Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

This recipe was so simple to throw together.  I put my chicken breasts in frozen, you can brown yours before you put them in.  It's your choice.  If you brown them before, then there will be less liquid from the chicken later on, but that's easily remedied by leaving the lid off your crock pot for the last 30-50 minutes of cooking.  We enjoyed this served over mashed potatoes (you can kind of see them peeking out from underneath all that yummy meat!).  You could also eat it in a bun or even just plain!  This makes a large batch, so be prepared for some leftovers.  It would be a great meal to make freeze half of it for later use or just to have a ready supply of leftovers in your fridge!

This recipe is clean eating and paleo (as long as you use a paleo Worcestershire sauce or recipe).

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:
5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 small onion finely chopped (or 2-3 tablespoons dried minced onion)
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons paprika (I use 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 heaping tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt


Instructions:
Put all the sauce ingredients listed below the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 5-6 quart slow cooker and stir until very well mixed.  Add your chicken (and obviously the lid) and cook on high 4-5 hours or low 6-7 hours.  Make sure to move your chicken pieces around in the sauce at certain points.  About an hour before you are ready to eat, use a potato masher and mash all your chicken.  It should shred very nicely.  It may look like there is a lot of liquid, but once you get all the chicken shredded it should be better.  If there is too much liquid for your liking, place the lid on about 3/4 of the way so that it allows all the sauce to reduce nicely for a wonderfully flavored pulled chicken!

Pork Carnitas

*I'm having trouble with the pin-it button right now so please use the share icons at the bottom!!*

It's been a while!  Winter has been busy for us and I have put any blogging on the back burner. I've now got 2 new recipes to post!  My first one is pork carnitas.  Carnitas means 'little meats' and these little meats have big flavor.  This time around I broiled them after cooking them so they would be crispier.  My kids liked them crispy, my hubby and I would preferred them directly from the pot.  We thought broiling them dried out the meat a little bit.

This recipe is so simple and delicious.  Give it a try!

This recipe is whole 30 compliant, paleo & clean eating and just plain good.

Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:
4 pound pork loin or pork shoulder cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like things)
juice of 2 limes
2 cups of water

Instructions:
Put your pork chunks into a ziploc bag.  In a bowl combine all the spices and seasonings except for the lime juice and the water.  Pour all the seasonings over the pork and shake it all until every piece is covered with the mix.

In a large pot or dutch oven pour in a bit of olive oil and then warm to medium heat.  Then add the pork chunks and sear the edges just a bit, it doesn't have to be perfect, just 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.  Pour the lime juice into the bottom of the pot then add the 2 cups of water.  Bring the pot to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat so that it's still boiling just a little bit.  Do not cover this dish.  That water needs to evaporate and reduce out to create the delicious flavor of the dish and the lime will tenderize the meat.  Let the pot simmer over your stovetop for about 2 hours and then check it.  Your liquid should be reduced to almost gone.  When there is just a small thick layer of sauce in the bottom take turns flipping over each of the pork chunks so they darken a bit on each side.

Serve just the meat chunks with some baked sweet potatoes and delicious green veggies or shred the meat and serve in tortillas with some salsa and guacamole!!  

Slow Cooker Enchilada Meat Sauce

This was such a simple dish to create.  I hadn't thawed out any hamburger, so I threw it in my crock pot and cooked it, drained the drippings then added my sauce and seasonings.  I enjoyed my meat sauce over a potato with some lettuce, my 5 minute guacamole and some jalapenos.  The hubby and kids enjoyed it inside a flour tortilla with some shredded cheese, lettuce, black olives and sour cream.  Really yummy with a great flavor.  So simple to make - why would you buy a can of enchilada sauce?!  This makes a pretty nice sized batch of meat sauce.  It would be easy to keep half and put the other half in your freezer for later or just eat the leftovers for a day or two!

This recipe is paleo, whole 30 compliant (read your labels for compliance!!) and clean eating.

