Port Wine Poached Pear & Chocolate Tart
Grain-Free Cranberry and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Whole Wheat Apple Ginger and Chocolate Chunk Cake (psst. with chocolate ganache)
Chocolate Chip Cashew Cookie Bars
Almond Butter Stuffed Chocolate Bars
How To Actually Complete A Whole30
tips, tricks, and secrets for completing the popular 30 day challenge
How To Actually Complete A Whole30
I did it. You did. WE DID IT! If you’re reading this and you’ve just finished or are about to finish the 2017 January Whole30, you should be celebrating. This is a huge milestone. Why? Because you put your health, your personal well-being, and how you feel first and you FINISHED what you set out to do.
If you weren’t able to stick to the program entirely, if you’re still hesitant to start, or if you really have no interest in completing a Whole30, that’s okay! I wanted to write this post because I honestly feel really great, and for the first time in my life, I have fully finished a program I set out to do. And that’s because of all of you.
Whole30 isn’t easy, and I’m a little proud to say that over the course of 30 days, I stuck to the program. I should tell you – I caught the Flu the last 3 days of my journey. Yes, I had 2 cough drops containing honey. We went out to eat one night and I had a few tastes of J’s sauteed beef and veggies and I’m not sure if there was soy in the seasoning. AND I was developing a recipe for one of my favorite clients, which was definitely not Whole30 approved, and I allowed myself a minuscule bite. I stand by my work and there is no way in HECK that you can be a good recipe developer without tasting your food. But, there were no sips of wine, and no sneaking peanut butter and chocolate in the pantry. I FINISHED. There are a few reasons I was successful and I’ll tell you what I think did the trick!
Tell Someone… or Everyone –
In my case, I very publically announced on my blog and social media channels that I was diving into the January Whole30. You guys are probably the main reason I completed this. Not only did I feel like I had a community and a great support network, but I would have felt like a total fraud if I didn’t finish and my Whole30 journey after announcing it. Which would have probably eaten me alive. Miss Allie’s Kitchen is founded on the principals of realness. Real food, real talk, and real life solutions. No BS. So, thank YOU for holding me accountable.
Simplify Your Meal Plan Game –
It’s easy for me to get caught up in fun recipes and sometimes I improperly calculate what we actually NEED for the week to like, survive. Instead of complicating things, I batch roasted tons of potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower (to name a few) in the beginning of the week and cooked up a few types of proteins. The proteins were mainly chicken, hardboiled eggs, slow cooked pork or beef and meatballs. When life hit, I had easy things to heat in a bowl. Some nights, I got creative in the kitchen, but I always had those fallbacks. I’ll be posting a few of my easy, balanced bowls in the future.
Check out this Stovetop Tropical Chia Pudding for a quick breakfast or snack!
Don’t Let A Small Slip-Up Defeat You –
Nothing always goes according to plan. I explained above that I had a small bite of a non-compliant dish that I was creating for a client and I had a couple of cough drops to ease a flu symptom. I could have easily thrown in the towel and given into the all or nothing mentality. But, life happens and I wasn’t about to give up on myself because everything didn’t fit into my perfect vision. Life gets messy, miscommunications happen at restaurants, and things pop up along the way. By all means, don’t cheap purposefully, but if a mistake or a necessary slip up happens, breathe deep, focus on your goal, and move on.
Learn to be BFF With Your Slow Cooker –
Ok so yes, most of the recipes this month on Miss AK were made in the slow cooker. Do you know how stinking awesome that made my life? Each week I had about 6-8 servings that were basically made for me in that glorious, magical pot. I pick the busiest night of my week, and the day before, I prep the slow cooker meal. The morning of my busy day, I throw the meal in my slow cooker and come home to dinner at the end of a long day. There is literally no room for error or a slip-up.
Yep, make these Pork Carnitas Tacos RIGHT in your Slow Cooker.
