Burgers with Portobello “Buns” are the perfect healthy & low-carb food that can be enjoyed all year round! These burgers are also keto & paleo–and can be made AIP friendly with a couple modifications.
Fire up the BBQ or bust out the stove top pan for these juicy Burgers with Portobello “Buns”! They’re the perfect low-carb, keto & paleo burger!
Serve these burger patties open-faced or sandwich them between two portobello “buns”. Grab onto these delicious burgers with your hands or enjoy them with a fork and knife.
Dress up your burger with your favourite condiments and toppings OR give my easy smoked paprika mayo a try (see this easy recipe below).
If you’re looking for an AIP friendly burger omit the yellow mustard inside the burger patty and avoid the smoked paprika mayo topping.
Enjoy these delicious burgers with any of these healthy sides …
Burgers with Portobello "Buns" are the perfect healthy & low-carb food that can be enjoyed all year round! These juicy burgers are also keto & paleo--and can be made AIP friendly with a couple modifications.
4-8portobello mushrooms, depending on whether you want open-faced or sandwiched burgers
1tbsp.avocado oil
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
Easy Smoked Paprika Mayo
3tbsp.avocado oil mayo, I use Chosen Foods
1/2tsp.smoked paprika
Instructions
Burger Patties
Add carrot, onion, garlic, yellow mustard, sea salt and black pepper into a food processor and process until ingredients are finely chopped.
In a bowl, combine ground beef with ingredients from food processor.
Form 4-5 burger patties using your hands. Once you've flatted the meat, press your finger into the center to form an indent in your patty (this will help cook the inside of the burger).
Cook burgers on stove top over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the burger (~ 15 minutes). You can also cook your burgers on the BBQ.
Portobello Mushrooms
While burgers are cooking, remove stems from portobello mushrooms and place in a large stove top pan with oil.
Cover and cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Water from mushrooms should release into pan, preventing the mushrooms from burning. If there is not enough liquid, add a splash of white wine, lemon juice or water.
Once mushrooms have cooked for 10-minutes, remove lid and let any remaining juices cook off. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Place cooked burger patties on top of portobello mushrooms, top with smoked paprika mayo (or other condiments/toppings) and close off with another portobello mushroom or leave it open-faced.
Smoked Paprika Mayo (optional)
Add mayo and smoked paprika into a small bowl and mix until ingredients are blended well.
Notes
If you're cooking the burger patties on the BBQ, feel free to cook the portobello mushrooms on the BBQ too.Need an AIP friendly burger? Omit the yellow mustard inside the burger patty and avoid the smoked paprika mayo topping.
This Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It’s a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
One of the dishes I missed most after going gluten & grain free was a nice big bowl of spaghetti. It truly was a heartbreaking moment in my life and it took every ounce of willpower I had to turn down pasta of any kind – especially when Nonna had anything to do with it!
Life got a little easier when I wrapped my head around this thing called a “spaghetti squash” – and eventually I saw the light again once I mastered this pale yellow oval vegetable/fruit!
I’m no longer deprived of one of my favourite childhood dishes – and can eat a giant bowl of this “spaghetti” without feeling “heavy” or bloated. ‘Spaghetti Sunday’ is officially back!
Nutrition facts: Spaghetti squash vs. real spaghetti
Real spaghetti– 43 grams of carbs/cup & 220 calories/cup
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative if;
you want to lose weight (lower carbs & calories + more nutrients = weight loss)
you have IBS or gut issues (since gluten and grains can aggravate symptoms)
you have diabetes (lower carb foods = better blood sugar levels)
you’re following a paleo, keto or low-carb diet
Give this light, satisfying and delicious Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese recipe a try. It’s a ‘kiss your finger tips then toss them away from your lips’ kind of dish!
This Quick "Spaghetti" Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It's a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
Bake at 400 for 30-40 min (first 10-min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked. Note: Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’. Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.
Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.
Quick Bolognese Sauce
In a sauce pan, briefly sauté garlic and dried basil in olive oil over medium heat. If you are using fresh basil, add basil leaves in after step 2.
Add tomatoes and bring to a light boil for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Bring to medium-low heat and let simmer for 20-minutes.
In a separate pan, cook ground beef over medium heat until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add tomato sauce into pan with beef and let ingredients cook together over medium-low heat for a few minutes.
Place quick bolognese sauce on top of spaghetti squash and enjoy!
Keyword dairy free, gluten free, grain free, grass fed beef, healthy italian recipes, Italian recipes, spaghetti squash, tomato sauce
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato “Buns” is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It’s a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family!
Are you looking for a gluten free and gut friendly replacement for buns or bread?
Sweet potato “buns” to the rescue!
Not only are sweet potato “buns” tasty, but this whole food is packed with nutrients that you won’t get from plain old bread.
There are so many classic dishes and sandwiches that you can easily transform into a healthy and gut-friendly alternative with a little help from these “buns”.
Try sweet potato “buns” with:
Sloppy Joes (see recipe below)
Burgers and sliders
Bacon, egg, lettuce & tomato sandwich (BELT)
Tuna sandwich
Pulled pork sandwich
Cut sweet potato into rounds (like I did for this recipe) OR lengthwise for larger “buns” and cook using the instructions below. Fill your sweet potato “buns” with yummy ingredients and grab it with your hands or dig in with a fork and knife – whatever your heart desires.
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato "Buns" is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It's a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family.
Heat avocado oil in pan then add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5-minutes or until onions become soft.
Add garlic and beef. Break a part beef and cook until beef is no longer pink.
