nutrient dense Archives - Joy-filled Nourishment

Shepherd’s Pie (AIP, Paleo, Whole30)

November 17, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 2 Comments

I recently discovered that I love shepherd’s pie. It wasn’t always this way.

Up until now when I heard someone mention it, it didn’t excite me or make my taste buds go crazy. Maybe it is because growing up I only remember eating ‘shepherd’s pie’ that came in the Marie Calendar frozen variety. And my sister was kind of obsessed with them.

I couldn’t figure out what was so special about it growing up.

And I especially couldn’t figure out why my sister loved them so much. I’ll have to ask her what her current take is on the lovely frozen variety of shepherd’s pie. It could spark a lively discussion hehe.

Fast forward 10 years and here I am—an avid shepherd’s pie lover.

At least when it is made this way with REAL ingredients and tasty as all get out. There is something so comforting and homey about this AIP Shepherd’s pie. I love that I get a dash of vegetables, satisfying carbs from the Japanese sweet potatoes, and a healthy dose of grass fed ground beef all in one bite. Although I would suggest adding some more greens to your plate if you want to up your nutrient density even more!

This shepherd’s pie is perfect for a busy weeknight.

Well, it works for any night of the week really. And it reheats wonderfully!! I hope you add it to your meal rotation as this is one you won’t want to miss!!

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Shepherd's Pie (AIP, Paleo, Whole30)

Ingredients

BOTTOM LAYER:
4 thick cut slices bacon
2 cup celery, sliced
2 cups carrots, sliced
2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried savory
½ teaspoon garlic powder
TOP LAYER:
3 japanese sweet potatoes (weighing about 2.5 lbs total)
2 T ghee or fat of choice
¼ cup additive free coconut milk
½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Steam japanese sweet potatoes using your preferred method (I used my Instant Pot steam function for 15-20 minutes).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cook bacon over medium high heat and set aside.
Brown ground beef and add in sliced carrots and celery when the meat is halfway browned. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried savory, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Cook until beef is browned and vegetables are softened. About 5-10 minutes. Covering if necessary.
Puree steamed sweet potatoes with 2.5 T ghee, ¼ cup coconut milk, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Whip until fluffy with a handheld mixer.
Spoon ground beef/carrot/celery mixture into a 9x11 inch pan and add bacon (chopping it up into small pieces)
Layer sweet potato mixture on top of the ground beef and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. If you want it slightly browned, broil for 1-2 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
ENJOY!!!

AIP Chicken Breakfast Skillet (Paleo, Whole30, 21DSD)

October 20, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 4 Comments

I have been LOVING breakfast skillets.

Mornings can be hectic for most people and so having a meal that is easy to throw together and grab and go throughout the week can be a real time saver. I also just kind of feel like a champion when I only have to grab one container from the fridge in the morning and scoop it into a bowl and reheat. No fumbling around grabbing my leftover veggies, leftover protein, etc because it is ALL in my breakfast skillet. WINNING.

You can definitely use any type of ground meat in this recipe as it is very customizable.

In fact, I hope you do mix it up! Life is all about trying new things and so branching out in the food category is definitely something to strive for.

I hope this breakfast nourishes you and warms your soul.

As the ‘most important meal of the day’ it’s important to take full advantage of it and make the most of it. So let’s dig into this AIP Breakfast skillet!

First, gather your ingredients…

Then follow the directions below (cooking bacon, browning chicken, blah blah blah) and stir to combine.

Dig in and enjoy!!

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AIP Chicken Breakfast Skillet

Ingredients

6 strips bacon
2lbs ground chicken thigh
2 cups chopped rainbow carrots
3 cups chopped butternut squash
1 bunch chopped rainbow chard
2 T ginger scallion sauce
1 T cooking fat of choice
sea salt to taste

Instructions

Chop bacon and sautée over medium high heat until crisp and set aside
Brown 2 lbs ground chicken thigh and set aside
Add 1 T fat of choice to cast iron pan as well as chopped carrots and butternut squash. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until just softened stirring occasionally
Add chopped rainbow chard and stir until wilted
Add cooked ground chicken and bacon back to the pan and add ginger scallion sauce and sea salt, stirring to combine
Enjoy!

