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Hey there! I'm Holly. A 40+ year old insurance-nerd wife, mom, beauty lover, and about a million other things in between.
This is the place where I share about our lives, what I'm currently loving, books I'm reading, plus-size style, beauty recommendations, health + fitness endeavors and anything else I'm finding interesting at the moment.
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Category Archives: Food
5 Things To Do With: CAULIFLOWER
Original Creative Commons Image Source
Trying to find creative ways to expand your veggie rotation? Cauliflower is on your side! It is absolutely one of my favorite vegetables because of its versatility — and who wants to eat the same, boring steamed vegetables day in and day out? Healthy doesn’t have to mean plain and repetitive.
I had 3 heads in my fridge this week and while that may seem like some serious excess, the fact that there are so many interesting and fun ways to eat this cruciferous crop made me excited to share my favorite inspiration.
Here are 5 ideas with recipes that highlight cauliflower’s chameleon nature:
1. Roast It
Roasted Cauliflower with Red Chile, Cilantro and Lime (from Rem Cooks)
This is always my advice to EVERYONE who thinks they don’t like a vegetable. If you have had a bad experience in the past or think you don’t like the way a vegetable tastes, definitely try it roasted. High heat and a little fat brings out the caramely best of any vegetable and cauliflower is no different. Add in some creative flavors and some heat you’ve got yourself a singing side dish!
2. Make A Creative Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Greens (from Martha Stewart)
Can I make a weird confession? I LOVE soup for breakfast. I love it even more when it helps me squeeze in major amounts of veg. During the winter a hot breakfast can super comforting and one can’t live on eggs alone! So sometimes it’s nice to heat up a warm mug of soup, eat a little crispy bacon on the side and call it a meal! And it doesn’t have to be the same old soup blended up with a metric ton of cheese. While that is delicious, try mixing it up with some greens or some broccoli to shake things up AND get an extra layer of nutritioun!
3. Saute It and Add Fun Toppings
Padma Lakshmi’s Sauteed Cauliflower with Anise and Cashews (from Yum Sugar)
It’s easy to forget with a big, nubby veg like cauliflower that it can easily be thrown into a pan and sauteed with some savoriness for a quick weeknight side. No complicated cooking necessary, just chop, drop and add some delicious garnish! Simple and Savory in minutes.
4. Make A Fancy Rice
Cauliflower Fried Rice (from Doughing Rogue)
Cauliflower Rice is a recipe in every most every Paleo cook’s repertoire. But it’s fun to take that technique to the next level and enhance it with flavor profiles that compliment your main dish. I love a good fried rice like this one full of water chestnuts and cashews but you can also just as easily add herbs or make a spanish rice to go along with your weeknight mexican food.
5. Grill It
Grilled Cauliflower Skewers from Chatelaine
Grill Cauliflower? Yes and YES. While this dish lends itself to warmer weather, you can always bust out your grill pan in the winter and indulge in a stick of toasted treats! It’s creative, and most importantly delicious, and it is cute enough to serve to company while still being uncomplicated.
*****
For extra credit you could also make sushi, pizza crust (this recipe has dairy) or breadsticks! (Scroll down the page for that last recipe. Looks pretty fun!) Or if you are feeling cheeky, how about some Cauliflower Brains? 🙂
Do you love cauliflower as much as I do? What is your favorite dish to make with it?
Everday Seasoning
I know it is very hip to be in love with Thomas Keller or David Change right now (and I am not doubting their genius!) but you all, I am still representing my serious Food Network love for Rachael Ray. Hang on while I claim my seat at the unhip foodie table. Alright, now that we’re comfortable…You see the thing is, she taught me to experiment with my cooking and to not fear the kitchen. These are things that absolutely turned me on to cooking, so while I don’t love every single 30 Minute Meal she puts out, she will always have me as a member of her fan club. (Especially now that she makes 6 ingredient dog treats that are the only kind that Buster can eat with barfing! Yay!)
(Talking about dog barf in a recipe post. Pretty sure I’m doing this wrong.)
