We made it two full years without getting COVID, but one week into our Whole 30 we both had it. So much for tiger energy! Nonetheless we have persevered and come out the back end unscathed, while keeping Whole 30 going. I think my case was a bit more severe than Lynn’s and almost back to back rather than concurrent. Besides fever for twelve days, I had aches and a lot of congestion. I slept a lot! In any case, we have kept to our foods and it has worked, most certainly to our good. Most mornings I was able to drag myself out of bed for coffee and to put together a breakfast. One or two days, cut fruit sufficed, but most days, I made some eggs (poached, fried, boiled, scrambled), potatoes, and either homemade bacon or homemade sausage. One day I mustered the energy to smoke both a side of bacon and a pork shoulder. The pork shoulder went into several dishes in the days ahead. Our Instant Pot has proven to be a godsend—throw everything in and let it cook. And Lynn just picked up another piece of cooking equipment: an air-fryer (the Instant Vortex). Wow! I never knew I needed one. But within a week we have used it almost daily. Hash browns are vastly easier and crunchier; spaghetti or acorn squash is done in 20 minutes and nicely browned; and sweet potato fries almost magically appear in 12 minutes (after prepping of course!).
For dinners we have gone from mostly Whole 30 recipes to our standards modified to fit. Chicken recipes work great with both arrowroot powder or almond flower, and ghee or olive oil; same with fish or beef. Coconut flour works with some things, but you must want the coconut flavor. We just got some cassava flour, so we’ll see how that works. We’ve made steaks, salmon, chile no beans, hobo soup, etc. Half-baked Harvest is a go-to site. Two nights ago we made the Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter over cubed potatoes done in the air fryer.
One Whole 30 recipe we found, though, was over-the-top delicious: the In-n-Out Double Double Animal burger (https://40aprons.com/whole30-in-n-out-burgers/) without cheese or bun. The key is the sauce, the slowly caramelized onions, and the thin, crispy patties. We used arugula instead of iceberg for the lettuce and served with air-fryer sweet potato fries covered with caramelized onions and the sauce, too. Yum.
After 13 days, my fever went away and my energy has begun to return as we enter our last week of Whole 30 (we’ll be done by Valentine’s day!). I am very pleased that Lynn is now starting to see old foods in a different way, her coffee has become manageable without sugar (Nut-pods), and she is seeing some physical results too. Of course, on my third time through I am not surprised at all. As for me, my sleep is doing well (COVID actually accelerated the process!), and my mind is clear. Results remain to be seen on the energy front and any weight loss. I’ve not been able to exercise much, so I’m not burning as many calories.
One of the main great outcomes is that we are doing some life-change together. After 32+ years of marriage that is sometimes difficult to do. So I am relishing the results for myself and us.
R Jackson Painter, PhD 