Ginger Molasses Salmon (AIP, Paleo)

October 6, 2015 by Marissa Franklin Leave a Comment

I have recently become obsessed with salmon. I love how easy it is to prepare and how dinner can be on the table in under 30 minutes. I also love the abundance of omega 3 fatty acids which help to keep the overload of omega 6 fatty acids we can far too easily get in our culture at bay. Salmon is a great source of vitamin D, B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and potassium. I love knowing that by eating salmon I am contributing to lower inflammation in my body, better cell function, and better brain function. 5 gold stars for this delicious powerhouse!

The marinade on this salmon is spot on if I do say so myself and it adds a delicious oomph to the meal if you know what I’m saying. The leftover marinade is delicious added on top of the salmon or any other thing that needs a little kick! When buying salmon, look for wild caught instead of farmed salmon. Farmed salmon has a higher rate of toxicity, added food dyes, and overall subpar nutrition compared to wild caught. So make the better choice and choose wild caught! I have found a great deal on wild caught salmon at Costco so make sure to be on the lookout.

First gather up your salmon—isn’t the color gorgeous?

Next, mix everything together to form your marinade and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Bake salmon at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until largest part flakes easily with a fork and prepare the marinade while you wait via the instructions below. Enjoy!

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Ginger Molasses Salmon

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 27 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 salmon filets (6-8 ounces each)
3 T coconut aminos
2 T avocado oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T molasses
½ T fish sauce
1 tspn sea salt
1 tspn ginger powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix all ingredients together and marinate salmon fillets for 15-20 minutes. Reserve the marinade for a later step.
Bake salmon for 12-15 minutes or until the largest piece of the salmon easily flakes with a fork
Meanwhile pour the leftover marinade into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it reduces to a thick glaze
Serve salmon with marinade reduction. Would pair wonderfully with roasted basil cauliflower and a big salad!

Roasted Basil Cauliflower (AIP, Paleo, WHOLE30)

September 4, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 5 Comments

I think I hit the jackpot on this recipe. My husband is a cauliflower hater and always rolls his eyes if I decide to try to put cauliflower on his plate. He’s so spoiled 😉 When I pulled this out of the oven he hesitantly tried it (totally not expecting to like it) and he was happily surprised. Something about the caramelly ghee taste combined with the basil just tastes like magic. My favorite part about it? It is so versatile and can be paired with so many different types of meals!

Why even bother with cauliflower? Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber giving it an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and digestive boost.

First things first, gather that hunk of cauliflower and chop it into florets.

Gather your melted ghee (or fat of choice), sea salt, and dried basil….

Pour that golden magic over the cauliflower….

Sprinkle the sea salt and dried basil over the cauliflower and stir to combine…

Bake at 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes and ENJOY!

golden hunks of deliciousness…

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Roasted Basil Cauliflower

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

This roasted cauliflower dish turned my husband into a cauliflower lover---easy to make and delicious!!

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower (2.5-3lbs in weight)
2-3 tablespoons brown butter ghee or fat of choice (Please note that ghee is a stage 1 AIP reintroduction)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
Chop cauliflower into florets (large bite sized pieces) and put on baking sheet
Melt brown butter ghee (or fat of choice), and pour over chopped cauliflower
Sprinkle sea salt and dried basil over cauliflower and stir to combine
Bake at 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes stirring halfway through
Enjoy!

Easy Peasy Chicken Skillet (PALEO, AIP, WHOLE30)

August 26, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 2 Comments

I love simple and delicious meals. I mean really who doesn’t? This meal came together as I was yearning for something different and unique for breakfast from the usual meatball paired with mashed veggies. I remembered I had kelp noodles in the fridge and the flavors started to form in my mind. This easy peasy chicken skillet utilizes leftover chicken and is ready in 10 minutes. It is packed with flavor and vegetables and is a winner in my husband’s eyes!

I’m slightly obsessed with these kelp noodles as iodine is hard to get into my diet and I love spicing things up texture and flavor wise. These kelp noodles are so versatile and I love that about them.

