EASY Whole30 Sheet Pan Italian Chicken

With four kids at home, I need dinners that are quick, easy, and enjoyed by all. I don’t always win at meal time, but this Italian Chicken checks all of the boxes. With simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, it only takes a few minutes to prep, and once your oven is preheated, it cooks in 15 minutes! Throw it on top of a salad for a super easy, minimal prep meal. For a balanced, hot meal ready in under 30 minutes, add a second sheet pan of potatoes and veggies to the oven 10 minutes before the chicken, and finish cooking them at the same time. This is also a great recipe to batch cook, making it a perfect candidate for your weekly meal prep. Drop a comment if you make it and love it, and be sure to share it with your Whole30 accountability group! Enjoy!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Cut chicken breasts into large chunks/slices. Make them bigger than bite-sized, but smaller than a chicken tenderloin.

3. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well, being sure to evenly distribute the oil and seasonings.

4. Spread out chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, so there’s space between each piece of chicken. (if you’re batch cooking, make sure you spread out over multiple sheet pans).

5. Bake the chicken at 425F for 15-16 minutes. Cut into a few of the largest pieces to make sure that the meat is white throughout.

6. Serve warm over rice (not Whole30, but part of your reintroduction), cauliflower rice, baked potatoes, or a bed of greens. You can’t go wrong!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds chicken breasts

• 2 tbsp. EVOO

• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper (use less if you or your kids don’t like strong peppery flavors.)

Whole30 Pumpkin Pie Spiced Nuts

My family is nuts about these nuts! Sometimes, especially when doing the Whole30, you want something that is crunchy and flavorful. Eating raw nuts gets old real quick, so these pumpkin pie spiced nuts were my solution to the problem. I originally wrote the recipe with coconut oil, but recently made them using Fourth & Heart Vanilla Bean Ghee, and it took the recipe to a whole new level! The buttery flavor of the ghee and the softness of the vanilla perfectly balances the boldness of the spices. Make a double batch, add the cooled nuts to a decorative jar, tie a pretty ribbon around them, and gift them to your Whole30 accountability partner. When not doing the Whole30, add 1-2 tsp. of coconut sugar to make them a little sweet.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw almonds

• 1/2 cup raw pecans

• 1/2 cup raw cashews

• 1 tbsp. Fourth & Heart Vanilla Bean Ghee (or sub coconut oil)

• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• *** Add 1-2 tsp. of coconut sugar to make them sweet (when NOT on a Whole30)

Directions:

1. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

2. While waiting for your skillet to preheat, combine your pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, being sure to mix well.

3. Place almonds, pecans, and cashews in skillet and toast until lightly browned.

4. Add the ghee or coconut oil to the skillet and stir to coat all the nuts.

5. Add the spice mixture to the skillet and stir well to ensure that it gets evenly distributed among the nuts.

6. Quickly remove the nuts and add to a festive bowl to serve right away. Once nuts have cooled, store them in an airtight container.

Whole30 Bacon Brussell Potato Hash

The weekend is right around the corner, so make sure you stock up on the ingredients to make this hash for brunch. In typical Coach Kelly fashion, I always double (and occasionally triple) this recipe so that I have leftovers. I’ll warm them up in the air fryer for a quick weekday breakfast, or use them as a dinner side. I’ve been able to find Whole30-compatible bacon at my Aldi, but I also love using Naked Bacon, because their Chipotle and Jalapeño flavors bring in some extra pizzazz.

Ingredients:

• 6 red potatoes (about 2 pounds), chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 pound brussell sprouts, ends trimmed and halved

• 4 slices of Whole30-compatible bacon

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 1 yellow pepper, chopped

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 2-3 tbsp avocado oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Chop the red potatoes and onion and place in a bowl.

3. Add all the seasonings and oil, and toss well.

4. Spread out the potatoes and onions on the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between pieces, so they roast and don’t steam. Leave the excess oil and seasonings in the bowl so the rest of the veggies get some flavor.

