So my oven is not working at the moment, which is a pretty big crisis in my world. I decided my best bet was to find some crock pot recipes because I was not spending all day making two stove top recipes. Anyways, this cauliflower chicken chili was perfect because I didn't need to cook any separate vegetables or sides to complete the meal. I even threw all of the vegetables in the food processor so I didn't even spend much time chopping either. I used two heads of orange cauliflower, which didn't taste any different then normal white cauliflower if you were wondering. Anyways, I point this out because even with doubling the cauliflower I felt like this chili still needed more substance. Maybe some sweet potato? Or increase the amount of peppers and chicken? I thought the chili turned out great, but just needed a little something extra to accompany all that sauce. Also, this definitely had a little kick to it! My boyfriend suggested it be called Yee-Haw Crock Pot Cauliflower Chicken Chili...and I think I agree now.

​Crock Pot Cauliflower Chicken Chili
Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, diced (I doubled this)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 poblano pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28-ounce can organic tomato puree
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon chipotle chile flakes, to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in large chunks (I used close to 2lbs of chicken breasts)

Toppings:

• 1 avocado
• 1 lime
• fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Add all chili ingredients to crock pot and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.
3. Cube avocado, cut lime into wedges and chop fresh cilantro.
4. Serve chili topped with avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, and cilantro to taste.

Original recipe found here

​I pulled both crock pot recipes this week from the blog post 30 Paleo Crock Pot Recipes. This pulled pork recipe caught my eye because it had the word "easy" in the name. I then noticed the homemade Paleo Peach Barbecue sauce and was sold. I already had a bottle of PaleoChef Peach BBQ Sauce in my pantry! Yes, I cheated. I can't actually tell you how this recipe is since I didn't make the sauce as the recipe calls for. I promise I will make this one again and actually try the homemade Paleo Peach Barbecue sauce so I can report how it tastes. In the mean time, if anyone makes this then please share how it turned out! I paired this with a baked sweet potato and some roasted shaved Brussels. I almost always roast Brussels with bacon fat (or actual bacon) and some salt. This meal was quick, easy, and super simple to throw together, and I absolutely loved it!

Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork
Ingredients:

• 2-to-3-pound boneless pork shoulder

Paleo Peach Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon bacon fat
• ¼ cup chopped shallot
• 1 cup sliced peaches, thawed if frozen
• 1 7-ounce jar organic tomato paste
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons coconut aminos
• ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes, to taste
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Add all barbecue sauce ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour barbecue sauce into slow cooker. Add pork and turn to coat. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Remove pork to cutting board and shred with a fork. Toss the pork with sauce to moisten.

​Original recipe found here

Another week of two casserole recipes for meal prep! Whenever I search for casserole recipes I can't find any, but when I don't look for them I seem to come across all of the casserole recipes. Hard life, I know. This recipe turned out amazing! I think any meal with spaghetti squash is a comforting meal. I ended up doubling the ground beef, spinach, and eggs, but kept everything else pretty similar to as is (might have rounded my spices to get some more in there). Of note, I used a larger squash, so that took closer to 45 minutes to bake in the oven. A good indicator for when the squash is done is when it's soft to touch. Also, since I doubled the beef, I used a 9 x 13 dish and cooked for 30 minutes. This meal turned out so yummy and it was super easy to throw together. Definitely recommend trying this one out!

Paleo Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash 
• 1 pound 93/7 lean ground beef (I doubled this)
• 1 handful spinach, finely diced (I doubled this)
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 whole egg (I doubled this)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes.
2. While squash is baking, brown ground beef over medium high heat. Drain, and set aside.
3. While your squash and beef are cooking, prepare vegetables. In a large sauce pan, begin to saute red onion, tomatoes, and garlic with EVOO. Add seasonings. Once onions begin to turn translucent, add spinach and cook down.
4. Once squash is done, remove from oven and shred the meat of the squash with a fork. Add to pan with sauteed veggies. Add meat, and egg. Mix together thoroughly.
5. Pour mixture inside a 9 x 9 baking dish, and cook at 400 for 15 minutes.

