Easy Greek (and plain) yogurt swaps you can use every day in recipes to cut fat and calories with added health benefits!
Cooking and substituting yogurt in recipes expands yogurt beyond the quick breakfast with added health benefits that Greek yogurt brings to every dish.
When I create new recipes it’s always a priority that they are healthy without skimping on flavor. One of my favorite tricks for maintaining this balance of health and flavor is subbing Greek yogurt. I use Greek yogurt in place of much heavier, higher fat or more calorie dense ingredients – like butter, sour cream, oil, or buttermilk. Using yogurt in your baked goods will make them incredibly moist, while adding yogurt to savory dips and soups gives them creaminess with a touch of tang.
These bite-sized, air fryer bacon burgers make a great low-carb appetizer – perfect for the Super Bowl.
Air Fryer Bacon-Burger Bites
Move over, sliders. Get ready for burgers on a stick! This bun-less appetizer will be your new favorite low-carb way to eat a burger. They’re so cute and a definite crowd-pleaser. If you’re hosting a party for the Big Game, you should add these burger bites to your menu. If your obsessed with your air fryer as much as me, you will love this and more air fryer recipes!
The weather outside may be frightful. via GIPHY But these workout tracks? Oh, they are so delightful. via GIPHY Put ’em on and fire up those glutes! One Two Things, Party Pupils, Louis Futon featuring TOBi Super infectious beat. Father of All, Green Day Not the sound you’re used to from Green Day … The Game, Milky Chance We wanna play, too. Complainer, Cold War Kids Don’t sit around and complain about it … In A Spiral, Phantogram In the workout spiral. Uneventful Days, Beck For those times when you’re feeling introspective. My Own Dance, Kesha Lots of language, but…
Chicken and broccoli stir-fry is a quick and healthy Whole30 meal that you can easily whip up on a busy weeknight. If you aren’t cooking simple stir-fries for dinner, you’re working too hard!
One of the many valuable lessons I learned from my mom is that a protein and vegetable packed stir-fry is the easiest and tastiest way to get dinner on the table quickly. It’s the original clean-out-the-fridge meal, and it helps combat food waste, too!
My tips for ensuring tasty stir-fries:
Use an amazing gluten-free sauce a.k.a. my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce to season it! (Click here for other ways to use this amazing sauce!)
Mise en place is key: measure out all the ingredients and cut everything ahead of time so you can quickly cook the stir-fry when the skillet is hot!
When it comes to stir-fries, don’t stress out about following the recipe exactly—use whatever combination of meat and veggies that you have in the fridge. Stir-fries should be close to effortless!
Need more tips on how to make a fabulous stir-fry? Check out this post!
What do you serve with chicken and broccoli stir-fry?
Asian stir-fries are traditionally served with steaming bowls of white rice, but to keep it low carb and paleo, you can eat this dish with cauliflower rice. Sometimes I just serve it with Instant Pot Vegetable Soup because I’m a rule breaker!
Craving other Whole30 stir-fry recipes?
I’ve got you covered! Here are some of my favorite Whole30-friendly stir-fries:
Pour ½ cup of the sauce into a small measuring cup and whisk in 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder. Set it aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, fish sauce, kosher salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon arrowroot powder. Mix well to combine.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
Add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened.
Place the marinated chicken in the pan and fry the meat for 2-3 minutes or until it’s mostly cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to another platter.
Add the broccoli to the empty skillet and pour in ¼ cup of water. Cover the pan and cook the florets until they are bright green and tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and reserved cooked chicken.
Whisk the reserved stir-fry sauce one last time and pour it into the pan.
Stir-fry the broccoli and chicken until the sauce simmers and thickens.
Transfer the chicken and broccoli stir-fry onto a serving plate and top with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Chicken and broccoli stir-fry is a healthy and quick Whole30 meal that you can easily whip up on a busy weeknight! If you aren’t cooking simple stir-fries for dinner, you’re working too hard!