Don’t Focus On What You Can’t Have –
I saw a common trend with a few Whole30ers, they were all about the foods they couldn’t have and making it through the 30 days to eat them again. I’m going to go a little tough love on you here: that’s not what Whole30 is about. If we spend all of our time thinking about the can’ts in life, or in this case THE RULES, we’re going to associate some negative feelings with certain actions. Which, I think is actually why Whole30 gets a bad wrap. There’s a lot of positivity behind the psychology of Whole30 and the creators are asking us to change our mindsets and habits for just 30 days and implement what we learn afterward. Whole30 is designed to change your habits and outlook to give you the freedom to say no to things that make you feel crummy because you learn to love other foods and the way they make you FEEL. Sure, I had a few cravings. Mainly just wine, pizza, chocolate and tortilla chips. Instead of whining about it and dwelling, I tried to do turn my attention to something else, like how much I loved the new tea I just splurged on, or how awesome the run I went on earlier was. I know, it’s hard, but seriously, don’t underestimate the power of a positive mindset.
You CAN totally have this melt-in-your-mouth Slow Cooker Braised Short Rib platter for your next Whole30 meal.
Focus On How You Feel –
First of all, Whole30 makes no claims that you will “Drop the weight fast during the 30 days”. In fact, the creators urge you NOT to weigh yourself or focus on weight. I LOVE this. And it is the reason it worked for me. I’ll be honest, for years, I tried to “Lose The Weight” (ughhh I hate that statement, and it sometimes still haunts me). I tried to implement a totally clean diet with no alcohol about 3 years ago when I had a contract with a modeling agency. No one ever came out and told me to “drop 10lbs before the next runway show”, but when you’re a 22-year-old woman who lifts weights standing next to a 15-year-old little girl on a catwalk, there are going to be some physical differences. And it’s really hard not to get inside of your own head. The week or two before a gig I was miserable. Eating “clean” just to look good just didn’t carry enough weight for me and I don’t think I ever thought about how I felt. When you eat well to feel great, I think it makes a huge difference because you’re focusing on your quality of life and what’s on the inside.
A few things going forward – you can totally expect to see more Whole30 inspired meals on Miss Allie’s Kitchen. I absolutely loved eating less sugar and did notice an improvement in some soreness and inflammation in my left hip. I’m going to be diving into foods that make me FEEL GOOD this year and I hope you’ll do the same. Don’t forget to check me out on Social Media for additional resources & inspiration!
xoxx,
Miss AK
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media & Pin This for Later!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Curried Carrot & Brussel Power Bowl
whole, healthy and honest meal prep ideas
Curried Carrot & Brussel Power Bowl
I’m always in this constant limbo of wanting to spend hours in the kitchen creating THE MOST EPIC thing ever, or I want absolutely nothing to do with cooking and I want food on the table in 5 seconds flat. Lunch usually falls into category #2.
I’ve been spending a lot of time simplifying this year, so far, and I’ve come to the conclusion that 10,000 ingredients mixed together do not always make the greatest dishes. Proper preparation, ample seasoning, and flavor balance are what really make a great meal. And love, always love.
Also, eating things out of bowls makes everything just sooo much more appealing, too! Why is that? Anyway, I’m sharing a real live recipe from my recent meal prep lunch menu and I hope it convinces you that less is more when it comes to quick and delicious.
We’ll lightly season the chicken and vegetables, give them a brush of healthy fats from our olive oil to help them roast, and marry them all together with a tahini drizzle to round out the dish. It reheats perfect and is easily made in large batches at the beginning of the week!
Let’s get to it!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Chicken
Large, whole carrots
Brussel sprouts
Curry
Garlic powder
Paprika
Avocado or olive oil
Tahini (sesame seed paste found in the peanut butter isle)
xoxx,
Miss AK
Print
Curried Carrot & Brussel Power Bowl
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 1 lb large, whole carrots
- 1 lb Brussel sprouts
- 1/2 tsp curry
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, divided
- 3/4 tsp pepper, divided
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp of tahini, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash and peel your carrots and place in a bowl. Wash the Brussel sprouts, dry and cut in half. Place them into another bowl. Finally, take the chicken out of the package and dump into a third bowl.
- Prepare three baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle 2 teaspoons of oil in each bowl.
- To the chicken, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of paprika.
- To the carrots, add 1/2 teaspoon if curry, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- To the Brussels, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper.
- Mix all of the contents in the bowls to coat the chicken, carrots, and Brussels well.
- Dump each bowl out onto a separate baking sheet and place in the oven.
