One Pot Wonders: Shepherd's Pie

Can't go wrong with this classic!  My friend Diane makes this dish in a few separate small casserole dishes and freezes them as individual servings.  These make for quick and easy lunches/dinners.  Just pop in the oven and heat thru!

Shepherd's Pie
Makes 6 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb grass-fed ground beef, turkey or lamb
1 stalk organic celery, finely chopped
1 cup frozen organic peas
1 organic bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped (CORE Plan only)
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
2 Tbsp iced cold water
1 cup organic sodium-free vegetable stock
2 Tbsp organic Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch ground cloves
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 Mashed Fotatoes recipe

1.)  Prepare the Mashed Fotatoes recipe and set aside.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.)  In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over Medium heat and add the onion and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.  Add the ground beef/lamb, increase the heat to Medium-High and cook until browned, breaking up chunks with a wooden spoon.

3.)  Add the carrot (CORE Plan only) to the pan and cook for 3 minutes.  Add remaining vegetables (you can add any veggies you'd like!) and saute for 4 minutes.  Add the stock, stirring to combine.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, oregano, cloves and sea salt/pepper.

4.)  In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot powder with the iced cold water, stirring with a fork until smooth.  Add arrowroot mixture to the veggies, stirring well to combine.  Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the gravy thickens.  Transfer the mixture to a 9" round or 3 quart rectangular casserole dish.

5.)  Spread the Mashed Fotatoes onto the meat mixture and spread evenly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the fotatoes are golden.

One Pot Wonders: Ratatouille

Another reason I looove One Pot Wonders is the fact that no matter the recipe, it always tastes better the next day!  It's something about leaving it in the fridge to let the flavors combine so perfectly that just gets me.

One Pot Wonders Day 3 is Ratatouille.  I started making and thoroughly enjoying this dish after the Pixar movie hit the screen in 2007.  It's one of my favorite movies.  When Dave and I got rid of cable TV two years ago to save up for opening our chiropractic office, we watched Ratatouille and No Reservations every weekend there for a good 2 months straight.  Love them both!  Rent them if you haven't seen 'em yet.  :)

Ratatouille
Makes 6 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large organic eggplant, unpeeled & diced
1 cup organic button mushrooms, sliced
2 organic green bell peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
1 medium organic zucchini, halved & sliced
2 cups organic chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp dried basil
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (CORE) or 1/2 cup vegetable broth (ADVANCED)
3 cups organic crushed tomatoes (glass jarred is best or Eden brand canned)
4 oz raw goat cheese (optional)

1. ) Heat oil in dutch oven over Medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add eggplant, mushrooms, green bell peppers, onion, zucchini and basil.  Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.)  Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine.  Turn heat to Medium-Low and simmer until veggies are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.)  Stir in chick peas.  Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to reduce liquid, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.  Serve.  ** You can prepare up 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate/freeze.  Thaw completely before baking.**

4.)  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread ratatouille in 9-inch round or 8x8" glass casserole dish.  Bake about 20 minutes, until center is heated thru.  Spoon onto plates.  Top with goat cheese (optional).  Serve.


Other optional additions:  Replace the chickpeas with shredded chicken or turkey.  Add in a handful of chopped olives before baking.

One Pot Wonders: Thai Curry Stir Fry

Don't let this somewhat long ingredients list scare you -- this Thai Curry Stir Fry is a very quick meal to make!  In these fall and winter months, Dave and I usually opt for frozen organic vegetables as it's hard to find organic options fresh at the stores.  To help with meal planning, we double this recipe and have it for dinner that night and fridge/freeze the rest for a lunch or dinner later in the week.  It reheats well in a saucepan on the stove.

Personally, we love to eat this dish as is, but you might feel like it's missing a little something...  If you are Core Plan, you can serve over wild rice.  If you are Advanced, you can finely shred and chop organic zucchini or yellow squash to serve as your rice.  Delicious!

Thai Curry Stir Fry
Makes 4 Servings

1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, raw, chopped
1/4 cup organic vegetable broth (sodium-free, sugar-free, read the label!)
2 cups organic broccoli, chopped
1 cup organic cauliflower, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 ounces organic snow peas, strings removed
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup organic zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped (CORE Plan only)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp organic red curry paste (green or yellow can also be used)
1 tsp sea salt
1 can organic full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (optional)

1.)  In medium bowl, dissolve curry paste with 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable broth.  Add chicken pieces and stir well to combine.  Set aside.

2.)  In large skillet or wok, heat coconut oil over Medium heat.  Add carrot (CORE only) and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Next, add onion, bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini and stir-fry about 2 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add chicken mixture, stirring well to separate meat; cook for 3 minutes.

3.)  Increase heat to Medium-High.  Stir in coconut milk, coriander, red pepper flakes, sea salt and remaining chicken broth.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Uncover and cook for 1 minute to reduce any liquid.

4.)  Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves.  Serve.

