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

Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables + 30 Days of Dinner!!

We just finished our first successful Whole30 in a looooong time and I feel great! And, as I've done in the past, I've decided to just keep going for another 30 days. It's become routine by now and so much easier for me to continue on at this point. So all the meals this 30 days are Whole30 compliant. I tried a lot of new dishes, but have plenty of standbys sprinkled in. And we only dined out three times this entire month, which is a pretty amazing feat for our family.

I am not a big fan of cooking fish at home, but this Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables was so easy and so tasty that I picked it to share. Great for a weeknight meal!

Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon + Vegetables 

(from Just Jessie B)

Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 lb salmon filet
- 1 white onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced (you can really use whatever veg you want -- I used up some cherry tomatoes I had in place of the pepper)
- 2 to 3 cups brocoli florets
- 2 to 3 cups green beans
- avocado oil, for drizzling (olive oil works too)
- salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the vegetables to the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, season with salt + pepper, and lightly toss to coat the veggies. Arrange them flat on the baking sheet and transfer to oven.
3. Roast the vegetables for 10 minutes.
4. While the veggies roast, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring often, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken. Turn the heat off once it reaches a consistency you prefer.
5. When the vegetables finish, move them to the sides of the pan to make room for the salmon. Drizzle the salmon with oil and a sprinkle of salt + pepper.
6. Place the baking sheet back in the oven, and roast for 15 minutes longer or until salmon is cooked through. Once finished, drizzle the entire dish with teriyaki sauce.

*          *          *

Day 1 (M) - Dijon Chicken Skillet (basically followed this recipe, but left out honey and sherry); cauliflower rice; salad 
Day 2 (T) - Crockpot Beef Chili (leave out maple syrup); green beans
Day 3 (W) - One Pan Pork Chops with Apples and Onions; Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon; roasted potatoes 
Day 4 (Th) - Beef Ragu (no gnocchi); baked potatoes; green beans 
Day 5 (F) - Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas (no tortillas); sweet potato fries 
Day 6 (Sat) - dinner out (steak, baked potato, brussels sprouts -- all plain)
Day 7 (Sun) - Dijon Chicken Skillet (same as above); baked potato; green beans 

Day 8 (M) - Slow-Cooker Kalua Pig; cabbage and kale mix; roasted sweet potatoes 
Day 9 (T) - brinner (poached eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, salad)
Day 10 (W) - Beef Enchilada Bake; cauliflower rice 
Day 11 (Th) - Garlic Lover Stew with Olives, Capers + Tomatoes; cauliflower rice; salad 
Day 12 (F) - grilled burgers; sweet potato fries; salad
Day 13 (Sat) - Pan-Seared Steaks with Chimichurri Brussels Sprouts (from Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook but see similar here -- use ghee or oil instead of butter); baked potato; salad 
Day 14 (Sun) - Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili; green beans 

Day 15 (M) - Trader Joe's frozen burgers (no one liked these, but they did the trick in a pinch); roasted carrots; potatoes 
Day 16 (T) - Creamy + Smoky Chipotle Pork Chops (I didn't have time to make the sauce and the chops needed it); leftover potatoes; salad
Day 17 (W) - Paleo Beef Barbacoa; cauliflower rice; sautéed shaved brussels sprouts 
Day 18 (Th) - dinner out at CAVA (got all totally Whole30-compliant din, but my stomach still didn't feel exactly right after)
Day 19 (F) - Beef and Plantain Skillet (a runner-up for the featured recipe!); sweet potato fries 
Day 20 (Sat) - grilled steak; Twice Baked Potatoes; Cauliflower + Carrot Puree 
Day 21 (Sun) - leftovers 

Day 22 (M) - Spicy Beanless Chili (I wasn't a fan of this -- the heat was overpowering); salad
Day 23 (T) - Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto and Shrimp (I usually don't like zoodles, but the pesto made this dish delicious!); salad
Day 24 (W) - grilled flank steak (with this marinade - SO good); omelets; and sweet potato fries 
Day 25 (Th) - Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (I prefer this slow cooked in the oven); brussels sprouts; potatoes 
Day 26 (F) - leftovers 
Day 27 (Sat) - Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon + Vegetables 
Day 28 (Sun) - dinner out (steak, carrots, and potatoes -- all plain)

Day 29 (M) - sautéed chicken; sweet potato hash; avocado 
Day 30 (T) - Fennel Crusted Pork Chops with Potatoes + Shallots; roasted green beans + broccoli 

Hawaiian Pork Bowl and 30 Days of Dinner!!

