Beef and Pepperoni Pizza "Pasta"

Beef and Pepperoni Pizza "Pasta"

(Serves 4)

1 medium-large spaghetti squash

1 TBS coconut oil (or other choice of oil)

1 onion, chopped

1 pound grass-fed beef

Salt and Pepper

2.5 oz. Applegate Farms sliced pepperoni, chopped (omit for W30 or swap for approved chopped sausages)

2 (15 ounce) cans of pizza sauce (I like Muir Glen, but check others for approved W30 ingredients)

2 TBS Italian seasoning

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti Squash

Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti Squash
(Serves 4)

1 Medium-large spaghetti squash
2 TBS coconut oil (or other fat of choice)
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
1 pound of shrimp ( I used shelled, deveined, tail off for easier eating)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 TBS fresh lemon thyme, chopped (substitute regular thyme if you can't find this)
1 TBS fresh chives, chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce
(Makes 1 quart)

8 large apples (I used a combination of Rome Beauty and Golden Delicious that we picked this weekend.)
1/2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water

Core and slice apples (Yes, you can leave the skin on.)
Place the apples in your slow cooker
Add in lemon and stir around
Add cinnamon and water
Combine all together
Cook on low for 6 hours
Then use an immersion blender (or place in blender carefully)
Blend well until desired consistency is reached

*If you don't want the cinnamon flavor, just leave it out, and you'll have traditional applesauce.
**Store this in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 6 months.

Tomato-Basil Soup

Tomato-Basil Soup

(Serves 4)

4 large tomatoes, cut into eighths

1-2 TBS avocado oil (or other favorite oil for roasting)

Salt and pepper

1 TBS coconut oil (or other oil)

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped (plus more for garnish)

4 cups vegetable stock (chicken stock will also work)

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Optional:

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

Basil or herbed olive oil

Cajun Salmon with Warm Mango and Vegetable Salsa

Cajun Salmon with Warm Mango and Vegetable Salsa
(Serves 4)

Salmon-
2 TBS coconut oil (or other oil of choice)
4 salmon fillets
Cajun seasoning (to your liking)

Salsa-
2 tsp coconut or other oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
Handful cherry or grape tomatoes, diced
1 serrano or jalepeno, seeded and diced*
Juice of 1 lime
1 mango,  peeled and diced
TBS cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Dill and Lemon Chicken Quarters over Roasted Veggies

Dill and Lemon Chicken Quarters over Roasted Veggies

 (Serves 4)

4 Chicken leg quarters (4.5-5 pounds total)
8 cups chopped favorite veggies (I used onions, carrots, Yukon potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, and yellow squash)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 lemons (zest and juice)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (plus extra for garnish)
1 tsp pepper
2 TBS chopped fresh dill (plus extra for garnish)

Asian Turkey Stir Fry

Asian Turkey Stir Fry 

(Serves 4-6)

1 TBS sesame oil

1 pound ground turkey

Salt and pepper

1 small head of cauliflower, stem discarded and processed into "rice"

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 large carrots, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

2 TBS coconut aminos

1 tsp fish sauce

Magic Asian Sauce (recipe below)

Cilantro and/or green onions for garnish

Choose your preference for serving-Romaine hearts (for boats), Bibb/Butter lettuce leaves (for lettuce wraps), Chopped butter lettuce (for a chopped Asian salad), or Corn tortillas (if you prefer traditional "tacos")

Balsamic Chicken Salad over Greens

Balsamic Chicken Salad over Greens
(Serves 1-2)

1 (12.5 oz) can premium chunk chicken (ingredients-chicken, water, and salt only)
1/2 apple, chopped (I used gala.)
1 TBS raisins
1 TBS red onion, finely diced
2 TBS homemade mayo
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Salad greens of choice
*Optional-1 TBS finely chopped pecans

Slow Cooker Garlic and Herb Chicken Drumsticks

Slow Cooker Garlic and Herb Chicken Drumsticks
(Serves 4)

3 pounds chicken drumsticks
3 TBS olive oil
10 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
3 TBS fresh favorite herbs, chopped (I used rosemary, oregano, lemon thyme, basil, and chives.)
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Bacon

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Bacon
(Serves 6-8)

1 TBS bacon fat (or other preferred fat of choice)
1 onion, diced
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 tsp fresh chopped sage (or 1/2 tsp dried), plus more for garnish
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for garnish
2 cans organic pure pumpkin (15 oz each)
6 cups chicken broth*
1 bay leaf
6-8 slices bacon, cut into lardons (for garnish)

Zucchini Ravioli and Lasagna Rolls with Grass-Fed Beef and Cashew Cheese

I experimented with two of my favorite Italian dishes a few weeks ago. I wanted to see if I could recreate them with the same taste that I remember. These came out great. Yes, these can be a little time consuming but so would traditional versions of these dishes. Both of the recipes use almost the same ingredients and some of the same steps, but they are just presented in different ways. The cashew cheese helps to create this creamy filling. You will question whether or not it will work and taste like cheese, but I guarantee you that once it is mixed with the meat, it just works and you won't be able to tell. These are both Whole30 approved, so enjoy whenever.

