Beef Ragu over Cauliflower Gnocchi + 140(ish) Days of Dinner

This is the first year in a long time that we haven't done an official January Whole30. I really liked the macro coutning and intermittent fasting program I was doing throughout last summer, but had just really fallen off through the fall and holidays. So I decided to go back to that. We briefly attempted a dry January at least, but quickly adjusted that to dry weekdays and I've been holding to that.

Nevertheless, many of the recipes I cook are still fairly clean (free of dairy products, legumes, and grains), but I add some of those in as sides now. You'll see lots of dinners out and lots of repeats and I knew in my head that we eat broccoli a lot, but OMG we eat broccoli A LOT. It's easy, tasty, and everyone always eats a ton of it. So ....

For the top recipe, I'm sharing one of our favorite cold-day dishes. Although this Beef Ragu takes some time to cook, the hands on time is so minimal that I can still get it done on a weekday -- I just have to remember to put it in the oven or slow cooker earlier in the day. I serve mine over Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi and the kids often have theirs over pasta or polenta. Some extra roasted veggies on the side and you are set!

Beef Ragu over Cauliflower Gnocchi 

(slightly adapted from Simply Delicious)

Ingredients
- 2 lb chuck roast
- 2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1, 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp sugar (or sub honey)
- 6 garlic cloves peeled, left whole
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- salt and pepper to taste

- frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi
- parmesean cheese and parsley for serving (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Place beef, onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, garlic, herbs, and soy sauce into a dutch oven. Lightly mix. Add wine and stock and cover.

2. Place in oven and cook for 4 - 5 hours until meat is tender and pulls apart easily. Shred meat with two forks. Then turn oven up to 425F and return ragu to oven to cook for another 20 minutes. If you're roasting veggies for a side dish, I put these in the oven now as well.

3. Cook cauliflower gnocchi. Spoon ragu over gnocchi, top with parmesean cheese and parsley before serving.

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Day 1 (M) - Back-Pocket Bolognese
Day 2 (T) - Loaded Turkey Taco Bowls
Day 3 (W) - Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce; brown rice; roasted cauliflower
Day 4 (Th) - All American Chili
Day 5 (F) - dinner out
Day 6 (Sat) - Whole30 Baked Salmon with Creamy Avocado Sauce; Israeli couscous; roasted corn with cotija cheese
Day 7 (Sun) - Grilled Paleo Basil and Cracked Pepper Sausages (I can't get these through Instacart at Costco anymore and it's making me bananas -- everyone loves them!)

Day 8 (M) - Baked Salmon Cakes; roasted veggies; black beans
Day 9 (T) - Shredded Crockpot BBQ Pork
Day 10 (W) - dinner out
Day 11 (Th) - leftovers
Day 12 (F) - One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet
Day 13 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 14 (Sun) - Ground Chicken Tacos with Chipotle Crema; brown rice; Mexican street corn

Day 15 (M) - Stiry Fry Tofu; veggies; brown rice
Day 16 (T) - grilled New York strip steak; cauliflower gnocchi; roasted broccoli
Day 17 (W) - dinner out
Day 18 (Th) - Freezer-to-Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Day 19 (F) - Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs
Day 20 (Sat) - Trader Joe's falafel; carrot spirals; couscous; pita
Day 21 (Sun) - Teriyaki Salmon; jasmine rice; roasted broccoli

Day 23 (M) - dinner out
Day 23 (T) - Crockpot Korean Beef - served ours as buddha bowls with brown rice as quick-pickled carrots and radishes
Day 24 (W) - The Mr.'s birthday dinner! Panko Chicken Parmesean; caesar salad; pasta; and Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie!
Day 25 (Th) - leftovers
Day 26 (F) - flank steak with Chimichurri; roasted potatoes; roasted cauliflower
Day 27 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 28 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 29 (M) - dinner out
Day 30 (T) - Stiry Fry Tofu; veggies; quinoa
Day 31 (W) - dinner out
Day 32 (Th) - Make Ahead Freezer Chicken Fajitas; brown rice
Day 33 (F) - polenta with Trader Joe's Bolognese
Day 34 (Sat) - dinner party at our house catered by the awesome Sara's Savories -- Red Wine + Herb Braised Short Ribs; Maple Dijon Herb Seared Salmon; Garlic and Lemon Sauteed Spinach; Roasted Potatoes with Olive Oil and Thyme. I made a Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie which was fab!
Day 35 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 36 (M) - Chicken Enchiladas (I didn't freeze these because that seemed to cause lots of issues for people)
Day 37 (T) - Big Batch Meatballs but used this Red Sauce
Day 38 (W) - dinner out
Day 39 (Th) - ginger and garlic stir fried rotisserie chicken and veggies; brown rice
Day 40 (F) - Kane's birthday dinner! Had his favorite Chicaog Giordano's pizza delivered; caesar salad; I made Chocolate Cheesecake
Day 41 (Sat) - leftovers
Day 42 (Sun) - leftovers

Day 43 (M) - dinner out
Day 44 (T) - Tofu Tacos with Black Beans
Day 45 (W) - out
Day 46 (Th) - Freezer-to-Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Day 47 (F) - out
Day 48 (Sat) - Cast-Iron Pizza with Fennel and Sausage (OMG SO GOOD)
Day 49 (Sun) - Soba Noodle and Steak Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

