Hi friend,

I’m beyond flattered.

A few weeks ago, after being asked for years to do so, I decided that it was time to start working on a cookbook that included some of my favorite healthy recipes.

But I wanted to do something a little bit different. I never considered myself a creator or a chef, and I wanted to do something that felt more authentic to me.

So, while I will be launching a cookbook in March, I wanted to do something else that aligned with my reason for starting to share my recipes on Instagram in 2015 (!!!).

I started @whatsdadeating as my personal food journal because I struggled with inspiration and accountability on my food journey. Sharing recipes kept me accountable for eating in the ways that I thought were the healthiest for me at the time.

Now, things have changed quite a lot, but that mission remains the same.

So, I’ve decided to send an email to others who also want that inspiration and accountability.

Starting today, I’ll be sending out 3 recipes weekly and a shopping list to help you eat a little bit healthier (while still enjoying your favorite foods).

So, back to why I am grateful. More than 500 of you have already signed up for my weekly newsletter before I’ve even sent out the first one. And that is insane to me because my mom isn’t one of them, my wife doesn’t use social media, and I’m pretty sure my kids think I am the least cool person in the world.

If you like this newsletter idea - please reply to this and let me know what recipes you’d like me to cook next!

Enough of that nonsense. Here’s your grocery list for this week (your amount will vary)

• Greek Yogurt (family package)

• Chickpea Pasta (Shells, Rotini, or Macaronis)

• Chicken Breast

• Ground Beef

• Ground Turkey

• Almond Flour

• White Onion

• Low Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese

• Low Fat Mexican Cheese Blend

• Parsley

• Buffalo Sauce

• Paprika

• Ground Mustard

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Coconut Aminos

• Rice Vinegar

• Arrowroot Flour

• Green Onion

• Sesame Oil

• Sesame Seeds

• Almond Butter

• Banana

• Cinnamon

What’s For Dinner? Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

This recipe gives a healthy, sophisticated twist to the most famous comfort food - mac & cheese. We’re making some small swaps that have a significant impact - adding fat-free Greek yogurt to our cheese sauce, using higher protein chickpea pasta & making sure to add in a heaping, healthy serving of chicken to boost our protein levels.

The best part? This recipe is simple and keeps well in the fridge, meaning you can make a huge batch as part of meal prep or a single serving after a busy night.

(and bonus points for parents - kids love mac & cheese. We add the buffalo sauce at the end - making it easy to create a version for you & a version for the kids without having to get another pot dirty)

What’s For Dinner? Sticky Asian Meatballs

This recipe gives a healthy twist to the classic meatballs and adds an Asian flair. The best part if that it’s easy, and you can tap into prepared frozen food if needed to make things simple.

It’s a two-part recipe. The meatballs & the sticky Asian sauce. If you’re meal prepping, you can make the meatballs in advance & freeze them (or use store-bought meatballs instead!)

The sauce is easy, full of flavor, and completely clean, making it the perfect recipe for Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free, and pretty much any other diet.

For Dessert: Two Ingredients Cookies

I’m (always) craving sugar. And right now, I’m doing my best to avoid anything that has added sugar, so it’s been quite the balancing act.

These cookies only have two ingredients: creamy almond butter & a banana.

The best part? The entire recipe takes less than 15 minutes.

So, that cookbook?

The short answer is that it’s not ready yet. Part of that is that writing a cookbook is much harder than I thought. The other part is that I’m a perfectionist, and I don’t want to create something I don’t love.

Here’s what I do know…

I’m calling it ‘Sweet Treats,’ and it’s going to have 25 of my favorite healthy desserts—baked goods, ice cream, and snacks. All of them are higher in protein and lower in calories and still taste like the comfort foods that we all love.

I’m probably going to release it as a digital download first - with a real physical book to come in the future (because this is also harder than I expected…)

Anyway, I’m going to sell them for $40, but I want to offer them at half-price to anyone who is subscribed to these newsletters (you’re in!!).

Here’s the cover (which might change, but it’s close!)

And if you’re still reading, here’s a special challenge for you. Create one of the recipes in this newsletter and tag me in the video this week on TikTok & IG (@whatsdadeating)

I’ll give one person who does it a free digital cookbook when it comes out!

I appreciate you

Dan