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7 Kid-Friendly Whole30 Breakfasts

7 Kid-Friendly Whole30 Breakfasts

So, before we jump into our kid-friendly Whole30 breakfasts we need to visit whether you are really looking for Whole30, Paleo, or just healthy. Whole30 is a temporary elimination diet. if you are not trying to zero in on a problem with your kids you 

Summer Squash Chips

Summer Squash Chips

Summer Squash Chips are the perfect crispy accompaniment when you’re in a squash rut. Extremely versatile and always delicious!

Bacon & Apple Smothered Pork Chops

Bacon & Apple Smothered Pork Chops

Bacon. Apple. Pork. What’s not to love?

This recipe comes by way of Nom Nom Paleo.  It’s a good one and I made very few changes because it’s a good one.   The only problem with the pork was entirely my own.  I used boneless pork chops and I didn’t have the heat high enough to brown so that took too long and by the end, my chops were a bit dry. Definitely not fork-tender.  So, I would make sure you follow those two suggestions before you go off-recipe.

This is a solid recipe that we’ll revisit but I am going to start working on the sauce.  It is certainly not an issue with the recipe it will work perfectly as written. I just don’t love how arrowroot sauces get a little “slimy” or gelatinous.  So, this is an issue in all arrowroot sauces and one I’ll be working on getting to my taste standards.  The sauce is great hot. Once it sits a bit I just don’t like how it looks.  I know, I’m a snob.  But, there it is. I want is pretty and smooth forever.  So a tweaking I will go.

Until then, this recipe is full of all the flavors that make pork deeeee-licious!  Enjoy!


Bacon & Apple Smothered Pork Chops

 

Serves/ Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15  minutes

Cook/ Assembly Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 65 minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 slices thick cut bacon, cut into ¼ inch slices
  • 2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
  • 1½ cups chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. anchovy paste
  • 4 – ¾-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 lbs.)
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. ghee
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Granny Smith or Empire are good choices)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs

 

Recipe:

Fry the bacon in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Once the bacon bits are crisp, remove them to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Reserve about two tablespoons of the bacon fat and over medium-low heat, whisk in the arrowroot powder. Keep whisking until you have a smooth browned roux. Pour in the broth and anchovy paste.  Stir until incorporated. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. It will thicken in about three minutes. Remove from heat, cover the saucepan and set it aside.

Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper.

Over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of ghee in a large skillet. When the pan is hot, a flick of water will sizzle, add the pork chops. Cook for  1 minute on each side. They should bel golden-brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and apple to the empty skillet. Sprinkle with salt. Cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions are browned on the edges. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Return the pork chops to the skillet, and cover with the cooked onions and apple. Pour the roux onto the chops and add the thyme sprig.  Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil. Immediately, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 30 minutes.  The pork chops will be fork tender.

Top them with bacon bits, copious amounts of sauce, apples and onions. Serve and enjoy!



The Tailgate Chili

The Tailgate Chili

So much chili so little time! The Whole30 Chili can be a bit…intense.  It has some real depth of flavor that is simply not everyone’s cup of tea.  For a more traditional tasting chili, we also fall back on our Tailgate Chili.  Which, as the 

Whole30 Meal Plan Round 2: Week Five and Beginning Reintroduction

Whole30 Meal Plan Round 2: Week Five and Beginning Reintroduction

Two days and it’s over! Just kidding, there’s really ten more days, but you’ll get some peanut butter and hummus! Either way, week five is an accomplishment and we are awesome for coming so far. This week’s meals are some of our family favorites and 

Carne Guisada (Braised Beef) with Slow Cooker Option

Carne Guisada (Braised Beef) with Slow Cooker Option

Missing Mexican food?! Here are some flavors to bring it all back!


Carne Guisada (Braised Beef)

 

Serves/ Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook/ Assembly Time: minutes

Total Time: minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • Cooking oil
  • 2-3 pounds cheap steak or roast, chopped into one-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped well
  • 3 c. water or beef bone broth
  • 1 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp.  cumin
  • salt and pepper, to taste

 

Recipe:

Heat a 5 qt. braiser (large, high-sided skillet), over medium-high heat.

Salt and pepper the beef chunks.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and coat the bottom of the pan. When the pan is hot enough a flick of water will sizzle.  If it is smoking, it’s too hot.

Brown the meat in three batches.  You do not want the meat to touch or it will steam, and you will not get nicely browned pieces. Remove the meat. If the pan is dry add more oil. Then add the onions to the pan and sauté for 5-8 minutes, until mostly cooked through.

Return the meat to the braiser and add the water or beef bone broth, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cumin.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.  Continue to simmer for 2-3 hours. The meat should be tender, and the gravy will thicken. Stir occasionally.

Serve and Enjoy!

Options and Notes: To make this in a slow cooker prepare as above through the meat browning. Add the meat to a greased slow cooker. Combine the tomato sauce and seasonings with ¼ c. of hot beef bone broth.  Pour over the meat, stir to coat.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours. If there is too much liquid take the lid off for the last half hour and increase the heat to high.

 



Spicy Thai Salad

Spicy Thai Salad

Spicy Thai Salad   Serves/ Yield: 4 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook/ Assembly Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes   Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce, 1 bunch chopped 1 bunch Cilantro, chopped Oil Shredded carrots, one bag 1 red bell pepper, seeds and membranes discarded, thinly 

Creamy Thai Spice Shrimp

Creamy Thai Spice Shrimp

Quick, easy, and delicious – what more could you want! Thai Spice Shrimp   Serves/ Yield: 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook/ Assembly Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes   Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. Oil or ghee for frying 1 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, 

Spicy Avocado Lime Sauce

Spicy Avocado Lime Sauce

Y’all.  I’m about to sling my southern everywhere because, y’all, this stuff is better than your grandma’s biscuits. Some friends of ours brought this jewel over on Super Bowl Sunday (with some bacon-wrapped shrimp, like all good friends should).  They were beyond awesome to Whole30 everything they brought and then to knock this recipe out of the park was amazing!  It’s so good I want to slather it on everything.

I know you’ve glanced down and are like, it’s guacamole, but it’s not!  The creamy consistency is just something else.  You gotta’ try it and then stop making it because while fat is good this might be SWYPO.  Oh, Lawd, it’s worth it.


Spicy Avocado Lime Sauce

Serves/ Yield: 4-6

Prep Time:  4 minutes

Cook/ Assembly Time: 1 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium avocados, skin and pit removed
  • ½ cup full fat coconut milk
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • ½ cup packed cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp. cayenne
  • Dash of adobo powder
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe:

Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy. It will have the consistency of pudding.

Enjoy, everywhere on everything!



Okra Jalapeno Fritters

Okra Jalapeno Fritters

It must be okra time around here because they are showing up in the stores.  Seems a little early but I’m not much of a farmer.  We do grow okra so I’m going to start testing this recipe out.  It has legs but I’m not gonna