Still experimenting with an elimination diet in our house and these meatballs have been a big hit a few times now. We've tried this with all ground turkey and all ground beef, and without the egg and optional flour each time. All of the seasonings bring a ton of flavor and we have enjoyed these as burgers on the grill as well. I opted for baking the meatballs this time since I quadrupled the recipe and had a ton of meatballs to cook, but pan frying them as the recipe instructs would only bring more delicious flavor. This time we paired the meatballs with spaghetti squash, sweet potato glass noodles, and a low fodmap marinara sauce, which turned out super tasty! Not to mention this was a nice mix up to the limited food options we have been consuming on this elimination style diet. This one is definitely going into the meal prep rotation of favorites! 

Pan Fried Meatballs - Low FODMAP, Paleo, Whole30
Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp Tapioca flour optional, for binding
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning blend of dried thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried oregano or 2 tbsp chopped fresh
• 1 tsp dried basil you can also use 2 tbsp chopped fresh if you have!
• 2 tsp freeze dried chives or 1 tbsp fresh chopped chives
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• ghee or other preferred cooking fat for frying
• Low FODMAP Marinara Sauce (Fody also has a couple Low FODMAP options! I found their products at Wegmans.)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the three types of meat with all the other ingredients, and using your hands, mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated and ready to roll into balls.
2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over med hi heat. Add about 2 tbsp ghee or other cooking fat to the pan
3. Once the fat is heated (if it's smoking lower the heat) begin rolling the mixture into meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameter, and place each one in the pan. Continue until the mixture is used up.
4. Once the bottoms are nicely browned after about 3 minutes or so, flip each meatball over to brown the other side. Cover the pan now, and continue to cook, covered, until the meatballs are just cooked through. (If planning to add sauce, you can cook the meatballs covered with the sauce until fully cooked)
5. Serve right away and enjoy!

Original recipe found here

This meal turned out amazing! I was a bit hesitant to make this coleslaw recipe, but I am SO glad I gave it a try. Paired with the pork, it really made this meal super delicious and complete! Although I have been eating as paleo as it gets for the past 5 or so years now, I have never tried Primal Kitchen Mayo, or any mayo for that matter - just haven't found the need for it and avoided all recipes that called for it. Anyways, I decided it was time to give it a try with this coleslaw and it was totally worth it. However, I certainly didn't use anywhere near 1/2 cup like the recipe calls for below. I actually ended up using 1 1/2 bags of broccoli slaw (mix of broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage), 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil, 2 Tbsp Mayo, some salt, and a container of Pineapple Mango Salsa from Wegman's (approx. 8-10 servings). Super easy vegetable side to prepare for meal prep this week! I also had another 1 1/2 bags of broccoli slaw and an extra container of Pineapple Mango Salsa, so I could whip up a fresh batch of coleslaw later in the week. If I didn't convince you on the coleslaw, then at least grab a
fresh pineapple salsa from your local grocery store to top on this pork, or prepare your own with the instructions below. I also snuck in some plain cauliflower rice under all that pork too in case you're brainstorming other ways to get some vegetables into this meal. If you don't like any of those options, then the pork itself also turned out delicious and is worth trying. I made it in the Instant Pot on the slow cook option, so I could "saute" the extra sauce down at the end. We also had leftover pork for dinner some nights and dressed it up with some BBQ sauce to make a totally different meal, which was also really enjoyable. I'll end my ramblings there. Plenty of flexibility with this recipe to prepare it however you please! 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Pineapple Coleslaw
Ingredients:
For the pulled pork:

• 3–4 pound pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

For the coleslaw:

• 1–2 bags of coleslaw cabbage (or 1 bag coleslaw and 1 bag shredded purple cabbage)

OR

• 1/2 head of green cabbage
• 1/2 head of purple cabbage
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
• Enough mayo to make it the consistency of your preference (about 1/2 cup)

For the pineapple salsa:

• 1 large tub of pre-made pineapple salsa from Whole Foods

OR

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• Optional: BBQ to top the pulled pork

Directions:
For the pulled pork:

1. Place pork in the slow cooker
2. Season meat with salt and pepper
3. Pour in chicken stock and balsamic
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until pork pulls apart easily
5. Remove from slow cooker and shred

For the pineapple coleslaw:

1. Add cabbage to a large bowl
2. Prepare the pineapple salsa if making it yourself
3. Add pineapple salsa to the bowl
4. Add oil, vinegar, mayo
5. Stir to combine so that coleslaw is evenly mixed
6. For best results, refrigerate an hour prior to serving to let the flavors combine
7. Top pulled pork with BBQ sauce and coleslaw and serve!