So why is the iodine in kelp noodles something to jump for joy about? Well…iodine exists in every cell in our body and is essential for producing thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland is one of the primary players in regulating our metabolism—pretty important! Unfortunately, iodine is easily replaced by things like chlorine and fluoride which are often found in our water sources. So how can you get some quality iodine into your diet?! Great food sources of iodine include seaweed and sea vegetables (kelp, arame, dulse, wakame), fish, and other seafoods. Oh the possibilities!

Now let’s get on to the recipe!

Here are my lovely ingredients 🙂

And here is the finished product 🙂

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Easy Peasy Chicken Skillet

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 2-3

This 10 minute skillet utilizes leftover chicken and is filled with vegetables to give you a delicious and nutritious meal in a pinch!

Ingredients

2 T tigernut oil (sub avocado oil, coconut oil, or ghee if reintroduced)
3 T shallots, diced
¾ cup golden beets, peeled and chopped
2 cups turnips , peeled and chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups chicken cooked and chopped (leftovers work great here)
6 oz kelp noodles (half of a bag), chopped
¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Garnish with fresh chives and squeeze of fresh lemon

Instructions

Sauté shallots in 2T tiger nut oil over medium high heat for 1 minute in a cast iron skillet
Add golden beets and turnips to the skillet and sauté 5-7 minutes over medium high heat stirring frequently
Add basil, chopped cooked chicken, kelp noodles, and sea salt to the skillet and cook until the chicken is warmed and the kelp noodles are the texture of your liking. This took about 3-4 minutes for me.
Enjoy for any meal of the day!

Asian Meatballs (AIP,PALEO, WHOLE30)

August 4, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 11 Comments

I absolutely love meatballs. There is just something about EASY food that tastes great and is simple to prepare. I also usually prefer the oven over the stove because I don’t have to stand around watching it and flipping etc. It makes my life easier and I decided that heating up my apartment for a few minutes is worth it. Want to be a kitchen ninja? Every time you use the oven try and cook at least two different things at once in order to maximize your time and limit turning your oven on. This is great to do in the summer months when the LAST thing you want to do is make your kitchen feel even hotter.

On to the main attraction! These meatballs are bursting with flavor and utilize fresh basil—which is quickly becoming my new favorite herb. I want to put basil on everything! So follow along to make this yummy protein which can easily be frozen and thawed for quick protein to add to any meal!

First, gather your ingredients…

Then combine everything together in a big bowl…

Then arrange them on a baking sheet….

And bake 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees until cooked to your liking!

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Asian Meatballs (AIP,PALEO, WHOLE30)

Delicious

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef (preferably grass fed)
2 tspns packed grated fresh ginger
2 T coconut aminos
1 tspn fish sauce
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh orange juice
Zest from medium orange
½ cup diced yellow onion
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Combine all ingredients with your hands and form into 24 meatballs (about 2 T in size for each meatball)
Spread meatballs onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness

Notes

These meatballs freeze beautifully!

Decadent Orange Chicken (AIP, PALEO)

July 17, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 2 Comments

I know I can’t be the only one who used to frequent panda express. Or any chinese restaurant for that matter—gimme some orange chicken, chow mein, and fried rice and I am a happy girl. However, it is SO hard to find clean chinese food nowadays and I want to be able to enjoy it from the convenience of my home. On top of that, I want to know that it is not setting me back on my healing journey. This recipe attests that real food can be DANG delicious. The first time I made it I almost cried out of happiness. This was a taste that I had been desperately craving for the past 2 years and I was so thrilled to have it back in my life. Do you want in on this orange chicken recipe magic? Let’s begin.
I wanted to show you guys a picture of my set up. Having everything in its proper place and ready to go ahead of time can make ALL the difference. I love to cook—but I don’t love to cook when I’m feeling stressed for space and time. As my kitchen is tiny, I have to constantly work at this but it is definitely something that helps in the process.

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Decadent Orange Chicken (AIP, PALEO)

Miss chinese food? This AIP/Paleo recipe is bursting with flavor and will have you thinking you're eating straight out of the takeout box---in a good way.