Slow Cooker Enchilada Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
3 pounds ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
32 ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles

Instructions:
If you're like me and don't think of what to make for supper the night before and have frozen ground beef, throw it in your crock pot (with the chopped onion) on high for about 2 hours.  Chopping it up a few times with a wooden spoon to crumble it.  Then drain the grease.  After ground beef and onion are cooked together add all the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Shredded Spicy Thai Cashew Butter Chicken

I first tried this recipe with just 2 chicken breasts because I wanted to get the right combination of the 'sauce' ingredients.  After adding a bit more of this and a bit more of that I got it on the first try, except when I wrote things down it was guessing.  I'm a dump-cook.  I have to remember to write down measurements when I'm creating a new recipe for my blog because I know a lot of people do not cook like me.  They require measurements (which is totally ok!!!).  The second time around when I made it I made a large enough batch so that my family could have some and also have a little bit for leftovers.  My husband thought it was too spicy, but ketchup makes him sweat, so he didn't eat it.  My kids all enjoyed it, but my youngest opted out after a few bites saying her mouth was on fire.  HAHA  You can definitely reduce the amount of spice to make it right for you!!  Since we typically eat paleo style in our home, I made this with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce (if you substitute soy sauce use a low-sodium version or reduce to 3/4 cup in the sauce instead of 1 cup) and cashew butter instead of peanut butter.  It's really good.  We enjoyed it over baked white potatoes, but I think it would be equally as delicious over a sweet potato and my kids liked to pour a bit of bbq sauce on top.  Another option would be to put it in a wrap with some finely chopped celery, onion and lettuce!  You can reduce the amount of chicken breasts for a smaller dish, just be sure to calculate out the proper measurements for other ingredients also!

This is a paleo, whole 30 compliant & clean eating recipe.

Shredded Spicy Thai Cashew Butter Chicken
**made in the crock pot**

Ingredients:
8 chicken breasts, frozen
1 cup plus 1/4 cup coconut aminos (I use this - Coconut Aminos (Three 8oz Bottles)
1/2 cup cashew butter (I use this - Kevala Cashew Butter 3.5 Lbs)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:
Place frozen chicken breasts with 1/4 cup coconut aminos and cook on low about 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.  Drain out all juice and shred chicken with forks (in the crock pot) or use a potato masher since it should be soft enough to do so.  After chicken is shredded add 1 cup coconut aminos, cashew butter & red pepper flakes.  Stir around to combine.  Let heat 10-20 more minutes and stir again to make sure all the cashew butter has melted in.  Let heat another 10 or so minutes and serve!

Savory Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Our family enjoys pork roast but I'm always left with the question of how best to prepare it.  We prefer slow cooking our roasts just because it ends up being so tender.  So I found a few different pork roast recipes and ideas for what to cook mine in all day.  This recipe definitely had the flavor I was looking for.  I made a gravy out of the juices with arrowroot powder and served it over potatoes.  That was delicious as well.  Then shredded it for leftovers and mixed in the leftover gravy to be served again over potatoes or eaten plain.  Either way I hope you enjoy the recipe!  We enjoy leftovers so I always make a lot of the meat, but you can certainly cut this recipe in half.  We also use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, but if you prefer to use soy sauce you can substitute it.

This is a paleo & clean eating option.

Savory Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Ingredients:
4-5 pounds pork loin roast (I used 2 2-pound roasts)
1 whole onion cut into large chunks
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup

Instruction:
Place pork roast and onion in a 4-5 quart crock pot and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper.  In a small bowl or 2 cup glass measuring jar add coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, mustard and maple syrup. Whisk well to combine then pour over top of roast.  Cook on low for 6-8  hours or high for 4-5 hours.  I did turn my roasts over halfway through cooking.

Cavatini

Every August & September when my husband is out harvesting wheat I take supper out to the guys in the field.

