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.

Roasted Beet and Butternut Squash Salad with Chicken and a Balsamic and Thyme Vinaigrette

Roasted Beet and Butternut Squash Salad with Chicken and a Balsamic and Thyme Vinaigrette 

 (Serves 4)

2 beets, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces. (I used a red beet and a striped beet.)

1 butternut squash, peeled, scooped out, and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1-2 TBS olive oil

Dried thyme

Salt and Pepper

Spring Mix greens or your favorite lettuces

3 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped into cubes (I used leftover grilled chicken that had been chilled.)

Raisins

Blue cheese crumbles (omit for Whole30)

Raw sunflower seeds (or any nut or seed you like)

Balsamic and Thyme Vinaigrette

2 oz. balsamic vinegar

4 oz. extra virgin olive oil 

1/2 TBS dried thyme

Salt and Pepper

Combine all of these ingredients together and mix well

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.