Easy Detox Mocktail

By Holly on May 16, 2013

photo

Can I confess something? I don’t really love the word detox. It sounds like this magical transition that you can achieve by drinking some special tonic and well, the human body is so much more complicated than that! But Easy Summer Drink That’s An Alternative to Plain Water That Isn’t Full of Sugar Artificial and Otherwise That Can Also Help Support Some of Your Major Organs just didn’t have the same ring to it, so…Detox, it is!

A friend mentioned the combination on facebook the other day and I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, so I mixed myself a glass and was completely sold. It’s tart, refreshing and kind of makes you want to drink it with your pinky in the air — which I can’t always say about a glass of ice water. See how easily influenced I am? Glad she wasn’t drinking a bourbon milkshake or it would have been straight to the liquor cabinet. :) Juuuuust kidding. OR AM I?

Anyway, here’s the method if you would like to try one for yourself:

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Easy Detox Mocktail
 

Ingredients
  • 12-16 ounces of Ice Water
  • The Juice of 1 Lemon
  • 1 oz of Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
  • 1 teaspoon of Organic Ginger Juice
  • A Few Pinches of Cayenne Pepper

Instructions
  1. Fill glass with ice water
  2. Add Juice of 1 Lemon
  3. Add Cranberry and Ginger Juice
  4. Add Cayenne
  5. Stir!

See? Totally NOT rocket science. Yet equally impressive, I’m sure. :)

I like the Ginger People Ginger Juice (in my grocery store it’s sold by the vinegars) and make sure to buy the UNsweetened cranberry juice. It’s very easy to find but somewhat expensive as far as juice goes, but it will last A LONG TIME because you just use the tiniest bit!

Ginger is full of anti-inflammatory compounds, lemon supports digestion and liver function, cranberry helps out your kidneys and lymphatic system and cayenne promotes healthy circulation. But let’s not get too academic about all of this — it is also just beautiful, delicious and easy to make and because it is basically a giant glass of fancy water (try it with sparkling water, too — YUM!) A little Cran-Raspberry La Croix action? AHHHH-MAZYING!

It’s very simple, and it’s a bit of a play on Liz Wolfe’s Skin Care Beverage that she recommends in The Skintervention Guide (GREAT read, by the way!) and something to shake up your everyday water drinking. If you enjoy it, let me know.

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Q2 Check In // Staying Inspired + The Primal Life Kit

By Holly on April 2, 2013

You guys, it is already April. How the heck did that happen? I feel like we just set some 2013 goals and already we are down one quarter of the year. I’ve been talking a lot lately about how I’m feeling out of sorts and so when I woke up yesterday morning I was determined to get re-inspired and re-energized. Enough was enough, it was time to get the train back on track!

This might sound silly, but for or me, the quickest way to turn my frown upside down is to learn something new. The act of feeding my brain new information often jump starts my creativity, which always has a positive trickle-down effect on my attitude and accomplishments. So as I was drinking my morning coffee, I flipped through The Science of Good Cooking. I don’t have hours to experiment in my kitchen right now, but I figured I’d just stockpile that info for later, which got me excited for the next time I do have a spare second.

Then at work today I caught up on some episodes of the Balanced Bites Podcast. What I love about that podcast is that it isn’t dogmatic at all, and it’s mostly just FULL of useful information. I get a lot of great suggestions and “crazy” ideas from that podcast because they talk about things in such a casual way that it is actually really easy to understand. Seeking out a little bit of new information already has my brain spinning, my synapses firing, and I’m starting to feel more like myself.

Curiosity: It works every time.
Plutarch Quote

On the off chance that you are similar What Am I Doing/Where Is Time Going kind of place, I wanted to share something that my friends over at Paleo Plan have put together. I know these bundle sales show up everywhere at the same time and sometimes that can be a turn off, but you guys know I don’t write here to sell tupperware and shit, so let me tell you why I wanted to participate.

I met Neely of Paleo Plan back in September when I was in Colorado speaking and I always love when a new post pops up over there. She is a smart cookie, has a really fresh perspective and a no apologies attitude about healthy living IN REALITY. I love that about her! And she has gathered an awesome bundle of information that may snap you right out of that second quarter funk. Or if you aren’t in a funk, the information (and OMG the discounts!) will totally make your day, I promise. Retail therapy FOR THE WIN, Alex!

