I decided to mix up my mom's breakfast prep and try out this super easy egg casserole! Not much prep involved, so I got this casserole done while also meal prepping lunches for the week. I threw the sweet potato in the food processor to shred instead of cutting thin slices. I also diced up the spinach and layered it on top of the turkey before adding the eggs. The spinach still rose to the top anyways though, so not sure if that part really matters. If you make this, don't forget to season the turkey and eggs with salt and pepper! I added at least a 1/2 teaspoon of each. I think without seasoning this casserole it would turn out pretty plain Jane. Anyways, I used an 8 x 8 baking dish and this casserole was done after 35 minutes in the oven. I also sneaked a couple bites in when it was done and thought the casserole was delicious!  

Turkey & Egg Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil + more for coating the pan
• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 12 Large Eggs
• 1 small Sweet Potato (peeled and sliced thin)
• 1 cup Baby Spinach
• Salt & Pepper for Seasoning
• Additional Toppings: Tomatoes (Diced Onions, and Asparagus)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with Coconut Oil as well as heat the 1 tablespoon in a medium sized skillet set to medium-high heat. Once the oil has melted add in the Ground Turkey and season with the Chili Powder, and Salt and Pepper. Continue to cook the meat until it begins to brown.
2. While the turkey is cooking peel and slice your Sweet Potato. Make sure your slices are fairly thin because if they’re too thick they won’t be as tender. Line the bottom of the greased baking dish with the sliced potatoes. In a medium bowl beat the Eggs with a whisk and season with salt and pepper.
3. Top the potatoes with the turkey and then pour the eggs on top. Layer the Spinach on top of the eggs as well as any additional toppings you’d like to add.
4. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until the edges of the egg begin to brown and the casserole is firm throughout.​

Original recipe found here

When planning my meal preps for the week I typically choose one meal to make, then decide on my second meal based off the first one. That sounds really obvious, but I feel like it's a point worth explaining. For instance, I picked out the Baked Chicken and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples meal first, which is done almost entirely in the oven. If I were to pick another meal that needs the oven, I would be in the kitchen all day long. Therefore, I decided on this grilled chicken and vegetable option and a sweet potato mash that does not involve the oven for the second meal. It's all about efficiency and planning ahead! Alright enough with meal prep tips. This meal was just randomly thrown together, but it turned out freaking amazing. I've been meaning to try sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker, I found a new grilled chicken recipe to try, and I completed it with my favorite side, grilled green and yellow squash with red onions (click here for that recipe). I ended up marinating the Basil Garlic Chicken for about an hour before grilling, and for having such little ingredients it seriously turned out so delicious. It reminded me of a grilled pesto chicken sandwich...without the bread, cheese, and tomatoes. The instant pot sweet potato mash also turned out tasting so delicious as well! Not to mention, it was done in record time. I doubled the recipe and cooked it for 10 minutes and the only spices I added were salt and garlic powder. Also, I have never had sweet potato mash with coconut oil in it before, but I am huge fan after this recipe! This meal is a little bit random, but again it turned out so amazing! Even if you don't make the chicken and sweet potato recipe together, I definitely recommend giving each a try. 

Grilled Basil Garlic Chicken Breasts
​Ingredients:

• 4 large boneless skin-on chicken breast halves (I used skinless)
• 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix garlic, basil and oil. Add additional oil if necessary.
2. Smear the mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts being careful to leave the skins intact. Sprinkle both sides with a small amount of salt and pepper. (The chicken may be allowed to marinate for up to 6 hours if desired.)
3. Over a medium fire, place chicken skin side down to crisp skin, about 8-10 minutes. Watch the temperature to make sure they do not burn. We leave the tenderloin on our chicken breasts so they are fairly thick – if you are doing the same, close the cover for a few minutes to raise the heat. Flip the breasts over and cook for another 6-8 minutes, again with the cover closed part of the time to have the grill function as an oven. (If your chicken breasts are not thick, the cover should be left open.
4. Note: If you are not comfortable telling when meat is done, pull one off and slice into a thick part to make sure there is no pink. They will sit after they come off the grill and will cook a bit on your platter so do not leave on too long.
5. Remove the chicken from the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Original recipe found here