I just wrote a nice long intro to this month's 30 Days of Dinner and then lost it. I'm at the beach, so I'm not inclined to rewrite the whole thing. The gist is that it's summer for us, we're not on much of a schedule, and our dinners are all over the place. Plus, I tried Plated this month and am still deciding whether I want to continue with that a few nights a week. Some really tasty new recipes in the mix though, including this Hawaiian Pork Bowl that everyone loved! Happy summer, all!!

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Day 1 (Th) - BBQ Salmon Burgers
Day 2 (F) - dinner out
Day 3 - (Sat) - Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken with Potatoes; green beans
Day 4 (Sun) - dinner out at friends

Day 5 (M) - One-Skillet Steak and Spring Veg with Spicy Mustard; brown rice
Day 6 (T) - Grilled Scallops with Creamed Corn 
Day 7 (W) - Chicken Spiedie Skewers with Italian Dressing
Day 8 (Th) - dinner out
Day 9 (F) - Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Day 10 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 11 (Sun) - dinner out at friends

Day 12 (M) - Salmon Citrus Salad with Avocado 
Day 13 (T) - BBQ'd burgers at the pool
Day 14 (W) - dinner out at Nat's game
Day 15 (Th) - Skillet Pizza Chicken
Day 16 (F) - Chicken Meatballs with pasta
Day 17 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 18 (Sun) - Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak 

Day 19 (M) - Halibut with Spicy Sausage, Tomatoes, and Rosemary; green beans; roasted potatoes
Day 20 (T) - dinner out
Day 21 (W) - BBQ at swim meet
Day 22 (Th) - Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grapefruit Glaze; Southwestern Brown Rice Salad
Day 23 (F) - Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce; sweet potato fries
Day 24 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 25 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 26 (M) - Hawaiian Pork Bowl
Day 27 (T) - Plated Green Chile Chicken Tacos
Day 28 (W) - dinner out
Day 29 (Th) - Plated Seared Steak with Cherry Tomato Viniagrette
Day 30 (F) - Grilled Chicken and salad

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)

Grilled Chicken "Tacos" + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Our last month of food has been one of extremes. We've gone from eating mostly clean to professional-chef-dining all last week on spring break. And we had plenty of other travel and dining out mixed in too. Needless to say, I'm in serious need of a round of Whole30, which I started yesterday. I originally planned on just going back to a 80-20 clean eating-indulging plan. But based on the number of pina coladas I consumed last week, more drastic measures are in order. Boo.

What's not boo? These delicious grilled chicken "tacos," which I serve to the kids as actual tacos and to the "adults" in our family as grilled chicken over cauliflower rice. They are super tasty and I love a grill recipe that doesn't require 8 hours of marinating. Weeknights don't have time for that. You should definitely fire up your grill for this recipe, but take what you will from our last 30 days of meals. I realize including over a week of eating out is not helpful, but it's what happened over vacation. And so it goes.

Grilled Chicken Tacos

(slightly adapted from Epicurious) 

Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges, keeping root intact 
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lb, boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil 
- 1 tsp kosher salt 
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
- 2 avocados 
- cilantro 

Directions
1. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Toss onion, garlic, chicken, cumin, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Grill onion and chicken until cooked through and lightly charred, about 5 - 6 minutes each side. 

2. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve on top of cauliflower rice with cilantro and avocado. 

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 2 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 3 (Sun) -- Paleo Taco Skillet 

Day 4 (M) -- One Pan Balsamic Chicken and Veggies, salad, and kids had pasta too. 

Day 5 (T) -- omelets, Potato and Pepper Hash 

Day 6 (W) -- Fennel-Crusted Pork Chops with Potatoes and Shallots, brussels sprouts 

Day 7 (Th) -- Grilled Chicken "Tacos," Whole Cauliflower Braised in Tomato Sauce

Day 8 (F) -- dinner out in NY

Day 9 (Sat) -- dinner out in NY 

Day 10 (Sun) -- dinner out in NY 

Day 11 (M) -- dinner out in NY 

Day 12 (T) -- Corned Beef and Cabbage with Parsley-Mustard Sauce, mashed potatoes, carrots 