- Remove the chicken after 30 minutes.
- Remove the Brussels after 40 minutes.
- Remove the carrots after 60 minutes
- Mix the roasted components up and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of tahini per serving.
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
*notes an affiliate link. if you decide to purchase this product, your price will remain the same as the listed price on the website, however, I will make a small commission. thank you for supporting Miss Allie’s Kitchen!
Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs
Whether you’re in need of a special occasion crowd pleaser or a new weeknight favorite, these short ribs are sure to fit the bill!
Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs
Well, I finished my #JanuaryWhole30 and it’s safe to say… I didn’t really want for much during the 30 days. I won’t lie, it STUNK not having a few drinks or a glass of wine on the weekends, but I can’t think of anything else I craved big time. That’s all probably due to the fact that I ate like royalty during the entire time coming up with slow cooker recipes for all of you weekly.
I tried to pepper the 30 days with fun, new and exciting activities, and I really got ahead with some plans I have for all of you on Miss Allie’s Kitchen. One of my favorite nights was when my bestie came to visit for dinner and we FEASTED on these Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs. It’s always fun to have one of your best buds complete a challenge with you, and I was so glad to have her along on the Whole30 Journey that night.
This is one of those melt-in-your-mouth tender dishes that is exciting enough to serve to guests (like I did), and is crazy easy to prepare! It just may make your weeknight meal rotation, too!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED (measurements below):
Beef short ribs
Canned tomato sauce, no salt added
Canned tomato paste, no salt added
Apple cider vinegar
Orange juice, all natural no sugar added for Whole30
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chipotle powder
WHAT YOU’LL DO (measurements below):
Place the short ribs in the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, ACV, orange juice, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle seasoning, salt, and pepper. Pour the braising sauce over the spareribs and turn the slow cooker to high for 4 hours. Turn the slow cooker off, let the meat cool and rest, and serve!
xoxx,
Miss AK
Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of boneless, beef short ribs
- 1 cup of canned tomato sauce, no salt added
- 2 tbsp of canned tomato paste, no salt added
- 3 tbsp of orange juice, all natural no sugar added for Whole30
- 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of onion powder
- 1/2 tsp of chipotle powder
Instructions
- Place the short ribs in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Mix together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, ACV, orange juice, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the braising sauce over the spareribs and turn the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.
- Turn the slow cooker off, let the meat cool and rest, and serve!
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
Stovetop Tropical Chia Pudding
brighten up your routine with this simple, sweet and satisfying idea!
Stovetop Tropical Chia Pudding
post contains affiliate links
It’s that time of year where we start to dream a little about warmer weather. Don’t get me wrong, I love experiencing all of the seasons, but I’m starting to yearn for longer and warmer days.
I have always found that spicing up my meal plan with bright and tropical flavors can really put a pep in my step and push me through those dark and dreary hours.
Chia seed pudding has always been a struggle for me. I’ve tried to make it overnight by submerging the seeds in liquid and soaking a glass jar and my results were always just a-okay. Nothing to write home, or to write to you about. When I saw my sweet (and very inspirational) Instagram buddy Haley with Please and Carrot Sticks whip up a steamy and creamy batch of chia pudding, my wheels started turning. “That looks GOOD, I thought! And boy, couldn’t I use a bowl full of that goodness during my Whole30 Journey?”. To the drawing board, I went!
This chia seed pudding reminds me a bit of a comforting bowl of stovetop oats, which makes me more than a little bit happy. I use coconut milk here, which is a tad sweet on its own, but I find that the addition of banana and mango make it just sweet enough for me to devour.
What You’ll Need:
Chia seeds – I love THIS variety by Healthworks *
Full fat, unsweetened, canned coconut milk
Frozen banana
Frozen mango
Mango juice – all natural and unsweetened for Whole30
Optional toppings: nut butter, coconut flakes, fruit – anything you want!
What You’ll Do:
Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the coconut milk, followed by the frozen fruit, juice and chia seeds. Stir regularly for 5-10 minutes until the chia seeds thicken and this becomes the consistency of thick pudding or oatmeal. While stirring, break up any large chunks of fruit as it softens to release more sweetness.