Anyway, one of the most awesome kitchen short cuts that she taught me was about using grill seasoning for things that you aren’t actually grilling. Mind: Blown, I KNOW! Grill seasoning is generally a pre-mixed group of herbs and spices that really kick up the flavor of any kind of meat and vegetables, and in my kitchen, as well as in grocery stores everywhere, you will often see it labeled as Everyday Seasoning or Montreal Steak Seasoning or perhaps some other branded name that basically means “Sprinkle me on meat and vegetables and I will make them taste good.” And it really is a useful addition to your spice arsenal. I especially love mixing it into burgers as a base seasoning, or rubbing it on chicken or fish when I am feeling no inspiration but don’t want to eat something bland. You may also want to try the Meat spice seasonings.
The only problem comes when you pick up one of these pre-packaged bad boys and the end up being full of preservatives or weird ingredients or things you can’t pronounce. WOMP WOMP! You know what I’m talking about — it is the packaged taco seasoning effect. It’s always a bummer to realize that something that tastes so delicious but is full of so much crap. This becomes especially inconvenient if you are doing a Whole 30 or a really strict nutrition challenge, which is why I wanted to share a super simple recipe for making your own Everyday Seasoning that is completely FREE of garbage, and completely FULL of flavor.
Make Your Own Everday Seasoning
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Ingredients
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- 2 tablespoons paprika
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- 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper
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- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
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- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
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- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
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- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander
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- 1 tablespoon dill
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- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon of dehydrated onion flakes (optional, for texture)
Instructions
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- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
- Rub on chicken or steak, sprinkle on veggies, or mix a TBS or two into your burger mixture for a wonderfully seasoned dinner.
Hope you mix up something delicious!
****For more seasoning inspiration check out What’s In My Spice Cabinet + 4 Delicious Blends You Should Try.
Paleo Minestrone Soup
Growing up, one of the best “Comfort Food” dishes my mom made was a big batch of Minestrone Soup. It was meaty, salty, full of pasta and potatoes and there was no better way to serve it than smothered with a ton of Parmesan cheese.
These days I still love comfort food, but my palate has changed and my desire to stuff my face with my mom’s cheesy pasta soup has (on most days) been replaced with a desire to enjoy a nostalgic home-cooked meal while also stuffing my face with some vegetables. This soup is how I combine the two.
I should also note that I can’t actually make this soup without Garrett doing his Eric Ripert “Minestrone!” impersonation at least twice during the preparation. Despite the fact that this soup is very Italian, there was a Top Chef episode many moons ago where Ripert kept saying it OVER AND OVER in his very French accent and so now every time we eat it Garrett acts like he is about to launch into a performance of Les Poissoins. The second thing you should note is that on that same Top Chef episode I think the person who made the Minestrone was eliminated because her carrots were not all the same size. This really offended Tom Colicchio, so you know, KEEP THE CARROTS UNIFORM.
Um, or don’t. This is a rustic soup. That’s the best part, actually. It’s a chop, drop, season, stir and eat kind of soup. And the best part? It tastes EVEN BETTER a day or two after you make it. So make up some on the weekend and eat it for lunch all week. Bonus? It’s Whole 30 compliant! So what are you waiting for?
Paleo Minestrone Soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, medium dice
- 6 Small Stalks Celery (preferably from the heart, leaves attached), sliced
- 4 Large Carrots, peeled and diced (try to keep them about the same size)
- 2 Medium Zucchini, medium dice
- 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoons Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
- 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 2 (14.5 oz) Cans Diced Italian Tomatoes
- 8 Cups Beef Broth
- 4 Cups Red Cabbage (about half a large head) diced bite sized
- 1 Bunch of Kale, stems removed, chopped up
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (I used a 7.5 Qt Dutch Oven) over medium heat
- Add onions, celery, carrots and saute until translucent and vegetables start to soften (about 10 minutes)
- Add zucchini and saute for 3-5 more minutes and then push veggies to one side of your pot
- Turn heat up to medium high and ground beef in and proceed to crumble and brown
- As beef begins to brown, stir in with all the vegetables
- Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes
- Stir in tomato paste and let it melt into other ingredients
- Add diced Italian Tomatoes and beef broth and bring to a boil
- Once boiling, lower heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered
- Add cabbage and kale and simmer for 10 minutes, covered
- Serve and Enjoy!