Day 13 (W) -- Crockpot Beef Chili 

Day 14 (Th) -- leftovers 

Day 15 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 16 (Sat) -- Garlic Lover's Crockpot Beef Stew with Olives, Capers, and Tomatoes 

Day 17 (Sun) -- Grilled Steak Salad, sweet potato wedges 

Day 18 (M) -- Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts, brussels sprouts, salad 

Day 19 (T) -- brinner 

Day 20 (W) -- dinner out 

Day 21 (Th) -- Paleo Taco Skillet (I used ground turkey and everyone seemed to love that more than the usual ground beef) 

Day 22 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 23 (Sat) -- spring break 

Day 24 (Sun) -- spring break 

Day 25 (M) -- spring break 

Day 26 (T) -- spring break 

Day 27 (W) -- spring break 

Day 28 (Th) -- spring break 

Day 29 (F) -- spring break 

Day 30 (Sat) -- spring break 

Fennel-Crusted Pork Chops with Potatoes and Shallots + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Woohoo!! We just wrapped up our Whole60 a little over a week ago and it turned out to be a fabulous way to start the new year. We have completely reset the way that we eat. So that even though we've re-introduced some things (a bit of dairy (cheese!!), alcohol, and the occasional sweet), we still continue to eat super close to a Whole30 diet with no problem at all. I plan to loosen up a bit on a few upcoming trips, but I hope we can really stick with it long term.

This last month was pretty busy, so I have lots of basic meals in our dinners below. But the pork chops recipe definitely stuck out -- it's super easy and just a nice change from red meat and chicken. It's a perfect weeknight meal!

Fennel-Crusted Pork Chops with Potatoes and Shallots 

(slightly adapted from Bon Apetit) 

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2, 1-inch-thick bone-in pork loin chops (about 1 1/4 lbs total)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb small Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 2 large shallots, cut into quarters with some root attached
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar

Directions1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Toast fennel seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

2. Combine fennel seeds, garlic, paprika, and 2 tbsp oil in a small bowl. Season pork with salt and pepper and place in a resealable plastic bag. Add spice mixture; seal bag and turn to coat. Let sit at least 30 minutes.

3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes; turn. Add potatoes and shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat in pan drippings. Cook, tossing potatoes and shallots occasionally, until pork is golden brown on second side, about 4 minutes.

4. Transfer to oven and roast until potatoes are tender. If potatoes need more time, transfer chops to plate and continue to roast until tender; transfer chops back to skillet when potatoes are done. Remove skillet from oven and mix in parsley and vinegar. Let pork chops rest 5 minutes in skillet.

5. Transfer chops to a cutting board; cut meat from bones and slice against the grain. Serve with potatoes, shallots, and any pan juices.

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (W) -- brinner/leftovers 

Day 2 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chili 
Day 3 (F) -- Paleo Brocoli Salad with Bacon, eggs, potato hash 
Day 4 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 5 (Sun) -- SuperBowl dinner! Salad, two kinds of wings (Paleo Buffalo Wings and Crispy Chicken Wings), and kids had nachos too. 

Day 6 (M) -- burgers, Sweet Potato Fries (LOVE this recipe), salad 
Day 7 (T) -- Ginger Garlic Steak Tacos with Pineapple Pico de Gallo; cauliflower rice 
Day 8 (W) -- Lemon and Garlic Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes (leave out wine and sugar, and sub gluten-free flour); zoodles and kids had pasta
Day 9 (Th) --  Fennel-Crusted Pork Chops with Potatoes and Shallots; brussels sprouts 
Day 10 (F) -- Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo (I LOVE How Sweet It Is, but found these disappointing); salad 
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 12 (Sun) -- Crockpot Pulled Pork Chili 

Day 13 (M) -- dinner out 
Day 14 (T) -- Valentine's Day! Steak and Baked Potato with Crab, Jalapeño, and Mint (leave out dairy if Whole30)
Day 15 (W) -- Roasted Chicken with Potatoes + Arugula (leave out dairy); green beans 
Day 16 (Th) -- Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole (everyone loved this!)
Day 17 (F) -- dinner out 
Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out 
Day 19 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 20 (M) -- brinner: scrambled eggs, salmon pastrami, hash browns 
Day 21 (T) -- Grilled Rosemary and Balsamic Chicken (leave out sugar); salad; potatoes 
Day 22 (W) -- Slow Cooker Brisket; mashed potatoes; salad 
Day 23 (Th) -- Greek Lamb Burgers (no dairy); sweet potato fries; green beans
Day 24 (F) -- dinner out 
Day 25 (Sat) --  leftovers 
Day 26 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 27 (M) -- Paleo Beef Barbacoa (still love this); cauliflower rice 
Day 28 (T) -- Loaded Taco Soup (I thought this was delish -- the rest of the family seemed annoyed that it was soup instead of chili, and sort of ate it like chili. So next time I might let it simmer and thicken longer). 
Day 29 (W) -- brinner 
Day 30 (Th) -- dinner out
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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 

