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I’ve been working in the thyroid space for a long time. Long enough to have heard just about every piece of food advice imaginable — from “never touch raw broccoli” to “celery juice will cure your thyroid,” to carnivore, vegetarian, keto, no-carb, all-carb, and everything in between. I’ve seen patients confused, exhausted, discouraged, and frankly afraid to eat.
So when I sat down to talk with Ginny Mahar about her new book, The Thyroid 30 Cookbook, I knew we were about to have a meaningful conversation — but I’ll be honest, I didn’t fully expect how deeply this book would resonate with me, both as a thyroid patient and as an advocate who has coached thousands of others through similar struggles.
This isn’t just a cookbook. And it’s not a diet for thyroid patients. It’s a deeply lived, thoughtfully designed nourishment system that finally meets thyroid patients where they actually are.
I’ve known Ginny for many years, long before influencer culture existed, back when thyroid advocacy was largely grassroots and patient-led. Like so many of us, she came to this work not because she wanted to, but because she had to.
Despite “normal” labs and being placed on standard thyroid medication, Ginny spent years feeling unwell — tired, foggy, dismissed, and unheard. Her story mirrors what I hear every day from people with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s: “I’m doing everything I’m told, and I still don’t feel okay.”
What makes Ginny’s story especially powerful is that she went through this journey as a classically trained chef. Food was her passion, her creative outlet, her profession — and suddenly, she was being told that many of the foods she loved no longer loved her back.
When she finally found more integrative care — care that acknowledged the role of inflammation, autoimmunity, gut health, and lifestyle — everything began to change. Within months of shifting how she ate and lived, she felt like herself again.
And instead of keeping that knowledge to herself, she did what true advocates do: she asked, “How can I make this easier for other people like me?”
One of the things I appreciated most in our conversation is Ginny’s refusal to promote a rigid, one-size-fits-all thyroid diet. If you’ve been around the thyroid world long enough, you know how damaging that mindset can be.
Ginny’s core food philosophy is something I deeply agree with:
the goal is not perfect eating — the goal is restoring trust in your own body.
Listen to the full discussion with Thyroid30 Cookbook author Ginny Mahar now at YouTube.
There is no single or best “thyroid diet.” There are patterns, common triggers, helpful starting points — but ultimately, each of us has to learn how our body responds. And too many thyroid patients have lost confidence in their own judgment after years of being told they’re wrong, dramatic, or simply “you’re eating too much!”
What Thyroid 30 does beautifully is guide people out of food fear and paralysis. Instead of asking, “Is this food allowed?” the better question becomes, “How does my body respond when I eat this — and what can I learn from that?”
This alone makes the book worth owning.
Let’s talk about elimination diets, because they come up a lot — and understandably make people nervous.
Ginny is very clear: elimination is a tool, not a forever sentence. In the book, she organizes recipes into three levels — gluten- and dairy-free, paleo, and AIP — giving you flexibility based on your symptoms, practitioner guidance, and personal needs.
What I love is that the emphasis is always on learning, not punishment. Elimination helps you identify what truly causes symptoms — and just as importantly, what doesn’t.
As someone who is lactose intolerant but can tolerate some dairy in moderation, I deeply appreciated this nuance. Thyroid patients don’t need more rigidity. We need clarity, flexibility, and confidence!
Cooking fatigue is real. Thyroid fatigue is real. Life fatigue is real.
Ginny gets this — because she lives it.
Most of the recipes in The Thyroid30 Cookbook can be made in 30 minutes or less, with minimal prep and straightforward techniques. This is not aspirational, five-hour, “let me impress you” cooking. This is “I’m tired, I need to eat, and I want to feel good afterward” cooking.
What impressed me most is how Ginny uses her chef training to elevate simple ingredients. These meals don’t feel restrictive, boring, or just plain sad. They feel abundant, flavorful, and — dare I say — indulgent, without being inflammatory.
And yes, I can personally attest: these recipes pass the family test. You’re not going to end up cooking “thyroid food” for yourself and something else for everyone else.
When I asked Ginny if there was one recipe that felt especially personal, she talked about her chocolate chip almond protein blondies — and honestly, that answer says everything about her philosophy.
For too long, thyroid patients have been told that pleasure and healing are mutually exclusive. Dessert is “naughty.” Indulgence is “cheating.”