One Pot Wonders: White Bean Chili

To kick off this week of One Pot Wonders, I'm sharing one of our absolute favorites.  You are probably familiar with this sister to classic chili, savory and smokey White Bean Chili.  This is a super quick meal to prepare, taking less than 30 minutes.  You can also simmer it in a crock pot so it's ready by the time you get home from work.  I usually make this recipe with turkey, saving leftovers from the Thanksgiving or Christmas turkeys.  You can also use shredded chicken.  If I have other veggies on hand, I'll throw them in to the chili as well (zucchini, celery, bell pepper, carrot, kale), sauteing until softened with the onion.

This one pot wonder is perfectly paired with a hefty slice of Coconut Flour Bread.

White Bean Chili
Makes 8 Servings

2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mild green chilies, chopped (fresh or canned)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups great northern beans, rinsed
2 cups white kidney beans, rinsed
48 oz organic sodium-free vegetable broth (check the label for sugar and preservatives)
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1-2 cups cooked free-range turkey or chicken, shredded
Sea salt to taste

1.)  Heat oil in a large stock pot and add onion, chilies, and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until tender.

2.)  Stir in beans, broth, cumin, oregano, and cayenne.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  As chili simmers, you can mash or puree some of the beans to thicken the chili (optional).

3.)  Add turkey/chicken.  Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add sea salt to taste.  Serve.  Fresh parsley or cilantro taste great sprinkled on top!

You can prepare this meal in the crock pot, simmer on low for 4 hours and it's ready!

Stay tuned for a week of One Pot Wonders!

Stay tuned for a week of One Pot Wonders!  I'll be sharing seven of my favorite one pot meals (casseroles, soups, stews) beginning Sunday afternoon!  These will be recipes you can make in advance, divide into smaller dishes and freeze for days/weeks to come!  Dave and I love one pot meals because they fit into our busy schedules.  These recipes will help your family if you're also in a time crunch, especially at the end of the day!  Just pull from the fridge and reheat on the stove.  Simple as that!

If meal planning seems to be the big issue for your family, then you may be interested in setting up a time to meet with me either in person or over a video call.  You can read more about what you will receive here:  Services & Consultations Page.  And don't worry, you're not alone.  I get emails on a daily basis from all over the nation with questions on "maximized" meal planning.  There is a learning curve to it and practice makes perfect.  Don't be afraid to reach out for help!

And just an observation from this morning.  I made some coconut flour/quinoa flour pancakes this morning (recipe posting in a couple weeks) and used up the final few tablespoons of coconut oil in our gallon bucket.  That's right, a gallon of coconut oil.  Here is a cost saving tip: we buy our organic coconut oil in bulk for $50.  It lasted us 10 months (and we use it in/on everything...including our bodies - hair conditioner and body lotion) and traveled all over with us (we've been noted as the nomad Schwartz family lately with all the moving and living with other families we've been doing..:).

A small container of coconut oil (29 oz) is $22.  That's not even close to half the size of of a gallon bucket (128 oz) and is almost half the price.  We buy from Nutiva, www.nutiva.com.  They ship right to your door and all you have to do is scoop out a cupful or two and store in a smaller container on your counter.  Keep the bucket hidden away until you need to refill.  Simple as that, and well worth the savings!

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito

This is a delicious new spin on the burrito, one of the recipes Dave and I concocted while formulating our gluten-free tortillas recipe.

I think it would have been fabulous to add a Tablespoon or two of fresh cilantro in with the avocado puree, but we didn't have any on hand.  Give it a try!  You might need to add a tad bit of water/olive oil to allow it to blend well in your blender.

Sweet Potato Chicken Burrito
Makes 8 Burritos

2 boneless free range chicken breasts
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, veined and diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 c black beans
1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 Romaine heart, shredded
1 avocado, pureed smooth (like sour cream)
8 gluten free, grain free, sugar free tortillas

1.)  Peel and dice two sweet potatoes and steam or roast until tender.

2.)  Rinse, dry and cook the chicken (either grill, pan fry or bake).  Season it with a little garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.  Shred chicken when cooked thru.

2.)  In a separate skillet, add coconut oil over Medium heat and saute the onions and jalapeno until softened.  Add the black beans, diced apple, and seasonings.  Stir well to combine and cook until apples are soft. (May need to add a little more coconut oil, 1-2 teaspoons.)

4.)  Once the potatoes are done, gently stir them into the skillet being careful not to mash.  Fold in the chicken and heat the mixture thru.

5.)  Prepare the tortillas, topping the mixture with chopped Romain lettuce and avocado puree.  Wrap the burritos, folding the bottom edge up and rolling the left edge in and around to the right.  Serve and enjoy!

Green Apple Spiced Tea

A great antidote to a brisk fall day, like today!

Green Apple Spiced Tea
Serves 3 to 4

4 cups filtered water
1/2 tsp spoonable stevia
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp freshly grated cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
1 Granny Smith apple, seeded and coarsely chopped (reserve 4 thin slices for garnish)
4 thick strips of fresh orange zest
1/3 cup loose organic green tea OR 2 green tea bags

1.)  Combine water, stevia, nutmeg, cinnamon, apple, and orange zest in medium pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes.

2.) Cover, remove from heat, and let steep 15 minutes.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or pot, pressing out all of the juice from the apple.  Add the green tea leaves.  Let steep for 1 minute. Strain out the tea leaves and serve.  So simple and delicious!