Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala

Yall. This dish is flat out amazing. If you like Indian food, this meal is restaurant quality. Plus it's a crockpot meal! Can't beat that. I made this for my Life group international-themed dinner. I could not find Garam masala spice at my regular grocery stores. But I found it at World Internetional Mart on Fort Campbell blvd. Sweetest owners. They asked me to post a picture of the meal on their facebook page so they could see what I made! 

From: Meals Made Simple cookbook by Danielle Walker 

1/2 cup raw cashews 

2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch cubes 

2 cups tomato purée (or sauce) 

1/2 onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2.5 T garam masala 

2 tsp sea salt 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1/2 tsp paprika 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro for garnish 

1. Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside. 

2. Add chicken and every other ingredient except cilantro to your crock pot. Toss to coat chicken well. 

3. Cook on low for 6 hours in a crock pot. 

4. When the chicken is almost done, drain cashews. Mix cashews in a food processor with 1/4 c fresh water. Add 3-4 ladles of liquid from crockpot and blend until a creamy consistency forms. 

5. Spoon the cashew cream into the crockpot just before serving. Stir well to combine. Garnish with cilantro. 

6. Serve with a side of sautéed spinach or vinegar cucumbers! 

Make ahead tip: 

Complete step 2 and store in the frig up to 2 days before cooking. OR freeze up to three months then thaw overnight in the frig before cooking. 

White Chicken Chili

Because cold weather. And comfort food.

Coped from: Design Wine Dine

Ingredients

 

Chili:
1 1/2  lbs uncooked chicken breast (can be frozen) cut into 1-2″ chunks
2 – 15 oz cans of white beans (drained)
1 – 15 oz can of white corn (drained)
1 onion chopped (sweet/Vidalia)

 1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 package taco seasoning (McCormick's makes a white chicken chili packet!)
1 – 7 oz can of chopped green chilies
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 – 14 oz can of chicken broth

Toppings:
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
2 tbls lime juice
Finely chopped cilantro
Fresh shredded cheese (I used Colby-Jack)
Corn tortilla chips (the authentic yellow kind)

*This is written as a cock pot recipe, however I didn't have time to cook this all day. So I chopped the chicken into bite-sized pieces, cooked them on medium high in some olive oil. Then added all the other ingredients, simmering for a couple hours. Perfecto.

 Directions

Place cut up chicken in the bottom of the Crock Pot.  Add beans, corn and onion.  Mix the next five ingredients and pour over the top.  Cover and cook on low in the Crock Pot for 8-10 hours.  (I was running low on time so I cooked mine on low for about 4 1/2 hours and then raised it to high for the last two hours).

Before serving use a potato masher to break up the chicken.  (Make sure you do this very quickly with pressure and alternating directions… the consistency should change from brothy with chunks of meat and beans to a very thick and even consistency.  If it is still brothy, keep mashing).

Add shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a splash of lime juice, cilantro and chips before serving.  YUM!

* Yield: 6-8

Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Roast and Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette

 

Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Roast

Copied from: Skinny Taste 

Servings: 8 • Size: 3 oz pork • Old Points: 5 • Weight Watcher Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 214 • Fat: 12 g • Carb: 4 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 21 g • Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 196 mg  • Cholest: 72 mg


Ingredients:

• 2 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (sirloin roast)
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Season the pork with salt, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and place it into the slow cooker. Mix together the broth and vinegar and pour it over the pork, then pour the honey over and set the timer for 4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.
 Once the pork is cooked and tender (it should shred easily with a fork), remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and put back into the slow cooker and ladle 1/2 cup sauce over the pork and keep warm until ready to eat.



Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette
 Copied from: Skinny Taste

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4 • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pt
Calories: 56.9 • Fat: 3.6 g • Protein: 2.6 g • Carb: 5.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Sugar: 0.3 g
Sodium: 92.7 (without salt)


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed off

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar and 1 tbsp oil. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Steam or boil asparagus for 2-3 minutes until cooked and tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Transfer asparagus to a serving dish and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Can be served warm or chilled.

Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes and Turnip Greens

 

Talk about a Southern meal. I used Aidell's andouille sausage for this meal.

Have you tried making sweet potatoes in the crock pot yet?? So simple!

Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes 

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed under cold water. Without drying the sweet potatoes, place them in a crock pot (no hole-poking necessary). Add 1-2 T. of water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours for medium sized sweet potatoes. You can check to see if they are done by poking a fork into the potato! I used small sweet potatoes, so they were done in 5.5 hours.

Turnip Greens

Use 2-3 bunches of turnip greens. Wash and peel leaves away from stem by hand. Rinse well again. Stack 5-7 leaves on top of each other and roll up like a burrito. Cut in 1-2 inch slices. Place 1-2 T. of olive oil in a large pot or Wok skillet. Sautee the greens for several minutes then add about 1/4 cup of water. Place lid on pot and cook on med-high heat until soft. This takes some time! Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Even without the extra butter, oil, or bacon fat, these greens were hearty tasting and delicious. (You may also add onion slices to the pot, which I did!)

Paleo Stuffing

I made this for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit!

Paleo Thanksgiving Stuffing

Copied From: Paleomg

 

Ingredients

• 1lb ground pork sausage
• 5 pieces of bacon, diced
• 5 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 yellow sweet potato
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 container of mushrooms, diced
• 2 apples, diced
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ⅓ cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil, throw diced sweet potatoes/yams on it, sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, then set aside.
2. While those cook, pull out a large skillet, place it under medium-high heat and place chopped bacon in it to begin to cook down. When some of the fat has seeped out and bacon has begun to cook, add your chopped apples, celery, and onions.
3. When onions begin to become translucent, add ground pork and mushrooms and your white wine vinegar. Let that cook down until pork is almost completely cooked through. You will be placing it in the oven so you want it pretty close to done. (If you’re not sure how long that will be, use your eyes. Pink meat is not what we want here people.) Add salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Once the sausage is all done, add mixture to a bowl to cool. Now beat your eggs, add to your sausage mixture, and add your chicken broth, along with your sweet potatoes, pecans, and dried cranberries. Mix well.
5. You can now either use a 9×13 baking dish to place your stuffing in OR place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Either way will work.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until everything is a bit browned.

 ***

Here's a very similar version, in the crockpot! Perfect for when there is no more oven space during your holiday cooking. :) I made a batch of this last week and froze it in individual glass containers.

Click here -------> Rubies and Radishes 

Ingredients
3 Italian sausages, removed from casing (I use 2 hot Italian and 1 mild)
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee, melted
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 yams, peeled and chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
½ cup pecans, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup beef broth
3 sage leaves, chopped for garnish
Salt and pepper just before serving

1. Brown sausage in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add the rest of dry ingredients to the slow cooker, pour the melted butter over it and mix with a wooden spoon. Generously salt and pepper.
3. Add the broth and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve

- See more at: http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/2014/11/18/my-entry-1/#sthash.hmdLONlf.dpuf

Paleo Slow Cooker Stuffing

Ingredients
3 Italian sausages, removed from casing (I use 2 hot Italian and 1 mild)
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee, melted
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 yams, peeled and chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
½ cup pecans, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup beef broth
3 sage leaves, chopped for garnish
Salt and pepper just before serving

1. Brown sausage in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add the rest of dry ingredients to the slow cooker, pour the melted butter over it and mix with a wooden spoon. Generously salt and pepper.
3. Add the broth and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

- See more at: http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/2014/11/18/my-entry-1/#sthash.hmdLONlf.dpuf

Paleo Slow Cooker Stuffing

Ingredients
3 Italian sausages, removed from casing (I use 2 hot Italian and 1 mild)
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or ghee, melted
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
2 yams, peeled and chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, minced
½ cup pecans, chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup beef broth
3 sage leaves, chopped for garnish
Salt and pepper just before serving

1. Brown sausage in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Add the rest of dry ingredients to the slow cooker, pour the melted butter over it and mix with a wooden spoon. Generously salt and pepper.
3. Add the broth and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

- See more at: http://www.rubiesandradishes.com/2014/11/18/my-entry-1/#sthash.hmdLONlf.dpuf

(Crockpot) Pork and Pumpkin Chili

My friend Louise shared this recipe with me, and it's a winner for sure. Who doesn't love a slow cooker dish that can stay cooking for all 10 hours you're gone during the day??

