Simple Supper Friday: Meaty Ragu Sauce
Meaty Ragu Sauce.
I finally have a Simple Supper Friday meal for you all! It’s been a couple Fridays since I last posted one, so it’s about time I jump back on the wagon. This is a nice, hearty and meaty Ragu sauce, which comes together in a timely manner, allowing you to have dinner on the table in no time. We ate ours atop of zucchini noodles, since zucchini is in season right now, but it would be wonderful over spaghetti squash in the fall and winter as well. The sauce is even delicious on its own — like a thick stew.
On another note, Jesse and I leave for our little San Francisco trip this Sunday! I’m more than excited and ready to leave Portland for a few days. It’s my first time to San Francisco and California for that matter (with the exception of the San Fran airport). I’ve been wanting to go since I was a little girl and am thrilled that it’s finally happening. I’ll definitely be recapping about it and will probably even share some photos while I’m there. Also, as I mentioned in Wednesday’s post, I’ll be sharing photos and details from my recent wedding sometime soon too, so stay tuned!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Tbsp US Wellness Meats grass-fed beef tallow
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 2 fresh spicy Italian chicken sausages, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 18 oz jar tomato puree (I used Middle Earth Organics)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of cayenne
- 1/3 cup fresh oregano
Directions:
- Melt tallow in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute a couple minutes. Then, add the ground beef and sliced sausage. Break up ground beef with a spatula. Continue to cook for a few minutes. Then, add the mushrooms. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
- Once mushrooms have softened and beef is cooked through, add the tomato puree, tomato paste, basil, smoked paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once done, stir in fresh oregano.
- Serve atop of zucchini noodles.
Yields: 4-5 servings
Tomatillo Pulled Pork
Tomatillo Pulled Pork
Well, as of Saturday, I am officially Mrs. Fairbanks! Everything about my wedding weekend was perfect and the weather was phenomenal. I’m sad that it’s already over, but am glad we have still have the reception to look forward to this September in Michigan. It’ll be a bigger party with all the family and more friends. Then, the celebration will continue with our honeymoon next April. It’s kind of nice to spread things out like this, otherwise I think I’d be even more sad about everything being over. All in all, I am very blessed. Anyway, I’ll be sharing some photos soon, but meanwhile, I have a recipe for you all to enjoy. It’s my first pressure cooker recipe too!
Please know, this recipe can be made in a slow cooker as well. Just place the cooked onion mixture and seared meat inside the slow cooker, and add the lime juice and green sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat shreds apart with a fork. Then, add the oregano and serve.
Also, if you cannot find the green sauce, a tomatillo salsa will work in its place. The sauce is from a Bend, Oregon company, so folks outside of the Pacific NW may or may not be able to find it in stores. I bought mine from Whole Foods.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp US Wellness Meats grass-fed tallow, plus more if needed
- 2 lb pork shoulder roast, string removed if necessary
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 16 oz jar Barcelona Sauces #7 Green Sauce
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 3 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
Directions:
- Melt tallow in the pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and poblano pepper. Saute a few minutes, until onion is translucent and pepper has softened. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the pressure cooker again, add a bit more tallow. Season the pork shoulder with sea salt and pepper and add to the pressure cooker. Sear a few minutes on each side. Then, add the onion mixture back to the pressure cooker, along with the green sauce and lime juice.
- Secure the lid to the pressure cooker and bring to pressure, according to your pressure cooker directions.
- Cook at low pressure for 60-70 minutes or until pork shreds apart with a fork. Once done, add the fresh oregano and a bit more lime juice if desired.
*Note: I cooked the pork shoulder for longer than directed in the pressure cooker, to ensure it would be tender enough to shred.
Yields: 4-5 servings
Spicy Scotch Eggs with Creamy Bacon Sauce
Spicy scotch eggs with creamy bacon sauce.
Rather than studying for my exercise science final exam yesterday, I made these instead. I’ve actually been wanting to try scotch eggs for some time, and it seemed like a great distraction from reality to do so yesterday. I also did a million other things and then finally started studying legitimately around 8 p.m. Not the best plan, I know, but I have so much on my mind. And what’s great, is that I took the exam this morning and am DONE! I did the best that I could and I know I passed, so it is what it is. Now, onto my wedding weekend and celebration! Wahoo! My family arrives late tonight and I can’t wait. There will be lots of glass raising and clinking this weekend!
Meanwhile, go make scotch eggs and dip them in this delicious, fatty sauce.
For the scotch eggs:
- 5 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp smoky spice blend, from Practical Paleo (recipe below)
- 1 Tbsp chorizo spice blend, from Practical Paleo (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, mix meat, spices and vinegar together in a large bowl. Then, form into 5 equal patties. Wrap each patty around a hard-boiled egg and make sure to cover it completely. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with creamy bacon sauce.
Smoky Spice Blend:
- 1 Tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
Mix together and store in a jar or spice container.
Yields: 5 Tbsp
Chorizo Spice Blend:
- 2 Tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Same directions as above.
Yields: ~6 Tbsp
For the sauce:
- 1 Tbsp melted bacon grease (mine is from sugar-free grass-fed beef bacon)
- 1/2 avocado
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tbsp full-fat coconut milk
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp raw honey
In a small blender or food processor (I used my Ninja), combine all the ingredients except for the bacon grease. Once smooth, slowly pour in the bacon grease and blend. Adjust seasonings and creaminess as needed. Also, if the bacon flavor isn’t strong enough, feel free to add a bit more melted bacon grease.
Coconut-Crusted Ginger Chicken
It’s officially the week of my wedding! Wow, it’s so hard to believe it’s finally here. I’m so excited for the end of the week, so I can be done with this term, see my family, marry Jesse and celebrate. Even though I’ve been pretty stressed out (mainly because of school), it’ll all be worth it. I’m so blessed in this life.
