The Paleo Mama

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Food Recipes

Sheet Pan Brunch

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Sheet pan. It’s one pot meals on crack! Throw some meat, veggies and a drizzle of fat or oil and you are done mama! Sheet pan meals make clean up easier and don’t require any fancy equipment. Also, I’m a sucker for a one pot meal, because, let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than being hungry and having nothing to eat. So, why not have some ingredients on hand that you can whip up a quick

This past spring we raise two pigs for meat. Y’all — if you have never tasted homemade bacon, then you are missing out! We took the side meat and smoked it for a awhile and then sliced it into bacon-sized slices and it’s so dang good. 

Pork has been at the center at most our meals for the last few months and I had to, just had to, share a fast and easy sheet pan brunch idea that you can make for breakfast or brinner! 

Sheet Pan Brunch

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Directions: 

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
  2. Slice your acorn squash into ¼ inch rounds, remove the seeds. Line up 4 the rounds on a sheet pan. Put your vine ripe tomatoes next to them. Leave space for the bacon. Drizzle everything with avocado oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of each of the seasonings.
  3. Set in the oven, middle rack and roast for 10 minutes. Then open the oven and add the bacon, lining up the slices next to each other. Close the oven, roast for another 10 minutes.
  4. Open the oven and carefully crack an egg into the center of each squash round.
  5. Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining seasonings, and the parsley.
  6. Bake for 5 minutes or until the eggs whites are cooked.
  7. Add avocado to the sheet pan if you like or fresh herbs! Serve right away, share and enjoy!

Whole30 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken – plus a Sugar Free BBQ Sauce!

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Easy and delicious, this sugar free BBQ sauce is delicious and easy to make, blend it up and pour over the chicken. Ready in 30 minutes! I’m confident you are going to love this Whole30 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe! Remember to snag these Whole30 Meal Plans to help support your meal planning when you aren’t using your Instant Pot. 

Be sure to check out my favorite Whole30 Instant Pot recipes here. 

Whole30 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Ingredients: 

For the Sauce: 

Instructions: 

  1. Place the chicken with the salt and oil in your pressure cooker. 
  2. Combine all of the bbq sauce ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. 
  3. Add half of the sauce to the pressure cooker with the chicken. 
  4. Set to cook on high for 15 minutes. 
  5. Release the pressure manually. Open the lid and set to reduce or sauté for 10 minutes.
  6. Use two forks to shred the chicken while it reduces, once the liquid in the pressure cooker has reduced by half stir in the remaining bbq sauce. Stir to combine and serve! 

  • Prep 5 minutes
  • Serves 6
  • Per serving: Calories 224, Fat 10.2, Carbs 4.5, Protein 27.5  

Whole30 Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Serves 6
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  2. 1 teaspoon salt
  3. 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  4. ½ cup Whole30 compliant marinara sauce or tomato sauce
  5. 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
  6. 2 cloves garlic
  7. 3 tablespoons coconut or red wine vinegar
  8. 2 pitted medjool dates (optional)
  9. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  10. 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
  11. 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
  12. 1 teaspoon onion powder
  13. 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken with the salt and oil in your pressure cooker.
  2. Combine all of the bbq sauce ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Add half of the sauce to the pressure cooker with the chicken.
  4. Set to cook on high for 15 minutes.
  5. Release the pressure manually. Open the lid and set to reduce or sauté for 10 minutes.
  6. Use two forks to shred the chicken while it reduces, once the liquid in the pressure cooker has reduced by half stir in the remaining bbq sauce.
  7. Stir to combine and serve!
Notes
  1. Serves 6
  2. Per serving: Calories 224, Fat 10.2, Carbs 4.5, Protein 27.5
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/

How to Make a Collagen Matcha Latte Recipe

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There’s something about the chill in the air that makes me want to make my daily Collagen Matcha Latte recipe, sit down in our living room (which I recently won a year-long debate about why we should move our TV out of our living room…score!), read a book under a fluffy blanket, turn on the fireplace, and sip on the green, frothy, matcha ecstasy (I kid you not). 