In My Kitchen Lately
Lately, my kitchen has been a hub bub of activity. Lots of prepping, cooking, baking and of course eating. The eating is the very best part, I’ll have you know. Though I will say it is not without its consequences.
I took the solemn vow to lower my standards this holiday season and I’ve done that with some abandon. This doesn’t mean I have flown completely off the Paleo train by any stretch of the imagination, but it also means that every meal has not been the picture of healthy perfection and I am 100% okay with this. I have been really strict with myself over the last 2 years of holidays, so this year I just said to myself, “Self, do your best. And no matter what happens, know that you kick ass and you can deal with any consequences.”
The consequences seem to be that all of my pants are a little tighter – HEY-O – but at least I know exactly how to deal with that, so I will get to it at some point. That is the nice thing about lowering your standards, though. Because I am not weighing every decision with guilt and shame over what eating this cookie means about me as a person, I can indulge in something tasty and then go right back to making amazing, nourishing, delicious and healthy food like some granola bars, a tasty acai bowl, etc. So here’s what’s that has looked like in my kitchen.
We have now decided the only way to eat taco salad is out of boats:
Well, ok it is not quite actually a boat but it is serveware. Like, for a side dish. But WHY NOT have a salad in it? It feels kind of fancy! Also, my official favorite taco salad dressing has now become Mel’s Moroccan Dipping Oil. Cumin-Cilantro-Citrusy-Amazingness!
Need to make one dish that will work for dinner but also make great leftovers for lunch? I do this a lot when prepping food so I love casserole-y type stuff. This Turkey Chili and Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie was pretty darn easy and tasty and it lasted both of us for 4 separate meals. SCORE.
For the record, I omitted the sour cream/creme fraiche in the sweet potatoes and added 2 tsp of red pepper flakes to the chili and it was REDONKULOUSLY good.
Along with Rachael Ray we’ve been waiving our Food Network Flag by making a few Ina Garten dishes here and there. I love her cookbooks! Always full of simple ingredients that end up being so tasty when combined.
This shrimp dish (sans breadcrumbs, subbed with almond flour for the crumble) is a one-pot wonder. You could entertain with it, or if you are like us you could just make it for the two of you and polish it off watching Monday Night Football. Either/Or.
I turned most of my kitchen yellow while making this Lemon Olive Chicken.
Oh turmeric, how you spice up my life!
When it comes to beverages, there has been quite a bit of Kombucha drinking.
IMBIBING THE BOOCH!
I’m going to take the plunge and brew my own one of these days. Everyone seems to talk about it like it’s so easy. Guess I’ll have to figure it out. At $3 a bottle I’m hoping I figure it out sooner rather than later.
I’ve also been downing this cheap-y herbal tea like it’s going out of style. I wish it wasn’t full of barley and artificial flavor, but I figure that’s better than diving head first into a Godiva Caramel Mocha at Peet’s, which is what I REALLY want to be drinking during the holidays, but I’m trying to reign it in where I can. Truth be told though, I have been mixing craptastic hot chocolate mix into my weekend cup of coffee on occasion. WHADDYAGONNADO?
So that’s what’s been happening around these parts. I’m still obsessed with this Southwestern Frittata from Everyday Paleo so we’ve been eating that for breakfast FOREVER. (Please try it! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.) I’m pairing it with one cup of coffee. ONE. ONLY. VICTORY! So things on the caffeine front are going okay.
Food life is good. I’ve been having a biscuit here and there. I had a fabulous chocolate croissant at brunch with Elizabeth and Amy the other day. I drank a pumpkin milkshake WITH BOURBON IN IT with my book club last night. I’ve indulged in fresh baked whoopie pies from a coworker and I had a piece of tiramsu while Garrett’s mom was in town that mysteriously looked like a chocolate rendition of the Canadian flag.
It’s been a lot. But it has also been delicious! And such a great reminder of why I eat how I eat most of the time. Because food life is tasty right now. But I’m not about to go PR’ing my half marathon time. My performance in the gym has also been a little lackluster. But I know you can’t have it all at once and so right now I’m specializing in being good to my body most of the time, and then following it up with a bubble bath full of champagne. And so far it’s working out.
It’s a delicate balance. But the fantastic part is, each meal is a new meal, and I am the one in charge of the kitchen.
