Meatloaf can make life so much easier. Throw a bunch of meat in a pan, cook it, and you have food for a few days. But plain ‘ol meatloaf is so boring, so of course I had to jazz it up, specifically with loads of veggies to make it more filling and nutritious!
Zucchini is always a great way to add bulk to dishes and it works very well in loaves (think: zucchini bread!). I like to have leafy greens at every meal, so I tossed some kale into this loaf to satisfy that need! I use a couple herbs and the perfect amount of sea salt to keep this dish nightshade free, but still flavor packed.
Veggie Packed Meatloaf
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1/2 a bunch of kale
1 large zucchini, shredded
1 tbs. each of sage and thyme
1 tsp. sea salt
2 lbs ground meat (I used a combo of beef and lamb but pork or turkey thigh along with beef would also be great)
3-4 slices of bacon
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Wash, de-stem, and finely chop your kale.
Heat some water in a frying pan and add the shredded zucchini and kale. Sauté/steam for about 7 minutes, until kale is darker and cooked down.
Mix the veggies with the seasonings and ground meat in a large bowl.
Press the meatloaf mixture into a loaf pan. Lay the strips of bacon over the top, tucking ends in.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until inside is just barely pink. Pour off the excess liquid (I like to save for reheating leftovers or cooking other foods in it). Broil for another 10 minutes to crisp the bacon.
Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
This recipe is based off of one posted by Grazed & Enthused. It is quite similar, so I don’t want to take credit here, but I adjusted it to be low-FODMAP and nightshade free. That is why the Lebanese is in quotes… there is no garlic! I wasn’t sure what else to call this though.
This chicken turned out SO delicious. It is a relatively simple recipe that would be great to serve at a dinner party. I’ve fallen in love with chicken thighs over the last year, especially skin on so I can get that delicious crispy chicken.
Crispy Lebanese Chicken Thighs
Serves 3-6
Ingredients:
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs. of olive oil plus another 1 tsp- 1tbs for cooking
1 tbs. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix 1 tbs. of olive oil and all of the other ingredients, except the chicken, in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Zip the bag closed and rub the chicken around in the marinade, making sure everything gets covered.
Let sit in the fridge for AT LEAST 30 minutes.
Heat 1/2 tbs. olive oil in a nonstick, large skillet over medium heat. Once oil sizzles when you flick some water onto it, place the chicken thighs skin side down. Cook for about 10 minutes, until skin is nice and crispy.
Flip the chicken over and cover the pan. Cooking for another 5-8 minutes until chicken is almost done. Remove the cover and let cook until chicken is completely done. You may flip the chicken at this point again to get a nice fresh crisp on the skin before serving.
Thanksgiving is coming up in America, which means holiday recipes! But this time of year can be stressful and many are burnt out by the end of the year, so easy holiday recipes means more time to enjoy family, friends, and the actual holidays themselves. This recipe is only four ingredients (okay five if you count the salt) and very simple to make.
allergy friendly cinnamon and ginger roasted carrots
I utilize ginger and cinnamon not only because they go fantastic with the sweetness from the carrots and are two of my favorite spices, but also for their health benefits. Check it out:
Did you know cinnamon is great for balancing blood sugar? The perfect spice to include on a day where you’ll be eating a lot. It’s also great for fighting infections and lowering inflammation.
I’ve talked about ginger quite a bit because it’s my all time favorite, but it’s also a great anti-inflammatory, fantastic for digestion, and has been shown to help balance blood sugar and cholesterol.
Utilizing these two spices during the holiday season is fantastic with all the heavy food this time of year!
This simple, easy side dish will make holiday or weeknight cooking easier! This recipe is only five ingredients, but packed with flavor, fiber, and gut healthy benefits.
Servings 4people
Author Victoria Faling
Ingredients
2lbs.rainbow carrots
2Tbspcoconut oil
1tspground ginger
1tspground cinnamon
1/2tsppink himalayan salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425F
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Trim your carrots then cut in half lengthwise and lay in one even layer on the baking sheets.
Toss carrots in oil to fully coat.
Mix the ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl then sprinkle the carrots with the mixture.
Roast for about 35-45 minutes, flipping half way, until the carrots are fork tender and just beginning to crisp.
This easy beef stew is perfect for when you need a hearty meal, but don’t have the time to deal with any fancy cooking. Completely AIP compliant and nightshade free, this slow cooker beef stew can be made in the crockpot or instant pot on the slow cooker function.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This beef stew is simple, warming, and hearty as the days get colder. I found it incredibly delicious despite not being your typical stew with all the spices. For many years, I had to eat low FODMAP and nightshade free as I healed my gut. This stew was one of my go-to recipes to pack in nutrients. This slow cooker beef stew uses herbs instead of spices and I find it just as delicious and satisfying.
paleo beef stew
Many stews call for braising the meat beforehand, but I often don’t have the time to deal with that if I’m putting this stew on in the morning before work. You can certainly take the time to do that extra step, but if you don’t want to deal with that, you don’t have to! For this easy beef stew, we are just throwing everything into the slow cooker and letting it do all the work.