Anyway, that’s all she wrote, folks. I’m keeping it short and sweet today. Enjoy the recipe, but more importantly, enjoy life.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (I used one large breast, but 2 small works too)
- 1 Tbsp grass-fed butter, melted
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Sea salt to taste
- Pinch of cayenne
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut, ginger, sea salt and cayenne. Pour mixture onto a dinner plate and spread around, so plate is covered.
- Meanwhile, pour the melted butter on the chicken and quickly use a brush to make sure it’s well coated. Then, while it’s still wet, quickly dredge in coconut mixture. You can pat the mixture on as well, to make sure it’s covered. Alternatively, instead of the butter, an egg wash will work as well. A single beaten egg will probably suffice.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Check about halfway through to make sure coconut is not too brown. If need be, tent some foil over the top after it’s reached your preferred level of brownness.
- Serve with veggie of choice.
Yields: 2 servings
Tomato and Spice Pulled Pork with Roasted Green Beans
Tomato and spice pulled pork with roasted green beans.
Holy cow, it’s Thursday and I’m just now doing my first post for the week! This is so unlike me, but drastic times call for drastic measures. Actually, I’m just trying to keep my stress to a minimum and manage my priorities accordingly. Sometimes, as you know, that means putting my blog on hold.
Anyway, I’m finally within the one week window of being done with this term. Next week is it, and exactly one week from today, I’ll be about to embark on one last thing: my exercise science final exam. I think it’s safe to say that the worst is the last. Then, that night, family arrives and two days later, I’ll be Mrs. Fairbanks. What a whirlwind, right? I’m just hoping that time slows down a little bit once I finish this term. I really, really want to enjoy my wedding weekend and family being here to the fullest.
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Meanwhile, this was a lovely meal to come home to the other day. All I had to do when I got home was roast the green beans. Easy. Overall, the recipe is not much of a hassle, but you do need to plan in advance for the slow cooker.
For the Tomato and Spice Pulled Pork:
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 slices US Wellness Meats sugar-free grass-fed beef bacon, chopped
- 1.5 lb pork shoulder
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1-1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medjool date, chopped
Directions:
- Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon; stir. After a minute, add the onion and garlic and continue to saute with the bacon. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Once bacon is cooked through and onions are soft, stir in tomato paste. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the broth, apple cider vinegar and chopped date. Then, add to the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Meanwhile, season the pork shoulder with sea salt and pepper. Place the same pan back over medium heat and add the pork shoulder. If there’s not enough bacon grease leftover, add a little fat of choice for searing the meat. Sear the roast 3 minutes per side. Then, remove from heat and place in the slow cooker.
- Mix cinnamon, cumin, chili powder and sea salt to taste together, and pour into the slow cooker. Give everything a good stir and then place the lid on top. Let cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8. Once the meat is done, shred with two forks. Add a bit more broth to the meat if necessary before serving.
- Serve with roasted green beans (recipe below) or vegetable of choice. Garnish with avocado and cilantro, if desired.
Yields: 3-4 servings
For the roasted green beans:
- 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 Tbsp grass-fed ghee, melted
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, place the green beans on a baking sheet and pour melted ghee on top. Season with sea salt, pepper and chili powder, and toss. Roast beans in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Yields: 2 servings
Simple Supper Friday: Ginger Lime Chicken with Mango
Ginger lime chicken with mango.
I’ve been a bit inspired by mango lately (remember my mango chicken curry?). Probably because they’ve been on sale so much lately and catch my eye at the grocery store. Not only that, but they taste wonderful and I love getting the “mango pop” after cutting the majority of the flesh off the pit. Jesse then tells me he wants a mango pop and that it’s not fair. Okay, not really, but if you watch the show Louie C.K., you probably know what I’m talking about. Check out the clip below if you don’t. It’s a goodie.
Louis C.K. Mango Pop/Life Lessons
Meanwhile, enjoy the recipe and have a happy Memorial Day weekend!
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1.5 inch ginger cube, grated
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (keep some seeds if you want it spicier)
- 1 medium-sized red mango, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish
Directions:
- Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger, jalapeno and garlic, and saute about 30 seconds. Then, add the chicken tenders and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chili powder atop of the chicken and stir.
- Continue to cook chicken for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Then, add the lime juice and mango. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Once done, remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
- Serve with vegetable of choice. We had sauteed kale with halved cherry tomatoes.
Yields: 2 servings
Grain-Free Carrot Spice Bread
Grain-free carrot spice bread.
It’s been a really, really long time since I’ve made something like this and it’ll probably be a while before it happens again. Don’t get me wrong, the bread is truly rad, but I don’t like having this kind of stuff around very often. It’s definitely a once in a while or special occasion treat.
I was prompted to make this the other day as a way to de-stress and take some downtime for myself. I was also in dire need to stand for a while. I had been at the coffee shop studying and sitting for 2-3 hours and all my body wanted to do afterward is stand and move. I figured, why not make some carrot bread? It seemed like a logical and tasty solution.
The bread came out moist, flavorful and subtly sweet, just the way I like it. It also made the whole house smell comfy and cozy because of the warm spices, so I got the added bonus of aromatherapy. It was just what I needed.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter, melted
- 4 pastured eggs, beaten
- 2-3 Tbsp raw honey
- 1 Tbsp full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan with butter or coconut oil. I used a Pyrex glass loaf pan, which is a medium size.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until smooth.
- Pour batter into the greased loaf pan and place in preheated oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes or so, and then carefully remove and place on cooling rack. Let loaf cool for 10-15 minutes more before slicing.
- Enjoy with a nice pat of butter spread on top.
Yields: 1 loaf