Pour into a bowl and dress it up with any toppings of your choice, or scarf it up as is!
xoxx,
Miss AK
Stovetop Tropical Chia Pudding
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of chia seeds
- 1 14oz can of full fat, unsweetened, canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup of frozen banana (about 1/2 of a medium banana)
- 1/2 cup of Frozen mango chunks
- 2 tbsp of mango juice – all natural and unsweetened for Whole30
- Toppings of your choice – nut butter, coconut flakes, fruit, etc.
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the coconut milk, followed by the frozen fruit, juice and chia seeds.
- Stir regularly for 5-10 minutes until the chia seeds thicken and this becomes the consistency of thick pudding or oatmeal. While stirring, break up any large chunks of fruit as it softens to release more sweetness.
- Pour into a bowl and dress it up with any toppings of your choice, or scarf it up as is!
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Cajun Chicken and Cauli Rice Bowls
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
*Notes an affiliate link. if you decide to purchase this product, your price will remain the same as the listed price on the website, however, I will make a small commission. Thank you for supporting Miss Allie’s Kitchen!
Cajun Chicken and Cauli Rice Bowls
Cajun comfort food with a healthy, Whole30 twist
Cajun Chicken and Cauli Rice Bowls
(post contains affiliate links)
Can we just all agree that anything served in a bowl is just better than something served on a plate? Why is it so much more fun? Is it because you can perfectly nestle it on a pillow and curl up on the couch while eating? Or that it kind of forces all of your food to meld together and be super awesome? Who knows but it is GREAT.
I’ve been making a lot of foods ahead of time and heating them up to create different bowl varieties during my Whole30 journey. This Cajun Chicken is incredibly easy because, yep, you guessed it – it’s made in your slow cooker! I often make a big batch of cauli (cauliflower) rice in the beginning of the week and heat it when the time comes to eat!
There’s nothing fancy about this recipe and that’s JUST the way I like it. Read food, boldly flavored, and prepared easily. I’m always a huge fan of Cajun cooking,.I have very fond memories of wandering St. Charles Ave in New Orleans with some of my sweetest friends; it will always be a city close to my heart. Oh, and they seriously know good food.
I always make my own Cajun seasoning. Surprisingly so, you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry, and it’s great to be able to control the sodium level and make sure it is preservative-free. I use Emeril’s recipe. I’ll explain my method for cauli rice below, I do use a food processor, but you can use a box grater, too. Here is the food processor that I use (and LOVE) if you’re in the market:*
Let’s get to it!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Green bell peppers
Red bell pepper
Onion
Celery
Canned, crushed tomato
Cajun seasoning – I use THIS recipe (if you use a store-bought version be on the lookout for MSG)
Cauliflower
Salt
Olive oil
WHAT YOU’LL DO (measurements below):
Take out your slow cooker and place the chicken on the bottom of the pot. Chop all of your vegetables into bite sized pieces. Add them into the slow cooker on top of the chicken. Pour the crushed tomato over top and sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning. Set this on low for 8 hours.
Right before you’re ready to serve the chicken, cut the stems off of the cauliflower florets, and add the florets into a food processor. Pulse until they break up into fine, rice sized pieces. You may need to stop and stir a few times to make sure they are evenly processed.
Heat a pan on medium-high heat with olive oil. Pour the cauliflower rice out onto a dish towel and twist the sides up around the cauliflower. Take the towel over the sink and ring it out so the liquid is drawn out of the “rice”. Once the liquid is drained, pour the cauliflower into the heated pan and toast for about 5 minutes, sprinkling the salt in. When some of the cauliflower starts to brown, remove it from the heat and scoop some into a bowl.
Open up the slow cooker, and shred the chicken with a fork or tongs. Pour the Cajun chicken over the cauliflower rice and enjoy!
xoxx,
Miss AK
Cajun Chicken and Cauli Rice Bowls
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
- 3 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 green bell peppers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large, white onion
- 6 stalks of celery
- 28 oz can of crushed tomato
- 3 Tbsp of cajun seasoning – make your own or look for a brand containing NO MSG for Whole30
- 1 cauliflower head
- 1/2 tsp of salt (for seasoning cauliflower rice)
- 1 tsp of olive oil
Instructions
- Take out your slow cooker and place the chicken on the bottom of the pot.