This Collagen Matcha Latte recipe has become part of my daily rituals. I’ve posted about it many times on my Instagram page and figured it was time to share this recipe I have been keeping all to myself like a big block of Lily’s chocolate. 

What is Matcha?

Matcha tea —the green powdered tea imported from Japan—is all the craze right now, and rightly so. 

  • It relaxes you without making you sleepy.
  • It delivers caffeine into the bloodstream in a much more measured way than coffee.
  • Its caffeine effects last up to 4-6 hours, compared to coffee’s high and then quick crash.
  • There is evidence that it has some weight loss benefits.

There’s “a latte” of this Collage Matcha Latte recipe to go around. If you haven’t ever tried adding collagen to your drinks and smoothies, then let me convince you of this (new-ish) superfood that is taking over the Google trends. 

What is Collagen?

Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body is made of long chain amino acids. This protein is only found in animals. Even in humans from skin to blood vessels. The highest concentration is found in bones and connective tissue. 

Collagen is what makes our hair and nails strong, makes our skin bounce back and it even repairs the gut lining. Unfortunately, with age, the naturally occurring collagen in our bodies begins to decline. This is why we get wrinkly! 

Fortunately, quality collagen supplements are ever so popular and making them quite easy to purchase. The collagen supplements come in a powder form. Made from the bones and connective tissue of pastured animals. They are completely tasteless, which is why you can get away with adding it to your coffee or your new collagen matcha latte tea!

What is the difference between collagen and gelatin?

Collagen and gelatin supplements come from the same place. The gelatin however will gel liquids, while collagen is water soluble. The reason for this is that the collagen proteins are further broken down so they dissolve in cold fluid. That is why collagen supplements often say hydrolyzed collagen and/or collagen peptides. 

Benefits of collagen?

Supplementing with collagen has many benefits that include stronger and healthier hair, nails and skin. More importantly collagen proteins and amino acids heal and patch up leak gut, contributing to better overall health. 

Collagen is a fantastic source of protein too, with about 11g of protein per scoop. This allergen friendly, unflavored, unscented, clean protein supplement can be added to smoothies, soups, coffee and even tea!

Try adding in 2 scoops of collagen to your daily routine and see what benefits you experience! 

And you’re welcome 🙂 

Collagen Matcha Latte Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces steamed water
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 5-10 drops liquid stevia  
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon coconut or MCT oil (if you have never added coconut oil or MCT oil to your hot beverages, then start by adding 1 teaspoon to avoid digestive discomfort)
  • 1 tablespoon grass fed butter or ghee (same tip here! Start with 1 teaspoon) 
  • 2 scoops collagen 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat 12 ounces water until steaming, not boiling. 
  2. Combine the hot water, matcha, stevia, cinnamon, coconut oil and butter in a blender. 
  3. Blend until frothy, lower the power and add in the collagen, blend for another 10 seconds until dissolved. 
  4. Sip, enjoy, and be sure to share this Collagen Matcha Latte Recipe with your friends and family! 

Collagen Matcha Latte
Serves 1
A delicious frothy matcha latte that includes Collagen, one of the best superfoods for your health!
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Prep Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 12 ounces steamed water
  2. 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  3. 20 drops liquid stevia
  4. 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
  5. 1 tablespoon coconut or MCT oil
  6. 1 tablespoon grass fed butter
  7. 2 scoops collagen
Instructions
  1. Heat 12 ounces water until steaming, not boiling.
  2. Combine the hot water, matcha, stevia, cinnamon, coconut oil and butter in a blender.
  3. Blend until frothy, lower the power and add in the collagen, blend for another 10 seconds until dissolved.
  4. Sip, enjoy!
Notes
  1. Tips: If you have never added healthy fats to your hot beverages, start by just adding 1 teaspoon of each and then increase.
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/

One Month of the BEST Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes

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I can’t think of a better way to begin a new year than by readying myself with a commitment to 31 days of Whole30 eating, and by getting my menus set by choosing some delicious recipes made in my oh-so-handy and timesaving Instant Pot! 

