Sweet Potato topped with Pulled Pork & Slaw.

Whole30 prevails! I’ve been doing my best to keep our meal plan on the Whole30/Paleo train, and it really helps to have some resources that shed light on how to cook this way. I will probably do a second post on that since I have a lot to share in the resources department, but this particular recipe is a mesh of one from Danielle Walker’s new book, Eat What You Love and one from the Whole30 Slowcooker book. This meal is SO GOOD and seriously, it is super easy to make if you don’t make all the ingredients from scratch (which I don’t!) AND you can make this in the slowcooker or Instant Pot, and I’ll include instructions for both!

Ingredients:
Slaw:
- 1 bag coleslaw or broccoli slaw
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 cup Mayonnaise (I use this Primal Kitchen version because it is Whole30-Approved)
- 3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. celery seeds
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- diced green onion

Pork:
- 1 (4-lb.) boneless pork roast, shoulder or Boston butt
- 2 cups Chicken stock
- 2 cups BBQ Sauce (I love this Noble Made version)
- 3/4 cup hot sauce (I love this Noble Made version)
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. dry mustard

Other:
- sweet potatoes (1/2 per person)
- diced cilantro
- sliced avocado

Method:

1. First, cook the sweet potatoes! Pre-heat the oven at 400 degrees and cook the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Then set them aside to cool a bit.

2. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prep the pulled pork. First, trim the fat off the meat. Cut the pork into 4-6 chunks and place in a a bowl. Add the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dry mustard and 2 tablespoons salt and toss to coat the meat well.

3. Pour the bone broth into the Instant Pot (here is the version I have and LOVE) and add the pork. Pour bbq sauce, hot sauce and apple cider vinegar over the meat. Secure the lid until it locks, select “pressure cook” and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.

1. While the sweet potatoes and pork are cooking, prep the slaw! Chop the red onion thinly and toss in a bowl with the slaw. In another small bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice. Pour “sauce” over the slaw and toss until mixed well. Add celery seeds and toss a bit more. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the meal.

5. When the Instant Pot pressure cook is finished, quick release the pressure. Open the lid and remove the pork to shred the meat. Season with a bit of salt and pepper before serving.

6. To serve, layer 1/2 a sweet potato with pulled pork, coleslaw, sliced avocado, diced green onion and diced cilantro. Bon Appetit!

A few notes:
- To make this in a slow cooker, increase the bone broth to 2.5 cups. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low, then finish the dish as directed.

This is a great meal to serve a crowd. I recently served this when we had family in town and everyone was shocked at how healthy it was AND how good it tasted! It’s not often that you really strike the balance between those two worlds, health and happy flavors! This is SUCH a great recipe and I hope you love it!

The Apple Crisp (that is both breakfast and dessert!)

Merry Christmas Eve! If you’re like me, you are anticipating lots of people in your home over the next few days. And if you’re like me, you want to have easy, no-fuss snack/meal/dessert options on hand so that everyone gets fed and feels loved and happy.

Enter the apple crisp, the single most versatile weapon in my recipe arsenal. YES I WENT THERE.

This recipe can basically be whatever you want to call it or frame it as. It’s breakfast! It’s dessert! It’s healthy! You can add milk to it, or yogurt (or nothing!) and it’s a yummy warm breakfast. You can add some ice cream to it and suddenly it’s a wickedly good dessert. It’s anything you want it to be! And I love how clean the ingredients are, so you are truly working with a healthy, warm, nourishing dish that is such a universal crowd-pleaser. Make it. I know you will love it.

Ingredients:
- 4 cups diced apples
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup nuts, chopped (I like to do a mix of walnuts and pecans)
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the oats, nuts, almond meal, syrup and salt.
3. Pour the apples into an 8x8 glass pyrex dish, then layer the toppings over it.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is brown and a bit crispy.

I typically double or triple this recipe when I have people over, and if I don’t, I still make a lot and freeze half of it. It’s one of the best things to eat first thing on a cold morning! Please let me know if you make it and enjoy it! I love sharing recipes with you that are staples in our household.

I hope the next few days are full of so much love and delight and laughter as you celebrate with your favorite people. Merry Christmas Eve to you all!

Turmeric Oat Milk Latte.

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I’ve been hearing about the benefits of golden milk beverages for a long time. But they always sounded kind of strange to me. I assumed they tasted like dirt but people were just drinking them anyways, because of the added health benefits. When doTERRA launched the new Turmeric essential oil last month, I thought, “Okay, now it’s time to test out a recipe.” After some tweaking and product testing (aka me and Stevie drinking a LOT of variations), I finally landed on this recipe and I LOVE it. It’s so warm and sweet and herbal - perfect for cozying up at night with a good movie!

