Recipe Archives - Page 2 of 4

Whole 30 Chicken Paprikash

There is something about the cooler weather that drives me to make meals from my Polish heritage. Chicken Paprikash, Stuffed Cabbage, Pierogis…I’m getting hungry just thinking about it all!

Chicken Paprikash is definitely one of my favorites though. I have definitely had to make some substitutions in my recipes for ingredients that make me feel my best, but you would never know with all the flavor in this dish.

When I think comfort, I almost always think Chicken Paprikash. There are so many ways to make this your own. I used to bone-in thighs, but you could always use boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Whatever you have on hand!

When my mom makes this, she dumps an entire helluva chip dip to mix in with the traditional spetzels (which is so damn good). However, as I don’t do so great with dairy anymore, I use full fat canned coconut milk. Get creative though and make this dish your own! I love to serve this over cauliflower rice, cauliflower mash, or even brown rice pasta if you do well with that.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lbs. bone in chicken thighs
15 oz crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp ghee
2 Tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp sat
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped very finely
1/4 cup of coconut cream, chilled in the refrigerator two days prior preferably
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Serve over cauliflower rice, or mashed potatoes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Pat the chicken thighs with a paper towel and make sure they are dry. This will help the skin get crispy. Season with salt and pepper
Place the chicken skin down in a medium hot skillet that has oil or ghee in it and is oven safe
Let the chicken cook for 5 minutes then flip
Add onion and garlic allow to become translucent and fragrant while the other side of the chicken cooks (about 5 minutes). Continue to stir the onion and garlic so it does not burn
Add spices, and tomatoes to the pan then place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through
Remove from oven and add coconut cream and lemon juice
Mix the sauce together and service over cauliflower rice, potatoes, or any form of starch you like!

Maple Almond Latte

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes get ALL the love once the cooler weather sets in. Don’t get me wrong, I love myself some PSL – homemade or not. But let us not forget to give love to the other delicious fall flavors.

I’ve seen a maple pecan latte recently and it looked delicious! But of course the ingredient list was terrifying. So why not create my own with ingredients I already have on hand in the house.

I love to make specialty “weekend coffee” as we call it in our house. Drinking my morning coffee is almost like a sacred ritual at this point. Enjoying an extra special, delicious tasting coffee on a fall Saturday morning is one of my favorite things.

So let’s give some love to the other fall flavors. I used almond butter because that’s what I usually keep on hand. You could always use pecan butter (or make your own), cashew butter, or whatever nut butter screams fall to you.

Ingredients:
6-8 cups of STRONG coffee
2 tbsp of pure maple syrup
1 tbsp of almond butter (I used Justin’s but imagine how delicious the new Rx Vanilla Almond Butter would be in this!)
1 cup of almond or cashew milk (could even use nutpods here if you wanted)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/8 tsp of nutmeg (totally optional)
1 tsp of ghee

Directions:

In a sauce pan on medium heat mix syrup and nut butter together until combined.
Add in almond or cashew milk
Add in spices and mix all together
Pour coffee into the mix and use an immersion blender to combine

Disclaimer: This post may have affiliate links, meaning if you purchase a product I receive a small commission at NO extra cost to you.

Balsamic Beef Stew

It’s officially fall…although I may have already been acting as if it was for the last month. Fall means ALL the crock pot meals around here. There is something so great about coming home from work to a wonderful smelling house, that you didn’t have to put much effort into.

I was genuinely shocked by how delicious this was for how simple the ingredient list was. I wasn’t even planning on making this a recipe until I tasted it. I realized it would just be wrong of me to not share it with the world.

The beef gets SO tender after cooking all day along with the softened vegetables. It is perfect for a week night meal with easy clean up but also comforting enough for a Sunday meal with all of your loved ones.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. of pot roast beef or beef shoulder – I used “boneless beef chuck under blade pot roast” but whatever you can find at your local store will work just fine!
2-3 lbs. of red potatoes, quartered
1 lbs. of carrots, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 package of crimini mushrooms
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves of garlic
2 cups of beef broth (can substitute water if you don’t have broth on hand)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot with the meat on the bottom.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours

Tip: If you want to make the broth thicker, take out about 1 cup of the broth when it is finished cooking. Place 1 tbsp of arrowroot or tapioca starch and mix together until there are not chunks left. Then place back into the broth and stir until it starts to thicken.

Thai Cashew Sauce

I feel very strongly that a sauce can make a break a meal. No sauce? No meal at ALL. I know that may sound dramatic to some, but I truly mean that.

