Mexican Breakfast Casserole, by Cheryl

I was craving a Mexican breakfast burrito. So since I'm doing Whole 30 I decided to try to replicate the taste in a casserole! This was soooo good! I will say that I felt it was a just a tad dry, especially when you get to the potato part, but I added hot sauce, tomatoes, and avocados and it elevated the dish exponentially! This is a solid whole 30 meal that I can rely on. Delicious, filling, and healthy! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen shredded potatoes (or grate your own. Sweet potatoes ok)

1 lb ground beef

Compliant taco seasoning (or make your own!)

9-10 eggs, beaten

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

A couple handfuls of spinach, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

Avocado oil 

Optional toppings: tomatoes, avocados, hot sauce, etc. 

Directions:

1) Cook shredded potatoes until cooked through. Set aside. 

2) Cook ground beef until cooked through. Add the spices and about 1/4 cup of water. Mix until the beef is covered. Set aside. 

3) Add a couple of tbsp of oil and cook the pepper and onion until softened. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. 

4) Oil a 9x9 pan or cast iron skillet. Layer the potatoes on the bottom, followed by the ground beef, and then the peppers, onions, and spinach. 

5) Pour the eggs over the top and coat evenly. Top with green onions. 

6) Bake for 45 minutes. When done top with avocados, tomatoes, hot sauce, etc. 

Cauliflower Fried Rice, by Cheryl

The last time I made cauliflower rice I wasn't too impressed. But this was GOOD! There was a lot of flavor and it went really well with our tuna steaks. Yum! 

Ingredients (from here):

2 large eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

Avocado oil

5-6 scallions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh giner

2 lbs ready to cook cauliflower

4-5 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp sugar (I omitted this)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted Sesame oil

Directions:

1) Cook the eggs over medium heat and then set aside.

2) Add 3 tbsp of oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, and cook, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes. 

3) Add the cauliflower, 4 tbsp soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar (if using) and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and cook until the cauliflower is tender-crisp and vegetables are cooked through. Stir in the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and eggs. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.   

Whole30 Chicken Cacciatore, by Cheryl

This was a solid recipe from Paleo Running Momma. I love chicken cacciatore and use my mom's recipe, but it's not exactly Whole30 compliant. This was a great option and it was so good! We had it over roasted spaghetti squash and it was very filling! Yum! 

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (I used boneless, skinless since that's what I had on hand)

Avocado oil

salt and pepper

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large carrots, diced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/3 cup chicken broth

28oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

Kalamata olives, optional

Directions:

1) Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.

2) Heat the oil to medium-high heat in a large heavy skillet, cast iron preferred. Add the chicken and sear for a couple minutes each side. Remove and set aside. 

3) Lower heat to medium and cook onion for 1-2 minutes. Add in garlic and saute until fragrant. 

4) Add the peppers, carrots, and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. 

5) Pour in the crushed tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Stir.

6) Add the chicken back into the skillet. Cover the tops of the chicken with the sauce.

7) Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add in the olives if desired. Serve with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or just have it plain! 

Garlic Ghee Cauliflower Rice w/Spinach, by Cheryl

I'm on my second round of Whole 30 and it's day 8! I'm feeling pretty good, but needed a different take on cauliflower rice. I found this recipe and thought it could be the answer, but it wasn't. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something I'd make again. Maybe I used too much liquid? I wanted it to be crunchier. It went well with the fish I made and we ate it all. Yum?

Ingredients:

3 tbsp ghee (original calls for butter)

3 minced garlic cloves

4 cups cauliflower rice

chili powder 

salt and pepper

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 lime, juiced

6 ounces baby spinach

Directions:

1) Melt ghee over medium heat.

2) Add garlic and cook and stir for 2 minutes.

3) Stir in the cauliflower rice with seasonings. Cook and stir for two minutes. 

4) Add in vegetable broth and lime juice.

5) Stir in spinach until wilted and when liquid is evaporated. 

6) Remove from heat and taste for seasonings. Adjust accordingly. 

Ham and Cheese Sliders, by Cheryl

I don't know how this came about or why I had two out of three main ingredients, but this was super easy to put together and delicious! It was especially great dipped in the tomato soup that I made. Also, the sauce that is brushed on top is key to kicking this up from just a plain slider to something very special. Yum!

Ingredients:

Thinly sliced ham slices (I used honey ham)

Thinly sliced Swiss cheese

One 12- count package of Hawaiian sweet rolls 

1/2 stick unsalted butter

Some honey Dijon mustard

Salt, to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. 

2) Slice the rolls in half so you have a large top half and large bottom half. Don't pull them apart. Place bottom half on pan. 

3) Evenly layer the cheese, then the ham, and then the cheese again. Add the top half of the rolls. 

4) In a small bowl microwave the butter. Stir in 1-2 tbsp of Dijon honey mustard. Pour the mixture over the tops of the rolls, letting some pool in the middle, and use a brush to make sure the tops are covered. Let stand for about 5 minutes.

5) Cover with foil and bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Take foil off and bake uncovered for about 2-3 minutes. Slice into individual sliders and enjoy!