Country Ribs

This was always one of my favorite dinners growing up.  It wasn't until I was older that I asked my mom for her recipe and found out how simple it was to make.  These boneless ribs are so tender and delicious and you won't need to babysit them at all.  Just throw them in the oven and let them do their thing.  To make this as clean and processed free as possible, make your own BBQ sauce or buy one that does not have added sugar.  

boneless country ribs
salt and pepper
BBQ sauce

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper.  Pour a small amount of BBQ sauce in the pan and spread it around.  Lay the ribs side by side - you can pack them in, seeing as they will shrink as they cook.  Liberally pour BBQ sauce over the top, trying to cover every bit of the ribs.  Cover with foil and bake for 3 hours.  

 

Sloppy Joes

 

I think Sloppy Joes are delicious!  But, what I like even more than the taste, is that this version is super fast and easy.  This is the kind of recipe that has few ingredients and comes together quickly on a busy weeknight.  Perfect for a family with little time.  

2 lbs. lean ground beef 
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar free ketchup
1/4 - 1/2 cup mustard
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar substitute)

*optional: garlic and onion powder

Brown the ground beef in a skillet and season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and onion powder if you want to as well.  Once browned, add in the ketchup, mustard and coconut sugar.  Put in as much as you want in equal parts.  The more you put in, the more saucy it will be.  Serve on whole grain buns or a bread substitute.  

By the way, this is my favorite ketchup.  I buy it at Sprouts and it has only clean ingredients and tastes great!  It also has some added veggies which makes this a winner!

Million Dollar Bars

We have a family night every week that includes a treat.  This is my kids favorite part, but my dad can have little to no sugar, so he usually doesn't eat the dessert.  I wanted to make him something that he could enjoy with everyone, so million dollar bars, done the processed free way, seemed the perfect answer.  I think he was near tears that he could actually have dessert with us.  Everyone loved these and they have been a regular request by all ever since!

Crust:
1 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 egg

Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup pyure sweetener
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. caramel extract (optional)

Filling:
1-2 cups Lily's chocolate chips
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Make the crust by combining the almond flour, salt, baking powder, melted butter and egg.  Stir until combined.  Grease an 8X8 inch baking pan with coconut oil and press the crust into the bottom and edges with your fingers.  Try and make it even, but it doesn't have to be perfect.  Bake for 20 minutes.

While the crust is in the oven, make the caramel sauce by melting the butter, pyure sweetener, and salt in a small sauce pan.  Bring this to a boil, stirring continuously.  When it changes color from a yellow to brown, turn off the heat. This will take a few minutes.  Add the cream, vanilla, and if you have it, the caramel extract.  (These are perfectly good without the caramel extract.) This will bubble, then settle back down.  

Mix the chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans in a bowl until they are well combined.  Next, pour a small amount of the caramel onto the crust and then add all of the filling, spreading to make it even.  Top with the remaining sauce and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. 

I prefer to let these cool before cutting and serving them.  In fact, I even make them ahead of time and put them in the refrigerator.  I think this makes for cleaner, more solid cuts, but if you prefer them warm and gooey, go for it!  I typically cut these into 16 pieces (4X4), but you can cut them into whatever size you want. 

Gyro Lettuce Wraps

I love gyros!  I first had one when I was young and we lived in Europe.  Everyone pronounced the sandwich differently, but I quickly decided that it was delicious - no matter how you said it's name. My husband and I have been cutting out some carbs, but I really wanted a gyro.  So instead of saying, we can't eat that, I decided we could still enjoy all those fantastic flavors without the bread.  And these did not disappoint!  In fact, I didn't miss the bread - and I love bread. These were also ridiculously fast to make.  I think I had dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes!

gyro meat
butter, Boston or bib lettuce
chopped tomatoes/cherry tomatoes
sliced cucumber
thinly slice red onions
Tzatziki sauce (homemade or a clean store bought option)

Warm the gyro meat and assemble the lettuce wraps by layering the meat, tomatoes, cucumber and onions into a lettuce cup.  Drizzle the sauce over top and enjoy!

(The picture doesn't show it with onions because my husband doesn't like them, but they are a good addition.)