Notes:
If you’re using this for meal prep, you may want to double the coleslaw recipe depending on how large your pork shoulder is.

Original recipe found here

Don't let the long list of ingredients sway you away from making this one! All you need is your pork shoulder, olive oil, beef stock, and a bunch of spices that you probably already have in your pantry. However, you can also purchase a jerk spice blend, like this Primal Palate Organic Spices Jerk Seasoning, and use 1/4 cup of that instead. See, not too many ingredients whatsoever! There are also instructions below for preparing this in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or dutch oven, so plenty of options to accommodate everyone. Personally, I prepared this recipe as-is below in the Instant Pot and thought it came out full of flavor and absolutely amazing! If you are someone who enjoys preparing bulk protein quickly and with little ingredients, then definitely save this one. Not only was this super easy and simple to prepare, it also turned out tasting so delicious! I paired this with some roasted brussels and Instant Pot sweet potatoes, and truly enjoyed eating this meal all week long. 

Jamaican Jerk Pork Roast
Ingredients:

• 4 lb pork shoulder
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. course black pepper
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger root
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef stock or broth

Directions:
For the Instant Pot:

1. Combine all spices in a bowl. Toss to combine.
2. Rub the roast with olive oil and coat with spice blend.
3. Set your Instant Pot to Saute and brown the meat on all sides.
4. Add the beef broth.
5. Seal the top according to instructions and cook on Manual, high pressure, for 45 minutes.
6. Release pressure according to instructions, shred and serve.

For the slow cooker:

1. Combine all spices in a bowl. Toss to combine.
2. Rub the roast with olive oil and coat with spice blend.
3. Sear the meat on all sides in a heavy bottomed pot.
4. Place the meat and 1 cup of beef broth in your slow cooker. (this is double the IP amount of broth because you’ll need it to offset the longer cooking time.)
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours – or until the meat is tender.
6. Shred and serve.

For the dutch oven:

1. Combine all spices in a bowl. Toss to combine.
2. Rub the roast with olive oil and coat with spice blend.
3. Sear the meat on all sides in a heavy bottomed pot or a dutch oven.
4. Add 1 cup of beef broth. (this is double the IP amount because you’ll need it if cooking on the stove.)
5. Cover and simmer on the stove top on low heat for 4 hours, or bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
6. Shred and serve.

Original recipe found here

A Nom Nom Paleo recipe, so you know it's a good one! My friend made this one last week and loved it, so I had to give it a try. I ended up using Pork Tenderloin instead of shoulder roast, and my friend used a beef roast, but both ways turned out tasting DELICIOUS! The only other ingredient I changed was I omitted the serrano peppers and just threw in some red pepper flakes instead. If you really like spicy though, go for the serrano peppers and let me know how it turned out! I have gotten better with eating spicy foods, but I decided to just play it safe. For the cauliflower rice I went super easy (as always) and just bought a few bags of Green Giant Riced Cauliflower and heated that up on the stove top. I threw in some extra chopped scallions, salt, and a little bit of juice from a lime and that was it. There was plenty of leftover sauce in the Instant Pot to throw back over everything, so really no need to make any fancy cauliflower rice with this meal. Also, there are slow cooker directions in the notes below if you do not have a pressure cooker. There is no excuse not to give this one a try! It was so easy to make and seriously turned out amazing! 

​Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Spicy Pineapple Pork 
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast (or beef chuck roast if you don't eat pork)
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt or Magic Mushroom Powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, ghee, or your preferred high temperature cooking fat
• 1 (14-ounce) can pineapple chunks in 100% juice (make sure no added sugar or syrup)
• 2 serrano peppers, diced (if you don’t like spicy, removed ribs, pith, and seeds and/or use less peppers)
• 1 tablespoon dried basil  
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Trim and discard the extra fat from the pork roast and cut it into 2-inch cubes. (If all the available roasts are extra fatty at the butcher counter, buy a slightly larger one so you’ll end up with 3 pounds of meat.)
2. Measure out the Diamond Crystal kosher salt or Magic Mushroom Powder and toss well to coat all the pork pieces. (Yes, Magic Mushroom Powder can be used as a 1:1 substitute for Diamond Crystal kosher salt in most of my savory recipes!)
3. Turn on the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and add the coconut oil once the insert is hot. Toss in the seasoned pork cubes and cook, stirring, until the meat gets a bit of sear on the sides. If you’re pressed for time, don’t worry about searing the meat carefully. I’ve tested this recipe both ways (diligently searing in batches and not), and the final result tastes great either way.
4. Drain the pineapple juice and set the pineapple chunks aside (or keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve and eat the pork stew). You’ll be adding ½ cup pineapple juice to the recipe.
5. Turn off the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Add the diced serrano peppers, basil, cumin, and black pepper to the pork. Give everything a good stir to distribute the seasoning.
6. Pour in ½ cup pineapple juice and the lime juice. Give everything a good stir. (Make sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the insert. Otherwise, you might get a “BURN” or “OVHT” error message on your Instant Pot display as the stew reaches high pressure.)
7. Lock the lid on top and make sure the top valve is pointed to the sealed position. (If you’re using the Instant Pot Ultra, you won’t need to adjust the valve.)
8. Program the Instant Pot to cook under high pressure for 35 minutes, and let the pressure drop naturally. If you’re feeling impatient and hangry, you can manually release the pressure after 20 minutes.
9. Open the lid and check that the pork is fork tender. If the pork is still tough, cook for 5-10 more minutes under high pressure.
10. Stir in the pineapple chunks until warmed through. Taste and adjust for seasoning with additional salt, Magic Mushroom Powder, or lime juice. 
11. Ladle up the pork and pineapples and garnish with scallions. Spicy Pineapple Pork tastes great served over cauliflower rice!

Notes

• If you’re doing a Whole30, make sure your canned pineapple doesn’t contain syrup or added sugar! This brand is the one I use.
• If you don’t love spicy food, make sure you remove the ribs, pith, and seeds from the serrano peppers—or just leave ’em out entirely. Conversely, you can crank up the heat even more by adding cayenne pepper to the dried spices or increasing the amount of serrano peppers.
• The leftovers taste great simply reheated (I plop ’em in my Instant Pot and cook for 2 minutes under high pressure) or fried crispy in a skillet.
• No Instant Pot? Don’t freak out: You can make it in a slow cooker—just cook the pork on low for 8-10 hours before adding the pineapple chunks at the end.

Original recipe found here

This meal turned out so delicious and was extremely simple to make! I threw the pork in the slow cooker first thing in the morning, so that it was done by the time I got home later in the day. Since there was not much prep for the pork, it did not take much time at all to get it started in the slow cooker. When I got home later in the day, I took the pork out to shred and brought the remaining sauce to a boil on the stove top (or put on the saute function if you used an Instant Pot), then let it simmer until it thickened up some and poured it back onto the pork. While that was going on I started the Chipotle Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Mash. I originally wanted to make a Pumpkin Sweet Potato mash, but since pumpkin is not in season I couldn't find any at the store. I guess I could have went for the canned pumpkin, but instead I swapped it out for butternut squash. This combination still turned out tasting amazing and it was a good change up from my normal plain Jane sweet potato mash. The chipolte chili powder spice also gave it a little kick and it paired great with the Apple Cider Pulled Pork. This is a meal I really look forward to eating all week!

Apple Cider Pulled Pork ​
Ingredients:

• ​4 - 5 lbs boneless pork butt
• 1 large sweet onion; peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened apple cider

Sweet Spice Rub:

• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. COMBINE all of the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub evenly along the sides and top of the pork roast.
2. ADD the onion slices to the bottom of a six-quart slow cooker. Place the seasoned pork roast on top of the onions. Then, add the apple cider. (If the roast is too large, you may wish to cut it in half and place the halves side by side in the slow cooker.)
3. COVER and cook on high 7-8 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
4. TURN OFF slow cooker once the roast is done. Carefully transfer the pork to a large platter and allow it to rest a few minutes.
5. POUR the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Place one cup of the liquid back into the slow cooker; discard the remaining liquid and onion.
6. SHRED the pork using two forks. Then, return it to the slow cooker. Toss well with the reserved cooking liquid. Season to taste with additional sea salt and pepper, if desired.
7. SERVE the pork with your favorite Whole30-compliant coleslaw and a side of mashed sweet potatoes. (Plus, save the leftover pulled pork to make even more tasty meals, as noted below.) Enjoy!