½ cup All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
1½ teaspoons arrowroot powder (divided)
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
2 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 large shallot (thinly sliced)
1 pound broccoli (cut into small florets and stems thinly sliced)
Pour ½ cup of the sauce into a small measuring cup and whisk in 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder. Set it aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon avocado oil, fish sauce, kosher salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon arrowroot powder. Mix well to combine.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
Add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened.
Place the marinated chicken in the pan and fry the meat for 2-3 minutes or until it’s mostly cooked through. Transfer the chicken to another platter.
Add the broccoli to the empty skillet and pour in ¼ cup of water. Cover the pan and cook the florets until they are bright green and tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and reserved cooked chicken.
Whisk the reserved stir-fry sauce one last time and pour it into the pan. Stir-fry the broccoli and chicken until the sauce simmers and thickens.
Transfer the chicken and broccoli stir-fry onto a serving plate and top with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with steaming bowls of cauliflower rice!
Pasta with Italian Chicken Sausage, Escarole and Beans is ridiculously good made with lots of garlic, lean Italian chicken sausage, and white cannellini beans.
Pasta with Sausage, Escarole and Beans
Escarole and beans with sausage is a typical dish in Italian cuisine. Here I tossed it all with pasta, and loved the results! It turned out to be a winner with everyone in my home, even my picky kids. You can easily make it gluten-free and swap out the escarole for your favorite greens.
Stress. It’s a part of everyday life — especially if you’re a parent and feel like your attention is being pulled in a hundred directions at once. In order to help with that — quickly — we’ve got a mindful breathing exercise from the book Mindfulness for Mums and Dads that takes only three minutes. Featuring dozens of case studies, as well as simple mindfulness practices that can be carried out anywhere, Mindfulness for Mums and Dads offers practical tools for feeling calmer and more compassionate, and for being fully present for the small moments in life that create true and…
Did you know that not only is it normal to have your fitness personality change over time but also that it should change to adapt to your different life events and situations? True story says fitness expert and author of Your Future Fittest Self, Kathleen Trotter. In our podcast episode with her, she talks about the four most common fitness personalities and how they can help you to be the fittest version of you possible. If you’re hitting a fitness plateau right now or just need some inspiration to up your workout game, this show is for you! A few of…
These tasty Swedish Meatballs are always a hit with my family! They’re lighter than most recipes but still have all the flavor.
Swedish Meatballs
My family loves these Swedish meatballs. They are so tender and flavorful and much lighter than traditional recipes out there. And, let’s not forget the sauce! The creamy sauce really makes the dish.
The following post is sponsored by the ASICS Studio™ app. For our sponsored post policy, click here. If there’s one thing I want to do more of in 2020, it’s to meditate more. But as a mom to three girls now, finding the time and quiet to do so is, well, not exactly the easiest. Not to mention that when I do actually get the chance to sit down and meditate, my mind is generally swirling with the 100 other things I “could” and even believe I “should” be doing. (Yes, I’m working on that.) And I know for all of…
This Whole30 and keto version of Eggs in Purgatory, a fiery Neapolitan classic of baked eggs in a spicy tomato meat sauce, is so fast and easy to cook that you’ll want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I first tried this popular Italian brunch dish at New York City’s Dell’Anima many years ago, and its version featured smoky pancetta in a spicy tomato sauce. As soon as I returned home, I recreated a simple Whole30 version that contained sausage and mushrooms—a combination inspired by my favorite pizza topping. It‘s the next best thing besides Meatza when you can’t eat pizza anymore!
This recipe (a.k.a. Uova in Purgatorio) was first published in our debut cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Food For Humans, and it’s become a Nomster favorite. Today, we’re finally sharing it here on the blog so everyone can make this satisfying 30-minute meal!
Can you change the meat & veggies?
Definitely! Although I love pork sausage and mushrooms in the spicy marinara sauce, I sometimes substitute chicken sausage or any ground meat seasoned with my Magic Mushroom Powder. Also, I chop up leftover cooked vegetables to add to the sauce for variety.