BBQ Chicken Salad

When I first got married, a good friend of mine gave me a recipe box with a few of her favorite recipes.  This chicken salad was one of them.  It is easy to make and everyone I have made it for always loves it.  Depending on each ingredient you use, this can be personalized to make it processed free, paleo, keto, low carb, etc.  Even vegetarian if you omit the chicken!  That also makes this a good option if you need something for guests and you don't know what kind of diet they are on.

shredded chicken
lettuce/salad greens
tomatoes
bell peppers
avocados
black beans
corn
cheese
tortilla chips

Dressing is equal parts:
BBQ sauce (homemade or low/no sugar)
Ranch dressing (homemade or as clean as possible)

This can be assembled and tossed together in one big bowl or it can be individually put together by each person.  Then they can add as much or as little of each item that they want, kind of like a buffet-style salad.

Citrus Coleslaw

Have you ever wanted fresh fruits and vegetables in a non-heavy kind of slaw?  One that isn't mayonnaise based with lots of other chemicals lurking behind the scene?  Want it to be refreshing too?  Well, this is the recipe for you - it was for me!  I had this slaw at a dinner party and fell in love with it.  The host was clear on the ingredients list, but vague as to actual amounts because she felt you could add however much you wanted of any one ingredient to suit your own tastes.  Normally, I like a straight forward recipe, but this one is particularly forgiving and really great to make how you like it.  It is totally fresh and completely processed free.  I'll give some rough estimates for the ingredient list, but personalize this to your own tastes. 

1/4 to 1/2 head of shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 zucchini, shredded
6 to 7 radishes, shredded
1/2 to whole apple, shredded (I like pink lady)
1/2 to 1 cup pineapple, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh pineapple juice
zest of 1-2 limes and their juice
(optional: add a bit of freshly grated ginger)

Combine all in a bowl and stir - it's that simple!  I really have made this with lots of varying amounts and it has always tasted great.  I take a bite and see what else it needs and call it good. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

My kids spent the night at their grandparent's house and when I picked them up in the morning, my mom had made them pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes.  They were delicious, but certainly not processed free since they came from a box mix.  I'm trying to add more protein to my diet that doesn't always involve eating meat, so I've been playing around with some recipes that can incorporate a high quality protein powder.  I knew I could incorporate that into a pancake recipe, but the thought of combining it with pumpkin and chocolate chips was too tempting.  Here is my version of an individual serving of pumpkin chocolate chip protein pancakes.

1/3 cup water
1 egg
1/4 cup oats
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp. butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Truvia (or sweetener of your choice)
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of salt
chocolate chips (I like Lily's brand)

Put all the ingredients into a small blender, except the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth.  This will create your pancake batter.  Pour a small amount into a greased pan and sprinkle on some chocolate chips.  Flip and repeat the process until the batter is gone.   

This makes anywhere from 4-6 pancakes depending on the amount of batter you use. This is an individual serving, but this recipe is easily doubled or tripled to serve more.  I also like to use the Lily brand chocolate chips because they are sweetened with stevia and erythritol, but you can use whatever you like.   

Korean Beef and Rice

One night I was looking through my fridge, freezer, and pantry trying to come up with a quick, last minute dinner idea.  I had not had time to plan ahead nor did I have much time to spend cooking that particular night.  I found some ground beef and decided that some of my typical ground beef dishes were just not going to cut it.  I did a little internet search and found a good alternative that sounded fast, hence the Korean beef.  I made a few easy swaps to make it processed free and dinner was served.  What I didn't expect was how much my family loved it!  I had a husband who said it was a new favorite and 4 children who gobbled down their dinner - which rarely happens!  This recipe was so ridiculously easy and fast, and for it to turn out to be such a crowd pleaser really made my mom heart happy and my dinner planning and execution schedule much lighter.  This is a recipe to add to your regular rotation for sure!

1 lb. ground beef
3 cloves of minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup coconut sugar or sucanat
1/4 cup liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. black pepper
cooked brown rice

optional garnish:
sesame seeds
sliced green onion

Brown the ground beef in a skillet and half way through the cooking process add the garlic and a little salt and pepper.  Once it is fully cooked add the coconut sugar, liquid aminos, sesame oil, ginger, and pepper.  Turn down the heat to low and stir to coat the meat evenly. 