These Whole30 Instant Pot will give you the convenience of using the Instant Pot while staying on track with your Whole30. 

On the days you don’t want to use your Instant Pot then let me tell you about these Whole30 meal plans that I am using! They have saved me so much time in between cleaning up the Instant Pot.

How about it? Do you want to get READY, SET, GO with me for your next thirty days? 

What’s the Whole30?

Like me, you may have already used the Whole30 Program before…maybe even several times. But if you haven’t, and aren’t sure what you need to know about it, let me reintroduce a few simple things about it to remember. (You can find an abbreviated version of it here.)

Eat real food.

Just remember—if it’s real food, you can eat it. Here’s a list of some delicious real food to include in your daily menus:

  • Moderate portions of meat, seafood, and eggs
  • Lots of vegetables
  • Some fruit
  • Plenty of natural fats, herbs, spices, and seasonings.

It will be easiest for you to remember to choose foods with very few ingredients—all of which are prounounceable. Even better, choose whole, unprocessed foods with no extra ingredients at all.

Avoid the following for 30 days.

This simple listing of foods to avoid will get you ready to be successful with the Whole30 program. Remember—no cheating allowed!

  • No sugar—real or artificial. That means no maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, stevia, Splenda, or any other artificial sugars (don’t even think about complaining cause it’s JUST 30 days!)
  • No alcohol in any form, even in cooking.
  • No grains. This includes wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgar, sorghum, sprouted grains, and all gluten-free things like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, or grain starches.
  • No legumes, including beans of any kind. No peanut butter either, and no soy or soy products.
  • No dairy. No cow, goat, or sheep’s milk products of any kind,
  • No baked goods, junk foods, or treats with “approved” ingredients.

No weighing or measuring for 30 days.

Do not step on the scales or take any body measurements for the entire 30 days. The Whole30 program is about so much more than weight loss.

Exceptions to the rules.

Yes, even with the Whole 30 program there are some exceptions. You can have any of these foods: ghee, fruit juice, green beans or snap peas, vinegar, coconut aminos and salt. (This Whole30 section adapted from here.) 

What’s an Instant Pot? 

Seriously? What rock have you been living under?! This modern take on a pressure cooker is like crockpot cooking on crack. We whip up a whole chicken in less than 25 minutes! It’s insane! In addition to pressure cooking, you can also use the slow cooker, steam, saute, yogurt, and rice function! Here’s where you can buy it.

 

Whole 30 READY, Instant Pot SET, Now GO

Using these Whole30 Instant Pot recipes will save you so much time! Just take a day before you begin to carefully choose some recipes to try, and then make a shopping list and get as many items ready so all you have to do is fill the Instant Pot and let it do its sweet work.

Whole 30 Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes 

You may choose to concentrate using your instant pot mainly for your dinner menus. However, there are some delicious Whole30 instant pot breakfast ideas that you may want to try. Let me recommend these five:

Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs (+ a how to peel farm fresh eggs tutorial) – from Your’s Truly 🙂 

Instant Pot Paleo Breakfast Casserole – from Once a Month Meals

Ingredients: 

  • Coconut Oil
  • Leek
  • Garlic, Cloves
  • Kale
  • Eggs
  • Sweet Potato
  • Sausage, Breakfast

Click here to go to the Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole recipe

 

Easy Instant Pot Applesauce –  from Stupid Easy Paleo

Ingredients: 

  • 3 lb apples
  • Apple pie spice
  • Ghee or grass-fed butter
  • Cloves
  • Sea salt
  • Star anise, optional
  • Water

Click here to go to the apple sauce recipe

Crispy Potatoes – from Nom Nom Paleo 

Ingredients: 

  • Fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes
  • Ghee, avocado oil, or favorite cooking fat
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Italian parsley
  • Medium lemon

Click here to go to the crispy potatoes recipe. 