Yes - I know - how I choose to eat doesn't directly correlate with how my family earns a living, but I choose not to get into that type of debate.  I fully support the farming community and I'm sorry if I lose followers because of that, but I have grown up in the Red River Valley where agriculture is the main source of income for so many people and businesses.  I do occasionally eat grains, but because I have found they can give me headaches I just don't eat them very often.  I prefer homemade buns/bread to store bought and whole wheat noodles (if I eat them).  The less processed you can make your food, the better it is.

ANYWAYS - I got off subject.  Oh yeah, taking supper out to the field.  I like to choose something that makes a large batch so I can feed my kids first and then take the rest out to the guys; 4 of them.  This was a great dish to make.  It's an old recipe I had laying around and can be made with either pasta or zoodles (zucchini noodles).  I chose the latter, obviously.  While this isn't a true paleo meal because it has cheese, we don't eat dairy as often as we used to so having cheese occasionally isn't going to hurt any of us.  My food critic son even told me that it was 'actually pretty darn good' with the zoodles. SCORE ONE FOR MOM!  The guys in the field also enjoyed it, unless they're lying to me!!

So - here's the recipe!  Make it how you want, but I highly recommend zoodles.  They really absorb the flavors of the dish and taste so delicious.  Plus you can't even tell the difference!  If you prefer to make this a totally paleo dish, you can use cashew cheese.  There are many recipes online.  I have yet to make it myself so I don't have any to recommend.  This is a clean eating recipe.

If you need a spiralizer for your veggies, I highly recommend this one!!


Cavatini

Ingredients:
1/2 a large zucchini, peeled and made into raw noodles (about 6-8 fluffy cups worth - don't pack the noodles into a cup to measure - estimation works well with this recipe)*
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage (or pork sausage)
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
5 ounce package of pepperoni slices, chopped (Check the ingredients on your pepperoni!  I use Applegate uncured pepperoni and sometimes add extra pepperoni to the dish just because we like it!)
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce (or 1 28-ounce can)
1 pint fresh or homemade salsa
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
Cook beef, sausage, onion and pepper until meat is browned in a large pot.  After meat is browned add pepperoni, tomato sauce, salsa & mushrooms.  Give a stir and let it simmer a little bit before adding the zoodles stirring to combine.  Then pour half the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.  Top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.  Add the remaining meat mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  If the cheese gets too brown for you, you can cover the dish with foil at some point during baking.

*If you want to use wheat pasta, my original recipe was made with about 3/4 pound uncooked medium shell pasta.  Cook the noodles before you add them to the pasta and stir them in at the same time you would stir in the zoodles.

Turkey Veggie Crock Pot Chili

I adore chili.  I could eat it almost daily.  There are so many different ways you can make a chili.  Since I've gone mostly paleo I've had to give up my usual chili recipe that included canned beans.  I do love beans so I will occasionally make my regular old chili recipe with them, which excites my family a lot since they love it so much.  This chili is so chock full of healthy veggies that you may not even miss the beans... well maybe just a little.  ;)

It may be kind of strange to share a chili recipe during the summer, but we've had an unusually cool summer up here in NW Minnesota.  Hope you find a day you can make and enjoy it!!

This is a paleo & clean eating recipe.  It is Whole30 if you use a W30 compliant Worcestershire sauce, make a homemade W30 compliant version, substitute it for coconut aminos or forgo it altogether.

Turkey Veggie Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:
2 green peppers, chopped
2 onions, chopped
6-8 celery stalks, chopped (about half the package)
2 tablespoons ghee
salt & pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 28-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
2 pounds ground turkey*
heaping tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (if you follow a specific diet, please check the label ingredients before you use this)

Instructions:
In a larger skillet saute the green peppers, onions & celery stalks in ghee with some salt and pepper to taste for about 5 minutes.  Then add the chicken stock to the veggies and let reduce to no liquid.
In another skillet brown the turkey with the minced garlic.
In your 5-6 quart crock pot pour in all the tomato sauce, rinse the cans out with a bit of water to get all the sauce and add just a bit more liquid to the chili.
After the veggies and turkey are ready add them to the tomato sauce in the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on low for about 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

*I used 1 pound all white ground turkey and 1 pound dark meat ground turkey.