Recipe copied from: Primally Inspired

Crockpot Paleo Pork and Pumpkin Chili
 10-12 or more servings

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork roast
2 onions, diced
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
7 oz can diced green chilies 
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (you can find these in the International aisle of your supermarket, usually next to the cans of diced green chilies)***
1 heaping tablespoon adobo sauce***
4 cloves garlic, minced
 ¼ cup cilantro (I omitted this) 
2 cups chicken stock or bone broth
salt and pepper
¼ cup chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 cups roasted pumpkin or squash or you can use 1 can of pumpkin
1 bunch kale or mustard greens, roughly chopped
Optional Toppings: avocado, additional cilantro, a sprinkling of chipotle chili powder, sour cream and cheese, if you eat dairy

 DIRECTIONS:
 Place your pork in the crockpot and season with salt and pepper. Add the onions, fire roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, green chilies, garlic and spices. Add your chicken stock and then toss in your cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours. An hour before it’s done, take out the pork and shred it with 2 forks. Put the pork back into the crockpot. Now pour your roasted pumpkin/squash in the crockpot and give it a good stir. Add the kale or mustard greens and give it a final stir. Cook for an hour.
Serve with avocado, extra cilantro, a sprinkle of chipotle chili powder and sour cream and cheese, if you wish. Enjoy!
 *The spiciness of this recipe is perfect to me – it’s not too spicy, but it does give a smoky and slightly spicy heat. If you like a spicier chili, add in another chipotle pepper or add in some additional chipotle chili powder.

***I could not find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that didn't have added high fructose corn syrup. SO I found some adobo powder in the same section. I used a couple teaspoons of that instead! 

Crockpot Beef Curry

This was a major winner! 

5-6 lb chuck roast or stew meat 

2 cans coconut milk 

6 Tablespoons red curry paste (I used Thai kitchen brand) 

1 tsp curry powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

Parsley for garnish 

1. Cut pork into large pieces and place in crockpot 

2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over. 

3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. 

4. Shred with a fork. 

5. Serve with cauliflower mash! 

* for cauli mash, steam cauliflower florets until they pierce easily with a fork. Drain and blend in a food processor with garlic, butter, salt, pepper, and anything else you want! 

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Pot Roast

Ya'll. This meal.

Probably one of my favorite paleo meals yet. It was AMAZING.

I served this roast with cauliflower mash (see the bottom of this post for a cauliflower mash recipe) and roasted root veggies (carrots, parsnips, and radishes... tossed with a little olive oil and baked at 425* for 1 hour.) Also, I whisked some arrowroot flour into the gravy to make it thicker! Amazing. I love gravy. 



Maple-Dijon Pot Roast
This recipe is copied from: The Kitchn 

Serves 4-6
 
2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef chuck roast (See Recipe Notes)
4 to 5 slices bacon, diced (or neutral cooking oil)
3 large onions, peeled and sliced into half moons
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh thyme, for garnish


Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Set a large Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the bacon and cook until some fat starts rendering and it begins to turn golden. Push the bacon to the sides and add the beef. Sear both sides until golden brown, about 10 minutes per side, and transfer all the meat to the bowl of the slow cooker.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Pour in a few tablespoons of chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the onions and pan juices into the bowl of the slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining chicken stock, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, paprika, salt, and pepper until combined. Pour the liquid mixture over the roast. Close the lid and cook on LOW heat until the meat falls apart and is meltingly tender, about 8 hours.


