Pork Carnitas

Have I mentioned that I LOVE this pressure cooker! It really is awesome for fast healthy meals! This pork was so tender, juicy and yummy for tacos, nachos, burritos or a salad!

4-5 lb pork butt/shoulder 

1 onion in chunks 

4 fresh garlic cloves smashed (not cut up)

1 cup orange juice

Juice of 2 limes

2 tsp chili pepper

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp olive oil 

Himalayan salt and pepper

1/4 cup water

1. Cut pork into large approx 2 inch chunks. 

2. Heat pressure cooker and add oil. Brown meat with onion and garlic. 

3. Add spices, juice and water to cooker. If you have a bone, add that too. Seal cooker and set to meat setting for 35 minutes. 

4. Follow instructions for your cooker. When done allow steam to exit and remove bone. The broth is also great to drizzle meat with when serving! 

Enjoy!

Date Balls

These little gems are perfection. So much in fact I may not eat a Lara bar again! Plus, they are Whole 30 approved!

1 cup dates

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 tbsp coconut butter

Cacao nibs and unsweetened coconut to roll or top with. 

1. In food processor, pulse nuts till finely ground. 

2. Add dates and pulse till you have a well ground consistency. 

3. Add chia seeds and butter and born till well mixed. 

4. You can roll into individual balls or spread into a 8 x 10 dish. Roll or top bars with cacao nibs and coconut. 

Store in fridge! (I like to double recipe)

Enjoy!

Whole 30 Buffalo Chicken and Whole 30 Ranch

It felt like a splurge but really wasn't! Buffalo chicken just goes with ranch. And  this one didn't disappoint!

Chicken

4 free range chicken breasts

3 fresh garlic cloves minced

1/2 onion sliced

1 cup Frank's red hot sauce

Throw is all in an electric pressure cooker  set on meat for 35 minutes. 

Shred when done. 

Can it be an easier?!?!?

Ranch

1 cup LIGHT olive oil

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 room temperature egg

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

Throw it all in a Vitamix blender (or equivalent hand mixer or blender) and mix for approx 2-3 minutes on medium setting till thickens. Chill before serving!

Enjoy!

Whole 30 Beef Stew

My electric pressure cooker has been quite perfect lately for fast delicious meals! 

This beef stew was made in the pressure cooker but could easily be made on the stove or in the oven. 

2 lbs stew beef cut into large pieces seasoning with salt and pepper

1 onion cut into large pieces

3 fresh garlic cloves minced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 carrots cut into large pieces

3 pieces of celery cut into large pieces

1-2 potatoes (depending on size) cut into large chunks 

1 cup of mushrooms cut in half

1 cup whole Brussels sprouts with ends cut off

2 cups water

2 bay leaves

1/2 tbsp dried rosemary or 2 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 tsp dried thyme or a small handful of fresh thyme

Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

Arrowroot for thickening

1. Heat pressure cooker to meat setting and add olive oil and garlic. When heated add meat, onions and vinegar and cook till meat is browned. 

2. Add all other ingredients to pressure cooker, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle top with about 1 tbsp of arrowroot (if you like a thicker stew). 

3. Turn setting to meat and set for 35 minutes. 

4. When done follow instruction to open cooker and stir. Serve immediately! 

Enjoy!

Whole 30 Tortilla Soup

3 free range chicken breasts

3 fresh garlic cloves minced

1 onion chopped

2 tbsp coconut oil 

1 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 sweet pepper chopped

1 jar of can of diced tomatoes 

1 can green chiles

4 cups bone broth or free range chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp cumin

Juice of 1 lime

Himalayan salt

Cilantro and avocado for serving

1. Boil chicken breasts in water till cooked through. Allow to sit in water till cooled. Remove and shred. 

2. Heat oil in soup pan. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery and sweet pepper. Cook till tender. 

3. Add tomatoes and chiles to vegetable mixture. 

4. Stir in cumin and add broth. 

5. Season accordingly with Himalayan salt. Bring to a simmer. 

6. Add chicken to mixture. Cover and simmer on low for approx 30-45 minutes. 

7. Add lime juice before serving. 

8. Top with fresh cilantro and sliced avocado. 

Enjoy!

Whole 30 Orange and Broccoli Chicken With Cauliflower Rice

My new fav and new staple. 

Rice

1 head of cauliflower

3/4 cup bone broth or broth of choice

1 tbsp coconut oil

Himalayan salt to taste

1. In food processor or Vitamix, pulse chopped cauliflower till a rice consistency is made. 

2. Add rice mixture to broth and coconut oil and bring to a bubbly boil. Cover and allow to cook about 15 minutes. Stirring frequently. Season with salt. 