A Tale of Two Thanksgivings
First…thank you guys for all of your kind words about Garrett’s grandma. I know he appreciated them, and taking the week off to just focus on hanging with Garrett and his mom, seeing family, chowing down on some delicious treats, and watching football were just what the doctor ordered.
We spent Thanksgiving Day with Garrett’s family, which was so fun. I made this Pomegranate Champagne Punch, which was tart and bubbly and super refreshing. And then because I was assigned the appetizers and can’t help myself, I also brought way too much food. I am recently obsessed with Whole Foods and their Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball, but Homesick Texan has a recipe that looks eerily similar. So delicious as a treat on carrots and celery.
Speaking of carrots and celery, I also made a veggie tray with dip. You can’t have holiday noshing without veggies and dip. It makes you feel like you are being healthy, even when you know you are knee dip rich, delicious (sometimes not-so-healthy) foods. I also made these Baked Artichoke Squares and when they were hot, they were DELICIOUS. At room temperature, despite what the recipe said, they were sort of ho-hum. Ah, well. I’ll know for next time.
Also, I can’t do holidays without a cheese platter, but there is absolutely nothing Paleo about a cheese platter. IT IS MY KRYPTONITE.
We were lucky that we also got to see my side of the family as well during the week and it got me thinking about Thanksgiving and food traditions. We have the exact same thing each year at Thanksgiving, and there is something so comforting about that, I think. We always have a big roasted turkey with gravy.
Garrett is a dark meat fan, but I always opt for the white meat. Mostly because I like to have it with a little homemade cranberry compote. I need to blog that recipe sometime, because it is FREAKING AMAZING and people always end up just eating it plain when I bring it somewhere. When was the last time you did that with jellied cranberry sauce from a can?
There is also, of course, stuffing. The first year we went paleo I completely avoided my Uncle Mark’s famous stuffing. But I missed it so much that I haven’t skipped it since. It is one of those once a year special occasion foods that I enjoy with abandon because Thanksgiving just isn’t the same without it. So despite it being a complete gluten bomb, I savor every sage-y, toasted, black olive filled bite.
Every dish isn’t a complete paleo deviation though — there are plenty of brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts, which is a family favorite.
And aside from the marshmallows, the maple and sweet potato casserole with pineapple isn’t toooo bad (ok, maybe I’m rationalizing.)
There were mashed potatoes too, and then my mom and grandma always make a delicious green salad. This year was butter lettuce, almonds, orange slices, avocado, green onions and pomegranate arils.
Very refreshing to actually see some green on the plate with everything. Speaking of everything, here is the entire spread:
HOLY MOSES. Food coma in 3, 2, 1…
After all of the eating (MY GOD, WITH THE EATING) we took Buster out for a walk around the neighborhood. It’s just starting to look like fall around here, and people are putting up their holiday decorations so it was a fun diversion to get out and get some fresh air.
This weekend our backyard decided to finally start looking like fall too. For a while were wondering if this tree would ever change colors, and then practically overnight it changed into this:
Despite the sad news about Garrett’s grandma there were a lot of high points to the week. Of course as of today we are both back to work but that comes with the added benefit of being back to normal life. While we both wish vacation would last juuuuuuuuust a few more days, it will be nice to go back to cooking and eating good nourishing food, exercising hard and continuing to watch the season unfold. I am making it my mission from now until Christmas to just focus on the tiny little mundane details of our lives and to be conscious of all the joy that those little routines bring. I think it will help keep me sane, and I am determine make it through the seasonal craziness with my sanity in tact.
That’s one helluva lofty goal, frankly, but I’m starting today.