Transfer the roast to serving bowl or platter and cover with foil. Pour the cooking liquids into large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the gravy is reduced to desired thickness (THIS IS WHEN I ADDED THE ARROWROOT FLOUR). Cut the roast into chunks and pour hot gravy over the top.

Recipe Notes

• Beef chuck from the shoulder area is the ideal meat for a pot roast. Cuts of beef chuck can go by many names: 7-bone pot roast, blade roast, chuck-eye roast, boneless chuck roast, shoulder pot roast, mock tender, flat iron roast, and cross-rib roast. Choose whichever one has the size and shape to suit your needs. I tested with a 2 1/2 pound 'boneless chuck roast.'
• To make in a Dutch oven: Prepare the meat and vegetables for the pot roast as directed, then place all the ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover and simmer over very low heat (or in a 325°F oven) until the potroast is tender. Cooking time will be reduced, so begin checking the roast after about 2 hours.

Crock Pot Kalua Pork

A few days ago, I saw this image on Pinterest and thought it was too good to be true.

But, it was right on the money. It was really flavorful... I still can't believe it was just seasoned with salt!

 

I bought a 4 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed the fat, rubbed it good with sea salt, and cooked it on low in the crock pot for 16 hours. 

Voila!!

We served it topped with some BBQ sauce (we love the Organicville brand) for Sunday football.

SO simple and feeds lots of people!

Curried Carrot Bisque

My church friend, Meg, hooked me up with this recipe. And it. is. good. Sweet, thick, curry-ish, and bisque-y. You can almost taste it right? :)

 
Curried Carrot Bisque
Makes about 6 cups

8 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (I didn't peel)
1 onion, chopped
1 tart apple, peeled and chopped (Again, didn't peel)
1 tsp. curry poweder
1 garlic clove, crushed (used minced)
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk or cream (I used 1 can of coconut milk to make it paleo)
chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I topped mine with chopped cashews)

1. In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for milk/cream. Cover and cook on love for 9-10 hours.
2. Puree, then gradually stir in the milk or cream. Top and serve!
* I added coconut milk in at the very beginning, not the end. And the recipe still turned out just dandy!

Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls, AKA "Golumbki"

From: Stupid Easy Paleo 
Prep time: 30 min     Cook time: 5 hours (crockpot)     Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 1 large head of green cabbage
• 1 lb (500 g) grassfed ground beef
• 1 lb (500 g) lean ground pork
• 1/2 white onion, diced finely
• 1.5 cups of riced / grated cauliflower
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 8 oz can tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
• Coconut oil or fat of choice

Directions:
1. Rice / grate the cauliflower. I use the grating attachment on my food processor or you could grate by hand. Save  1.5 cups for this recipe and the rest for something else…it’s tasty fried up in this side dish.

2. Dice the onion finely.

3. In a large bowl, mix the beef, pork, salt, pepper and garlic powder.

4. Put a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. To prepare the cabbage for rolling, you’ll lightly boil it whole and peel the leaves off a few at a time. Cut the core out of the cabbage and place in the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. As the leaves soften, you can peel them off with a spoon. Take care not to rip them in half. The whole process usually takes about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can throw the whole cabbage in and let it simmer for about 15 minutes – the outermost leaves will become very soft but still usable. In either case, peel as many of the leaves off as you can and let cool a bit.

5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat put a spoonful of coconut oil or your fat of choice. Add the onion and grated cauliflower  and and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the cauliflower is softened. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

6. Combine the onion / cauliflower with the meat and mix by hand to incorporate all the ingredients.

7. Roll the "golumbki" by taking a cabbage leaf – concave side up with the stem toward you – and placing a large spoonful of the meat mixture at the stem end. Then roll forward, fold the sides in and end with the seam down.

8. Mix the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce (not pasta sauce) in a bowl. Put ~1 cup in the bottom of the crockpot (or casserole dish). Lay the golumbki in with the seam side down. Cover with the remaining tomato mixture once the crock is full.

9. For a crockpot, cook on low for 5 hours. If using the oven, cover the top of the dish with foil and bake for 1.5 hours at 350F (175C).

