ground beef & sweet potato hash.

i promise i all my future recipes won't be sweet potatoes.

and this isn't fancy. but it's quick, easy, and healthy. and honestly, it was another win with these sweet potato skeptics and i don't want to forget how i made it. :)

ground beef & sweet potato hash
serves 4
adapted from here.

ingredients
1 pound ground beef
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (in small bite-sized pieces)
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced (i use the frozen trays from trader joe's)
two big handfuls of fresh spinach and arugula (or any leafy green such as kale, chard, etc.)
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tbsp butter, divided (either vegan, grassfed or ghee are fine)

directions
heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. add ground beef, one clove of garlic, and salt and pepper and cook until meat is browned. transfer to a bowl and set aside.

in the same skillet, melt 1 tbsp. of the butter and add onions and another clove of garlic. sauté until onions are mostly transparent. transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

and again, in the same skillet, melt remaining butter and add the sweet potatoes, tossing to coat. cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes become soft (about 10 minutes). remove cover, add ground beef and onions and mix. then add the greens and the remaining clove of garlic. stir, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, until the greens are wilted and the garlic is cooked.

serve and enjoy!

love.

savory skillet sweet potatoes.

when you go paleo or primal and cut wheat and a bunch of grain out of your diet, the sweet potato become your best friend.

well, at least it's supposed to.

truth is, around here there aren't very many sweet potato fans. the boys will barely touch them and will quickly opt for whatever else they can get away with. i like them, but generally with lots of butter and sugar so that's pretty much out, too.

and then we found the best and quickest way ever to make them. (which really just means everyone loves them (!), and that's really exciting.)

savory skillet sweet potatoes
serves 4
ingredients
2-3 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp grassfed butter or ghee (you might need to add a bit more as they cook to keep them from sticking to the pan)
salt and pepper

directions
heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. add sweet potatoes and stir to coat with butter. turn burner down slightly, cover and stir occasionally until soft (usually about 10 minutes).

enjoy!

meals: vol. 20

menu for 3/17-3/23
monday: garlic chicken sausages, french fries, steamed broccoli
tuesday: italian wedding soup (paleo)
wednesday: turkey & fried egg burgers, roasted brussels sprouts, green beans
thursday: slow cooker korean beef bowls (with zucchini, carrots, spinach, rice noodles)
friday: loaded sweet potatoes, leftovers
saturday: tilapia & veggie oven pouches
sunday: lazy chicken marsala, garlic green beans

breakfasts: smoothies, breakfast sausage & bacon, larabars, wheat-free waffles, sun butter and bananas

lunches: leftovers, asian avocado tuna salad, salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots, bacon, snacks

snacks: paleo muffins or sweet bread, beef jerky, dried fruit, nuts, cheese sticks & yogurt (c), larabars

lazy chicken marsala.

this has become a serious staple in our home. like a once a week staple, at least. everyone loves it and, no matter how much extra i try to make, there's pretty much never any leftovers (much to my disappointment).

and it's so easy. and so quick. obviously, i'm a fan.

oh, and the lazy part of this recipe is that i fillet the chicken quickly and thinly, and don't mess around with trying to pound it down. easy peasy.

lazy chicken marsala
serves four
adapted from here.

ingredients
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
3 tbsp grass-fed butter (or ghee)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup marsala wine
1/4 cup sherry
8-10 oz mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
generous salt and pepper

directions
in a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium high heat. fillet chicken breasts through the middle lengthwise into thin, wide strips. season generously with salt and pepper and sauté in skillet until golden brown, the flip and repeat.

dump mushrooms in, followed by the marsala and sherry. cover and cook on medium-low for 5-10 minutes.

serve (if you're not opposed to it, it would be kind of amazing on a bed of mashed potatoes) and enjoy!

love.

meals: vol. 19

i'm back! this is the first week since i got sick that i've even come close to getting a menu down. it feels good to be on the mend.