Introducing The Primal Life Kit: 30 Products and 8 Discounts for $39



What’s The Primal Life Kit?

So…what the heck is included? Well, I’m glad you asked. When you purchase the $39 Primal Life Kit, you get $485 worth of the most popular and life-changing Primal and Paleo products. There are a ton of useful tools and resources, not to mention great food for thought. Here is a small list of what’s included:

  • 22 ebooks
  • 2 meal plans
  • 3 magazine subscriptions
  • 2 fitness programs
  • 1 short audio book
  • and 8 discount codes

As you know, with bundles like these, you are getting a serious bargain. All of the materials are being sold at more than 90% off their original retail value for one week only – April 2 through April 9!

Specifically included in this awesome bundle is a meal plan made by Primal Blueprint, a recipe ebook from Bill and Hayley over at PrimalPalate.com, a fitness program by Sarah Fragoso of Everyday Paleo, and a subscription to Paleo Magazine, among many other awesome products. If you have been bopping around the Paleo Blogosphere for any amount of time, you know these people really know their stuff.

(Sidenote for my mom: All the ebooks are in pdf format, so you can read them on your computer or the e-reader of your choice. :) )

Here’s the full list of what you’ll get when you purchase this bundle:

This $39 kit will give you all the tools you need to eat, cook, work out, and live Primally.

12 Recipe and Meal Planning eBooks

 

4 Autoimmune and PCOS eBooks

 

5 Informational and How-To eBooks

 

2 Meal Plans

  • 6-week Paleo Meal Plan – 1 free 6-Week Paleo Meal Plan from Paleoista, by Nell Stephenson (author of Paleoista: Gain Energy, Get Lean and Feel Fabulous with the Diet You Were Born to Eat and co-author of The Paleo Diet Cookbook) at paleoista.com.at paleoista.com ($59)

 

2 Fitness Programs

 

3 Magazines (Online Subscriptions)

  • Paleo Magazine – Free 6-month online subscription (3 issues) and access to all back issues ($29)

 

2 Bonuses

 

8 Discounts

  • Primal Life Organics – 20% off organic, Paleo, gluten-free, vegan skincare products, hair care products, and deodorant until May 1st, 2013
  • Squatty Potty – 15% off all products through April and 10% for the rest of 2013.
  • Sport Journals – 20% off WODbooks (for recording your workouts) until May 11, 2013

 

It’s a retail value $485 (and not in a sleazy infomercial kind of way) for just $39.

Seriously.

That’s normally the price of just one or two of these products! I bought it for myself just for the Primal Life Organics discount, I mean HELLO!  haha I’ve raved about many of these products already right here on this blog (ahem Well Fed ahem) and what excites me a ton is the opportunity to balance some of the food stuff with FITNESS STUFF! You know I love my CrossFit gym, but I get that not everyone wants to pay that kind of money. Here is a GREAT opportunity to get not only meal plans, recipes and info — but also WORKOUTS! (And WODbooks! I’m so excited about WODbooks!) Ok, I’ll stop now. :)

But seriously: GET THIS STUFF!

*When you click here to purchase the kit, you’ll be sent an email with a link to all of the downloadable products, as well as the coupon codes for all of the discounted products.

NOTE: It goes without saying, but since The Law requires me to, these are affiliate links. Thank you in advance for supporting this website of mine if you do purchase all of this awesome stuff! Due to the short duration of this sale, there will be no refunds. These products are downloadable ebooks, online magazine subscriptions, and discount codes. You will not be shipped any physical goods with your purchase of the Primal Life Kit. Please contact neely@paleoplan.com with any questions about the Primal Life Kit.

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Paleo Chocolate Chunk Brownie Bites

By Holly on February 6, 2013

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Brownie Bites

I’ve been wanting to post a treat for a while but with so many doing the Whole 30 it seemed like it would be kind of a jerk move. But now that it’s over…BRING ON THE TREATS! Ok, let’s not go HOG WILD, but this one is worth a share. I made these for my CrossFit buddies and they got rave reviews, so then I tried them again at Super Bowl and they are a keeper.