What if you don’t like spicy?
If you’re not a fan of spicy food, leave out the red pepper flakes or decrease the amount depending on your heat tolerance. The baked eggs still taste fantastic without the crushed red peppers.
What do you serve with Eggs in Purgatory?
Your favorite vegetable side dish! To keep weeknight meals fast and easy, I like to serve this baked egg dish with a simple big green salad or roasted vegetables.
How do you make eggs in purgatory ahead of time?
Although eggs in purgatory tastes best when you cook them fresh, you can make them ahead of time and reheat them later in the week. If you bake these ahead of time, you can save the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can reheat one in a microwave or carefully scoop one out and gently warm it up in a covered skillet.
Alternatively, you can make the spicy tomato meat sauce ahead of time and assemble the eggs in purgatory when you want to bake them. Just make sure you heat up the sauce before you add the raw eggs.
Time to make Eggs in Purgatory!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, or fat of choice
All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the upper-middle position. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and swirl in the extra virgin olive oil or fat of choice when the pan is hot.
Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Toss in the mushrooms and add ½ teaspoon of Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the moisture released by the mushrooms evaporates.
Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook the sausage until it’s no longer pink.
Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and stir in the red pepper flakes.
Continue cooking the meaty sauce until it starts bubbling.
Divide the spicy meat sauce into four 8-ounce ovenproof ramekins or mini cocottes. Put the containers on a rimmed baking sheet.
Use a spoon to make a small well in the center of the sauce and pour a cracked egg into each one.
This Whole30 and keto version of Eggs in Purgatory, a fiery Neapolitan classic of baked eggs in a spicy tomato meat sauce, is so good you’ll want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (avocado oil, ghee, or fat of choice)
Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the upper-middle position. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and swirl in the extra virgin olive oil or fat of choice when the pan is hot.
Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Toss in the mushrooms and add ½ teaspoon Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the moisture released by the mushrooms evaporates.
Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook the sausage until it’s no longer pink.
Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and stir in the red pepper flakes. Continue cooking the meaty sauce until it starts bubbling.
Divide the spicy meat sauce into four 8-ounce ovenproof ramekins or mini cocottes. Put the containers on a rimmed baking sheet.
Use a spoon to make a small well in the center of the sauce and pour a cracked egg into each one. Sprinkle Magic Mushroom Powder (or salt and black pepper) on top of the eggs.
Place the ramekins on the rimmed baking sheet into the hot oven. Bake until the egg whites are cooked through and the yolks are your desired consistency, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Top with minced Italian parsley if desired, and serve with a big green salad!
So did your favorite team make it to the Super Bowl? Honestly, I am not much of a football fan, but I love a good party- tailgate or otherwise! While I have a some great choices already on the plan for Sunday, make sure you check out all the Super Bowl recipes here. Which is your favorite?
WW has changed their plan to now include a Blue, Purple and Green Plan. All the recipes on my blog are updated for the Blue plan. I’ve been updating all my recipes (over 2000) and have completed 2019 with the other two colors, and I am working my way down so please be patient.
Why Should Everyone Meal Plan?
Meal planning is a great way to organize your meals for the week ahead. You also save time and money in the supermarket! And of course, planning ahead helps you stick to your goals!
About The Meal Plan
If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.
There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.
Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing! If you wish to get on the email list, you can subscribe here so you never miss a meal plan!
Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2020! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!
THE DETAILS:
Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated WW Blue SP for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!
The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.
And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!
*Freeze any leftover you/your family won’t eat.
**This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits,
snacks, dessert, wine, etc.
The beautiful, delicious, fall or winter salad is made with mixed baby greens, pomegranate, Gorgonzola and pecans with a pomegranate vinaigrette.
Salad with Pomegranates and Pecans
I love adding pomegranates to my salads, they are juicy with a slight pop when you bite into them! I usually bring this salad to potlucks or parties because it’s so colorful and easy to whip up, and I always get compliments! A simple yet elegant fall or winter salad, perfect to serve as a first course for the holidays, or a simple side dish or lunch.