 

Whole30 Breakfast Bake with Sausage, Eggs, Spinach, and Mushrooms – from 40 Aprons

 

14 Whole30 Instant Pot Lunch Recipes

You will find  that one of the best ways to plan your Whole30 lunch menus is to use leftovers from your Whole30 dinners.

So grab a pre-made Mason Jar Salad or use 1 of these 13 on-the-go lunch ideas!  

  • California Club on a Sweet Potato Bun 
  • Chicken Cobb Salad With Buffalo Ranch
  • Salmon Asparagus Bundles 
  • Buffalo Chicken Stuff Yams 
  • Thai Meatball and Egg Drop Soup 
  • Kale Salad with Sautéed Apples 
  • Vegetarian Thai Curry Salad 
  • Greek Meatballs with Avocado Tzatziki Sauce 
  • Pesto Chicken Zoodles 
  • Curried Cauliflower Rice and Kale Soup 
  • Chipotle Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps 
  • Roasted Garlic Chicken Salad in Red Pepper Boats 
  • Lemon Tahini Tuna Salad 
  • BBQ Meatloaf Muffins with Sweet Potato Topping 

Click here to go to those delicious lunch recipes.

 

Whole30 Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

You will find that your Instant Pot is your best friend when it’s time to put together your dinner meal after a busy day. Without a plan, dinner is the meal most likely to be sabotaged just because you are too tired to figure out what to eat. So plan ahead. Here are twenty delicious Instant Pot Whole 30 recipes to get you started.

Chicken Recipes

Sugar Free BBQ Chicken – from Your’s Truly 

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos – from Real Food Dietitians 

Ingredients: 

  • Chicken breast or thighs
  • Salsa
  • Water
  • Various Spices
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Salad greens or bibb lettuce
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Toppings: Fresh chopped veggies of choice, olives, avocado, fresh salsa, lime wedge etc.

Click here to go to Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Recipes

 

Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup – from 40 Aprons

Ingredients: 

  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • Diced Tomatoes 
  • Chicken Broth
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • Adobe sauce
  • Onion
  • Various Spices 
  • Zucchini
  • Coconut Milk 

Click here to go to Chicken Tortilla-less Soup recipe. 

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs – from What Great Grandma Ate

Ingredients:

  • Ground chicken
  • Almond meal
  • Salt
  • Garlic cloves 
  • Green onions
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • Hot sauce
  • Butter or ghee
  • Chopped green onions, for garnish

Click here to go to Buffalo Chicken Meatballs recipe. 

Beef Recipes

Texas Beef Chili – from My Heart Beets

Pot Roast and Gravy – from Zen Belly

Mexican Meatloaf – from Predominately Paleo 

Instant Pot Taco Stuffed Potatoes – from PaleOMG

Pork Recipes

Crispy Mojo Pork – from Zen Belly

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs – Real Food Dietitians 

 

Delicious Soups and Stews

Low Carb Beef Stew – from Low Carb Maven 

Creamy Taco Soup – The Movement Menu

Minestrone Soup – from Our Paleo Life

Try these simple Instant Pot “Hacks”

You will soon discover that your Instant Pot is so much more useful during your Whole30 program than just for developing these recipes. Here’s some Instant Pot “hacks” that you will enjoy too. 

Get Ready…Get Set…Now GO!

These recipes should get you started on one of the most exciting and life-transforming things you may do early this year. Once you get started and begin to see the great benefits of my Ready, Set, Go round-up post you will probably want to redo the Whole30 Program several times this year. And I know for sure you will discover that your Instant Pot is probably the most valuable kitchen helper that you have.

Remember to subscribe to Real Plans Whole30 for even more recipes to help you finish your Whole30 strong! 

The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for.