Chicken and Broccoli 

4 boneless skinless free range chicken breasts cut into chunks

1 head of fresh broccoli cut into bites

2 tbsp coconut oil

3 cloves of fresh garlic minced

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tbsp fresh ginger 

3 tbsp coconut aminos

1 1/2 tsp fish sauce

1-2 tsp sriracha (depending on desired spice)

1 tbsp arrowroot 

Sesame seeds for serving

1. In a large pan heat oil and garlic. When heated add salted chicken and cook till slightly brown. 

2. Mix orange juice with ginger, fish sauce, aminos and sriracha. Slowly add to hot pan with chicken. Sprinkle all with arrowroot powder. Mix well and bring to a slow simmer. Cook about 5 minutes. 

3. Add broccoli to chicken and cook additional 5 minutes. Sauce should be slightly reduced and much thicker.

4. Serve on top of cauliflower rice with sauce drizzled on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Enjoy! 

Whole 30 Crab Cakes

Dear night. These are GOOD. 

1 cup fresh crab meat

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tbsp coconut flour

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp Old Bay seasoning 

1 egg

2 tbsp coconut oil 

1. Mix all together and form 3-4 inch diameter patties with mix. 

2. Heat oil in pan. The ticket to get a yummy crisp shell on the cake is HOT oil. 

3. Drop cakes into hot oil and cook approx 3 minutes or till slightly brown. Flip and cook other side. 

4. Serve with avocado and fresh lemon for Whole 30. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Sausage Italian Soup

Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Good. 

1 lb ground organic Italian chicken sausage

3 fresh garlic cloves minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 zucchini diced

1 jar or can of diced tomatoes (no added salt)

4 cups bone broth or broth or chicken broth

3 tbsp fresh basil

1 tsp dried oregano

4 cups of fresh spinach or chopped fresh kale

Himalayan salt to taste 

Ricotta cheese for serving with desired

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add chicken and brown slightly. Add garlic, carrots, onions, celery and zucchini. Cook all till sausage is completely brown and vegetables are tender. 

2. Add can of tomatoes, oregano and broth to meat and vegetables. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes covered. 

3. Add greens and fresh basil. Stir well and cook additional 5 minutes. Season with Himalayan salt and serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese if desired. 

Enjoy!

Meatball Soup

This cold snap has made it perfect soup, fire, blanket, tea weather. In no particular order.

The meatballs in this soup give it heartiness but it's truly like a skinny soup. The cabbage is a great healthy addition. Top with a little fresh asiago cheese and plop down in front of the fire.

Meatball Soup...

1 onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
1/2 cup carrots chopped
3 fresh garlic cloves
20-25 fresh uncooked meatballs of choice (golf ball size)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 cups fresh broth of choice (veggie, beef or chicken depending on meat of meatballs)
2 cups water
115 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp parsley
2 cups chopped cabbage
Himalayan salt to taste

1. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in sauté pan and add meatballs. Cook till done.
2. Remove meatballs from pan. Leaving drippings. Add additional 1 tbsp olive oil. Pit whole garlic cloves in pan and brown slightly. Smash cloves and add onions, carrots and celery. Sauté till tender.
3. Add stock, water, tomatoes, vegetables and seasonings to soup pot. Simmer about 30 minutes or till veggies are tender.
4. Add cabbage and meatballs to pot and simmer additional 30 minutes.

Top with cheese and enjoy! 

30 Minute Cabbage Soup

This soup took about 30 minutes to make! And who doesn't love a warm bowl of soup in front of a fire? When the cabbage cooked into the broth, it made a delicious sweet flavor. The Herbs de Provence are one of my favorite spice blends lately. It's a perfect blend for many things especially on roasted vegetables. I picked my jar up at TjMaxx. They have an awesome organic food section with even better prices!

1 lb of ground beef or chicken

1 onion chopped

3 cloves of fresh garlic minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped sweet pepper

4 cups of bone broth or broth of choice

2 jars or cans of diced tomatoes in juice

1 tbsp herbs de Provence 

1 head of cabbage chopped

Himalayan salt to taste 

1. Heat oil in sauté pan. Add garlic and onion then beef and cook till almost done. Add carrots, celery and peppers and cook till veggies are tender.  

2. Fill pot with broth, meat and vegetable mix, herbs, tomatoes in juice and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer. 

3. Top with chopped cabbage (will looks very full but cabbage will cook down and produce more broth) cover and simmer for approx. 20-30 minutes. 

4. If feeling spicey add a little homemade sriracha to soup!  

Enjoy!