This turned out tasting just as amazing as it sounds! The only slicing and dicing involved is for the leeks and basil. Don't spend too much time making perfect or tiny slices though because those ingredients just go into the blender anyways. The recipe below serves four, so I had to significantly increase the ingredients to get enough meals for our house. Since we aren't big soup fans I ended up using a ratio of half bisque to meatballs, which is why my meal looks less saucy. I absolutely love an Italian dish with basil and tomato flavors and this meal was exactly that. I topped over some plain cauliflower rice and rice and really enjoyed eating this meal for lunch all week long. If you give this one a try let me know what you think! 

Tomato Basil Bisque with Italian Meatballs
​Ingredients:

• 1 leek stalk, sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
• *optional: 1 tablespoon honey or agave
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine the ground beef, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper. Using a 1/4 measuring up, scoop the meat mixture then form into a ball
3. Place the raw meatballs on a baking sheet and place into the oven to cook for 12-15 minutes
4. While the meatballs are cooking, sauté the sliced leek in olive oil just slightly below medium-high heat for roughly 5 minutes
5. Pour the the sautéed leeks from the saucepan into a blender, then add the diced tomatoes (with juice), fresh basil, and coconut milk. Blend until you reach the desired consistency (pulsing for a chunkier texture, blending on high for a creamy bisque)
6. Pour the tomato basil bisque back into the saucepan and turn heat to medium-low, just to warm throughout. Add the honey or agave if desired (this helps cut the acidity a bit – add more sweetener as needed)
7. Once the meatballs are finished cooking, add to the bisque

Original recipe found here

I've never heard of comeback sauce before, but my Mississippi livin' sister let me know real quick that it's a southern thing. Since I had extra Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo and Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup already in the fridge I decided to give this one a try and I am SO glad I did. This meal was a delicious one that I seriously looked forward to eating everyday! I increased all the ingredients significantly and ended up using the Instant Pot saute feature to cook the beef. I also mixed the comeback sauce in with the beef at the end because it made more sense to me then just plopping some on top of each meal. If you are not a big mayo fan, I suggest cutting the comeback sauce recipe down some. I ended up only using a little compared to the increased amount of beef and veggies I made and thought it still turned out plenty flavorful and delicious. This one was super easy to throw together, especially if you buy pre-sliced veggies. If not, dice them up the day before if you want an even faster meal prep time. I will definitely be making this one again anytime I have extra mayo and ketchup in the fridge! 

​Beef & Veggie Bowls with Comeback Sauce 
Ingredients:
Beef

• 1 lb lean ground beef (Can sub ground turkey)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Veggies

• 20 – 24 oz fresh broccoli
• 1 lb fresh brussels sprouts
• 1 bell pepper, Color of choice
• 3 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Comeback Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayo (I used Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo)
• 1 tbsp homemade or high quality store-bought ketchup​ (I used Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut any large broccoli florets in half or thirds. Add broccoli florets to baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Trim the bottom of each brussels sprout and peel away the first layer of leaves. That’s where you usually see the dirt and any brown sprouts. Once this is done you’ll have beautiful little bright green sprouts. Add them to your baking sheet in a single layer beside the broccoli.
4. Slice your pepper into strips. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet beside the other veggies.
5. Drizzle olive oil over all veggies. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. While vegetables are roasting, add your ground beef (or turkey) to a skillet on the stove top. Use your spatula to crumble the beef. Cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned. If your beef isn’t very lean you may want to drain the grease. Stir in salt, pepper, and chili powder.
7. Add all Comeback Sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir together until well combined.
8. To assemble, divide all roasted veggies into bowls. Top with cooked ground beef and Comeback Sauce. You’re ready to eat!

​Original recipe found here

This was the most spot on Sweet and Sour tasting and delicious meal ever! Seriously though, I will be making this one again very soon it was that much of a hit in our house. I ended up using the slow cooker option on my Instant Pot for this meal, so I could brown the meat and cook all in one pot. Plus, I was able to put the pot on saute mode at the very end to thicken up the sauce a little more. I definitely recommend doing the same if you have an Instant Pot, but if not this meal will still turn out delicious in the Crockpot - just one more pan to clean when you're done ;-). The only change I made to the recipe is using half the honey, and that was just by preference. The meal still turned out plenty sweet with a little less honey if you want to do the same. If you find ginger at the store definitely add in that fresh grated ginger too! The beef does stay in small 1-2 inch cubes if you properly brown them, but I opted to shred it at the end while I was reducing the sauce. My beef also turned out looking like pork, probably because I diced it up a day before cooking it and exposed it to more oxygen. Oh well it still turned out so good! I heated up some coconut oil and tossed some plain frozen cauliflower rice, salt, and extra green onions to pair with this. Add this recipe to your list of must-trys now! 