Paleo Crock Pot Orange Chicken

I found this recipe on Fit Paleo Mom.

We loved it!

I served it with cauliflower "rice" and baked zucchini.

To make the chicken:
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup coconut aminos
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange juice (I squeezed the juice from one orange)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sesame oil (I didn't have this. I used olive oil)
2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Garnish- sesame seeds

1. Place chicken breast in crock pot
2. In a small bowl mix coconut aminos, honey, orange juice, tomato paste, sesame oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper
3. Pour sauce over chicken and cook in crockpot on low for 4 hours.
4. Once finished cooking remove chicken from pot and cut into cubes
5. Remove sauce from pot and place in a saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer for 20 minutes until it has reduced by half and is thick and shiny.
6. Toss cubed chicken in thickened sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Serve over cauliflower rice.


To make the cauliflower rice:
1 head of cauliflower, chopped to the consistency of rice in a food processor 
1 onion, finely chopped
minced garlic
salt
olive oil
green onions (if you would like!)

1. Place the chopped onion and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute until the onions are translucent.
2. Add garlic, cauliflower, salt, and a little more olive oil.
3. Stir well then cover and cook for about 5-10 minutes until cauliflower is soft, but not mushy.

Sweet Potato Soup and Stuffed Chicken

Both of these recipes were copied from PaleOmg! I added a little crumbled bacon to the soup- perfect addition. We loved the soup. But the chicken just didn't do it for us. Not sure why! Maybe it was a little plain? But the soup... make the soup. (Only if you reallllly like sweet potatoes.)

Crockpot Sweet Potato Basil Soup

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  3 hours

Total time:  3 hours 5 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes or yams, diced
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• 1 (14oz) can of coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot.
2. Mix around.
3. Cook for 3 hours on high.
4. Use a hand blender, blender, or food processor and puree mixture until smooth. My 9 cup food processor fit it all just perfectly.
5. Eat up! If you have leftover meat, add it to your soup…obviously.

Simple Bacon and Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded flat
• 6-8 ounces of button mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 5 strips of bacon
• 4-5 cups fresh spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butterfly your chicken. I’m not totally sure how to butterfly a chicken breast but I cut mine in half, then placed plastic wrap on top of the chicken and pounded it until it was flat. Do that, it works.
3. Then place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the five strips of bacon and cook on both sides until crispy, then place bacon on a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. When cooled, dice up the bacon.
5. Pour out the excess fat from the bacon, leaving behind about 3 tablespoons in the pan.
6. While the pan is still over medium-high, toss in the garlic cloves then add diced mushrooms.
7. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper on the mushrooms.
8. Once mushrooms have begun to soften, add the spinach and a bit more salt and pepper.
9. Cover and let steam until spinach has begun to wilt. When the spinach has wilted, remove the pan from heat and add in diced bacon. Mix with mushrooms and spinach until well combined.
10. Place mixture into the middle of your butterflied chicken, fold chicken over to make a little “pocket” and use a two toothpicks to keep it closed while cooking.
11. Place stuffed chicken breasts on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in oven to bake for 18-20 minutes or until there is no longer pink in the chicken. The time will range depending on how thin you pound the chicken. It may take a bit longer.

Best meal ever

Happy Sunday!!!  I hope you have a great day and feel like you have a chance to connect with the Lord. Side note for those of you who have asked: We visited several churches here, and I think we've found the one we want to call home. Thunder Mountain Community Church. They just started a series called "Simple. Not easy" about marriage and family, which I'm super excited about. Last week, Mother's Day was focused on husbands and their roles. The preacher talked about serving one another. So this week, I told Billie he could serve me by watching "So you think you can dance" and "Downton Abbey" with me. ;)


On to the food...
I made this recipe earlier in the week. Hands down: one of our favorite meals yet. Whether you cook "Paleo" or not, you need to make this meal. ASAP. We both started eating the pork from the crock pot. It's the best tasting pork I have ever had!