Original recipe found here

Super Fast Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash - Chipotle Butternut Squash version
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes*
• 1 pound Butternut Squash, cubed
• 1/4 tsp Chipotle chili powder
• 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, butternut squash, and water to the instant pot. Close pot and set to sealing.
3. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 10 minutes.
4. Immediately quick release the pressure as soon as the 10 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 and squash.
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 and squash back to the pot along with any seasonings you desire (add the chipolte chili powder). 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 used closer to 7.5 lbs of sweet potato and 3 lbs of butternut squash for this recipe, so I put them in the pressure cooker separately. I put the sweet potato in the Instant Pot for 20 minutes, then let the sweet potatoes drain while the butternut squash was in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. 

Every New Year's I get together with my friends for a long-weekend trip and each couple is responsible for making one of the dinner or breakfast meals for everyone. This year I made one of the dinners and this is the meal I made. It was originally for the slow cooker, but I made this in the Instant Pot instead, so both directions are below. Not much prep or many ingredients to this meal and it turned out tasting delicious! We ended up doing a stuffed potato bar and had a bunch of toppings out for people to choose from. To keep it paleo you can top with diced tomatoes, green onions, bacon, or a paleo BBQ sauce. Honestly though, I didn't think this pork really needed any toppings because the pork tasted great on it's own, but that is just my opinion! In case you were wondering, I did also put out some non-paleo toppings and baked a couple white potatoes for my loving friends who always accommodate for me when they are cooking :). Anyways, the broccoli slaw also turned out tasting yummy and was a great pair for this pork. It was also really easy to throw together, so if you are ever in need of a quick veggie side I would recommend giving this one a try. I know I didn't technically make this one for meal prep, but I know I will be making it again for meal prep in the future because it really was so delicious! 

Slow Cooker (or Pressure Cooker) Pulled Pork
Ingredients:

• 3 lb pork butt (I used shoulder)
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric

Directions (Slow Cooker):

1. Place pork in a slow cooker.
2. Rub down with garlic, thyme, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and molasses.
3. Pour in balsamic vinegar, cover, and allow to cook on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Once tender, use two forks to shred the pork, then serve as desired.

Directions (Pressure Cooker):

1. Place pork in pressure cooker. (I cut the pork into chunks.)
2. Rub down with garlic, thyme, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and molasses.
3. Pour in balsamic vinegar, cover, and cook on manual for 50 minutes. 
4. Remove the lid and push the “Sauté” button. Use two forks to roughly shred the meat while it’s in the pot. Let the liquid bubble away until it’s almost gone, stirring occasionally; this will take 20-30 minutes.
5. Optional: When there’s almost no liquid left, stir in a Tbsp of ghee. Continue to cook until the pork is browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. Press “Keep Warm/Cancel” to turn the Instant Pot off. 

Original recipe found here


Paleo Broccoli Slaw
Ingredients:

• 2 packages broccoli cole slaw 12 ounces each
• 1/2 cup diced sweet vidalia onions
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed (or tarragon) (I ended up leaving this ingredient out all together)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Place the broccoli cole slaw in a large bowl. Add the onions and mix. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl or shaker cup, combine the olive oil, vinegar and spices. Stir or shake well.
3. Pour the dressing over the colelsaw and stir to coat.
4. Just before serving, mix in the sliced almonds.
5. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate leftovers.

Original recipe found here

Although the recipe name below says Instant Pot, I ended up throwing this one in the slow cooker. After purchasing and using the Instant Pot so much recently, I forgot how nice it is to just throw a meal in the slow cooker early in the day and not worry about having to finish it up until 8 hours later. Anyways, this meal looks a little bland, and it could definitely be topped with some tomatoes/salsa and guacamole/avocado, but it honestly did turn out tasting very flavorful and delicious! I didn't see any boneless pork shoulder at the store, so I used center cut pork chops instead. I also did not broil the pork when I was done, although I do know adding some ghee and broiling the pork would have made this even tastier. For the Mexican seasoning I used Primal Palate Taco Seasoning, but if you don't want to purchase a special seasoning I also listed a recipe for making your own taco seasoning below using spices you already have in your kitchen. For the cauliflower rice I simply bought a few bags of frozen Riced Veggies Cauliflower and heated it on the stove top with some olive oil, garlic salt, some of the taco seasoning, and juice from 1 lime. Don't let this bland picture fool you, this meal was packed with flavor and was extremely easy, simple, and quick to throw together for meal prep! 

