I spent more time then usual in the kitchen last weekend, so I decided to choose recipes this week that would be a little bit less time consuming, like this casserole dish! I am always on the look for a good casserole recipe and this one is worth saving. I have made a Hamburger Casserole recipe before that was good, but turned out a little plain, so I was excited to find one that added some different flavor. I altered the original recipe's ingredient amounts so I could make six meals, so check out the original recipe for comparison. My only note about this recipe is if I were to make it again, I might decide to drain the beef or add some egg because the casserole did not stay together when I went to serve it. Let me know what you think about this one if you try it!

Bacon Burger Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Ingredients:

• 2 cauliflower heads, riced
• 2 lb ground beef
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 10 ounces tomato sauce or puree, (make sure tomatoes are the only ingredients, Pomi brand is best)
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp celery seed
• ½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 F, and oil a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
2. In a food processor or blender, grind cauliflower florets into a rice texture.Set aside.
3. In a large skillet pan over medium high combine and brown: ground beef, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, celery seed, and black pepper. Stir and cook until browned (do not drain beef).
4. Add tomato sauce and cauliflower rice to the ground beef skillet. Stir and continue cooking over medium to medium high heat for 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Carefully spoon or dump all ingredients from the skillet into the casserole dish. Spread around casserole dish evenly.
6. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with bacon crumbles. Place sliced tomatoes on top, and bake for 20 mins. Remove from oven and serve.

Original recipe found here

So I definitely didn't think this meal out well because a roasted sweet potato with curry chicken is a weird combination. That aside, the chicken turned out really good and was super easy to make. Next time though I'll pair it with cauliflower rice because not only would that make more sense, but there was a lot of extra sauce that I didn't use because I didn't want to soak my sweet potato in it. Again, I just didn't think this meal out well. But the chicken recipe was a simple, quick, one-pot recipe that turned out really yummy! If you like curry chicken, this one is worth tying!

One-Pot Curried Coconut Chicken
Ingredients:

• 1-2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 2 tablespoons curry powder (use yellow curry powder for milder or red for spicier)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 white onion, cut into strips
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and cut into strips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1-1/2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. In a large pan over medium-low heat, sauté the onion and bell pepper in olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring every so often until onions are softened and translucent, for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the spices and chicken pieces, and cook for about 3 minutes, until spices are fragrant and the chicken is a bit golden on the outside.
3. Add the coconut milk and sweetener, stir, increase heat to high and bring almost to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
4. Serve over brown rice.

​Original recipe found here

I have to make more sweet potato noodle recipes since I recently purchased a spiralizer that can handle sweet potatoes. Plus, this one caught my eye because it looked amazing. Don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients, you should be familiar with all of them (except the rutabaga, I had no idea what that was). If you do not have a spiralizer I suggest baking the sweet potatoes and filling them with the bolognese sauce. Another option is to make spaghetti squash to serve the sauce over, but I did REALLY like the sweet potato combo with this sauce. Also, mine turned out less like a sauce because I strained it, but that's just my personal preference because I hate extra liquid in my meal prep containers haha. Of note, this recipe is Whole 30 approved and also provides the option to not use the slow cooker. Let me know your thoughts if you make this one!

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce with Sweet Potato Spaghetti
Ingredients:
For the bolognese sauce:

• ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ghee (I used coconut oil)
• 2 shallots or 1 onion, minced (I used an onion)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium rutabaga, chopped small
• 10 ounces baby bella or crimini mushrooms, chopped small
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon raspberry wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar )
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon bittersweet smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of allspice
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving

For the sweet potato noodles:

• 1 tablespoon ghee (I used coconut oil)
• 6-8 medium sweet potatoes (or 1 per meal), peeled and spiralized
• Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. To make the bolognese sauce, pour room temperature water over the dried porcini mushrooms and set them aside to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once they've soaked for 20-30 minutes, remove them from the liquid with a slotted spoon, rinse them, and chop them finely. If desired, strain the soaking liquid and reserve it for use later or in another recipe.
2. Heat the ghee (or coconut oil) and olive oil in a very large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 7-8 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the garlic, rutabaga, and both kinds of mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and most of it has bubbled away, about 8 minutes.
3. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan. If the pan looks very dry, you can add an additional tablespoon of olive oil or ghee (or coconut oil) at this point. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat with a spatula, until cooked through and no longer pink. Add all the remaining ingredients except the basil (go ahead and add the whole can of tomatoes along with their liquid). Stir thoroughly.
4. At this point, if you'd like to use your slow cooker, transfer the sauce to slow cooker and cook it on low for 6-8 hours, leaving the lid off for the last hour or so to allow any excess liquid to evaporate. If you'd like to continue cooking on the stovetop, stir in 1½ cups of water (you can use the mushroom soaking water if you'd like) and bring the sauce to a boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook, uncovered, for about three hours, adding more water if the sauce starts to look too dry.
5. Stir in the basil right before serving.
6. To make the sweet potato noodles, heat the ghee in a very large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the noodles and toss with tongs to coat them with the ghee. Let the noodles cook for about 2 minutes, then add ¼ cup of water and cover the pan. Let the noodles steam, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, or until they reach your desired degree of doneness. I like mine almost soft, but with a tiny bit of bite left to them. It seems to be a thin margin between too crunchy, just right, and too mushy, so I recommend watching them closely and tasting them often.
7. Season the noodles with a bit of salt and stir. Serve the noodles hot with the sauce spooned on top, garnished with additional basil if desired.