menu for 2/17-2/23
monday: white wine & herb turkey breast (slow cooker), roasted veggies, coconut flour biscuits
tuesday: sushi date with my main main (yay!)
wednesday: turkey italian sausages with asparagus, paleo garlic bread
thursday: korean beef bowls (with zucchini, carrots, spinach, rice noodles)
friday: leftovers
saturday: out for the evening
sunday: fish something

breakfasts: breakfast sausage, larabars, wheat-free waffles, bacon, sun butter and bananas, smoothies

lunches: leftovers, salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots, bacon, snacks

snacks: paleo muffins or sweet bread of some sort, beef jerky, dried fruit, fruit, nuts, cheese sticks & yogurt (c), larabars, spiced candied walnuts

what are you making this week?

love.

meals: vol. 18

i hope everyone had a merry, happy christmas! these last few weeks have been full and a little crazy, so my menus have been a little more of a winging it and a little less planned. but i am looking forward to this fresh new year!

menu for 12/30-1/5
monday: steak taco salads, guacamole
tuesday: bacon burgers with rosemary-garlic mushrooms, sweet potato fries, asparagus
wednesday: happy new year!
thursday: leftovers
friday: anniversary dinner (yay!) 
saturday: eggs and sautéed spinach, turkey sausage and cashew flour pancakes
sunday: soup?

breakfasts: larabars, wheat-free waffles (for coen), bacon, sun butter and bananas, smoothies

lunches: leftovers, salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots, bacon, snacks

snacks: beef jerky, dried fruit, seaweed, fruit, nuts, cheese sticks & yogurt (c), larabars, spiced candied walnuts, grain-free honey graham crackers

happy new year!

love.

meals: vol. 17

i think i'm starting to get the hang of this. it's definitely challenged how i think about meals and has me starting to get a bit more basic in their makeup. i've typically been more of a "one pot meal" fan, but switching to more of a separate meat and vegetable has been helpful.

have any meal ideas to share? i'd love to hear!

menu for 12/9-12/15
monday: leftovers
tuesday: salmon, asparagus (because i haven't actually made it yet, three weeks later. haha)
wednesday: beef & shrimp stir-fry 
thursday: slow cooker chicken breasts, sautéed veggies
friday: spaghetti squash carbonara, asparagus
saturday: steaks, mashed sweet potatoes, garlic green beans
sunday: slow cooker chicken soup (with leftover chicken).

breakfasts: almond flour muffins, hardboiled eggs, larabars, wheat-free waffles (for coen), fruit, sun butter and bananas, smoothies

lunches: leftovers, salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots and cucumbers with paleo ranch, snacks

snacks: beef jerky, smoked salmon, dried fruit, seaweed, dried pea snacks (c), fruit, nuts, cheese sticks (c), larabars, hardboiled eggs, spiced candied walnuts

love.

meals: vol. 16

aaand i'm late with my menu. again.

i'll claim post-thanksgiving sluggishness (maybe partly due to that grain-free pie you see up there). okay? thanks.

menu for 12/2-12/8
monday: leftover roast chicken soup with roasted vegetables (i used leftover turkey instead)
tuesday: bacon-wrapped steaks (orr just steaks and bacon. let's be real) and mixed veggies
wednesday: italian turkey sausages and roasted carrots, turnips and mushrooms
thursday: steak, loaded sweet potatoes, green beans
friday: salmon, leftover baked sweet potatoes, asparagus 
saturday: eggs and sautéed spinach, bacon and cashew flour pancakes
sunday: crock pot something.

breakfasts: almond flour pumpkin muffins, hardboiled eggs, larabars, wheat-free waffles (for coen), fruit, sun butter and bananas, smoothies

lunches: leftovers, salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots and cucumbers with goddess dressing, snacks

snacks: beef jerky, dried fruit, seaweed, dried pea snacks (c), fruit, nuts, cheese sticks (c), larabars, hardboiled eggs, spiced candied walnuts

happy planning!

