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Would this be considered SWYPO, or just cooking?


4milesat40

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Hi all, long time reader, first time poster... I am currently on day 16 of my 2nd round of the Whole30 - I completed it successfully about 6 months ago and had a great experience, with my only complaint being lack of variety in my menu for the month. So this time, I have been experimenting with more recipes, and it's been a much yummier Whole30 so far. :)

But this leads me to a question for the Whole30 experts... At what point does a recipe cross the line in SWYPO territory?

I do understand the SWYPO concept, and am fine with not trying to Macgyver up some Paleo brownies or pancakes or bread... But at what point does it go from just "combining ingredients to make a yummy and healthy recipe" to becoming the Whole30 violation of "SWYPO"?

For instance, this recipe for a baked cinnamon cereal. The website on which it's posted (http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/07/cinnamon-faux-st-crunch-cereal-3.html) says that the woman who made it did so to have as a breakfast during the Whole30... But I wasn't sure. Is this SWYPO? And if so, what part of it crosses that line?

Makes six 1/2 cup servings

1/2 cup milled flax seed

1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds

2 Tbl ground cinnamon

1/2 cup apple juice

1 Tbl coconut oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a Magic Bullet, blender or food processor. Add the apple juice and coconut oil and process until fully combined and mostly smooth. Spread the batter out on a parchment lined cookie sheet until nice and thin – about 1/16 of an inch thick. Bake in a preheated 300 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 250 degrees (F) and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into squares about the size of the keys on your computer keyboard. Turn off the oven and put the cereal back inside for about an hour, or until it's crisp and breaks easily. If it's still soft, keep in the oven until completely dried out and crisp. Serve with unsweetened almond or coconut milk.

Thanks in advance to those who answer... :)

Amy

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SWYPO is making this and eating it as "cereal" with "milk" (those quotation marks are a dead giveaway).

However, if having those seeds and flavors appeals to you I think cooking this up and sprinkling it on top of, say, a mashed sweet potato and a couple of fried eggs as your fat for

the meal sounds like it fits the template.

Whatever you do don't call it cereal though! It's gotta be "crunchy cinnamon topping" or something to escape SWYPO labeling.

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SWYPO is making this and eating it as "cereal" with "milk" (those quotation marks are a dead giveaway

So how does making zucchini "noodles" pass the test, but "cereal" fails it?

Truly, just curious... I have no problem staying compliant and following the rules, but this rule seems to have some grey area that I'm trying to pin down - specifically so I can *stay* completely compliant!

Thanks again,

Amy

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this doesn't make the cut for me for a couple reasons: first, it doesn't help you break that "cereal for breakfast" habit...

Okay, I see your point about breaking habits... I've never really been a cereal for breakfast kind of person, so at least this wouldn't violate that principle... Really, I'm just exploring recipes for the rest of this Whole30 (and beyond), and I'm trying to figure out which ones to put in the "Whole30 compliant" folder, and which to put in the "After the Whole30" folder.

I'll file this one under "After", just to be safe. :)

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I don't always get it, either, but I try to stick to whole foods that look like food my grandparents would recognize as much as I can.

I'd be cautious about your cereal for other reasons: it is all blended up and doesn't look like the seeds, the seeds are meant to be limited according to the template, it mostly stays in the fat portion of the template, and heating the seeds is not thought to be ideal.

Also, I think the spirit of calling things SWYPO is when they keep us close to old, less healthy habits. Cereal really isn't in the spirit of meal 1, even if it is technicially compliant. Zucchini covered in meat sauce with other veggies, fat, and meat is definitely not going to send me over the edge. I won't eat mindlessly or run out and grab something that is psychologically unhealthy for me if I have the zucchini. I suppose that is where we draw the line for ourselves.

I love that you asked this question!

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It goes back to what missmary said- the cereal on it's own doesn't fit the meal template, thus it gives a bad psychological response. It's not a real meal. That's why I suggested to add it to a whole meal for flavor.

Now, if you love macaroni and cheese and you get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles and add ghee and nutritional yeast to make a "cheese sauce" you just had SWYPO. Not a real meal. Recreates (in a really failish way) a dish that is non compliant with "technically compliant" ingredients. If you take those same zucchini noodles and serve them alongside your protein and fats then it's not really a fake noodle anymore it's a fancy cut vegetable.