In a separate bowl mix sauce ingredients together then add mixture to pan with beef. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Let cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can also lower the temperature and let cook for longer to get more flavour out of this dish.
Serve in-between sweet potato buns.
Sweet potato "buns"
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds with the peel intact.
Place sweet potato rounds in a single layer on baking sheet, brush both sides with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Flip halfway through baking time.
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together.
You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe–both work really well. Also, feel free to swap out canned pumpkin for roasted pumpkin OR if you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, you can use butternut squash, acorn squash or another similar squash.
So, if you’re a fan of chili and looking for a new recipe to test out on a cold fall or winter day, I highly recommend giving this non-traditional chili a try!
Would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you test it out. Just leave a comment below 🙂
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together. You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe--both work really well.
Mediterranean Cobb Salad is a flavourful and delicious salad that serves as a complete meal. It’s packed with tons of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats & protein. Enjoy for lunch or dinner! Dairy free, paleo, low-carb, keto + AIP version provided.
DID YOU KNOW? Most restaurant salad dressings contain low-quality industrial seed and/or vegetable oils that are oxidized.
These inflammatory oils can cause a long list of health problems even when consumed in small quantities over a period of time.
When ordering salads at restaurants, I always request no dressing and ask for olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or whatever vinegar they have) instead.
When preparing salad dressings at home, I opt for heart healthy and anti-inflammatory oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. These high-quality fats allow us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins from food and support all our hard working cells therefore keeping us healthy and youthful.
Consider replacing inflammatory vegetable and seed oils in your diet with healthier oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.
Mediterranean Cobb Salad is a flavourful and delicious salad that serves as a complete meal. It's packed with tons of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats & protein. Enjoy for lunch or dinner! Dairy free, paleo, low-carb, keto + AIP version provided.
2hard boiled eggs, cut in half , (omit for AIP version)
1avocado, skin removed, cut in half
1/2cupcherry tomatoes, cut in half, (replace with olives for AIP version)
1packsliced mushrooms
1smallred onion, sliced
8cupsspring mix salad
1tspbalsamic vinegar
1tspavocado oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Chicken marinade
1garlic clove
1tbsplemon juice
1tbspavocado oil
1/2tspdried basil
1/2tspdried oregano
1/4tspsmoked paprika, omit for AIP version
1/2tspsea salt
1/2tspblack pepper
Salad dressing
4tbsp.extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
2tbspbalsamic vinegar
1tspdried basil
1/2tspdried oregano
Sea salt , to taste
Instructions
Chicken
Preheat oven to 425F.
Add ingredients for chicken marinade to blender or food processor and create a marinade for chicken.
Coat chicken thighs in marinade (Optional: Let marinate overnight or for a few hours if possible) then bake for 30-35 minutes. Prepare other items below while chicken cooks.
Onion & Mushrooms Sauté
Using a stove top pan, heat 1 tsp avocado oil then add onion and mushrooms.
Add 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar and sea salt.
Cook over medium-low heat until all pan juices have cooked off. Cover and keep warm.
Salad
In a large bowl, toss spring mix salad with salad dressing ingredients.
Divide salad onto two plates. Add cherry tomatoes, avocado, eggs, onion/mushroom sauté & chicken thighs. Top with fresh ground black pepper.
How to make perfect hard boiled eggs
Place eggs in a pot and cover with cool water by inch.
Bring water to a boil over high heat.
Once water begins to boil, remove pot from burner and allow eggs to cook in the pot of hot water for 8-10 minutes.
Drain water and immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled.
Peel and enjoy in your favourite recipe or on its own.
Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Chicken & Veggies is a delicious and easy meal that the whole family will love! Sheet pan meals are a quick way to get dinner on the table fast with little clean up since you’re cooking veggies and protein all on one pan.
Lately, I’ve been preparing meals for more than one hungry belly during the work week, so I’ve started to experiment with different ways of putting together healthy whole food meals that are easy enough to manage even with a busy schedule.
Sheet pan dinners have made it high on my list of go-to meals during the week and I’ll explain why …
Here’s what makes sheet pan dinners so great:
1. They’re quick to put together (unless you’re super slow at chopping veggies) and typically cook in under 35-minutes.
2. Clean up is easy since everything is being cooked (and can be prepared) on one pan.
3. It’s an easy way to cook for multiple people or cook enough so that you end up with leftovers for the busy week ahead.
4. The combinations of meat/fish, vegetables and marinades are endless, so you’ll never get bored of sheet pan dinners.
5. Allowing your meats and veggies to cook together in a marinade (or just some simple seasoning) is a great way to achieve a flavourful end product.
Now check out this delicious sheet pan dinner recipe!
Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Chicken & Veggies is a delicious and easy meal that the whole family will love! Sheet pan meals are a quick way to get dinner on the table fast with little clean up since you’re cooking veggies and protein all on one pan.
Mix butter/ghee, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Place chopped veggies into a large bowl and add 3/4 of the butter marinade. Toss until veggies are all coated and spread onto sheet pan. You can also coat veggies directly on the sheet pan.
Place chicken thighs on top of the veggies, sprinkle with some salt and brush them with remaining marinade.
Bake at 425F for 30-35 minutes.
Optional step: If you want to cook off some of the pan juices at the end, remove chicken thighs first (keep covered on a plate or in a glass container) and broil veggies on Hi for 3-5-minutes
Notes
* Make this recipe dairy free & AIP friendly by replacing butter/ghee with avocado oil.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