This Thai Cashew sauce is perfect to throw on top of a pad thai, a stir fry, or even my Asian lettuce wraps. It truly takes any dish to the next level.

Investing in a few key pantry items slowly each week, as you can afford, really pays off. You can have a sauce like this on any given evening and don’t have to spend a ton of money on pre-made sauces. While those are always convenient, in my opinion, it is SO easy to make one of your own that tastes even bettering fresher!

Whole 30 Paleo Keto Thai Cashew Sauce

Ingredients:
3 tbsp of coconut aminos
1 tsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of rice vinegar (check your labels)
2 tbsp of cashew butter (I used Justin’s Cashew Butter)
1 tbsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp of ginger
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp of salt (I always use Pink Himalayan Salt)
1/2 tsp of pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan
Cook garlic until it becomes soft and fragrant
Add remaining ingredients
Allow the cashew butter to melt and then remove from heat
- TIP: This step does not take long and I suggest continuously stirring the sauce

Chickpea Coconut Curry

Did you know I spent extended periods of my life as a vegetarian? Well now you know! When I was younger, I felt bad for eating the animals. As I grew even older and learned about factory farming, my guilt got even worse. I now at least try to get my animal products from highly sustainable and humane outlets (which is not always easy or cheap).

Because of this background, I always try to think resourcefully and have one meatless day a week at least in my food freedom. Meatless Monday is a fun trend that I like to participate in. For me, Meatless Mondays often involve chickpeas or some form of a legume that my stomach/digestion reacts well with.

This chickpea curry is so flavorful you won’t miss the meat, but you could certainly always add some of you wish! I love to place this over cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower. I especially love this dish in the fall but it can really be enjoyed any time of the year. It freezes great as well if you want to double the batch and have some on hand for a later time.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
4 stalks of carrots, chopped
15 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp of coconut oil (or olive or avocado)
3 tbsp of coconut cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp curry
1/2 tsp ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan
Add onion and allow it to become translucent
Add the garlic and let it become fragrant
Add the chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, and spices. Let this cook for 20-30 minutes to let the carrots soften.
- Tip: If you are looking for this dish to come together even quicker, boil the carrots separately, or even the night before!
Add the coconut cream and mix it in
- Tip: put the canned coconut milk or cream in the fridge a few days before you are going to use it to allow the cream to firm

Whole 30 Cauliflower Tabouli (Tabbouleh)

Is it Tabouli, Tabbouleh, or Tabuleh? I was never a great speller. My mom can attest to the lack of spelling knowledge I’ve always had! In fact, she’s actually kept notebooks from 5th grade year for proof of how bad it was.

I’m not sure if it matters in this case because we will all probably just smash this dish down before I can find the a definitive answer on this one. You know what though? We don’t need to know how it is spelled as long as it is delicious. Who needs to know how to spell anyways?? Certainly not a blogger.

I love this dish because it has so many fresh elements but also has a great filling aspect to make it a complete side with the cauliflower. You can really enjoy this any time of the year and especially with some of the other dishes I have on my blog such as my Greek meatballs or my Greek salad with roasted chickpeas.

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower head, riced
1 1/2 cup red grape tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp oil olive
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 medium cucumber, diced
Juice of one lemon
10-12 pitted kalamata olives

Directions:

Cook riced cauliflower and oil until soft in a pan
Add riced cauliflower and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined

Greek Meatballs

Meatballs are seriously my jam! I’ve never met a meatball I didn’t like, and these are certainly no exception! I am always pleased to have a stocked pantry of spices to throw something delicious together like these Greek meatballs without any hassle.

Raw Meat for Greek Meatballs Whole 30 Greek Meatballs Whole 30 Paleo Keto on Baking Sheet

These are perfect to enjoy with my Cauliflower Tabouli to make a complete meal. But you could also always serve these as an appetizer with my tzatziki sauce and have a healthy Whole 30 and Paleo compliant choice at a gathering! This travels great as well and almost always makes our menu for parties, tailgates, or just when we want have some Greek inspired food in our life (which is always).