Ginny flatly rejects that idea.
These blondies are made with almond flour and almond butter, lightly sweetened with maple syrup, packed with healthy fats, antioxidants, and even protein. They taste like a treat — but they don’t leave you inflamed, jittery, or regretful.
That matters. Because healing that requires misery is not sustainable.
And a huge thank you to Ginny, who gave us permission to reprint the recipe for these delicious treats right here!
Chocolate Almond Protein Blondies*
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling time
DIETARY COMPLIANCE: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo
DIETARY LEVELS: 1, 2
RECIPE NOTES: Who can turn down an ooey, gooey, chewy blondie? There’s no reason to when they’re packed with nourishing ingredients and 10 grams of protein per serving! These deliciously balanced bars make a perfect snack or post-workout treat.
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (54 g)
- ½ cup almond butter (128 g)
- ½ cup maple syrup (161 g)
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup powdered collagen peptides (50 g)
- 1 cup almond flour (96 g)
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour (14 g)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Paleo-compliant chocolate chips (110 g)
- Optional: Flaky sea salt for topping
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C). Grease an 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20 cm) square baking dish with coconut oil, and line with parchment paper, leaving it long to overhang the edges for easy removal.
Combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until smooth and well mixed.
In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, collagen peptides, almond flour, and coconut flour. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add ½ cup of the chocolate chips and stir into mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt (if using).
Bake in the center of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the center feels set to the touch.
Let cool completely before cutting into 12 squares. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
*Reprinted with permission from The THYROID30 Cookbook by Ginny Mahar. Copyright 2026. All right reserved.
About half of The Thyroid 30 Cookbook is not recipes at all. It’s education.
Ginny walks readers through the basics of thyroid health, autoimmunity, and the eight daily rituals of thyroid-healthy living — including sleep, gut health, movement, medication consistency, stress management, and environmental awareness.
This matters because food alone is never the whole answer. But food is often the place people feel the most confused and unsupported — and that’s exactly where this book shines.
Let me be clear: this is not a quick-fix book. If you’re looking for a 10-day miracle or a single food that will “heal your thyroid,” this isn’t it.
The Thyroid 30 Cookbook absolutely belongs on your shelf if you are a thyroid patient who:
- is tired of conflicting advice
- wants structure without rigidity
- wants food that actually tastes good
- wants to feel supported instead of judged
You don’t need to strictly follow any particular diet. You don’t need to even label your diet. You just need to want to eat better in a way that supports your body.
After reading this book — and after talking with Ginny — what stands out most to me is this:
The Thyroid30 Cookbook respects thyroid patients.
It respects our intelligence.
It respects our fatigue.
It respects our lived experience.
And it reminds us that nourishment isn’t about perfection — it’s about consistency, compassion, and learning how to care for ourselves in ways that actually work.
I don’t say this lightly: The Thyroid 30 Cookbook is one of the most practical, empowering resources I’ve seen for thyroid patients in years!
And I fully expect my copy to be covered in sticky notes, not to mention splattered while I cook. And, as Ginny says, “the highest compliment to me is a well-splattered cookbook!”
At Paloma Health, we believe that managing thyroid disease works best when care is comprehensive, personalized, and rooted in real life—not rigid rules. That’s why Ginny Mahar’s approach in The Thyroid 30 Cookbook resonates so strongly with us. Food can be a powerful tool for supporting thyroid health, but it works best when paired with individualized medical care, thoughtful interpretation of lab results, and attention to the everyday factors that influence how you feel.
We see every day that thyroid patients do best when nutrition, lifestyle, and medication are considered together. Anti-inflammatory, whole-food eating—like the approach outlined in Thyroid 30—can help support your energy, digestion, mood, and immune health, especially for those with Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune conditions. But knowing how to apply those principles to your unique body, symptoms, and lab values is just as important as knowing what to eat.
Our goal at Paloma is to help you connect the dots. With personalized thyroid care, convenient at-home lab testing, and guidance from clinicians who understand thyroid disease, we aim to support the same outcome this book encourages: confidence in your choices, trust in your body, and a sustainable path to feeling your best—one thoughtful step at a time!
More information
For more information on Ginny Mahar, visit www.hypothyroidchef.com
You can get your paperback or e-book copy of The Thyroid30 Cookbook at Amazon.com or your favorite bookstores.
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