Category: Recipe

Steak Power Bowl

It seems like bowls are all the fad lately. Power bowls, smoothie bowls, burrito bowls…you get the idea. Not sure how I missed the memo for so long but now that I’ve hopped on board, I totally get the appeal!

Bowls are such a great way to pack protein, veggies, and your needed carbs and fat in a neat package. If you are not a huge meal prep person, bowls are key for you. Just cook a few different kinds of protein and veggies and mix and match all week long. This especially helps if you get sick of the same thing day after day.

First thing you want to do is pick a base. I usually go for spinach or messaged kale. Next grab your protein – I love to do steak but chicken or pork would work too depending on what you have on hand.

Next, choose a hearty vegetable like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts. If you do well with grains you could add brown rice or quinoa as well.

Now it’s time to make it pretty with the finishing touches. I think broccolini or asparagus not only taste delicious but add a great texture to the bowl. I love to then top it off with bright colors or pickled onions or tomatoes. And of course we can’t forget about the sauce, because that’ what we’re all here for, right? I love to add some avocado, creamy ranch, mayo, or tahini dressing (below) to finish the bowl off right.

Whole 30 Paleo Steak Power Bowl

Ingredients:
4 ounces of steak, cubed and cooked to desired wellness
1 cup spinach
1 sweet potato, cubed
4 – 5 sticks of broccolini
1/2 cup of pickled onions
Sesame seeds
1/2 avocado

Tahini Lemon Dressing Ingredients:
2 Tbsp of tahini
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of water to thin it out to your desired consistency. Start with a tbsp        and go from there!
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper

Directions:
  • Cook steak – I used Butcher Box sirloin steak
  • Bake sweet potatoes at 400 degree F for 30 minutes
  • Bake broccolini in oven at 400 degree F for 15 minutes
  • Combine lemon tahini dressing ingredients
  • Add all ingredients in the bowl and enjoy

 

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Anyone else ever have a love affair with PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps?? Just me?

Whenever there is an appetizer at a restaurant involving lettuce wraps I’m always interested.  However, sometimes even when something appears healthy, there are so many hidden ingredients that you may not really want to be consuming. Which is why asking questions is always key. If you feel uncomfortable asking right there, call ahead! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and they are usually super nice and helpful. Just make sure you aren’t calling at a super busy time.

So yet again, I find myself inspired to create things I’ve loved in my past life in a healthy way. These are so simple and light to throw together for a quick dinner. Even better to have as a starter or appetizer at your own get together! The best part is that are no secret ingredients hiding in there that may upset your stomach or have negative side effects on your health.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
1 head of lettuce for wraps
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cups of cremini mushrooms, diced
3 stalks of green onion, chopped
1/4 cup of coconut aminos
1 tbsp rice vinegar (read your labels!)
2 tbsp of sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger

Directions:
  • Brown ground chicken in large frying pan
  • Add onion, red pepper, and mushrooms
  • Let veggies soften, draining some water if it does not evaporate
  • Add coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and spices in the dish and let flavors combine
  • Cut head of lettuce in fourths to make a bed for the chicken mixture to lay in
  • Garnish with green onion

Strawberry Vinaigrette

There is something that happens to your taste buds when you switch from a Standard American Diet (SAD) to a whole foods based diet. I NEVER wanted fruit on my salads before. I even remember when I was younger I couldn’t imagine eating strawberries without dumping loads of sugar on them first.

Thinking back on that is so wild to me because strawberries have so much flavor to me now! There are perfectly sweet just the way they are. In so many ways I am glad I went on this journey from a pretty terrible diet to a whole foods based diet because it makes you so much more appreciative of food in its natural state.

I love to enjoy this dressing in my food freedom with some goat cheese, onion, and almond salad. It really heightens the dish and is perfect for gathering as it brings so much color to the table.

1 medium shallot, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp of avocado oil
2 tbsp of white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of sherry vinegar
8 small strawberries

Directions:
  • Add oil in a sauce pan on medium heat
  • Add the shallots and allow to cook until softened
  • Add garlic and let cook for another 2 minutes
  • Place pan mixture in an immersion blender friendly container and add vinegars and strawberries
  • Note: you can really get creative and use any kind of vinegar mixture. I’ve used red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, try a few out! Even switch this up with raspberries or other fruit as well.
  • Blend together with immersion blender and allow to cool before serving

Yields about 1 cup

Italian Dressing

I always say a salad is only a couple tablespoons of dressing away from being unhealthy. Unfortunately so many of the “healthy” choices in restaurants are salads, which are topped in multiple different cheeses, croutons, and tons of dressing. Unfortunately many of these dressings and dressings found in the grocery store are filled with unhealthy oils such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil that is highly processed.

Our attempt of making a healthy choice is stripped right from us without most people knowing. Or at least knowing to what extent the damage those oils can do on your body.

