This meal gets me excited for all the holiday food! This one was delish and unique to most of the recipes I post. Simple marinade for the pork tenderloin, then just brown in a skillet on all sides and throw into the oven to finish cooking. Easy, simple, and delicious! Since I tripled this recipe for meal prep I did not use an oven-proof skilled to brown, and instead just threw all the browned pork tenderloins into a casserole dish to finish cooking. Also, it took my pork 30-35 minutes in the oven - way more then what the recipe called for. I paired this Maple Chili Pork Tenderloin with a mix of roasted brussels, tri-colored carrots, delicata squash, and red onion and a simple Sweet Potato Mash with ghee, salt, and cinnamon. We really loved eating this meal all week long! 

Maple Chili Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:

• 2 lb. pork tenderloin
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chicken or beef stock
• Cooking fat
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, paprika, and olive oil. Season to taste.
2. Marinate the pork with the chili maple sauce in the refrigerator for 2 to 12 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400 F.
4. Remove the pork from the marinade.
5. Melt the cooking fat in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Brown the pork on all sides for 1 to 2 minutes, then pour the chicken stock in the skillet.
7. Place the skillet with the pork in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Let the pork rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.

Original recipe found here

Super Fast Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes*
• 1 cup of water
• 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil or ghee (to your tasting)
• 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/ghee 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!

Notes
*I always use at least 6 lbs of sweet potatoes, 2 cups of water, and cook it for 10-15 minutes.

Original recipe found here

Apparently cowboy butter is a thing? I never knew, but I am glad I gave this recipe a try! Super light tasting and packed with all the flavor. It was a refreshing change to the typical meal prep recipes I try out too. This is a 15 minute one-skillet recipe once you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. I ended up doing 4 batches of this recipe though, so this took a little longer for me. If you don't own a sprializer or are short on time then you can almost always find pre-spiralized zucchini at the grocery store. I ended up spiralizing mine the night before and that actually allowed me to drain out the excessive water a little better. I also paired this with some sweet potato glass noodles to get my carb source in and I loved that combo. Even if you don't try this for meal prep this is definitely a great recipe to have on hand for a quick meal to whip up. I'll definitely be saving this one to make again soon. 

Cowboy Butter Chicken with Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cut into strips
• 3 or 4 medium zucchinis
• 4 tablespoons ghee, divided (or grass-fed butter)
• Juice and zest of half a lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup (60ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot Original hot sauce 
• 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives
• 2 teaspoons minced thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon slices, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large bowl or shallow plate, season and combine chicken strips with salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Wash and trim the ends of the zucchini. Make the zucchini noodles using a spiralizer or a julienne peeler. Set aside in a salad bowl.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the chicken strips in one layer and cook for one minute without stirring.
4. Add minced garlic, and red chili pepper flakes then stir up the chicken strips to cook on the other side for a couple of minutes, until almost cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside to a plate. Make sure not to overcook chicken at this time – otherwise, it could dry up.
5. In the same skillet, melt 3 remaining tablespoons butter, then stir in lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, cayenne, paprika, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
6. Stir in the fresh parsley, chopped chives, and minced thyme, then add the zucchini noodles and toss for 2 or 3 minutes, until zucchini are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a bit (zucchini will render some water). Return the cooked chicken strips back to the pan and cook for another minute. Serve your cowboy butter chicken with zucchini noodles immediately, garnished with more herbs, red chili pepper flakes, and lemon slices. Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Zucchini tends to render a lot of water when cooking, so you can sprinkle with salt after spiralizing and allow to sit for a couple of minutes to take off excess water. Rinse well to get rid of salt and drain thoroughly in a colander before cooking.
2. You can buy pre-spiralized zucchini and sliced chicken breast in your grocery store, prepping will be even faster!