Chicken Enchilada Stew

I was hit with inspiration yesterday to make some type of enchilada dish.  I love the flavor of enchilada sauce so I decided to create a stew.  I also wanted to create something healthy that was chock full of different veggies (eat the rainbow people!!).  I thought this recipe was going to take me many different tries to get right, but I got lucky and hit it on the first try!  I was super happy with how it turned out.  It was a bit more spicy than my family likes, but for me it was perfect and if you throw a half an avocado in with it, the coolness of the avocado gives it just the perfect flavor in your mouth.  My kids sprinkled their bowls with shredded cheese.  Either way, I really hope you enjoy this recipe!  It will definitely be made again in my house!!

This recipe is paleo, clean eating and Whole 30 compliant!




Chicken Enchilada Stew

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
5 to 6 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups chicken stock (find the most natural without extra ingredients)
1 6-ounce can no salt added tomato paste
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sea salt
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 medium green pepper, cut into chunks
1 medium orange pepper, cut into chunks
half a container of fresh mushrooms, sliced (more if you like mushrooms)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed small

Instructions:
In a large pot (Dutch oven) heat up olive oil and sauté onion until translucent then add cumin, oregano and chili powder letting the spices toast for a minute or so.  Pour in 1 cup of the chicken stock and whisk or stir to scrape off all the bits from the bottom of the pan and combine well.  Then add the rest of the chicken stock and tomato paste.  Lower temp to a simmer and while it cooks put all the chicken pieces in another skillet with some olive oil and brown edges.  You don't have to cook the chicken through, it will continue to cook in the stew, just brown the edges to get all the extra juices out that chicken tends to produce when cooking.  Before you transfer the chicken to the large pot, add the crushed tomatoes and sea salt to the large pot and mix well, then add chicken, peppers, mushrooms and sweet potatoes.  Stir and leave on stove top to simmer for about 2-3 hours.
Topping options for each individual bowl: shredded cheese, half a avocado sliced with some cilantro, sour cream

Here is how my kids enjoyed theirs!

Sweet Potato Chili

I made this recipe a while ago for a Whole30 compliant meal.  If you've never heard of the Whole30 - here is a link for the book:    I plan to have a write up on about my W30 experience soon.
Anyways - we are a chili-loving family and since I couldn't have legumes because of the Whole30, I wanted a recipe with a different source of carbs besides just loads of peppers and onions.  This was the perfect option!!  I found it online and of course tweaked it to my own personal liking.  Here's the original recipe:  No Bean Sweet Potato Chili. 
I really adored this recipe and have made it 3 times in 3 weeks.  I love putting leftovers in my individual mugs and having a ready-to-go meal option I can bring with me somewhere to just microwave!!  Here are the mugs I use: CorningWare Lidded 20-oz mugs in colors - Blueberry, Orange, Red, Green Tea, & White.  I seriously have one in every color.  :)

This is a paleo & clean eating recipe as well as Whole30 compliant

Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, I used 85% lean
1 onion, chopped

2 medium bell peppers (any color, I used green), chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and  cut into bite-sized pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon  chipotle chili powder (this is spicy, so if you're sensitive to that, reduce amount)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 32-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat a large pot over medium high heat on the stovetop. Add the ground beef to the pot and let it brown, then drain grease.  Add diced onion, peppers, sweet potato and garlic to the pot. Season with sea salt and pepper and let sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Add the spices to the pot and stir them around until all of the veggies are coated. Let the mixture sauté for about 3 minutes. This is important! Don’t skip this step. You need to let the spices toast, but stir frequently so they don’t burn.  Add the apple cider vinegar to the pot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan (de-glaze).  Add the tomatoes and mix well. Bring it up to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer with the lid cracked for at least 20 minutes, but as long as you like. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

 

Nutrition based on about 6 larger servings

Per serving:  Calories - 392, Fat - 17.97g, Cholesterol - 77mg, Sodium - 578mg, Potassium - 1301mg, Carbs - 30.86g, Fiber - 8.6g, Sugar - 10.64g, Protein - 26.02g

Paleo Salisbury Steak....balls

I wanted to create a paleo version of a Salisbury steak and decided to just make them into meatballs.  After all, Salisbury steak is just hamburger made into a patty and kids like meatballs better anyways.  So this is what I got people!!  The kids LOVED them and I really enjoyed them also.  If you prefer not to use the paleo version of my recipe, you can substitute out the almond meal/flour for bread crumbs and arrowroot starch for cornstarch in equal amounts.

