When can I have compliant recreations of non-compliant foods?

[Regan O.]

The book seems really clear on this point--compliant recreations of non-compliant foods (like banana-and-egg pancakes or almond flour tortillas) are not in the spirit of Whole30, and you're missing out on Whole30's benefits if you make them. But the recipes in the book are peppered with compliant recreations--cauliflower rice, Whole30 ketchup, zucchini noodles, "breaded" meat, etc. How do you determine what's a compliant non-compliant recreation and a non-compliant non-compliant one? Does anyone else struggle with this?

[ShannonM816]

Cauliflower rice is just cauliflower cut a different way. Zoodles or sweet potato noodles are just those vegetables cut a different way. Things that are just vegetables cut in a different shape are always okay.

For the others, it can be kind of a gray area. There are certain things called out in the rules because those are the things people are most likely to have issues with, so they are excluded from whole30. There's also the part of the rules that says if there are other things you have issues with, leave those things out for 30 days. So, if you can't eat any vegetables without drowning them in ketchup, maybe consider skipping the whole30 ketchup and learn ways to prepare vegetables that you do like. 

It's also worth noting that while nuts and seeds are allowed on whole30, you are also encouraged to limit them to a small, closed handful at a time, and for best results don't have them every day. Recipes that use a lot of almond flour are using a lot of almonds, so while you can have the breaded stuff, you probably don't want to have it every day.

Basically to sum up, there are certain things specifically not allowed, and for things that fall in a gray area, you're expected to use your best judgment and make the most responsible decisions for yourself. 

[Regan O.]

Thank you, @ShannonM816! Your response was very helpful.