Paleo Hamburger Helper

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion cut into large chunks
1 green pepper
4-5 sweet potatoes, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large mushrooms, quartered
2 links of sausage, sliced, preferably without sugar- available at Trader Joes
several large handfuls of spinach
seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, basil, paprika



1. Brown the beef in a large pot that has a cover. I have a large covered dutch oven
2. When browned, add onion, and green pepper. Cook about 5 minutes until veggies begin to soften.
3. Add shredded sweet potatoes and olive oil. Stir to combine everything, and then add mushrooms and sausage.
4. Add seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, basil, paprika and stir.
5. Cook covered on medium heat for around 20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are softened.
6. Just prior to serving, add several large handfuls of spinach. Stir into sweet potatoes until spinach is wilted.

** This is great reheated the next day for lunch. Make a large pot and get your tupperware ready!

Melissa Weigel's Garlic and Lemon Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

6 T olive oil

2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3/4 pound trimmed green beans

2 small sweet potatoes

4 chicken breasts, or 1 whole chicken cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking dish or cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the chicken, green bean, and sweet potatoes, and toss to coat. Pour this mixture into the pan and spread around evenly.

Roast for 50 minutes or until cooked through. Serve warm.

Crockpot butternut squash lasagna

Courtesy of Paleo Slow Cooking:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 diced green bell pepper
1 pound beef
1 pound Italian sausage
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 butternut squash

Saute the carrots, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and bell pepper in olive oil until veggies are tender
Brown the beef and sausage
Combine meat and veggies
Add all remaining ingredients except for squash and simmer for 30 minutes
Peel, halve and scoop out seeds from butternut squash. Cut the squash lengthwise into ¼ to ½ inch strips, so they look like thick lasagna noodles. You can also do semicircles- it doesn’t have to be perfect since it’s a crockpot casserole.
In the slow cooker, add a layer of meat/veggie mixture, then a layer of squash, then a layer of meat/veggies, and another layer of squash. Repeat, trying for at least 4 layers of each- fewer layers run the risk of burning.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or more.

Crockpot stuffed acorn squash

Courtesy of Paleo Slow Cooking:

2 acorn squash- the recipe says 2-3 small ones- I used 2 medium to large sized ones.
1 pound mild Italian pork sausage
1 cup diced onion
2 cups spinach leaves
1 cup water

Put 1 cup of water in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cut acorn squash in ½ lengthwise, remove seeds and set aside
Brown the sausage, add the onion, mushrooms and spinach. Cook for 2 minutes.
Stuff the inside of the squash (where the seeds used to be) with as much stuffing as you can. Overstuff them. Go crazy.
Put the squash in the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8, or bake in the oven at 350 for 50 minutes.

Erica Racedo's Paleo Pie

Courtesy of Paleology101:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb breakfast sausage
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 lb bacon
• 1/2 – 3/4 sweet potato (shredded or cubed, your choice)
• 1/2 onion (yellow or white)
• 1 clove garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place breakfast sausage in a mixing bowl and mix in one egg.  Mash together with your hands until goop is combined.
3. Place the meat mixture in an 8×8 ceramic cooking dish (glass works well too), and use the backside of a spoon to press down until you have an even “crust” on the bottom of the dish.
4. Put in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the sausage becomes lightly brown on top.  It doesn’t need to completely cook since you’re going to cook it again with the rest of the ingredients.
5. While the crust is baking, cut up your 1/2 of bacon into little bits and throw it in a pan to sauté over medium heat. Cook until crispy – or at least that’s how I like it. Once it’s done, place it on a plate and set aside for later. Leave a good 2 tablespoons in the pan, and put the rest of the fat in a glass jar to save for another recipe (BELIEVE ME, you’ll use this).
6. Add garlic, onion, and sweet potato to the pan. Let it cook for a good 10 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.
7. Once the sweet potato is done, make the layers in the casserole dish. Add the sweet potato/garlic/onion mixture on top of the crust.  Then, whip together the remaining 6 eggs and spread that over your sweet potato mixture. Finally, add your bacon.
8. Place in the oven for 30 minutes and VOILA!
9. Make sure to check to see if it’s done via the knife test – stick and knife in the middle and pull it out. No residue on the knife? Then you’re good.

Erica Racedo's Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

Courtesy of Things My Belly Likes:

Casserole:

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 large, white onion, finely chopped
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken (or beef) broth
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sage

Dumplings:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted then left to cool
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup coconut flour

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Throw in the garlic, onion and chicken chunks. Fry over a medium heat until the onions turn translucent and the chicken browns. Stir in the herbs.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, add the sweet potato and celery. Bring to a boil then reduce and let simmer for ten minutes or until the potato is tender.
3. While you are waiting, make the dumplings. Whisk together the butter, eggs and salt. Sieve the coconut flour and baking power together. Gradually add the flour mix to the eggs, stirring as you go to ensure a smooth batter.
4. When all the flour is added, you should have a thick paste-like mix. Leave it aside for ten minutes while you deal with the casserole.
5. Mix the corn starch with a little water then pour into the chicken sauce. Bring to a boil then stir while it thickens. Once it’s thick and glossy, remove from the heat. Pour into a small casserole dish. Spoon a tbsps worth of batter and ‘blob’ it on top of the casserole. Repeat until all the batter is used (it should make four large dumplings).

6. Bake at 400 for 15-20mins until the dumplings turn golden. Serve.

Jen Frank's Tuscan Chicken

2-4 Chicken breasts (bone in, for more flavor)
Roma tomatoes, quartered (use 4-6)
Zucchini squash, 1-2, lengthwise pieces
Fennel bulb (1stalk, cut in large pieces)
Garlic cloves (3-4)
EVOO
Salt
Pepper
2 sprigs Rosemary

Put all veggies, chicken and spices, garlic, oil (but leave rosemary out) in oven safe Large dish at 375, stir after 30 minutes, then place rosemary in and continue roasting until veggies tender and chicken cooked through.