Yes I know these aren't skewers, but they were supposed to be! It was pouring rain all day, so I decided I was not going to get drenched outside just to grill these. Instead, I threw everything in a pan on the stove top and the meal still came out tasting delicious! You do need to prep the marinade before hand and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking, so keep that in mind if you choose to try this one. Also, if you can, let the chicken marinate overnight for more flavor. I paired this with one of my favorite fried cauliflower rice recipes and absolutely loved how the meal turned out. I know summer is officially gone, but if there are still pineapples at your local grocery store and there's a weekend with warm weather, this recipe is worth making! 

Paleo Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients:

• ½ Yellow Onion (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 10 Dates (chopped)
• 2 tsp Garlic (minced)
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
• ¾ Cup Coconut Aminos
• ¼ Cup Raw Honey
• 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
• ½ tsp Real Salt
• Red Chili Flakes (optional)
• 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts (cut into 1” cubes)
• 1 Fresh Pineapple (cored and cut into 1” cubes)
• Fresh Cilantro (roughly chopped, to garnish)
• 8-10 in Wooden Skewers (soaked water for 20 minutes)

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until it becomes translucent and soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the dates, orange juice concentrate, coconut aminos, honey, vinegar, salt, and chili flakes(if using) to the sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture should have started to thicken a bit and dates should be soft.
2. Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until very smooth and thick.
3. Place the cubed chicken in a container or Ziploc bag and pour ¾ of the teriyaki sauce over it. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 30 minutes. Marinate overnight for best flavor. Reserve the rest of the teriyaki sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate.
4. When ready to make the skewers, thread the marinated chicken and pineapple cubes onto the soaked wooden skewers, alternating each item. You should end up with 8-10 skewers, depending on how heavily you thread them.
5. Preheat a grill, making sure to oil the grates before doing so.
6. Grill the skewers on all sides until cooked through, basting with the reserved teriyaki sauce while they cook.
7. Serve garnished with cilantro.

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

Who doesn't love Fall!? We went apple picking the other day and got some fresh apples and cider to put to use. I paired these two recipes together for a seriously comforting Fall meal! The chicken was ridiculously simply to make. If you are not a fan of mustard, do not worry - I could not pick up on any hint of mustard in the meal once it was done. For the mash, I changed up the main ingredients a little bit, so check out the original recipe link below if you want to stick to using sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and carrots. Instead, I picked up a bag of frozen butternut squash and frozen tri-colored carrots, in addition to the sweet potatoes. Since I used a large amount of sweet potatoes, I boiled them separately from the squash and carrots, then combined everything later in the food processor. This made for a much smoother mash then the potato masher could do, but not necessary if you don't want to. I must admit I was a little nervous for how the mash would turn out. However, it ended up tasting truly amazing and was a great pair with the apple cider chicken! Please don't be afraid to try that mash out! It's also a great way to sneak extra and different nutrients into your diet... just saying. Anyways, I 100% recommend giving this meal a try sometime this Fall! 

Apple Cider Chicken 
Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8, depending on size) - I used 2 lbs of chicken breasts instead 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 cup fresh apple cider (no sugar added!)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used Woodstock Organic Dijon Mustard)
• 3 medium firm, sweet apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices 
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus additional for serving

Directions:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high. Sprinkle the top of the chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken to the pan, top-side down. Let cook 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until the meat is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees, 3 to 4 additional minutes. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the apple cider and mustard. With a paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet clean. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan over medium high. Once the oil is hot, add the apple slices, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes, until the apples are lightly tender and begin to turn golden. Return the chicken to the pan and pour the cider mixture over the top. Let cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional chopped rosemary as desired.

Original recipe found here


​Rosemary Mashed Root Vegetables
Ingredients:

• 6 medium-large Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 10 oz bag of frozen Stahlbush Butternut Squash
• 10 oz bag of frozen Stahlbush Tri-colored Carrots
• ⅓ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage (Coconut milk or Almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon dried chives
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots in a pot, and cover with water.
2. Place the pot over medium-high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let bubble until the vegetables are fork tender. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and drain the vegetables.
4. Place the vegetables into a medium bowl, and add the milk beverage, rosemary, chives, salt (to taste), and pepper. Mash the ingredients together with a potato masher or lightly blend with a hand mixer to combine. (I used a food processor to make mash smooth.)

Original recipe found here

This was an unexpected game changer! I prepared the grated sweet potato and spices the night before, so all I had to do the next day was throw everything in the crockpot. Well that was the plan, but since I did not get home until later in the day, I actually threw everything in the Instant Pot for 25 minutes instead. There are not many ingredients to this recipe whatsoever and it turned out tasting plenty flavorful and delicious! I loved it paired with the Garlic Cauliflower Mash recipe too, but that is just my preference. All I added to my mash was cauliflower, garlic cloves, salt, garlic powder, and 1/2 Cup broth (I left out the extra added fat this time since the meatloaf had enough for me). I'm always looking for new ways to eat sweet potatoes and I will definitely be throwing this recipe into the rotation for now on. Plus, it was seriously too easy to make that it's a great recipe to save for meal prep. Definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Paleo Crockpot Sweet Potato Meatloaf
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3 cups grated sweet potato (about 2 small potatoes)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash sweet potatoes thoroughly, and dry.
2. Cut potatoes to fit through food processor. (No need to peel.)
3. Shred sweet potatoes with the grating blade of your food processor.
4. Transfer sweet potatoes to the crockpot.
5. Add ground beef and remaining ingredients to the crock pot.
6. Mix well, then use a spatula or the back of a big spoon to press mixture into the bottom of the crock.
7. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Original recipe found here


Garlic Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients:

• 2 lb Cauliflower 
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil 
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Chop cauliflower into large florets.
2. Steam the cauliflower in a large pot with boiling water and garlic cloves. Steam until fork tender.
3. Drain and transfer cauliflower and garlic cloves into a blender or food processor.
4. Add the ghee, salt, and black pepper (I always add at least 1 tsp salt). Blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
5. Note: You can always add some Coconut Milk as well (or in place of the Fat if you want), and you can always add some Chicken or Bone Broth to give it some more flavor as well.