Whole30 Archives - Page 17 of 25 - The Nourishing Home

Savory Chicken & Veggie Bites

Easy . Tasty . Versatile . My favorite kind of recipe!

For many of us, getting more veggies on our families plates can be a bit of a challenge. If you can relate, then let me assure you, these savory little bite-sized chicken & veggie bites are just the ticket!

These simple and flavorful little bites are crazy-delicious and super versatile too, since they can be used to create so many easy, healthy meals, as noted below! And, you can switch up the ingredients to create lots of different variations!

Plus, these easy-to-make, protein-n-veggie packed bites are Whole30-friendly! Remember, you’re welcome to join us for my Whole30 Challenge for free Whole30-compliant meal plans and recipes to make your 30-day journey a whole easier and more delicious!

P.S. They’re equally tasty whether they’re served hot or cold, making them a tasty and healthy lunchbox option for back-to-school season. And, they freeze and reheat well, which means you can save time by cooking up a double batch and freezing them for creating quick future meals.

Here’s just a few of my favorite ideas for enjoying these Savory Chicken & Veggie Bites:
• Pop them into your family’s lunch boxes with a side of homemade ranch dressing and fresh raw veggies for a perfect protein-n-veggie-packed lunch!
• Add them to your favorite stir fry dishes, and zoodle (veggie pasta) dishes
• Serve them as a main dish with a side of tasty roasted herb sweet potato bites for an easy weeknight dinner
• Use them to make scrumptious healthy sliders (nestled between sweet potato buns), or use them to create tasty lettuce wraps (as shown in photos)
• Add them to your favorite salads for extra protein, nutrition and flavor!

As you can see, there are so many ways to enjoy these tasty little patties! And again, you can totally customize them to suit your personal taste preferences. Simply switch out the veggies and the seasonings for a completely new taste sensation! (Check out some of my favorite recipe variations below.) Enjoy!

Savory Chicken & Veggie Bites (Whole30, GF, DF)

Ingredients

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 1/4 lbs. ground dark meat chicken (or turkey)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large egg
1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

Place the first 5 ingredients (baby spinach, zucchini, bell pepper, green onion and basil) into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fine diced, scraping down the bowl as needed to ensure uniform size.
Add the ground chicken and remaining ingredients. Pulse briefly, just until ingredients are combined. Remove blade from the bowl. Form meat into small (2-3 inch) patties.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of avocado oil (or oil of your choice) to hot skillet. Place chicken patties about 2" apart. Working in batches, cook patties about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Serve immediately, or allow patties to cool and store in fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer patties to a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. To reheat, place thawed patties in a 250°F oven for about 5 minutes.
Time-Saving Tip: Make a double or triple batch and freeze them for making quick and easy future meals. (See quick meal ideas in post above.)
Also be sure to see the recipe note below for delicious ideas for customizing this recipe for even more delicious versatility!

Notes

Tasty Recipe Variations

By changing out the seasonings, you can create Chicken & Veggie Bites to suit your own personal taste preferences. For example:

• Mexi-Style Bites – use Mexican seasoning (or taco seasoning) in place of the Italian seasoning mix, and substitute cilantro in place of the basil.

• Curry Bites – use 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder in place of the Italian seasoning mix and substitute cilantro in place of the basil. You may also wish to add 1 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala seasoning as well.

• Asian-Style Bites – use Chinese five-spice seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning mix and substitute cilantro in place of the basil. Fry patties in a combination of olive oil and toasted sesame oil.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/10/savory-chicken-veggie-bites/

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How to Make Simple Seasoned Cauliflower Rice

By Kelly · 16 Comments

Exciting News: This is just one of a bunch of Whole30 Recipes here at The Nourishing Home. PLUS I’ll be sharing even more Whole30-friendly recipes and FREE Whole30 Meal Plans as part of The Ultimate Whole30 Success Guide!

As I’ve made my way along the grain-free path, I’ve often found myself craving rice. Honestly, it’s been the only grain that I miss. So when I discovered lots of grain-free foodies turning cauliflower into “rice,” I must admit, I was a bit skeptical. But thank goodness my curiosity was greater than my doubt, because I truly enjoy this newfound alternative!

In fact, I’ve been having lots of tasty-fun creating my own versions of cauli-rice like this highly versatile, yet simple, seasoned cauliflower rice dish. So if you’ve been on the fence about trying cauli-rice too, let me assure you – it’s absolutely delicious, nutritious, and really easy to make!

Wondering how to magically transform cauliflower into a highly nutritious grain-free rice dish? Let me show you just how simple it is …

How to Make Cauliflower Rice …

Step 1: Rinse and Dry a Head of Cauliflower

Purchase a large head of cauliflower; rinse well and dry thoroughly before cutting. I usually get my cauliflower from Trader Joe’s because they sell it by the head, not by the pound. (So you guessed it, I dig around in search of the largest cauliflower in the bin. And you should too! After all, the bigger the cauliflower, the more rice you’ll have to enjoy!)

Step 2: Cut Out the Core of the Cauliflower and Cut into Florets

Place the core face up and then carefully use a sharp knife to cut in a circular pattern around the core. Removing the core makes it much easier to cut the cauliflower into even-sized florets.

Step 3: Using a Food Processor, Pulse Cauliflower Florets into Rice

Place half of the cauliflower florets into a food processor. Cover and pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice grains.

By slowly pulsing the cauliflower, you will be able to carefully monitor your progress in reaching grain-sized pieces.