5. Bake the potatoes and onions for 10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, cut off the knobby ends of the brussell sprouts, halve them, and add them to the mixing bowl.

7. Cut or rip apart the bacon slices into 1 inch pieces, add them to the mixing bowl, and toss.

8. When the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes, pull the baking trays out of the oven and set them on the counter. Add the brussell sprouts and bacon to the sheets and stir.

9. Place the baking sheets back in the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.

10. After 10 minutes, pull out the baking trays and give everything a stir to prevent burning.

11. Bake the potatoes, onions, brussell sprouts, and bacon for another 10 minutes while you prep the peppers.

12. Chop the peppers and add them to the mixing bowl. Give them a stir to try to get the last of the oil and seasonings on them.

13. When the hash is done cooking, pull out the sheets, add the peppers, and give everything one final stir.

14. Place the sheets back in the oven one last time, and bake for 5-10 minutes.

15. Enjoy by itself or with a fried egg for a complete meal or as a hearty side dish.
    

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Paleo Blender Bread - GF, DF, Grain free, Yeast free

I miss bread. There. I said it, and I feel so much better getting that off my chest! We’ve been living a Paleo/Whole30-ish lifestyle for over five years, and I am generally really content without grains, dairy, and soy, but I miss bread! Lettuce wraps are great, but nothing beats a hot panini with homemade mayo, turkey, and spinach. Did you know you can’t have toast without bread? Not avocado toast, not French toast, not peanut butter and honey toast! Don’t worry, though. I am not into unproductively complaining, and instead, have come up with a grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and even yeast-free bread recipe that is so easy, even my kids can make it! Simply measure out the ingredients, throw it all in your blender/food processor, and then bake it! Like most Paleo versions of the foods we love, this bread is more dense, and not as spongy as traditional bread, but it tastes great and gets the job done! Sometimes you just want some toast, ya know?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup milled flax seeds

• 1 tbsp coconut flour

• 1 tbsp tapioca flour/starch

• 1/4 cup almond milk

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 eggs

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Grease a 1.5 quart (8.5x4.5) loaf pan with olive oil.

3. Add all ingredients into a blender/food processor, and blend until well mixed.

4. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes.

5. Remove the loaf pan from the oven and sit it on a wire rack to cool.

6. Once cool, carefully remove the bread loaf by loosening the sides with a knife or spatula.

7. Store bread in the fridge until ready to use.

Want to grab this decadent cacao superfood honey? Check it out, as well as my other favorite Beekeeper’s Naturals product, Propolis Throat Spray, with my affiliate link here.

Whole30 Cilantro and Spinach Mini Turkey Meatloaves

My family survives on batch cooking! Our breakfasts are almost always prepped ahead, and I usually double my dinner recipes so that there are plenty of leftovers for the week. Meatloaf, though, is usually a “one and done” meal in my house because I only own one 9x5 loaf pan. Then I found a Mini BBQ Meatloaf recipe and it changed the game for me! My family loved that recipe so much that it inspired my Cilantro and Spinach Turkey Mini Meatloaves. With ground turkey being a more affordable protein option than organic ground beef, this recipe has become a regular in our house. I love that I can now batch cook meatloaf!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 2 tsp minced garlic

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

• 3-4 cups chopped spinach

• 2.5 pounds ground turkey

• 1/4-1/2 cup almond flour (I’ve included a range here, because some ground meat is fattier than others, and will require more flour)

• 3 eggs

• 1 tbsp coarse grain stone ground mustard

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp onion powder

• 3/4 tsp paprika

• 3/4 tsp dried dill

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Warm a skillet over medium heat while you prepare your onion, garlic, cilantro, and spinach.

2. Add a large spoonful of ghee, about 2 tbsp, to the skillet and let it melt completely.

3. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.

4. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.