Bad Blogger, No Cookie
This weekend was what blogs were made for. If this was a fancy lifestyle blog, I would have lots of blurry edged photos, treated with a slightly vintage filter to express my joys appropriately. But since I really only had my iphone fresh from iPhone back glass repair and I was more into eating, drinking and laughing than “setting up a good shot” — I only have what I have to show you this morning. Guess we’ll just have to make due. 🙂
Friday was my day off, and man I’m not sure I would have survived this weekend had I not had that day off. It wasn’t reeeeeally a day off because I’m about to have 10 days off and unfortunately my job is not the type where the work stops because I’m not showing up. So I got up early, did a little bit of 9-5 stuff, hit the gym (where I had to do Cindy, OHMAHGAWD OUCH. I hate that workout with a fiery passion) and then it was on to my real mission for the day — Crafting The Epic Grocery List:
Not only is this week Thanksgiving, which means the grocery stores are a shit show daily, but Garrett’s mom was arriving Sunday night and it was Garrett’s request that “we cook her really good paleo food for every meal.” Ahem, I’m assuming by “we” he meant “me” so I set to crafting an awesome (yet not super demanding) meal plan. But it literally took hours to get all of that, plus the list together. I posted this on Instagram and lots of you got chuckles about the “cheap wine” but not cheap bourbon. What can I say, I have priorities? 🙂 I also have a house full of expensive wine, but no good “second or third” bottles. You know? #hostessproblems
So after all of that nutty thinking and planning about food, I didn’t even have time to go to the grocery store because Friday night we were headed out to my mom’s (with Buster!) for a family dinner. My contribution was appetizers (I highly recommend the Bacon Jalapeno Cheese Ball from Whole Foods, if you are in a pinch,) a salad (I made Food & Wine’s Celery Salad with Walnuts, Dates and Pecorino and I AM NOT JOKING I had a dream about it last night, it was that good. And easy! I bought the Mariami dates in Malaysia) And then I brought dessert, which was a mish-mash of purchased things because I was out of creativity.
My mom and grandma made an epic spread with pot roast and roasted root vegetables and the seven of us ate a little too much, talked a little too loud, and then we headed back home sans Buster. My mom and grandma were watching him for a couple nights because on Saturday night we were headed down to San Francisco.
Awkward, flash-ridden, car self portrait! YAY!
Saturday, coincidentally enough was my and Garrett’s SEVEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY. In dog years, I think that means we are married. 🙂 We celebrated that day by going grocery shopping (what? how do you guys celebrate?) And then made our way down to The City for the night. We weren’t going for a fancy white table-clothed dinner, instead we were meeting up with a big group of Garrett’s friends for a going away party. (Oooh, romantic! yes?) Actually it was no big deal to do that on our anniversary. I think after 7 years together romance is definitely not made only on special occasions, you know? (Which reminds me, you read this right? I kind of loved it.)
So we headed down to Cigar Bar & Grill to toast to Garrett’s good friend John (from high school! what???) and his fiance Amy who are moving to Amsterdam for a job.
AMSTERDAM, YOU GUYS! I MEAN COME ON!
It was fun to hear about such an adventure and it reinvigorated Garrett and I to discuss what our plans are for the future and where we want to live. We love Sacramento, but neither of us feel like this is our forever home, so it is fun to contemplate where else we could go. (ahem, ESTES PARK, COLORADO ahem) Do you guys do this too? Tell me what cities are on your list. I think it is SO FUN to think about moving to a new place. I mean, yes, it would be a ton of work to start a new life over again, but also it would be a new city to explore! HOORAY!
I tried to take some nice pictures of Garrett with all of his friends, but in the end most of them all looked like this:
It’s fairly representative of the evening though, and that’s the point, really. Right? There is a lot of love in that group and it’s pretty fun to watch. We did manage to sneak away for a few minutes by ourselves.
We didn’t spend that time whispering sweet nothings into each others’ ears though, instead we made it our mission to find the greasiest pizza in North Beach.
Mission: Accomplished. (I’m pretty sure they cook their pizza crust in butter, which I’m telling you is NOT a bad thing.)
It paired well with the cocktails I’d been drinking all night, if you know what I’m saying. (Also, I think I may have accidentaly discovered my new favorite drink: aged dark rum, pomegranate juice, squeeze of lime, angostura bitters on the rocks.) Sounds sweet, is more tart. Very delicious. Now where were we…Ah yes, I believe I saying that My Best during the holidays looking a little different than the rest of the year? Ahem.