Original recipe found here

It is extremely difficult to get a decent picture of any meal that is tinted orange. I feel like I have to point this out because the picture does not do the meal any justice. This meal was so simple and packed with all the flavor! The chicken is your simple oven bake with a mix of spices and olive oil, which can also easily be thrown onto the grill as well. The Garlic Rosemary Sweet Potatoes is a separate recipe that I had saved for quite sometime and finally decided to try out. This recipe also calls for using the oven, so not the best use of time for meal prep. If you are short on time I'd say definitely throw the chicken on the grill while the sweet potatoes are roasting in the oven. Now I love plain roasted sweet potatoes with just some oil and salt, so adding in the rosemary and garlic was like a treat! What a delicious and easy way to add some more flavor to your meal. Both recipes below turned out tasting great together, but would be great on their own or with another side or protein as well. If you are someone who enjoys a quick and classic meal prep, both recipes below are a tasty upgrade to the classic baked chicken and veggie.

Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp garlic olive oil (or combine 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Mix together the garlic olive oil and spices.
3. Place the chicken breast on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
4. Spread half the olive oil spice rub on the chicken breast. Flip and coat the other side
5. Bake the chicken in a 375F oven for 25-30 minutes (depending on thickness)
6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes
7. Slice thin.

​
Original recipe found here


Garlic Rosemary Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic 
• 2 to 3 stems of rosemary
• 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350. 
2. Wash, scrub and cube your sweet potatoes. 
3. Chop your garlic and rosemary. 
4. Put your cubed sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped garlic and rosemary, then add the melted coconut oil. Mix all together until every sweet potato is covered.
5. Cover a baking pan with parchment paper and lay your sweet potatoes out evenly. Salt lightly over the pan. 
6. Pop it in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.   
7. Serve in a bowl – eat and enjoy! 

Original recipe found here

Holy moly did I really enjoy every part of this meal! I am not sure it's the quickest meal prep recipe, but if you have the time or can prep a few things the day before then this one is definitely a must-try. I already have a couple go-to BBQ chicken recipes that I cycle through every so many weeks, but I decided to give this new homemade one a try. It turned out like no other BBQ I have tried before! I was surprised and really enjoyed the taste. It was not sweet whatsoever, but more light tasting with a very slight kick from the Chipotle and chili spices. I read the note for the Italian dressing swap and used that option instead. Now for making everything easier on myself, I prepped the sauce the night before so I could just throw the chicken in the Instant Pot in the morning. The recipes gives three ways for making the BBQ chicken based on what you have and preference, so don't be steered away if you don't have an Instant Pot. I also prepped the sweet potato the night before, but you can purchase pre-diced sweet potato or frozen diced sweet potato at most stores to help save you time there as well. You can clearly see I skipped out on the pickles, but that is only because I don't like them. Let me know if you try this recipe with them and how they turned out! If you don't have the time to make your own BBQ sauce, a few whole-ingredient ones that I'll purchase off the shelf are Tessemae's or The New Primal, both can be found at Wegman's or Amazon. Now for the coleslaw, what an easy vegetable side to prep. I used Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo, but only half of the amount the recipe calls for because we aren't big mayo people. I honestly loved how it turned out and enjoyed eating every crunchy bite. On days that I took this to work I just ate everything cold and still loved it. When I was home I could add the coleslaw after I heated up the chicken and sweet potatoes and enjoy it that way. Once the stay-at-home orders are lifted I'll definitely be making this one for family and friends! 

BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes, Coleslaw, and Pickles
Ingredients:
BBQ Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/4 pounds
• 3/4 cup Whole30 BBQ sauce (see recipe below for making your own)
• 2 tablespoons Italian dressing (see note)
• salt to taste
• or about 2 1/2 cups shredded BBQ chicken or pork

Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon avocado or refined coconut oil

Quick Dill Pickles:

• Sprig fresh dill
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 English cucumber sliced thin
• Pinch yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• OR 1/4 cup sliced cold dill pickles (see note)

Coleslaw:

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon white apple cider, or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 14- oz bag shredded coleslaw mix (see note)

Garnish:

• Fresh chopped parsley
• Dry BBQ seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Make sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss all ingredients and roast for 20 m. After 20 minutes, stir well, then return to oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until browning on edges but not too crunchy or crisp.
3. Make BBQ chicken: Next, combine all ingredients in an Instant Pot. Seal and cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release when time is up then shred chicken breasts with two forks or use a hand mixer on low speed. Turn on Sauté mode and heat for 5 minutes until chicken is coated in sauce. If you do not have an Instant Pot, see Note for regular shredded chicken or slow cooker directions.
4. Make the pickles: While sweet potatoes roast, combine all pickle ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Make coleslaw: Mix all ingredients besides coleslaw mix in a small bowl. Place coleslaw mix in a medium bowl and pour dressing over. Combine well, using hands if desired.
6. Assemble bowls: Divide sweet potatoes, BBQ chicken, and coleslaw evenly among 4 bowls. Top with a couple pickle slices. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Notes:

