Paleo Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

If you have never used a crockpot you need to get one immediately. Throw a bunch of stuff in, use cheap meat, leave for work, come home to a glorious smell, tender meat and dinner ready to go. I am a huge fan and think it a must for parents, college students, basically everyone. Anyone who has ever tried to cook with a kid hanging off your leg or crying because they missed you all day and now you're trying to cook knows how hard it is. Then you have the guilt complex of needing to cooking during the precious few hours you get to see your kid since you've been at work all day... This guilt complex can't be just me!! Anyway, this is delicious, easy, and can be added to brown rice if you are not paleo or need to make it stretch a few more days.

Paleo Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

(Printable Version)

Serves 4-6

- 1.5 lbs flank steak (or skirt steak), cut against the grain in thin strips 

- 1/3 cup arrowroot powder 

- 2 Tblsp avocado oil (or olive oil)

- 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

- 2 garlic cloves, minced 

- 1/2 cup coconut aminos (or gluten free soy sauce)

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/4 - 1/2 cup honey (I have made it with less and it works fine!)

- 1 Tblsp Siracha (or other hot sauce)

- 3 green onions, diced 

- 2 large carrots, small dice (about 1 cup)

- 2-3 broccoli crowns cut into florets 

Directions:

1. In the crockpot mix the steak and arrowroot powder until it is evenly coated.

2. Whisk the remaining ingredients except the carrots, onion and broccoli and pour over the steak.

3. Add the carrots and onion. 

4. Cook on low 4-5 hours or on high 2-3 hours. During the last half hour add the broccoli and stir.

Enjoy!!! 

These are the nutrition facts as the recipe is written:

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 553
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23 g	36 %
Saturated Fat 6 g	31 %
Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 68 mg	23 %
Sodium 885 mg	37 %
Potassium 486 mg	14 %
Total Carbohydrate 54 g	18 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	16 %
Sugars 31 g
Protein 39 g	78 %
Vitamin A	122 %
Vitamin C	169 %
Calcium	8 %
Iron	16 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Quickest ever go-to lunch dinner... The unwich!

As a working mom (or any mom!) sometimes at the end of the day when dinner is on the table for the kids... Or kid in my case... I am left looking around the kitchen for something that I can eat within the parameters of my  lifestyle that's stupidly fast. Sometimes you just don't like what you already have in the fridge, ya know? I personally get sick of my food by the end of the week because since it is only Charlie and me we eat the same things all week- well more me than her :) so anyway I thought I would share my easiest, quickest, meal that seems to be what I turn to when I honestly just want to sit down and eat with my baby after working all day. Sometimes I have some soup with it... the roasted red pepper kind from the box. :) 

The Unwich 

- several slices of lunch meat (find the kind with the fewest ingredients and no sodium nitrate- or better yet! Buy it fresh from the meat counter) I usually go with turkey and salami, two slices each. 

- raw cheese (the is unpasteurized and found part of the primal diet) I like pepper jack!

- mayo kicked up (recipe below) OR I add a horseradish, garlic powder and cayenne to mayo...

Mayo Kicked Up-

- 2/3 Cup Avocado Oil

- 1 Egg- 1.5 tsp Dijon Mustard- 1 tsp Lemon Juice- Pinch of Pepper and Salt- 1/4 Cup Hot Sauce (I used Frank's)
Combine the avocado oil through salt and pepper in bowl or mason jar. Using an immersion blender or your very strong arm- mix the ingredients until a mayo-type consistency is formed. Some recipes call for you to add the oil slowly but I have never had this fail by adding everything and mixing on high. :) Lazy.

- romaine leaves 

Assemble... Seriously, that's it.... Dinner! (I realize it isn't pretty but I was too hungry to care.) 

When I am feeling particularly fancy- or Charlie is not around and I am trying to distract myself-  I use a vegetable peeler and make thin slices of cucumber for my roll ups... these have a little bit of raw pepperjack cheese, Applegate salami and kicked up mayo. 

I know... too much time on my hands. 

Orange Chicken... paleo of course!

It is yet another incredibly snowy Saturday... Charlie is napping- ahhh peace! My quads are killing me from my workout last night-  WOD 1: 100 thrusters (63#), 200 double-unders, MU AMRAP (15 min. time cap)... ugh! Got through everything and a half of a muscle-up-- darn time ran out mid "up". Then I did EMOTM deadlifts at 90% (5 rounds), Clean and jerk 3 reps at every weight starting at 60% until failure, then WOD 2: 6 rds- 1 rope climb, 13 wall balls, 13 pull-ups. Needless to say I am tired. I actually wanted to head back into the box today because I think it helps loosen sore muscles, but Charlie came back to me early so I guess I will be doing a basement WOD tonight. I am thinking: 15 AMRAP- 5 burpees, 10 pistols, 15 KB swings at 1 pood.

When Charlie naps I like to make food so I can enjoy my time with her when she is awake. Cooking also keeps my mind off of other things... I won't go into detail but let's just say men are frustrating! Anyway....On the menu today: Orange Chicken! One of my favorite dishes at chinese restaurants, but it is usually fried and definitely not paleo. Here is my version with some vegetable short cuts to make my life easier. This is even quick enough to make on a weeknight. On a side note: this picture does not do this recipe justice- I was getting impatient waiting for the sauce to reduce :)

Paleo Orange Chicken

Sauce:

- 1 Tbl. Orange zest
- Juice of 1-2 oranges (looking for about a 1/2 cup)
- 2 Tbl. Coconut Aminos (or gluten free soy sauce)
- 2 Tbl. White Vinegar
- 1 tsp. Fish Sauce
- 2 gloves of garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 tsp. Fresh ginger (minced or grated)
- 1 Tbl. Honey
- 1 Tbl. arrow root powder

Put all of the ingredients in a jelly or mason jar and shake. Set aside.

Chicken and Veggies:

- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cubed)

- 3 Tbl. arrow root powder

- 1 small onion (or half a large)- finely chopped

- 3-4 cups of veggies... I used two bags of frozen, steamfresh mixed veggies to save time 

Directions:

- Massage the chicken with the arrow root powder.
- In a skillet over medium high heat- drizzle some oil and add the chicken and onions. Cook 4-5 minutes until cooked through.
- This is when I cooked my steam fresh veggies in the microwave, but if you are using fresh steam the veggies until they are firm but not completely cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and toss with the veggies.
- In the same skillet, add the sauce and simmer until it starts to thicken.
- Add the veggies and chicken back in to coat- the sauce should thicken and become like a glaze.
ENJOY!!! I eat it plain but if you follow a clean eating/gluten free versus paleo it would be fantastic!