Sunday morning we headed back to Sacramento and to my mom’s to pick up Buster. You guys, I CAN NEVER HAVE KIDS. We missed our dog so. damn. much! Of course he was at my mom’s, which is not a bad life. When we showed up she had just deep conditioned his hair, brushed him and was You Tubing videos about proper Dog Massage Techniques, so it’s really not a bad gig for Buster. 🙂
When we got home, it was a whirlwind of cooking, cleaning and prepping the guest bedroom for Garrett’s mom’s arrival! She lives out in New Mexico and is 3.5 hours from the airport, so it was a long travel day for her. I cooked up some stew, picked up some chocolate truffles and had a nice bottle of wine at the ready (not one of the “cheap ones” I promise – HA!) when she arrived.
Last night we stayed up late chatting and today we have a full day of stuff on the agenda! Maybe later on this week I will do a better job with the soft-focus, vintage filtered photos, eh? 🙂 I’ll be sure to put that on the list.
Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash
Braising Season is back, baby! So to celebrate, say hello to your new favorite Sunday dinner.
(It won’t say hi back, by the way, it’s a little shy.)
This is a good meal to make on the weekend because it does take a few hours. Braising meat is definitely not an exercise in instant gratification. But the investment is COMPLETELY worth it, and while it is not 100% “Set it and forget it” there is only minimal tending necessary. Totally manageable on a Sunday afternoon while you lounge on the couch with football on in the background. Your oven will do most of the work, your house will smell amazing all afternoon, and in the end after a stir or two on your part, you will be rewarded with tender caramelized deliciousness that you will want to eat right out of the pot.
But we are civilized, so we will eat it over spaghetti squash!
| Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash |
Author:
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours 30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb Pork Shoulder
- 2.5 Tablespoons Salt
- 1.5 Tablespoons Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Grass Fed Butter
- 1 Cup Red Wine
- 2 14 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes
- 5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 3 teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 1.5 Tablespoons Fennel Seed
- 1 Tablespoon of Hot Sauce (Trader Joe’s Hot Pepper Sauce is awesome!)
- 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
- Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Add Olive Oil and Butter to large dutch oven and heat over medium high until butter is melted but not burning
- Liberally salt, pepper and garlic powder your pork shoulder.
- Add pork roast to pan and brown on all sides (This will take between 10 and 15 minutes to get a good crust going on your roast)
- Add wine to deglaze
- Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds and hot sauce and bring to a boil
- Cover and put in the oven
- Braise for 3 hours, flipping roast over every hour
- About 30 minutes before your roast is done, prep your spaghetti squash
- Poke 8-10 holes around your raw spaghetti squash
- Put directly into the microwave (I put mine on a paper towel) and nuke for 8 minutes
- Flip Squash over and nuke for another 8-10 minutes depending on how large it is (big boys take longer!)
- When it’s done, remove from microwave (with pot holders it will be HOT!) and let cool for a few minutes
- When it’s cooler, slice down the squash long ways and remove all seeds
- Then run your fork down your squash and pull out your “noodles” into a separate bowl
- Toss squash noodles with a touch of butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Add squash to your serving bowl, top with ragu and chopped fresh parsley and chow down!
It’s homey, comforting and even fit for entertaining should you be so inclined. And if I can make one last suggestion before you head off to procure ingredients, may I suggest serving it with that bottle of wine you opened earlier to cook with?
I mean, no one likes a waster.
Ground Breaking: 25 Non-Burger Dinners to Make with Ground Beef
Ground beef is such an easy, high quality staple to have on hand and there is no easier dinner than a burger, right? Our freezer is rarely without it and I’ve perfected so many burger recipes that it is hard to give up my Go-To. But every once in a while I start to feel like I’ve had enough.
NO MORE WIRE HANGERS BUN-LESS BURGERS!
I’ve been in a bit of a burger rut lately, so yesterday I compiled a list of recipes to help me break out of it. And because sharing is caring, I’m passing them on to you! Feel free to keep to yourself, pin with abandon or share with some of your Bored-With-Burger Friends too!