Original recipe found here

If you follow the blog or my Instagram, you'll notice this sounds similar to the Sun-dried Tomato Chicken over Cauliflower Mash meal I made a few weeks ago, and it is. Both recipes came from PaleoLeap and both are equally as good... So helpful, I know. If you are a fan of fresh basil or a basil and tomato combo, or just like a quick and simple recipe, you will enjoy this one for sure. Also, my picture does not do this meal justice, so check out the original link for a good picture if you're unsure about making this one!

Chicken with Garlic Basil Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless (or however many meals you are making - I used close to 2lbs of chicken)
• 5-6 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup fresh basil, minced
• ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (I increased to 1/2 cup)
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano (I increased to 2 tbsp)
• ½ tbsp. garlic powder (I increased to 1 tbsp)
• Cooking fat
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with oregano, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a bowl combine the diced tomatoes, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat the cooking fat in a oven-proof skillet, and brown the chicken on each side for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Remove chicken from skillet and pour in the tomato mixture.
6. Simmer the tomatoes for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
7. Return the chicken to the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
8. While the chicken is cooking, baste with the tomato mixture every 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven once cooked and add the coconut milk to the tomato sauce, stirring until well combined.
10. Serve chicken topped with the tomato sauce.

Original recipe found here


Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients:

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (I use the thick part at the top of the can, then slowly add a little bit more of the liquid part if needed)
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder (this is an estimate, I sprinkled in a little at a time until it was to my liking)
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Place in the boiling water and cook for anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Check this by poking it with a fork.
3. Strain the cauliflower from the water and place into your food processor. Add the coconut milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth in texture. Taste the mash and adjust the spices to your liking if needed!

This is one of my go-to recipes over the years because it is super simple and really yummy. I ended up using a panini pan to cook the sliders on since it is too cold outside to use the grill. I also altered the original recipe since I needed to meal prep more meals, so check out the original recipe for comparison. Oh yeah, the original recipe also gives freezing directions and nutritional information if you are interested in those details. This is definitely a recipe to save for when it gets warmer out and you can use the grill! Paired this with my usual roasted sweet potatoes. If I thought this meal through a little more, I would have also roasted some veggies to go with this. A must try!

Paleo Chicken Apple Bacon Sliders
Ingredients:

• 1 granny smith apple, preferably organic, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup celery, thinly chopped
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons honey, raw
• 2 pound ground chicken
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat outdoor grill or stove.
2. In a large bowl, combine grated apple, celery, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix in honey, chicken, and cooked, crumbled bacon.
3. Shape chicken mixture into 1/2-inch-thick sliders, using 1/8th pound of meat per slider.
4. Grill over medium heat about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Original recipe found here 


My Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:

• 4-6 Sweet Potatoes (Depending on how much you want to make. 5 medium sized sweet potatoes usually gets me 6 oz of sweet potato fries for 6 meals. I think my idea of medium sized is bigger than most though.)
• Olive oil spray
• Sea salt (I actually use Garlic Sea Salt on everything I cook)
• Optional: Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Skin and cut the sweet potatoes into whatever shape you want. I either do fries, wedges or circles.
3. Spray baking pan with olive oil. Lay down sweet potato fries flat (please do not just dump a pile on the pan).
4. I fill my Misto with olive oil and lightly spray the fries, then add some sea salt (sometimes cinnamon too).
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Take out of the oven and move them around or flip them over. Bake for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Keep an eye on them, if they are thin bake for less time, and vice versa. Key is to move them around or flip them over half way through baking them. I usually make mine thicker, so I bake them for at least a total of 40 minutes. 

So I am a huge fan of less ingredients and a simple and fast recipe, and this was exactly that. And for how simple the ingredient list is, this is a really flavorful and awesome paleo meatball meal! I decided to try roasting the zucchini noodles this time because I hate when there is extra liquid in the meal from boiling the noodles. If you do not have a spiralizer yet, I suggest you get one! I used my Veggetti (I found this for pretty cheap at my local grocery store a while back), which makes zucchini noddles real fast and easily. You can also make spaghetti squash to act as noodles instead. If you are looking for a healthy "spaghetti" and meatball recipe, try this one out!

