Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
Depending on the region and personal customs, picadillo serves as a main dish, often accompanied by rice and beans, or as a filling for empanadas, chiles rellenos, tamales, tacos, stuffed potatoes and more.
Since tostones have been a hot menu item for me lately, I decided to pair this dish with these delicious golden bites on the side. Tostones not only make this dish hearty, but they also do a great job of soaking up the sauce! A great complement to this dish, if I do say so myself 🙂 Find my recipe for Tostones here.
Here are a few other healthy ways to enjoy picadillo:
Picadillo (pee-cah-DEE-yo) is an Latin American dish that combines ground or finely chopped beef, vegetables, olives and dried fruit. It’s easy to make and there are so many ways to enjoy this flavourful dish, including with tostones!
Add paprika, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and black pepper--stir for a minute until spices become fragrant. Add chicken stock and stir, scrapping off brown-bits at the bottom of the pot. Add in the browned beef, bay leaf, olives and dates. Mix to combine ingredients.
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 1-hour. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
When the picadillo is 20-minutes from being ready, prepare the tostones (get the recipe here) OR other choice of side.
Serve picadillo in a shallow bowl and place tostones around.
Sausage & Butternut Squash Skillet makes for a wonderful dinner during the fall and winter. The combination of warming spices, butternut squash and sweet Italian sausage creates a recipe that’s heartwarming and healthy–not to mention, low-carb and paleo too!
DID YOU KNOW? Butternut squash has over four times the recommended daily value of vitamin A and over half the recommended intake of vitamin C in just one serving!
Vitamin A has the ability to fight diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders, it can also help prevent the common cold and other infections. Part of how it protects against such a large number of infections and diseases is because vitamin A reduces inflammation, which is at the root of most diseases.
Inflammation is generally caused by an overactive immune system that attacks more than it should. Vitamin A helps to keep your immune system in balance therefore reducing inflammation.
In addition, butternut squash contains high amounts of vitamin C, another common immune system booster that not only helps prevent and treat colds, but also lessens or inhibits the development of more serious conditions from common infections.
Consider adding more butternut squash to your diet to help boost vitamin A & C. Try this yummy Sausage & Butternut Squash skillet.
What you need for Sausage & Butternut Squash Skillet
Sweet Italian sausage (find pastured pork sausage here)
Butternut squash
Chicken broth
Onion
Garlic
Fresh sage
Fennel seed
Ground cloves or ground allspice
Crushed red pepper
Ground nutmeg
Avocado oil
Sea salt & black pepper
Want more wholesome squash recipes? You’re going to love these …
Sausage & Butternut Squash Skillet makes for a wonderful dinner during the fall and winter. The combination of warming spices, butternut squash and sweet Italian sausage creates a recipe that's heartwarming and healthy--not to mention, low-carb and paleo too!
1 1/2poundsbutternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes*
1largeonion, chopped
4clovesgarlic, sliced
1tsp.crushed red pepper
1/4tsp.ground nutmeg
1/2cuporganic chicken broth
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix sausage, finely chopped sage, fennel seed, cloves/all spice and ground black pepper.
In a large skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high. Add the sausage mixture and cook, breaking into large pieces until browned.
Add the squash, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, nutmeg and coarsely chopped sage; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add broth and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
Notes
* TIME SAVER: You can find containers of peeled and cubed butternut squash at most grocery stores.
Egg Roll in a Bowl in the perfect weekday or weekend dinner. It’s easy to prepare, full of delicious Asian flavour and healthy, of course! Give this paleo, low-carb, keto & soy free dish a try!
DID YOU KNOW? Coconut aminos is a salty, savory seasoning sauce made from the fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt, making it a popular substitute for soy sauce.
Coconut aminos is milder and sweeter in flavour, but similar in color and consistency to light soy sauce–and even though it’s made from coconut sap, it doesn’t taste like coconut.
It’s free of soy, wheat and gluten, therefore a healthier alternative to soy sauce for those with certain food allergies or sensitivities. It also contains 65% less sodium than regular soy sauce.
So, if you’re adjusting your diet to reduce salt, avoid gluten or eliminate soy, coconut aminos is a great alternative.
You can find coconut aminos in health-food stores, the health aisles of most grocery stores & online. Be sure to store your coconut aminos in the fridge after opening.
