NOOK: Whole30 Approved & Delicious!

 NOOK Photo: IndyStar

Back in 2015, my husband and I ventured into our first Whole30 together.  1/2 way through, we considered ourselves food prep ninja's, expect label readers, and felt that Tiger Blood coursing through our bodies.  But...we had not ventured outside of our own kitchen for a meal.  Our kids were begging to go out to dinner, so we decided to head to a local chain restaurant that we thought could be easy to make a Whole30 compliant meal.  We looked at the menu online before, had a plan, went in and ordered our food.  When it came out....there was quinoa on both of our salads and it was doused in dressing that we asked to be omitted.  It was such a stressful situation as we didn't want to have any slip up's during our Whole30 and after that we decided it was just safer for us to eat in the comfort of our own home.

Your Whole30 shouldn't force you to not enjoy social outings to eat with your family, friends or colleagues.  Fortunately for us in Indianapolis, there is NOOK: Paleo.  NOOK is a paleo influenced diner and is an official Whole30 approved restaurant (they have Whole30 approved menu items, ya'll!) Their mission is connecting people to their food story, which I just love!  With everyone's different dietary needs, it's so wonderful to have options at a restaurant that understands and respects those needs and has easy accommodations.  Their staff was very knowledgeable about the various lifestyle menu options they offer and everything was clearly marked on the menu (either paleo, Whole30, etc.) to make our selections easy.

My husband and I tried NOOK (we weren't in the midst of a Whole30) about a month ago, and we were super impressed--not only was the food amazing, but the interior was beautiful and inviting. We live a paleo lifestyle most of the year and we absolutely loved the bacon chips with the guacamole. (Hello! you can't lose with bacon & guac!) I picked a Whole30 entrée--the seared tuna with avocado stuffed peppers, cilantro, lime and mashed sweet potatoes (SO. GOOD.)

Photo: Yelp

As a Whole30 Certified Coach I have been referring my coaching clients to NOOK so they don't have the overwhelming decisions to make while eating out at other restaurants during their Whole30.  I can't wait to go back and enjoy my Food Freedom at NOOK. I'm sure I'll see you there!

About NOOK:

• Location: 15 E. Maryland Indianapolis
• Indy's first & only paleo influenced diner serving local ingredients
• 4th restaurant nationally to be Whole30 Approved
• Whole30, Paleo, Keto, Vegan options
• Menu can vary, so check out their website for any changes