Ingredients

Ingredients:
Orange Sauce
1 cup orange juice---additive free or freshly squeezed
6 T coconut aminos
2 T raw honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T arrowroot flour + 1 T cold water (use when directed)
Chicken
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (look for pasture raised)
2 cups tallow , lard, or coconut oil, melted
½ cup arrowroot flour
¼ cup + 1 T cassava flour (about 1.5 oz weighed)
2-3 gelatin eggs prepared one at a time as needed plus 1 T avocado oil+1 tspn sea salt added to EACH gelatin egg
optional: orange zest for garnish

Instructions

Chop chicken thighs into bite sized pieces (about 1.5 inches).
Melt tallow or fat of choice in a deep heavy bottom pot over medium heat to about 350 degrees. Make sure it is not smoking---if it is, turn down the heat slightly
Mix arrowroot and cassava flour together in a bowl and set aside.
Prepare gelatin egg: Mix 1 T gelatin with 1 T cold water with a wire whisk. Add 2 T boiling water and continue whisking until all clumps are gone. Add in 1 T avocado oil and 1 tspn sea salt and whisk to combine.
Dip chopped chicken thighs into gelatin egg/avocado oil/sea salt mixture, shaking off any excess.
Next dip the chopped chicken thighs into arrowroot/cassava flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
Fry in batches (I did 4 total) for 6 minutes...flipping the chicken thighs halfway through.
Transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack insert and fry subsequent batches making a new gelatin egg/avocado oil/sea salt mixture as it runs out. (As gelatin sits it can solidify which is why it is best to prepare the gelatin eggs one at a time as needed).
Meanwhile prepare the orange sauce: combine orange juice, coconut aminos, honey, and minced garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to come to a slight boil.
Turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Combine 1 T arrowroot and 1 T cold water in a small bowl and mix to form a paste. Add this mixture to the simmering orange sauce and whisk for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
After finishing frying all 4 batches of orange chicken, pour orange sauce over chicken and garnish with fresh grated orange zest if desired. This pairs wonderfully with my carrot-leek-cauliflower rice.

Cauliflower-Leek-Carrot Rice (AIP, PALEO, WHOLE30)

July 10, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 4 Comments

Cauliflower rice—-everyone knows about it and everyone has a distinct love or hate relationship with it. It never does truly taste like the white rice we all love and adore, however, it does make for a delicious side dish. The only down side? It makes the kitchen A MESS. Truly. I’ve found cauliflower bits for WEEKS after making it. Maybe I just should clean my kitchen more but often but it can be a pain. Trader Joes capitalized on this and started selling cauliflower rice—-genius. You are welcome to use pre-riced cauliflower for this recipe if you so choose but I personally went the old fashioned way and riced it myself with my trusty food processor.

I intended to make this simply a carrot and leek rice dish but the recipe was pretty strong with the abundance of leeks. With cauliflowers mild taste I figured it would be a great addition to this party of a side dish.

Chop the leak at the point where the light green ends and use the lower portion for the rice.

Melt 1 T fat of choice over medium heat and combine pulsed carrots, pulsed leaks, pulsed cauliflower, minced garlic, sea salt, and powdered ginger. Sautee for 5 minutes and then add in 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Sautee 1-2 more minutes or until tender to your liking. Add in 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley before serving.

Enjoy this beautiful side dish with my upcoming orange chicken recipe, honey garlic chicken thighs, and/or sweet potato french fries. It will be fabulous!

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Cauliflower-Leek-Carrot Rice

Recipe type: Side Dish

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 7 mins

Total time: 17 mins

This side dish goes well with so many dishes and is simple to prepare!

Ingredients

1 T fat of choice over medium heat
1 lb carrots, pulsed in food processor
1 leek white and light green parts only, pulsed in food processor(see photo above)
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lbs), pulsed in food processor
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ T lemon juice
2 T finely chopped parsley

Instructions

Using your food processor, pulse carrots, leek (white and light green parts only...see photo above), and cauliflower. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size and strength of your food processor.
Melt 1 T fat of choice over medium heat
Pour pulsed carrots, leek, and cauliflower into pan along with minced garlic, sea salt, and powdered ginger.
Sautee for 5 minutes.
At the 5 minute point, add in ½ tablespoon lemon juice and sautee 1-2 more minutes or until tender to your liking.
Add in 2 T finely chopped parsley and serve!