Super Fast Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash
Ingredients:

• 1-2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut oil
• salt and seasonings to taste

Directions:

1. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into 1″ cubes.
2. Add sweet potatoes and water to the instant pot. Close pot and set to sealing.
3. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 4 minutes.
4. Immediately quick release the pressure as soon as the 4 minute cooking cycle has completed.
5. Use oven mitts to carefully remove the inner pot from the Instant pot, carrying it to a colander in your sink to drain the potatoes.
6. Quickly wash out the inner pot and dry it with a kitchen towel.
7. Immediately place the clean inner pot back into the instant pot, add the coconut oil and press the sauté button.
8. Once the coconut oil starts to sizzle, add your potatoes back to the pot along with any seasonings you desire. Use a wooden spoon to stir and turn your sweet potatoes, cooking until a desired consistency is reached. This step should only take a few minutes before you are ready to serve your sweet potato mash! Enjoy!

Original recipe found here

I've made this amazing Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples before and decided it was time to make them again! To pair with it I found the most basic baked chicken breast recipe out there. Since the Brussels are full of delicious flavor, pairing it with such a simple baked chicken was perfect and made for a super easy meal prep. I doubled the amount of Brussels and apples and also made a few extra chicken breasts to get enough food for six meals for myself and a couple for my mother. If you haven't made this Brussels recipe before then you absolutely need to try it! And if you are someone who doesn't like to spend hours meal prepping then this basic baked chicken recipe is for you. This meal was extremely easy and quick to put together and it turned out delicious!

Baked Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pound chicken breasts lightly so they are of even thickness.
2. Pour olive oil in a 13" x 9" baking dish. Lightly dredge the chicken through to coat it, then place chicken breasts side by side in the dish.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and chili powder. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the chicken and rub it in with your hands. Place chicken breasts side by side, making sure there is no overlap.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until juices are clear or a meat thermometer reads 160-170 degrees. *Note - depending on the size of your chicken breasts, it could take longer. Mine were pounded to less than an inch thick.
5. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes while the juices settle before slicing.

Original recipe found here

Paleo Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Apples
Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, tops removed and cut in half
• 2 tsp olive oil + sea salt to taste (for roasting)
• 1 medium pink lady apple {or other tart/sweet crisp apple}
• 4-6 slices nitrate free, sugar free bacon (for Whole30)
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. For this recipe you will roast your Brussels sprouts while cooking the bacon and apples in a skillet on the stove top.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the Brussels sprouts halves are uniform in size, if not, cut the larger pieces to ensure even cooking. Toss them with the 2 tsp olive oil + salt and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast them in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until they're browning and fork tender.
3. Core the apple and chop into ½-1 inch cubes, set aside.
4. Heat a medium heavy skillet over med-hi heat and cut your bacon into one inch pieces.
5. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook, stirring until about ¾ of the way done (according to your own preference). At this point, add the apples and chopped rosemary and continue to cook and stir until the apples have softened and the bacon is fully cooked, adjusting the heat to avoid excessive browning if necessary. Remove from heat.
6. Once Brussels sprouts are done, add them to the skillet and toss to combine all the flavors. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, if desire, and serve hot! This can be served as a side dish or with fried eggs for breakfast. Enjoy!

​Original recipe found here

I found a BBQ recipe that doesn't require you to buy your own Paleo BBQ sauce! You may not have a few of the ingredients in your kitchen already, or at least I didn't, but they were easy to find at my local grocery store. Plus, I can attest that you will want to make this recipe again and it is totally worth getting these ingredients. This chicken turned out so amazing, not to mention so quick and easy to make! I love the Instant Pot. If you do not have a pressure cooker though I would throw this in the crockpot on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. I would add all of the ingredients into the crockpot from the beginning, leaving out the ½ cup of water. Anyways, I didn't end up using chicken thighs and I accidentally left the BBQ on saute mode for the entire time, so mine didn't seem to have as much sauce as the original blogger showed to have in their picture (link below).  It still turned out tasting absolutely delicious though and like I mentioned, I'll definitely be making this one again. If you are any kind of meal prepper, this is a must recipe to add into your rotation. I mean you can bulk make 3 lbs of delicious, healthy BBQ chicken with very little prep. How much better does it get? It also paired great with a baked sweet potato and I roasted some broccoli to complete the meal. Simple and delicious. 