5. Add the cilantro and spinach and sauté until wilted.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool while you prepare the meatloaf mixture.

7. Preheat the oven to 350F.

8. Combine the remaining ingredients (ground turkey, almond flour, eggs, mustard, and spices) in a large mixing bowl, and stir until well combined.

9. Add the sautéed onion and greens to the mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

11. Scoop out about 1/2-3/4 cup of meat mixture, form into a mini loaf, and place on the baking sheet. You should be able to get about 10-12 mini loaves total.

12. Bake the mini meatloaves at 350F for 23-25 minutes, or until they are no longer pink.

13. Top with your favorite ranch dressing before serving.

Notes:

This recipe is a meal prep recipe and intended to produce leftovers. If you don’t want 10-12 mini meatloaves, simply halve all of the ingredients to make a smaller amount.

GF/DF Gooey Butter Cake

If, like me, you’re from St. Louis, you KNOW what Gooey Butter Cake is! I’ve been wanting to create a gluten-free and dairy-free version of this sugary treat for awhile, so when the kids insisted on making Jesus a gooey butter cake for His birthday this Christmas, I jumped on the opportunity to create! When it comes to baking with kids, I like “semi-homemade” recipes, to limit the number of ingredients (and mess!). I opted to use a Simple Mills cake mix instead of using a variety of Paleo flours to make the base of the cake. Add in some ghee, eggs, Kite Hill dairy-free cream cheese, and almond extract, and you have yourself a Paleo gooey butter cake . . . until you add in the 4 cups of organic powdered sugar, so we will just call this GF/DF and be ok with it! Please notice that the cream cheese I have pictured is EVERYTHING cream cheese, which you will NOT want in your cake, lol. Thankfully I noticed my mistake before I added the cream cheese to the mixing bowl, and didn’t ruin the cake. Instead, I had to make my husband go out on Christmas Eve to find me some dairy-free PLAIN cream cheese. Thanks, babe.

Ingredients:

• 1 box Simple Mills vanilla cake mix

• 1/2 cup ghee

• 3 eggs, divided

• 8oz dairy-free cream cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• 4 cups organic powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a square cake pan.

2. Melt ghee and set aside.

3. Empty cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in melted ghee and 1 egg.

4. Press batter into prepared baking dish.

5. In a large mixing bowl, mix dairy-free cream cheese, almond extract, powdered sugar, and the remaining 2 eggs.

6. Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium-high for 3 minutes.

7. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of the cake mixture.

8. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.

9. Allow the cake to cool, and dust with more powdered sugar, if desired.

Paleo Figgy Pudding Muffins

Thanksgiving has come and gone, which means that it is officially acceptable to bust out the Christmas music! It’s inevitable that you’ll hear “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” this season, and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll wonder what in the world figgy pudding is! When my kids asked me that question I humbly admitted that I had no clue, so we locked eyes with the screen and investigated together. It turns out that figgy pudding is more of a Christmas cake than a pudding, and so began the adventure of Paleo-ifying this traditional English recipe. If you have ever eaten traditional figgy pudding, this recipe may not be for you . . . but, if you are like me and want to create some festive treats and cooking memories with your kiddos this season, then this is a must! These Paleo Figgy Pudding Muffins are spongy, sweet, and full of seasonal flavors. I hope you get the classic Christmas song stuck in your head as you and your family gather around the kitchen island to make these holiday treats. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups almond flour

• 1/2 cup tapioca starch

• 2 tbsp. coconut flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. sea salt.

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 cup coconut sugar

• 1/2 cup grass-fed butter or ghee

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup chopped, dried figs

• 1 cup chopped, dried dates

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 2, 6-count muffin tins* with coconut oil, butter, or ghee.

2. Combine the dry ingredients (except the coconut sugar) in a large mixing bowl, and mix well.

3. In a stand mixer, whisk together the almond milk, coconut sugar, butter/ghee, and eggs, until smooth.

4. With your stand mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients, and continue stirring until batter is smooth.