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs (Paleo/AIP)

May 27, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 7 Comments

Something about the flavor combination of honey and garlic just makes sense. I am all about skin-on chicken thighs and I love meals that I can prepare in the oven because it makes it so that I don’t have to be tending to the stove. This frees me to be able to enjoy the people around me for longer and spend less time in the kitchen-woohoo! Today’s recipe I bring you will be perfect for summer time (although I will be enjoying it year round) and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. My brother-in-laws confirmed this. Even better? It’s simple to make! So let’s get going and make some chicken already!

First things first:

Slice your chicken thighs a few times across the top like this so that the marinade can infuse a bit more flavor.

Next, whisk up all the marinade ingredients!

Stop and stare to admire the pretty honey-marinade dripping if you’d like.

Next pour your marinade over the chicken (I used a freezer safe gallon bag) and let marinate for 6+ hours (up to 24 hours) moving the marinade bag every so often to make sure it is distributed evenly if you are able.

After the chicken is finished marinating, preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack (see photo below) for 30-35 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, discarding the leftover marinade. If you would like, finish under the broiler for an additional minute being VERY careful to make sure they don’t burn.
Last, but certainly not least. ENJOY the deliciousness you have made. This recipe doubles beautifully if you want to bulk cook!

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Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Recipe type: Main Dish

These honey garlic chicken thighs are simple to make but pack a flavor punch. A definite crowd pleaser. Enjoy.

Ingredients

2 lbs skin on chicken thighs
¼ cup avocado oil
3 T raw honey
1 T apple cider vingar
2 T coconut aminos
hearty pinch quality salt
3 minced garlic cloves

Instructions

Slice chicken thighs a few times across the top of the skin to help marinade infuse more flavor (see photo above)
Combine avocado oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, salt, and minced garlic cloves in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine
Place chicken thighs in a large plastic zip lock and pour marinade over the chicken thighs making sure that they are all covered.
Marinate in fridge for 6+ hours (up to 24 hours)
When done marinating, preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack (see photo above) for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees discarding the leftover marinade.
Finish under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp up the skin if you would like being VERY careful to make sure they do not burn.
Enjoy!!!!

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto (Autoimmune Paleo)

May 13, 2015 by Marissa Franklin 6 Comments

My husband absolutely LOVES all things basil. I think in our future home we will have to grow basil because it adds up quickly on the grocery bill! I wanted to make this carrot top pesto versatile and spreadable and utilizing the whole dang carrot so that is what I did. Real food is so beautiful and I love all the colors of the rainbow that we can eat. There is just something that makes me feel good about utilizing the whole food whether it be carrots, animals, etc. It makes me feel better about not wasting anything and gives me a thankful heart for the food that I get to eat.

So what do you need to make this lovely and simple side dish?

Ingredients:

2 bunches of carrots with beautiful green tops intact

avocado oil for drizzling

2 cups loosely packed basil—about 1 oz

2 cups packed chopped carrot tops—about 1 oz

3/4 cup-1 cup coconut flakes

3/4 cup quality olive oil, divided

1/4 cup water

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T lemon juice

pinch sea salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2)Wash carrots and take tops off reserving them for the pesto

3) Drizzle avocado oil over carrots and roast in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes

4) Meanwhile prepare the pesto: combine basil, carrot tops, coconut flakes*, half the olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt in a food processor and mix scraping down the sides as necessary. Slowly add the other half of the olive oil and mix until smooth and creamy, adding more olive oil if necessary for desired consistency.

5) Top carrots with pesto and enjoy!! Insiders tip: the pesto is FAB on many other things as well. We’ve had it on fish, radishes, burgers, etc. The possibilities are endless!

*Start with 3/4 cup coconut flakes and add more if want a thicker pesto.

Ingredients:

Directions:

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