Let this cook for another 5 minutes to concentrate and incorporate all the flavors.  Serve over brown rice with the optional garnish of sesame seeds and/or sliced green onion.

I think you really will love this as much as we have.  I have made this about 4 other times before posting the recipe and each time it's been the same result - happy eaters!  And I love that I haven't slaved in the kitchen.

Philly Cheese Steak Peppers

Okay, these pictures are not the best, but this little stuffed pepper, was SO good!!  We are trying to eat less grains around here for different health reasons, and this really gave us all the flavors of a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich without the bread.  We lived in Pennsylvania for three years and grew accustomed to this great sandwich where they ask you, "Do ya want it wit or wit-out da wiz."  Those were good times. Now we can relive them with a great tasting, processed free version anytime!

4 bell peppers cut in half (any color)
2-3 Tbsp. butter
1 package of mushrooms sliced or diced
1 sweet onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 slices of Provolone cheese
1 package of thinly sliced Philly Cheese Steak Meat
(If you can't find this, thinly slice a tender cut of steak to mimic the traditional texture)

Cut the peppers in half and lay them in a lightly sprayed 9X13 baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  While these are baking, saute the mushrooms and onions in the butter and season with salt and pepper.  Once these are soft, add the garlic and the meat.  Season again with salt and pepper and cook the meat until it is cooked through.  If there is any liquid in the pan, just keep it sauteing until the it has cooked down..

Once the peppers come out of the oven, line each of them with a slice of cheese and spoon the meat mixture in each one.  Top with another slice of cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is nice and melted.

If you like Philly Cheese Steak sandwichs, I think you'll really love this bread-free version.  I recommend NOT adding "da wiz" aka cheese wiz to this so that you keep this processed free, but if that's how you like it, it may feel all the more authentic to you.  I, myself, was never a wiz girl.  But, suit yourself! Enjoy.

Black Beans and Rice

Thank you to my good friend Jill for passing this recipe along.  Not only is it processed free, it's delicious and cheap.  Definitely a budget friendly, meatless meal to add to the rotation.  My kids even told me I should make this again.  That means it's a winner.  I think you'll enjoy this easy dish!

Cooked brown rice (I cook 2 cups of brown rice in 4 3/4 cups water in my rice cooker -takes about an hour)

1 Tbsp. olive oil or coconut oil

1/2 onion chopped or pureed (use a whole onion if you want)

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. cumin

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (15.5 oz cans)

1 cup water

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

radishes

cilantro

Cook the onion, pepper, garlic, salt and pepper in the oil until it all becomes soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Then stir in the cumin for another minute or so.  Add in the beans, oregano, water and cover the pot.  Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the vinegar.  Smash some of the beans to help thicken the mixture.  Serve this over the warm, cooked rice with radish and cilantro.

I like to chop up the fresh cilantro so that no one gets a leaf to big or a long piece of stem.  I also grate several radishes because they are easier to eat and lose some of the bite that is typically there when you just slice them.  

I think this will be a good, easy, fast, budget friendly meal for most people.  For us, it checks all the boxes!

Potato Salad

I know everyone thinks their mom's potato salad is the best, and I guess I'm no exception.  Our whole family swears by this simple, yet delicious version with no fills or fuss.  To me, this will always be the way potato salad should be - thanks Mama!  

4 lb. bag red potatoes

1 dozen eggs

3/4 of a 15 oz. jar of mayonnaise (I like safflower mayo or Veganaise)

salt and pepper

First, hard boil the eggs.  In a medium pot, place the eggs and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, then turn off the stove and cover for 12 to 13 minutes.  Pour out the warm water and run the eggs under cold water.  Peel and chop.  Set aside.  Dice the potatoes (you can peel them first, but it's more nutritious to leave the peel on) and put them in a large pot.  Cover with water and add salt - potatoes need salt!  You'll also be able to add more later if you need to.  Cook until tender.  Drain in a colander and run cold water over the top.  Stir the eggs, potatoes and mayo together with salt and pepper to taste.  The egg yolks will mix with the mayo and make the most delicious, creamy sauce.  Check for seasonings (especially if it needs more salt) and you're ready to serve!

