions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• Sliced cucumber

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Top sliced cucumbers with a dollop of spicy tuna.

Main Course

Coconut-Curry Cauliflower Soup

Yield: 6-8 servings

Active time: 35 minutes

Start to finish: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium-size onion, medium dice
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
• 2 stalks celery, medium dice
• 2 tablespoons ginger, freshly grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste (Whole30 compliant)
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 large head cauliflower, including the stems, roughly chopped
• 5 to 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• One 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• Lime juice to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Gently sauté the onions, carrots and celery until caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the turmeric, cayenne and curry paste, and cook an additional minute to release the flavors.
4. Deglaze the pan with the lime juice, scraping free the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the cauliflower, stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.
6. Using a blender or an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and silky.
1. Tip: if using a blender, puree the soup in batches.
7. Season the soup with lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish with cilantro.

Spinach Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Whole-Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 25 minutes

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Whole-Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves roasted garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1/4-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, rough chopped Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons with white vinegar
• 4 eggs
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted

Instructions:

1. Prepare poaching liquid: Fill a large, heavy, shallow pan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to drop the water to poaching temperature (barely simmering-almost no movement but steam rising). Add the white vinegar to the water.
2. Poach the eggs: Crack each egg into a small bowl and gently slide the egg into the poaching water. Cook until egg whites turn white and yolks just begin to cook, 4 to 6 minutes. Yolks should still be soft.
3. While the eggs poach, toss the spinach and sunflower seeds in a large salad bowl. Add just enough of the vinaigrette to coat and toss thoroughly. Portion the salad onto individual plates or bowls.
4. Remove the eggs with a perforated spoon to drain excess water. Top each salad with a poached egg, and finish with a grinding of fresh pepper.

Sautéed Salmon with Kale-Walnut Pesto

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 15 minutes

Start to finish: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 small bunch kale, tough ribs removed
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• Four 4- to 5-ounce salmon fillets, skinned and boned
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. With the food processor is running, drop in the clove of garlic and process until finely minced.
2. Add the basil, kale and walnuts. Process until the ingredients are finely chopped.
3. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil, and process until you have a mostly smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Preheat the oven to 375º and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
5. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil.
6. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Sear the salmon in the hot pan, presentation side down, until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Flip and continue to cook the salmon on the second side for 1 additional minute.
9. Transfer the seared salmon to the prepared sheet tray and spread about 2 teaspoons of the pesto on the top of each fillet.
10. Bake the salmon until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
11. Serve the salmon with any remaining pesto, Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Garlic-Chili Broccoli (recipes follow).

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Yield: 4 servings

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil Herbs d Provence
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, very thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º, and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Brush the cut sides of the squash with the oil, and season with the herbs d Provence salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the squash, cut side down, on the prepared sheet tray and roast until knife tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Allow the squash to cool for 10 minutes, and then using a fork, scrape the roasted squash from the skin into a bowl.
5. Toss the squash with the butter and chives, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Garlic-Chili Broccoli

Yield: 4 servings as a side

Active time: 20 minutes

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 bunches broccoli

1 to 2 tablespoons garlic grapeseed oil

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Cut your broccoli into florets and then into halves and/or quarters leaving a couple inches of stem attached to each piece.
3. Place the cut broccoli in a bowl and toss with the garlic oil, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Spread out on a sheet tray.
4. Roast the broccoli until crisp yet tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer to a platter, and drizzle with fresh lemon juice to taste.

Dessert

3-Ingredient Brownies

Yield: 8 servings

Active time: 20 minutes

Start to finish: about 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• ½ cup creamy salted almond butter
• 2 tablespoons 100% cocoa powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 7 x 11-inch pan.
2. Mash bananas with almond butter until smooth.
3. Add in the cocoa powder and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour batter into the pan, and bake* for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

*Instead of baking, this recipe could also be put into the freezer to make a fudge-like consistency

Recipes courtesy of The Chopping Block