Step 4: Sauté and Steam the Cauliflower in a Large Skillet

Add the cauliflower rice to a large skillet and cook as directed in the recipe below. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to cook cauli-rice, so it really is a pretty quick dish to put together even on a busy night. (Especially if you process the cauliflower on your prep day and place it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. See recipe instructions below for details.)

Step 5: Enjoy!

For those of us who’ve been missing rice, cauli-rice is a dream come true! You simply won’t believe how delicious cauli-rice is until you try it for yourself. It’s mild flavor and rice-like texture makes it the perfect addition to any meal that calls for rice.

Ready to give cauli-rice a try?

Below you’ll find my simple seasoned cauli-rice recipe. It really is a delicious grain-free alternative to rice! Use it as a base for your favorite stir fry. Or serve it alongside your favorite grilled meats, poultry, fish and veggies.

And by changing the herbs used, you can create a customized flavorful “rice” dish to complement just about any main dish you desire. (See recipe notes for details.)

P.S. The lovely napkins featured in these photos are courtesy of my friends at Hen House Linens. I just adore their beautiful table linens, and even more so, their mission to make mealtimes special by adding a touch of warmth and beauty to the table.

Simple Seasoned Cauliflower Rice

Yield: 8-10 one-cup servings

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower
2 tbsp ghee (or butter)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fine diced yellow onion
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup homemade chicken stock
1-2 tbsp minced fresh parsley (see note below for more options)

Instructions

Cut the cauliflower into florets, and then use a food processor to pulse the florets into rice-like grains as described in the above photo tutorial. Set riced cauliflower aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the ghee, olive oil and onion. Sauté onion until it begins to soften. Then, add the salt, dried parsley, garlic powder and pepper. Stir well to combine the seasonings with the onion. Continue to cook onion another 1-2 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the riced cauliflower to the seasoned onion and stir well to combine. Continue stirring and sautéing the cauli-rice until it begins to soften (about 5 minutes).
Add the chicken stock and cover the skillet. Allow the cauli-rice to steam for about 5 minutes until the stock is absorbed and the cauli-rice reaches desired texture.
Remove cover, add the minced fresh parsley and fluff cauli-rice to combine.
Makes a tasty and nutritious grain-free “rice” dish to serve alongside your favorite healthy meals.

Notes

Recipe Variation: By changing the herbs in this recipe, you can create customized cauli-rice to complement you main dish. For example, substitute minced fresh cilantro for the fresh parsley and add about 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp chili powder to create a delicious Mexi-Style Cauli-Rice.

Time Saving Tip: You can process a head of cauliflower into rice up to 3-4 days in advance. Store the uncooked cauli-rice in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook. Cooked rice should also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and generally tastes great for up to 2-3 days. However, I do not recommend freezing uncooked or cooked cauli-rice, as it becomes mushy.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/10/how-to-make-cauliflower-rice/

For even more delicious cauliflower rice recipes, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker. It’s truly one of my favorite grain-free cookbooks, and it’s what finally convinced me to give cauli-rice a try. Yum!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post include affiliate links, providing The Nourishing Home a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits (dairy-free)

By Kelly · 28 Comments

Warm . Savory . Delicious!

A big bowl of creamy, hearty soup on a cool autumn evening is such a comforting and satisfying meal. That’s why this time of year, I love to create delicious new soup and stew recipes and include them in my weekly meal plans.

I’ve always loved the idea of pumpkin soup, but to be honest I haven’t really enjoyed the recipes I’ve tried that call for pumpkin pie type spices in the soup. Maybe it’s just me, but when I sit down to a warm bowl of soup, I really want something S A V O R Y! … Mmm!

So I set out to create a creamy pumpkin soup that combines the subtle sweetness of this classic fall favorite with the savory bold flavors of bacon, onion, sage and thyme with just a hint of spicy ginger.

I cannot even begin to describe to you how incredibly wonderful this soup is … suffice it to say, “This soup is SOOOOOOO… GOOD!

Plus, it’s so easy to make! And, it’s dairy-free, which you simply will not believe because it’s so creamy and rich! It truly is savory, satisfying and delicious! Enjoy!

P.S. The lovely fall-inspired napkins featured in these photos are courtesy of my friends at Hen House Linens. I just adore their beautiful table linens, and even more so, their mission to make mealtimes special by adding a touch of warmth and beauty to the table.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee (or butter)
4 slices bacon, diced (see tip below)
1/2 cup fine diced sweet onion
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
3 1/2 cups homemade pumpkin puree (or two 15oz. cans)
2 14 oz cans pure coconut milk
1 tbsp minced fresh sage, plus extra for topping soup
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

In a large stockpot (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat, add the ghee and bacon pieces. Sauté until bacon is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon bits; place on a paper towel and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, add the fine diced onion to the stockpot and sauté until translucent and golden in color. Then add the chicken stock, pumpkin, coconut milk (make sure to reserve 1/4 cup to create decorative pattern, if desired), sage, ginger, thyme and salt.
Bring soup to a gentle simmer, cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Use immersion blender to blend the onion into the soup. Or use a blender and transfer the soup in batches until well blended.
Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle top with the reserved coconut milk, if desired. Then top with crispy bacon bits, and minced fresh sage. YUM!

Notes

Tip: Using kitchen shears is an easy way to cut bacon slices into bite-size pieces.

Recipe Variation: Substitute the pumpkin puree with butternut squash puree for an equally delicious Creamy Butternut Squash Soup! YUM!

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/10/creamy-pumpkin-soup-crispy-bacon-bits/

Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes? Be sure to check out my “35 GF Pumpkin Recipes“ post over at Keeper of the Home.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post include affiliate links, providing The Nourishing Home a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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