Leek and Potato (and Onion) Soup

The other day, I was given a slew of freshly picked vegetables from an organic garden (talk about a Whole30 jackpot!). Not wanting to waste one thing, I quickly took inventory and vowed on the spot to use every last item. Included in the mix was one lonely leek, which made me immediately want leek and potato soup—especially with the newly allowed Whole30 potato rule. A quick search online told me that I needed multiple, pounds even, leeks for leek and potato soup. So, I improvised: One leek it was, and then I added half a medium-sized onion. At first I was only substituting the onion to make up for the missing leek(s), but then as I was cooking and tasting and cooking and tasting, I realized the leek and onion combination gave my soup a slightly enhanced depth of flavor … and voila! I had leek and potato (and onion) soup!

Leek and Potato (and Onion) Soup

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons ghee

1 leek, cleaned and trimmed down to the white portion, thinly sliced (To fully clean, chop off the green part, peel back layers, and clean under running water as needed)

1/2 medium white onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 quart compliant or homemade chicken stock

1 1/2 pounds white potato, peeled and diced (if you’re a traditionalist, then try white sweet potatoes!)

1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup canned coconut milk

1.) Heat a medium sized pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-low heat. Add ghee and swirl to coat the pot.

2.) Add leek and onions. Let cook 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Watch your heat. If the leek and onions start to brown, turn down your heat. You want them soft and translucent with minimal browning on the bottom of the pot.

3.) Add garlic and stir. Let cook about 30-45 seconds until fragrant.

4.) Pour in chicken stock and add potatoes. Stir.

5.) Depending on the saltiness of your stock, season with salt and pepper. Add Italian seasoning and smoked paprika.

6.) Turn up heat to medium to medium-high and gently boil for about 8-10 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.

7.) Add coconut milk and stir. Let the soup cook for another couple of minutes. Turn off heat.

8.) Using an immersion stick or blender, puree the soup until thick and creamy without any lumps. If using a blender, puree the soup in batches to prevent messes or spills.

9.) Return the soup to the stove and heat if needed.

10.) Garnish! See Recommendations below.  

Recommendations

This is where the meat comes in! As pictured, I added some prosciutto and basil on top. I’ve also paired the soup with some slices of roast beef on the side. Once, I even threw some diced Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage right into my bowl. By keeping the soup meat-free, I have the freedom to add different meats as a side option for some variety with each bowl. And as every Whole30-er knows, it's all about the variety!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m a busy girl. I rely heavily on quick-cooking meats and seafood throughout the week. So when the weekend rolls around, I’m ready to grill, roast, and slow cook. This weekend, in particular, my local grocer had beautiful pork tenderloins on sale—I’m also a sucker for a good sale—so I snatched up a few. I popped them in my freezer and kept one out. A friend had made a pork, apple, and sweet potato dish for me one time, and it really hit the spot. With this dish, I tried to recreate that warm, sweet combination with some Whole30 flair. Try it yourself and let me know what you think!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

 

1 – 1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin

Olive oil

Few sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, diced

1 large apple, diced

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (check your labels!)

1 teaspoon ground sage

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Rub pork with olive oil, and season both sides with rosemary and salt and pepper. Place diagonally in an 8 X 8 or 9 X 9 pan.

2.) Toss diced sweet potatoes and apples together in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss again. Spoon the mixture evenly into the pan, on either side of the pork.

3.) In a medium bowl, combine the applesauce, mustard, balsamic vinegar, sage, and salt and pepper until evenly combined.

4.) Smother the pork, sweet potatoes, and apples with the applesauce mixture. (I usually start by smothering the pork, and then smother the sweet potatoes and apples with whatever is left over. Remember: the pork is your star!)

5.) Bake until pork is fully cooked and apples and sweet potatoes are tender, about 35-45 minutes.

6.) Remove pork from pan and place on cutting board. Place a piece of loose-fitting aluminum foil over the pork, crimping the edges around the board. Let the pork rest for about 5 minutes. Slice into pieces and place on a serving dish. Spoon the sweet potato and apple mixture onto the same dish with a slotted spoon.  

Recommendations

To add some greens to the meal, I like to stir-fry some green beans in ghee, garlic, and salt and pepper. After the beans are soft, turn the burner off, squeeze juice from half a lemon over the beans, and give one final toss. 

Curried Ground Beef with Green Peppers

If I’m being perfectly honest here—I work a lot. I juggle a full-time and part-time job, which zaps about 60 hours of my week. I also strive to reach that perfect balance of "me time" and time spent with my love, friends, and family. On any given weekday, you can find me going to job number 1, coming home and eating dinner, and then hustling off to job number 2. In order to survive with this schedule on Whole30, I have to be a champion meal prepper. This includes buying and making a lot of quick-cooking meats—more specifically, ground meats. I also try to make things from ground meats that I can fashion into different meals to prevent boredom throughout the week. This particular recipe was conceived as I stared at a package of ground beef and thought to myself, “What can I make besides more hamburgers?” and I present it to you in two different ways. Let me know what you think!

