One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples + 60 Days of Dinner!

It seems the only thing I can get together to post on the blog these days are recipes, but that's just where we are right now. The kids are busy with school and all manner of extracurricular activities. I am busy schlepping them to all of that and a have fair amount of freelance work myself too. But everyone needs to eat, so recipes to share I have. Everyone in our house loves pork chops and this is such a fast but super flavorful meal for weeknights. I often toss some potatoes in a hot oven to roast while I make a salad or veg to have with these chops. Easy peasy.

The first 30 days is Whole30 compliant (we did it!) and the second 30 days are not Whole30, but still super clean. Also, I just got an Instant Pot. I really resisted it given that I already have a slow cooker and am trying to Marie Kondo our house. But, so far, pretty happy with it!

One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples 

(slightly adapted from Paleo Running Momma)

Ingredients:
- 4-5 bone-in pork chops
- sea salt and black pepper to sprinkle on chops
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ghee divided in half
- 1 large crisp-sweet apple, cored and sliced to 1/4" thickness
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 2 tsp spicy brown mustard
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced

Directions:
1. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper, onion powder, and cinnamon, rubbing spices in to coat.

2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat and add 1 1/2 tbsp ghee.

3. Add pork chops to hot skillet and brown on each side 3 minutes (they won't be fully cooked yet). Then remove to a plate and set aside.

4. Lower heat to medium and add remaning ghee to melt. Add apples and onions to skillet and cook, stir occasionally, about 2 minutes, until beginning to soften.

5. Sprinkle apples lightly with sea salt and pepper, then add broth and mustard, plus fresh herbs, stir to combine, scraping up any bits that stuck to your skillet.

6. Return pork chops to skillet, making room for them by pushing apples and onions aside/around them. Continue to simmer over medium heat until pork chops are cooked through -- about 2 minutes or so, depending on how thick they were to start. Serve chops topped with sauce and apples + onions.

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Day 1 (T) -- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; green beans
Day 2 (W) -- Beef Ragu (skip the gnocchi for Whole30); Whole30 Mashed Potatoes; salad
Day 3 (Th) -- Easy Apple Cider Pork Chops; roasted cauliflower; roasted sweet potatoes
Day 4 (F) -- Stifatho (skip cheese); cauliflower rice; salad
Day 5 (Sat) -- Crockpot Italian Pork Roast; Whole30 Mashed Potatoes; salad
Day 6 (Sun) -- Loaded Sweet Potato Fries; Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken; roasted cauliflower

Day 7 (M) -- Whole30 Chili (I used ground beef and pork sausage); salad
Day 8 (T) -- Tender Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots
Day 9 (W) -- Brinner: pesto egg scramble; sausage; fries; roasted tomatoes
Day 10 (Th) -- grilled filet mignon; baked potato; roasted broccoli
Day 11 (F) -- Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Barbacoa
Day 12 (Sat) -- leftovers
Day 13 (Sun) -- leftovers

Day 14 (M) -- Beef Enchilada Bake with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
Day 15 (T) -- Chicken Tinga Tacos on salad
Day 16 (W) -- All American Chili (no beans, used extra ground beef); brussels sprouts
Day 17 (Th) -- Grilled Balsamic Marinated Chicken; sweet potato fries; green beans
Day 18 (F) -- leftovers
Day 19 (Sat) -- had "taco bar" for dinner party -- Carne Asada; Chicken Tinga; a platter of Whole30-compliant salad fixings
Day 20 (Sun) -- Spicy Beef and Lamb Kofta; zucchini noodles

Day 21 (M) -- dinner out
Day 22 (T) -- leftovers
Day 23 (W) -- dinner out
Day 24 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Greek Beef Stew with Gremolata
Day 25 (F) -- Balsamic Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples 
Day 26 (Sat) -- grilled filet mignon; roasted potatoes; salad
Day 27 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 28 (M) -- leftovers
Day 29 (T) -- Slow Cooker Piri-Piri Chicken; roasted green beans
Day 30 (W) -- Crock Pot Turkey Bolognese over Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi
Day 31 (Th) -- Nurturing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 32 (F) -- Carne Asada; roasted broccoli; sweet potato fries
Day 33 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 34 (Sun) -- SUPERBOWL! Paleo Bacon Garlic Avocado Burger; baked french fries