love.

meals: vol. 15

my first homemade dressing--recipe below!

it's that time again!

today is officially one week since we went paleo. and honestly, while it's hard in some regards, i'm really enjoying it.

my almond and coconut flours are coming in this week, and i'm excited to get to try out some muffins and quick breads. last night i made drop biscuits with what i had on hand (a few different nut meals and a little this and that) and they weren't terrible! :)

have any good recipes you'd like to share? i'd love to hear them!

menu for 11/25-12/1
monday: sausage spaghetti squash "pasta"bake (with spinach & arugula instead of kale, i think)
tuesday: leftovers
wednesday: slow cooker chuck roast with mushrooms, carrots and turnips (and thanksgiving prep)
thursday: tons of yummy paleo things (happy thanksgiving!)
friday: salmon, sweet potatoes, asparagus 
saturday: scrambled eggs with veggies, bacon, cashew flour waffles
sunday: thanksgiving in a pot soup (with all the leftovers)

breakfasts: egg & bacon muffin cups, larabars, wheat-free waffles (for coen), fruit, sun butter and bananas, smoothies
lunches: salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots and cucumbers with goddess dressing, hot dogs, leftovers, snacks
snacks: beef jerky, dried fruit, seaweed, dried pea snacks (c), fruit, nuts, cheese sticks (c), larabars

and here's the salad dressing recipe:

maple mustard salad dressing (paleo)
serves one
ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. maple syrup
a dash of pepper

directions
mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, and pour over salad. easy peasy!

happy planning, and a very happy thanksgiving!

love.

meals: vol. 14 (a new start).

today marks the first day of our new life (when it comes to eating).

we are going paleo. 

it's something that we've been discussing for awhile now, and something i've been hoping to try for over a year. not for my own health (though i know i'm going to benefit from being more purposeful in eating whole, healthy foods), but for nick's.

the paleo diet has had much success in the auto-immune disease circles, specifically those that have gut health issues. and so, here we are. giving it all that we've got and will be for the next year or so (unless we see much improvement, and then it will be indefinite). personally, the story of danielle walker from against all grain, has left us particularly inspired. reading her story with illness was like reading our own journey with nick's.

so, what does this mean for this blog?
well, it means that you will probably see a good bit more about food. 

i will try my best to not be obnoxious about it, and this is definitely not going to become a food blog. but there will be more on the topic, because this blog is about real life, every season of it. and this season is going to be a little bit more about what we eat.

also, i want to share all that i'm learning about how to implement this diet into our everyday lives. the practical, the planning, the outcome. the successes and the failures. also, even if paleo isn't your thing, i hope you'll stick around. i'm hoping to integrate this new lifestyle into our existing one, including working to create food (with the help of many that have gone before me) that would be exiting for anyone to eat, regardless of diet restrictions.

so, let's do this.

menu for 11/18-11/24
monday: out for dinner
tuesday: pan fried chicken breasts, loaded sweet potatoes, salad
wednesday: slow cooker beef stir fry
thursday: salmon, sweet potatoes, asparagus
friday: chicken sausages and veggie sauté 
saturday: breakfast for dinner (paleo pancakes)
sunday: soup or stew?

breakfasts: egg muffins, larabars, wheat-free waffles (for coen), fruit, sun butter and bananas, smoothies
lunches: salads, lunchmeat roll ups, carrots and cucumbers (hopefully i'll get to make a paleo ranch!), hot dogs, leftovers, snacks
snacks: beef jerky, dried fruit, seaweed, dried pea snacks, fruit, cashews and almonds, cheese sticks (coen)

cranberry turkey, butternut squash & caramelized onion soup (orthanksgiving in a pot, for short).

this recipe is a big deal to me, friends. 