This is a paleo & clean eating option.

Paleo Salisbury Steak....balls

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup almond meal
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can mushroom stems and pieces (or 1 cup fresh sliced)
1 medium onion chopped
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
2 cups beef broth

Instructions:
Combine beef, almond meal, egg, salt and pepper and shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.  Put EVOO in a skillet and add the meatballs.  Rolling them over to cook evenly on all sides.  Once they're cooked through remove from the skilled and put in a bowl.  Leave the meat pieces and fat (fat is good for you people) in the skillet and add the onion and mushrooms.  Sauté until onion is translucent then add the arrowroot starch mixing well.  Whisk in the beef broth and return meatballs to pan covering with the lid for about 10 more minutes to thicken the sauce and reheat the meatballs.  Stir every so often.  You can serve these over mashed potatoes or just with a side of Bacon Asparagus and Salt & Pepper Sweet Potatoes like we did.

Nutrition facts from www.fatsecret.com based on 6 servings.
1 serving equals about:  Calories - 338, Fat - 22.85g, Cholesterol - 113mg, Sodium - 515mg, Potassium - 372mg, Total Carbs - 7.25g, Fiber - 1.7g, Sugars - 1.52g, Protein - 24.97g

Heavenly Breakfast Hash

I whipped this up one morning when I was craving something more than just my usual 2 egg/2 egg white with bacon pieces breakfast.  I was craving something spicy and healthy carby.  This totally hit the spot.  It had a spicy-ish quality and the sausage really brought it all together.  Very simple to make and super delish.  This made about 3 servings so I had breakfast for 3 days in a row - or good for feeding a few people in the morning! 

This is a paleo & clean eating option.

Heavenly Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:
1 (about 5-inch long) sweet potato, peeled and shredded
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 Savory Kitchen Sweet Pepper Chicken Sausages, found at Sam's Club, sliced*
3 eggs
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon spicy spaghetti seasoning (Tone's brand found at Sam's Club)

Instructions:
Put eggs and egg whites in a bowl to pour into skillet later.  Shred sweet potato into a bowl and mix with tomato & basil.  Put 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil in an 8-9 inch skillet.  Put the sweet potato mix in the skillet and cover with a lid over medium-low heat.  Stir every couple minutes and after 5-6 minutes add the sausage and spicy spaghetti seasoning.  Cover again - stir after 3-4 minutes then pour the eggs over top trying to separate out an area for each egg & white.  Cover and cook another 5-6 minutes until egg whites are cooked.  If you don't want a runny yolk, cook a bit longer.

*the sausages are approximately 3 ounces each - so you can substitute your favorite kind of sausage for this dish, just use about 6 ounces total and adjust cooking times if using raw meat.

Nutrition from www.fatsecret.com based on 3 servings.
1 serving = Calories - 248, Fat - 10.72g, Cholesterol - 265mg, Sodium - 720mg, Potassium - 269mg, Carbs - 13.71g, Fiber - 3.3g, Sugars - 4.43g, Protein - 22.25g

Veggie Turkey Lasagna

After we made a Traditional Lasagna on Sunday I wanted to make a more paleo friendly version.  I have seen a few recipes floating around on pinterest so I picked one, re-vamped it a bit and made it.  It did require me to purchase goat cheese which I did find in the specialty cheese section.  It has a very 'feta-like' flavor so you could easilly substitute that.  While this isn't a strictly paleo recipe (because of the dairy) it is a lacto paleo (which is paleo that allows you to include dairy in your diet).  It smelled so good while it was cooking.  I even had a gal out for some CrossFit training that evening that needed a water refill and she smelled it and said she couldn't wait until I posted the recipe so she could try it.  This recipe I did use ground turkey, but you could easily use beef or a combination of ground meats. 