1. Damn Good Chili
2. Bacon Wrapped Mini Spinach Meatloaves
3. Italian Beef Hash with Mashed Cauliflower
4. Paleo Stuffed Peppers with Spanish Sticky Rice
5. Sun Dried Tomato Meatballs with Creamy Pesto (We can not get enough of these. OMG so good over spaghetti squash!)
6. Taco Salad
7. Thai Basil Beef Lettuce Wraps
8. Paleo Shepherd’s Pie
9. Southwestern Frittata (Breakfast for dinner, casserole style. And it’s AMAZING!)
10. Joe’s Special
11. Italian Wedding Soup
12. Paleo Beef Stroganoff
13. Roasted Poblano and Pumpkin Chili
14. Ground Beef, Mushroom and Broccoli Slaw Lettuce Cups
15. Merguez Meatballs (using ground beef instead of lamb. The spice mixture is insanely delish!)
16. Chili Dog Pie
17. Martha Stewart’s Garlic Chipotle Meat Kebabs
18. Lion’s Head Meatballs
19. Gyro Meat
20. Goulash Soup with Red Peppers + Cabbage
21. Sweet Potato Enchiladas
22. Sloppy Joe’s
23. Paleo Moussaka
24. Mexican Meatza (I know, Meatza sounds stupid. But it is STUPID GOOD!)
25. Spaghetti and Meatball Bites
Need some more Paleo recipe inspiration?
Live the Thigh Life: 10 Paleo Recipes to Make You Love Chicken Thighs
Porkapalooza: 15 Paleo Recipes for Those Who Love to Pig Out
30 Nights of Paleo Crock Pot Meals
Hunger Strike
A little over two years ago when Garrett + I decided to embark on this Paleo adventure together we were both a little leery. It was so different from what we knew that neither of us could really envision what this lifestyle looked like long term. We decided to commit for a short period of time, but after only a few weeks things felt so dramatically different that we decided to just wing it and learn as we went.
One of the most memorable of my positive Paleo consequences (and trust me there were quite a few in those first few months) was that I noticed I stopped feeling REALLY hungry. That ravenous feeling that would overtake me at about 10:30 every morning and would show up again during that mid-afternoon slump was basically gone. It wasn’t that I never wanted to eat, but I remember constantly feeling satisfied to my core — no will power needed. When I finally read It Starts With Food a few months ago, one of the most compelling things that stuck out to me was the explanation of why that happened.
It turns out Satiation (that feeling of fullness and satisfaction) is set up to work as a direct reflection of your body’s nutritional Satiety. Plainly said, your body is naturally programmed to indicate fullness when your nutritional needs have been met. I always thought they were just two forms of one word, but in fact they are different functions in your body. When you are eating a diet full of a variety of whole foods, your body let’s you know what it needs. It’s when we start eating some of that marginal, processed crippety crap that things get a little trickier. (The book continues to explain this, but I don’t plan to keep going because me explaining science is just sad. :P)
But it makes so much sense. It’s why it is so much easier to consume 600 calories worth of potato chips than it is to consume 600 calories of broccoli. Your body registers fullness in fairly direct proportion to the nutritional density of the food you’re eating. I think this is something that I’ve always understood at a physiological level, but it was interesting how simply the book explained our hunger mechanism. And ever since reading that I have enjoyed paying attention to it in my everyday life. But it’s not only at the dinner table that I am noticing this to be true.
I had a pretty serious discussion with Garrett this weekend that started off kind of light. We were talking about what we have on our plates through the end of the year and he mentioned how it would be awesome if we could just “be normal” for a little while. After doing a Whole 30, finding a stray dog (with bonus digestive issues!) prepping for my presentation in Colorado and then following that right up with embarking on my Skin Care Experiment which most notably had me giving up my beloved caffeine for 30 days – things have been slowly building up to a fever pitch of overwhelm. Some good things have come of this thankfully, as my research has led me to viable solutions for me like getting a Laser Resurfacing Treatment to help me bring my skin up to a point I can then maintain. I’ve already scheduled it and are really looking forward to it.
Perhaps I hadn’t mentioned this before, but I have also been prepping to run a half marathon. This will finally come to fruition on Sunday (more on that later this week.) Things eventually went from a light-hearted funny discussion, to both of us admitting we are pretty exhausted from all of the juggling.