​BBQ Pulled Chicken
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used chicken breasts)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup apple butter, with no sweetener added (check ingredient label!)
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

1. Add the chicken, salt, granulated garlic, and water in the Instant Pot®.
2. Close and lock the lid. Press MANUAL for high pressure. Set cooking time to 25 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the pressure (using the instructions on page 7).
3. Pour out as much water/broth as you can. Reserve the broth for future soup making, if desired.
4. Whisk the apple butter, balsamic, molasses, garlic, ginger, and salt together. Pour over cooked chicken with remaining juice.
5. Press the SAUTÉ button on the Instant Pot®. Let the chicken and sauce simmer to evaporate some of the juices. Once some of the liquid has evaporated, CANCEL the sauté function. Shred the chicken, if desired, before serving.

Original recipe found here

I get a lot of meal prep recipes from the blog Paleo Running Momma and the ones I've tried always turn out delicious! I definitely recommend sifting through that blog when you have the time. I always try to pull out the easier and simple ingredient recipes that she posts, like this slow cooker meatball one. I doubled the meatball ingredients to make enough for my weekly meals and also a few meals for my mom. I did not end up making the sauce portion of the recipe because my friend hooked me up with some homemade Italian sauce that her family makes, which was amazing! For the noodles I tried something a little different and mixed spaghetti squash together with zucchini noodles. I thought that combination turned out tasting great and paired well with the meatballs and marinara. For the spaghetti squash I preheated the oven to 400 degrees, cut the squash in half lengthwise, removed the seeds, placed the cut side down on a baking sheet, and baked for 40 minutes. For the zucchini noodles I just put them on top of the meatballs in the slow cooker once there was 30 minutes left on the timer. Super easy! Also, I set the slow cooker to 4.5 hours on low since I doubled the meatballs and that was too long. I recommend sticking to 3.5 hours on low and definitely no more then 4 hours. Overall, I ended up really enjoying this meal and it was really easy to throw together. 

Paleo Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:
For the Meatballs:

• 1 and ¾ lbs ground beef, 85% lean*
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup blanched almond flour
• ¾ tsp fine grain sea salt, divided
• 2 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
• generous pinch crushed red pepper (adjust for spice preference)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley - optional

For the Sauce:

• 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil**
• 1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic**
• 1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, ½ tsp of the sea salt, onion and garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
2. In a large bowl, add the ground beef and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sea salt. Add the egg and almond flour mix (plus parsley if adding) and gently mix with your hands until the mixture binds and is evenly distributed. It's important not to work the meat too much or it becomes tough.
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your broiler. Form the meat mixture into 20 meatballs and arrange on the baking sheet.
4. Broil 2-4 minutes just to lightly brown and release a small amount of fat (this avoids an overly greasy sauce) and remove promptly.
5. Add the meatballs to the slow cooker, leaving behind any rendered fat. Top the meatballs with all sauce ingredients and give a gentle stir (careful not to break the meatballs!)
6. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through***
7. Serve when ready to eat with anything you want and garnish with your favorite fresh herbs. Sweet potato noodles, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or simply your favorite roasted veggies, potatoes, or even eggs. 

NOTES
*You can use your favorite mix of ground meat as well
**I recommend always adding extra basil and garlic if you use plain tomatoes.
***Each slow cooker is a bit different. I cooked mine for 4 hours, you can check at 3.5 hours if you can and adjust cook time from there, if necessary. Cook time should not be longer than 4.5/5 hours or meatballs will be overcooked and dry.