Day 50 (M) - Grilled Paleo Basil and Cracked Pepper Sausages; salad
Day 51 (T) - One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet
Day 52 (W) - dinner out
Day 53 (Th) - BBQ Cranberry Chicken
Day 54 (F) - dinner out
Day 55 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 56 (Sun) - our neighbor kindly made us this delicious Chaia Mexican Veggie Soup

Day 57 (M) - Teriyaki Salmon; rice; roasted broccoli
Day 58 (T) - Lemon Pepper Chicken; couscous; green beans
Day 59 (W) - Cast-Iron Pizza with Fennel and Sausage; salad
Day 60 (Th) - All American Chili; salad
Day 61 (F) - dinner out
Day 62 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 63 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 64 (M) - leftovers
Day 65 (T) - Back-Pocket Bolognese; gnocchi
Day 66 (W) - brinner
Day 67 (Th) - Big Batch Meatballs but used this Red Sauce
Day 68 (F) - dinner out
Day 69 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 70 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 71 (M) - Thai Chicken Curry -- again from our nice neighbor!
Day 72 (T) - White Bean, Sage, and Sausage Soup
Day 73 (W) - Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Mexican Style
Day 74 (Th) - brinner
Day 75 (F) - Back-Pocket Bolognese; salad
Day 76 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 77 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 78 (M) - Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 79 (T) - All American Chili; salad
Day 80 (W) - dinner out
Day 81 (Th) - Chicken and Polenta with Broccoli
Day 82 (F) - Thai Beef Drunken Noodles
Day 83 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 84 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 85 (M) - dinner out
Day 86 (T) - Instant Pot BBQ Beer Pulled Chicken Tacos
Day 87 (W) - dinner out
Day 88 (Th) - Thanksgiving!! I put out shrimp cocktail and a monster party board for apps. I made Maple Bourbon Glazed Turkey Breast; Caramelized Onion and Bacon Gravy; Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios and Lime; Crispy-Topped Mashed Potatoes; Grapefruit Apricot Cranberry Relish with Rosemary; Brown-Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows; Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Corn Nuts; and boxed stuffing for the Mr. My mom made my favorite Brownie Pecan Pie and my in-laws brought additional pies and rolls.
Day 89 (F) - dinner out
Day 90 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 91 (Sun) - Sweet-and-Saucy Pork Chops; couscous; broccoli

Day 92 (M) - Teriyaki Salmon; rice; roasted broccoli
Day 93 (T) - Easy Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce; orzo
Day 94 (W) - filet mignon; mashed potatoes; green beans
Day 95 (Th) - dinner out
Day 96 (F) - dinner out
Day 97 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 98 (Sun) - Loaded Turkey Taco Bowls

Day 99 (M) - Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Glaze; green beans; quinoa pasta
Day 100 (T) - Best General Tso's Tofu
Day 101 (W) - 15-Minute Lemon Garlic Butter Steak with Zucchini Noodles
Day 102 (Th) - leftovers
Day 103 (F) - Slow-Cooker Pot Roast with Chickpea Salad
Day 104 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 105 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 106 (M) - Pork Lettuce Wraps
Day 107 (T) - dinner out
Day 108(W) - dinner out
Day 109 (Th) - Chicken Bolognese
Day 110 (F) - dinner out
Day 111 (Sat) - Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Glaze
Day 112 (Sun) - Loaded Whole30 Sweet Potato Fries (we had ours as nachos)

Day 113 (M) - Nourishing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 114 (T) - Christmas Eve cheese fondue!
Day 115(W) - Christmas dinner! We grilled out some gorgeous filet mignon and my father-in-law made a fabulous sauce for it. I made a big party board for apps, Broccoli Caesar Salad (I LOVED this!), Twice Baked Loaded Potatoes (I used regular baking potatoes), Best Green Bean Casserole, Maple-Bacon Popovers, and Fallen Chocolate Cake for dessert.
Day 116 (Th) - leftovers
Day 117 (F) - Hanukkah dinner -- we always order from Wagshals - chicken matzoh ball soup, brisket, latkes, apple sauce, creamed spinach, knot rolls. And Cam made a cake for dessert!
Day 118 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 119 (Sun) - Nacho Beef taco bowls

Day 120 (M) - Baked Chicken Parmesean; Broccoli Caesar Salad; pasta
Day 121 (T) -NYE dinner out at Little Coco's
Day 122(W) - dinner out
Day 123 (Th) - Easy Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce
Day 124 (F) - Salmon and Broccolini with Citrus-Chile Sauce
Day 125 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 126 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 127 (M) - Slow Cooker Greek Beef Stew with Gremolata; cauliflower gnocchi
Day 128 (T) - Trader Joe's porchetta; green beans; cauliflower gnocchi
Day 129(W) - Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; salad
Day 130 (Th) - Spicy Beef and Lamb Kofta; broccoli; roasted potatoes
Day 131 (F) - dinner out
Day 132 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 133 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 134 (M) - Trader Joe's cabernet pot roast; kale gnocchi; broccoli
Day 135 (T) - Paleo Balsamic and Rosemary Chicken grilled; cauliflower gnocchi; green beans
Day 136(W) - Paleo Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili
Day 137 (Th) - Za'atar Fish and Chips
Day 138 (F) - One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet
Day 139 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 140 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 141 (M) - filet mignon; roasted potatoes; salad
Day 142 (T) - Beef Ragu over Cauliflower Gnocchi; roasted broccoli