Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

First post of 2017! I’m expecting great things out of 2017:

1. I’m finishing Student Teaching and college in the next few months
2. I’m moving to Thailand to teach and travel!!!!!
3. I’m planning to continue to post recipes until moving day (and maybe even while in Thailand).

Needless to say, I am very excited for upcoming events!

Now, onto food. This is something I served at my family’s Christmas Eve party. It was a definite hit and gobbled all up before the evening ended. Enjoy!

P.S- Results are in! My most popular post of 2016 (with 2,681 views): Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas! 

Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

Ingredients:

4 cups butternut squash, cubed

2 tbsp avocado oil

salt and pepper

1.5 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup whole fat coconut milk

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups fresh spinach

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the other tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, and cook all the way through. Add in the onion and garlic cloves and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, sauce, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute and then reduce to a simmer to thicken. Add in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Once butternut squash is finished, gently mix squash in with the chicken mixture. Transfer entire mixture into a baking dish. In a bowl, whisk an egg and then pour on top of mixture. Place mixture into a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.

This year’s annual Christmas Eve Sibling picture (I’m the one on the left!)

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Jamaican Chicken (Paleo)

Hi all! I have some time on my hands for a post today! Shocker, I know. As student teaching starts wrapping up, I should be able to get back in the kitchen more and begin posting recipes more regularly again.

Until then, here’s another quick meal- Jamaican chicken. With the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice thrown in, you can double dip and make some holiday cookies at the same time 😉

Jamaican Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

Salt and pepper

Avocado oil

10 organic chicken drumsticks, thawed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the spices, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix. Rub avocado oil on the chicken, sprinkle spice mixture all over the chicken, and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 35 minutes. Afterwards, take out, flip the chicken over, and place in the oven for 10 more minutes. Serve.

Lemon Chicken with Asparagus and Mushrooms (Paleo)

Sorry for such the late post this week. I was fortunate enough to attend an education conference in Washington D.C this past week. I love going to this conference as it lets me meet with pre-service educators from all around the country. Sounds a little corny, but it gets me really excited for teaching!

Anyway, right before I left for D.C, I made this scrumptious meal that even my brother liked (ok, he wouldn’t eat the mushrooms, but hey, it’s something!).

When I make soups, I sometimes add in a cheese rind to enhance flavor (see this recipe for an example). So to add a lemony flavor to this recipe, I threw in lemon rinds during cooking time.

Lemon Chicken with Asparagus and Mushrooms (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 lb skin-less chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

10 asparagus spears, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 portobello mushrooms, diced 

1 cup canned coconut milk (full-fat)

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Vegetable or chicken broth

Directions:

In a deep skillet, heat oil and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper, cook completely and set aside on a plate.

Add onions and garlic cloves to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in asparagus and mushrooms and cook for an additional 12 minutes, or until onions begin to brown and mushrooms shrink in size. If vegetables begin to stick to the skillet, add in a splash of vegetable/chicken broth. Return chicken to the skillet and mix altogether.

Add in coconut milk and rosemary. Squeeze in the lemon juice from lemons (careful for seeds) and then add in the lemon rinds.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lemon rinds and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Cabbage and Chicken Skillet (Paleo)

A tasty meal with some simple ingredients…

Cabbage and Chicken Skillet (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 and 1/2 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 head of raw green cabbage, chopped

1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed (I use leftover grilled chicken)

1/3 cup tomato/marinara sauce

1/3 cup beef broth

2 bay leafs

salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add paprika and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Throw in cabbage, chicken, tomato/marinara sauce, broth, bay leafs, and salt and pepper. Stir altogether and top skillet with lid. Let cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leafs and serve.

 

Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Dip (Grain-Free)

Memorial Day weekend recipe! Perfect for dipping at BBQs and parties 🙂 

Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked and thickly shredded chicken

1 head of broccoli, stem and florets chopped into small pieces

1 small onion, chopped

1 and 2/3 cup plain, greek yogurt

4oz cream cheese

2 tbsp spicy mustard

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on LOW for 1-2 hours. Switch to KEEP WARM and start dipping!