Top Cookbooks for Following the Wahls Protocol
The Wahls Protocol is a revolutionary diet and lifestyle protocol that helps people living with Multiple Sclerosis. After years of study and experiences reported from the community, we have found that the Wahls Protocol also helps a multitude of other autoimmune conditions. People living with MS, thyroid diseases, cancer and fibromyalgia all report feeling better when they take on the Protocol. The biggest struggle in following this diet is all the cooking needed and finding recipes that fit the Wahls Protocol. So I put together my recommendations for the top cookbooks when following the Wahls Protocol.
Coming from a chef who has cooked this protocol for many clients, I went looking for inspiration for new ideas and ways to create flavor and new combinations of ingredients. Here are the cookbooks that I found to be protocol compliant and also help you stay on track.
Beginning a new diet can be overwhelming while you get used to a new way of cooking and this Protocol does omit the common allergy and inflammatory foods like:
Gluten and Wheat
Dairy
Eggs
Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
It also limits soy, grains, corn and ideally anything packaged and processed. The Wahls Protocol is an incredibly powerful and healthy way to eat if you are trying to heal from an autoimmune condition. This may be a new way of eating for many people so I put together this list to help you get started finding compliant AND tasty recipes. I have listed these books in order of what I would recommend you add to your bookshelf. The first 4 are absolute must haves if you need to slowly add these to your collection.
The Best Cookbooks to Use on the Wahls Protocol
The Wahls Protocol Cooking For Life
This cookbook is a companion to the groundbreaking Wahls Protocol® book, featuring delicious, nutritionally dense recipes tailored to each level of the Wahls Paleo Diet. The Paleo-inspired recipes are based on fresh vegetables, clean proteins and healthy fats.
The Book is
Easy To Follow: with clear lists, ingredients and descriptions to make healthy cooking simple.
Recipes for All Levels Of The Wahls Diet: Find a recipe for wherever you are on the Protocol.
Lots of bright pictures since we start eating with our eyes, you will get a better sense of what the dish is
I just love the Kale, Sausage and Chard Soup on page 207. There are lots of ideas for creating "skillets" which is my favorite way to create Wahls-inspired meals.
#2 Wahls Protocol Premium Menus
Not so much a book as an online source for Wahls recipes, you can purchase her "Premium Menus" which includes a full year of recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner complete with menus and shopping lists for all 3 levels of the Wahls Protocol.
And a bonus, if you purchase her menus and need to tweak them due to other autoimmune conditions, or other dietary restrictions, send me an email and I can adapt her plans to fit your needs. I charge between $100 to $150 for this service depending on the complexity of your situation. Email me here!
#3 The Healing Kitchen Cookbook by Alaena Haber and Sarah Ballantyne
This cookbook focuses on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods that promote health, rather than undermine it. I love using this book for recipes I can use with my food allergies as well as other healing diets I cook for my clients. There are suggestions for batch cooking sessions that fill a week's worth of meals. The recipes in this cookbook are free from: eggs, grains, dairy. legumes, processed oils, nightshades and sugar so it fits right into the Wahls Protocol rules.
Check out the Garlicky Greek Lamb Skillet on pg 142 and the Sweet and Savory Shepherd's Pie on pg 192. Two recipes I use a lot.
#4 The Whole 30 Cookbook
The Whole 30 program could be a wonderful source of support to you if these kinds of dietary changes are new to you and you are struggling with letting go of foods like gluten, dairy and sugar. The whole 30 is a 30-day program that targets people’s habits and emotional relationships with food. It is designed to help break unhealthy patterns of behavior, stop stress-related comfort eating, and reduce cravings, particularly for sugar and carbohydrates.
Get the Whole 30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom Book
#5 Ready or Not by Nom Nom Paleo
All of Michelle Tam's recipes are Paleo, which means they are naturally free from gluten and soy. She does a lot with the Instant Pot, which is perfect if you want to make food with little fuss on the counter. Her recipes are simple. "Asian-influenced, often California-inspired, and always popping with flavor." " lots of pictures and step by step instructions. She has a huge collection of free recipes and videos on her website so you can check out her style before you purchase a book too.
#6 Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great
Her books will teach you to use alternative flours like coconut and almond to make baked goods. In general these kinds of treats would be best left out of your Wahls journey, but could be helpful recipes for special occasions and while you are tapering off baked goods. All of her recipes omit grains, gluten, dairy, refined sugar, legumes, refined oils and processed foods. She does use eggs in this book, so its best to skip this one if you aren't eating eggs.
#7 Clean Soups by Rebecca Katz
Rebecca Katz is probably best known for her cookbook The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen. I loved that cookbook, and this one is certainly a worthy successor! The photos are so beautiful, and each of the recipes is full of nourishing ingredients. Doesn't hurt that almost all of the recipes can be made ahead and reheated later. And all of her ingredients fit into the Wahls Protocol, so fill your freezer with some of them so you have a nourishing meal when you aren't feeling your best.
Check out Wahls' Seminars
Have you already attended a Wahls Seminar? They are packed with information and ways to improve your health and increase your tools for self care. You will even see me doing many cooking demos and lectures in the past Seminars including:
"How to Tame Bitter Vegetables" in the Basics For Brain Health Seminar Replay
"How to Get Your Family on Board" with Healthy Eating in the Building Resilience Seminar Replay.
"5 Steps to Successful Meal Planning" in the Healthy Aging Seminar Replay
See Dr. Wahls talk about her cookbook on The Wellness Hour with Randy Alvarez
I also have many recipes on my website that fit the Wahls Protocol
Wahls Inspired Breakfast Hash
This recipe is a perfect combination of greens, colors and sulfurs to get you closer to those 9 cups for the day.
Mushroom and Liver Pate
Incorporate organ meats while taming down the taste and boosting your intake of sulfurs with onions and mushrooms
Tips for Baking Without Eggs
All the ways to replace eggs in your baking
**Please note, some links on this page are affiliate links and I will earn a small commission if you purchase them. Any product that I recommend is only because I use it myself. All of these cookbooks are on my shelf and I have used them when I cook for clients following the Wahls Protocol.