This is a lacto-paleo & clean eating option.

Veggie Turkey Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 16-ounce can Hunt's Spicy Red Pepper Diced Tomatoes
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 zucchini, sliced into medallions*
2 yellow squash, sliced into medallions*
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 egg

Instructions:
Brown turkey with onion then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat and simmer.  In a bowl combine Greek yogurt, egg, goat cheese and broccoli.  Slice zucchini and squash and place in a layer on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  I sliced mine about a 1/4-1/2 inch thick. 

On top of the layer of squash/zucchini spread half the meat mixture then dollop half the broccoli mixture then repeat layers.

 

Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*you can use just yellow squash or just zucchini and there will be some left over for later use

Nutrition facts from www.fatsecret.com based on 9 servings, 93/7 ground turkey and Chobani non-fat Greek Yogurt
1 serving = Calories - 225, Fat - 9.17g, Cholesterol - 71mg, Sodium - 656mg, Carbs 13.96g, Fiber - 2.5g, Sugars - 7.33g, Protein - 21.54g.

This also has 46% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Traditional Lasagna

There aren't many meals I enjoy more than a good old-fashioned lasagna.  Chock full of tomatoey meat sauce and a thick cheesy topping.  This is one of my favorite comfort foods.... and it's something I don't make often.  Why?  I don't know.  It's so easy.  It makes a few messy pans and bowls, but is such a basic recipe that is so simple to assemble.  I have been known to more often make my CrockPot Lasagna just because you throw it all in a pot and leave it, but my husband thinks the noodles have a different texture when they cook in the crock pot, so I don't make it much anymore.  Chris actually wanted lasagna on Sunday and after church we had gone to the grocery store to get a few basics and went past the pre-packaged frozen meals and he saw the big box of family-style lasagna and he wanted to get it.  $20 - plus all those preservatives, fat and sodium?  No thanks - I can make it way cheaper and healthier - so that's what we did!


Traditional Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef* (I use 85% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 heaping teaspoons dried basil
1 heaping teaspoon dried marjoram
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 eggs
1 20-ounce container of cottage cheese (I think it's a 20-ounce container, maybe 22)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus another 1/4 cup for the top
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese or 1 cup each of shredded cheddar and mozzarella
6 lasagna noodles (3 for each layer tends to perfectly fit unless you use a larger lasagna pan, then probably make 2 more noodles)

Instructions:
Brown meat with onion and garlic; add tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, marjoram and mushrooms.  Reduce pan to simmering and while the meat is simmering boil your lasagna noodles.  In another bowl combine cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan and parsley.
Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 pan.  Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the pan - just enough for a thin layer before placing noodles.  Place a layer of noodles in the bottom of the pan (3 should be perfect) then half of the cottage cheese mixture, half of the meat sauce and repeat layers.  Top with the 2 cups of shredded  mozzarella and cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan.  Bake at 375 for about 45-50 minutes.  If cheese seems to get too brown for your taste you can spray some aluminum foil with cooking spray and place it over top of the pan to finish baking.  Let the lasagna stand another 15 minutes before serving.

--You can make this lasagna in advance and cover it in your fridge for a few days or freeze it for later use (thaw before you bake it).  You will have to adjust baking time accordingly.  From the fridge, bake it approximately 60 minutes.

