Easy Cabbage Roll Bowls (AIP, Paleo, Whole30)

These Easy Cabbage Roll Bowls (AIP, Paleo, Whole30) pack all the flavor of traditional cabbage rolls, without the gluten, grains, eggs or nightshades – or the time commitment! They’re also AIP, Paleo and Whole30 compliant, so you can feel good about what you’re eating. And they store well for great leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!

But we’ll get back to this delectable cabbage-roll-in-a-bowl in a moment…

A diagnosis of celiac disease

In November of last year, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. My symptoms were not what you typically think of when it comes to celiac. Yes, I had digestive discomfort, stomach pains, gas and bloating – but who doesn’t, after eating take-out or pizza?

For years before my diagnosis, the majority of my diet was inherently gluten-free already, because I filled it with whole foods, vegetables and pasture-raised meats. It was only on the weekends, when I’d be out with friends eating not-so-good-for-you foods like pizza, beer, and burgers that I’d feel crappy. But I just attributed it to the fact that no one feels great after eating those foods!

On the other hand, most of my celiac symptoms were things many people deal with every day – seasonal allergies; exhaustion; dark under-eye circles; waking exhausted despite sleeping 7-8 hours; brain fog; acid reflux. The list goes on. But most of my symptoms were not things the average person would attribute to celiac.

The pinnacle of my symptoms was when I was in college – sleeping 2-6 hours per night; eating (not gluten free) oatmeal, pasta, granola bars (aka candy bars), cookie dough and flavored lattes on a daily basis; stressed to the high heavens; and just not taking good care of myself at all.

That’s when my allergies were so bad I literally couldn’t think straight. I struggled with dry, flaky skin around my eyes that no amount of eye cream could soothe. My face began to produce painful, cystic acne that only a dangerous prescription drug could clear up (but it still later returned). I developed a recurring rash on my hands, knees and feet, which my doctor attributed to scabies, despite my insistence that it wasn’t scabies (it wasn’t scabies. I now assume it was dermatitis herpetiformis). Sometimes, my hands and feet would swell so much and be so painful that I’d have to stay home from work because I couldn’t walk.

But my rash and swollen hands and feet would eventually clear up and I’d continue on with my life, assuming it was all just due to being overly stressed.

So who knows how long I had been dealing with celiac, without realizing it!

Side note: I’m just now realizing how silly I was to assume all of these symptoms were just due to stress. If you’re dealing with weird, unexplainable symptoms that you’ve been attributing to “stress” or some other excuse, please find a doctor who doesn’t dismiss you. Find a doctor who wants to get to the root of your problems and help you fix them!

Another autoimmune diagnosis

Now, nearly six months after my celiac diagnosis, I’ve been diagnosed with another autoimmune disease – Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

My symptoms for Hashimoto’s are much more subtle. But again, they are symptoms many people struggle with on a daily basis, and are similar to my celiac symptoms: exhaustion; sleeping 9+ hours per night and still not feeling rested; insomnia; dry skin; depression; anxiety; brain fog; thinning hair and digestive discomfort.

A change in direction

So far, this blog has been about attaining health by gradually incorporating healthy habits and quick, easy, healthy meals into our busy lifestyles. Because lord knows it’s nearly impossible not to have a busy lifestyle in the 21st century. But that doesn’t mean our health has to deteriorate because of it.

This blog is about reducing the overwhelm that often comes with making healthy lifestyle changes by giving ourselves permission to make mistakes and get back up again. And it offers inspiration and motivation by making healthy home-cooked meals simple, delicious and attainable. Even for those of us with “no time to cook.”

And I don’t want that to change.

But I’m going to make a slight pivot.

With this second autoimmune disease diagnosis, I am determined to reverse the course of my diseases, and prevent the development of another autoimmune disease. I plan on doing this through incorporating more nutrient-dense whole foods into my diet, and removing all potential dietary triggers, by following the Autoimmune Protocol.

What is the Autoimmune Protocol?

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is “a complementary approach to chronic disease management focused on providing the body with the nutritional resources required for immune regulation, gut health, hormone regulation and tissue healing while removing inflammatory stimuli from both diet and lifestyle.”

It removes specific pro-inflammatory foods, many of which are commonly removed in a paleo-style diet, but additionally restricts a few others (namely, nuts and seeds, as well as nightshade vegetables and eggs), due to their potential to cause inflammation in individuals with autoimmune disease.

For more information on the Autoimmune Protocol, check out The Paleo Mom and Autoimmune Wellness.

As part of my health journey, I will begin transitioning to an AIP diet and lifestyle and sharing my recipes, inspiration and progress with you!

I am still a “hurried health nut,” though, and do not have the time or energy to prepare elaborate meals every day, so the AIP recipes I share will still abide by one or more of my golden rules:

• 30 min or less to prepare.
• 10 ingredients or less.
• 1 pot/pan.
• Bonus points: stores/freezes well (for superb leftovers with NO prep time!).

And they must, must, MUST be delicious, because what’s the point of life, if not to eat delicious food??

So, even if you’re not following an AIP diet, you’ll still love the quick and easy, healthy, delicious recipes. And you’ll appreciate the tips for saving time and reducing your effort in the kitchen.

Now, on to the recipe!

Easy AIP Cabbage Roll Bowls

this recipe!

For my first AIP recipe, I give you: Easy Cabbage Roll Bowls!

These babies are SO delicious, whether you’re following AIP, Paleo, Whole30, or just like good food!

And you only have to use one pan and spend less than 30 minutes to prepare them. Because, just because I’m transitioning to the Autoimmune Protocol doesn’t mean I have extra time to spend in the kitchen!

Now, just how easy are these Easy Cabbage Roll Bowls to make? Super easy! Just pre-slice/dice/mince/shred your veggies (or buy them pre-sliced/diced/minced/shredded if you’re really short on time. Or use your food processor. I love, love, love my Cuisinart). Then add your ingredients to your pan, one by one. Sauté until cooked through. Top with green onion slices and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. And presto change-o, dinner is served!

OK, maybe that’s simplifying it just a little bit. But really. It is easy. Promise.

And, if you have a huge wok, you can even make extra, so you have plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.

You’re welcome.

So, what do you think of my first official AIP recipe?

There are, of course, other recipes on the blog that can be easily adapted to be AIP compliant, due to my love of minimal ingredients and simple recipes:

• Sheet Pan Sausage, Sweet Potatoes and Mushrooms Meal Prep (omit the pepper, and choose an AIP-compliant sausage, or make your own).
• Slow Cooker Kalua Pork and Cabbage (swap the smoked paprika for AIP-compliant liquid smoke).
• Strawberry Mango Spinach Smoothie (swap the almond milk for coconut milk or water, and omit the flaxseed).
• Dairy-Free Nut-Free Arugula Pesto.

If you have a story about your struggles with autoimmune disease and/or your experience with AIP, I’d love to hear your story in the comments (or email me at )!

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