Original recipe found here

Remember those Paleo Blueberry Pancake Muffins I made? Well this is the same recipe just using breakfast sausage links. Real creative, I know! I unfortunately haven't seen the Birch Benders Paleo Pancake & Waffle Mix at Whole Foods since the first time I bought a couple, so I might have to purchase it from Amazon for now on. I make these breakfast type muffins for my mom because they are easy to prep ahead of time and also easy to grab in the morning for breakfast. My mom loves them and as someone new to the paleo lifestyle, I think these muffin recipes help her not think she is necessarily on a "diet." I mean who eats delicious muffins on a diet? Anyways, I add a Paleo Protein scoop to the muffin mix just to get some more protein into my mom's diet, so that ingredient is totally optional. These have been a staple and easy breakfast option for my mother and one that I will continue to experiment with!

​Paleo Sausage Pancake Muffins
Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup Birch Benders Paleo Pancake & Waffle Mix 
• 2/3 Cup Water
• 1 egg
• Breakfast sausage links, cut in 4ths (check ingredients for no unwanted ingredients)
• 1 Scoop Protein Powder, optional (I used one scoop of Paleo Protein)
• 2 Tbsp 100% Maple Syrup, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients, minus the optional mix-in’s
2. Spray muffin tin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners. Fill ⅔ way full. Top each muffin with three sausage pieces.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Oh my goodness this was so delicious! Everything was made on the grill and the meal was finished in under an hour. The original recipe only serves 2, so I increased the ingredient amounts below to get me at least 6 meals. I also changed the chicken rub ingredients slightly because the original recipe had a ton of cumin and used coconut sugar, so check out the original recipe link at the bottom for comparison to see which version you would rather make. Of note, I recommend setting your grill on a lower temperature so you don't burn anything. The cauliflower and plantains grilled almost immediately and I ended up burning some of my plantains pretty bad. I also made the mistake of throwing all of the plantains on the grill at once, which took too long to flip them all, so that contributed to the really burnt plantains as well. I used these Grill Mats for the cauliflower and plantains, which helped out tremendously! I didn't add the avocado to the bowls, but I imagine that would only make the meal even tastier. Also, if you think this looks yummy you should also check out this Baked Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice & Cinnamon Sweet Plantains I've made before. The Coconut Rice from that recipe was amazing and is also a good option for this Caribbean Chicken Bowl if you are not up for grilling cauliflower. The grilled cauliflower has a harder crunch texture then if you were to stir-fry it. Definitely a meal you need to make before grilling season is over!

Caribbean Chicken Bowls with Grilled Plantains
Ingredients:
For the bowls:

• 4 Tbsp Unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1-2 Cauliflower head(s), cut into florets
• 3 tsp Melted coconut oil, divided
• 2-3 Large Ripe green plantain, very thinly sliced. *
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 Large Avocado, mashed
• 2 Tbsp Honey

For the chicken:

• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• Sea Salt and pepper
• 2lb Chicken breast

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spread the coconut on a small baking sheet. Cook until golden brown, only 2-3 mins. Watch CLOSELY as coconut burns quickly.
2. Additionally, place a grill pan on your grill and preheat to medium heat. (I do this while I prep all the ingredients.)
3. Place the cauliflower in a medium bowl and toss with 2 tsp of the coconut oil, reserving the rest for later. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss into the heated grill basket. Cook until tender, with some charred spots, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Lay the VERY thinly sliced plantains in a single layer on a plate and brush them with half of the remaining coconut oil (about 1/2 tsp.) Then, coat with honey. Flip and repeat. They may be a little hard to flip, so be gentle! Set aside.
5. Remove the cauliflower from the grill and cover to keep warm. Then, in a small bowl, combine the cumin, honey, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. Dry the chicken off and really rub all of the spice blend on both sides of the chicken.
6. Grill until no longer pink inside, about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Let rest for 5 minutes.
7. While the chicken rests, place the plantains on the grill. Immediately flip the plantains in the order that you put them on. Then, remove them. You want them a little bit crispy and charred, and they cook almost instantly! Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.
8. Place the cauliflower into a small food processor, along with cilantro and pulse until broken down and "rice-like." Stir in the toasted coconut flakes.
9. Divide the cauliflower between two bowls, followed by the plantains, mashed avocado and the grilled chicken.
10. Drizzle the bowls with honey if you want (1/2 Tbsp per bowl) and DEVOUR.