And if I am being honest, despite my Very Full Plate, I am NOT overflowing with Life Satiation right now. Mostly I just feel tired, and even sometimes lately I feel a touch sad. It’s not that I can’t look around and see the wealth of awesome things I have going on in my life, because I can (and I do!) But mostly it is that I can’t quite kick this nagging feeling of hunger. I spend a lot of time making lists, setting goals, trying new things, and pushing myself through new challenges. I am ambitious, accomplished, and the badge I wear most proudly: I AM DISCIPLINED. At this point though, my discipline is just a way of life and it’s somewhat scary to contemplate operating on a different level. But I’m starting to think my Type A Drive To Achieve is really just a whole lot of energy consumption, without a whole lot of nourishment. My life is currently the nutritional equivalent of a very bountiful basket of Halloween candy. And right now I’m not quite sure what to do about that.
It’s not a bad thing, really, it just kind of *IS* right now. So I am doing lots of thinking, lots of resting, and lots of marinating. Also, I’m breaking rules. You see despite my October Intention of reducing my commitments, I am making just one more that I plan to honor for the next couple of months. I’m committing right here in this moment, and in this space (you all are my witnesses!) to figuring this stuff out. I’ve been going on and on about it for some time so I think it is finally time to stop some of the crazy making and figure out what it is that I am truly hungry for.
And if my Paleo journey is any indication, I am hoping in the end that it will feel like second nature and that it will taste delicious.
Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs + Paleo BBQ Sauce
Fall officially begins on Saturday and for me that means it is time to bust out the crock pot. (You KNOW how much I love the crock pot, right?) I’ve been doing a little experimenting and revisiting some old stand-bys and I have to say I think this season should be full of yummy (convenient) eats! When it starts getting dark early I all of a sudden crave the Blue Plate Special served promptly at 5pm at my favorite bbq restaurant. The crock pot always helps make that happen.
But it’s also great on the weekends when you are dying for comfort food but don’t want to be standing over the stove — and you can file this recipe in that category. Recently around these parts there was a huge sale on Baby Backs at Whole Foods and I decided I needed some ribs!
Legit need.
You know the kind, right? Tender meat, falling off the bone, covered in saucy deliciousness? I wanted exactly that, except we were in the middle of our Whole 30 and rocking the super strictly Paleo! A good (completely) sugar free BBQ sauce is the El Chupacabra of the Paleo world. You always here that it exists, but up until recently I had never actually had success tasting one.
Luckily I found a recipe for BBQ Sauce in the back of It Starts With Food that was a sugar free riff on a Cooks Illustrated Quick BBQ Sauce and it’s official I HAVE SEEN (AND TASTED) EL CHUPACABRA. So I took to making a huge batch and slathering it all over some ribs!
May I suggest you do the same?
| Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs + Paleo BBQ Sauce |
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 6 hours
Total time: 6 hours 45 mins
Makes 2 cups of BBQ Sauce and 2-3 lbs of ribs.
Ingredients
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- 2 Cups Tomato Sauce
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- 2/3 Cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce
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- 4 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
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- 4 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
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- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
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- 2 teaspoons Hot Pepper Sauce (I like Trader Joe’s Chili Pepper Sauce)
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- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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- 1 Tablespoon Ghee or GrassFed Butter
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- 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
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- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
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- 1 teaspoon Paprika
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- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne (use more for extra SPICE!)
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- 1 yellow onion, medium dice
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- 2-3 lbs Pork Baby Back Ribs
- Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste
Instructions
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- Mix tomato sauce, apple sauce vinegar, aminos, mustard, hot pepper sauce and black pepper until they are combined
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- In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat and add garlic, chili powder, paprika and cayenne, stirring until fragrant
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- Stir in your tomato sauce mixture and bring to a boil
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- Simmer gently uncovered for 25-30 minutes
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- Cool to room temperature in mason jar or other refrigerator safe container
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- Meanwhile prep your crockpot by dicing one yellow onion and spreading it on the bottom of your slow cooker
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- Liberally season your racks of ribs with salt, pepper and garlic powder
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- Cut your racks to fit into slow cooker then stack a rack of ribs, coat with BBQ sauce and repeat until it’s full.
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- Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is falling off the bones
- Serve with a dipper of BBQ sauce on the side
There are lots of different ways to make ribs, and I love experimenting with all cooking methods. But something tells me that with football season coming up and Sundays spent lounging on the couch staying warm that this recipe will be the perfect fit.