the thing about me is, I love to cook, but I've never been one of those people that just find inspiration to create a whole new something out of a bunch of random something's in their kitchen. I will look at a bunch of recipes and combine and tweak until it's mine, but that's usually the extent of it.

but this one was one of those inspired moments. I'm really excited to share it. 

remember this cranberry orange turkey? well, this is a recipe that is for what to do with the leftovers. and we all need more ideas for our leftover turkey, right? and this one pretty much tastes likethanksgiving in a pot. I mean that in a good way.

note: I used homemade stock (from the bone-in turkey breast I use for this recipe). see how I do that at the bottom of this post.

cranberry turkey, butternut squash & caramelized onion soup 

serves six // prep time: 30 minutes, cook time: 30 minutes

ingredients

2 cups leftover cooked cranberry turkey, chopped up

2 cups homemade stock (see directions below)

3 cups water

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil, coconut oil, or butter

2 cups butternut squash, diced (I use a bag of frozen)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

three large handfuls of fresh spinach

directions

in a large stock pot, heat oil or butter on medium heat and add onions. stir occasionally until the start to caramelize (about 10-15 minutes). add chopped turkey to the mix and stir around to brown just a bit. then, add stock and deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping up the good bits. add water, spices, and butternut squash, bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

add fresh spinach the last few minutes, stir, and simmer until wilted. 

serve and season with salt and pepper.

homemade cranberry turkey stock

prep time: 5 minutes, cook time: 12-24 hours

directions

return bones, skin, and any unwanted meat and juices to the crockpot that you cooked the turkey in. add 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 4-5 cups of water. cover and cook on low overnight (all the way up to 24+ hours). ladle and strain broth into a storage container. you can keep it in the fridge for a week, or freeze it for a few months. also, this is such a rich stock, it's pretty concentrated (and so good).

happy (early) thanksgiving.

love.

meals for the week: vol. 3

i don't have a recipe for you this week, but i figured i should extend an open invitation--feel free to leave a comment to request recipes for anything on the menu that you might like to try. 

sound good? good. 

meals :: 7/29-8/4

monday: korean beef bowls

tuesday: slow cooker whole chicken, asparagus, fries 

wednesday: fish taco bowls

thursday: chicken stew with kale and beans

friday: shepherd's pie

saturday: farmhouse beef & bacon stew

sunday: leftovers

breakfasts: very berry crisp, egg muffins, yogurt and granola, fruit

lunches: chicken salad, hummus, veggies & homemade ranch, tuna salads, chicken nuggets (for c)

snacks: seaweed, veggies & homemade ranch, cheese sticks, cinnamon almonds, fruit, popcorn

hope you have a great week!

love.

meals for the week: vol. 2

look at this, two weeks in a row--i'm on a a roll.

but seriously, even though i wasn't able to fully stick to the menu last week, it was super helpful at saving me time, brain power, and from being overwhelmed. so, i'm pretty excited.

i made these no-bake energy balls to eat for snacks (thank you, lindsey for the recommendation). i may have eaten them for breakfast a few days, too.
they were so good.

no-bake energy balls

yields about 20; adapted from here.

ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup nut butter (peanut or almond)

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup honey

1 tbsp chia seeds

directions

in a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until wet. set in refrigerator until chilled (at least a half an hour). once chilled, scoop out and shape mix into a ball. i make them so they take about two bites to eat. store in either refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

you're welcome.

____

meals :: 7/22-7/28

monday: summer vegetable chicken salads

tuesday: slow cooker pot roast stew

wednesday: slow cooker whole chicken, peas, fries 

thursday: shepherd's pie

friday: leftovers

saturday: sweet potato curry & rice

sunday: leftovers, maybe?

breakfasts: berry crisp, egg muffins with turkey sausage, yogurt, fruit

lunches: leftovers, tuna salad, salads, veggies and homemade ranch (didn't get to this last week)

snacks: popcorn, yogurt, fruit, almonds, seaweed, energy balls