100 Plant Based Whole30 Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Whole30 and Whole30 plant-based? ›

How is the Plant-Based Whole30 different from the Original Whole30? Both programs eliminate added sugar, alcohol, grains, and dairy. The Original Whole30 uses animal protein (meat, seafood, and eggs) to ensure adequate protein needs, while also eliminating legumes (soy, beans, lentils, and peanuts).

Whole30 bans legumes like chickpeas. Still, you can whip up a tasty chickpea-free hummus using avocados, cooked cauliflower, and a few other healthy ingredients. Try out this avocado hummus recipe and pair it with bell peppers or any other crunchy, non-starchy vegetable of your choice.

Is soy allowed on Whole30? Soy is not allowed on the regular Whole30, but minimally processed forms of soy are allowed on the Plant-Based Whole30 – like tofu, tempeh, natto, and miso. Soy sauce and tamari are not allowed.

The Whole30 plan clearly says “do not eat legumes,” but the truth is that most of us don't know what legumes are. Whole30 clarifies that the plan does not allow “beans of all kinds (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.), peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts. No peanut butter, either.

Why are grains non-compliant? The Whole30 identifies grains as a food group that increases gut permeability, or the likelihood that undesirable substances will cross through the gut and into the rest of the body, potentially causing chronic inflammation. This includes both processed and whole grains.

Just One Bite

Here's the rule in a nutshell: If you think your less healthy treat is going to be so delicious, so incredible, so worth it, and then you take your first bite and discover it's not… STOP EATING.

IS POPCORN WHOLE30? No — popcorn is made from a whole grain (dried corn AKA popcorn kernels), and grains are eliminated on the Whole30 diet.

You're welcome. You can drink it black; add unsweetened compatible nutpods, coconut milk, or almond milk; blend in Bub's MCT oil; or add cinnamon or vanilla beans to the brew. Remember, Whole30 guidelines exclude milk, cream, non-compatible milk substitutes, and any form of added sweeteners.

Ghee, a type of clarified butter that has roots in South Asian cooking, is also Whole30-approved for the same reason. The difference between ghee and clarified butter basically comes down to cooking time, and the longer cooking time of ghee causes this type of clarified butter to have a sweeter taste.

Can I eat Chick Fil A fries on Whole30? ›

Potatoes of all varieties are in, but fries and chips are not. (This should not be a surprise. Fries and chips are about as Whole30 as Paleo Pop-Tarts.)

Although traditional, dairy-derived cheese is a no-go during a Whole30, there's a world of dairy-free cheesy elements that's compatible. These include: Almond-based “ricotta” or “cream cheeses,” like select varieties from Kite Hill.

What about bananas? Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

Most (but not all) varieties of Larabars or similar fruit-and-nut bars are acceptable during your Whole30. Just read your labels, as some flavors contain peanut butter, buckwheat flour, or added sugar, which are not compatible with your Whole30.

Canned olives are mentioned throughout the official Whole30 site as being a great natural fat to eat while on Whole30. Additionally, the Whole30 program states, "Do not consume carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites.

A vegan diet can include highly processed imitation meats and cheeses; a WFPB diet eschews these products in favor of whole or minimally processed, close-to-nature foods that make it easy to meet your nutritional needs.

On Whole30, you can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, tree nuts and seeds, and healthy fats. However, you must avoid sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol, and processed food additives. Although it would be difficult and very restrictive to maintain long term, the Whole30 is designed to be done only for 30 days.

While it may seem ambitious, Rossi recommends aiming for 30 different plants a week from the super six: whole grains (think: quinoa, rolled oats, and sourdough bread), nuts and seeds (walnuts, pistachios, and pecans), vegetables, fruits, legumes (think: beans), and herbs and spices (cumin, cinnamon, and paprika).

You can make your Whole30 a low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb approach, and you'll probably lose weight. But you'll screw up your hunger, cravings, hormones, and willpower AND slow your metabolism.