Tacos Without The Shell

I've mentioned several times that my husband is supposed to have little to no grains for his health.  I was craving tacos the other night, but didn't want to make him feel left out if the kids and I had a taco shell - even if it was processed free.  My solution was to find a different kind of shell.  Besides, the shell is really just a vehicle for all the yummy taco goodness inside anyway.  I ended up swapping it for for lettuce and the results were amazing!  No one missed the shell - not even a little.

shell swap - Boston, bib or butter lettuce leaves
taco meat the way you like it (I like lean ground turkey with my homemade taco seasoning)
toppings: tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

This was a super fast dinner to make and one we all enjoyed.  Be sure to make your own taco seasoning if you choose to use it, otherwise this won't be processed free.  I'm not saying we'll never have a taco shell again, but this was a fabulous alternative.

Chocolate Avocado Frosting

I feel like I'm cheating with this recipe a little bit because it's the same recipe as my chocolate pudding and fudgesicles.  My justification is that when you find a really versatile, processed free, delicious recipe, you just run with it! This is a creamy, rich frosting with no refined sugar or unhealthy oils.  Those have been replace with raw honey and avocados.  I understand this might not be for everyone, but even my sister who doesn't like avocados likes this recipe.

2 avodados
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw honey
1/8 tsp. salt

Put everything in a small food processor and turn it on until all the ingredients are mixed and creamy.  This makes enough to cover the top of a 9x13 inch cake.  You can double it to make a thicker layer or enough to put between layers as well.  This is best spread on the cake and refrigerated to firm it up before cutting, but you don't have to.  Store leftover frosting and/or frosted cake in the refrigerator.

Coconut Flour Popovers

I think popovers are really delicious, easy, and fun.  My kids love to watch them puff up through the oven door and sink a little as they cool.  We are trying to eat less grains because of my husband, so this recipe is in his honor.  The addition of the coconut flour will make these slightly different from a regular popover, but they are still really easy and delicious.  Plus, it's always good to know a processed free version of any recipe, right?

2 Tbsp. butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk (use almond or coconut if you are dairy free)
3 Tbsp. coconut flour (accurately measure - don't approximate with this flour)
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut off one tablespoon of cold butter at a time for a total of two, and slice each one in half, then each half into 3 pieces.  This should make 12 equal-sized, small pieces of butter.  Place each one inside a 12 count muffin tin and place this in the over to let the butter completely melt and the pan to heat up.  Watch that you don't allow the butter to burn while you are making the batter.  In a blender, pour in the eggs, milk, coconut flour, and salt.  Blend until smooth.  Remove the hot muffin pan with the melted butter and pour in the batter filling each cup about half full.  

Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.  Don't open the oven door while they are cooking or they will deflate and not rise again.  They will look very puffy when done, but shrink down as they cool.  You can eat these plain or top with an all fruit jam (no added sugar), more butter, or my favorite - a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and drizzle of real maple syrup!

Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

Are you looking for a cereal that uses whole grains, is gluten free, and low in sugar?  Here is one of my favorites.  Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal is my family's answer to the classic crisp rice cereal.  Just look at the ingredients for yourself - it's awesome.  Processed free doesn't mean you can't find good packaged ingredients in the store.  This company has got my stamp of approval!

Clean Rice Crispy Treats

My kids love rice crispy treats.  I never make them with the traditional ingredients that are very processed and full of sugar.  Instead, I make this recipe.  It is loosely based on the one by Alicia Silverstone with just a few changes to fit my tastes and guidelines.  I think the addition of the peanut butter flavor is really delicious!

3/4 cup brown rice syrup

small pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup natural peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups whole grain brown rice cereal (no sugar added)

(optional: 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips)

coconut oil for greasing the pan

In a small sauce pan, heat the brown rice syrup and salt - you don't need to bring this to a boil.  Once it's smooth, add the peanut butter and let both completely heat through.  

Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour this over the brown rice cereal and coat everything.  If you want to add the chocolate chips, add them now.

Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil and pour in the mixture.  Let this completely cool before cutting into squares - about an hour.  Putting it in the refrigerator will speed up the time!  I hope you like these as much as we do!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

I'm not going to take any credit for the creativity of this dish.  I found the idea on pinterest and only made minor changes to make it processed free, but wow, it's good!  If you like Mexican flavors, this will be right up your alley.  Plus, my whole family gobbled this up.  It's always good to have a dinner you know will go over well with everyone.  The additional toppings really made this easy to customize too.  I think you'll enjoy this easy, fun twist on a pasta dish.