Another year. Another Friend Feast. And 2019’s Friend Feast was a sparkly, decadent, and delicious throwback to the 1980s. In Vegas. See, each year we have a theme or a main dish that’s very shareable among 14 or so guests. Last year was Mexican-inspired. The year before that was paella. We’ve also done a shrimp boil, fried chicken and champagne, and then two menus of more fancy food (pre-kids!) in 2014 and 2013. This year, my husband’s late grandfather’s annual tips to Vegas served as the inspiration. A few times a year he’d travel to Vegas — but not the…
This Whole30-compliant Instant Pot pork and cabbage stew is so easy and delicious to make from pantry staples, it almost feels like you’re cheating in the kitchen! Hallelujah for quick shortcuts to healthy one-pot meals!
Years ago when I was working the night shift as a hospital pharmacist (a.k.a. zombie drug dealer), I accidentally came up with a fabulous and simple Slow Cooker Cheater Pork stew recipe by haphazardly dumping some umami-packed ingredients and cubed pork shoulder along with some vegetables into a Crock-Pot. It’s an OG Nom Nom Paleo classic recipe, but after I discovered the wonders of pressure cooking in an Instant Pot, I stopped making it in a slow cooker. After gentle prodding from Nomsters like you, I finally wrote up the directions on how to cook it effortlessly in an Instant Pot!
How is the Instant Pot version different?
Because this version is cooked under high pressure, the stew is done in just a fraction of the time. However, just like with a slow cooker, you can set the Instant Pot and forget it—and the stew will be warm and ready to eat when you get home. I also updated the seasoning to include my indispensable Magic Mushroom Powder, and it really adds an extra oomph. No Instant Pot? Make the original recipe in a slow cooker!
The leftover pork stew can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Leftover makeover ideas?
One of my favorite leftover makeovers to make with this stew (or any leftover stew) is to convert it into a hearty soup! Simply add broth in about a 1:1 ratio to the stew and throw in some vegetables to bulk it up. Then, simmer the soup until vegetables cook to your desired tenderness. You can also use the stew as a filling for omelets or in tasty lettuce wraps!
Time to make Instant Pot Cheater Pork Stew!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee
Pour marinara sauce on top of the pork, but don’t stir it. (Some of the newer Instant Pots will show a “Burn” error message if the tomato sauce scalds.)
Turn off the sauté function. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and program it to cook for 35 minutes under high pressure.
When the pork is finished cooking, release the pressure manually. (If you’re not around, no biggie. The pressure drop can naturally while you’re out and about.)
Add the carrots and cabbage to the stew and cook under high pressure for 3 minutes.
Release pressure manually…
…and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste the stew for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
Top the stew with fresh Italian parsley and serve!
Looking for more Whole30-friendly Instant Pot recipes?
Head to my ever-growing Instant Pot recipe roundup post right here!
This Whole30-compliant Instant Pot pork and cabbage stew is so easy and delicious to make from pantry staples, it almost feels like you’re cheating in the kitchen!
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (avocado oil, or ghee)
1 small cabbage cut into 8 wedges (cut into 8 wedges)
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley (optional)
Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot. When the metal insert is hot, swirl in olive oil or your favorite cooking fat.
Toss in the onions and cook until slightly softened.
Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Don’t burn it!
Plop in the cubed pork and add the Magic Mushroom Powder and fish sauce. Stir well to distribute the seasonings.
Pour marinara sauce on top of the pork, but don’t stir it. (Some of the newer Instant Pots will show a “Burn” error message if the tomato sauce scalds.)
Turn off the sauté function. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and program it to cook for 35 minutes under high pressure.
When the pork is finished cooking, release the pressure manually. (If you’re not around, no biggie. The pressure drop can naturally while you’re out and about.)
Add the carrots and cabbage to the stew and cook under high pressure for 3 minutes.
Release pressure manually and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste the stew for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. Top the stew with fresh Italian parsley and serve!