Oven Baked Paleo Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:

• 1lb ground pork
• 1lb ground beef
• 2 tbsps Italian Seasoning
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tbsps parsely, finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a sheet pan with foil
3. Mix the meat, egg and seasonings together in a bowl, then form about two tablespoons of the meat mixture into even sized meatballs and place them on the lined sheet pan.
4. Bake in a 400f oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Marinara Sauce:

1. Add the olive oil to a pan and heat up on a medium heat, then add the chopped onion and saute for five minutes. Add the chopped garlic, canned tomatoes, bay leaf and pepper.
2. Cook on a low - medium heat for 20 - 30 minutes.
3. Serve over the cooked meatballs and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Original recipe found here 


Roasted Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients:

• 6 Zucchinis (Depending on how many meals you want to make. 6 Zucchinis gave me enough noodles for 6 meals.)
• Olive oil spray
• Sea salt (I actually use Garlic Sea Salt on everything I cook)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Spiralize your zucchini's into noodles
3. Spray baking pan with olive oil. Lay down noddles as flat as possible (please do not just dump a pile on the pan)
4. Add some sea salt
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Take out of the oven and move them around or flip them over. Bake for another 12-15 minutes.
6. Keep an eye on them, if they are thin bake for less time, and vice versa. Key is to move them around or flip them over half way through baking them. Again, just keep an eye on them!

I stumbled across this 38 Sweet Potato Recipes That Aren’t Fries article and thought it was a sign that I should probably make a sweet potato recipe that doesn't involve my roasted sweet potatoes. I chose this Pad Thai recipe from the list because it looked amazing and I haven't tried sweet potato noodles yet. I altered the original recipe a bit because I wanted to add chicken and I needed 6 meals, so definitely check out the original recipe for comparison. Plus, the original recipe shows a much more creamier and delicious looking Pad Thai meal - if you are making my version and want it to be more creamy, I would suggest doubling the coconut milk and using more of the liquid part. Also, if you don't have a spiralizer to make the sweet potato noodles, you can always buy a package of broccoli or carrot slaw or use spaghetti squash. Try this meal! It was amazing.

Paleo Sweet Potato Pad Thai With Chicken
Ingredients:

• 6 sweet potatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red onion
• 4 carrot sticks
• 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (I used almond butter)
• 4 T honey
• 3 T sesame oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (I used the entire thick part at the top of the can, then added a tiny bit of the liquid)
• Handful of spinach
• 1-2lbs Chicken (I sliced into bite size pieces)
• 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce (Red Boat fish sauce is paleo friendly, I recently found it at Whole Foods)
• 2 T Coconut Aminos (I use Bragg Liquid Aminos)
• Lime juice

Directions:

1. Send sweet potato through your spiralizer. Set aside.
2. For chicken: heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and some garlic, cook about 1 minute.
3. Add chicken and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.
4. Add about a teaspoon of fish sauce, 2 T coconut aminos, and some lime juice. Cook at a rapid simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken and set aside. Also, pour out the excess liquid from skillet.
6. Mince garlic, dice onion, chop carrot and place in the large skillet, along with the sesame oil and honey.
7. Cook for a few minutes before adding in the sunflower seed butter (almond butter in my case) and sweet potato noodles; stir everything together well.
8. Slowly add in coconut milk; turn burner to medium-heat and stir regularly until noodles are soft. (I left my noodles in the skillet for at least 15 minutes)
9. Stir in spinach, remove from heat and enjoy!

Original recipe found here

Since ​it was Super Bowl Sunday, I decided to choose a crockpot meal so I could minimize kitchen time. I increased some of the ingredients from the original recipe so I could make 6 meals, so check out the original recipe for comparison. Also, I accidentally used 4 Tablespoons of chili powder, so mine was pretty dang spicy. Don't do that and this will be a great meal. For cauliflower rice, I chopped up two heads of cauliflower and pulsed it in my food processor to make cauliflower rice. I then heated up some bacon fat in a large skillet on medium heat and threw the cauliflower rice in it with some garlic powder and salt. Since I had a lot of cauliflower rice I left it on the skillet for a good 10-15 minutes. I do want to note that this was a very quick and plain cauliflower rice on purpose because I knew the chili would be full of flavor. Hope you enjoy this quick crockpot recipe!