- Chop all of your vegetables into bite sized pieces. Add them into the slow cooker on top of the chicken. Pour the crushed tomato over top and sprinkle the Cajun seasoning. Set this on low for 8 hours.
- Right before you’re ready to serve the chicken, cut the stems off of the cauliflower florets, and add the florets into a food processor. Pulse until they break up into fine, rice sized pieces. You may need to stop and stir a few times to make sure they are evenly processed.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil.
- Pour the cauliflower rice out onto a dish towel and twist the sides up around the cauliflower. Take the towel over the sink and ring it out so the liquid is drawn out of the “rice”.
- Once the liquid is drained, pour the cauliflower into the heated pan and toast for about 5 minutes, sprinkling the salt in. When some of the cauliflower starts to brown, remove it from the heat and scoop some into a bowl.
- Open up the slow cooker, and shred the chicken with a fork or tongs.
- Pour the Cajun chicken over the cauliflower rice and enjoy!
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
*notes an affiliate link. if you decide to purchase this product, your price will remain the same as the listed price on the website, however, I will make a small commission. thank you for supporting Miss Allie’s Kitchen!
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
Have your soup & eat your veggies, too!!
Dairy Free Tomato Soup and Cauliflower Steak
OK, confession time: I can’t eat just plain soup. I’m discovering that I’m a texture girl, so I’m constantly crushing up tortilla chips, adding avocado, grabbing a piece of toasty bread and dunking it into my favorite, warm bowl. Another thing, tomato soup is besties with grilled cheese. Like, BFF4L.
Since I’m doing a Whole30, grilled cheese isn’t really on the menu. Neither is cream and butter-rich tomato soup. Ha! You really think a few little details like that are going to stop me from getting creative? You must not know me. BUT you can get to know me here if you really wanna 🙂
Anyway, I promised you slow cooker recipes and here’s another! The tomato soup will cook and deepen in flavor over time and you’ll have the freedom to quickly roast your cauliflower to perfection. Have you had roasted cauliflower?! If not – get ready for a treat. I am a total meat eater, but I have a true appreciation for properly prepared and flavorful veggies. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan, too if you use vegetable stock!
Let’s chat about this cauliflower steak. Instead of chopping up a bunch of bite sized pieces and roasting them, we’ll cut large hunks or “steaks” of cauli (like the picture below shows) and roast them as a large piece. When you eat your soup, you can dunk, dip and devour the slightly crisp and garlicky cauliflower into the tomato soup and feel the satisfaction of a meal match made in heaven.
See, this is what your “steak” will look like!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Cauliflower
Olive oil or avocado oil spray
Unsalted, crushed canned tomatoes
Unsalted chicken or vegetable bone broth or broth (I use chicken)
Full fat coconut milk
Dried basil
Garlic powder
Dried oregano
WHAT YOU’LL DO (measurements below):
Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, garlic powder, basil, salt, pepper and oregano to your slow cooker. Turn this to high and let it cook for 4 hours. When 4 hours passes, ladle your tomato mixture into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. You may need to do this in batches so you don’t get tomato everywhere. If you have an immersion blender, feel free to use that directly in the slow cooker to process the mixture until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture back into the slow cooker and turn it to low. Add in the coconut milk, stir and let cook for another hour on low.
While the coconut milk incorporates, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take out your cauliflower and cut in half. Cut in half again, creating 4 steaks. If some of the ends break off, it’s OK, they’ll still roast up wonderfully. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and spray with olive or avocado oil, sprinkle with salt and garlic powder, and pop into the oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping half way. Remove when the edges start to brown and crisp.
Give your soup a good stir and pour into a big bowl. Serve with a decadent piece of the cauliflower steak.
xoxx,
Miss AK
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cauliflower
- Olive oil or avocado oil spray
- 28oz can of unsalted, crushed, canned tomatoes
- 4 cups of unsalted chicken or vegetable bone broth or broth (I use chicken)
- 13.6 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp of dried basil
- 1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, divided (1 tsp for the soup, 1/2 tsp for cauliflower steaks)
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- 2 1/2 tsp of salt – or to taste, divided (2 tsp for the soup, 1/2 tsp for cauliflower steaks)
- 1/2 tsp of fresh, ground pepper
Instructions
- Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, 1 tsp of garlic powder, basil, 2 tsp of salt, pepper, and oregano to your slow cooker. Turn this to high and let it cook for 4 hours.