—Sophia Loren

 

Butternut, Sage, and Chicken Casserole

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Growing my own butternut squash wasn’t in the cards for me this year, which is why I’m over here at 11pm at night and crying into my chamomile tea and longing for a fall garden to harvest. But for now, I make sacrifices so we can have freedom to explore the US this year in our RV. 

I, absolutely, love butternut squash. I don’t just love it cause it’s beautiful and has the most amazing real rood, color therapy, but I love it’s sweet, decadent taste…especially slathered in butter. 

And after a 2.5 month trip around the Western United States, we plopped our RV down in Florida for the fall and winter seasons, and I’m cooking up all kinds of things. 

This means I have a FULL-SIZE oven again! I’m too scared to use our RV oven, so I’m borrowing my family’s and am so excited to get back to some therapeutic kitchen cooking where I can spread out. 

I snagged a beautiful butternut squash at the local farmer’s market and couldn’t wait to share this perfect fall recipe. 

Enjoy!

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAGE AND CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Dairy, nut, gluten, grain free  

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 57 minutes 

Ingredients:

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Prepare the butternut squash and place it in the casserole dish. Toss with coconut oil, 1 teaspoon salt and minced sage. Spread the butternut squash on the bottom of casserole dish and set it in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 20 minutes. 

While the squash cooks, dice the cauliflower and combine it in a small pot with the garlic cloves, coconut milk and ½ teaspoons salt. Set to simmer over medium heat with a tight fitting lid on it. You can also do this in your electric pressure cooker. 

Now toss the diced chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and honey. When the 20 minutes are up open the oven, carefully mix the butternut squash. Distribute the chicken and bacon in one even layer over it. Close the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. 

Once the cauliflower is fork tender transfer it along with the garlic and coconut milk to a blender. Puree until completely smooth, adding in the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Let it cool down for a few minutes then blend with the blender on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time.

When the timer is up, open the oven again and pour the cauliflower sauce all over the casserole. Use a spatula to gently mix it in and close the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes then broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving. 

If you wish, you can garnish with fried sage which looks amazing and tastes even better! 

Time saving tips: Purchase diced butternut squash and/or cauliflower from the grocery store. 

Make the sauce ahead of time to free you up while the casserole bakes.

Butternut, Sage, and Chicken Casserole
Serves 8
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
57 min
Total Time
1 hr 7 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
57 min
Total Time
1 hr 7 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes (about 4 cups)
  2. 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  3. 2 sprigs sage, minced
  4. 2 teaspoons fine Himalayan salt, divided
  5. ½ head of cauliflower
  6. 3 cloves garlic
  7. ½ can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk (7 ounces)
  8. 1 pound chicken breast, diced into ¼ inch cubes
  9. 1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
  10. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  11. 1 teaspoon black pepper
  12. ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  13. 4 slices bacon, diced
  14. ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  15. 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  16. 3 large egg yolks
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
  2. Prepare the butternut squash and place it in the casserole dish. Toss with coconut oil, 1 teaspoon salt and minced sage. Spread the butternut squash on the bottom of casserole dish and set it in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
  3. While the squash cooks, dice the cauliflower and combine it in a small pot with the garlic cloves, coconut milk and ½ teaspoons salt. Set to simmer over medium heat with a tight fitting lid on it. You can also do this in your electric pressure cooker.
  4. Now toss the diced chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and honey. When the 20 minutes are up open the oven, carefully mix the butternut squash. Distribute the chicken and bacon in one even layer over it. Close the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes.
  5. Once the cauliflower is fork tender transfer it along with the garlic and coconut milk to a blender. Puree until completely smooth, adding in the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Let it cool down for a few minutes then blend with the blender on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time.
  6. When the timer is up, open the oven again and pour the cauliflower sauce all over the casserole. Use a spatula to gently mix it in and close the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes then broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving.
  7. If you wish, you can garnish with fried sage which looks amazing and tastes even better!
Notes
  1. Time saving tips: Purchase diced butternut squash or frozen from the grocery store.
  2. Make the sauce ahead of time to free you up while the casserole bakes.
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/