Whole30 compliant coffee "creamers" and "milks"

I've mentioned before that discovering cashew milk at someone's recommendation after my first Whole30 was a game changer for me in my coffee drinking on future Whole30s.  Before that, I was drinking my iced Americanos black with a sprinkling of cinnamon or with a splash of Nut Pods.  See, almond milk is not my thing, and neither is coconut milk.

However, I really enjoyed Nut Pods -- which I discovered on my first Whole30 (back in January 2017!) -- which are made from coconuts and almonds.  Go figure!  My first Whole30 I went with hazelnut (one of my all time favorite coffee flavors), and since then I've tried the plain and the French vanilla.  The hazelnut is hands down my favorite of the three!  Since then, they've come out with a seasonal flavors: pumpkin spice and peppermint.  And now they have limited edition flavors: chocolate, caramel (now a staple flavor and no longer limited edition), and cinnamon swirl (also available as a 3-pack with one of each flavor).

Nut pods to me are like a creamer -- not a milk -- and therefore I use it sparingly both in volume and frequency.  But they're a great option for me when I want something a little more creamy and indulgent, but am on Whole30.  I have yet to try the limited edition flavors, but they're hanging out on the counter right next to my Nespresso machine, waiting for their moment to shine!

And if you're looking for an acceptable Whole30-complaint milk alternative, besides the MALK unsweetened cashew milk that I swear by and the New Barn unsweetened almond milk that I mentioned in the same post, I've been digging Trader Joe's Unsweetened Cashew Almond Macadamia Nut Beverage in my coffee.  I've also used it in the occasional smoothie when I want a creamy texture.

When it comes to coffee, are you a "milk" or "creamer" person?  Or, do you drink it black?  While I can drink black espresso, I cannot stand black coffee!

Snickerdoodle cashew coffee

I love coffee.  Like love, love, love it!  I'm not "addicted," I don't crave it, but I really like it.  I can go days without it, and while I'll be yawning in my patient's faces throughout the afternoon, I don't get headaches, and even recently switched to half-caf Americanos without any ill effects.  But I do LOVE the taste.  So yummy!

So when I came across this recipe for Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee, I decided I had to try it.  I already put cinnamon and cashew milk in my coffee, so I figured it wasn't a huge change from my normal drink, but something told me I had to try it.  And since I'm not a pumpkin spice latte girl (I know, I know, what is wrong with me?!), I figured this might be a nice seasonal drink for me to try.  It did NOT disappoint!

And...I had all the ingredients on hand (I used salted cashew butter since that is what I had.  Shhh!).  I literally made this 10 minutes after I found the recipe!  I did doctor it up a little, though - no collagen peptides and skipped the cardamom, since it's not a spice that I particularly like.  I'm also pretty sure you could make this "pumpkin spice"-ified by adding pumpkin pie spice or subbing it for the cinnamon.  I'll leave that to you PSL girls (and guys) out there!

Snickerdoodle Cashew Coffee
Adapted from the Real Food Dietitians (click the link for the original recipe)
Serves 2, or one super huge caffeine fiend

Ingredients:

24 oz strongly brewed coffee (I made mine half-caf)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened, unsalted creamy cashew butter (I used salted).  Mine needed a little more for desired creaminess.
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or more to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender (I used my immersion blender) and blend on high speed until frothy.
Pour into mugs and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Key lime larabar (balls)

Larabars are one of my emergency snack staples.  I eat them rarely, but I always feel better knowing there's one in my purse/work bag/gym bag in case I'm hungry and can't get anything Whole30 at the time.  So a while ago I had seen a recipe for Cherry Pie Larabars, and I bought the ingredients.  Which just sat there and then were eaten individually.  Then, a friend recommended homemade (key) lime Larabars.  And I randomly had all the ingredients on hand at that exact moment, and went off to make them.  I ended up making them in balls instead of bars because I thought they’d be more likely to hold their shape that way.

These are easy and delicious!  So delicious, in fact, that when we had our Whole30 info session for our October group Whole30, I made them again!  This time around, I made them even smaller.  They were so well received and everyone wanted the recipe!

Homemade Lime Lara-balls
Recipe from The Real Food RDs

Ingredients:

10 Medjool dates, pitted (or 20 pitted Deglet dates)
3/4 cup raw whole almonds
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Zest of 2 limes, plus more for sprinkling on top if you choose
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt (I always forget this when I make them!)

Directions:

Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor.

Process the mixture until it is crumbly yet still holds together well when pinched between your fingers.
If the mixture is too dry, add another date or a splash of water, and process again.
If the mixture is too wet, add a few more nuts and process again until crumbly.

Press mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and form a 9x9 inch square -- OR -- roll them into balls (I use a scoop); the number will vary depending on how big you make them.
If you choose, sprinkle some lime zest on the bars or balls.
Place in the fridge to chill, if they seem sticky.

If making bars, cut the block into 12 bars.
Wrap in parchment paper and store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Some of my favorite Whole30 finds (Part 2)

I love Whole30 because I spend my time and energy preparing and eating whole, delicious foods without fillers.  I also find myself cooking even more than I usually do because that way I know what’s going in my food.  But sometimes I feel the need to simplify my life a little, and purchase something that’s been made by someone else.  