• Cooking chicken in a Crockpot: Combine all your BBQ chicken ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook covered on High for 3 hours or Low for 5 hours.
• To make without a slow cooker or Instant Pot: Shred 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts with two forks, then place in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover with 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce and stir until chicken is heated through and sauce is absorbed. Add more sauce if desired.
• Whole30: Make sure you are using Whole30-compliant BBQ sauce.
• If you don’t have Italian dressing for BBQ chicken: Substitute 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 tablespoon white or white wine vinegar, and a small pinch of Italian seasoning.
• Using store-bought pickles instead of homemade: Use high-quality cold pickles, not the bright yellow sort from the aisles.
• To save extra coleslaw: Drain excess liquid and save for another use in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.

Original recipe found here

Whole30 BBQ Sauce with Chipotle (Paleo, Vegan)
​Serving: 1 Cup
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil (use coconut oil for vegan)
• 1 cup Vidalia onion , diced
• 7 tablespoons coconut aminos (1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegan)
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat ghee or coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:
If desired, for a smoother texture, gently transfer sauce to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt.

Original recipe found here

This kind of recipe really reminds me of my mom. Anyway I could sneak vegetables into the meal for her to eat I would try and do it. These Loaded Veggie Turkey Meatballs were spot on down to the food processor making sure the veggies were finely chopped. Great recipe for kids or adults that have trouble eating their vegetables. Plus, you can't even tell there are veggies in the meatballs when eating them. Winning. The recipe below is tripled from the original recipe, and the only parts I changed were using just a little bit less ghee then recommended, and using spinach instead of kale. The recipes suggests using a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet to cook the meatballs, and I really wish I had those to test that method out. Ground turkey always leaves fat and juice behind that you sometimes have to scrape it off when cooking on a baking sheet. So if you end up making these using a cooling rack, please let me know how it turned out. I paired this with my own version of Garlic Sweet Potato Cauliflower Mash and absolutely loved the meal. Making a blended mash like this one is another way to add some more vegetables into your life. With the garlic and sweet potato, you can't even tell there is cauliflower in there. All around, a delicious and nutritious meal that I definitely recommend trying. ​

Loaded Veggie Turkey Meatballs 
Ingredients:

• 3 pound ground turkey (preferably thigh meat)
• 1 1/2 cup lightly steamed broccoli florets , finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup kale, finely chopped (or any other green)
• 1 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (or basil, parsley, or dill)
• 3 egg, beaten
• 6 tbsp butter or ghee, melted
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour **see note
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400′ F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper OR place a cooling rack on top of baking sheet.
2. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated.
3. Roll into small meatballs (I use a small cookie scoop to get uniform balls) and place onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until baked through and slightly golden.

Notes:

• I highly recommend using a food processor to chop you veggies.  This makes for a super nice texture in the meatballs.
• I prefer to steam the broccoli before adding it to the recipe.  I’ve tried grated raw broccoli and don’t love the texture.  Simply steam broccoli in a steamer basket for 3-4 minutes until slightly soft and still bright green. Be sure to finely chop for best texture.
• Most people bake meatballs right on the baking sheet (lined with parchment paper), which works fine.  I find that my meatballs cook a bit more evenly if I place them on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet.
• I used coconut flour as a binder.  You can sub any flour that you have like almond or cassava, but you will have to use at double the tablespoons of any other flour.  Start with 2 and add another if mixture seems too sticky to roll.

Original recipe found here


Garlic Sweet Potato Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower head, chopped into florets (I used 2 bags (16 oz) of frozen cauliflower)
• 3-5 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp ghee (you can also use coconut oil)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, garlic cloves, and salt 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 or back in the pot, and add the ghee, black pepper, and salt (to taste). Mash the ingredients together with a potato masher or lightly blend with a hand mixer to combine. (You can also use a food processor to make the mash smooth.)