- When 4 hours passes, ladle your tomato mixture into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. You may need to do this in batches so you don’t get tomato everywhere. If you have an immersion blender, feel free to use that directly in the slow cooker to process the mixture until smooth.
- Pour the tomato mixture back into the slow cooker and turn it to low. Add in the coconut milk, stir and let cook for another hour on low.
- While the coconut milk incorporates, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Take out your cauliflower and cut in half. Cut in half again, creating 4 steaks. If some of the ends break off, it’s OK, they’ll still roast up wonderfully.
- Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and spray with olive or avocado oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, and pop into the oven.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping half way. Remove when the edges start to brown and crisp.
- Give your soup a good stir and pour into a big bowl. Serve with a decadent piece of the cauliflower steak.
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Social Media!
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/miss.allieskitchen/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/missallieskitchen/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/miss_ak/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/missallieskitch
Spicy Almond Chicken Fingers
A simple solution for real life!!
Spicy Almond Chicken Fingers
One of the hardest parts of healthy living can be finding meal options that everyone in your family will love. I won’t sugar coat it – it just plain stinks having to cook separate meals for people sitting at your table. I can’t even imagine how you moms do it.
It isn’t a secret that a three-year-old would probably rather have a piece of candy than a kale chip. But alas, these chicken tenders are here to save your family, one almond-breaded, protein packed, bite at a time! Total exaggeration, but these things are pretty dang good. Like, so good that they’ve been on the lunch menu two weeks in a row.
The spice level here is very mild, I personally find that it just adds a hint of needed flavor, but feel free to dial down on the cayenne and red pepper sauce if you REALLY want to. It took me a few tries to get these right; J had the perfect solution (as per usual) to take them to the next level. Once we finish baking these, we’ll broil them quickly for that perfectly-crisp tender I’m sure you’re searching for. The man loves to broil things. Seriously. But here, it was the perfect solution.
This would be a fun meal to make as a family; I bet those little hands would love dipping and getting a little messy. Just make sure to sanitize hands and counters afterward as you will be working with raw chicken and eggs.
Pair with some sautéed green beans and roasted potatoes and you’ve got yourself a meal made simple! I won’t tell if you don’t use a fork!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Eggs
Hot pepper sauce – I like Tobasco
Almond meal – make your own with my method
Coconut Flour
Cayenne pepper powder
Garlic powder
Parchment paper
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
Get out your chicken tenders – I like to let meat rise to room temperature before cooking to ensure a more even bake. If you want, grab your eggs and let them sit out for a while, too. I think a half hour is a good amount of time.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Gather all of your additional ingredients and set out 2 small – medium sized bowls, a baking sheet, and parchment paper. In one small bowl, crack in the eggs and shake in the hot pepper sauce. Whisk this vigorously until the eggs are all combined. In the other bowl, measure out the almond meal, coconut flour, cayenne, salt and garlic powder. Mix that well.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. I like to set up an assembly line. Place your chicken tenders, followed by the egg mixture, with the almond meal mix following that. I place this all next to the baking sheet.
Dip each tender in the egg and let the excess drip off. Next roll them in the almond mixture, covering them completely and shaking them off after each “dunk”. Place on the baking sheet. When all of the tenders have been dipped and rolled, place the sheet into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes flipping them at 10 minutes. You want them to be golden but not brown because we still have to broil them. Put the oven on low broil and bake for 2 additional minutes. Flip again and broil on the other side for 2 minutes to create a nice, crispy crust.
I bet you $100 you won’t ever buy frozen chicken tenders again.
xoxx,
Miss AK
Spicy Almond Chicken Fingers
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 24 mins
- Total Time: 44 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 2 eggs
- 10 dashes of hot pepper sauce – I like Tobasco
- 1/2 cup of almond meal – make your own with my method
- 1/4 cup of coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- 2 mixing bowls
Instructions
- Get out your chicken tenders – I like to let meat rise to room temperature before cooking to ensure a more even bake. If you want, grab your eggs and let them sit out for a while, too. I think a half hour is a good amount of time.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Gather all of your additional ingredients and set out 2 small – medium sized bowls, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.