Paleo Pesto Trapanese with Grilled Chicken

I was really wanting a comforting dish for dinner tonight. I came across a cooking show that was making a pesto trapanese over spaghetti with lots and lots of cheese. I knew that wouldn't do, but I thought I could recreate this recipe in a way that brought out all of the essential flavors while adding my own touch to it. I also wanted more protein from the dish, so I added some grilled chicken. It is now a delicious and complete meal. I saved time here by using pan-sauteed tomatoes instead of roasted ones. The entire meal can be made within 30 minutes. While the spaghetti squash and chicken are cooking, the sauce is quickly created. I am on Day 10 of another Whole30, and this meal follows all of rules. It is warm, filling, and creamy with a slight hint of spice. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

Creamy Italian Herb and Bacon Soup

A few years ago, I was making this insanely flavorful, yet limited ingredient Italian soup. It was creamy and became an instant hit with my family. Flash forward to the present, everyone still remembers how wonderful that soup tasted, but it seemed that it was a thing of the past since our food choices have changed. That soup got its creaminess from white kidney beans, a slight bite from orecchiette pasta, and richness from the addition of heavy cream. All of these ingredients seemed impossible to replace and achieve the same flavor, until today. I began to research this recipe again and realized that the flavor came from the bacon and herbs more so than the other ingredients. The richness could be recreated with an addition of ghee (or grass-fed butter, if preferred). I was a little concerned with the creaminess though. I wanted a creamy soup, so I knew I needed something other than just a broth base. I also needed something to finish the soup off with that would provide a bit of texture as the pasta used to. I came to the conclusion that by using cauliflower, the soup would get the creaminess it needed. By topping the soup with some crisped bacon, the soup would have the texture it called for. With all of these things put together, this soup became a reality. A tasty reality. We all devoured our bowls, and it wasn't even meal time. My kids are already asking for more. Definitely give this a try. You won't be able to tell it's cauliflower either. It's a warm and comforting meal for any day of the week.

10-Second Paleo Mayo

Two Christmases ago, I only wanted one thing. I wanted an immersion blender. Initially, I wanted one for soups. I had been into making squash and other veggie soups, and I really hated having to transfer the soup to a blender to puree before adding it back in to the pot. This took more time and created more dirty dishes. So, an immersion blender would cure all of these troubles. I received the blender and over time, I have found several uses for it. It has become my favorite kitchen tool.

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

I have really been into making ahead my dinners lately. It truly cuts down on the stress of busy evenings. I have also been creating Paleo weekly meal and grocery lists for some friends in the recent weeks, so instead of making a different meal plan for my family, I have just been using these same plans here. That being said, I do make sure that the meals are tasty, easy, and mostly able to be prepared ahead. One meal that I put on my first week of meal plans was this Pizza Spaghetti Pie. It is a tasty recipe. I even changed that a bit and used a pound of grass-fed beef, along with some chopped Applegate pepperoni instead of the sausage, and it turned out amazing. After making this twice, I realized that the entire base of the recipe could be used, but the ingredients could be swapped out to make an entirely new taste and meal. It was then that I decided to turn this pizza spaghetti squash pie into a Mexican spaghetti squash pie. It is my spin on this dish.  It can also be made early on, covered and placed in the fridge, and baked right before serving. I hope you enjoy it.

Chicken Stir Fry Soup

This week has been cold. The nights have also been busy. We have been hitting our Crossfit classes in the evenings. This means that it is late when we get back home. That being said, I decided that on these nights, I would prep dinner as far as possible so that it would be easier to get to the eating part once we arrive back. Monday night we had a beef chili with veggies and pineapples. I made it on the stove before we left and quickly reheated it upon return. Tuesday night we had a Mexican chicken chowder which I also made before leaving and reheated right before serving. We were going to take tonight off, but we have this competition on Sunday, and one of the lifts will be practiced tonight, so here we go again. My dinner was going to be a chicken stir fry over cauliflower rice. Although it is an easy to make meal, I didn't want to be chopping ingredients or just beginning it after the workout.  So, I decided to come up with a new recipe that used the same ingredients, was just as easy, and would be ready to eat soon after we walk back in the door.
I have turned the stir fry into a soup. I already made it. The stove is shut off. It is stored. My cauliflower rice has been prepped. When we get home, I will reheat it to a boil, stir in the cauliflower rice and some salt and pepper, turn it off, and consume it. Job well done. I do have to confess though....I did put some in a bowl and threw a little cauliflower rice in with it already. I had to taste it for you! It's good. It's warm. It's simple. (It's also Whole 30-approved.) Go do it.