​Crockpot Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Beef
Ingredients:
​Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sauce

• 16 ounces (two 8 ounce cans) of crushed pineapple (in juice not syrup) – drained and reserve juice in a small bowl.
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos 
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp honey (I reduced to 1 tbsp and it was still plenty sweet)
• 1 tbsp of fresh grated ginger or pinch of ground ginger (optional but delish!)

For the Slow Cooker/Crockpot

• 2 lbs boneless beef loin cut into 1–2 inch pieces, or you can purchase stew meat precut. Best to trim excess fat for before cooking. See notes for other meat options.
• 2–3 tbsp Oil to brown meat
• black pepper to taste
• kosher salt to taste
• 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 bell pepper – diced, seeds removed. (see notes for substitutes)
• For plating – chopped green onion and/or cilantro to garnish. To serve with rice or cauliflower rice.

Optional Slurry to thicken

• 1 tbsp Arrowroot starch
• 1/2 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Drain the canned pineapple and reserve the juice. Place pineapple aside and juice in a small mixing bowl.
2. Next, whisk together the pineapple juice, cider, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, and honey. Whisk until honey is combined (dissolved) with other ingredients. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium size skillet with 2 tbsp oil. Lightly sprinkle the diced beef cubes with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Place meat in the pan and then brown meat on medium high, turning beef cubes to brown all sides. About 3-4 minutes.
4. Place the browned meat in the slow cooker and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top.
5. Add the chopped onion and sweet and sour pineapple sauce to the crockpot/slow cooker. Mix together.
6. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-6 hours or on HIGH heat for about 3 hours, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
7. After the meat has been cooked, mix in the crushed pineapple and bell pepper. *Note – if you would like thicken the stew/meat mix, add the arrowroot starch slurry here.  First dissolve the arrowroot starch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry then mix into slow cooker.*
8. Cook on high for additional 20-30 minutes or until peppers have softened and juice has thickened.
9. Spoon meat and juice over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with chopped green onion and/or cilantro.

Notes:

• Feel free to use pork or turkey stew meat or pork loin as a beef substitute. Cooking times may vary.
• 1 cup diced celery may be used in place of pepper if desired.

Original recipe found here

This one is a must try! It seriously turned out so delicious and will definitely be thrown into the meal rotation in our house. I ended up tripling this recipe to get enough meals, so I bought a couple containers of pre-diced onions, carrots, and celery to make prep even easier. I used cayenne pepper instead of a red chili, which must have been the reason this beef ragu had a slight kick to it. I also opted for using a cup of beef broth instead of the cubes since I couldn't find any that did not have added sugars. Not much to the recipe at all. Just saute the onions, carrots, celery, and chili, then throw the rest of the ingredients in and set the Instant Pot to cook on manual for 30 minutes. The final step revealed a new cooking hack to me as well! Using a potato masher to shred or mash the beef into smaller pieces was a game changer. Pair with pasta, vegetable noodles, or rice and you've got yourself a seriously tasty and nutritious meal. 

Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, diced into small cubes
• 1 celery stick, diced into small cubes
• 1/2 long red chili, diced (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or cayenne pepper)
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 3 large cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 1/2 lb diced beef steak (stewing steak, chuck steak, rib eye)
• 1 teaspoon black or white pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder (mild or sweet)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, thyme or basil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional, but adds warmth and depth)
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 1 x can chopped tinned tomatoes (400 g/ 1 + 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 
• 1 cube of beef stock including water (I ended up using 1 Cup Beef Broth instead)

Directions:
In the Instant Pot

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and press the Sauté function key. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, chili and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until softened.
2. Add the beef and the rest of the ingredients and stir through. Press Keep Warm/Cancel.
3. Place the lid and lock. Set to Manual, High pressure, and set for 30 minutes. After three beeps the Instant Pot will begin to build up pressure and start cooking. Once the cooking finishes, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes before using quick release to let off the rest of the steam.
4. Then open the lid and press the Sauté function again. Use a potato masher (that’s the easiest way) to shred or mash the beef into smaller pieces. You will get something like shredded beef consistency. Cook for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Serve with pasta, vegetable noodles or rice.

On the Stove Top

1. Repeat the first two steps as above using a saucepan over medium heat. Once the beef and tomatoes are in, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered with a lid for 2 hours. After 2 hours, shred the beef, and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce if needed (you might not have as much liquid when cooking on the stove).