- In one small bowl, crack in the eggs and shake in the hot pepper sauce. Whisk this vigorously until the eggs are all combined.
- In the other bowl, measure out the almond meal, coconut flour, cayenne, salt and garlic powder. Mix that well.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- I like to set up an assembly line. Place your chicken tenders, followed by the egg mixture, with the almond meal mix following that. I place this all next to the baking sheet.
- Dip each tender in the egg and let the excess drip off. Next roll them in the almond mixture, covering them completely and shaking them off after each “dunk”. Place on the baking sheet. When all of the tenders have been dipped and rolled, place the sheet into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes flipping them at 10 minutes.
- You want them to be golden but not brown because we still have to broil.
- Put the oven on low broil and bake for 2 additional minutes. Flip again and broil on the other side for 2 minutes to create a nice, crispy crust.
OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG:
Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Lettuce Tacos
Beanless White Kale Chicken Slow Cooker Chili
Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Venison Shepherd’s Pie (please use ghee – not butter)
Sausage and Peppers in Acorn Squash
Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
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Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos
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My favorite food is definitely Mexican food. Oh, and Thai food. Wait, I can’t forget Mediterranean and Italian. Whatever, I like it all, OK?
But, Mexican food is definitely one of my favorite cuisines, and I must say, it very easily adapts to a healthy lifestyle. My favorite flavors are that of the smoky chilies, the bright cilantro, fresh tomatoes, and tangy lime. Oh and DUH – all of the avocado. I can do without the fried chimichangas and cheese covered burritos, for the most part, and I think it’s the reason I fall back on so many Mexican inspired dishes on a regular basis in my kitchen.
Recently, I’ve been trying to implement more theme nights into my weeknight routine, for some spice and to make meal planning a breeze. For example: Pasta Night, Comfort Food Classic Night, Breakfast for Dinner Night, and Taco Night!
Yay! Finally, a taco recipe on Miss Allie’s Kitchen andddd we’re making it Whole30 compliant. Feel absolutely FREE to use your own tortilla of choice if you’re not doing Whole30, or you could whip up some cauliflower tortillas if you’re feeling really creative. Try this recipe! Also – I compiled all of my favorite Whole30 recipes for ya here!
However, I’m a sucker for a good lettuce wrap, so that’s what I’m sharing today! Pork Carnitas are a fun diversion from typical ground beef or turkey and they pack SUCH a big flavor punch. I feel that the slow cooker is the best way to make them because you can get a seriously awesome char on the meat, and place it in the slow cooker to tenderize in tomatoes and spices for hours.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a slow cooker, here’s an updated version of the one I use! I love the way you can lock the lid in place for traveling or entertaining!*
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Check out these OTHER WHOLE30 COMPLIANT RECIPIES #ONTHEBLOG
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Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos
Crock Pot Pork Carnitas Tacos are the easy, Whole30 approved way to have carnitas without any effort. Make tonight taco night!!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. of olive oil
- 4lb. pork shoulder (*see notes)
- 1 cup of unsalted chicken bone broth or broth
- 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes -unsalted
- 1 6 oz can of tomato paste – unsalted
- 1 lime – zest + juice
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 + 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp. of chili powder
- 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper powder
- 1 head of lettuce – I like Butter or Romaine lettuce
- Optional toppings – tomato, avocado, cilantro, red onion, nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot (flick a drop of water into the pan to see if it sizzles), place the pork down in the pan. If the meat won’t fit in the pan, cut in half – it’s ok to sear in two batches, it won’t take long. Remove when each side has a nice brown color to it, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Place the seared pork in the bottom of your slow cooker and add all other ingredients besides the lettuce.
- Let this cook for 8 hours on low (or 4 hours on high).
- Pull the pork apart with forks, and scoop into sturdy lettuce pieces. Fold up, and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is very forgiving. I have made it with pork shoulder and very thick pork chops. The chops won’t be as juicy but it still works!
- Always feel free to go up in flavor and salt. You can always add but you can’t take away. This works well for us, however!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos
- Calories: 205
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 516 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 147 mg
*notes an affiliate link. if you decide to purchase this product, your price will remain the same as the listed price on the website, however, I will make a small commission. thank you for supporting Miss Allie’s Kitchen!