Whole 30 Keto Paleo Meatballs Dipped Tzatziki Sauce

Yields about 18 meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (I use grass fed and grass finished)
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
1/2 Tbsp kalamata olive brine (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped roughly
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped roughly
1 tsp of dried chives
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. My beef usually retains a lot of liquid and adding the brine also creates nice liquid. If you do not have extra liquid in yours, you could always add some oil or an egg. It helps keep the meatballs juicy and avoids dry meatballs
Form small to medium meatballs onto a baking dish
Cook in oven for 22 minutes
Turn oven temperature up to 425 degree F and allow the meatballs to bake another 5 minutes. This creates a crispy top of the meatballs. (Optional step)
Enjoy with my cauliflower tabouli and tzatziki sauce

Whole 30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Pepper

I think most of my inspiration for developing recipes comes from a longing to have old flavors I used to enjoy in a different way. For instance, I used to LOVE the chicken bacon ranch sub from Subway. In my first few years in college, I think I ate one once a week. When I stopped eating majority of all fast food because the processed junk upset my stomach, the desire for the flavors didn’t go away.

So here I am wondering how I can recreate this taste of my beloved chicken bacon ranch sub. For once, it didn’t make sense to put this on cauli-rice or some form of zucchini. But a stuffed pepper could really do the trick! And here we are. Trust me on this one, you can mend your cravings with this and know that you are still fueling your body with nourishing, whole foods!

Ingredients:

1 lb Shredded Chicken

4 strips of whole 30 compliant bacon, I used Pederson’s farms (link)

4 bell peppers

4 cups of cauliflower, riced

1/2 tsp of pink Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 cup of my homemade ranch

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400
Boil chicken in water for 25 minutes. Pull out and pull apart with two forks.
Rice and saute your cauliflower for 5 minutes until soft
Cut the tops off of the peppers so you can easily stuff them
Mix together ingredients for dressing
Mix together the chicken, cauli rice, and half of the ranch dressing
Stuff peppers with cauli rice and chicken
Place peppers in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes to soften the peppers to desired liking.
Pour remaining ranch on the peppers and enjoy!

Bolognese Sauce

Long gone are the days of sauce from a can. Especially when complaint sauce has been upwards of $9.00 lately! Sure, there is some convenience to buying your sauces and dressings but it is SO easy and simple to make a great tasting sauce at home with just a few fresh ingredients.

I do not have any Italian roots in my family, but that doesn’t stop me from craving a really great, homemade sauce. There is something so comforting about a sauce simmering on the stove all day. And sometimes I really just don’t want to make meatballs. So this Bolognese sauce is perfect for those days when you want the comfort without all the effort.

While this sauce certainly gets better with time spent on the stove, you can always shorten it into a quick, 30 minute meal for a week night. The fresh basil and parsley heighten the flavor depth in no time. Perfect to serve over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I use grass fed and grass finished)
I package of white or cremona mushrooms, chopped finely
1 medium onion, chopped
28 oz marinara sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
1 package of basil, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:

Brown the beef in a large pan or cast iron skillet with salt and pepper
Add the onion and mushrooms and allow to soften
Add garlic – this burns quickly so stir continuously and move quickly in the next steps
Add marinara sauce, and fresh herbs
Let the sauce come to a boil and then simmer for at least 30 minutes.
This certainly gets better with time and age
Serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash

Korean Barbecue Stir Fry

This Korean stir fry takes your average stir fry dish to the next level! The sauce alone is so good that I usually frozen veggies with this as a short cut! You can certainly use fresh veggies instead, but I always try to find time savers anywhere I can without scarfing taste and flavor.

This one dish wonder (who doesn’t love a one dish meal?!?) is perfect for any weeknight meal as it comes together in no time at all! You could easily leave out a few of the ingredients to make it Whole 30, such as the honey. Make sure you check your labels with the chili paste as well!

Ingredients:

1 lb flank steak or top round steak

2 packages of frozen stir fry veggies (or desired fresh veggies, such as snap peas, broccoli, red peppers, carrots, celery)

2 Tbsp of Coconut Aminos

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp Chili Paste

1 Tbsp of Honey (optional)

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp of ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp almond butter

Scallions for toppings

Directions:

Cut your steak or meat in desired sizes. I like to cube mine into 1.5 inch cuts
In a cast iron or grill pan, sear meat for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through
Remove steak from heat and allow to set on a plate for later
Add frozen veggies or fresh – whatever you decide. If you are using frozen veggies it may create more liquid than if you are just using fresh. Depending on your preference, you may want to dump some water.
Let them cook for about 10 minutes (or until fully cooked)
Turn your heat down to low if it was above
Add the coconut aminos, sesame oil, chili paste, honey, and seasonings
Make a little whole in the center of the veggies and add the almond butter to it. Utilize the liquid that the veggies released to thin your almond butter and create a sauce.
Mix this all together until you have desired consistency. You can add some coconut aminos if it is too thick for your liking.
Add the steak back in and let all the flavors come together for 2 minutes
Serve with zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice