Instant Pot Braised Kale & Carrots

I warned you about the Instant Pot recipes! I can't help it. I'm friggin obsessed with this thing. And then when paired with the crockpot, you have a whole meal in under 10 minutes....

Could it get any easier!?!?

It has snowed a bit in Ohio, and it's starting to look and feel more like winter. Cold and flu season is upon us in full force, and comfort food is a must. Especially comfort food that packs a punch of nutrients and antioxidants.

Say what you will about Kale, but there is no denying it's health benefits. Kale is high in vitamins A, K and C. It is also a great source of calcium, magnesium, iron & antioxidants. And then there's carrots with beta carotene and fiber.

Hello!? This side dish is a no-brainer. With this delicious recipe from Nom Nom Paleo, you will have no problem going back for seconds. Cooking the ingredients in the Instant Pot leaves the kale tender and flavorful. You could also try cooking it a little longer in the Dutch oven as well, if you don't have a pressure cooker.

Pork-Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes

September is upon us, and that means FALL is close-by! I'm ready. I'm always ready. Autumn is my favorite season. I love the cool crisp weather, football, activities outside, Halloween... But most important, I LOVE THE FOOD! Pumpkin everything, Soups, Stews, Farmers Market, etc...

Of course I eat sweet potatoes year round, but they are especially yummy, when they are seasonal. This recipe was something I threw together during my Whole30. It's satisfying, and super easy to make, with any ingredients you like. Throw your favorite meat and green on there with some spices, and you've got yourself a meal!

Recipe! : Simple Paleo Fajitas || Bonus Tortilla Recipe

First of all, sorry about the quality of the photos coming up over the next few weeks. My trusty good camera has pooped out for the moment. I'm hoping to get it fixed, but until then, I will be using my iPhone. Hey...it gets the job done right?

I don't know if this has become apparent over my last month of blogging, but I LOVE Mexican food. I mean I love it. I could eat it for every meal (even breakfast) every day. There's so much you can do with so little ingredients.

Another thing I've been loving lately are spices. We have a specialty spice and tea place here in Cincy, and it's literally right down the street from my house. I have so much fun picking up and smelling all of the different spices. I think about how I could use it in recipes, and new ideas to come up with. We also have a Penzey's right down the street. Yep, I'm screwed. Ever since I was little, I have loved spices. The spice cabinet used to be my favorite smell in the world...I'm not kidding...It was my comfort scent...and still kinda is to this day.

The last time we were in Penzey's I picked up their Southwest Seasoning. I was already planning on making fajitas for dinner, and it was a match made in heaven!

Taco Night! : Plantain Tortilla Recipe

Don't freak out! The first time I was looking for a way to make tacos on the Paleo diet, I came across a Paleo plantain tortilla recipe from ZenBelly. I saw the title, and I kind of freaked out a little. In my mind, there was no way I could make these tortillas. No way it would work. Sure, this blogger  I was following could make them, but I'm sure mine would turn out horrible.

Well, quite the contrary! I reluctantly tried these out anyway, and was VERY surprised, when they turned out perfectly :) They were also surprisingly easy. A few ingredients thrown in the food processor, and baked for a few minutes. It's actually a pretty simple. And the hint of sweetness from the plantains compliment your tacos wonderfully.

I've made a few different meats to go in my tacos, but after Jeremy made Kalua Pig without me, I was just craving that porky goodness. So I popped some Boston butt in the crockpot that morning. By the time we got home, we could literally smell it cooking from outside the house. SERIOUSLY! All I had to do was cook the tortillas, and we were ready for Taco Tuesday.

New Recipe! : Sweet Potato Hash with Over-Easy Eggs

Mondays are so blah. Yesterday, I was so tired all day. I was also starving all day lol We had a, let's just say, less than healthy weekend. We ate WAY too much fried food (Goettafest and County Fair). So when I got back to eating normally and healthy yesterday, my stomach was like "WHERE'S ALL THAT FOOD YOU GAVE ME OVER THE WEEKEND!?"

Anyway, when I got home after work, I was ready for dinner right away. This recipe, Sweet Potato Hash with Over-Easy Eggs, was already on the menu for the week. It's ridiculously easy and quick, and seemed like the perfect Monday dinner. Nom Nom Paleo strikes again with delicious Paleo food. This recipe was a Whole 30 discovery and an instant favorite.

Make sure to enter the GIVEAWAY on my previous post! Ends this Friday August 14. Free stuff! And not much competition at the moment ;)

Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

Today, in honor of my husband and I's 2nd anniversary, I am doing a post that Jeremy suggested (and took pictures for!). I am usually the one who cooks, but he is a very talented cook as well. He was cooking long before I ever learned to put together recipes. However, once I started eating healthier, I wanted to be in charge of the meal planning and the cooking.

When either of us is away, while the other is at home, it can be quite hard to plan meals. Cooking for one can be difficult. This last time that I was gone for a few days, Jeremy made one of the best recipes for leftovers. Nom Nom Paleo's Kalua Pork. :) It's also probably the most simple recipe you will ever find. This recipe will probably take you maybe 5 minutes to put together, AND it is so darn delicious. I can't even tell you. The flavors... Ahh.

During my Whole 30 research I discovered Nom Nom Paleo. This blog is a WONDERFUL resource for recipes (tons of Whole 30-compliant) and tips for eating healthy. If you're trying to eat more real, nutritious, natural foods, this website is your guide. Michelle Tam, the creator, is also pretty awesome. She now has a podcast as well, with her husband and kids. If you haven't already, go check her out! Her cookbook is also worth the buy :)

Breakfast for Dinner! | Paleo Mexican Breakfast Hash

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals. So, when I can come up with new ways to make it dinner, I'm a happy camper. We had a cookout over the weekend, and there were so many leftovers. I mean so much food. It's crazy the amount of food we still have left. Anyway we ate on that food for a few days, and I was ready for a change.  This is a recipe that I made up with ingredients I mostly already had on hand. There are always eggs in my fridge, so breakfast is constantly an option. I had some chorizo from a while back, that I just hadn't cooked, and some leftover burger toppings (tomatoes & onions). I also got some potatoes from the farmers market this last weekend, and needed a way to use them.

Hence, the Paleo Mexican Breakfast Hash was born. It's a quick dinner that will satisfy those taste buds. You can make it as spicy as you want. You could also make this into an omelet, burrito, quesadilla...really anything. It's very versatile. And if there are any leftovers, you can use them for a fast breakfast the next morning. Win/win! These pictures may not do the meal justice. It was really delicious!

Grilled Tilapia with Avocado Salsa

This particular recipe turned out WAY way better than I ever imagined. The original recipe from The Cookie Rookie had salmon. However, I try to work with ingredients that I already have, so I decided to use tilapia on this one. I love tilapia, but I was afraid this recipe would be a bit bland without the salmon. WRONG! It was delicious! And it was surprisingly filling. I made extra, because I wasn't sure. Plus, it's Whole 30 approved. If you want to know more about Whole 30, check out my last post here.

This recipe is super flavorful. It's fast, easy and really yummy. Plus, it's got the avocado salsa topping. (aka a more limey guac without the tomatoes) Avocados are so good for you. They are full of the really good fats, and probably why this dish was so filling. I love an excuse to use avocado in any dish. Let's be honest... I really don't need an excuse. I eat them like apples sometimes. Alright, enough confessions! On to the recipe! I paired this with some leftover corn on the cob I had in the fridge. MMM!

My FAVORITE Pork Chop Recipe

About a year ago I read a book called "It Starts with Food," and did a month-long Whole 30 diet. If you've never heard of this book, its all about what the food we eat does to our bodies. The book describes what foods we should be focusing on, and what foods we should eliminate. It's a really great read. Very informative and inspirational. It will make you want to start eating less processed foods today. The Whole 30 diet has you focus on those real food groups; meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, some fruit, and good fat from nuts, oils and seeds. I highly recommend doing this at some point. It's a great reset for your body, and has helped so many people. Look it up!

Anyway, I discovered my absolute favorite pork chop recipe while doing the Whole 30. It's from the blog Life, Love, and Pursuits of Katie. This recipe is so quick, and there's not many ingredients. I usually pair it with a roasted veggie. Last night, it was brussels sprouts! For this, I usually get the bone-in pork chops from Whole Foods. This time, I used some from Fresh Thyme. They are always so delicious. The bone really gives it some extra flavor. Plus, you can save them for a bone broth! I have a ziplock in the freezer that I keep bones in for later.