A Play by Play of My First Whole30 Shopping Trip
If you’re new here, hey I’m Allie and I’m doing my first Whole30. The #JANUARYWHOLE30 to be exact. Geeze, I sound so serious, lol.
If you aren’t new here, well, then you know the deal. To summarize, Whole30 is a 30-day challenge dedicated to soothing your digestive tract, rejuvenating your energy levels, supporting your metabolism, and helping your immune system stay strong. A “nutritional rest” as the creators describe it here*.
Food is Medicine. While I’m lucky enough to be healthy and happy, that doesn’t exclude me from experiencing a few mild setbacks. I frequently experience hip and back pain (yes, I’m extremely active, yes, I seek regular Chiropractic care) sometimes mild digestive issues, and occasional allergies and congestion.
Sugar, legumes, dairy, grains, and preservatives are all foods that could possibly affect our bodies, especially when consuming them in excess (like around the Holidays). So, you cut those food sources out for 30 days, see how you feel, and interpret your own results from there. It isn’t that these foods are flat out BAD for us, but the way our bodies process them could potentially make us feel a certain way and I’m interested to see how my body reacts to the changes.
Please note (this is a common misconception): I’ll still be eating plenty of calories each day and I’ll be receiving all important and required nutrients (CARBS, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals). This isn’t a calorie cutting “diet” or portion restriction. Not that I’ll be binging on chicken or anything ridiculous, but if you’re doing or have done Whole30 and you frequently go hungry, you probably need to take another look at the guidelines and plan your meals a little better. Sorry for the tough love, but hey, it’s true.
I’m a healthy eater (obviously, I own a health food blog) but shopping was a little different gearing up for my first week of Whole30. Here are a few things that I noticed:
– I took more time to plan out each meal (I normally eat 3 medium sized and 3 small meals a day). I’m nervous about not having enough food that I can eat in the house, so I carefully made a game plan which included weekend meals. I’m always good about planning weeknight dinners, lunches, sometimes breakfasts and throwing a few healthy snacks in my cart. I usually let the weekends fly and this results in choices that could be made better. This was definitely more involved, but I can’t wait to perfect my meal plan template and share it with all of you (spoiler alert!)
– I hung out mainly on the perimeter of the store. I hit up our farmer’s market, notorious for its low prices, before the grocery store to get a better deal on all of the produce I’m squirreling away. I highly recommend this. The rest of my time was really spent in the meat section. This is usually the case, but I normally spend much more time in the dairy aisle, selecting my yogurt, and in the baking and dry goods isle checking out healthier baking needs, quinoa, rice, and potential pasta alternatives. I did grab a can or two of tomato paste, some dish soap and frozen kale & spinach for smoothies, but otherwise the perimeter was the place to be.
– I took much less time in the store than I thought I would. I had a game plan and I stuck to it. I spent some time sorting through bacon (that I ended up not being able to buy because of added sugar), and chicken sausages for breakfast options but most of the other things I bought were raw, so no deliberation or label reading needed.
– I bought more of what I needed. Without any boundaries, a few things always make it in my cart that I don’t really need, even with my tight budget. Besides a new jar of raw, natural, almond butter, I bypassed the majority of the “health food section”, avoiding any fancy new products that I didn’t really need. This is a good reminder. We don’t need to try every new trend to live a healthy life. Lots of veggies, good sources or protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals are all that we really NEED.
– I spent a little more than what I wanted. I went a hair over budget, but, I bought enough to feed myself and J for 1.5 weeks, and he is not doing Whole30 with me. We’ll eat all of the same meals, but I grabbed him a loaf of bread, some tortillas, yogurt, and a few snacks for work. Over the next few weeks, I’ll work on simplifying meals to give you all some more economical options if you want to or are trying Whole30, too.
So, in conclusion, shopping was not as hard as I thought it would be, partially due to my meal plan, but partially due to the fact that Whole30 eliminates a lot of the “should I buy this, it looks fun” game. I’m going to need to work on getting my bill down (coupon clipping??) but otherwise, I’m excited to get started!
xoxx,
Miss AK
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