I got the inspiration from the Best Damn Brownie Recipe over at WOD Fuel, made a few tweaks and then turned it into Brownie Bites because, for me, having an entire tray of brownies sitting around is DANGEROUS. (Pass me a fork!) But having “bites” around force me to have a little more self control.

*Note: I said A LITTLE. :)

Anyway, super simple ingredients and method. Try them the next time you are craving a sweet treat! With only half a cup of honey for about 20 servings, it’s not too crazy.

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Brownie Bites 2

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Paleo Chocolate Chunk Brownie Bites
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 3 ounces 50% or higher Dark Chocolate, broken into squares
  • ½ Cup Ghee
  • ½ Cup Honey
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • ¾ cup Almond Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 3.5 ounces 70% or higher Dark Chocolate, chopped into chunks

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a mini muffin pan
  2. In a microwave safe dish, melt your ghee with the first 3 oz of dark chocolate squares until just melted.
  3. Stir honey into the chocolate/ghee mixture
  4. Stir in the beaten eggs along with the almond flour, vanilla and sea salt and mix until smooth
  5. Fold the chunked chocolate into the batter
  6. Scoop batter into the muffin pan filling each with a little over a Tablespoon of batter
  7. Bake for 17-19 minutes
  8. Cool for 15 minutes and serve
  9. Store in the refrigerator before serving if you prefer harder brownies, leave out if you prefer softer

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Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms

By Holly on January 29, 2013

Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms

 

I recently wrote about Healthy Super Bowl Food for a local magazine and shared my favorite strategy for keeping things in check on game day: Incorporate as many vegetables as possible! I thought it might be on your mind too, and since many of us will be getting together with friends and enjoying a fun afternoon, I wanted to pop in real quick and share a simple recipe to help your healthy eating cause. This bite-sized appetizer is not only super delicious, but Whole 30 compliant!

If you are feeling really creative, you could even customize the filling to include MORE vegetables if you wanted. I have to admit, I’m not really a mushrooom fan, but something about the salty, spicy bite of a chorizo stuffing just compliments the earthy flavor of a mushroom. It’s an awesome match-up, and hopefully the Super Bowl will be too!

 

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Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 16 White Mushrooms, half the stems reserved and finely diced
  • 12 oz Pork Chorizo
  • 1 Tablespoons Ghee or Butter, divided
  • ½ Red Onion, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 oz of pork rinds, crumbled (optional)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Wipe mushrooms clean with a paper towel or a damp dish towel. Hold stems firmly and pull out. This will leave the hollow portion in the middle for stuffing.
  3. Reserve half the stems and chop them finely into small bits and set aside with the filling ingredients.
  4. In a large pan over medium high heat melt 1 Tablespoon of ghee
  5. Brown mushrooms in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan, about 6 minutes each side
  6. When Mushrooms are browned, set aside in a greased 13×9 pan
  7. In a separate pan while you are browning your mushrooms, crumble 12 oz of pork chorizo into a pan over medium high heat and cook until most of the surface is brown and crispy (about 10-12 minutes)
  8. Remove crispy chorizo from pan and set aside, while leaving about aTablespoon of pan drippings behind
  9. In the chorizo drippings, sauté ½ red onion and mushroom stems over medium high heat until browned (about 5 minutes) then add salt and ¼ teaspoon of dried parsley
  10. Mix the chorizo back in to pan with other ingredients and then scoop filling into each mushroom
  11. Top with remaining ¼ teaspoon of parsley and (optional) crumbled pork rinds and bake at 350 for 20 minutes

 

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Southwestern Turkey Burgers

By Holly on January 22, 2013

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Today, let’s talk turkey!

Turkey burgers have come a long way right? They used to be this dried out “healthy alternative” to a REAL burger but now I find it’s just another iteration of poultry that I really enjoy. The only problem? If you have a red-meat-loving spouse at home it can be challenging to talk them out of the Turkey Burger = Fake Burger headspace.

For years when I’d suggest making turkey burgers Garrett would kind of groan and suggest that we eat something different. That is until I made these burgers one night. It’s a play on an old Rachael Ray recipe that I adapted when we went Paleo because it was that tasty! It’s been making appearances on my meal plans forever but I have never blogged it, which is silly because it is absolutely a staple in our house. The key to making it not taste like a “fake” burger? Tons of different flavors.