Five Ingredient Instant Pot Carnitas
Ingredients:

• About 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into two-inch chunks
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Mexican seasoning* (I used Primal Palate Taco Seasoning instead)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 2 oranges
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Directions:

1. Put the pork chunks in the Instant Pot and toss them with the Mexican seasoning, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
2. Combine the citrus juices in a liquid measuring cup, then add enough water to reach the one cup line. Pour the liquid into the Instant Pot.
3. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to “Sealed”. Press “Manual” and adjust the time to 50 minutes. The Instant Pot will automatically begin cooking and will start counting down from 50 minutes once high pressure is reached. Once the cooking time is over, press “Keep Warm/Cancel” and let the pressure release naturally.
4. Remove the lid and push the “Sauté” button. Use two forks to roughly shred the meat while it’s in the pot. (At this point, you can finish the carnitas in the Instant Pot as described here, or finish them in the broiler as described in the Notes section.**) Let the liquid bubble away until it’s almost gone, stirring occasionally; this will take 20-30 minutes. When there’s almost no liquid left, stir in the ghee. Continue to cook until the pork is browned in spots, about 5 minutes more. Press “Keep Warm/Cancel” to turn the Instant Pot off. Serve hot with rice or cauliflower rice, lime slices, and avocado.

NOTES
*The original recipe used Frontier Mexican Seasoning, but I used Primal Palate Taco Seasoning, but you can make your own taco seasoning (recipe below) or just use chili powder. Reduce or omit the sea salt if your spice blend is already salted.
**To make these carnitas in a slow cooker, omit the water in Step 2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove the meat and shred with two forks. Spread the meat out on a foil-lined baking sheet and moisten with a little of the cooking liquid. Broil for about five minutes, until browned to your liking. You can also finish these in the broiler after making them in the IP if you'd like.

Original recipe found here

Make your own taco seasoning:

• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tsp dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground Coriander

Process:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined
2. Use 1 1/2 Tbsp per 1 pound ground meat (or more to taste)

Original recipe found here

This is an amazing recipe recommendation and meal suggestion my friend sent me last week! Plus it's a Nom Nom Paleo recipe, so you know it's a good one. Honestly though once I saw pressure cooker I was sold. That Instant Pot is a serious meal prep game changer. Instead of using a Pork Shoulder Roast I used Center Cut Port Roast since it's a little bit leaner. I also did not end up putting the cooked pork in a skillet to crisp up at the end, but I imagine that would make the pork even tastier. The original recipe pictures a taco salad with the carnitas, but I opted for a baked sweet potato with spinach and a mango salsa with white onion garnish. There are a ton of ingredients listed under garnish though, so just pick the ones you know you enjoy! This meal turned out so delicious and you can make a different meal out of the pork everyday if you want to. I have some of the Siete’s grain-free tortillas mentioned below that I plan to use for some of my mother's meals. Anyways, just wanted to mention again that I am very grateful for friends who send me paleo recipes to try!  Surround yourself with people who make you better! 

Pressure Cooker Carnitas
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt, more to taste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoons crushed dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican
• 1 medium orange 
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon ghee, avocado oil, or favorite high temperature cooking fat (*optional,* this is for heating on large cast iron skillet to make carnitas crispy)

Garnish:

• 1 small white onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 head butter lettuce, leaves removed, washed and spun dry (Siete’s grain-free tortillas are awesome as well.) (I used spinach)
• 2 Hass avocados, peeled and sliced
• 1-2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced (optional)
• 1 cup salsa
• 3 limes, quartered

Directions:

