Well this certainly turned out tasting and smelling amazing! Another simple meal prep recipe with little to zero prep, throw all the ingredients into your Instant Pot or slow cooker, and you're pretty much done! I boiled up some sweet potato glass noodles and roasted some zucchini to make this meal complete, and of course to get some more nutrients into the meal. This was definitely a great meal for noodles or zoodles, or better yet a combination of both! We are still keeping things low(er) FODMAP, so I ended up using Extra Virgin Olive Oil Infused with Garlic instead of minced garlic, and swapped the onion powder for Italian seasoning. I don't think either swaps made much of a difference, and like I said this meal was amazing. I will definitely be throwing this one into the meal prep rotation!

Tomato Basil Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil OR 3 teaspoons fresh, chopped basil (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

Directions:
Pressure Cooker

1. Select sauté function on Instant Pot, set to normal
2. Add a couple teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil to the pot and let it melt
3. Add chicken breasts, chopped onion, and minced garlic
4. Brown slightly on both sides
5. Pour crushed tomatoes over the chicken
6. Add remaining ingredients and stir a little to combine (doesn't have to be perfect)
7. Put lid on the IP, make sure vent knob is set to SEALING
8. Set IP to manual for 20 minutes (add a few more minutes for frozen chicken breasts)
9. After cooking time has completed, NPR for 10 minutes then QPR to release remaining pressure
10. Shred the chicken breasts and serve

Slow Cooker

1. Place chicken breasts in IP or slow cooker
2. Add remaining ingredients, mixing slightly
3. Set to slow cook 4 to 6 hours on High
4. Shred chicken when cooked

​Original recipe found here

This one got two thumbs up in our house! This was my first time ever making Salsa Verde and it definitely won't be the last. Once the tomatillos are sliced and peppers are de-seeded, throw them in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes, then blend with the remaining ingredients to make the Salsa Verde. All that's left to do from here is fill your Instant Pot or slow cooker with either chicken thighs or breasts and top with your freshly made Salsa Verde sauce. I left the additional chicken broth out of this one and am glad I did because there was plenty of sauce for the chicken. You can easily double the chicken amount with this serving of Salsa Verde. I paired this one with a mix of rice and cilantro lime cauliflower rice and thought this meal was delicious. However, you can easily make this meal to your liking and throw the chicken in a taco or make up a burrito bowl with all your favorite fixings. This recipe was super simple, easy, and tasty, so you know I'll be making it again soon! 

Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients:
Tomatillo Salsa Verde

• 1.5 lbs tomatillos husks removed
• 1 large poblano pepper de-seeded and sliced in half
• 2 jalapeno peppers de-seeded and sliced in half
• 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• 2/3 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 lime juice of
• 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste

For the Chicken

• 2 lbs chicken thighs or breast
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Begin by making your tomatillo salsa verde. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Slice the tomatillos in half and place cut side down on your baking sheet. Place the peppers cut side down on the same sheet. Lightly brush with oil, and place in the oven. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops of the veggies are blistered (see photo in post). Remove from the oven.
2. Place roasted veggies, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime and sea salt in a blender. Pulse and blend for until smooth (don't over pulse). 
3. Now place the chicken in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Pour the salsa verde on top. Add chicken broth, and cumin. Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring the valve is turned to the sealed position. Select manual (or pressure for different models), and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
4. Use a quick release and release all steam before opening the lid of your IP. Shred the chicken with a fork and serve, adding additional salt to taste. 
5. For the slow cooker, place chicken on the bottom of your slow cooker and top with salsa verde. You do not need the chicken broth. Add in some cumin. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the chicken is fork tender.

Original recipe found here

A simple and delicious Instant Pot recipe to save for your collection! This is the kind of recipe that earns its way into the meal prep rotation. I can easily double or triple the ingredients to get enough meals for the week, the ingredients are few and simple with zero prep, and I can dump everything in the Instant Pot and come back later to a pretty much complete meal. For this one I ended up using 100% apple cider since that was the only fresh, no added sugar, apple juice I could find at the store. Maybe in the fall I will be able to find some better apple juice options and compare how it tastes to this apple cider version. I didn't think the Teriyaki Chicken turned out overwhelmingly sweet, which I was a fan of, but also might be due to not using apple juice. Anyways, I almost quadrupled the chicken amount and just doubled the remaining ingredients and thought that ratio provided plenty of sauce. I paired this with some rice and roasted broccoli and really enjoyed this meal all week long! 

​Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup 100% apple juice (no sugar added)
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp minced ginger (I used 1/4 tsp Ginger Powder)
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey (substitute 3 pitted and blended medjool dates for Whole30)
• 2 tsp arrowroot flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water to thicken (optional) 

Directions:

1. Add all of the ingredients (except for the arrowroot and water) into the instant pot and stir to incorporate the ingredients together, then add in the chicken.
2. Close the lid, put the valve to sealing and set the instant pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
3. Once it’s finished, do a quick release and remove the chicken thighs, transferring to a cutting board.
4. Add in the arrowroot water mixture and set the instant pot to “sauté”. Stir to mix in the arrowroot and let the sauce come to a simmer to thicken. While it’s thickening, shred the chicken thighs using two forks and add the shredded chicken back into the instant pot.
5. Press “cancel” once it’s thickened, and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onions.

Notes:
To use dates in place of honey, blend the pitted dates with 3 tbsp very hot water to make a paste, and use that instead.

​Original recipe found here

Not only was this recipe called the best paleo pumpkin chili, but it also had some raving reviews, so I had to give it a try. Glad I did because this turned out just as tasty as it smells! I didn't get too much sense of pumpkin while eating this, but it was still very comforting, flavorful, and delicious. Plus, super easy to whip up in the Instant Pot! There are also stovetop directions if you don't have an Instant Pot. Now we aren't big soup people in this house and we've been experimenting with making meals low fod-map, so I left the broth out of this one, along with the onions and garlic. I also tripled the recipe below and it completely filled my 8 quart Instant Pot, so there was no room for anything else anyways. The original recipe said they made this with a combo of ground beef and ground turkey, but I went all ground beef this time. Paired this with spaghetti squash because it's super easy and a great "pasta" substitute. I also love boiling up some Sweet Potato Glass Noodles or Rice Noodles as a quick carb option and another "pasta" substitute. Serving this over roasted sweet potatoes would also be super delicious and comforting too. We enjoyed eating this one all week long and will definitely be making again soon!

​The Best Paleo Pumpkin Chili
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 pounds ground meat 
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 8 garlic cloves minced
• 2 green bell peppers diced
• 28 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups bone broth
• 15 ounces canned pumpkin
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Instant Pot Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot® to the high sauté setting. Heat oil; add ground meat(s) and cook until they have browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the meat as it cooks. Drain excess fat and set aside.
2. Add, onion, garlic and bell peppers to the Instant Pot®. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are all tender, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cacao powder and spices.
3. Stir in broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Stir in pumpkin and ground meat; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Select manual setting and adjust the pressure to high. Set the time for 10 minutes.
5. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Garnish with your favorite toppings and taste for salt and pepper seasoning if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Stovetop Instructions

1. Heat a large soup/stock pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Once oil is heated through (1-2 minutes), add ground meat(s)). Cook until they have browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the meat as it cooks. Drain excess fat and set aside. 
2. Add, onion, garlic and bell peppers to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are all tender, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cacao powder and spices.
3. Stir in broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Stir in pumpkin and ground meat; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook over medium low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
5. Garnish with your favorite toppings and taste for salt and pepper seasoning if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Original recipe found here

This one might very well be our new favorite curry chicken recipe! It was a little different then other recipes I've posted as it calls for chicken thighs and for browning the chicken before cooking. The recipe serving size is only for 4, so I had to significantly increase ingredients to get enough meals for the week. In doing so, I aired on the side of caution and increased the Instant Pot cooking time to 15 minutes, however that was too much as my peppers were overcooked. A couple other notes I had were that I might drain some excess chicken broth before adding in the spices, and I might use another can of coconut milk next time. Since I increased the ingredients so much I was not about to add 6 cans of coconut milk, but I'd say a good ratio in most recipes I've made is using 1 can of coconut milk per 8 servings. I know that doesn't go in line with what this recipe calls for, but that's just what I've found to work best after years of making recipes that call for canned coconut milk. You can also opt for doing a mix of full fat and low fat canned coconut milk, however that full fat always provides more flavor. A lot of notes on this one, but this meal still seriously turned out amazing and we devoured it all week long with a rice and cauliflower rice mix! I also threw it over roast sweet potatoes later in the week and really enjoyed that combo too. We will definitely be making this one again and again!

