Beef/Pork Archives - Page 2 of 7 - The Nourishing Home

3 Meals with 1 Main Dish: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Recipes

Welcome to Part Three of 3 Meals with 1 Main Dish! Since one of the biggest challenges to maintaining a healthy whole food lifestyle is time, I’m sharing this helpful series featuring one of the easiest “Cook Once, Eat Twice or More!” strategies for saving time in the kitchen – batch cooking!

Batch cooking is simply making a large quantity of a particular food and using it to make multiple meals. Incase you missed it, we launched Part One of the series last month and discovered how to use slow cooker rotisserie chicken to make three delicious and healthy soups. In Part Two of the series, we learned how to brown ground turkey to make three easy and tasty meals.

This week, we’re putting this awesome time-saving strategy to work again using this easy and tasty Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork to create three simple healthy recipes the whole family will love!

As we’ve discovered throughout this series, taking a couple of extra minutes to cook double or triple of a main ingredient means less cooking {and less dishes} to do later! It only takes a few minutes more to make extra meat and freeze the rest for future quick-n-easy dinners like these simple healthy meals below. Now that’s a win-win!

Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork is simple and delicious! So, one of the easiest uses for pulled pork is to simply serve it as a main dish with your favorite sides like creamy mashed sweet potatoes and homemade coleslaw.

Rustic Veggie Soup with Pulled Pork

Rustic Veggie Soup with Pulled Pork – Add leftover slow cooker pulled pork to this Rustic Veggie Soup for a flavorful way to enjoy your veggies. This healthy soup comes together in just 30 minutes and tastes absolutely amazing!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders

BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders – No recipe needed! Simply combine leftover slow cooker pulled pork with your favorite barbecue sauce and you’ve got a delicious sandwich filling ready to go in minutes. Personally, I love sandwiching this savory pulled pork between Roasted Sweet Potato Buns.

Three cheers for three meals made with one main! Be sure to check out part one and part two of this helpful batch cooking series for even more delicious time-saving meals. Yum!

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Savory Cottage Pie {Whole30 option}

By Kelly · 2 Comments

For centuries, savory cottage pie and shepherd’s pie have been enjoyed as simple and frugal, yet flavorful and hearty comfort food that fills the belly, while warming the heart.

Not to be a culinary nerd, but technically speaking, there is a difference between “cottage pie” and “shepherd’s pie” … it’s all about the meat … Shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, whereas cottage pie is made with beef.

Of course, I have no idea what to call it if you opt to make cottage pie with ground turkey instead? (Which just so happens to be a personal favorite around here.) Technicalities aside, this is definitely a savory, hearty dish that comes together easily (especially if you have leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes on hand).

This one bowl meal makes it easy to enjoy while sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the fireplace. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from dinner at the table and instead enjoy a rustic meal gathered around a crackling fire on a cold winter’s night!

Savory Cottage Pie (GF, DF & Whole30 options)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
2/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1.25 lbs ground grassfed beef (or ground turkey)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp ketchup (for Whole30, use 1 Tbsp tomato paste)
1 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup frozen peas (omit for Whole30)
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is best)
5 cups mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes (seasoned w/salt & pepper to taste)
Optional: 1 cup shredded grassfed cheddar cheese (omit for Whole30)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and sauté carrots, onion and garlic until onion begins to soften (about 2-3 minutes).
Add ground beef (or turkey), breaking up meat with a wooden spoon; cook until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes.
Next, add salt, pepper, thyme and ketchup (or tomato paste). Then, add frozen veggies and diced tomatoes; stir until well combined.
Reduce heat to medium, cover pan and allow to cook about 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
Spoon mixture into a 9x12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar, if desired. Spoon mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes) over top and use an offset spatula to spread potatoes evenly across the meat mixture.
Bake approximately 30-35 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned and mixture is bubbly. Allow casserole to rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2016/12/savory-cottage-pie/

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Potato Casserole Lasagna {Whole30, GF, DF}

By Kelly · 2 Comments

The crisp, cool weather of Fall brings with it a craving for heartier fare that warms the heart and fills the tummy! Whether I’m doing a Whole30 or not, this satisfying Whole30 “lasagna” casserole is a special favorite! As you know, I’m all about finding creative ways to transform classic favorites into healthier meals that the whole family can enjoy whether they’re living grain-free or not!

This tasty dish with its tender, thinly-sliced potatoes smothered in a hearty marinara sauce (brimming with flavorful Italian sausage) is certain to convince your tastebuds that pasta isn’t necessary to create a delicious and satisfying casserole.

If you’re following the Whole30, finding Italian sausage without sugar and other non-compliant ingredients can be a challenge. There are some good brands such as Mulay’s Sausage. However, a great option is to make it yourself.

I often make several pounds of my Turkey Breakfast Sausage since it makes a great substitute for ground Italian sausage in any recipe. Simply mix it up and freeze it (uncooked) in one-pound portions. That way, you can thaw it overnight in the fridge and use it in your favorite recipes like this one.

This hearty Whole30 lasagna casserole is the perfect heart- and tummy-warming comfort food! My favorite way to serve this classic favorite in the fall or winter months is with a big side of Sautéed Greens. Or for a lighter meal, a fresh garden salad makes the perfect addition!

Freezer Meal Bonus! This casserole freezes great, so why not make two while you’re at it and freeze one to enjoy later! (See recipe note below for instructions.)

Potato Casserole Lasagna {whole30}

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups marinara sauce (try this homemade sauce, or use a healthy jarred sauce)
1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage (or make your own)
8-10 medium red potatoes (or yukon gold potatoes)
Dried parsley, garlic powder and sea salt for sprinkling
Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9"x9" baking dish, or four small oven-safe baking dishes. Set aside.
In a large skillet, brown the ground sausage draining off any excess liquids and fat. Add the marinara sauce, stir well to combine.
Peel the potatoes, if desired. Use a food processor with slicing blade attachment, or carefully use a mandoline to thinly slice the potatoes.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the sauce to the bottom of the 9"x9" baking dish. Layer with potato slices in a single layer with the edges slightly overlapping as shown in photos above.
Sprinkle the potatoes with a little sea salt, dried parsley and garlic powder.
Repeat these steps (sauce, potatoes, seasonings) to form a total of three layers, making sure to sprinkle the potatoes with seasonings for each of the three layers.
Lightly brush olive oil evenly across the top layer of potato slices. Then lightly sprinkle with sea salt, dried parsley and garlic powder.
Bake uncovered for about 55-65 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown on top and are tender when pierced with fork. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Freezer Meal Prep: Put the casserole together, but do not bake. Instead, wrap the unbaked casserole tightly and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw the frozen casserole in the fridge to thaw completely. (This may take up to 24 hours.) When thawed, bake according to instructions above. Enjoy!

Recipe Variation: If you're NOT doing the Whole30 (and you're not dairy free), feel free to sprinkle each layer of potato slices with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Yum!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2016/10/whole30-lasagna/

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