Original recipe found here

This meal is the real deal! I ended up quadrupling just about every ingredient, except the chili powder and hot sauce since I was afraid it would be too spicy for my liking. I also opted for making the sloppy joes in the Instant Pot on saute mode rather then the stove top because I had such a large quantity of food then the original recipe. Both ways are suitable options though and get the job done quick! I have never heard of Rao's Homemade marinara sauce before, but I found it at Whole Foods, Wegman's, and Harris Teeter, and thought it tasted delicious. Seriously impressed with that sauce option for the Whole30/Paleo/whole-food ingredient crowd and recommend trying it if you find it. Now I couldn't find spaghetti squash at my grocery store for some reason, so I went with sweet potato glass noodles instead, which actually provided the carbs I needed anyways. Feel free to pair this with any kind of noodle or vegetable noodle you like though. This meal was a huge hit in my house and will definitely be made again soon! 

Whole30 Sloppy Joe Bowls
Ingredients:
Sloppy Joes

• 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• 1 lb grassfed ground beef
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2/3 cup compliant tomato sauce or marinara sauce (Rao's Homemade is an option)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp dijon or yellow mustard (Annie's Organic Dijon Mustard, Woodstock Foods Organic Dijon Mustard,  and Wegmans Traditional Dijon Mustard are all good options)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (Frank's RedHot Original Hot Sauce‎ is a good option)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Spaghetti Squash

• 1 large spaghetti squash

Broccoli

• 1 16 oz package broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat oven to 400. Cut a large spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at for 35 minutes. Use a fork to remove the spaghetti strands and serve with the Sloppy Joe mixture and broccoli.

Sloppy Joes

1. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in onion and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add in ground beef and stir until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in remaining Sloppy Joe ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.

Roasted Broccoli

1. Mix the florets, oil, and salt well with your hands. Spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet and add to the oven when the squash has about 13-14 minutes left. Serve with the Sloppy Joe mixture and squash! Enjoy!

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

I will definitely be making this again... and again... and again! This one turned out SO delicious and was relatively easy to throw together. I used just over 5 lbs of beef, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 granny smith apples, and juice from 2 medium oranges (which equaled 1/2 C). Besides those ingredient adjustments though, which were just to accommodate for the increase in beef, I made the recipe below as-is. When the beef was done pressure cooking, I set the Instant Pot to saute mode to reduce the sauce some, and stirred around frequently. Once the sauce was down to a more desirable level, I let the beef cool before measuring and distributing over top of plain cauliflower rice. Since there was plenty of flavor and sauce with this beef, I really don't think you need to worry about cooking up the cauliflower rice any special way. I personally grabbed some frozen plain cauliflower rice and heated it up to make for an even quicker meal prep. I love a recipe that can be done in one pot/pan, doesn't have a ton of ingredients or prep to it, and of course turns out tasting amazing. This recipe is all of that and more! 

Instant Pot Korean Beef
Ingredients:

• 4 pounds bottom roast, cut into cubes
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 pear or Granny Smith apple peeled and chopped
• juice of one large orange or 2 small

Directions:

1. Season the cubed roast liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat Instant Pot to saute. Once the pan is hot coat the pan with the olive oil and in batches brown the meat on all the sides. Transfer meat to a plate while you’re working.
3. Once all the meat is browned de-glaze the pan with the beef broth, scraping up all the browned bits.
4. Pour in the coconut aminos and stir to combine.
5. Return all the meat back to the pan and then place the garlic, ginger and pear/apple on top of the meat, stirring lightly to slightly combine.
6. Finally add in the orange juice.
7. Place the lid on your Instant Pot and using the manual button on high pressure set to 45 minutes. Make sure the valve is closed.
8. Once the pot is done, release the steam and shred meat using a fork.
9. Serve over rice

Notes:
To make this recipe in the slow cooker follow all the steps 1-7. Slow cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.

Original recipe found here

​Sometimes I really wish my pictures did the meal more justice... Anyways, I probably say this for every curry meal I post, but if you enjoy a curry meal then you will enjoy this one! I didn't actually make this recipe as-is though, so I am not sure I can give an accurate review for it. Instead of the acorn squash, I used butternut squash, and instead of all of the spices listed after the lemon, I used the spices listed in the notes section. Both of those swaps were out of convenience though since it's much easier to find already cubed butternut squash at the grocery store, and I didn't already have all the spices listed on the original recipe. Whichever way you decide to make this recipe though, I definitely suggest browning the meat first, and also adding some salt. Other then that, I thought this meal was especially good over some roasted sweet potatoes! I also threw in some cauliflower rice just to add some more vegetables to this recipe, but I can see a mixture of cauliflower rice and regular rice being good too. Let me know if you try this recipe out and how you choose to make it! ​