                                   Curried Ground Beef with Green Peppers

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon yellow curry

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup canned coconut milk**

1.) Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add coconut oil and swirl to coat the pan.

2.) Add onions and peppers, and stir. Continue cooking about 4-5 minutes, or until soft.

3.) Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.

4.) Add ground beef, and break up with a spatula. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains, about 5-6 minutes.

5.) Notch down the heat to medium low. Add the curry, coriander, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

6.) Add the coconut milk, and stir. Let simmer and meld together about 2-3 minutes.

**If you’re looking for more of a sauce with the meat, then add more coconut milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. 1/4 cup works for me because I like to use the ground beef for salads throughout the week, so I don't want it too "sauce-like." However, if zoodles are your goal, add more coconut milk!

Recommendations

The salad pictured above has romaine lettuce, spinach, cauliflower rice, and cherry tomatoes and is topped with the ground beef mixture. I usually drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad for a little extra punch.

I also love having the ground beef with a serving of potatoes (see: last entry, re: meat and potatoes girl). In the picture below, I roasted red, white, and blue potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, and rosemary in a 400^o oven for about 30 minutes. The ground beef is also great over a bed of cauliflower rice mixed with sautéed spinach. 

Breakfast Sausage Patties with Potatoes and Spinach

Being the product of a tried and true Midwest/Southern family, meat and potatoes course through my veins. Growing up, besides my sister’s frequent requests of spaghetti (and at that age, “spaghetti” meant buttered noodles with the sauce in a bowl on the side), it’s difficult to recall a meal without these two essential ingredients. From this, my deep love for savory breakfast flourished (yes, we’ll go with “flourished”) into a full-on obsession. Pancakes or donuts for breakfast? I’ll pass. If I want to feel full and satisfied, I need a down-home, meat-and-potatoes breakfast—modified for Whole30, of course. So, this recipe is my first attempt to squash the 10-year-old girl inside of me that wants biscuits and gravy for every meal.

                           Breakfast Sausage Patties with Potatoes and Spinach

Breakfast Sausage

1 egg

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons ground sage

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more or less to taste

1 – 1 1/4 pound ground pork or ground meatloaf mix

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Potatoes and Spinach

1 – 2 tablespoons reserved pork fat

2 medium white or sweet potatoes, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 handfuls of spinach

Coconut oil, if needed

1.) Add egg and spices to a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully incorporated. Add ground pork or meatloaf mix, and mix with your hands until egg and spice mixture is evenly dispersed throughout the meat, trying to work the meat as minimally as possible.

2.) Form meat into patties. I typically divide the meat into 5 equal balls, and then divide each ball into 2 patties—for a total of 10 patties. Your size and quantity can vary depending on your needs and preferences.

3.) Heat a large sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add coconut oil, and swirl to coat the pan.

4.) Add 5 patties to the pan, and cook about 4-6 minutes on each side depending on their thickness. Adjust heat as needed. (Note: I typically drop the heat to slightly above medium after a couple of minutes to prevent the outside of the sausage from burning before the inside is fully cooked. This, of course, depends on the hotness of your stove. Your main goal is get nice browning on the outside and fully cooked on the inside.)

5.) Remove patties from pan and rest on a paper-towel lined plate. Cook remaining patties.

6.) After patties are cooked, set aside and remove pan from heat. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat and wipe out with a paper towel.

7.) Return clean pan to medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of reserved fat and swirl to coat the pan.

8.) Add potatoes to pan. Season with salt and pepper, and mix. Cover potatoes and let cook 8-10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork, stirring occasionally. If the potatoes start sticking to the pan, turn heat down to medium and add additional tablespoon of the reserved fat.

9.) When potatoes done, add spinach. Mix spinach to wilt. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed. Remove from heat and serve with sausage patties.

Recommendations:

Beat 4-5 eggs in a bowl and add to potatoes, 2-3 minutes before potatoes are done. Cook eggs and potatoes undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach, and break up the egg and potato mixture with a spatula and continue to stir until the egg is fully cooked and spinach is wilted.

Sausage recipe adapted from: http://meatified.com/slow-cooker-breakfast-meatloaf/

Shrimp and Calamari in a Lemon Butter (Ghee) Sauce

It’s a well-known and highly researched fact that butter makes everything better. Why? Because butter. And Whole30-ers know what’s better than butter. Ghee! I wanted to create a dish that starred ghee because, let’s be honest, it adds an incomparable richness and satiable essence to any dish. In this particular offering, the ghee costars with quick-cooking seafood, creating the perfect balance of fat and protein that provides a much-needed break from the typical red-meat regimen. Check it out, and let me know what you think!