1. Grab your boneless pork shoulder roast (a.k.a. Boston butt) and cut it into 2-inch cubes. (I used Center Cut Pork Roast instead) 
2. Plop the pork in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Toss well to coat. Then, transfer the seasoned pork to the Instant Pot insert.
3. Use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips of zest off the orange. Stay close to the surface, making sure you don’t peel into the white pith, ’cause that stuff is bitter. Add the strips of orange zest to the Instant Pot, along with the garlic, quartered yellow onion, and bay leaf. 
4. Cut the bald orange in half and juice it. Pour the juice into the Instant Pot insert and stir to distribute.
5. Place the insert into the Instant Pot and lock the lid. Make sure the valve on the lid is pointed at the "Sealing" position. Press the  “Manual” button (or “Pressure Cook” if you have the new IP-DUO Plus60) and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. (Stovetop pressure cooker users should cook under high pressure for 30 minutes.) Then, let the pressure release naturally (about 20 minutes). 
6. If the pressure hasn’t completely released after 20 minutes and you’re hungry, manually vent the pressure by turning the release valve on the lid. Open the lid and discard the garlic, onion, and bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. You can shred and serve the pork as-is, or store it in the fridge (with all the liquid/fat) for up to 4 days (or in the freezer for up to 3 months).
7. If you prefer crispy carnitas, heat up a large cast iron skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of your favorite cooking fat.
8. Grab the pork out of the fridge and dig out the pieces of carnitas. Shred the meat up with your fingers.
9. Once the pan is hot, add the pork and fry, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired crispness.
10. While the pork is getting crispy, combine the diced white onion and cilantro in a bowl. Also, wash some butter lettuce leaves, slice up the avocados, radishes, and jalapeños. Grab your favorite salsa, and cut up some lime wedges.
11. Last but not least, grab your plate and assemble your own delicious tacos!

Original recipe found here

Another seriously delicious taco-type bowl for this week! Though I think this burrito bowl tasted more like tacos then last weeks taco bowl. Nonetheless, I loved both. This one was especially fun to put together and just make to my liking. The only ingredient change I made was using 1 tablespoon of cumin instead of 2 for the enchilada sauce because I'm just not a huge fan of cumin. Also, the original recipe made this with quinoa, which I substituted for a cilantro lime cauliflower rice, so I guess I technically made two ingredient changes. I thought the cauliflower rice was a great pair with everything and a perfect paleo option. I actually couldn't pick out the lime or cilantro flavor once mixing everything together either, so you can definitely get away with making a really plain cauliflower rice (or just make regular rice if you are not paleo) since there is plenty of enchilada sauce. Speaking of that sauce, I purposely only added some back to the shredded pork, so I had a ton of it leftover. Just throwing that out there in case anyone else doesn't like a ton of sauce or they see how mine turned out and would rather have more sauce. This meal is worth making and one that I will definitely be making again!

Hawaiian Pork Burrito Bowls 
Ingredients:
Enchilada sauce:

• (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoon cumin (I only used 1 tablespoon, personal preference) 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup pineapple juice

Pork:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
• 2 lbs pork sirloin roast
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon pepper

Garnish:

• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large cauliflower, riced (I used two 12 oz bags of frozen cauliflower rice)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lime
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used red and orange)
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pineapple, sliced into rings
• Avocado, sliced 
• Cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Enchilada sauce:

1. In a crock pot, add the ingredients for the enchilada sauce: tomato sauce through the pineapple juice. Whisk until well combined.

For the pork:

1. In a large skillet, add the coconut oil and heat over medium high heat.
2. Season all sides of the pork with the cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper.
3. Add the pork to the skillet and sear on all sides, about 2 mins per side. Once seared add to a slow cooker. Spoon some of the enchilada sauce over the top of the pork. Cook on high for 4 hours, or until done.
4. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and onto a large plate. Shred with two forks. Place back into slow cooker and mix well with the sauce.

To serve:

1. (If making own cauliflower rice) Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut the cauliflower from the core so that you only have the florets. Place the cauliflower florets into the food processor and process until riced. (If you have a large amount of cauliflower florets you may need to do this in two parts.)
2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. 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.
4. Add coconut oil to the skillet. Once melted, add the peppers and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from the heat and add the pineapple slices. Cook until slightly browned, about 1 minute.
5. To serve, add cauliflower rice to a bowl, top with the pepper mixture then the pork. Garnish with the pineapple rings, avocado and cilantro.

​Original recipe found here

The original recipe for this was Pulled Pork Taco Bites with the pork served on roasted butternut squash slices. There was no way I was making tiny taco bites for a weeks worth of meals though, so I improvised and came up with this Garlic Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Mash. Sounds gross and I totally questioned myself all weekend if I should experiment with this or not, but I did anyways and I am so glad I went through with it. Not only did the mash turn out tasting delicious, but it was a seriously tasty pair with the pulled pork and mango salsa! If you are doubting the cauliflower part of the mash, then just leave it out, but honestly I didn't taste a bit of cauliflower and it was a sneaky way of adding some more nutrients into the meal. For the pork I used my new InstaPot again, but you can also make it in the slow cooker if you have that. There are also recipes for Mango Salsa, Traditional Salsa, and Chunky Guacamole for topping choices, so all of the variety! I personally loved the mango salsa, but that was the only one I tried. You can also check out your local grocery store's fresh made salsa and see if their ingredients are paleo-approved if you want to save some time in the kitchen. This meal was seriously as amazing as it looks and definitely one I recommend trying!