Original recipe found here

I've made this one before, but it was pre-blogging days, so this is technically my first time posting the recipe. Since I had some extra PaleoChef Wing Sauce from last week's Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole, I decided this recipe would be perfect to finish off that bottle. There is really no going wrong with this one. Buffalo chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and bacon. Deliciousness. This recipe is from Paleo Leap and since I've re-posted a lot of their recipes I figured I would mention it in case anyone wants to check through that blog. It's a great starter paleo blog and all the recipes are pretty simple and easy to make. Anyways, I promise next week I won't make another buffalo chicken recipe, but if you are a fan of buffalo chicken then this recipe, and the one I made last week, are the bomb! 

Sweet Potato And Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 5 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 6 tbsp. hot sauce
• ½ cup olive oil or melted ghee
• 1 cup bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
• 1 cup green onions, sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine together the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and chicken, and stir to coat.
4. Empty the bowl into a casserole dish.
5. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
6. Add the green onions and bacon to the dish and place back in the oven for another 5 minutes to let all the flavors combine.

Original recipe found here

Two casseroles for meal prep this week made for a quick day in the kitchen! I altered some of the ingredient amounts in this recipe, which I indicated in parentheses below, but that was just so I had enough protein and carbohydrates across all six meals I was prepping for. Most people do not need 5lbs of sweet potato, however I do and that is why my casserole has a large layer of sweet potato mash. If you don't have a potato masher you can always roast your sweet potatoes in the oven then peel and transfer to a food processor to make the mash. For veggies I picked up a bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots and ended up using the whole bag. Also, I usually hate the excesss liquid when transferring to the casserole dish, but I listened to the directions and kept it and I'm really glad I did. The casserole held together and turned out so flavorful and delicious! This was super easy to prepare and even easier to devour. If you have any questions about the portions or about changing ingredient amounts I'd be glad to help you out!

Turkey and Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:

• Mashed sweet potatoes:
• 4 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 10.5 oz / 300 g each; 2.6 lbs / 1.2 kg total) (I doubled this only to get more carbs, most people don't need to double this amount)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Sea salt

Filling:

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 lb / 450 g ground turkey (I doubled this)
• 2 cups frozen veggies (see notes) (I used entire bag)
• 9 oz / 250 g sliced mushrooms
• 2 tsp coconut aminos (I used 3 tsp)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (I doubled this)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Add one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes (test with a knife to make sure they are cooked through. The knife should come in very easily).
2. Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
3. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Add olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, stir and cook until fragrant and onions start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and break down in small bites using a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until turkey bites are browned on the outside, but not fully cooked inside. Stir in frozen veggies and mushroom. Add coconut aminos, tomato paste and chicken stock. Stir well to combine and cook until turkey is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Spoon the filling evenly into a large baking dish, including the juice. Set aside while you finish the sweet potato mash.
4. Drain water from the pot, return the sweet potatoes to the pot and mash them using a potato masher. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon. Season with salt to taste.
5. Spread the mashed sweet potatoes evenly on top of the filling. Use a fork to draw furrows (to create peaks that will get browned!). Sprinkle with sweet paprika.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling and browned. If necessary, broil for last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve. It makes great leftovers. (I ended up baking for 40 minutes and broiled for 5 minutes. Again, that's because I doubled the turkey and sweet potatoes.)

​Notes:
About the veggies: you can use your favorite combo of frozen veggies. The original recipe used a mix of corn, peas and bell peppers (technically not paleo). I suggest using carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or peppers.