​​Instant Pot Coconut Curry Chicken
Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 small Red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
• 1 1/2 Pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Curry powder
• 1 Tablespoon Dried basil
• 1 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon White pepper, optional
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground ginger, or to taste
• 1 Can (13.6 ounces) unsweetened full fat coconut milk
• 1 ½ Tablespoons Arrowroot starch
• Cooked rice, for serving
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Select the “SAUTÉ” function on the Instant Pot and heat up the olive oil.
2. Add diced onion and prepared peppers to the hot oil; cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken pieces and garlic.
4. Season with curry, basil, salt, chili powder, white pepper, and ground ginger.
5. Cook and stir until chicken is just browned, about 2 minutes.
6. Add coconut milk to the pot and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
7. Turn OFF the Instant Pot by selecting CANCEL. Secure the lid and make sure the vent is closed.
8. Select MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOK) and set to cook for 5 minutes.
9. When time is up, do a quick release.
10. When the pin drops, remove the lid.
11. Carefully remove 1/4 cup of the liquid from the pot and into a small bowl; whisk the arrowroot starch into the liquid until thoroughly combined.
12. Whisk the arrowroot mixture (slurry) back into the Instant Pot; mix and stir around until incorporated and sauce is thickened.
13. Serve Coconut Curry Chicken over the rice and garnish with cilantro.

Original recipe found here

This meal turned out absolutely amazing!!! It was seriously so comforting and delicious! The sauce was certainly not an overwhelmingly mustard flavor at all, and even Robbie, who hates mustard, loved this one. There is not much to the recipe in terms of ingredients or difficulty. If you don't have an Instant Pot you can simply sear the chicken in a stir fry pan then throw everything in a slow cooker. Since I tripled the ingredients to make enough meals for our needs, I had to brown the chicken in three batches before throwing everything in the pot to cook. I increased the Instant Pot to 20 minutes and that was more then enough cook time. Most of the chicken thighs stayed together, but would easily pull apart. This is one recipe that I would not skip out on thickening up the sauce with some added thickener. I usually do a 1:1 when using arrowroot starch, so I stuck to that conversion instead of what was recommended in the recipe. I thought the chicken paired especially well with the roasted sweet potatoes and shaved brussels sprouts. Definitely a meal we will be eating again soon! 

Honey Mustard Chicken in the Instant Pot
Ingredients:
Chicken:

• 2 lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs 4-6
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp ghee or other cooking fat
• Chopped parley for garnish if desired

Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp chicken bone broth
• 3 Tbsp raw honey melted, OR date paste for Whole30*
• 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

To thicken sauce:

• 1 tsp arrowroot starch
• 2 Tbsp bone broth

Directions:

1. Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth, set aside
2. Turn your Instant Pot to “saute” and allow it to heat meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
3. After pot reads “hot”, swirl ghee around the bottom to let it heat. It’s important to add the ghee AFTER the pot heats to prevent the chicken from sticking!
4. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown (about 2-3 mins) then flip chicken with tongs and repeat on second side.
5. When both sides are golden brown, sprinkle garlic around the chicken and allow it to cook about 30-45 seconds, until softened, then press “cancel”.
6. Pour sauce mixture over the chicken, secure the lid, place steam release to “sealing” and set on high pressure for 10 mins.
7. Once time is up, quick release the pressure and remove lid. Using tongs, remove chicken to a plate and set aside while you thicken the sauce.
8. Cancel the pressure cook, press “saute” and whisk together the 2 Tbsp broth and arrowroot, then add to sauce and stir. Cook about 3-5 more minutes or until sauce is thickened to preference. Return chicken to pot with its juices and coat with sauce. Turn off pot and serve chicken with desired sides, enjoy!  

Recipe Notes
*To make date paste for this recipe, place 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates (about 3) in 2-3 Tbsp of very hot water to soften. After 5 minutes you can stir to make sure they'e soft, then blend the mixture in  a high speed blender or small food processor. Blend until smooth and add water if needed to get the right consistency.

Original recipe found here

This might be my new favorite homemade curry meal! I made this in the Instant Pot, but there are directions for making this on the stove top as well. The recipe below serves four, so I as I usually do, I increased the ingredients to get enough meals for our needs. However, with sauce recipes like this, I usually significantly increase the meat amount and only double or triple the other ingredients. That is just my preference though since I don't like a lot of extra sauce and end up using the saute function at the end to help reduce the sauce anyways. The only other changes I made was using coconut oil to saute the onion, garlic, carrot and ginger, and then I used some chili powder instead of red chilies since the stores were out of those. I put the carrots and onions through the food processor to dice up real tiny and thought that was an especially smart move since I have someone in the house who doesn't enjoy cooked carrots. The only other note I have is that I might try this recipe with a can of full-fat coconut milk next time to get a little more fat into this meal. Though that move would probably alter the taste of the curry sauce some, which is probably why the recipe called for using a light coconut milk to begin with. Anyways, the sweet potato curry sauce really turned out so delicious and paired pretty well with the sweet potato glass noodles. I also threw in some plain cauliflower rice to add some more vegetables. This recipe is Whole30 compliant, a homemade curry, and an overall pretty simple meal to whip up! We will definitely be eating this one again soon. 

