What’s for Dinner 11/14-11/18

I’m working on getting photos of the things I cook…I guess I didn’t plan right in that I’m cooking the same week that I’m posting, so I don’t have pics yet! Next week I’ll cook first, take pics, and THEN post. =) Remember, my recipes all serve 2 adults, 5 kids, and sometimes have leftovers. You can adjust the amounts if you have a smaller brood. Here’s what’s for dinner this week:

Monday: Oven-roasted Split Chicken Breasts and Asparagus, Cauliflower “Rice” and Frozen Blueberries *Whole30 Compliant

• Recipe: Oven-roasted Split Chicken Breasts and Asparagus

3 pounds split chicken breasts

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

2 Pounds asparagus

Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line bottom of broiler pan with tin foil (easy clean up!) and place breasts, skin-side up on slotted sheet that goes on top of pan. Baste with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings and put in oven on one of the higher shelves for 45 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, chop off tough ends of asparagus. Lay in single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and garlic salt. After chicken has been in for about a 1/2 hour, place asparagus in oven (below chicken). Or, if you’re like me, you just cram them onto the same sheet as the chicken. =) After the 45 minutes are up, gently poke chicken with fork, and if juices run clear, it’s done!

Cauliflower “rice” (adapted from “Make It Paleo” Cookbook) *Whole30 Compliant

1 cauliflower

2 TBSP olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Remove main stem from cauliflower and chop into large chunks. Put chunks in food processor and pulse until it has a course texture, like rice grains. (If you don’t have a food processor, just use a cheese grater.) Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent. Add in cauliflower rice and continue to saute for 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tuesday:  Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Tomatoes, Green Beans and Mandarins *Whole30 Compliant

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash with Sausage and Tomatoes *Whole30 Compliant

1 large spaghetti squash

Few tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 pound sausage

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 TBSP dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a very sharp knife, remove stem from spaghetti squash and cut in half. Scoop seeds out. Place squash halves, flat side down, in baking dish filled with about a 1/4 inch water and put in oven for about 40 minutes, or until the squash can easily be shredded with a fork.

While squash is in oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onion until translucent. Add sausage and brown. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and salt and pepper. Set aside until squash is done.

Once squash is done, shred it into a large bowl, and pour sausage mixture over it. Serve promptly.

Wednesday: Ground Beef “Tacos”, Potato Chips with Avocado Salsa, and Strawberries

Recipe: Ground Beef “Tacos” *Whole30 Compliant

3 pounds ground beef

Olive oil

2 small onions, or one very large onion, diced

1 14 oz can tomatoes

2 TBSP. chili powder

1 TBSP garlic salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. cumin

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add ground beef, tomatoes, and all spices and cook until brown. Serve in large-leaf lettuce (I buy the big pack of Romaine hearts from Coscto).

Recipe: Avocado Salsa

3 avocados, diced

1 small red onion, diced very small

3 TBSP cilantro, chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1 medium tomato, diced

Add all ingredients to a bowl and combine. Easy as pie and sooooo delicious!

Thursday: Leftovers from previous days, Roasted Butternut Squash, and whatever else we can scrounge up

•  Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash *Whole30 Compliant

1 large Butternut Squash (I buy the pre-cut stuff from Costco–in the cold veggies section), peeled and cubed

Olive oil

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put squash into bowl, drizzle with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper. Stir it up, and lay in single layer on parchment-covered cookie sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender and crisp on edges. Enjoy!

Friday: Pizza (choose your own toppings), “Oogave” Root Beer, and Green Salad with homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.

Recipe: Almond Flour Pizza Crust (adapted from “The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook” by Elana Amsterdam)

**Disclaimer** Please note that this is NOT pizza. It’s not fluffy, or crispy or wonderfully divine like “real” pizza is. But for a substitute, it’s great. The kids love to add their own toppings. You can divide this recipe into individual servings and let each kid have their own if you like.

3 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 Tsp. salt

1 TBSP. dried basil

1/2 Tsp. baking soda

2 TBSP. olive oil

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and cut 2 pieces of parchment paper the size of a large cookie sheet.

Combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and basil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll into a rectangle to fit onto the cookie sheet, to desired thickness (we like thinner or it can get a bit “doughy”. Remove top piece of parchment and transfer the dough, parchment-side down onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, put on desired sauce and toppings, and put back in oven for another 5-7 minutes. We sometimes use tomato sauce mixed with Italian spices, goat cheese, spinach red onions and olive. This time around, we used sauce, spinach, tomatoes and goat cheese.

 

 

 

 

Oogave Root Beer can be purchased at Whole Foods–it tastes just like Root Beer, but is made with Agave syrup instead of corn syrup!

See HERE for Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing recipe.

Like what you read? Sign up here and get my Top 10 Recipes ebook for free!