Day 35 (M) -- Nurturing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 36 (T) -- leftover Bolognese with cauliflower gnocchi; salad
Day 37 (W) -- Instant Pot Italian Beef; cauliflower rice; roasted broccoli
Day 38 (Th) -- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; roasted cauliflower
Day 39 (F) -- grilled Filet Mignon; baked potatoes; sautéed green beans
Day 40 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 41 (Sun) -- leftovers

Day 42 (M) -- Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket; baked potatoes; sautéed green beans
Day 43 (T) -- Sheet Pan Orange Glazed Salmon and Broccolini 
Day 44 (W) -- One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples; roasted sweet potatoes; salad
Day 45 (Th) -- leftover brisket; salad
Day 46 (F) -- Beef Tacos; rice; roasted carrots
Day 47 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 48 (Sun) -- Grilled Balsamic Marinated Chicken; roasted sweet potatoes; roasted broccoli

Day 49 (M) -- Taco Dinner with Friends! Slow Cooker Carnitas; Flank Steak Tacos; Mexican Crema; rice; Fruit Plate with Chili Lime Salt; Skinny Margaritas
Day 50 (T) -- leftovers
Day 51 (W) -- grilled Filet Mignon; roasted potatoes; salad
Day 52 (Th) -- All American Chili
Day 53 (F) -- Chicken Shawarma Naan Salad with Sweet Potato Fries 
Day 54 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 55 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 56 (M) -- Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (although I prefer to follow the oven cooking directions); gnocchi; green beans
Day 57 (T) -- One Pan Garlic Lovers' Shrimp and Veggies; rice 
Day 58 (W) -- Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens 
Day 59 (Th) -- One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples; roasted carrots; polenta
Day 60 (F) -- grilled Filet Mignon; Instant Pot Baked Potatoes; salad

Moroccan Meatballs + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Honestly, I miss the summers before the kids were entrenched in all day camps. I know I dreamed of those longingly when they toddled about the house as I came up with all manner of field trips and art projects. But now I hardly get to see them! We fit things in where we can, but all I've got to really share this month is more of what we've been eating. Because they are definitely EATING. 

We all love these meatballs and I always double the recipe when I make them. In case you've missed my Instagram posts of our new bento boxes (which have garnered more comments than any other posts so I'm seriously considering starting a packed bento box business), I'm making lunches this summer and the ol' turkey sandwich every day trick doesn't work now that they are older. So I make sure to use leftovers when I can. These take a bit of time to mix up, but then basically cook themselves while you can do other things. Try them! 

Moroccan Meatballs

(slightly adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients
Sauce 
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 (14-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes 
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin 
- 1 tsp kosher salt 
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
- 1/2 cup green olives, chopped 

Meatballs 
- 1 lb lean ground beef 
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion 
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
- 1 tsp kosher salt 
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided 
- feta cheese (optional)

Directions
1. In a large dutch onion, sauté chopped onions for sauce with a little olive oil until just starting to brown. 
2. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine. 
3. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients—leaving 2 tbsp of cilantro for garnish.
4. Gently form mixture into 20 meatballs (don't overhandle them or they'll be tough!).
5. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 35-40 minutes. 
6. Top with feta cheese and reserved cilantro to serve. 

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Day 1 (M) - Grilled Chicken (Whole30 BBQ sauce); sweet potato fries; green beans 
Day 2 (T) - Scallops seared in ghee + olive oil with a spicy mayo sauce (Whole30 compliant hot sauce, paleo mayo, little water); cauliflower rice 
Day 3 - (W) - Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili 
Day 4 (Th) - dinner out 
Day 5 (F) - grilled burgers and salad in NJ
Day 6 (Sat) - grilled steak and salad in NJ 
Day 7 (Sun) - Juicy Balsamic Grilled Chicken and salad in NJ 

Day 8 (M) - brinner (eggs, potatoes, salad)
Day 9 (T) - Easy Shredded Harissa Chicken over cauliflower rice 
Day 10 (W) - dinner out 
Day 11 (Th) - Paleo Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp 
Day 12 (F) - Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce; Loaded Potato Skins with Bacon; green beans
Day 13 (Sat) - leftovers 
Day 14 (Sun) - dinner out 