*Note: You will buy a "green plantain" but the actual color should be yellow with some large brown spots. You don't want it ALL brown or it will be way too soft to cut and grill.

Original recipe found here

My friend made this last week and reported that it turned out delicious, so I had to give it a try! The original recipe below serves 4, so I increased the meat to 3lbs boneless short ribs (6 pieces) and about 5lbs of sweet potatoes to get a couple extra meals out of this, and a lot more sweet potato mash. This recipe does call for using a Dutch oven, but I guarantee you can also make the recipe as-is, but when it's time to put the ribs in the oven, just throw them in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. I cannot give a fair assessment on the Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes since I did not use the chipotle in adobo sauce or add ghee. I don't enjoy real spicy food and I didn't feel like I would be able to find a paleo option at the store. I did include a link below if you are up for making your own Paleo Chipotle Adobo Sauce though. Instead, I just added 1 tsp of smoked paprika (you can also used chipotle powder if you have that, which I did not). I left out the ghee because the ribs have enough fat for the meal itself, and you know sometimes less is more. I thought my version of the sweet potato mash turned out smoky and delicious despite leaving out those two ingredients. The ribs also turned out amazing and it was super easy to make everything. If you want to spice up your meal prep or dinner one week, I recommend giving this one a try!

​Beef Short Ribs with Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
Beef Short Ribs

• 2lbs (4 pieces) boneless short ribs*
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cocoa powder (I used Cacao Powder)
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cups bone broth or beef stock

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

• 2lbs Sweet Potato, cut in to 4 large pieces
• 3 Tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee (I did not add this)
• 3-4 Tbsp coconut milk or cream 
• 2 Tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped (I just used 1 tsp of smoked paprika, but you can make your own Paleo Chipotle Adobo Sauce if you want, or try and find one at the store with the best ingredients)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt

Optional Toppings

• Julienned Jicama
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro
• Lime

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and heat a large enamel or cast iron Dutch oven on the stove to medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
2. Mix together the chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle the rub on the short ribs and rub it on to the meat.
3. Place the short ribs in the hot oil and sear for 2-3 minutes a side and then remove from the pan and place on a plate.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 2 minutes and then add the broth.
5. Place the short ribs back in the dutch oven and put a lid on it and let it slow cook in the oven for 2.5-3 hours or until meat is tender and falling apart.
6. Heat a large pot of water to medium-high heat and add the sweet potatoes and let boil for 25-30 minutes or until they are softened. Drain the potatoes in to a colander and let cool slightly. Remove the peel and then put the sweet potatoes in to a large bowl.
7. Add the butter/ghee, coconut milk, cilantro, chipotles, garlic and salt and mash the mixture with a hand or stand mixer and mix until creamy.
8. Add some smashed sweet potatoes to a small cast iron skillet or server (optional) and top with the short rib, jicama, cilantro, jalapeno and lime.

*Note: You can also use bone-in short ribs but you may need closer to 3 pounds since the bone adds weight. Original recipe posted that they ordered their meat from Butcher Box, I bought it from Wegman's. 