There are definitely more options that are Paleo and Whole 30 compliant that are certainly great for convenience. I would be careful though, as many of those are still made with oils that aren’t great for us to consume on the regular.

I almost always make my own dressings these days. It’s not difficult, you can double or triple a batch for the week, and you can control what is going in your body. In my opinion, these are also wayyy tastier than those factory made dressings.

Ingredients:
1 medium shallot, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp of avocado oil
2 tbsp of white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of sherry vinegar

Directions:
  • Add oil in a sauce pan on medium heat
  • Add the shallots and allow to cook until softened
  • Add garlic and let cook for another 2 minutes
  • Place pan mixture in an immersion blender friendly container and add vinegars
  • Note: you can really get creative and use any kind of vinegar mixture. I’ve used red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, try a few out!
  • Blend together with immersion blender and allow to cool before serving

Yields about 1/2 cup

Paleo Onion Rings

Onion rings have always been one of my guilty pleasures! There is something so desirable about the outside crunch paired with the delicious taste of the cooked onion. The only thing better about onion rings, is Paleo onion rings.

I’ve had a passion for cooking for a long time and I remember when I was a lot younger after watching Rachael Ray I would make my own onion rings at home. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually tried making these and I really wanted to try to make a healthier version. You can only really make these so “healthy” but I think it’s definitely clean enough to enjoy as a treat in your for freedom as you desire.

Paleo Onion Rings

I bought my boyfriend an air fryer for his birthday and we have been experimenting with it. I tried these bad boys out in it (here is a link to ours) and they were so good! You can certainly bake these or add some oil to a pan and fry them traditionally if you do not have one.

Paleo Onion Rings

Ingredients:
1 large sweet yellow onion
2 egg
1 and 1/4 cup of almond flour
1 tsp of Cajun Spice
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
  • Place flour and spices mixed in one bowl and the eggs in another
  • Dredge sliced onion in eggs and then in flour
  • Place in air fryer heated at 400 degree F and flip occasionally for 12 – 15 minutes (or in a pan with 1 inch of oil or bake at 450 degrees F for 12-15 minutes)

Sonoma Chicken Salad on Collard Green Wrap

There is something so delicious and fresh about Sonoma chicken salads. Most store bought versions though are full of so much junk and things I can’t even pronounce. Convenience is always great but not at the expense of crap ingredients, especially when something like this can come together in a matter of minutes.

Paleo Sonoma Chicken Salad

If I am going for convenience, I try to take short cuts by buying rotisserie chicken or a store bought dressing that has clean ingredients. You can also double this and bulk it up for a weeks worth of quick, clean eating. I absolutely love putting a heaping scoop of this inside a collard green and making a fun wrap. Great for traveling as well!

Paleo Sonoma Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb of shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 cup of diced red grapes
1/4 cup of finely chopped celery
1/4 cup of red onion
1/4 cup of homemade mayo
1/4 cup Honey Poppyseed dressing (such as Tessemae’s)
Collard greens to wrap

Tip: If you can’t find the Honey Poppyseed Dressing you could always combine equal parts apple cider vinegar, honey, and poppy seeds with the mayo for the dressing.

Directions:
  • Combine mayo and dressing in a large bowl and combine
  • Add chicken, grapes, and celery to bowl and combine with dressing
  • Cut hard vine out of collard green and steam on the stove in a pan until soft and easy to handle
  • Place chicken salad mixture in the center of the collard green and wrap tightly
  • Enjoy!

Greek Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

Most of the time my food freedom consists of delicious salads that you would never guess are healthy! For some reason it is just what I crave! Throw together some romaine leaves, protein, all the toppings, and some killer dressing and I am good to go!

While this recipe is not specifically Whole 30 or Paleo, it is super easy to omit some of the toppings that don’t fit into your lifestyle.
Have you guys ever roasted chickpeas? They are seriously delicious and serve as a great replacement for a crouton if you are really missing that crunch on top of your salad.

Roasted Chickpeas in a Greek Salad with Grilled ChickenI don’t often eat salami. In fact before I made this salad, I probably hadn’t had any in years. But isn’t that what food freedom is truly about? Listening to what sounds good to your body on that day at that time. Was this salami Whole 30? Definitely not. But I made the best choice available to me and enjoyed it without any guilt.

greek salad with grilled chicken and salami

Finished this salad off with all the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and my homemade dairy free tzatziki dressing.