*you can use a mixture of ground beef, turkey, Italian sausage or pork - whatever meats you like, just be sure to have 1 1/2 pounds

The hubby thought we should make the lasagna 'together'.  :)

Mexican Casserole

 There was a mexican casserole photo that made the rounds on facebook a few weeks ago... chock full of fat, preservatives and sodium.  Sure - I bet it tasted really good and would probably make good comfort food, but I wanted to 'healthy it up'.  So I did just that.  I took out the chips and added in long grain brown rice, took out the cream of mushroom soup and used my own homemade dry mix, took out the envelope of taco seasoning and used my own homemade dry mix and used much less (and reduced fat) shredded cheese.  I wanted to use the ranch-style beans that the recipe called for, but they weren't available in my local grocery store, so I used pinto beans, and I actually only found them a day ago at Hugo's in Grand Forks.  Might have to re-make with them... they had jalapenos in them!  I ADORE spicy food.  My kids LOVED this stuff - the hubby, not so much.  He isn't much of a mexican casserole fan, so his opinion doesn't count.  Enough of my ranting - here's the recipe!

This is a clean eating option - because of the rice & beans it is not paleo.


'Healthified' Mexican Casserole

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 can reduced sodium pinto beans, do not drain
1/3 cup Homemade Cream Soup Mix
2 tablespoons Homemade Taco & Chili Seasoning Mix
1 cup long grain brown rice (the stuff that comes in the bag that has to cook for an hour)
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup shredded marble jack cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Instructions:
Brown hamburger with chopped onion in a larger skillet.  Reduce heat and add rotel, pinto beans, cream soup mix and taco seasoning.  Let simmer 5-10 minutes.  Grease a 9x13 pan and pour in hamburger mixture then add rice and water and stir gently within the pan.  Bake at 350 for a half hour, then stir, bake another half hour, then stir again.  Top with cheese and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is all melted and gooey.  Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, banana pepper rings, Frank's red hot sauce, taco sauce, sour cream or whatever mexican-style toppings you like!

Because of the homemade soup and taco mix it was difficult for me to create the nutrition information without a whole bunch of extra work.  I tried to average it out, but this does not include the soup mix or taco mix.  These two items would definitely increase sodium, but probably not much else.

Nutrition information from www.fatsecret.com based on 10 servings, 85% lean ground beef and low-fat marble jack cheese.
1 serving = Calories - 285, Fat - 13.15g, Cholesterol - 54mg, Sodium - 294mg, Potassium - 406mg, Carbs - 22.24g, Fiber - 3.4g, Sugars - .91g, Protein - 19.67g

Balsamic Chicken & Sausage in the CrockPot

 I could eat this for days.  So easy and  yummy.  It makes a large batch so you can either feed your family or have leftovers to take for your lunch at work.  I ate mine with sauteed brussel sprouts and it was delish.  My kids chose to have theirs over macaroni noodles.  You could also use rice.  I think this could even be turned into a stew.  I would add some cut up carrots, maybe some parsnips, celery chunks, green peppers - whatever you would like in a stew!  I will waste no more time talking - get Crockin' people!!

This is a paleo & clean eating option.

Adapted from Popular Paleo
Balsamic Chicken & Sausage (in the CrockPot)

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 Italian sausage links - sweet or spicy, whatever your preference*
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (1)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (1)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water (rinse out tomato sauce cans)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (2)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (2)

Instructions:
Place raw frozen chicken breasts in bottom of a 6 quart crock pot.  Drizzle with olive oil and add seasonings labeled (1) over chicken.  Lay sausage over chicken (I cut mine in half, but you don't have to).  Add sliced onions and minced onion, then add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and balsamic vinegar.  Top with last round of seasonings labeled (2).  Cook on low for about 7-8 hours or high for about 5.

Serve over spaghetti squash, zucchini made into noodles, cut up brussel sprouts, or whole grain pasta.