                           Shrimp and Calamari in a Lemon Butter (Ghee) Sauce

1 tablespoon ghee, plus more if needed

12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut in half

1-2 handfuls of green beans, ends trimmed

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

8 ounces uncooked shrimp

8 ounces uncooked calamari

Juice from half a lemon

1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, depending on preference

Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1 medium zucchini, spiralized

1.) Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ghee and swirl to coat the pan.

2.) Add asparagus and green beans and toss (or stir) to coat. (Note: I had a bag of green beans and just grabbed a couple handfuls, which is why there isn't an exact measurement. Just add whatever looks good to you!) Cover with a lid and let steam about 4-5 minutes, tossing or stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and let cook uncovered about 1-2 minutes or until almost tender.

3.) Meanwhile, spiralize the zucchini and place on a plate. Heat in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds. Remove and set aside.

4.) Add garlic to the sauté pan and cook until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.

5.) Add shrimp and calamari. If your pan looks a little dry, add ghee a small spoonful at a time until there's enough to adequately coat the vegetables and seafood.

6.) Add crushed red pepper, parsley, and salt and pepper, and toss or stir. Continue to cook until shrimp are pink and calamari is firm, about 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.

7.) Place the spiralized zucchini on a plate and spoon the seafood and butter sauce over the zucchini. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve immediately. 

Recommendations

This dish can be easily customized to suit your preference. Use any quick-cooking seafood of your choice (scallops, lobster, crab meat, etc). Don’t like asparagus and green beans? Try carrots and snow peas! Add your favorite herbs, like thyme or oregano, for a different flavor.

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

For the record, my boyfriend is profoundly loving, supportive, and one of my biggest fans. He believed in me with every bite of my first Whole30, offered encouragement when I was down, and handled my initial mood swings (see: Whole30 Timeline) like a champ. 

He did, however, make a big ol’ casserole dish of buffalo chicken dip for a family gathering with only five days to go in my first Whole30. Now, for me, the beginning of my Whole30 was a breeze—I wanted to successfully complete the program more than I wanted any cookie, pancake, or slice of pizza. The end of my Whole30? Well, that was a different story… I struggled to stay on track and had a lot more cravings. I felt a grand sense of accomplishment with the first 25+ days—my clothes were too big, my skin was clear, I had sustained energy. I was satisfied with my results, it had already worked. Did I REALLY(?!) have to do the entire 30 days? I knew in my heart the answer to that question was a resounding "YES!" so I trudged on. As I stared at that simmering pot of BCD before he put it in the oven, I thought—there has to be something I can do. Something that will satisfy me without plunging head-first into this pot. I searched online for various Whole30-compliant buffalo chicken recipes. There are some great slow-cooker recipes and some delicious recipes with whole chicken breast, but all I had was ground chicken and I needed something quick before I went under. So I improvised, and this dish was born.

                                                Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

Coconut oil
½ medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound ground chicken

¼ cup plus 2-3 tablespoons Frank’s Original hot sauce (you can use any compliant brand you find)

2-3 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing**

Chopped romaine lettuce or other leafy greens

**For the ranch dressing, I started with the official Whole30 mayo recipe and then made some slight modifications. First, I made the mayo and transfered most of it to a bowl, reserving some to use throughout the week. Then, I added coconut milk 1 spoonful at a time until I reached the desired consistency. I would venture a guess and say I ended up adding ¼ cup. Next, I added about 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1-2 teaspoons granulated garlic, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. This modification works for me, but you’re in more than capable hands if you stick with their version!

1.)   Heat a large sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add coconut oil (about 1 tablespoon) and swirl to coat the pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

2.)   Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 to 45 seconds.

3.)   Add  ground chicken, and break up into bite size pieces with a spatula or spoon. Cook until no more pink remains, about 6-8 minutes.

4.)   Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ¼ cup hot sauce, and stir. Add tablespoon increments until the meat is fully saturated. I usually get to 2-3 tablespoons before I stop, but this is really preference because the more hot sauce you add, the hotter it will be! Let simmer for a couple of minutes.

5.)   Turn off heat, remove from burner, and let stand for a minute or two to slightly cool.

6.)   Add ranch dressing one tablespoon at a time until creamy to suit your preference. Again, I usually make it to about 2-3 tablespoons.

7.)   Place greens on a plate, and spoon the mixture on top.

Recommendations

You can add anything to the salad. I recommend some red onion and cucumbers for a cool crunch that contrasts with the heat of the hot sauce.