Day 15 (M) - Grilled Salmon Kebabs (but left filet whole and skin on); leftover potatoes; salad
Day 16 (T) - Whole30 Easy Steak Fajitas 
Day 17 (W) - dinner out 
Day 18 (Th) - Moroccan Meatballs over cauliflower rice 
Day 19 (F) - brinner 
Day 20 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 21 (Sun) - chicken fajitas (made up as I made them)
 
Day 22 (M) - brinner 
Day 23 (T) -  dinner out 
Day 24 (W) - dinner out 
Day 25 (Th) - my birthday dinner! Delmonico steaks with chimchurri; baked potatoes; watermelon, mint + feta salad.
Day 26 (F) - Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (sans peach salsa); cauliflower rice; salad 
Day 27 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 28 (Sun) - brinner 

Day 29 (M) - leftovers 
Day 30 (T) - Greek Marinated Flank Steak + Hummus Plate

Mediterranean Chicken and Cauliflower Rice + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Daylight Savings Time kills me in so many ways but I am always thrilled with more natural light at dinner time! It makes me so much happier to cook while it's still light out—and it doesn't hurt for photos of food either. 

In other news, I finished up my Whole60! Well, actually it turned out to be a Whole55. I started adding in some alcohol and dairy on day 56 because I was headed to a bachelorette party and was trying not to die. But I've stayed eating Paleo and pretty clean. I have the occasional drink, but keeping the food clean makes me feel so much better! 

This month's top recipe is an insanely quick meal to make and is SO delicious. It's a new family fave and is in regular rotation at our house!

Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan) + 30 Days of Dinner!!

This set of dinners is basically us getting on and back off the Whole30 train (and like a whole week of eating out after the first night of Passover). I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've been having a hard time sticking with it this go around. So I decided to switch gears a little bit. I love eating Paleo and the Whole30 reset, but lately I just felt like I was vacillating between eating all the things and eating nothing.

If you've ever met anyone in our family, you know moderation isn't really our thing. Even with things that are good for you. We're a kind of all or nothing bunch. And that's one reason I love Whole30 so much -- I don't really have to deal with trying to eat certain things in moderation. I just can't have them. And what I can eat, the portions are not super strict (there are guidelines, but ....) But I'm trying to be an actual adult, so I decided to try eating mostly clean but with more strict portion control. So you'll continue seeing lots of Paleo-friendly recipes around here, but more just all-around healthy eats too. We'll see how it goes!!

My favorite recipe from this 30 days was easily adapted to Whole30, but even more delicious (and still healthy!) with the cheese. It's really bright, flavorful, and super easy for weeknights.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan)

(slightly adapted from Cafe Delites) 

Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp salt
- cracked pepper to taste
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Tray Bake:
- 17 1/2 ounces potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives
- 4 tbsp cubed Feta cheese

Directions
1. Combine marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken into a gallon bag. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to over night.
2. Preheat oven to 430 F. Spray a baking pan with cooking oil spray. Arrange chicken, potatoes, and onions on the pan. Drizzle the potatoes and onion with a small amount of olive oil and juice from half of the lemon. Season everything with a bit more of salt and pepper to taste. Toss the potatoes and onion in the oil to evenly coat. Slice the remaining lemon half into slices and arrange over the chicken.
3. Bake until the potatoes are golden/crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the chicken is completely cooked through (about 30-35 minutes). Change oven setting to broil and cook another 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Add olives and cheese before serving (or leave cheese off for Whole30).

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Day 1 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 2 (M) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos, cauliflower rice, salad 

Day 3 (T) -- Cuban Style Steak and Avocado Rice with Pineapple Chimichurri 

Day 4 (W) -- brinner -- eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, salad 

Day 5 (Th) -- Balsamic Mustard Roast Beef (this was DELICIOUS!), green beans 

Day 6 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 7 (Sat) -- Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Verde 

Day 8 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 9 (M) -- Passover: Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (I made a huge brisket, so I did half in the slow cooker and half in the oven -- the oven batch was far better), Apple Walnut Charoset, Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Pesto, Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts
Day 10 (T) -- dinner out
Day 11 (W) -- dinner out
Day 12 (Th) -- brinner
Day 13 (F) -- dinner out
Day 14 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 15 (Sun) -- Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan)