Cashew Butter.

I bought it years ago, before Whole30, and was decidedly unimpressed.  It had no taste or flavor.  It was $8.99 down the drain (thanks, Whole Foods!).  But then at work recently, someone had salted cashew butter.  I thought I'd hate it, but figured it was worth a try since it was a nice Whole30 compliant nut butter (the ingredients are cashews and salt).  Frankly, my mind was blown!

Dang Lightly Salted Coconut Chips (Unsweetened).

I bought these while on my first Whole30, and frankly I'm not sure why I haven't bought them since.  They're crispy, slightly salty, and have a little natural sweetness from the coconut.  No sugar added.  Just salt and coconut.  I'll be honest with you, I eat these straight from the bag.  They'd also be good as a topper for smoothies, salads, or soups!

Rind Snacks.

I mentioned these in a recent post, but figured I'd mention them again here.  I bought these online on a whim to try.  Something about dried kiwi sounded interesting.  I was a little perturbed by the rind on some of the dried fruits (kiwis, oranges, pineapples) but not the others (apples, persimmon, peaches).  I have to say that (although I've only tried 2 of the three varieties), the kiwis were surprisingly my favorite.  I love the tanginess of the kiwi with the crunch of the seeds.  I can't explain it entirely.  But I do recommend these.  They come in three varieties: kiwi, orchard (peach, persimmon, apple), and tropical (kiwi, pineapple, orange).

Everything but the Bagel Seasoning.

A Trader Joe's exclusive (I'll have a homemade version posted soon).  I LOVE it on my hard boiled egg whites or on top of avocado.  I'm sure it would be great on a baked potato with ghee or even on some proteins.  Gives a punch of flavor without any added sugar and very few calories!

Snack Emergency!

So, you are rocking your Whole30! You go! It's been hard, but you've been prepping and following the plan and doing a great job. But now you're out shopping, and there's nothing to grab in the mall food court; it's a snack emergency!

So, what are you to do??

If you're anything like me, you have planned ahead! I always, ALWAYS, carry Whole30 approved snacks with me. ALWAYS.  They're in purses and my work bag and, if I had a gym bag, they'd be there, too!

Now I know snacking is not recommended on Whole30, but frankly there are snack emergencies (I-ate-lunch-at-noon-and-it's-8 p.m.-and-I'm-not-having-dinner-until-10 p.m.-and-I'm-STARVING kind of emergencies), and that's where these come in.

Here are some of my favorite go-to, always transportable (ok, maybe not the last one), Whole30 compliant emergency snacks:

• Blueberry Rx bars*.  Honestly, I've been obsessed with these bars for several years. Way before Whole30 ever came into my life.  I love that you can pronounce all of the ingredients, they're filling, the texture is good, and they taste super blueberry-y. Runner up: mixed berry! Not all flavors are Whole30 compliant (I'm looking at you peanut butter!), so be careful. These used to be super hard to find but now I see them at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Target, and bodegas across New York City. You can also order them online.

• Larabars*. I totally love the lemon bar and cherry pie ones. Key lime are tasty too, and I love the carrot cake ones. Just be careful with these, certain flavors are also not compliant on Whole30. These also have totally identifiable ingredients, are filling, and have a good texture.  These are pretty easy to find; same places as above, plus I see them in regular grocery stores.  If you're a huge fan of one particular flavor, Target usually sells them in boxes of 5 (and they often go on sale). 

• Epic bars.  Two words: chicken sriracha. There's also a cranberry turkey jerky type thing that I have set aside in my bag, but haven't eaten it yet and cannot vouch for its flavor. These give a good protein punch, and a LOT of spice!  They carry these at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

• Chomps beef sticks. Think of these as a Whole 30 compliant SlimJim. I joke, sorta. But basically these are easy, on the go, Whole30 compliant beef sticks. Also give you a good punch of protein. And they clock in at around 100 calories.  I've only ever found these at Trader Joe's.  You can also order them online.  There are also some Whole30 jerkies out there (Epic makes some), if that's your thing.

• Raw or dry roasted nuts.  'Nuff said.  I just pre-portion them into little Ziploc bags, and have them available in my bag.  I also eat them as a pre-workout "snack."  Unsweetened dried fruit is also an option, but I find that sometimes I have a hard time stopping when I eat it, so I tend to limit it.  Available everywhere, basically.

• Vegetable sticks. I know you'll think I'm crazy, but every night before bed I cut a giant container of vegetable sticks. I pack it in my lunch bag, and keep it around in case I have a mid afternoon slump, where I need something to eat. This way, I am bound to have something Whole30 compliant and filling available to me. I try not to snack, but if I do, I have these. And if I don't eat them, I just bring them home with me, and serve them alongside dinner.

*Warning: these are emergency snacks, I do not eat bars every day, and can honestly say in the first two plus weeks of this Whole30 I've had two (and one of them was dinner!)