Southwestern Turkey Burgers 1

Turkey is a blank canvas and alone it can be a little bit bland. But that makes it the perfect type of meat to mix with smoky, spicy Southwestern flavors and crispy sweet peppers. Add a little touch of your favorite hot sauce and some jalapenos dialed up to your desired heat level and your turkey is all of a sudden a flavor force to be reckoned with.

Southwestern Turkey Burgers Ingredients

The nice thing about this recipe is you  just dump everything in a bowl and mix. I say just get your  hands dirty, but you can also mix it up with a fork. Turkey is pretty forgiving and doesn’t get too tough like ground beef does if you overmix it. Grill or fry up in a pan and serve over a giant bed of greens. Your dinner will be done in less than a half hour and you won’t feel at all like you are eating a healthified version of something. If you want to get really spicy top it off with some smoked jalapeno kraut. That stuff is the real deal and so is this burger!

Southwestern Turkey Burgers 2

 

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Southwestern Turkey Burgers
Author: 
 

Ingredients
  • 1.25 lbs of ground turkey, preferably dark meat
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 large shallot or ¼ red onion, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 small bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons grill seasoning
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut oil

Instructions
  1. Combine turkey, garlic, shallot, thyme, parsley, bell pepper, jalapeno, cumin, hot sauce and grill seasoning in a medium bowl and mix until combined
  2. Dived mixture into 6 equal mounds and then form into patties.
  3. Heat coconut oil in skilled over medium high heat
  4. Add patties and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side
  5. Serve on a giant bed of lightly dressed greens
  6. Enjoy!

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Ground Beef & Spinach Egg Casserole

By Holly on January 14, 2013

Ground Beef & Spinach Egg Casserole // Holly Would If She Could

Just about every Sunday I whip up an egg casserole while doing my food prep for the week. I use a 13×9 casserole dish because it yields 8 nice sized squares. Symmetry makes me happy! Plus then I can put them in individual containers with roasted vegetables so Garrett + I have a grab and go breakfast for the week. I assure you it would be just as lovely to serve to friends at brunch.

I have a few favorite breakfast casserole recipes that I rotate through so I don’t get bored, but for the last few weeks I’ve been making this one with ground beef and spinach. Seasoned ground beef and eggs go really well together, and when you throw in a metric ton of spinach you get to start your day off with a leafy green smugness that helps you run faster, jump higher and knock out your To-Do List with superhero-esque strength.

The best part about it? Very few ingredients!

Ingredients

Look at that. That’s nothing!

You start by sauteing half an onion until it is translucent, then browning ground beef and seasoning the mixture with salt, pepper and garlic powder. So far, so good, right? Then it’s time for the go-go juice. Uh, I mean the spinach. Let’s talk about the spinach for a second, shall we? I’m going to give you a really specific measurement to add and that is 2 to 4 large handfuls. Got that? :) It doesn’t matter if you have large hands or small hands, you just want to dig deep in your bag and pull out the biggest handful you can handle and then throw it in the pan. Repeat this until you are satisfied that you have enough giddy-up and go. The thing about spinach though is that it looks likes too much when you throw it in the pan, but then it cooks down to almost nothing. I have huge hands, which a jeweler recently confirmed to me (THANKS BUT NO THANKS WE WILL BUY NO JEWELRY FROM YOU!) so I like to use about 3 handfuls.

3 handfuls

See? Not too bad.

All that goes into a casserole dish, your seasoned eggs get poured over it (Yep, egg seasoning. It’s necessary!) Then you bake, and most importantly YOU EAT! That last part is the best part.

Egg Casserole

Enjoy it in your breakfast nook or out of a tupperware at your desk at work. Either way it’s a great dish and I hope you enjoy it!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Ground Beef & Spinach Egg Casserole
Author: 
Cuisine: Breakfast
Serves: 8
 

Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ½ Red Onion, finely diced
  • 1 Pound Ground Beef
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1¼ teaspoons pepper, divided
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2-4 Large Handfuls Spinach
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 12 Eggs