Slow Cooker Squash & Ground Beef Curry
Ingredients:

• 2 lb Ground Beef
• 1 whole Acorn Squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used Butternut Squash instead)
• 13 1/2 oz Coconut Milk, (one can)
• 15 oz Pumpkin Puree, (one can)
• 1 1/2 cup Water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger Root, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 1 whole Lemon, quartered
• 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp dried Cilantro
• 1 tsp dried Basil
• 1 tsp dried Dill
• 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground Cloves
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, (optional) for topping

Directions:

1. Break up the ground beef into small pieces, as small as you can make them.
2. Add the ground beef and all other ingredients (except the fresh cilantro) to your slow cooker. Squeeze the lemons into the slow cooker before adding them.
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. If you're nearby, break up the chunks of ground beef halfway through the cooking time. If you're not, do so at the end.
4. Serve with cauliflower rice (you'll need about 1 1/2 - 2 cauliflower heads' worth of rice) and topped with fresh cilantro (optional).

Notes
1. If you're not on the autoimmune protocol, replace the AIP curry blend (dried garlic, onion, turmeric, basil, dill, cilantro, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves) with 2 tablespoons of your favorite curry powder.
2. Another spice option is to make your own AIP Curry Powder, like this one, which combines much fewer spices, and spices that you are more likely to already have in your kitchen:

• 1 T. granulated garlic
• 1 T. granulated onion
• 1 T. turmeric
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. powdered ginger
• ½ t. ground clove

Original recipe found here

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.

​
Original recipe found here

Yummm! This meal turned out tasting SO delicious! You can make the beef barbacoa in the slow cooker or Instant Pot (I used the Instant Pot), and you can broil it in the oven after if you want to make it crispy. There's not too much prep to this one besides dicing the onion and garlic, then preparing the rest of the ingredients into a sauce to poor over the browned beef. While you're waiting on the beef to cook you can quickly make the Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice, which is seriously so simple to prepare, especially if you purchase cauliflower that is already riced. If you need to add some more carbs to this just mix in some regular rice with that cauliflower rice and you're all set. This meal had an enjoyable citrus taste to it and was full of so much flavor! I definitely recommend giving this one a try for your next meal prep!

Beef Barbacoa (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)
Ingredients:

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2 inch cubes (can also use beef brisket, I used a beef eye round roast)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp chipotle powder
• 2 tsp oregano (fresh or dried)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp ghee (or other cooking oil)

For topping/serving:

• romaine lettuce (or sub Siete Tortillas or other sturdy lettuce)
• cilantro
• avocado
• lime wedges

Directions:

1. Cut beef into cubes and set aside. Prep onion and garlic as noted.
2. Combine orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, tomato paste, cumin, chipotle powder, oregano, salt and ground cloves in a bowl or jar and mix well.
3. (If you don't have a pressure cooker then skip to directions below) Press the sauté button on the instant pot and add ghee. Once hot, add in the beef and brown it on all sides. Press cancel on the instant pot once the beef is browned.
4. Add in the diced onion and garlic cloves and pour the juice/seasoning mixture all over everything.
5. Secure the lid on the instant pot and close the pressure valve. Press the "manual" button (or "pressure cook" button) and set the time to cook for 30 minutes at high pressure. Once the time is up, let the pressure naturally release on its own for 20 minutes.
6. Manually release any remaining pressure and remove the lid. Shred the beef with two forks.
7. Serve beef in bowls over greens, in lettuce wedges or in tortillas with your favorite toppings.

Slow cooker instructions:

1. Follow steps 1-2 above.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add ghee. Once hot, add in beef cubes to brown, just a minute or so on each side until all sides are browned. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.
3. Add in the diced onion and garlic cloves and pour the juice/seasoning mixture all over everything.
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Once the beef is finished, shred it in the slow cooker with two forks and mix it with all the juices. Serve as noted above.

Optional step (for crispy beef barbacoa):

1. Set your oven to broil.
2. After shredding the beef, use a slotted spoon to remove the beef and onions from the instant pot and place on a large sheet pan. Spoon some of the juices from the instant pot over the top of the beef in the sheet pan.
3. Place in the oven to broil for 6-8 minutes, until the beef begins to develop some brown and crispy edges. Watch carefully and cook to your preference.
4. Alternatively, you can simply transfer some of the beef to a skillet over medium heat and cook it until it's crispy, stirring occasionally. This method is easiest if you are re-heating the leftovers from the fridge.

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