Sunday, October 26, 2014

Beef & Butternut Stew - Crockpot

Stacy Cunningham Schott




1 lb. beef cubes for stewing
1 butternut squash, diced
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, diced
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 oz spinach, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano

Quickly sear stew meat on medium-high heat in the skillet; transfer to crockpot.

Add all remaining ingredients except the spinach and mushrooms.

Stir and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add mushrooms 30 minutes before stew is done.  Add spinach just before serving.


ENJOY!


Saturday, October 25, 2014

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Balancing Paleo



Yes, completely Whole30 compliant!  Thanks to Balancing Paleo for this gem!

2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
1/3 c. coconut cream (scooped from the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

For the details on how to make this, go here for the "scoop!"



Crockpot French Onion Soup



3 large sweet onions, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Ghee or coconut oil
2 cups water
3 cups beef broth/stock
3 cups chicken broth/stock
1/2 Tbsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your crockpot on high for about 10 minutes to get the bottom hot!

Then add the onions and oil.  Cover the crockpot and cook on high for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn the heat to low, then add the rest of the ingredients, making sure to stir enough to thoroughly combine them.

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve hot!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Sams Club Shopping for Whole30



Now the fun!!!! MY personal favorite large quantity store!!! Yes, Costco is good, but I really prefer Sams Club for various reasons.

Below the graphic is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!




Note: As always, double check ingredients, as product ingredients are known to change. 
Better safe than sorry!

For a PDF file of the list below to download, click HERE

Chicken, Mushroom & Potato Tear Apart Meal - Crockpot

Simmie Sinow




So What Is a Tear Apart Meal Anyway?

A Tear Apart meal is one that is cooked/baked/made all together but which can be torn apart and made into several different types of other meals.  Tear Apart meals do not always stay together as a unit for future meals.  i.e., in this case, only using the chicken and not the mushrooms or potatoes, or the chicken and mushrooms and not the potatoes, etc. in the future.

In the photo above, I cooked in a crockpot the following:
12 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless--but it doesn't really matter about the skin and bone)
1 large package of mushrooms
A smattering of small potatoes (the size I use, 3 fit in the palm of my hand)--I used about 6 or 7
28 oz can marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's brand and added some vegetable stock to it)
14 oz can marinara sauce (you may or may not need this--this is to assure all items are covered)

Place just enough marinara sauce on the bottom of your crockpot to cover the bottom.

Put half of your chicken thighs on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a little more marinara sauce on top, then the potatoes.

The final (top) layer should be the rest of the chicken thighs, and enough marinara sauce to completely cover them.

Set the crockpot on HIGH for 2 hours, then on LOW for about another 2 hours. After the 2 hours on low, dump your mushrooms on top and push down so they are soaking up the marinara sauce; if need be, add more marinara sauce, cover and cook for 1 more hour.



What Other Meals Can Be Made From This?

Just for some ideas:

  • Spaghetti squash with the leftover marinara and cut up chicken
  • Zoodles with the leftover marinara, cut up chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side


Sunday, October 19, 2014

Costco Shopping for Whole 30



Ahhhh! Costco! The joy and also the bane of our existence for shopping! How many of us can get out of there without forking over $200? Very few I'd imagine!

Costco is bringing on board more and more healthier items, which is nice to see. Below the graphic is a list that a FB Whole30 group put together of their favorite items.  It is by no means a full and exhaustive list, but is a darned good start for ideas!

Please Remember: 
Not all products are carried in all stores!


To download the following in PDF format, click HERE.
     



Sunday, October 12, 2014

Whole30 Kitchen Food Basics

Simmie Sinow



     While this may seem daunting, don't let it scare you off -- take those items that you think you'll use or want to use, and make sure you have them in your cupboard/refrigerator.

     Also, the Whole30 folks have a downloadable file strictly for pantry (non-perishable) suggestions.
     To download the following in PDF format, click HERE.
     To download the following as an Word document, click HERE.



Amish One-Pan Ground Beef & Cabbage Skillet

Modified from recipe by Smile Sandwich 

This looks like a variation of our Serious Goodness Casserole -- but done on the stovetop!


1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 head cabbage, chopped
1 Tbsp Ghee
1 clove garlic, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz marinara sauce, tomato sauce, or salsa
salt and pepper, to taste


Heat your pan to medium and brown the beef.

Then add the onion; continue cooking until translucent. Drain extra fat if needed (or leave it and don't use the ghee).

Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.

Add ghee, cabbage, tomatoes, marinara/tomato sauce/salsa, salt and pepper to the pan and stir to combine.

Cover and simmer about 20 - 30 minutes until the cabbage is soft.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas and Recipes - Resources


With Thanksgiving literally around the corner in Canada (3 days away), I'm seeing a lot of conversation about what to make for Whole30 and/or Paleo Thanksgiving dishes.


Here's a compilation of just some of the websites and recipes; except for the Whole9 recipes, all other recipes listed are links, so just click away! This is just a SMALL smattering of some Thanksgiving websites and recipes for Whole30 and Paleo -- more to come as I am made aware of your favorite websites and recipes!

For those not familiar with the Whole30 term SWYPO, that is Whole30 speak for "it's mock/faux food for something not normally allowed -- so it is not permitted on Whole30."  SWYPO stands for Sex With Your Pants On -- it's ok, but leaves you wanting the real thing, and can easily set off cravings that have been conquered.

Against All Grain Website: Danielle Walker
A Grain-Free Thanksgiving - not all will be Whole30 compliant, but easily modified!


NomNomPaleo Website - Michelle Tang & Henry Fong

Whole30 Thanksgiving Recipes from the Whole9 folks
The following recipes, all on one page, are at this link. The page includes recipes for:
  • Stuffing
  • Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffing
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Rosemary Mashed Fauxtatoes
  • Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
  • Giblet and Mushroom Gravy
  • Warm Spinach, Prosciutto, and Pistachio Salad
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Squash, and Cranberries
  • Squash and Sweet Potato Bake
  • Roasted Beets and Pistachio Butter
  • Coconutty Butternut Squash
  • Root Vegetables with Cinnamon Walnuts

Some Miscellaneous Recipes

Some Other Sites With Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes & Ideas




Monday, October 6, 2014

Spicy or Sweet Chicken & Veggie Bake

Simmie Sinow

This is a super easy dish to make, and very yummy!



Layer a full layer of each of the following in a baking dish (from the bottom up):

  • Pace Picante Salsa (you can also use regular salsa or marinara for a sweeter slant)
  • Sliced mushrooms
  • Baby Spinach -- you can leave it whole or chop it up
  • Chicken thighs
  • More Pace Picante Salsa or marinara


Place in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.