Day 16 (M) -- Crockpot Paleo Chicken
Day 17 (T) -- Apple and Bacon Smothered Pork Chops
Day 18 (W) -- brinner
Day 19 (Th) -- Chicken Fajita Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (a family fave this month)
Day 20 (F) -- One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken 
Day 21 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 22 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 23 (M) -- Slow Cooker Short Rib Chili 
Day 24 (T) -- Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato, and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip (no dip for Whole30), riced cauliflower
Day 25 (W) -- Carne Asada, Green Beans and Beets with Balsamic Reduction (no cheese for Whole30), Crispy Lemon Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Day 26 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 27 (F) -- dinner out
Day 28 (Sat) -- brinner
Day 29 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 30 (M) -- One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet (I used half ground turkey, half ground beef. Leave off the cheese for Whole30)

Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

As I mentioned in our last Friday Five, we just finished up our January Whole30 and I feel a gazillion times better than I did coming out of the holidays. So much so that I decided to extend it through February for a Whole60. I did one about a year and a half ago and loved it. And at this point, it's easier for me to keep plowing along.

This month's favorite recipe was definitely Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili. We all loved the spice (just enough to help us keep our sinuses clear without turning off the kiddies) and I liked the mix of chicken and beef. Plus it just could not be easier to make -- you literally just throw it all in the slow cooker and let it go. I made it once with sweet potatoes and the second time with yellow potatoes and both were delicious. Try either!

All recipes below are Whole30 or easily adapted. I tried to note where I made changes, but if I didn't, assume I always sub olive oil for cooking oil and leave out any dairy, legumes, grain, alcohol, or sugar. I often make a super easy vegetable to go with our main dish and I often forget to write that down. But rest assured, we didn't just eat plates of protein for dinner.

Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili

(slightly adapted from Julie Bauer's recipe on SkinnyTaste) 

Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeds removed and diced
- 1 large sweet potato or 3 small gold potatoes, diced
- 1 lb 93% lean ground chicken
- 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1, 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- chopped scallions, for garnish
- sliced avocado, for garnish

Directions 
Place all ingredients up to scallions and avocado in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 6 hours). When done, break up the ground meat with a spoon. Serve garnished with scallions and avocado on top. 

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (M) -- Grilled Chilean Beef Skewers with Smokey Chimichurri; spaghetti squash 

Day 2 (T) -- Lemony Chicken Stir Fry; cauliflower rice 
Day 3 (W) -- Garlic Lover's Crockpot Beef Stew with Olives, Capers, and Tomatoes; mashed potatoes; green beans 
Day 4 (Th) -- Brinner: eggs, hash browns, sausage, and salad. 
Day 5 (F) -- Paleo Taco Skillet; spaghetti squash (kids had brown rice)
Day 6 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 7 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 8 (M) -- Greek Lamb Burgers (I used 1/2 lamb, 1/2 ground beef and left off all dairy and no bun); Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Potatoes 
Day 9 (T) -- Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili; salad 
Day 10 (W) -- Rosemary Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken with Bacon and Apples
Day 11 (Th) -- Burgers, green beans, My Favorite Roasted Potatoes 
Day 12 (F) -- Cranberry Pot Roast; mashed potatoes; carrots 
Day 13 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 14 (Sun) -- Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad; Greek Roasted Potatoes 

Day 15 (M) -- Grilled Flank Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri
Day 16 (T) -- Chicken Skillet with Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, and Sautéed Apples
Day 17 (W) -- leftovers/brinner 
Day 18 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Paleo Turkey Meatballs; Zoodles (and noodles for kids)
Day 19 (F) -- Roast Chicken with Kimchi Smashed Potatoes; green beans 
Day 20 (Sat) -- Weeknight Porchetta; brussels sprouts
Day 21 (Sun) -- Paleo Beef Barbacoa (everyone LOVED this and I doubled it so that I got a ton of leftovers from it); cauliflower rice (brown rice for kiddos)

Day 22 (M) -- Lamb Sliders; Paleo Broccoli Salad with Bacon (I am kind of obsessed with this salad, but the second time I made it, I ate half of the bowl. So I might need to lay off that one for a while!) 
Day 23 (T) -- Brinner: eggs, Breakfast Potatoes, sausage, and fruit (kids also had pancakes) 
Day 24 (W) -- Charred Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Oranges (this was a BIG family fav! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was still incredibly juicy)
Day 25 (Th) -- Paleo Taco Salad 
Day 26 (F) -- Slow Cooker Fajita Salsa Chicken; cauliflower rice (kids had brown rice)
Day 27 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 28 (Sun) -- Grilled Steak Salad with Beets and Scallions (I used cooked beets in this and it was yummy); green beans; kids also had pasta 

Day 29 (M) -- Paleo Roasted Chicken with Figs and Olives; potatoes; salad 
Day 30 (T) -- Crock Pot Picadillo; we had ours over spaghetti squash; kids had brown rice and corn 

Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I feel like we're slowly putting back together our clean eating habits. It's meant a few more throw together dinners, brinners, and better dining out discipline than normal, but it's been working. My goal is to really keep it as steady as I can through the holidays and then do another Whole30 in the new year. We'll see how it goes! As for this last 30 days, I ended up making a serious number of successful dinners for the family. I didn't cook every night, but it felt like every night I did, they liked better than the night before. Not a bad place to be. The one I decided the share, though, was one of my own favorites. Sometimes I find that I get in a rut with chicken recipes that are clean -- they all kind of end up tasting the same. But this was a new one for me, full of seasonal flavors. And the kids loved it too.

Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash

(modified slightly from Half Baked Harvest) 

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (if you're Paleo and can't find a prepared version that works, try whipping this up)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup Tamari (or other gluten free soy sauce)
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled + grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 acorn or kabocha squash, seeded + sliced into half rounds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- salt + pepper
- aerils from 1 pomegranate

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Make the pomegranate sticky glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet Thai chili sauce, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

Toss the chicken with 1/2 of the pomegranate sticky sauce (reserve the rest for serving) and place on one end of a parchment lined baking sheet. Toss the squash with olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper and place on the other end of the baking sheet.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender (mine took more like 35 minutes). Halfway through cooking, rotate the pan and spoon any sauce that has settled on the bottom of the pan over the chicken. Turn on the broiler and crispy up the tops just a bit -- about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the chicken. Serve the chicken and squash over rice or cauliflower rice drizzled with the remaining reserved pomegranate sticky sauce. Garnish with pomegranate aerils.

*          *          *

30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (W) -- Omelettes, Perfect Fluffy Crispy Potatoes (I skipped the nutritional yeast), and Grilled Romaine with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Day 2 (Th) -- Slow-Cooked Bolognese over spaghetti squash, green salad
Day 3 (F) -- dinner out
Day 4 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 5 (Sun) -- Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon and Cauliflower Tabbouleh 

Day 6 (M) -- leftovers 

Day 7 (T) -- grilled steak fajitas 

Day 8 (W) -- brinner
Day 9 (Th) -- One Pan Pesto Chicken + Veggies, kids also had pasta
Day 10 (F) -- dinner out
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out in Chicago
Day 12 (Sun) -- dinner out in Chicago 

Day 13 (M) -- brinner

Day 14 (T) -- Chicken Breast Sautéed in Sweet Red Onion + Lemon (sans sugar), roasted potatoes, salad 

Day 15 (W) -- Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak (cherries are out of season, so I subbed in cherry tomatoes and it was still delish).
Day 16 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 17 (F) -- Slow Cooker Carnitas with regular salsa 

Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 19 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 20 (M) -- Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato, and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip (skip dip if you're dairy free) 

Day 21 (T) -- Slow Cooker Cholulua Shredded Beef Tacos -- everyone LOVED these -- hardly any leftovers! 

Day 22 (W) -- Cabernet Braised Short Rib Stew -- another HUGE family fave. Such a good comfort food din. 
Day 23 (Th) -- dinner out 
Day 24 (F) -- Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken + Honey Roasted Squash 
Day 25 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 26 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 27 (M) -- Stifatho (Greek Stew)  

Day 28 (T) -- Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce 

Day 29 (W) -- brinner
Day 30 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Cholulua Shredded Beef Tacos -- told you everyone loved them. 

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Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip + 30 Days of Dinner!!

We were on vacation for two weeks of these 30 Days of Dinner, so there was LOTS of eating out and indulging. Needless to say, I'm a few days in to a new Whole30. Had to! So I don't have tons of new recipes to share this month, but the featured one is so outrageously good it makes up for the slim numbers overall. Family literally licked their plates. If you're not doing dairy, just skip the dip (but I heard it was deeelish).

Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I struggled to get myself back on the Paleo train after our spring break vacation, but I eventually got it together. And then I got walloped with a combo of flu + food poisoning. I was sick for days. DAYS. I'm pretty sure the food poisoning was from a bad oyster, so it only seemed fitting to share a great recipe from I Will Not Eat Oysters this month. Easy to make and a great grill, plus it's Paleo friendly.

I am planning to get to a Whole30 sooner rather than later, but suffice it to say, I'm just trying to keep it as clean as possible around these parts. This Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri is super easy and outrageously tasty. And I've been so psyched for grilling weather, I've completely ignored the fact that it's actually been raining for more than two weeks. Give it a grill!

Squeaky Clean Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon + 30 Days of Dinner

I'm dreaming of the weather being just slightly warmer so that I can stand to stay outside and grill something for din. But until that happens, we'll keep cranking through slow cooked comfort foods. The kids LOVED this Bourguignon -- they chowed it down without noticing (or at least not caring) about all the veggies inside. I skipped thickening the broth (because I can't really stand many of the Paleo-friendly cooking starches) and just ladeled some of the broth over the meat when I served it. No complaints.

Slow Cooked Maple Dijon Pot Roast + 30 Days of Dinner

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm only a few days into a winter Whole30 and I actually couldn't be more ecstatic to be off all the holiday junk (read: ready to lose my mind if you try to take my cashews). We had such fun fall and holiday seasons full of entertaining and celebrating, but we are ready to clean. it. up.

The majority of these 30 Days of Dinner are me just trying to hold it together in between bouts of celebration. But if you are looking to say bye bye to some of the bad stuff (even though it tastes sooooo good), things should be pretty clean around these parts for the near future. This Slow Cooked Maple Dijon Pot Roast is definitely a family favorite and I'm all about the slow cooker these days. So little hands-on cooking time and cleanup for such deliciousness. Fire it up!

Apple Cranberry Turkey Meatballs + 30 Days of Dinner

With a ridiculous number of social events, holiday entertaining, travel, and just general activity busyness, I've struggled to keep a super clean menu this past month (and it's definitely not been strict Paleo). But we've done a fairly good job and all of it has me actually looking forward to another Whole30 (or 60) as soon as the holidays are over. In the meantime, we'll just stay the course and eat as healthy as we can!

Our favorite meal this month is one chock full of Thanksgiving flavor and everyone in the fam goes gaga for it. Not to mention that it gets the whole house smelling like the holidays, which is just so much fun. Give it a try!

Italian Drunken "Noodles" + 30 Days of Dinner

I generally try to share my most "family friendly" recipe of the month as the featured dinner. And, for my kids, that is almost always some form of pasta and meat. Despite the fact that we had to have yet another chat about not behaving like animals at the dinner table, and further affirmation that you do indeed have to eat your vegetables with no promise of dessert in sight, this meal was a winner. I served the kids' over papperdelle pasta and mine over ribbons of butternut squash "noodles."

Balsamic and Basil Marinated Steak with Red Pepper Pesto + 2 Weeks of Dinners

We've eaten our fair share of steak for dinner over the past few months (you can see our first two months of dinner recipes here and here), but this one is most definitely our family favorite. It's super easy and the kids love helping make the pesto from garden ingredients (the pesto is incredibly delicious on a whole variety of breakfast dishes as well). If you're looking for a new way to grill this last month of summer, I'd give this one a go.

We're headed out on vacation soon, so I wanted to share our recent dinners before we split. Our clean eating is likely to be suspended for a bit, but we'll be back with another month of dinners soon. Enjoy!

Balsamic and Basil Marinated Steak
with Red Pepper Pesto

(slightly adapted from Planks, Love and Guacamole)

Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- 1 lb steak
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder

Red Pepper Pesto
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/4 pistachios
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
1. Marinate steak in a gallon-sized plastic bag overnight or a minimum of 4 hours.
2. Add all pesto ingredients to food processor and pulse until combined into a pesto texture.
3. Grill steak to desired temperature and top with pesto prior to serving.

