Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
OK, so I’m only human which means there are many moments where the thought of spending an hour in the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal is just not appealing (especially after a long day of work).
Given that these moments happen quite often and I refuse to settle for low-quality food, I created a handful of go-to recipes that I can whip up in 20-minutes or less.
This Pumpkin & Beef Salad recipe is a heartier version of my Beef Salad and one of my go-to meals when lazy and hungry Jen strikes.
It also makes for a great post-workout meal since 1 cup of cooked pumpkin has 564 mg of the refueling nutrient potassium. Potassium helps to restore the body’s electrolytes after a heavy workout and keeps muscles functioning optimally.
Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious–and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
What makes Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie so healthy
The right balance of macronutrients including high-quality protein, which is often missing in most smoothie recipes. Protein is not only a source of vital nutrients required for optimal health, but it’s also essential for sending healthy hormonal signals throughout your body.
No excess fruit or juices, which keeps your blood sugar levels in check while still giving you small doses of powerful nutrients and fiber found in whole fruits.
Healthy fats for optimal health and a smaller waistline! Healthy dietary fat not only fuels every cell in your body, but also allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in fruits and vegetables.
Loaded with green goodness which provides antioxidants to combat free radicals & essential vitamins and minerals + supports detoxification, collagen production, gut health, weight loss, & disease prevention.
Gut friendly & healing ingredients that are FREE OF gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, grains, fillers, artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or sweeteners + other common gut irritants.
Feel free to use your favourite protein powder in this recipe or you can try my go-to protein powder. This awesome & gut friendly protein powder will make all your smoothies taste like dessert in a cup! It’s squeaky clean, free of common gut irritants & naturally sweetened with stevia (so no blood sugar spikes).
If you’re using vanilla flavoured protein powder
To achieve a rich chocolate flavour from your smoothies when using vanilla flavoured protein powder just add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder into your blender along with the other smoothie ingredients. Blend & enjoy!
Cacao is the purest form of chocolate which is why I recommend it. It’s an easy find since most grocery stores carry it nowadays. You can also find cacao powder online.
What you need for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie:
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious--and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
4-5fresh mint leaves , or 1 drop peppermint essential oil (food-grade) or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3/4cupfull fat or light coconut milk, canned
A few ice cubes, optional
1tbspcacao nibs, stirred in after blending
Instructions
Blend all ingredients using a high-powered blender.
Pour into your favourite smoothie cup, stir in cacao nibs and enjoy!
Notes
If you're using vanilla protein powder, add 2 tsp of cacao powder. If you’re using chocolate protein powder, add 1 tsp of cacao powder. Feel free to add more cacao powder for a smoothie that's rich in chocolate flavour.
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.
If you’re following a low-carb or keto diet and someone tells you that you need processed foods like breads, pastas and cereal grains in order to get adequate amounts of fiber in your diet, hit them with this fact …
One serving of kale contains more fiber than 3 slices of whole wheat bread!
Don’t forget to throw in a “KALE YEAH!” at the end 😉
Italian Sausage & Kale Soup
INGREDIENTS:
6 slices pastured bacon (diced)
2 pounds Italian sausage (casing removed)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 small yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
4 cups chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
4 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I made my own blend using oregano, basil, rosemary, & fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4-5 large kale leaves (chopped)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (canned)
1 lemon (juice only)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Using a big stove-top pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pot and set aside. Drain excess fat from pot.
2. Add sausage to pot and break apart meat. Cook at medium heat until sausage is brown and a little crispy. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.
3. Add avocado oil to pot and sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Add sausage, potatoes, chicken stock, water, seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Bring heat to medium-low, cover pot and let cook for 30-minutes.
5. Add kale to pot and let cook for 5-minutes.
6. Stir in coconut milk, lemon juice and bacon. Let cook for another 5-minutes.
7. Taste and add additional salt/seasoning if needed.
Creamy Matcha Green Tea is a warm, comforting & healthy drink with anti-aging benefits! This tea is easy to prepare and will give you a gentle morning or mid-day boost! It’s dairy free, plant-based, paleo & AIP friendly.
How does a warm cup of anti-aging sound?
Matcha contains all of green tea’s benefits in the most concentrated form – amplifying the health benefits of this superfood.
Matcha is loaded with polyphenol compounds called catechins, a type of antioxidant, making it a powerful anti-aging tea.
In addition, studies have linked green tea to a variety of health benefits, like helping to prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and even encouraging weight loss.
Creamy Matcha Green Tea is a warm, comforting & healthy drink with anti-aging benefits! This tea is easy to prepare and will give you a gentle morning or mid-day boost! It's dairy free, plant-based, paleo & AIP friendly.
1-2tspraw honey or maple syrup, (reduce or omit for low-carb/keto version)
2tbsphot water
Instructions
Heat coconut/almond milk in a pan.
Add matcha powder to a small bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of the hot water (hot, not boiling, since matcha is delicate). Using the back of a spoon, stir the matcha powder into a paste.
Use a hand-held frother or a blender to combine the matcha powder paste, collagen, coconut/almond milk and sweetener.
Pour into a mug and enjoy!
Notes
* For a drink that's even more rich and creamy, use canned light coconut milk.
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.
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.