Original recipe found here

It's back!!! I made this for a friend the other week and have been craving it for myself ever since. I've posted this one before and have had a ton of friends make this and love it! Last time I made this I used PaleoChef Sriracha Sauce for the buffalo sauce, so this time I tried out PaleoChef Wing Sauce. To be honest, I can't remember what the Sriracha sauce was like compared to this Wing Sauce, but both turned out amazing so I'm not too worried about it. I made my own shredded chicken, but using rotisserie chicken is an easier route if you don't want to make and shred your own chicken. Life hack for shredding your own chicken: bake your chicken, let it cool, put it in a food mixer, and done! No more sore forearms from pulling apart chicken with two forks. Anyways, don't forget toppings for this dish. I used salsa and guacamole because that's what I've done in the past and have really liked. If you have not made this casserole dish yet then stop waiting! It's the most simple, quick, and delicious meal ever and even my non-paleo friends really enjoyed it!

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:

• 1.5 large head cauliflower, grated
• 6 eggs
• 1.5 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (You can also use rotisserie chicken!)
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1.5 red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (I used PaleoChef Wing Sauce)

Optional Toppings:

• Crispy bacon
• Diced red onion
• Diced green onion
• Diced avocado
• Diced tomato

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a large bowl combine the grated cauliflower and eggs. Mix well until full incorporated.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into a casserole dish.
4. Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on what size dish you used. Mine is a 2.5 quart round dish and I baked it for exactly 1 hour.
5. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Original recipe found here

With the super bowl going on this Sunday I tried to prepare an easy and quick meal prep for this week. I already had one crockpot meal, so I looked around for a simple chicken recipe for my other meal. This Baked Cajun Chicken recipe was exactly what I was looking for! If you are new to meal prep or sick of eating the same old chicken each week, this is the perfect recipe for you to try. The only note I have for this recipe was that since I used about 2lbs of chicken, I probably should have doubled the spice ingredients. Either way though, the chicken still turned out tasting plenty flavorful! I paired it with some roasted Brussels and a baked sweet potato. I roasted the Brussels with some onions and a tiny bit of honey and thought it paired pretty well with the cajun chicken. I also just really love roasted sweet Brussels, so I'd probably think they pair well with just about anything. Anyways, if you are looking to spice up your meals then this is the recipe you need to try!

Baked Cajun Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red peppers
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 large chicken breasts or 6 small chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking sheet or dish. Set aside.
2. Mix together the salt, cayenne pepper, crushed red peppers, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme in a small ramekin.
3. Rub the spice mix onto the chicken breasts.
4. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and cover with aluminum foil and bake for another 5 minutes.

Original recipe found here

I was so excited my friend sent this one to our group text last week! This recipe was absolutely perfect for meal prep on super bowl Sunday. I prepped and put the roast in the crockpot around noon and let it slow cook for 8 hours while I watched the football game. My friends also convinced me to pair this with a cauliflower mash, which I'm glad they did because this meal turned out tasting delicious. For the mash I just steamed about 2lbs of cauliflower and threw it in the food processor once it was done. I added a tiny bit of coconut milk (the thick part at the top of the can), salt, and garlic powder and that was it. Really simple and fast side. I was really pleased with how this meal turned out! I'm also super thankful for friends who make delicious healthy food and share their recipes :)
...so if you ever have any successful and yummy recipes that you haven't seen me post about, send my way!
​
​Paleo Slow-Cooked Italian Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 - 2 1/2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2/3 cup beef broth
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (half for cooking, and the other half as a garnish)
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. drid oregano
• 1/2 tsp. granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Sprinkle trimmed roast with the pepper and salt
2. In a large skillet on the stovetop, add olive oil and heat to medium-high. Place seasoned roast in the skillet and sear about 2-3 minutes per side – just until nicely browned. (do not cook through!)
3. Moving to the slow cooker, add in the diced onion, garlic cloves and mushrooms, then place the browned roast on top
4. Pour the beef broth and tomato sauce over the roast
5. Next sprinkle in all the dried seasonings (rosemary, thyme, oregano, granulated onion and red pepper flakes) plus about 2 Tbsp. of the fresh parsley (save the remaining parsley for the garnish)
6. Cover slow cooker and set to HIGH and cook for 6 hours – OR – set to LOW and cook for 8-10 hours. When the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, it's ready
7. Serve over mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower rice if desired
8. Garnish dish with remaining chopped parsley

Original recipe found here