2-3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 diced or pureed onion
1 diced red pepper
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 10 oz. cans mild green enchilada sauce
1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. chili powder (depending on how much heat you like)
2 cup shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterrey Jack, Colby or Cheddar)
1 cup sour cream
1 lb. whole wheat or sprouted grain pasta (any shape - I like rigatoni best)

Toppings: shredded cheese, sliced olives, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream

Heat a large, high-sided pan or medium sized pot on medium heat and let the onions cook for a few minutes in the coconut oil until soft.  Add the red pepper and garlic and let them also soften.  Pour in the green chilies, 3 cans of enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, salt, cumin, and chili powder.  You want this to completely warm through and start to bubble - about 8 to 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese.  Then stir in the sour cream completely and pour this entire mixture over the freshly cooked pasta.  Let everyone add their desired toppings and devour!

For ease, I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded the whole thing early in the day so when dinner time came, this was super fast to make.  This can also be easily doubled to feed a crowd, just use larger pots for cooking.

Mangos and Mascarpone

I think this has to be one of, if not my absolute favorite snack or dessert.  There is no real recipe - it's just fresh mango cut up with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, but it is SO delicious!  Ripe, cold, juicy mango is of course the star which is good on its own.  Then add the sweet, creamy, mild mascarpone and it takes it to a whole new level.  If you're not familiar with this kind of cheese, it most resembles cream cheese without the tang and a little sweeter, but without sugar.  You could substitute some cream cheese with the mango pieces, but it won't be nearly as good.  I say give mascarpone a try if you haven't had it before, and for those who already love it, here's another way to enjoy it!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I grew up eating enchiladas and wanted to make a clean version of one of my favorites - sour cream enchiladas.  The first swap is the flour tortilla.  By the time you eat these, you won't even miss them.  Then, a clean sauce with processed free ingredients rounds this out.  The first time I made these, my husband scarfed them down and then asked if they were clean - of course!  He and the kids thought they tasted like regular enchiladas.  I loved that no one could tell the difference.  

10 small corn tortillas

2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken

2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. sprouted whole grain flour

2 cups chicken broth

4 oz. can diced chilies

1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the 2 types of cheeses (or use all Monterrey jack) to equal 3 cups, and take 1 cup of this cheese mixture and combine it in a bowl with the shredded chicken.  Lay out the 10 tortillas and evenly spoon the chicken and cheese mixture along the center of each tortilla.  Roll them up and place them seam side down in a greased (I use coconut oil) 9X13 pan. 



In a medium sized pot, melt the butter then add the flour.  Cook this for about 1 minute and add the broth.  Bring to a boil and allow this to thicken.  Turn off the heat and add the chilies and sour cream.

Pour this over the top of the rolled tortillas trying to cover everything.  Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Don't these look delicious!  I'm super confident you won't be disappointed if you try these.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

We have all been trying to go grain-free because of my husband and add more vegetables to our meals at our house.  I had really been wanting to try a cauliflower pizza and this gave me the perfect opportunity.  After doing a little research and tweaking this to my own preferences, our recipe for cauliflower crust pizza was born.  This has many steps, but all of them are easy - in other words, this is not fast, but it is simple.  It's also surprisingly filling - must be all the veggies.  My favorite thing is that it is processed free.  Let pizza night begin!

Makes 2 medium pizza crusts

1 large head of cauliflower
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Toppings of your choice: sugar free pizza sauce, cheese, shredded zucchini, olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, ricotta cheese, etc.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally grease it with olive oil.  Chop the cauliflower into small pieces and pulse until finely chopped in a food processor - not pureed though.  Pour into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 8 minutes then let it cool enough to handle. 

Put small batches into a tea towel and twist to remove as much moisture as you can - it has to be dry!  You may have to do this in several batches like I did.

Transfer to a bowl and add the other ingredients.  Shape into two crusts on the oiled parchment and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. 

Should be slightly golden.  Cool a little and add your toppings.  Bake again for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and started to bubble.

Feel free to experiment with your own seasoning and toppings.  I also think this is easier eaten with a fork rather than picked up like a traditional pizza slice.  Give this a try - you may find you like eating more veggies!