Egg Roll in a Bowl is the perfect weekday or weekend dinner. It’s easy to prepare, full of delicious Asian flavour and packed with healthy, wholesome ingredients.This delicious dish is paleo, low-carb, gluten & soy free. You'll be sure to put this recipe on repeat!
In a large skillet or pot, heat avocado oil over medium heat.
Add onions, carrots and cabbage. Season with salt and cook until tender, stirring often for about 15 minutes.
Add ginger, garlic, coconut aminos and vinegar. Continue stirring and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add ground chicken and season with salt and black pepper. Break up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until the meat has cooked through - about 10 minutes. (Note: Chicken can also be cooked in a separate pan then added to the pot. I prefer this method since you can brown the ground chicken and get more flavour).
Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl using a fork. If sauce is too thick add a tablespoon of water in at a time to thin it out.
Once meat is cooked, turn off heat and mix in 3/4 of the sauce. Coat cabbage mixture in sauce.
Plate and drizzle remaining sauce over top. Garnish with sliced green onion.
This Orange Chicken is made with crispy fried chicken covered in a flavourful orange sauce! It’s free of gluten, soy & sugar making it a healthy alternative to traditional Chinese take-out, yet still comforting and delicious! This recipe is paleo friendly and can also be modified for an AIP diet. Serve over cauliflower “rice” or with steamed veggies.
DID YOU KNOW? Arrowroot powder is a starchy substance that’s extracted from the root of a tropical plant known as Maranta arundinacea – and is frequently used in gluten-free, paleo cooking.
Sometimes arrowroot powder is referred to as arrowroot flour or arrowroot starch, but they’re all the same thing – a white, powdery starch that’s naturally gluten & grain-free, plant-based and paleo-friendly.
Because arrowroot is not a grain, many people (especially those with IBS or digestive issues) find that arrowroot powder is easier to digest and therefore does not cause symptoms like gas, bloating, etc. It also contains more fiber than potatoes and other starches, which helps promote healthy bowel function.
Arrowroot powder works great as a thickener and can easily replace cornstarch. It’s also great for frying, roasting and baking since it can add crisp and crunch to your food.
Unlike cornstarch, arrowroot powder is extracted in simpler, more traditional methods, without the use of high heat or harsh chemicals.
When making Asian dishes (like my Orange Chicken), I coat my chicken in arrowroot powder and then fry in heat stable avocado oil. This creates a crispy coating on the chicken that absorbs sauce and tastes delicious!
This Orange Chicken is made with crispy fried chicken covered in a flavourful orange sauce! It's free of gluten, soy & sugar making it a healthy alternative to traditional Chinese take-out, yet still comforting and delicious! This recipe is paleo friendly and can also be modified for an AIP diet. Serve over cauliflower "rice" or with steamed veggies.
2lbs.boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
1/4cuparrowroot starch/flour
Avocado oil
Sea salt & pepper, to taste
Orange Sauce:
2/3cuphot water
4medjool dates, pitted
â…“cuporange juice, shop for best quality or use fresh squeezed
3tbspcoconut aminos
2tbspapple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2tspground ginger
1/2tspgarlic powder
1/2tspred pepper flakes, omit for AIP version
1tsparrowroot starch/flour + 1 tbsp water
Zest of 1 orange
Garnish:
1/2orange, chunked
1green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
Chicken:
Cover the bottom of a large frying pan with avocado oil and heat until it begins to sizzle.
While oil is heating, combine arrowroot flour, sea salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and mix. Add chicken chunks and coat. Remove the chicken, shaking off extra flour and add to hot oil. You may need to do this in batches if your frying pan is not big enough.
Cook each batch for about 10 minutes, turning mid-way through, until all sides are golden. Set chicken aside.
Orange Sauce:
Place dates and hot water in a food processor or high speed blender and let soak for 10-15-minutes, then process/blend until a smooth date paste forms.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the orange juice, date paste, vinegar, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Whisk and let come to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk 1 tsp of arrowroot with 1 tbsp of water to form a paste. Add this to the orange sauce and whisk well. Raise the heat back to medium until sauce thickens/reduces. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.
Toss the chicken with the orange sauce (reheat if necessary), garnish with green onion & orange chunks & serve with your choice of side.
Paleo General Tso’s Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious sauce. This gluten & soy free General Tso’s Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
I honestly thought my days of general tso’s chicken were long gone until the BF and I attempted this mind-blowing recipe.