From www.fitpaleomom.com
"Beyond Easy Pulled Pork with Mango Salsa"
Ingredients:
2 yellow onions, sliced
Pulled pork 4-5 lb pork butt roast (I talked to the butcher for a while and ended up buying a boneless shoulder roast... I think.) My Mom once told me to make the butcher my best friend. It was great advice. I get overwhelmed in the meat section. ha

Dry rub:
3 tbsps chili powder
1 tsp coriander
2 tsps cumin
2 tsps onion powder
1 tbsp dried parsley (I used Italian seasoning)
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (I couldn't find this, so we skipped it)
2 tsps sea salt

 Mix all dry rub ingredients together. Rub the entire roast with the dry rub. Place a layer of onions on the bottom of the crock pot. Place the roast on top. Put the rest of the sliced onions on top of the roast. NO LIQUID NECESSARY. Cook roast on high for 5-6 hours and then on low for another 3-4 hours or until the roast is literally falling apart.

 Mango and red pepper salsa:
 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup purple onion (Billie doesn't love onion, so I pulverized mine in the food processor)
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (I skipped this)
Cilantro- how ever much you like
2-3 tbsp lime juice Salt and pepper

Mix all together and use to top the shredded pork in a lettuce wrap.

Bacon Apple Crock Pot Chicken

I had some chicken that I bought for the cinco de mayo party and didn't use. I wanted something quick and easy to do with it. And I found the perfect thing...

This recipe is from www.wellnessmama.com.

Bacon Apple Crock Pot Chicken Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can also be done with a whole chicken or thighs)
2 apples- peeled, cored and grated (I chopped the apples... I like that better-Kat)
1 cup homemade barbecue sauce -or Mitch’s (sugar sweetened) and Nature’s Hollow (xyitol sweetened) are both decent options if you don’t make your own
(we use the brand "organicville"-Kat)
8 pieces of bacon

How To Make:

Wrap each piece of chicken in 2 pieces of bacon and place in bottom of crock pot.
Mix grated apple and barbecue sauce and pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours until done.
We enjoy with homemade cole slaw or sweet potatoes.

Billie said "this is my favorite meat that you have made yet!" YESSS. :)

Caribbean pulled pork

We LOVED this recipe. The cauliflower mash was the perfect side to this dish, and the leftovers were even better the second day!

Caribbean pork: (I got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com... just changed a couple things)

1/2 cup juice from a fresh orange
1 T curry powder
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 lbs boneless pork loin

Combine the first 6 ingredients in the crock pot. Then stir in the apple, onion, garlic, raisins, and coconut. Place pork on top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred the pork with a fork.

Cauliflower mash:

1. Fill a stockpot with 1-2 inches of water and turn the heat on high.
2. Once boiling, add chopped cauliflower, salt, and garlic.
3. Put on the lid and boil for 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower is pierced easily with a fork.
4. Dump cauliflower and water into a strainer. Then add the cauliflower to your food processor.
5. Add a few tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasonings you would like. I added chicken broth once. Another time, I added chicken bouillon granules and onion power. That was delicious. :) Blend it until it looks like mashed potatoes.

Chicken chili soup

Presenting:
Chicken chili soup. I cooked mine a little differently than the recipe below. I sautéed the veggies and put them in the crock pot. Then I browned the chicken breasts on the stove top and added them to the crock pot. I poured in the chicken broth and cooked for 4-5 hours on high. Result?? Deliciously shred-y chicken and awesome flavor. We LOVED this recipe. So flavorful and perfect for cool weather. Oh wait, it's 88 degrees outside. So, perfect for any weather!

Chicken Chili Soup from www.everydaypaleo.com

3 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped (I used leftover grilled chicken breast)
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno or Fresno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
2 – 4 oz cans of diced green chilis
4 cups chicken broth
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, diced
Avocado, diced

In a large soup pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeno together in the olive oil until the onions are tender. Add the canned green chilis, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir together and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn down to medium low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro and avocado.