Whole30 Day 18: Noodle Substitutes

Nom Nom Paleo + Whole30 by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

Miss slurping down your food? I’ve got just the thing to scratch that itch: Whole30-friendly noodle substitutes!

Whole30 Noodle Substitutes by Michelle Tam / Nom Nom Paleo https://nomnompaleo.com

I know what you’re thinking: Noodle substitutes can’t possibly be okay on a Whole30. You’re reminded of that (in)famous Whole30 concept known as SWYPO—Sex With Your Pants On—which is shorthand for Paleo-fied junk food disguised as something that’s good for you. SWYPO foods aren’t allowed on the Whole30 because they’re mental crutches that prop up the same bad habits and poor food choices. In other words, if you keep eating “Paleo pizza” and “Paleo muffins” and “Paleo ice cream” during your Whole30, you’re undermining your own efforts to break free of the patterns that put you in Bad Food Jail in the first place.

But guess what? You can take a chill pill, ’cause these noodle substitutes aren’t SWYPO at all! NOT EVERYTHING IS SWYPO, PEOPLE. As the official Whole30 website says:

If you’re looking for a sandwich substitute, and you decide to use a lettuce leaf or a slice of roasted sweet potato, well, that’s a different story. Spaghetti squash for pasta, a portobello mushroom cap for a burger bun, or egg and spinach “muffins” for traditional muffins are all examples of perfectly healthy and appropriate substitutions during your Whole30. (Another tip: If you’re subbing something unhealthy with vegetables or high-quality meat, that’s almost certainly a thumbs-up.)

So if someone calls you out for tucking heartily into a plate of my Paleo Chicken Chow Mein or Pesto Parsta and tells you these noodle substitutes are SWYPO, tell ’em to get off your lawn! Then, head into the kitchen and whip up some slurpable goodness:

Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash!

Get the recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash here! (And if you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make it in the oven, too!)

A note to my Nomsters: This is one of a series of daily blog posts I’m writing in the month of January 2018 to help those doing a Whole30 to kick off the New Year. Not sure what the Whole30 is, or want info on how to get started? Read my Whole30 prep post—and then come back to Nom Nom Paleo every single day for recipes to inspire, delight, and sustain you on your Whole30!

And remember: Throughout January 2018, I’m partnering with Whole Foods Market nationwide! In all Whole Foods Market stores, you’ll find my personally curated Nom Nom Paleo Picks on the shelves, a rotating menu of ready-to-eat Nom Nom Paleo dishes in the hot bar, and even my famous Magic Mushroom Powder available for sale!

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!