Notes:

• If you have an Instant Pot, you can easily steam all the vegetables and garlic in there. Personally, I opted for this and did the sweet potatoes separately from the cauliflower and garlic to make sure everything steamed thoroughly. 

Looks pretty similar to the sheet pan recipe I posted a couple weeks back, but this one has a completely different delicious taste! The only part I clearly did not do was roast diced sweet potato with the brussels. Instead, I opted for just pairing with a baked sweet potato, so I could make sure each meal had enough carbs for my needs. I guess I also used golden delicious apples instead of granny smith, so I'd say that one is up to your preference as well. The recipe below is for 4 servings, so make sure to double, triple, quadruple, etc. the recipe, as needed. If you get into tripling and above, I suggest roasting the brussles and chicken separately to make sure everything gets cooked evenly. This is the kind of recipe that makes your house smell delicious and all of your coworkers ask what that tasty smell is. Not to mention, the meal itself really did turn our tasting amazing. Since I use my trusty Instant Pot so much, these sheet pan recipes have been a great reminder that there are still other easy ways to get meal prep done. This one was a big hit in our house and is definitely worth giving a try! ​
​
Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Apples and Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, — trimmed of excess fat and lightly pounded to a relatively even thickness
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — divided
• 4 cloves garlic — minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary — divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt — divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper — divided
• 4 cups Brussels sprouts — trimmed and halved (quarter if very large), about 1 pound
• 1 large sweet potato — peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium red onion — cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium Granny smith apple — peeled, cored, and cut into rough 1-inch pieces (these pieces should be larger than the other vegetables)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the garlic, 1 tablespoon rosemary, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Zip the bag tightly, then shake and rub the bag to coat the chicken in the oil and spices. Set aside while you chop the vegetables and apples, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.
3. Once chopped, place the Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and apple on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to evenly coat, then spread into an even layer.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on top of the apple and vegetables. Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160 to 165 degrees F, about 18 to 22 minutes, or until done. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove to a plate to rest and cover with foil to keep warm. Toss the apple and vegetables on the pan, then return the pan to the oven and continue baking until caramelized and tender, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary. Serve warm with the rested chicken.

Original recipe found here

I told you guys I'd be making some more recipes from this Asian-inspired Paleo blog! This recipe did not disappoint either. There are five ingredients to chop and dice, so I went ahead and used the food processor to help me out. Like the recipe notes below, just hit the pulse button a few times when using the food processor, so you are not left with a watery mess. Next comes forming the meatballs, which is always the longest step for me since I typically triple recipes to get enough food. The recipe as-is below will get you 18 two-inch sized meatballs though, so if that is all you need then forming meatballs should be a breeze. I did not use the muffin tin technique as described below, but that is because I had a lot more meatballs to bake then I did muffin tins. I thought using a baking sheet was just the same anyways, and I still turned the meatballs over as the directions instructed. These meatballs had a ton of flavor and were absolutely delicious paired with butternut squash noodles. I personally just heated some frozen plain Butternut Squash noodles with some coconut oil and garlic, until warm. Even if you would typically not pair with butternut squash, I totally recommend giving it a try this time. It was a nice sweet flavor with the meatballs and really brought the meal together since there was not any sauce. I also boiled some Sweet Potato Glass Noodles to get some more carbs with the meal, but you can easily throw in any additional noodle or rice that you want with this. If you have the patience to do some dicing and form the meatballs, then this is definitely a recipe worth trying. This one was a big hit this week! 

​Paleo Asian Meatballs with Butternut squash and Sweet Potato Glass Noodles
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• Half 1 whole small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup Italian flat parsley, finely chopped
• 3 bulbs scallions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• Coconut oil (to grease the muffin tin)

Meatball seasonings:

• 1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp sweet potato flour or arrowroot flour, (optional item)

Optional pairing:

• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Butternut squash, sweet potato, or turnip spiralized noodles
• Cooking fat of your choice to saute the noodles

Directions:

1. Finely chop carrots, yellow onion, flat parsley, scallions, and prepare grated ginger. If use a food processor, toss the ingredients a few times but do not over process them. It will be too watery. 
2. Preheat oven to 410 F/210 C. Combine ground beef, ingredients under “Meatball seasonings”, and ingredients from Step 1. Combine and mix well.
3. Lightly grease a muffin tin with coconut oil. Use your hands to gently apply some pressure to form the meatballs. Make sure the chopped veggies and the ground meat are coherent well. Form about 18 individual meatballs.* 
4. Bake the meatballs in the muffin tin. First side about 15 minutes. Use a small spoon to carefully flip them and bake the flip side for an additional 10 minutes. 
5. In the meantime, heat ½ tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, lower the heat to medium, add minced garlic and squash noodles. Give them a quick stir-fry until the noodles are softened yet still crisp. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. 
6. To serve: scoop out the meatball juice inside the muffin tin and use that as dressing over meatballs and noodles.

Notes:
* If you find it difficult to form meatballs without them falling apart, you can either add a bit more sesame oil or arrowroot flour/powder.
** To make the meatballs ahead, complete the entire cooking process, let cool,  and store them in glass and air-tight containers. Be sure to drizzle over some meatball juice before sending them to the freezer.
​
Original recipe found here

​This meal was the bomb! Since I made this for meal prep, and also need at least a cup of sweet potato per meal, I opted for roasting the potatoes separately in the oven. I then doubled the rest of the recipe (minus the black pepper and olive oil, there was no need for that much) to get me about 10 meals. I actually may have used closer to 3lbs of steak now that I think about it. Either way, the recipe itself was super simple and easy to make after you have all your ingredients diced and prepped. I paired this recipe with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, which is also super easy to whip up if you have the time. If not, another idea is to throw some plain cauliflower rice in with the peppers to cook. You can also throw the plain cauliflower rice into the same pan you cooked the steak bites and peppers (once you remove everything) to soak up the remaining flavors. I definitely over complicated this meal by roasting sweet potatoes in the oven, and separately making Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, so don't feel like you need to do all of that. The steak bite recipe as-is below was extremely simple to make and is all done in one-pan. Most importantly, this is a meal you will truly enjoy eating all week long!​

Whole30 Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers
Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces) diced into 1" pieces
• 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
• 1 lb flat iron steak diced into 1" pieces
• 3 tbsp olive oil divided
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 bell peppers seeded and diced into 1" pieces
• 4 green onions thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Place the diced sweet potatoes into a microwave safe bowl, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with a plate and microwave on high until just barely tender, 4-6 minutes. Stir once halfway through. The potatoes are ready when you can piece one with the tip of a knife and meet just a bit of resistance. Take care not to overcook at this stage or they'll turn out mushy later.
2. Heat a 12” skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the steak in a single layer. Cook, turning every two minutes, until the pieces are browned and the center is medium, about 10 minutes. Remove the steak from the skillet using a slotted spoon and set aside onto a plate. 
3. Add the third tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the sweet potatoes, toss to coat in the fat and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3-4 minutes.
4. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the garlic. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add the bell pepper and scallions and toss with the potatoes. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are bite tender, 3-4 minutes. 
6. Add the steak and juices back to the pan along with the coconut aminos. Toss all ingredients and cook an additional 1- 2 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
7. Add the pepper and cilantro, toss, and remove from heat. Portion onto plates, top with additional fresh cilantro if desired, and serve immediately.

Original recipe found here


​Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower (I used two bags of frozen cauliflower rice)
• 2 limes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 handful chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. (If making own cauliflower rice) Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, and cut the head in half. Remove the cauliflower from the core so you only have the florets. Place half the cauliflower into the processor and process until only small pieces remain. Remove from the processor and place into a pan. Process the remaining cauliflower repeating the steps.
2. Mince the garlic and add to the cauliflower in the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. When cauliflower is slightly toasted, and garlic cooked, remove from heat.
3. Toss with cilantro and juice from the whole lime.