Even though this recipe takes about an hour of prep (with two people in the kitchen), we made it twice within the last month because it’s just so damn good. Plus, we’re both big foodies and excited to spend time in the kitchen if it means good food in our bellies.
As a matter of fact, if we had to describe our perfect date night it would probably go something like this …
We’d start with a trip to the grocery store and load up on some healthy ingredients for a dish that we want to create that night. I’d probably take 10-minutes to find the freshest chicken with the latest expiry date while he gives me the “Are you for real?” look.
From there, we’d head back home and decide who’s doing what in the kitchen and set clear boundaries because according to some people (I won’t mention any names), boundaries are very important in a kitchen.
After making a mess and crossing all boundaries that were set, we’d chow down our creation and then discuss whether the dish is blog worthy over a glass of wine or two (OK fine, the entire bottle!). Oh, wait! Before all of that happens, I would spend another 10-minutes taking 50 photos of the same dish in hopes that one of them will turn out good for my blog.
AND that’s how our perfect date night would unfold – and usually does.
So, grab your significant other or friend and plan a date night in the kitchen where you can have some fun creating the most delicious general tso’s chicken you’ll ever taste!
Paleo General Tso's Chicken is crispy tender pan-fried chicken coated in a delicious sauce. This gluten & soy free General Tso's Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic takeout dish. It uses whole food, high-quality ingredients, PLUS heat stable oil for frying. A true guilt-free pleasure for those living a healthy lifestyle!
1.5lbschicken breasts or thighs, cut into small chunks
1head cauliflower
1/4cuparrowroot starch/flour
1red/yellow/orange pepper, sliced into small sticks
1/2yellow onion, sliced
Avocado oil
Sea salt & pepper
1green onion, chopped (optional garnish)
General Tso's Sauce
4clovesgarlic
2tbspFrank's RedHot, or Siracha
1tbspground ginger
2dates , or 1 tbsp honey
2tbspsesame oil
1/4cupcoconut aminos
2tbsp.water
Instructions
Chop cauliflower into chunks, put in food processor and process into rice like consistency. Place on baking sheet, add 2 tbsp. avocado oil and sea salt then mix. Bake at 400F for 30-minutes while prepping other ingredients.
Cover the bottom of a large frying pan with avocado oil and heat until it begins to sizzle.
While oil is heating, combine arrowroot flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl and mix. Add chicken chunks and coat. Remove the chicken, shaking off extra flour and add to hot oil. You may need to do this in two batches if your frying pan is not big enough.
Cook each batch for about 10 minutes, turning mid-way through, until all sides are golden. Set chicken aside.
Add red pepper and onion to a large pot with 1 tbsp avocado oil and cook for 5-minutes or until tender.
While veggies cook, blend all sauce ingredients until smooth.
Add chicken and sauce to pot with red pepper and onion. Turn to low heat and mix to coat chicken with sauce for 1-2 minutes.
Top cauliflower "rice" with general tso's chicken, garnish with green onion and enjoy!
These Hot & Saucy Thai Wings are finger licking good! They’re the perfect balance of hot, sweet and nutty, making them super addictive (in a healthy way)–and a wing recipe you’ll want to make time and time again.
If you’ve been following me for a while then you’ll know that my BF won me over in our early dating days with his famous “NOatmeal” recipe (I highly recommend giving this recipe a try if you haven’t already).
Well, just when I thought that dating this man couldn’t get any better, BAM–he puts on his butt accentuating track pants (again!) and makes me these mouth-watering wings.
These wings will warm your soul (and mouth!), so don’t wait too long before giving this recipe a try!
These Hot & Saucy Thai Wings are finger licking good! They are the perfect balance of hot, sweet and nutty, making them super addictive (in a healthy way)--and a wing recipe you'll want to make time and time again.
Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place wings on tray and cook for 20-minutes.
While wings are cooking add almond butter, Frank's Red Hot, avocado oil and coconut aminos to a small sauce pan and heat over medium. Mix until everything is smooth and combined (roughly 5-minutes). Add a touch of water if sauce is too thick.
Take wings out of the oven, flip and coat with sauce. Then place back in the oven for 10-minutes.
Repeat step 4 one more time.
Remove wings from the oven for the last time, flip and coat one more time.
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.