*          *          *

2 Weeks of Dinner

Day 1 (M) -- Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pasta with Lemon Garlic and Sage and roasted brussels sprouts.
Day 2 (T) -- tailgating at soccer game! Bunless burgers, fruit, and veggies.
Day 3 (W) -- Hawaiian Turkey Burgers, Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic, and leftover brussels sprouts.
Day 4 (Th) -- Roasted Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Rice Wraps (I LOVED these and also love making sandwich wraps with collard leaves as well) and leftovers.
Day 5 (F) -- Balsamic and Basil Marinated Steak with Red Pepper Pesto, leftover butternut squash and potatoes.
Day 6 (Sat) -- dinner out (steak and veggies).
Day 7 (Sun) -- Roasted Pork Loin with Grapes, and Apple, Pecan, Bacon + Butternut Squash Hash (this continues to be the only pork dish Joel will eat).

Day 8 (M) -- dinner out -- sort of. I ate only part of my strawberry salad with chicken before Cam had an adverse reaction to some medicine and puked into my hands and then all over me. At the restaurant. A lot.
Day 9 (T) -- Lemon Chicken with Olives, and Honey Balsamic Roasted Veggies (I used parsnips and red onion because it was what we had -- still delish).
Day 10 (W) -- leftovers.
Day 11 (Th) -- Balsamic Marinated London Broil, Maple Roasted Butternut Squash (can you tell we had a lot of squash left!?).
Day 12 (F) -- Italian Baked Eggs (sans cheese and bread), sausage, and a green salad.
Day 13 (Sat) -- out (delicious, and most definitely not Paleo, BBQ)
Day 14 (Sun) -- Sweet Potato Chili (a big fam favorite) and watermelon.

Grub It Up: Citrus Bacon Shrimp + Grilled Stone Fruit Salad

Yes, mom did post a stone fruit and grilled shrimp salad last year. But this new one is somehow an entirely different taste and is PHENOMENAL. Kane wasn't having any part of it, but I'm big on trying new things. It is a must make. Seriously. It has so, so much flavor. Yet it really simple to make. Score.

In addition to the shrimp, mom has been grilling up a storm this summer. Almost every single night this past week, in fact. So before I get to the shrimp, here's our paleo/primal friendly menu from last week.

Monday -- Grilled Moroccan Chicken (I subbed ras el hanout for the other spices) + Butternut Squash Apple Hash

Tuesday -- The Perfect Paleo Burger (without avocado mousse and parsnip fries, still delish!) + grilled veggie kabobs

Wednesday -- leftovers

Thursday -- Citrus Bacon Shrimp + Grilled Stone Fruit Salad

Friday -- dinner out for mom + dad; TJs for us

Saturday -- dinner out for all at Custom Fuel Pizza -- not paleo, but mom did get a fairly good gluten free crust.

Sunday -- Italian Baked Eggs (no bread) + Salad

Citrus Bacon Shrimp + Grilled Stone Fruit Salad

(shrimp recipe slightly adapted from Paleo Newbie)

Shrimp + Bacon Skewers

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs large shrimp

- 16 strips of bacon

- 1/2 cup olive oil

- juice of 2 limes

- 2 tsp salt 

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced 

Directions:

1. Peel and de-vein shrimp. Mix olive oil - garlic in a plastic bag, add cleaned shrimp, and allow to marinade for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 

2. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees F. Place bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet and cook for about 8 minutes -- just till partially cooked. Let cool for a few minutes and then cut each strip of bacon into thirds. 

3. When shrimp is finished marinating, thread shrimp and bacon onto skewers -- mom did a two shrimps, 1 piece bacon pattern.

4. Grill skewers for about 3 minutes each side. Let cool slightly before placing on salad.

Grilled Apricots 

- Half and de-pit desired number of fruit -- mom used 6. Brush all sides with olive oil. Grill 1-2 minutes each side.

Salad 

Ingredients:

- 1 lb spinach

- large handful of mini heirloom tomatoes, each halved

- 1 avocado, chopped

- 1/2 red onion, diced finely

- 1/3 cup pecans

- 2-3 tbsp honey chèvre

- balsamic vinegar + olive oil to drizzle

Directions: 

1. Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. 

2. Place a serving of salad on plate, top with a few grilled apricots and two skewers of shrimp. 

3. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.