​Pulled Pork 
Ingredients:

• 3-4 pound pork shoulder 

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth 
• Garnish: sliced purple cabbage, chopped cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.

Directions:

1. Combine all spices and mix well.
2. Place onions and broth in crock pot or instant pot.
3. Rub pork on all sides with spices.
4. Add pork to crock pot or instant pot.
5. For Crock Pot: Set crock pot on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours. (Low for 10 hours will turn out more tender.)
6. For Instant Pot: Close lid and make sure release valve is sealed. Press 'meat' option and set to 50 minutes. When meat is done, carefully release valve with oven mitt or spoon to release pressure.
7. When meat is done, remove from pot and place on cutting board. Discard liquid and onions.
8. Use to forks to shred, discarding fat along the way.
9. If you want those browned crispy edges, sear in a hot pan for a few minutes!
10. Top with salsa (see below) of your choice and garnish with sliced purple cabbage and chopped cilantro, if desired.

Topping Recipes:
Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango, peeled, cored and diced
• ¼ of a medium red onion. finely diced
• 2 tsp cilantro, freshly chopped
• juice of half a lime
• ½ – 1 tsp serrano chile, finely minced (depends on how much heat you want!)
• ½ of a small red bell pepper, diced
• pinch of sea salt 

Traditional Salsa

• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• ½ of one medium white onion, diced, see how here
• ¼ of one green bell pepper, diced
• ½ -1 tsp serrano chilis finely chopped, see how here
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of half a lime
• sea salt, to taste

Chunky Guacamole 

• 3 avocados, peeled and diced
• Juice of half a lime
• ½ cup Traditional Salsa (recipe above)
• 1 ½ tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp Serrano chili, minced (optional)
• sea salt, to taste

Directions:
Mango Salsa:

1. Combine all ingredients and toss. Cover and refrigerate till serving. (see link above for handling chilis)

Traditional Pico De Gallo:

1. Combine all ingredients except Serrano chili. Add 1/2 teaspoon of chili at a time, mixing and tasting in between additions. When the heat is right, cover and refrigerate till serving.

Chunky Guacamole:

1. Squeeze lime juice over diced avocados. Add traditional salsa, garlic, oil, sea salt and gently toss.

​Original recipe found here


Garlic Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Mash:
Ingredients:

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 head of cauliflower (I used one 16oz bag of frozen)
• ¼ - 1 cup of chicken broth (to your liking - I didn't end up using any)
• 3 Tbsp. Ghee or Coconut oil
• 1 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Split the squash in half, and scoop the seeds out.
3. Drizzle 1 T of ghee or coconut oil over the squash. Flip the squash over so the flesh is facing down into a high-rimmed baking dish.
4. Remove any extra papery layers from the outside of the garlic bulb. There should still be a papery layer keeping the individual cloves intact. Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the individual cloves nestled inside. 
5. Drizzle 1 T of ghee or coconut oil over the exposed garlic bulb, and then place the bulb, with the exposed cloves facing up, in between the butternut squash halves (or any other empty space in your baking dish). Cover the pan with foil and roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to roast the squash and garlic until soft (about 15 more minutes, depending on the size of your squash). If the garlic clove is starting to burn, flip it over so the exposed cloves are facing down for the remaining 15 minutes. The end goal is a soft squash and soft garlic cloves.
6. Once the butternut squash and garlic are almost done roasting in the oven, place the cauliflower in a pot. Add just enough water to cover the cauliflower. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a lively simmer. Simmer the cauliflower until soft, about 10-12 minutes. Drain the water from the pot. (You can also steam the cauliflower instead.)
7. Squeeze the individual garlic cloves away from the papery outside and into the pot of (drained) cauliflower. Scoop the flesh of the roasted butternut squash away from the outside skin and into the pot. Add 1 T of ghee or coconut oil. 
8. Use a mixer or masher to blend everything together. (I used a food processor first for the cauliflower just to make sure it was mixed smoothly, then added it with the butternut squash to a food mixer to finish blending together.) Add the broth to the mashed veggies, adding as much as needed to reach your desired consistency. 
9. Stir in the salt and cinnamon to taste. 

Inspired by this recipe