Ingredients:
1 can of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
1 can of artichoke hearts
 1 package of sliced salami
10 ish olives
1/3 of a Cucumber
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
1/4 thinly sliced red onion
1 tsp of dried dill
1 tsp of dried oregano
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Feta cheese to top

Directions:
Roast chickpeas with oil in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until desired crispiness
Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats

I pretty much love anything and everything that involves buffalo chicken. Now that I think of it, I can say the same for zucchini. It’s no doubt that I paired them together for this easy go to weeknight meal of Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats for me.
zucchini boats
I know I say this often, but in order for me to sustain this lifestyle I have to keep it simple. Dinner needs to be ready in a matter of minutes for me. The best part about this recipe is that it is great for leftovers. So easy to just heat the oven and put these in there for a bit as I pack my lunch for work the next day. Sometimes if I’m really lazy, I even eat them cold! Topped off with my Whole 30 compliant ranch.
Whole 30 and Paleo Shredded Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats with Homemade Ranch
Ingredients:
1 lb of cooked boneless chicken breast, shredded
4 zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
2/3 cup red hot sauce
2 Tbsp of ghee or coconut oil
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1-2 Tbsp of fresh dill (I love dill so the more the better, just depends on preference)
Directions:
  • Boil chicken on the stove top in a sauce pan for 20-25 minutes. Pull it out and shred with two forks
  • Melt ghee on stove top in a saucepan. Add hot sauce, celery salt, ghee
  • Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit
  • Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scrap out the middle seed area with a spoon. I used the inside to mix with the onions and chicken but you can toss them if you don’t like the insides.
  • Place zucchini in oven and cook for 18 minutes
  • Saute the onion and zucchini insides (if you saved them) in salt and pepper in a pan
  • Add the shredded chicken and sauce to the pan with the onion and zucchini insides. Mix together
  • Pull out the zucchini boats from the oven and stuff them with the chicken and onion mixture.
  • Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes
  • Garnish with more dill
  • I enjoyed mine with homemade (Whole 30) dairy-free ranch

Chicken and Bacon Cobb Salad

I know this might not be the popular opinion, but I have always been a huge salad person. My parents have told me even when I was a toddler, I would always eat my salad greens they would serve me. I didn’t even know toddlers should eat salads but that’s a whole other topic…
Salads have gotten such a bad rap over time. Either they are too bland boring, or they are full of really unhealthy things and you have defeated the purpose of making a better choice. While at restaurants the latter certainly seems to be the case, I am determined to salvage the reputation of salads by proving there are so many ways to make salads delicious AND healthy.
Whole 30 Paleo Chicken and Bacon Cobb Salad
The key is in the dressing to me. Which is the first place you can go terribly wrong in terms of making it real unhealthy real quick. But there are so many ways to make your own in under 30 seconds if you just invest in a couple of vinegars and a light tasting oil.  I usually use an extra light virgin olive oil or an avocado olive oil. Throw in your favorite herbs – fresh or dried – and you’ve made yourself a great dressing. Check out my dressings recipes, such as my homemade dairy free ranch, for some ideas!
Whole 30 Paleo Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad with Ranch
Or if that seems too much there are numerous companies that are choosing mindful ingredients in their dressings. I scan the ingredients list and avoid any preservatives, added sugar, or anything I can’t pronounce. While these are more expensive than making your own, they are great and convenient and if they hep you make a healthier choice, you have my full support!
I made this Cobb salad because who doesn’t love a big beautiful Cobb salad. So many colors, so many vegetables you can add on to greens and top it off with Grilled Chicken and Bacon. This salad is so easy to exchange your favorite veggies or seasonal veggies and make it your own. Perfect for a warm summer day, as we have had a LOT of here lately.
Ingredients:
2 cups of romaine lettuce or any green of your liking
Grilled Chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1/4 cup of cucumbers chopped
1/4 onion finely diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 of avocado
1 hard boiled egg chopped
1 slice of Bacon – uncured with no added sugar if you are following a whole 30 or paleo diet
2 tbsp of dressing of your choice. I used Tessemae’s Avocado Ranch

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Dairy Free Homemade Ranch (Whole 30)

Ranch is such a staple in my life that when I did my first Whole 30 I didn’t know what I was going to eat considering I had to give up dairy and added preservatives, which meant Ranch. Back in the “stone ages” when I did my first Whole 30, all the store bought dressings didn’t exist. Luckily, I quickly learned I didn’t have to give up my beloved ranch up, I just had to make my own!

I personally am not a huge fan of coconut milk in homemade ranch. So many recipes out there now include that so I needed to improvise and came up with this one! I think the coconut flavor overpowers the other ingredients so I leave it out of mine.

There are SO many variations you can make to this to make to spice up your life even more. Add a couple of slices of diced, cooked bacon and you have Bacon Ranch. Add a few tbsp of your preferred hot sauce for Buffalo Ranch. There are also a ton of store bought which can really be a life saver in a pinch. However, I don’t always trust the oils they use and it’s also not very budget friendly.

Ingredients:
1 cup of homemade mayo
Juice of 1/4 lemon or lime OR 2 Tbsp of Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
Handful of fresh dill (I LOVE fresh dill but you could use 2 tsp dried dill)
Handful of fresh cilantro

Directions:

  • Fold in spices to mayo and add lemon or lime juice. Mix to combine.