This AIP and Paleo beef stew is also nightshade free, flavored with herbs instead of spices. It’s the perfect gut-healing stew to warm on those cold winter days!
This AIP Beef Stir Fry is easy and delicious. Loaded with delicious veggies and tender beef, this beef and veggie stir fry is healthier than takeout!
AIP beef stir fry
A couple of weeks ago my chiropractor (who is also my applied kinesiologist) said I was clear of mold, heavy metals, and SIBO. For now, anyway. I’ve been sticking to a paleo low-fodmap diet and it was getting boring, so I was excited to hear no SIBO because it meant I could start slowly trying to reintroduce higher FODMAP foods.
I started to crave a beef and broccoli stir fry but I didn’t want to eat just a bunch of broccoli given it’s FODMAP level, so I incorporated it into a stir fry with lots of other veggies. This way I would be satisfied while only starting out with a little broccoli to test the waters. This recipe also has mushrooms which are considered medium FODMAP but I’ve handled them fine in the past, in moderation, and on occasion. Just something to be aware of if you are following a low FODMAP diet.
Of course, if FODMAPs are a no go for you right now, you can feel free to leave out the broccoli or substitute it with another vegetable that you handle.
AIP Beef Stir Fry Ingredients
Olive or avocado oil: if not AIP, feel free to use sesame oil
Stir-fry beef: you can use sliced stew meat, sirloin, or flank steak works
Broccoli
Green beans
Water chestnuts: these add a crunchy and slightly sweet hit to the stir-fry that is so delicious! Don’t skip these
Baby bella mushrooms
Coconut aminos: this is a gluten free alternative to soy sauce
Ginger root: plenty of ginger goes into this recipe for flavor and it’s anti-inflammatory benefits
Apple cider vinegar: this adds depth of flavor to the sauce
Salt
This gluten free stir fry is easy to whip up. Once your veggies and meat are prepped, you’ll brown the beef on both sides and set aside. Then you’ll sauté the veggies in a delicious coconut aminos and ginger sauce, before adding the beef back in to finish cooking. It is that simple!
Paleo Beef Stir Fry Substitutions and Variations
Veggies: I love stir-fry because you can really use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Got some carrot you want to use up? Toss those in! Hate mushrooms? Leave them out! Feel free to use a combination of vegetables you love. I’ve kept this beef stir fry nightshade free by not adding peppers, but you can certainly add bell peppers if you tolerate them.
Beef:This is a beef stir-fry, but you can also use thinly cut slices of chicken breast if you prefer a chicken stir-fry!
Coconut aminos: Coconut aminos are a gluten free and soy free alternative to soy sauce, but if you tolerate either of those you can feel free to use tamari or soy sauce. Coconut aminos are a little sweeter though, so I suggest adding a tablespoon of coconut or brown sugar to the mix.
Leftovers and Storage
I love making this at the beginning of the week and then having leftovers for lunches/dinners. This AIP beef stir fry is a great meal prep option! Just keep leftovers stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on low in the oven at about 300F for 30-40 minutes. I like to add a little extra coconut aminos to keep the meat and veggies moist.
This delicious paleo beef stir fry is packed with nutrients and flavor! You can’t go wrong with this easy weeknight meal that can be made completely AIP friendly. Add this to your list of healthy and nutrient dinner options that are gluten free and allergy friendly!
2Tbsptoasted sesame oil, divideduse olive or avocado oil for AIP
1lbsstir-fry beefsliced stew meat, sirloin, or flank steak works
1head of broccolichopped
3cupsgreen beanstrimmed and cut in half
18 ounce can of water chestnuts
1cupsliced baby bella mushrooms
White sesame seedsoptional- omit if AIP
Sauce
1/3cupcoconut aminos
1Tbspheaping fresh grated ginger root
1tspapple cider vinegar
salt to taste
Instructions
Make sure your veggies are chopped and prepared before starting.
Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the beef strips and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes each. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the other Tbsp of oil and add the broccoli and green beans. Let cook for 5-7 min, until they become more colorful and slightly softer.
While the broccoli and green beans are cooking, mix the coconut aminos, ginger, and apple cider vinegar together.
Add the aminos mixture to the pan then add in the water chestnuts. Stir to combine and cook for 5 min. Next, add the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beef back in and mix well. Cook for about another 10 minutes, mixing occasionally, until beef is done.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Here is a super simple side dish for any night of the week. You can sub this celeriac rice out for normal grain-filled rice in any of your favorite Mexican dishes (tacos, taco bowls, fragrant rice w/ fajitas anyone?) or any meal you love having with rice!
Cilantro Celeriac “Rice”
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
1 large celeriac
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
Peel and chop the celeriac into large chunks. Place in the food processor and pulse until you get a rice-like consistency.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the “rice” and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until it begins to brown. Turn off the heat, stir in the cilantro and salt to taste.
Hi! I'm Victoria. I was diagnosed with Lyme in 2012 and have been on a healing journey ever since. I love helping others on their road to healing through allergy friendly recipes, exercise, and overall well-being.