SWYPO does have some gray area and a lot of room for debate but from reading the forums I gather that the single biggest deciding factor is "how does your meal template look". As long as the requirements for protein + fat + vegetables are being met seems to be the most important thing.

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It goes back to what missmary said- the cereal on it's own doesn't fit the meal template, thus it gives a bad psychological response. It's not a real meal. That's why I suggested to add it to a whole meal for flavor.

Now, if you love macaroni and cheese and you get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles and add ghee and nutritional yeast to make a "cheese sauce" you just had SWYPO. Not a real meal. Recreates (in a really failish way) a dish that is non compliant with "technically compliant" ingredients. If you take those same zucchini noodles and serve them alongside your protein and fats then it's not really a fake noodle anymore it's a fancy cut vegetable.

SWYPO does have some gray area and a lot of room for debate but from reading the forums I gather that the single biggest deciding factor is "how does your meal template look". As long as the requirements for protein + fat + vegetables are being met seems to be the most important thing.

That is a great explanation - thank you!

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I don't always get it, either, but I try to stick to whole foods that look like food my grandparents would recognize as much as I can.

I'd be cautious about your cereal for other reasons: it is all blended up and doesn't look like the seeds, the seeds are meant to be limited according to the template, it mostly stays in the fat portion of the template, and heating the seeds is not thought to be ideal.

Also, I think the spirit of calling things SWYPO is when they keep us close to old, less healthy habits. Cereal really isn't in the spirit of meal 1, even if it is technicially compliant. Zucchini covered in meat sauce with other veggies, fat, and meat is definitely not going to send me over the edge. I won't eat mindlessly or run out and grab something that is psychologically unhealthy for me if I have the zucchini. I suppose that is where we draw the line for ourselves.

I love that you asked this question!

Another great explanation - thanks so much! :)

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SWYPO is making this and eating it as "cereal" with "milk" (those quotation marks are a dead giveaway).

However, if having those seeds and flavors appeals to you I think cooking this up and sprinkling it on top of, say, a mashed sweet potato and a couple of fried eggs as your fat for

the meal sounds like it fits the template.

That sounds phenomenal as a topping for mashed butternut squash.

It goes back to what missmary said- the cereal on it's own doesn't fit the meal template, thus it gives a bad psychological response. It's not a real meal. That's why I suggested to add it to a whole meal for flavor.

Now, if you love macaroni and cheese and you get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles and add ghee and nutritional yeast to make a "cheese sauce" you just had SWYPO. Not a real meal. Recreates (in a really failish way) a dish that is non compliant with "technically compliant" ingredients. If you take those same zucchini noodles and serve them alongside your protein and fats then it's not really a fake noodle anymore it's a fancy cut vegetable.

SWYPO does have some gray area and a lot of room for debate but from reading the forums I gather that the single biggest deciding factor is "how does your meal template look". As long as the requirements for protein + fat + vegetables are being met seems to be the most important thing.

Well said! These are my three "determining factors" when it comes to SWYPO:

1. Most important- is it covered in the guidelines? Certain things, no matter our attachment - like pancakes - (or lack of), are just plain out.

2. Is it a food with no brakes for you? If it is, you may want to reconsider.

3. Will it fit appropriately in the meal planning template?

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For my grey areas I apply Robin's rules along with the will it make me more healthy or less healthy test.

For example spaghetti squash with a tomato sauce and meat on the side.

Passes 1, 2 and 3 and since I haven't eaten pasta for ten years it is not creating or supporting a noncompliant habit so it makes me more healthy not less healthy to have it.

I have cinnamon and blueberries with scrambled eggs... But with a grated sweet potato and zucchini mixed in and lots of salt and pepper and sometimes chilli. Tastes divine but again passes the tests. Although I really love it I only cook it up once a week or so so even though it feels a bit like a sweet breakfast it meets the template and isn't a food with no brakes and therefore passes and makes me healthier for having it

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Also, the unsweetened almond or coconut milks are not W30 compliant either.

This isn't necessarily true. The coconut milks in cans are generally fine. The ones in cartons in the dairy section almost definitely have carrageenan or something in them.

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