Lemony Chicken Stir-Fry + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I am life cranky right now. I've tried to blame it on post-vacation blues, but spring break has been over for a few weeks. It could be the fact that I've restarted a Whole30 three times in the last several weeks (I'm on Day 3 this round, so fingers crossed!). But I think it's more just a funk about everything and nothing in particular. But, in any event, it's making me sort of blah about blogging right now. I'm not planning anything drastic, but I did decide to stop our Project 52. Nothing about that excites me at the moment and I felt like I was phoning it in. So today, instead of a weekly photo, I've got our next 30 Days of Dinner.

I love cooking and the spring weather that finally seems to be on its way is full of promises for great produce, seasonal recipes, and lots of grilling. This bright Lemony Chicken Stir Fry was a huge win with everyone in the fam. I served the kids' portions with regular rice, but even Cam was tempted by the purple cauliflower "rice." It's a great go-to weekday meal that doesn't scream Paleo, but is Whole30 compliant. And I'll pretend that I'm not cranky about the glass of wine I can't have with it.

As I mentioned, I'm in the middle of restarting a Whole30, so the 30 Days of Dinner are a mix bag of clean eating, Paleo compliant, and Whole30-approved recipes.

Lemony Chicken Stir-Fry

(slightly adapted from Food + Wine)

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts 
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos  
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil 
- Kosher salt 
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced 
- cauliflower rice (I used a purple cauliflower, which was visually so much fun)

Directions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 4 minutes. 
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 3 minutes. 
- Stir in the coconut aminos and sesame oil, season with salt and pepper and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, 3 minutes longer. 
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and coconut aminos. Transfer the chicken to a platter, top with the sliced scallions and serve with cauliflower rice.

*          *          *

30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 2 (M) -- Avocado Turkey Burgers; sweet potato fries; Cauliflower Kale Salad (used dried cherries instead of pomegranates)
Day 3(T) -- Shawarma-Spiced Chicken with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and Paleo Naan
Day 4 (W) -- Grilled Turkey Kofta Skewers with Yogurt Sauce (used goat's milk yogurt); roasted potatoes; leftover kale salad
Day 5 (Th) -- Korean Steak and Vegetable Noodle Bowls (use coconut aminos and leave out honey for Whole30)
Day 6 (F) -- Soy-Lime Broiled Tilapia with Kale-Spinach (use coconut aminos); cauliflower rice. Pizza for kids. Also, I still hate cooked fish.
Day 7 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 8 (Sun) -- Food52 Breakfast Hash using turkey sausage, sweet potato red onion, red pepper, kale, cabbage, mushrooms, and eggs. 

Day 9 (M) -- Honey Grilled Chicken with Citrus Salad (Paleo, not Whole30 compliant); roasted potatoes
Day 10 (T) -- Easy Bibimbap Bowls with cauliflower rice
Day 11 (W) -- leftovers
Day 12 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 13 (F) -- dinner out
Day 14 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 15 (Sun) -- dinner out (we were getting ready to go on vacation, thus lots of dining out) 

Day 16 (M) -- Lemony Chicken Stir-Fry
Day 17 (T) -- Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak (no Worcestershire); Spring Cleaning Detox Kale Salad (no honey); roasted potatoes
Day 18 (W) -- Food52 Breakfast Hash; green salad
Day 19 (Th) -- Persian-Spiced Chicken with Spaghetti Squash (everyone LOVED this)
Day 20 (F) -- One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet (doubled recipe and made 1/2 without cheese); cauliflower rice
Day 21 (Sat) -- leftovers
Day 22 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 23 (M) -- Italian Baked Eggs (sans cheese and bread); zoodles.
 Day 24 (T) -- Cajun Burgers with Caramelized Onions; sweet potato fries.
Day 25 (W) -- dinner out 
Day 26 (Th) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos (without tortilla); grilled vegetable kebabs.
Day 27 (F) -- leftovers 
Day 28 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 29 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 30 (M) -- grilled vegetable kebabs (skewer cut up veggies, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and any other seasoning); roasted potatoes; fried eggs

Peppercorn-Crusted Tenderloin with Gremolata + 30 Days of Dinner

 

Oof. These past 30 days have been a bit of a killer on my meal planning. We've spent a ton of evenings out at social events and our refrigerator/freezer has been kaput for the past almost two weeks! It was theoretically fixed Monday (after the repairman being 2 1/2 hours late for the appointment and showing up, of course, 20 minutes before I needed to leave and get the kids for school), but still is not working. Shocking. Fingers crossed for today's now "emergency" appointment. 

In annnnny event, all of this has meant lots of eating out, ordering in, and easily fixed meals at home. So there's not all that many actual "dinners" in this 30 Days of Dinner. But we're powering through .... And the featured recipe is an absolute family fave -- lots of flavor, not a lot of work. Which also means not a lot of leftovers -- a huge bonus when you are using two wine fridges as your family refrigerator. We loved it so much that I made it twice this month. Give it a go! 

Peppercorn-Crusted Tenderloin with Gremolata 

(slightly adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

- 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed

- Olive oil cooking spray 

- 2 tsp cracked black pepper

- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided 

- 4 teaspoons olive oil 

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 

- 1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic 

- 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano 

- 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind 

- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 

Directions 

1. Coat each steak with olive oil cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil; swirl to coat. Add steaks to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. 

2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, parsley, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve with steak. 

*          *          *

30 Days of Dinner

Day 1(M) -- brinner/leftovers.
Day 2 (T) -- Bimbimap Bowls with cauliflower rice -- everyone loved this (so thanks, Darcy!! If you don't follow No Monsters in My Bed, make sure to check out her Meal Plan posts -- lots of good ones!)
Day 3 (W) -- leftovers
Day 4 (Th) -- Chinese takeout -- a sick Cam requested won ton soup, so we obliged.
Day 5 (F) -- Chicken Stew with Green Olives -- awesome recipe and the kids found it hilariously funny to watch me watch youtube on repeat to learn how to properly quarter a whole chicken. Plus lots of homemade yummy stock from the leftovers.
Day 6 (Sat) -- dinner out.
Day 7 (Sun) -- dinner out.

Day 8 (M) -- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Pulled Pork Tacos -- I used this recipe (minus the brown sugar) for the pulled pork and added cubed butternut squash. Kids got tortillas, I used collard greens to make a wrap.
Day 9 (T) -- dinner out with local blogger friends Darcy and Linda at Rasika -- not Paleo :)
Day 10 (W) -- Sirloin and Potatoes with Cornichon Pan Sauce; Kale and Delicata Squash Salad.
Day 11 (Th) -- dinner out at a pro bono shindig where Mr. Not-So-SAHM received a well-deserved award.
Day 12 (F) -- dinner out at Nando's Peri Peri (I'm obsessed with their Nutty Date Chicken Salad)
Day 13 (Sat) -- dinner out at a school progressive dinner.
Day 14 (Sun) -- Chicken Escalopes with Olive, Caper and Tomato Dressing; Carrot and Cauliflower Mash

Day 15 (M) -- Peppercorn-Crusted Tenderloin with Gremolata; roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.
Day 16 (T) -- brinner.
Day 17 (W) -- Muffuletta Chicken and leftover veggies -- delish.
Day 18 (Th) -- dinner out.
Day 19 (F) -- Steak with Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute (such an easy fix for meat); roasted veggies.
Day 20 (Sat) -- dinner out.
Day 21(Sun) -- Lemon Chicken with Red Onion (sans sugar); roasted potatoes.

Day 22 (M) -- Italian Baked Eggs (sans cheese and bread); Balsamic and Olive Oil Roasted Cauliflower.
Day 23 (T) -- Paleo Burgers; sweet potato fries; and green beans.
Day 24 (W) -- leftovers.
Day 25 (Th) -- Slow cooker Maple + Dijon Pot Roast; Twice Baked Potato Skins (with regular baking potatoes and minus the sweets); Orange-Glazed Carrots -- this whole meal just tastes like fall and everyone chowed!
Day 26 (F) -- dinner out.
Day 27 (Sat) -- dinner out.
Day 28 (Sun) -- dinner out.

Day 29 (M) -- Back Pocket Turkey Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash "noodles."
Day 30 (T) -- Peppercorn-Crusted Tenderloin with Gremolata and roasted potatoes 

Top 12 Posts of 2016!

Hello! I ended up taking a bit longer of a holiday blogging break than I intended, but we've been having a wonderfully restful and celebratory time with friends and family, so I just kind of went with it! I've also been spending some time thinking about this blog and what I'd like to do with this space in the next year. I was perusing the scintillating analytics when I also happened across one of my favorite blogger's "best posts" from last year and thought it might be fun to share my top posts from this year! I always find it interesting to see what content people really like (and it almost always surprises me -- like, maybe I should turn this into a food blog?!). So without further adieu, here are my top 12 posts from 2016 in no particular order:

Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak + 30 Days of Dinner / 2016 Summer Bucket List: 101+ Ideas of Family Fun for the Summer / Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip + 30 Days of Dinner / Spring Break 2016 at Bluefields Bay Jamaica / Lemony Chicken Stir Fry + 30 Days of Dinner / Holiday Gift Guide for the Kiddos / 25 More Fave Travel Activities, Games + Toys / Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce + 30 Days of Dinner / Slow Cooked Maple Dijon Pot Roast + 30 Days of Dinner / Scotland + Ireland: Edinburgh Days 1 + 2 / Outdoor Art Space for Kids / Spring Break Essentials -- Carry-On for the Girls 

Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pasta with Lemon, Garlic, and Sage + 30 Days of Dinner

This "pasta" is by far my favorite new Paleo-friendly dish. It's incredibly bright and filling, so much so that I don't mind peeling and peeling and peeling the butternut squash (and then spiralizing and spiralizing and spiralizing ....). My kids wouldn't go near this one, but I can't get enough.

Despite the loveliness of this dinner, I'm happy to bid farewell to the strict rules of the Whole30/60. I just wrapped up the end of my Whole60 and I think I did remarkably well, especially considering that I was traveling and on vacation for much of the last 30 days. There was a little wine and a little soft serve in the last week, which technically means I didn't complete a Whole60, but I'm declaring victory. My plan is to stay pretty strict Paleo during the week and let up a bit on the weekends for the occasional cocktail and slice of 'za. Plus, we are headed to Italy soon and I heard that's a Paleo free pass zone.

In any event, here's the deeelish Butternut Squash recipe from The Roasted Root (I love her whole blog, actually) and my last 30 Days of Dinner -- since I was on vacation and some unexpected travel, there are lots of repeats, grilling, others cooking (yay!), and easy thrown-together meals, but I made it work. I picked up where I left off last month, on a Friday, so that's where my 30 Days start. But feel free to use the recipes however they work for you.

Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pasta

with Lemon, Garlic, and Sage

(slightly adapted from The Roasted Root)

Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and spiralized (about 6 cups worth)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted grass-fed butter (or extra olive oil if doing Whole30)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 4 ounces prosciutto (torn or chunked)
- zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt to taste

Directions
1. Spirazlize the squash (click here for The Roasted Root's easy to follow directions).
2. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet.
3. Add the garlic and sage, and sauté until very fragrant (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the prosciutto, lemon zest, lemon juice, and butternut squash noodles. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the squash noodles are soft, but still al dente (about 12 - 15 minutes). Note: if you are having a difficult time getting your noodles to soften up, cover the skillet for a few minutes and allow them to steam.
4. Dish it up hot!!

*          *          *

30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (F) -- Whole Foods salad bar dinner out.
Day 2 (Sat) -- Back-Pocket Bolognese (from Dinner: A Love Story), which was easy and loved by the whole family and required just a tad of tweaking for Paleo-compliance. I had mine over Spaghetti Squash Pasta with leftover roasted veggies.
Day 3 (Sun) -- leftover Bolognese with "clean out the crisper kebabs."

Day 4 (M) -- Potato Breakfast Skillet with Bacon.
Day 5 (T) -- leftovers
Day 6 (W) -- Spiced Grilled Chicken and green salad.
Day 7 (Th) -- Balsamic Marinated Steak, sweet potato fries, and roasted brussels sprouts.
Day 8 (F) -- Paleo Burgers with spicy guacamole, grilled asparagus with lemon, and salad.
Day 9 (Sat) -- dinner out -- ahi tuna, steamed veggies, and baked potato.
Day 10 (Sun) -- My father-in-law's Salsa Salmon (divide jar of salsa evenly atop 4 salmon filets, poach at 375 for 20 minutes) with roasted veggies from the farmer's market.

Day 11 (M) -- Balsamic Grilled Chicken, grilled nectarines, and leftover roasted veggies.
Day 12 (T) -- dinner out -- burger and a side salad.
Day 13 (W) -- Ginger Chicken with Green Onions and Roasted Southwest Cauliflower.
Day 14 (Th) -- Italian Baked Eggs (sans cheese and bread) with green salad.
Day 15 (F) -- Grilled Flank Steak and Green Beans and Beets with Balsamic Reduction (leave off cheese if Whole30 -- SO GOOD).
Day 16 (Sat) -- Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pasta with Lemon, Garlic and Sage, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Day 17 (Sun) -- dinner "out" at O'Hare airport -- a salad from Frontera Grill.

Day 18 (M) -- Chicken Burgers (I had chicken so I used that instead of turkey) with Mint + Kale Pesto (see, I love The Roasted Root!!) and sweet potato fries.
Day 19 (T) -- dinner out -- roasted beet salad, steak, potatoes, and salad.
Day 20 (W) -- Salsa Salmon (see above) with Cauliflower + Carrot Puree.
Day 21 (Th) -- Paleo Burgers with Caramelized Balsamic Onions + Avocado, Roasted Potatoes, and veggie kabobs.
Day 22 (F) -- Roasted Spaghetti Squash with leftover pesto, roasted veggies and potatoes.
Day 23 (Sat) -- Paleo Burgers, grilled hot dogs, and salad (for the start of a week-long family vacaye!!)
Day 24 (Sun) -- Balsamic Grilled Chicken and grilled asparagus.

Day 25 (M) -- Paleo Turkey Meatballs and green salad.
Day 26 (T) -- dinner out -- scallops, steamed vegetables, and baked potato.
Day 27 (W) -- My father-in-law's shrimp scampi over veggie kabobs and asparagus.
Day 28 (Th) -- leftovers and sweet potato fries.
Day 29 (F) -- My father-in-law's grilled steak and roasted brussels sprouts and potatoes.
Day 30 (Sat) -- Fried eggs with salsa, turkey sausage, Roasted Potatoes, and avocado.

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 

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. 

*          *          *

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 

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!

Slow Cooked Carnitas with Peach and Tomato Salsa + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I know that peach season is long gone, but everyone so loved these Slow Cooked Carnitas with Peach + Tomato Salsa, that I'd make them again and again and just leave out the peaches. It was so easy for so much flavor! And I doubled the recipe so we used the leftovers in multiple dishes (brinner, tacos, etc.), which always adds up to a huge win in my book.

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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Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon + 30 Days of Dinner!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to work lamb in to our dinner rotation at home. Everyone was completely gaga over these meatballs from Smitten Kitchen—Cam asks for them at nearly every meal (no matter where we are). They are absolutely delish, so I get it. Next time I'll be making a double batch!

The rest of these 30 Days are also a mix of clean and not-exactly-clean eating. I was about 12 days in to my Whole 30 when the storm from hell hit and required a bunch of work at home. Hence, pizza and beer. Plus since we're on vacation it just seemed silly to try another stint before we're back. So, everything here is still healthy, just not 100% clean. I'm psyched for all we have planned for August, but also looking forward to getting the kids back in school and everyone on a more consistent schedule. Till then!!

Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon

(slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 8 tbsp water
- 2 lbs ground lamb
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- zest of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- a few slugs of red wine
- 1 28-ounce can of crushed or pureed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- zest of half a lemon
- 3/4 to 1 tsp table salt
- pinches of red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1/3 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp thinly sliced mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta, for garnish

Directions
1. Make meatballs: in a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. Using wet hands, form mixture into small meatballs (1 1/2 - 2-inch diameter).

2. Brown meatballs: heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat it through. Evenly space meatballs in pan and very carefully turn and roll them so that all sides become brown. Don't worry if they don't stay perfectly round or if some pieces stick to the pain. Drain meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Make sauce and finish cooking meatballs: pour all but 1 tablespoon fat out from skillet and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine and scape up any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the liquid almost disappears. Add tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper flakes, olives, mint, and parsley. Bring mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook at the lowest simmer for 20 - 24 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over meatballs and sauce.

Sprinkle with additional olives, feta, and herbs. We had ours over orzo pasta.

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (W) -- Brinner of omelets, bacon, and our new favorite Breakfast Potatoes.
Day 2 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 3 (F) -- grilled barbecue chicken on strawberry salad.
Day 4 (Sat) -- leftovers/kids pizza 

Day 5 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 6 (M) -- Chicken Fajita Cheeseburgers; sweet potato french fries
Day 7 (T) -- Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
Day 8 (W) -- post storm pizza + beer night
Day 9 (Th) -- grilled flank steak, Breakfast Potatoes, salad
Day 10 (F) -- Lemon Chicken with Red Onion; cauliflower rice
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out at a friends -- we brought this Chinatown Sling cocktail and ordered in Chinese food

Day 12 (Sun) -- BBQ at friends -- we brought this deeelish Classic Potato Salad and Pineapple Sangria 

Day 13 (M) -- Nectarine Mustard Glazed Salmon with Grilled Stone Fruit; Easy Lemon Roasted Potatoes; green beans
Day 14 (T) -- Moroccan Pita Sandwiches; leftover potatoes
Day 15 (W) -- leftovers 

Day 16 (Th) -- Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives + Lemon; orzo pasta
Day 17 (F) -- dinner out
Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 19 (Sun) -- Paleo Crockpot Chili (STILL a huge fam favorite) 

Day 20 (M) -- Roasted Chicken with Citrus, Dates, and Olives 
Day 21 (T) -- Grilled burgers and Crispy Baked French Fries 
Day 22 (W) -- Brazilian Grilled Steak; Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Cilantro Pesto 
Day 23 (Th) -- Honey Sriracha Coconut Grilled Chicken Fingers; grilled squash; Coconut Rice 
Day 24 (F) --  brinner 

Day 25 (Sat) -- Brisket Barbacoa Beef; Cilantro Rice; and Corn Salad

Day 26 (Sun) -- BBQ at friends

Day 27 (M) -- Lemon Chicken with Red Onion (also added spinach -- cleaning out fridge before vacaye!); leftover breakfast potatoes; green beans
Day 28 (T) -- brinner 

Day 29 (W) -- dinner out while traveling
Day 30 (Th) -- dinner out tonight in Scotland!! 

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Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I first mentioned this fabulous Shawarma-Spiced Chicken recipe a few weeks ago in a Friday Five. The kids loved it so much that I've actually made it a few times since then. Not only is it delicious, but total prep and cook time is under 30 minutes (including making homemade Paleo naan). It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it comes together so quickly. So its obviously one of my favorite weeknight meals and weekend lunches too.

We have added a little dairy back into our diet, but if you aren't eating dairy, just leave off the sauce and maybe add a few mint leaves and lemon squeeze on top. The spice on the chicken is super nice all on its own.

Our rest of our 30 days of dinner follows the recipe. I'm so excited that warm weather is here -- I'm over roasting, slow cooking, and braising everything and all about grilling!!

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

(adapted from Epicurious)

Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup plain goat's milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1/4 tsp grated garlic
- 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped dill, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped mint, plus more for serving
- 1/2 large English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4"-thick half-moons
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, 2 tbsp oil, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 12–15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until incorporated. Fold in 2 tbsp dill and 2 tbsp mint. 
- Toss cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in another medium bowl. Make Paleo naan.
- Thinly slice chicken. Place 1 Paleo naan on each plate and top evenly with chicken and tomato-cucumber salad. Drizzle each pita with 2 tbsp tahini-yogurt sauce; top with dill and mint. Serve remaining tahini-yogurt sauce alongside.

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (F) -- Italian Style Stuffed Peppers; cauliflower rice
Day 2 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 3 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 4 (M) -- leftover stuffed peppers; Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes; Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts 
Day 5 (T) -- Green Ginger Chicken with Green Onions; Maple Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower; kids had brown rice
Day 6 (W) -- Roasted Tomato + Red Pepper Soup; Roasted Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers
Day 7 (Th) -- Food52 Hash without a Recipe using potatoes, bacon, onion, orange pepper, zucchini, avocado, goat cheese + eggs
Day 8 (F) -- leftovers
Day 9 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 10 (Sun) -- Valentine's dinner! Seared Steak with Roasted Garlic Compound Goat Cheese; Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Pistachios  

Day 11 (M) -- Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Day 12 (T) -- Rosemary Braised Short Ribs over Cauliflower Puree; Garlic Lemon Green Beans
Day 13 (W) -- Food52 Hash without a Recipe using potato, red onion, yellow pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, goat cheese, and avocado; chicken sausage with kale
Day 14 (Th) -- Chicken and Zucchini Burgers (1 lb chicken, 1 zucchini grates, 1/4 diced onion, goat cheese, 2 slices diced cooked bacon, and salt + pepper), sweet potato fries
Day 15 (F) -- Best Paleo burger; Cauliflower + Carrot Puree
Day 16 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 17 (Sun) -- Pistachio-Crusted Chicken; potato, carrot + onion hash 

Day 18 (M) -- Chicken Tinga Tacos -- I could tell these were going to be REALLY spicy, so I cooked the sauce with the chile in, but removed it before blending it. And I used grilled chicken breast only; Paleo tortillas 
Day 19 (T) -- Balsamic and Basil Marinated Steak with Red Pepper Pesto; Crispy Lemon Potatoes; orange juice, honey + cinnamon carrots
Day 20 (W) -- leftovers
Day 21 (Th) -- Sally Schneider's Slow Roasted Salmon (sheep's milk yogurt and chives on top); Roasted Butternut Squash Puree with Goat Cheese 
Day 22 (F) -- brinner
Day 23 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 24 (Sun) -- Roast Chicken with Kimchi Smashed Potatoes -- I used chicken breasts only and this was DELICIOUS. The kids loved it too; green beans 

Day 25 (M) -- Moroccan Pita Sandwiches with Paleo naan and used goat's milk yogurt in sauce; sweet potato fries
Day 26 (T) -- Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken -- a HUGE family favorite; Green Beans and Beets with Balsamic Reduction 
Day 27 (W) -- Roasted Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers; cauliflower rice
Day 28 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 29 (F) -- Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak; Cauliflower Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Dried Apricots, and Pumpkin Seeds; roasted potatoes
Day 30 (Sat) -- dinner out