*I used Savory Kitchen Sweet Pepper Chicken Sausage found at Sam's Club
This recipe is high in sodium - you can reduce by using a low-sodium sausage or reduced sodium crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Nutrition facts from www.fatsecret.com based on 6 servings (including 1 chicken breast and 1 sausage) using the chicken sausage listed above.
Calories - 454, Fat - 16.2 g, Cholesterol - 148mg, Sodium - 1408mg, Potassium - 652mg, Total Carbs - 24.92g, Fiber - 6.7g, Sugars 12.47g, Protein 48.17g

Here's a pic of the kid's dish with macaroni noodles and sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese.  Still working on the whole - pasta sauce over veggies thing with them.  :)

Layered Enchilada Bake

 A healthier alternative to greasy enchiladas.  Chock full of hidden veggies (good for those kiddos who don't want to eat them) and whole grain tortillas it's a filling meal that provides a good source of protein and complex carbs to fill you up, plus low calorie and low fat!  My kids scarfed it down.  My hubby thought it was a little spicy, but he sweats from eating pepperoni pizza.  I did use mild enchilada sauce because I know he doesn't handle spice well, but if I was making this just for myself and my oldest two kids I would probably use medium.  We like food a bit on the spicy side.  This is a very quick dish to make.  I used one of those Pampered Chef food choppers to chop up all the veggies so that cuts down in prep time immensely.  Took about 20 minutes of prep time. 


Layered Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 yellow sweet pepper, seeded & finely chopped
1 red pepper, seeded & finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
3 cans mild enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)
1 can reduced sodium black beans, drained & rinsed
6 8 to 10-inch multi-grain tortillas (I used Mission Multi-Grain Wraps)
1 cup reduced fat shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions:
Brown ground beef with minced onion, drain grease, then add peppers and tomatoes.  Cook for a bit until the peppers and onions produce more liquid.  Drain the beef again then add the 3 cans of enchilada sauce.  Let simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
Spray a 9x13 pan lightly with cooking spray (I use olive oil).  Use a pizza cutter to divide tortillas so you can evenly place them in your pan.  I have a great plastic one so I don't scratch my countertops.

Layer as follows: 
2 tortillas, 1/3 beef sauce, 1/2 black beans
2 tortillas, 1/3 beef sauce, other half of black beans
2 tortillas (you might not use all 6 tortillas, I usually cut mine to fit the layer so I end up with about a 1/2 a tortilla leftover), rest of beef sauce and cup of cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes and let the pan rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.  This makes sure the pieces come out more whole rather than falling apart as you put them on your plates. 

Top with whatever you would like, lettuce, black olives, fresh chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, avocado, sour cream, salsa, taco sauce and ranch, just to name a few!

Nutrition facts from www.fatsecret.com based on 12 servings in a pan, 85% lean ground beef and the specific recipe items I have listed above that I used.
1 serving = Calories - 315, Fat - 13.29g, Cholesterol - 44mg, Sodium - 762mg, Potassium - 349mg, Total Carbs - 30.89g, Fiber - 5.7g, Sugars - 5.45g, Protein - 17.91g

ENJOY!!!

 

Honey Mustard Bacon/Chicken/Potato Bake

Long title for a delicious dish.  We tried to come up with something fun to call this, but just couldn't think of something.  So I'm just going with what it is!  This was SUPER delicious.  My husband even said I could make it again - which means - yeah, it's goooood.  The kids enjoyed it - my sis-in-law enjoyed it my little 2 year old niece wolfed it down!  Make a double recipe of the sauce and save half of it for after baking so you have some fresh stuff to top your meal with!




Honey Mustard Bacon/Chicken/Potato Bake

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seared in the bacon grease
3-4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 cup mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (real mayo)
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
In a medium sized bowl combine mustard, honey, mayo & onion.  Cover and refrigerate for about until ready to use.  Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Fry (or microwave) bacon in a large skillet.  Remove bacon to a paper towel covered plate to cool and crumble.  Save bacon grease in the skillet and brown each side of the chicken in the bacon grease for a couple minutes until it's nicely seared.  Remove chicken from skillet and place in the bottom of the 9x13 pan.  Surround chicken with potato chunks.  Pour sauce over chicken and potatoes then top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 for about an hour.  Bake uncovered for the first half hour, then cover with foil and bake for the next half hour.
If you make double honey mustard marinade, use for topping your individual dishes.