Why a turmeric latte? Because turmeric is SO good when taken internally. It bolsters the immune system, reduces inflammation, supports healthy circulation, aids in metabolism and is commonly known as a nervous system booster. AND it adds a powerful flavor when used in the kitchen! So yeah, turmeric, you da best.

And why oat milk? Truthfully, I discovered this was a thing when we were in Santa Barbara this past summer. I couldn’t believe how good it tasted in a latte, and it was a lot easier on my stomach. Since having my babies, milk has bothered me more and more, so I try to avoid it. Don’t feel bad for me - I’ve got my oat milk these days ;)

Ingredients:
- 1 drop doTERRA Turmeric essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Ginger essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Cinnamon essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Clove essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
- 1 cup oat milk (I’ve been using this Pacifica kind)
- 1 tsp. Moon Juice Beauty Dust
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup

Method:
1. Combine all the essential oils in a latte mug.
2. Add maple syrup.
3. Steam oat milk in a milk frother (I use this one that came with my Citiz Nespresso).
4. Add in the steamed milk and Beauty Dust, then stir to combine.

Voila! Look at you, you golden milk drinker!

This is a great late-night drink to enjoy before bedtime. It’s a creamier and frothier and just puts you in the right coziness headspace that you need to fall into a deep, deep sleep. I can’t believe how much I love this drink!

p.s. - Believe it or not, these photos were all shot on my iphone and edited in VSCO because my SLR camera has been acting up. Trying to figure out what I’m going to do about that!

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Sources: Latte Mugs, Appetizer Platter, Serving Tray (similar), Coasters (similar)

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Almond Butter Energy "Milkshake" (Whole30 Compliant!)

During Whole30, you aren't really supposed to indulge in anything sweet. In fact, the whole purpose of Whole30 is to "slay the sugar dragon", and detox your body from it's incessant desire for sugar. But if I hadn't made a few gateway "treats", I wouldn't have survived Whole30 either time I did it. This little recipe is a great trick to have up your sleeve if you're jonesing for something indulgent or seriously need a snack, especially if you're breastfeeding and need the extra calories and energy! All the ingredients included are Whole30 compliant, so it's technically safe, but be aware that these kind of snacks are sort of frowned upon if you're trying to do the program as strict as possible.

But doesn't it feel kind of good when you bend the rules a little? I'm not talking about shoplifting here, people. It's just a pretend treat.

Go ahead, have a milk shake and laugh in the face of DAIRY.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 banana
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
- 3 ice cubes
- 1 pitted date
- 1 heaping tbsp. almond butter
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
- a dusting of cinnamon

Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and mix on high until completely combined and smooth. The consistency should be thick and creamy, just like a milkshake. Makes one large glass or two smaller servings.

Go on with your bad self. Happy Whole30 to you!

P.S. - My 3 year old took this photo of me. He's either getting really good or he really wanted that milkshake, which I gave to him immediately after we photographed it ;) Treats for everyone!

P.S. - Looking for more Whole30 meals ideas? Check out my quick reference meal guide to my tried-and-true favorites!

Dragonfruit Smoothie Bowl.

This is officially the prettiest food I've ever assembled. I mean, look at that pink bowl of fruity goodness. Yum! And spoiler alert - it tastes as grand as it looks. I've been on the acai berry bowl kick for a while now, but since discovering another exotic pretty food - pitaya (also known as dragonfruit), I've been whipping these up in my Vitamix and it couldn't be a more delicious snack. Or breakfast. Or lunch. I really like food that can multitask for me, and this one is good any time of the day :)

Ingredients:
- 1 serving Pitaya Smoothie packet (4-packs found in the freezer section of your grocery store, next to the frozen fruit, right next to the acai berry smoothie packs) - I like the Pitaya Plus brand
- 1/4 cup Almond Milk
- Fresh fruit of your choice - strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, bananas, sliced
- Toppings of your choice - I like granola, chia seeds, sliced almonds, shredded unsweetened coconut

Method:
1. Run 1 frozen packet of pitaya under cold water for about 20 seconds. Then add packet to a blender (I love my Vitamix), and combine with 1/4 cup almond milk. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour pitaya mix into two bowls.
3. Top with sliced fruit and all the yummy toppings.

Ta da! You're done! Eat aaaaaalll that goodness up now.

P.S. - This would make a lovely Valentine breakfast.
P.P.S. - My acai berry bowl recipe here, case you're like me and can't get enough of the smoothie bowl trend :)