Lemon-Blueberry Bars

I was feeling creative the other day, and I asked some friends to give me a conventional dessert recipe so that I could recreate it the way I wanted.  One friend mentioned a lemon and blueberry dessert. She didn't have a link, but I did a search on Pinterest and the first link I found was here. It looked beautiful and tasty, so I went with that. I didn't come up with my own graham cracker crust because Against All Grain already did that for me, and it has always been a tried and true recipe. I didn't want to mess with that. It came out fantastic! The topping could also be switched up a bit. Blackberries and raspberries would work well. My aunt also asked if Enjoy Life chocolate chips would work. I don't see why not, but I would just make sure that the lemon mixture is completely cooled before mixing those in.

Cooper's Grilled Chicken and Spinach Domes with Tomatoes and a Peach Vinaigrette Dressing

The other night, our family was at my daughter's soccer practice. As we were sitting there, my son, Cooper, asked me what was for dinner. I mentioned to him that I was a little tired, so it would be something simple such as grilled chicken with a couple of vegetables on the side. He then asked me if he could plan and make dinner instead. Of course, I took him up on his offer. He knew that he had to make something that would fit into Whole 30 rules, and he also knew that I had chicken that was ready to go. So, after talking through what we actually had on hand, he decided to have his dad grill the chicken, and then he would create domes from those by layering spinach all over it and then would top them with tomatoes and a homemade peach vinaigrette dressing (he knew we had peaches, so he asked me if I could give him some increments for a dressing). He then decided that he would make a fruit salad to go with it. His hopes were that he would only need help with the chicken and dressing, and he succeeded! His meal was really tasty, and it also provided everything we needed (protein, vegetables, fruit, and fat). Perfect! Cooper's favorite part was constructing the domes. My favorite part was eating them (especially the dressing because it is super yummy and more will be made today).  I hope you guys enjoy these as well. It's also a fun way to get your kids involved!

Blackberry Grilled Pork Chops with Mashed Yucca and Sauteed Squash with Aromatic Sea Salt

I recently learned how easy it is to make my own aromatic sea salts by observing an older Italian gentleman show off his long-run family business. Basically, you need organic sea salt, a mortar and pestle, and your choice of add-ins. I was torn between citrus (lemon or orange zest sea salt) and an herb and garlic sea salt. I knew that it needed to sit out a day, so my choice yesterday came down to what I was going to make for dinner today. After talking with a friend, I decided that I would saute some zucchini and yellow squash that I already had with an herb and garlic sea salt. I only wanted enough to use for dinner tonight and perhaps another day, so I only made about 1/4 cup. I took my quarter cup of sea salt, one clove of chopped garlic, and about a tablespoon of roughly chopped herbs (I chose basil, rosemary, lemon thyme, and oregano from the garden) and placed them in the mortar. I began grinding until the garlic was incorporated and there were tiny specks of the herbs all around. Then, I just sat it on the counter and allowed it to dry out until tonight. Sometimes I forget that things you think are hard to make and that provide the most flavor might actually be very simple. As was the case here. Along with the zucchini and squash, I needed to find complimentary foods. I wanted somewhere else to use this same aromatic sea salt within. I always like finding ways to subtly link foods that are on my plate together. Last night when I made this, I made sure that because the fig compote was made with cinnamon and lemon, I would reuse those flavors in other ways. I added cinnamon in with the arrowroot starch to coat my chicken before I sauteed it. I used lemon thyme in my dressing that coated my fig salad, lemon zest and juice in my green beans, and garnished my chicken with lemon thyme as well.  It just makes it more cohesive in my opinion. So, that being said, tonight I decided to season pork chops with the sea salt, grill them, and top them with a homemade blackberry sauce. I also made mashed yucca and seasoned those with ghee and the sea salt as well. This food still is Whole 30-compliant and is one of those comfort dishes that sometimes you just need.

Pan Sauteed Chicken Cutlets topped with Caramelized Onions and Fig Compote, paired with a fresh fig salad and sauteed lemon green beans

I know it has been a while since I have posted a new recipe, but I have been going through my Whole30 meal plan throughout the last few weeks. Today is day 20, and I wanted to come up with something new and exciting, as well as Whole30-approved. So, for the ones who do not understand what that means, basically, this recipe is grain, dairy, sugar, legume, alcohol, and preservative-free (and it tastes like you're cheating). Please make and eat away (and let me know what you think). I know this has quite a few steps before plating, but half of it can be made in advance.  Enjoy.