Ground Sage

Easy Low-Carb Butternut Squash Stuffing {Paleo, Keto, & Whole30}

November 21, 2018
Course

Stuffing has got to be one of my ALL-TIME favorite side dishes. However, I don’t need an excuse like Thanksgiving to partake in that deliciousness. It’s not always the prettiest to look at – I mean it IS called “stuffing,” but the flavors involved in this dish are total comfort food for me. I could eat this dish all by itself and be happy!

My husband and I don’t usually keep bread on hand in the house, nor do I bake things all that often. We just seem to eat all of that stuff too fast, and it’s just not something we like to keep around and easily accessible. We feel better keeping things pretty low carb, so this stuffing was perfect when we wanted that fix – minus the bread and extra carbs.

Growing up, we ALWAYS put sausage in our stuffing. If it didn’t have meat, it just wasn’t right! It’s not completely necessary in this recipe – but HIGHLY suggested!

The other day when I that stuffing craving set in, I realized that I was without sausage (I always use sage or breakfast sausage) or any ground pork substitute. Low and behold, I DID have Chomps meat sticks – specifically, I had the Crankin’ Cranberry beef stick variety which seemed perfect for this dish! Cranberry and Thanksgiving-inspired dishes go hand-in-hand!

The Chomps meat sticks added a perfect little bit of protein that I needed in the stuffing. So glad I had these on hand! Not only are they a great Whole30 snack, but they’re super versatile for recipes. You just gotta get creative!

  

This Low-Carb Butternut Squash Stuffing is perfect, not only this time of year, but whenever you need a guilt-free comfort food! It’s quick and SO simple to throw together! It makes great leftovers and is perfect for meal prep throughout the week!

Print Recipe
Low-Carb Butternut Squash Stuffing {Paleo, Keto, & Whole30}
Course Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Dinner
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Make sure your butternut squash is chopped bite-sized. The onions and celery should be chopped a bit smaller.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, toss butternut squash, onions, celery, meat sticks, seasonings, and oil until well coated.
  4. Transfer to a lined, wide baking dish. The larger the dish, the quicker it's going to cook and the more it's going to "roast" - because the veggies will be spread out. There isn't a wrong way to cook this. In a smaller, deeper pan, the stuffing will "steam" because the veggies will be touching more. Either way, it's going to be delicious!
  5. Bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Turn the oven up to 500 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the topped has crisped up slightly.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup {w/stovetop option}

October 23, 2018

This soup is my new favorite! Butternut squash is everywhere it seems like…and currently, on super-sale in my grocery store.

…meaning, when this girl see veggies on sale, she buys a ton!

This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup takes MINUTES to cook. When I say minutes, I mean less than 10 minutes. However, you could definitely make it on the stovetop or in your crock pot too (see recipe notes for directions!*).

I just can’t get enough of it! It’s currently my GO-TO for soups and is SO versatile! It’s a great starting point for pretty much any soup! I’m using it to make a low-carb Cheeseburger Chowder for lunches this week – stay tuned for that recipe! It’s totally kid-approved and super comforting!

This soup may be dairy free, but is still so creamy! If you can tolerate some cheese, it’s even better with some shredded cheddar sprinkled on top …or better yet, cheddar AND bacon! It would make a great creamy vegetable medley soup or a veggie-packed take on a Cheesy Broccoli. Seriously, the possibilities are endless!

 

 

Print Recipe
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup {w/stovetop option}
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to your Instant Pot.
  2. Set for 8 minutes High Pressure.
  3. Once the soup is finished cooking, do a QR (quick release).
  4. Allow the soup to cool slightly and then add the contents to a blender and puree until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
  5. Return the soup to the instant pot if it needs to reheat some. I use the saute mode and it heats up in now time! If your soup is too thick for your liking, feel free to add a bit more broth at the end and whisk together!
  6. Sprinkle with toppings of choice! My favorites are green onions and bacon!
Recipe Notes

*Stovetop directions:

  1. Saute onions, potatoes, and squash in a large soup pot, over medium heat, for about 5-8 minutes or until soft.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
  3. Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are extremely tender and falling apart.
  4. Puree with an immersion blender or allow the soup to cool and puree in a blender.

Crockpot directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
  2. Once the veggies have cooked until very tender, puree with an immersion blender or allow a bit of cooling and then puree in a blender.

** If using frozen squash, note that the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure will increase but a few minutes.

Sausage Peppered Gravy {Dairy, Gluten, & Grain Free}

August 14, 2018

3 ingredients…plus water, a few seasonings, and some biscuits and you’ll have one of my favorite meals!

When someone says “comfort food,” sausage gravy and biscuits is one of the first things that comes to my mind. To some of my friends, my mom is still remembered for making them her biscuits n’ gravy. Thankfully, she passed on the knowledge! However, I’ve had to take all of those skills and recipes from her and learn to adapt to the clean-eating lifestyle, which generally, does not include much dairy, gluten, or grains – common things found in comfort foods.

Thankfully, this recipe fits all of those criteria and doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.

