The Wahls Protocol Cooking For Life + Turkey Tacos + Spaghetti Squash

If there was one story that I would've loved to have heard when I was enclosed in eerie hospital walls and in the grips of fibromyalgia, it would be Terry Wahls.

After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the year 2000, Dr Wahls' health was on a down-hill spiral. She became confined to a wheel chair and felt like there was no hope in sight.

Just like myself, Dr Wahls decided to turn to scientific research and understand nutritional ways to cure herself. Instead of getting her vitamins, antioxidants and minerals from pills, she decided to find ways to  enjoy these nutrients by way of the food at the end of her fork.

This led her to developing the Wahls Protocol; a revolutionary diet and lifestyle based on a modern paleo plan to help to treat all chronic autoimmune conditions. After years of being confined to a wheelchair, Dr Wahl reversed many of her symptoms and now rides her bike to work and walks around cane-free. Now thats an achievement!

Dr Wahls has a foot in two camps, as a patient and also a clinical professor of medicine. Wahls conducts clinical trials to test the effect of nutrition and lifestyle interventions to treat progressive health problems, like multiple sclerosis.

After hearing about Dr Wahls' recovery story, I just knew I had to get my hands on her beautiful book and share it with you all.

The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life covers the essential recipes you need to reduce and improve symptoms related to autoimmune problems, neurological diseases and other chronic conditions. The book is in a simple, easy-to-read format to make lives that much easier.

The Walhs Protocol Cooking for Life contains over 150 tasty, simple and nutritionally-charged foods so it's perfect for anyone looking to improve their state of wellbeing or just add to their paleo recipe collection. These include green juices (my favourite coloured juice!), grain-free cereals, succulent soups, delectable desserts and more.

Unlike many cookbooks on the market, The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life book helps us understand how to cook delicious food on a budget, how to celebrate the holidays without compromising on our wellbeing and how to reduce the amount of food we waste; something that's near and dear to my own heart.

With Wahls' help, you can be one recipe away from rewriting your health journey.

We’ve been lucky enough for Dr Wahl to share two of her deliciously easy recipes with us: Turkey Tacos and Spaghetti Squash.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story with us Terry Wahls and best of luck with your beautiful new book!

Turkey Tacos

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 cups thinly slices bell peppers
• 3 cups thinly sliced onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 large lettuce, kale, or collard leaves
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning Salsa and/or guacamole to taste

Method:

Heat the ghee in a stockpot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, taco seasoning, bell peppers, and onions. Cook until turkey is browned and the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve the cilantro and hot sauce on the side, or stir them directly into the skillet. Divide the taco filling among eight large leaf wrappers (lettuce, kale, or collards). Add salsa and/or guacamole.

Roll up or fold up and enjoy. Alternatively, serve the filling on a bed of greens as a taco salad.

Cooking tip: You don’t need to add water or broth to the fat when you are cooking the meat for this meal.

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti Squash

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon ghee, melted
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• Sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Put the spaghetti squash in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the squash feels soft.

Remove the squash and let it cool until you can handle it. Cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and scrape out the pasta-like strands with a fork. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 375° F.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, put the halves cut-side down in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast for about 40 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Use a fork to scrape out the pastalike strands.
Put the spaghetti squash “noodles” in a large bowl and drizzle with ghee, then sprinkle with the nutritional yeast and sea salt and pepper to taste. You can also top this with your favorite bolognese or marinara sauce.