5. Turn off the mixer, add in the chopped figs, dates, and walnuts, and stir until well combined.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin tins and set on a middle rack in your 350F oven.

7. Bake muffins for 25 minutes, or until the middles have set and a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Allow the muffins to cool completely before removing, to prevent them from breaking.

*NOTE: If you don’t have 2, 6-count muffin tins, you can use a regular 12-count tin, donut tins, mini muffins, or even a loaf pan. You will need to adjust the cook time, and keep a close eye on them, but it won’t change the flavor or consistency.

*NOTE: Want a simple glaze for your figgy pudding? Warm 2 tbsp. coconut oil, 2 tbsp, coconut cream, 1 tbsp. honey, and 1 tsp. vanilla in a saucepan on low until well combined. Take off heat and stir in 1 tsp. arrowroot powder. When it has cooled, but not solidified, drizzle it over your treats.

Two Wholesome Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

In my world, leftovers are life! The only way I can feed my family of six is by making double (or triple) batches of our meals and then reheating them throughout the week. As much as we are used to eating leftovers, though, I really struggle to eat Thanksgiving food for more than one day after Thanksgiving. I don’t know why that is the case . . . it’s not like leftover turkey and mashed potatoes is all that different from leftover fajita chicken and cauliflower rice, but I legitimately can’t do it. Am I the only one? Bueller?

If you are like me and can’t possibly stomach eating your Thanksgiving leftovers for daaaaaaayyys, then I hope you will enjoy these TWO, Whole30 recipes for utilizing your leftovers. The Cranberry Turkey Salad and Instant Pot Turkey Soup I’ve created will use up all your leftover turkey while tasting nothing like Thanksgiving. I sure hope someone out there in cyber space can appreciate these as much as I do!

Cranberry Turkey Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked, leftover roasted turkey, shredded or cut into small pieces

• 1/2 cup mayo (I make homemade mayo by blending 1 cup avocado oil, 1 egg, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and salt to taste with an immersion blender)

• 2 tbsp. cranberry sauce

• 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts

• 1 celery stalk, finely diced

• 1/4-1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir well.

2. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Instant Pot Turkey Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked, leftover roasted turkey

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)

• 4 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)

• 2 tsp. sea salt

• 2 tsp. dried parsley

• 2 tsp. ground turmeric powder

• 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp. minced garlic

• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients into your Instant Pot, and stir well.

2. Secure the lid and move steam vent valve to “sealing”.

3. Select the “soup” button on the Instant Pot and begin cooking.

4. When the cook cycle has finished, press “cancel” and flip the steam valve to “venting” to quick release the pressure.

5. Carefully remove the lid when it is safe to do so, and enjoy!

I hope that your holiday meal is full of delicious, wholesome foods (that do not touch each other on your plate, LOL), and that you are able to utilize your leftovers for part of your weekly meal prep.

Slow Cooker Whole30 Pineapple Pork

Whether it’s because of my kid’s activities, or because I don’t have the mental bandwidth to think too hard in the kitchen, there are just some days that require a slow cooker recipe! Meals made in my trusty, 15 year old slow cooker don’t make for the prettiest food pics, but they make up for it in convenience, and this busy mama is all about that! With only FIVE ingredients (plus salt and pepper to taste), this fix it and forget it recipe is one that you can make on even your busiest days. Serve it with a side of steamed broccoli, and dinner is ready in minutes!

Directions:

1. Place the pork roast in your slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, coconut aminos, and can of pineapple WITH juice to your slow cooker.

3. Secure your lid and cook on LOW for at least 8 hours, or until the pork can easily shredded with two forks.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds pork shoulder butt roast

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1.5 tsp chili powder

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 cup coconut aminos

• 1 can pineapple chunks in juice

I try to keep a pork shoulder butt roast on hand in my freezer because this recipe is so easy and made with ingredients I almost always have in the pantry. As a busy mom of four, I certainly need to take the easy route from time to time, which is why this is one of my go-to recipes for hectic nights! I hope it will serve your family well, too!