Cashews are used in this particular recipe and they offer a creamy, slighty nutty sauce that, when combined with the sausage is deeeelicious! I’ve used both coconut and almond milk in a sausage gravy recipe before and it did the trick when I was craving this kind of dish, however, the cashews definitely win when it comes to my favorite.

This Sausage Peppered Gravy will have you going back for seconds…and thirds! SO BE CAREFUL! 😉

Serve this gravy over a breakfast skillet, chicken cutlets and mashed potatoes, or make a batch of my Easy Vegan (Egg-free) Drop Biscuits for a complete meal!

Print Recipe
Sausage Peppered Gravy {Dairy Free}
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, break up and brown sausage.
  2. While the sausage browns, blend cashews* and water in a high powdered blender or food processor until completely smooth.
  3. Add in 2 tbsp of arrowroot to the mixture and blend for a few more seconds.
  4. Once the sausage has browned, add the cashew sauce, salt, pepper, and sage to the skillet.
  5. Stir and bring the gravy to a simmer.
  6. Cook for 5-10 minutes until gravy has thickened.
  7. If desired, you can add another tablespoon of arrowroot powder to thicken the gravy even more. Simply mix it with 1-2 tbsp of water to create a slurry and add to the gravy.
  8. Serve it over biscuits, potatoes, chicken, or eggs. It's delicious in so many forms!
Recipe Notes

*Soaking cashews for 30 minutes prior will soften them and help the mixture blend faster and easier.

Roasted Cauliflower and Ham Soup

November 19, 2017
Course

It isn’t much of a secret that I am obsessed with soup. Who else decides where they’re going to eat out at based on what soup they have that day? Or is that just me? 🙂

I try to turn every meal into some type of soup. (or a casserole. I have a problem.) I wasn’t sure what I was going to make when I started chopping up the cauliflower…but I have to say, it turned into something really good!

I looked over and saw a jalapeño on the counter, so that guy ended up in this pot as well! I usually get a response like, “that shouldn’t be a question, honey,” whenever I ask my husband if I should put jalapeños in something. So, if I think for a second, that I should put one in there, I usually do! If they’re not your thing, just skip that part! It doesn’t add much heat once you remove the seeds, but it gives it a nice charred pepper flavor (because I roast it!) which is delicious.

There’s just something about sitting down with a bowl of creamy soup that soothes the soul. At least that’s what soothes my soul. Again, I have an obsession with soup. How could I not, though? SOUP IS LYYFEE. Growing up, whenever you’d get sick, mom would make you soup. You’d ALWAYS feel better. There’s just something so comforting about that bowl of goodness. FYI, there’s actually some medicinal properties involved in that homemade chicken noodle soup. It heals if it’s made properly! BONE BROTHHH!!!

Alright, enough already…recipe time!

Just kidding, P.S. You may want to double this recipe if you’re cooking for more than 2 people or want leftovers.

P.P.S. You could totally make this in your Instant Pot! Follow the same directions, but once you add the milk and broth, set your IP to High Pressure and cook it for 5-8 minutes, or so. It’ll cook FAST! Once it’s finished, stir in your arrowroot slurry to thicken it up!

Print Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower and Ham Soup
Course Dinner, Lunch
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dinner, Lunch
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Bake chopped cauliflower and jalapeño on a greased/lined baking sheet for 10-15 minutes or until the edges start to char.
  3. While the veggies are roasting, begin to sauté the ham, onion, and ghee in a large soup pot over medium heat.
  4. After 10 minutes or so, remove your veggies from the oven. (and turn your oven off! I'm bad about that!) Your cauliflower and jalapeño should have some good char on them. You can leave them in there a few minutes longer to get even more char. All of those charred little bits adds tons of good flavor! Whatever you like! Be sure to watch them, though. They can burn fast at this temperature!
  5. Slice your jalapeño in half, remove the seeds*, and dice.*The seeds come out SUPER easy after you've roasted it. If you prefer to do it before roasting, have at it!
  6. Add the cauliflower and jalapeño to your ham and onions.
  7. Add all of your spices to your soup pot, stir, and sauté it all for a couple minutes. I can still smell that smoky paprika cooking. Seriously, invest in that stuff. It's so good!
  8. Next, add 2 cups of your broth (set aside 1/2 cup), coconut milk, and bay leaves. Simmer for 15-30 over medium/medium low heat - the longer the better. Soup only gets better as it cooks away on the stove. I'm just impatient and need to eat it as soon as possible!
  9. Taste test! Now is the time to add more salt or pepper!
  10. After simmering for some time (or however long you can wait!), combine the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and arrowroot powder to create a slurry. Add the mixture to your soup and stir* for a minute. This will begin to thicken everything up. *Make sure to stir from the bottom. Sometimes, the slurry will fall towards the bottom of the pot and thicken everything much faster down there. Then your soup will have gravy-like chunks in it. No good. ...well, gravy-like clumps don't sound all that bad to me. Remember, though, I like my gravy! Anyways, STIR IT GOOD!
  11. There you have it! Scoop yourself a bowl, top with some chopped green onions, and go get cozy! You mood will INSTANTLY improve!