Original recipe found here

Anyone else find it strange to read 'Lime Teriyaki', instead of 'Teriyaki Lime'?  I had that similar feeling when tasting this chicken for the first time too. The first couple bites were different; I've never tasted these flavor combinations together, or anything similar to it before. The more I ate it though the more I stopped being skeptical and realized I actually enjoyed it. Probably not the best way to describe a meal you enjoyed, but that is my honest review. I thought it paired pretty well with roasted sweet potatoes, but then again I kept asking myself all week if it would pair better with a rice/cauliflower rice combination. The hint of lime is definitely there and throws you off (or threw me off for sure). I almost wonder if it would pair well with roasted plantains or plantain chips. Either way, you can make this recipe in either the slow cooker or Instant Pot. I chose the Instant Pot this time around and doubled the ingredients to make enough food for meal prep. I also skipped out on the arrowroot starch and just put the Instant Pot on 'saute' mode to help thicken the sauce. If you are using the slow cooker option and don't have arrowroot starch, you can bring the extra sauce to a boil on the stove top to help thicken/reduce some. I know I say it after many of my posts, but if you try this one out please let me know what you think! This one obviously left me with quite the first impression, so I'd love to hear what others think. ​

​Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Lime Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken breast
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp. lime zest
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper optional
• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch (mix with 2 tbsp water)

Directions:
For your Slow Cooker:

1. Place the chicken in your slow cooker.
2. Whisk together the remaining ingredients (not the arrowroot) in a small bowl.
3. Pour marinade over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours
5. Add arrowroot and water, and mix into sauce. Let thicken.
6. Shred chicken with a fork.
7. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or in a salad. Garnish with optional cilantro and green onion.

For your Instant Pot:

1. Select the saute function on your Instant Pot. Once hot, add a bit of oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, select cancel.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients: garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, vinegar, lime, lime zest, honey, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes if using,
3. Place chicken inside your Instant Pot on top of onion. Pour sauce on top of chicken. Secure the lid and select the manual function. Cook for 7 minutes. Once cooking is complete, use a quick release. Be sure that all steam is released before opening your Instant Pot.
4. Open the lid, add arrowroot/water mixture. Stir and let thicken for a few extra minutes.
5. Shred chicken and serve over rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or salad.

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 love using Garlic Sea Salt!)
• Optional: Cinnamon, Paprika, any other Spices

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 (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 (or whatever spices you enjoy).
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.

Need to throw out the disclaimer now that this is definitely not a quick meal prep recipe whatsoever! This is a Rachel Ray recipe that my dad makes a lot and always turns out amazing, so I gave it a try. We both use coconut milk instead of normal milk, and I opted for sweet potato glass noodles (found at Wegmans in the Asian aisle) instead of bucatini noodles. I also thought this meal could use some vegetables, so I threw in some zucchini noodles as well. Besides those swaps, below is the recipe as-is, which serves 4 people - yes, I had to increase some ingredients for my meal prep. You can tell from the picture that my Bolognese is more meat based and that's because I used about the same sauce ingredients and just significantly increased the beef amount. I also used less EVOO then suggested, but that was just to keep the fat content of each meal a little lower for my needs. Although this took a little more prep then I would have liked, it was all worth it to eat this amazing meal all week long! If you have the time to give this recipe a try, whether for meal prep or just dinner one night for the family or friends, I highly recommend it! This homemade Bolognese sauce is full of only whole-food ingredients and turned out absolutely amazing! Pair it with whatever "noodle" that fits your needs and enjoy! 

Roasted Tomato Bolognese and Sweet Potato Noodles
Ingredients

• 32 cocktail tomatoes (they’re a little larger than cherry tomatoes) or 3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 Tablespoons thyme leaves stripped from stems
• EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for liberal drizzling (4 tablespoons or so)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 pounds 80% lean ground beef
• 1 small onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup chicken or veal stock
• A handful of parsley, chopped
• A handful of basil, torn
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 pound sweet potato glass noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, arrange tomatoes, garlic and thyme. Drizzle with EVOO and toss to coat. Roast 30 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Slide everything into a food processor and purée.
3. Heat a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and beef. Season with salt and pepper, and brown and crumble. Add onions and cook until soft; add stock. Add tomato purée and stir in parsley, basil and milk. Simmer 30-40 minutes to thicken. 
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and noodles, and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup starchy water then drain noodles and return it to the hot pot. Toss noodles with starchy water, half the sauce and a drizzle or two of EVOO to coat. 
5. Serve pasta topped with more sauce.

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Original recipe found here