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13×9 casserole dish
  2. Heat Olive Oil over medium in a large skillet
  3. Saute diced onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes
  4. Add ground beef and crumble with a wooden spoon and brown until cooked through
  5. Season meat and onion mixture with ¾ teaspoons of salt and ¾ teaspoons of pepper and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
  6. Add spinach and let it wilt while stirring into the meat mixture
  7. Sprinkle in ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg. This gives your spinach a little something extra!
  8. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl crack 12 eggs, season with remaining salt and pepper and scramble with a fork
  9. When spinach is wilted, transfer meat mixture to casserole dish
  10. Pour egg mixture over meat mixture
  11. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes
  12. Remove foil and finish baking for 10 minutes or until eggs are cooked to desired doneness

 

 

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Make Your Own Everday Seasoning

By Holly on January 7, 2013

How To Make Grill Seasoning Montreal Steak 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.

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.

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Make Your Own Everday Seasoning
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 1 tablespoon granulated onion
  • 1 tablespoon crushed coriander
  • 1 tablespoon dill
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon of dehydrated onion flakes (optional, for texture)

Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
  2. 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.

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Paleo Minestrone Soup

By Holly on January 2, 2013

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.

Paleo Minestrone 1

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?

5.0 from 1 reviews

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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
  • ½ 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
  1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (I used a 7.5 Qt Dutch Oven) over medium heat
  2. Add onions, celery, carrots and saute until translucent and vegetables start to soften (about 10 minutes)
  3. Add zucchini and saute for 3-5 more minutes and then push veggies to one side of your pot
  4. Turn heat up to medium high and ground beef in and proceed to crumble and brown
  5. As beef begins to brown, stir in with all the vegetables
  6. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes
  7. Stir in tomato paste and let it melt into other ingredients
  8. Add diced Italian Tomatoes and beef broth and bring to a boil
  9. Once boiling, lower heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered
  10. Add cabbage and kale and simmer for 10 minutes, covered
  11. Serve and Enjoy!

 
Paleo Minestrone 2

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Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash

By Holly on November 5, 2012

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!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Pork Shoulder Ragu Over Spaghetti Squash
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

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
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Add Olive Oil and Butter to large dutch oven and heat over medium high until butter is melted but not burning
  3. Liberally salt, pepper and garlic powder your pork shoulder.
  4. 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)
  5. Add wine to deglaze
  6. Add tomatoes, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds and hot sauce and bring to a boil
  7. Cover and put in the oven
  8. Braise for 3 hours, flipping roast over every hour
  9. About 30 minutes before your roast is done, prep your spaghetti squash
  10. Poke 8-10 holes around your raw spaghetti squash
  11. Put directly into the microwave (I put mine on a paper towel) and nuke for 8 minutes
  12. Flip Squash over and nuke for another 8-10 minutes depending on how large it is (big boys take longer!)
  13. When it’s done, remove from microwave (with pot holders it will be HOT!) and let cool for a few minutes
  14. When it’s cooler, slice down the squash long ways and remove all seeds
  15. Then run your fork down your squash and pull out your “noodles” into a separate bowl
  16. Toss squash noodles with a touch of butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder
  17. 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.

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Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs + Paleo BBQ Sauce

By Holly on September 17, 2012

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. 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?

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs + Paleo BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Makes 2 cups of BBQ Sauce and 2-3 lbs of ribs.
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Tomato Sauce
  • ⅔ Cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 4 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
  • 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Hot Pepper Sauce (I like Trader Joe’s Chili Pepper Sauce)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Ghee or GrassFed Butter
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne (use more for extra SPICE!)
  • 1 yellow onion, medium dice
  • 2-3 lbs Pork Baby Back Ribs
  • Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste

Instructions
  1. Mix tomato sauce, apple sauce vinegar, aminos, mustard, hot pepper sauce and black pepper until they are combined
  2. In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat and add garlic, chili powder, paprika and cayenne, stirring until fragrant
  3. Stir in your tomato sauce mixture and bring to a boil
  4. Simmer gently uncovered for 25-30 minutes
  5. Cool to room temperature in mason jar or other refrigerator safe container
  6. Meanwhile prep your crockpot by dicing one yellow onion and spreading it on the bottom of your slow cooker
  7. Liberally season your racks of ribs with salt, pepper and garlic powder
  8. Cut your racks to fit into slow cooker then stack a rack of ribs, coat with BBQ sauce and repeat until it’s full.
  9. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is falling off the bones
  10. 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.

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