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Whole30 Stuffed Acorn Squash

Whole30 Stuffed Acorn Squash

Want to be fancy but still keep it simple (ME!)? Here’s a recipe that’s great for entertaining this holiday season, requires only 6 ingredients, and can be cooked in under 45 minutes!

I’ve used this recipe as a main dish at my holiday gatherings and received lots of compliments. I always make more than I need so that I have leftovers, because it reheats well and is great for breakfast! If you’re tired of eggs on your Whole30 you could totally make these to fight food fatigue, too.  No need for a side dish, since this has squash and sausage, but if you want more variety on your plate you could roast some veggies on a separate baking sheet in the oven, or throw together a salad.

Ingredients:
- 2 acorn squash, halved, and seeds removed
- EVOO
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb. #whole30 compatible ground breakfast sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 apples, chopped
- Ground cinnamon to taste
- Ground sage to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut your squash in half and remove the seeds.
3. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place your squash on the parchment paper so that the flesh side is down.
5. Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, warm a skillet on the stove on medium heat.
7. Begin browning your ground breakfast sausage in the skillet.
8. While the sausage is cooking, dice your onion and two apples, keeping them in two separate piles on your cutting board.
9. When your sausage is almost completely browned (but still has a little pink left), scoot it to one side of your skillet. Soak up or pour off the excess grease, leaving a little for sautéing.
10. Add your diced onion to the skillet and sauté it for 3-5 min.
11. Mix your sausage and onion together and then scoot it to the side of your skillet.
12. Add your chopped apples to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
13. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon and sage to taste, then give everything in the skillet one final stir.
14. When your squash is done cooking, take it out of the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350F.
15. Flip the squash over so the the flesh side is up, and scoop the sausage filling into the squash.
16. Bake the squash for an additional 10-15 minutes at 350, or until it begins to caramelize.

I just love the seasonal flavors of sage and cinnamon in this dish, and that it makes me feel like a sophisticated cook.  Fake it ‘til ya make it, y’all!

Sweet Potato Quiche with Sausage and Spinach - Whole30/Paleo/GF/DF

I did a takeover on the Whole30 Recipes Instagram feed in December, 2019, and this recipe received so much love! It’s a little more involved than my usual recipes (mainly because it uses a few more dishes and takes over an hour to cook), BUT I promise you it is worth it! If you’re looking for a grab-and-go breakfast option, or really want to impress your mother-in-law at your next family brunch, this recipe is for you! I wrote it to be made in 2, 6-count muffin tins, but you can easily make it in a 12 inch cast iron skillet by adjusting the cook time.

Sweet Potato Quiche With Sausage and Spinach:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes

• 1 pound #whole30 compatible breakfast sausage

• 12 eggs

• 1/2 cup bone broth

• 2 large handfuls of spinach

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and grease two, 6-count muffin tins with coconut oil.

2. Peel and coarsely chop the sweet potatoes, then place in a food processor and pulse until finely diced.

3. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large bowl, add TWO eggs, and stir until well combined.

4. Spoon the sweet potatoes into the muffin tins and press them to make a “crust” on the bottom and up the sides of each well.

5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, brown the breakfast sausage in a skillet, and set aside.

7. Whisk the ten remaining eggs in a large bowl, add bone broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. When the crust is done, remove from the oven and drop the temperature down to 350F.

9. Place the spinach on top of the crusts, then spoon the sausage on top of the spinach.

10. Add the whisked eggs, and bake the quiches at 350F for 18-20 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

NOTES:

• To make one big quiche in a cast iron skillet, cook the crust for 35 minutes at 375F and the quiche for 30 minutes at 350F.

• Don’t have or cant eat sweet potatoes? substitute red or gold potatoes for the crust.