Coconut Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry 
Ingredients:

• 700g/24.5oz Chicken Thighs (all visible fat removed)
• 1 small sweet potato (approx 350g/12.5oz)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots chopped fined
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
• 1 tsp of ground ginger
• 1-2 red chillies, chopped (can add more or less depending on your preferred spice level)
• 1 tsp of turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 teaspoons of coriander
• 240ml/1 cup of light coconut milk (canned) 
• 240ml/1 cup  of chicken stock
• cooking oil spray (I used coconut oil instead)
• Fresh Chopped Coriander
• salt to season

Directions:
Stove Top:

1. Pierce sweet potato with a fork, place in microwave and cook for 5 mins (should feel soft to touch)
2. Set aside to cool slightly
3. Spray a frying pan over medium-high heat with cooking oil spray
4. Add onion, garlic, carrot and ginger and fry till softened
5. Cut sweet potato in half and scoop out all flesh, add to frying pan along with all the spices
6. Mix well,  mashing sweet potato into all the spices as you do. 
7. Add the chicken thighs, red chilli, coconut milk and chicken stock
8. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 mins. (pan should slightly bubbly still so that sauce reduces and thickens as it cooks)
9. Roughly Shred chicken into the sauce
10. Sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander
11. Taste and season with salt as needed.
12. Serve with your choice of sides

Instant Pot:

1. Pierce sweet potato with a fork, place in microwave and cook for 5 mins (should feel soft to touch)
2. Set aside to cool slightly
3. Set instant pot to saute mode
4. Spray pan with cooking oil spray
5. Once hot, add onion, garlic, carrot and ginger and fry till softened
6. Cut sweet potato in half and scoop out all flesh, add to Instant Pot, along with all the spices
7. Mix well,  mashing sweet potato into all the spices as you do. 
8. Add chicken thighs, chilis, coconut milk and chicken stock
9. Set to manual high pressure for 15 mins
10. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 mins, and then release any remaining pressure. 
11. Shred chicken into the sauce
12. Can set to saute mode and bubble for a few minutes to thicken sauce after cooking, if you prefer a thicker sauce.
13. Taste and season as needed with salt.
14. Sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander
15. Serve with your choice of sides

Original recipe found here

Truly a delicious Instant Pot chicken meal to save! I did not top with sesame seeds, but the sesame oil gave this chicken a true honey sesame chicken taste. I ended up tripling the ingredients below, then only using half the honey due to preference. Also, since I had much more chicken I skipped out on sauteing it and just increased the pressure cooking time. No worries if you don't have arrowroot starch to help thicken the sauce either. Putting the pot on saute mode at the end and continuing to mix everything will reduce the sauce plenty enough without it. I actually hardly use arrowroot starch anymore when using the Instant Pot since saute mode reduces the sauce just as well. While the chicken was cooking I heated up some coconut oil and threw frozen plain cauliflower rice and the extra diced green onion together to pair with this chicken. Super simple and easy meal to put together for dinner or meal prep! 

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
• 2 Tbsp homemade ketchup (I used Primal Kitchen Ketchup)
• 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (optional)
• sesame seeds
• fresh green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat pressure cooking pot using the ‘Saute’ setting. Add olive oil, chopped onion and seasoned chicken to the preheated pot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. Add minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
2. In a small bowl, mix the honey, sesame oil, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, ketchup, and ground ginger. Mix well, and add to the pot. 
3. Lock the lid, seal the valve, and press the ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cooking’) button, and adjust the time to 4 minutes. When timer beeps, turn pressure cooker off and do a quick pressure release.
4. Remove chicken from the pot, and shred it. Transfer 1/4 cup honey sesame sauce from the pot to a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (optional to help thicken) to the bowl and stir until the sauce is smooth. Return the sauce back to the pot, and saute using the ‘Saute’ function for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the pot. Add shredded chicken back to the pot and mix well.
5. Serve honey sesame chicken over rice. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and chopped fresh green onion on top.

​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 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