Original recipe found here

I try not to choose too many recipes that require BBQ sauce because I know when I first started meal prepping, the last thing I wanted to do was buy expensive paleo BBQ sauce or make my own paleo BBQ sauce. However, after meal prepping for four years now and prioritizing nutrition even more now then I did my first year, I look forward to buying the paleo BBQ sauce knowing it will save me time and make for an easier meal prep. If you are someone just starting out and have no desire to buy paleo BBQ sauce or make your own, I recommend just finding a BBQ sauce with the best ingredients possible. That means get in the habit of checking the ingredient label on food products and knowing what you are putting into your body! For those who don't mind purchasing paleo BBQ sauces, my go-to options are Tessemae's BBQ sauce or Steve's PaleoChef Peach BBQ, which are both sold at the Whole Foods near me. Anyways, about this BBQ Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl. This recipe only serves 3 and did not have enough sweet potatoes for my need, so I basically doubled the main ingredients to have enough food for six meals. I also clearly used a lot less BBQ sauce on the chicken, so you can always adjust that to your liking. To shred chicken I always throw it in the food mixer instead of forking it apart, which is so much easier and also why my shredded chicken looks the way it does. This was just a simple well-rounded meal prep recipe that was easy to throw together and still tasted delicious! Definitely a recipe worth saving for a last minute meal prep idea or for when you can't decide on what to make for the week.

BBQ Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Bowls
Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• ½ tsp. salt, divided
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. chipotle powder (or chili powder)
• 1 head broccoli
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ½ c. BBQ sauce, divided (I used ​Tessemae's BBQ sauce)
• salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into ½" chunks. Chop onion into 1 inch pieces and add to a lined sheet pan along with the sweet potatoes. Toss the vegetables with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, garlic powder and chipotle powder and toss until well combined. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.
3. Toss the sweet potatoes and push to one side of the pan. Add the broccoli and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and ¼ tsp. salt. Add the chicken breasts and brush with ¼ c. BBQ sauce. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes at 400° until the chicken is done.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and shred the chicken breasts using two forks. Toss the chicken with the remaining BBQ sauce. Add to bowls along with the roasted vegetables and serve immediately.

Inspired by this recipe

​This meal was seriously so delicious! If you follow the blog you'll recognize this fried cauliflower rice recipe because I've made it a lot lately. It is definitely my favorite cauliflower rice recipe at the moment and I could probably eat it every week if I had to. This Tikka Masala recipe though also turned out amazing! I didn't have cumin, and I don't really like cumin anyways, so I left that ingredient out and made everything else as the recipe calls for. I used my pressure cooker to make this, but there are also slow cooker instructions below if you don't have an instant pot. I don't typically like a lot of sauce with my meals, so I had a ton of extra sauce at the end that I saved. I'm planning to make this meal again mid-week to put that extra sauce to use. Of note, make sure you get a can of full fat coconut milk for this recipe because I don't think a light coconut milk would do this meal justice. Also, if you don't have the garam masala spice and are wondering if it's worth purchasing, I have posted a couple butter chicken recipes and this sweet potato and chicken hash recipe that use the spice as well. This recipe is not only a must-repeat meal prep because it turned out so delicious, but it was also super easy and quick to finish using the pressure cooker!

​Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon corainder
• 1-2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Set your Instant Pot to Saute.  Add butter, onion, and yellow peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until veggies start to soften.
2. Add garlic, ginger, spices and salt and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 
3. Add tomatoes and coconut milk and stir well to combine.  Place chicken on top of mixture.  Close the lid and set to Poultry.
4. When cycle is complete, remove chicken and shred.  Using an immersion hand blender, puree the sauce.  Add the chicken back to the sauce and adjust seasoning to taste.

For the Slow Cooker

1. Combine onion, yellow pepper, spices, salt, tomatoes, and coconut milk in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top.  
2. Cook on High 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.  
3. Remove chicken and shred.  Puree sauce using an immersion hand blender and return chicken to the slow cooker. 

Original recipe found here

​Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice 
Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 large cauliflower, grated (I used two 12 oz bags of frozen cauliflower rice)
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 2 eggs, scrambled
• 1/2 cup diced green onions

Directions:

1. In a large pan, cook the onion and carrots in the coconut oil until soft. About 7-9 minutes.
2. Season with salt, ginger, and garlic.
3. Once the carrots are tender, add the cauliflower and coconut aminos.
4. Stir to evenly coat the cauliflower and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Push the mixture to one side of the pan and add the scrambled eggs. Stir until cooked, then mix in.
6. Add the green onion, take off the heat, and serve.

Original recipe found here