Texas Slow Cooker Beef Chili
Ingredients:

• 2 pound grass-fed organic beef 
• 2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 6 large carrots chopped small 
• 26 oz finely chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1.5 teaspoon onion powder
• 1.5 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I omitted this)
• 4 teaspoons chili powder  
• 1.5 teaspoon paprika
• 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of cumin (I omitted this)

Instructions:

1. Place the ground beef in a medium-size skillet over high heat and brown, stirring, until no longer pink.
2. Spoon it into your slow cooker, including the fat.
3. Place the green bell pepper, onion, carrots and tomatoes into the slow cooker.
4. Stir all the ingredients well, then add the remaining spices and seasonings.
5. Stir once more, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.
6. Top with additional diced onions or jalapeños if desired.

Original recipe found here

This is another great Asian recipe that I have made before. If you don't have a spiralizer, simply use broccoli slaw, carrot slaw or spaghetti squash for noodles. This time I spiralized the two zucchinis with a Veggetti (I found this for pretty cheap at my local grocery store a while back) and also added a bag of broccoli slaw to act as my veggie noodles. A long list of directions, so make sure to read carefully! And definitely don't forget to add back some of the remaining sauce/broth from the crockpot to the meat when you are done.

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Pad Thai with Veggie Noodles
Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts (skin removed). 
• 2 medium zucchini.
• 1 large carrot (I bought a bag of broccoli slaw instead)
• 1 handful of bean sprouts (optional - I did not use).
• 1 small bunch of green onions (for sauce and garnish)
• 1 cup of coconut milk.
• 1 cup of chicken stock.
• 2 heaping tablespoons of SunButter (I used Almond Butter instead).
• 1 tablespoon of Coconut Aminos (or wheat-free tamari, to replace soy sauce).
• 2 tsp of Fish Sauce. (I used Red Boat fish sauce, which is paleo-friendly - I just recently found it at Whole Foods!)
• 2 tsp of powdered ginger (or about 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger).
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced, or 1 tsp of garlic powder.
• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper.
• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes.
• Salt & Pepper for seasoning the chicken.
• Chopped cashews for garnish (optional).
• Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional).

Instructions:

1. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, and a little bit of the cayenne pepper and ginger powder. If you have time, brown your chicken in a cast iron skillet to get the flavors going. This step is completely optional.
2. In your crock, add your coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir well. If you are using a full-fat coconut milk, make sure you stir until the coconut milk is fully dissolved into the chicken stock.
3. Add your SunButter, coconut aminos, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, 2 green onions chopped including the whites, cayenne, and red pepper.
4. Stir well until your SunButter is completely dissolved.
5. Place your chicken breasts or thighs into your base liquid.
6. Turn your zucchinis into veggie noodles with your spiral slicer, shred your carrots, and wash your bean sprouts.
7. Toss your zucchini noodles, carrots, and bean sprouts together on your counter to mix them well. 
8. Nest, or balance your veggie noodles on top of your liquid and meat base in your slow cooker, and press down every so slightly. The goal is for them to be steamed, not stewed. (I did not try this out because I forgot to read this step before starting my slow cooker. Instead I steamed my veggie "noodles" until soft.)
9. Cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on low if you are using a 4-Quart Slow cooker.
10. Cook for no more than 6 hours on low (5 is ideal) if you are using a 6-Quart slow cooker.
11. To serve, remove the noodles first and set aside, making sure they are strained of any retained liquid.
12. Removed your chicken breasts or thighs. Debone if necessary, then chop into strips. Add back some of the remaining sauce/broth from the crock to the meat and mix well.
13. Place your meat and sauce over your noodles, and garnish with green onions (scallions), chopped cilantro, and chopped cashews. Enjoy!

​Original recipe found here

I was really indecisive on what sweet potato meal to make, so I opted for a hash. I used Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausage, which is pre-cooked and paleo friendly, and added some cubed sweet potatoes. Really simple and really plain, so definitely make this with coconut oil. Also, I always add spinach into my hashes because it wilts and therefore is the sneakiest way to add a little more veggies into your life. And if I am home when I eat this I'll whip up an over easy egg to throw on top. That makes any hash ten times better.

Sausage & Sweet Potato Hash
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 lb. Chicken Sausage (I used a package of Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausage, Paleo friendly and sold at most local grocery stores)
• 5 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Green Pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ Medium Yellow Onion, chopped
• Handful of Spinach
• 2 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pan (depends on how many sweet potatoes you have, I had to use a Dutch oven) heat up coconut oil. Add sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring every 5 or so minutes. 
2. In a separate pan, brown the sausage. Remove and set aside. If you don't have enough grease from the cooked sausage, add some olive oil to the pan. Add pepper, onion and garlic and cook until soft.
3. Once the sweet potatoes are soft, add paprika, salt, pepper and cooked sausage to pan. Then add pepper and onion mix. Stir to combine. 
4. Add a handful of spinach and stir until wilted.