Chicken Shawarma Naan Salad with Sweet Potato Fries + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Chicken Shawarma is a regular fave of our whole family, so I love trying out new recipes. And this one was a HUGE hit. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that even though it's a salad, it has sweet potato fries sprinkled all over it. But, whatever. The kids ate a ton of it, including the veggies. So I'll count that as a win!

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).

Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak + 30 Days of Dinner!

These 30 Days of Dinner cover the last little stretch of the school year, so there's plenty of eating out and not 100% clean eating. But we managed. And YAY for summer!! We've been busy already, but I love getting a little more daylight to cook, lots of fresh produce, and warm weather to grill out. This steak salad recipes is TOPS. It's super easy, but so fresh and delicious. A must make! 

Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak

(from So Let's Hang Out)

Ingredients
Steak
- 1 lb flank steak 
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- your favorite steak seasoning

Salad 
- 2 bunches of dino kale, de-stemmed and chopped into ribbons
- 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups cherries, pitted and cut in half 
- 2 avocados, seed and skin removed and sliced thinly 
- 5 sprigs of mint, chopped 
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1 tbsp of hemp seeds

Dressing
- juice of 2 large lemons 
- 1/3 cup of olive oil

Directions
1. Rub your steak with olive oil and season it liberally with steak seasoning. Set it aside and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil for dressing and set aside.
3. Add kale to a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over kale and using clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale leaves. This will soften the leaves and allow them to absorb some of the dressing.
4. Assemble the salad by adding the onion, pitted cherries, avocado, mint, pistachios, and hemp seeds.
5. Add steak to a hot grill and cook for 3 minutes each side, making sure not to overcook. Remove steak from the heat and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
6. Slice steak and arrange it on top of salad.

*          *          *

30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 2 (F) -- Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak
Day 3 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 4 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 5 (M) -- dinner at a friend's house
Day 6 (T) -- Best Ever Turkey Chili; Asparagus and Mushrooms in Lemon-Thyme Butter 
Day 7 (W) -- leftovers
Day 8 (Th) -- Kimchi Beef Burgers; sweet potato fries
Day 9 (F) -- brinner
Day 10 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 11 (Sun) -- Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Kale Marinara 

Day 12 (M) -- Carne Asada; Green Beans and Beets with Balsamic Reduction; Crispy Lemon Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Day 13 (T) -- Shawarma-Spciced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Day 14 (W) -- leftovers
Day 15 (Th) -- Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak; oven roasted potatoes
Day 16 (F) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos; cauliflower rice
Day 17 (Sat) -- Lemon Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage + Spinach 
Day 18 (Sun) -- burgers and sweet potato fries 

Day 19 (M) -- dinner out 
Day 20 (T) -- Almost 5 Ingredient Pizza Spaghetti Pie (this sounds so bizarre, but was strangely delicious); salad 
Day 21 (W) -- Avocado Caprese Skillet Chicken; sautéed green beans 
Day 22 (Th) -- Grilled Marinated Flank Steak (I thought this was just OK); roasted green potatoes; green salad 
Day 23 (F) -- dinner out 
Day 24 (Sat) -- Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce (this recipe was a freakin' disaster for me and proved once again that somethings are just better left un-paleofied); Paleo Turkey Meatballs 

Day 25 (Sun) -- chicken sausage and vegetables; spaghetti squash with Fennel Frond Pesto (DELISH); grilled asparagus (can you tell we picked up a monster CSA that day?) 

Day 26 (M) -- Chipotle Pulled Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (subbed honey for brown sugar and everyone LOVED this); cauliflower rice 

Day 27 (T) -- Fajita Chicken Kebabs; cauliflower
Day 28 (W) -- leftovers; Fennel, Escarole + Radish Salad 

Day 29 (Th) -- Backpocket Bolognese over spaghetti squash; leftover salad
Day 30 (F) -- dinner out