Gluten free, Grain free, Paleo, Whole30, Dinner Archives

Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu

September 28, 2018 By Becky 18 Comments

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This easy Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu is packed with rich, hearty flavor and is perfect for cool fall nights. Enjoy it with pasta, spiralized veggies, or polenta.

It’s officially fall, which means it’s time for warming comfort food dishes like this Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu. This meaty sauce gets its flavor from organic, 100% Italian Pomì strained tomatoes, a classic soffritto of onion, celery, and carrot, and of course, the short ribs themselves. If you haven’t tried short ribs before, you are in for a treat: after being seared and then pressure cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot, they shred into the most tender morsels of beef you’ve ever tasted. The sauce is finished with a handful of fresh basil for freshness, and a splash of heavy cream or coconut milk for creaminess if you’re so inclined.

Picadillo with Plantains from Well Fed Weeknights

September 19, 2016 By Becky 10 Comments

This Cuban picadillo with plantains is a quick and tasty Whole30 meal that covers all the flavor bases: sweet, savory, tangy, spicy, and creamy.

Big news! The third book in Melissa Joulwan’s best-selling Well Fed series is almost here, and in my opinion, it’s the best one yet. Well Fed Weeknights is packed full of creative and delicious dinner recipes that can all be made in 45 minutes or less.

I’ve been a fan of Mel’s scrumptious recipes ever since I first made her carnitas years ago, so I was super excited when I got my hands on a preview copy of the book. Since I love Cuban food and especially adore plantains, this picadillo with plantains called out to me right away.

Picadillo is sort of like a hash made with ground beef and various other additions depending on the country each version hails from. This Cuban one starts off with onion, garlic, and a fragrant mix of spices starring cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, and is finished off with chunks of green plantain, sweet raisins, and green olives.

The picadillo is then served with lime slices, scallions, cilantro, and–if you’re me and you like to try out food trends but usually do so several months late–avocado roses. The result is a dish that’s satisfying and interesting in the best way, with sweet pops of raisin, sour olives, perfectly spiced meat, chewy plantains, and creamy avocado coming together to make quite a flavor party.

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce with Sweet Potato Spaghetti

June 10, 2015 By Becky 17 Comments

There’s nothing more comforting than a slow-cooked Bolognese sauce with sweet potato spaghetti! It’s gluten free, paleo, and much more colorful and nutritious than regular spaghetti and meatballs.

This is Whole30 comfort food at its best. Making Bolognese sauce every Friday is a new tradition of mine, and even though I’ve only been doing it for a few weeks, it’s already made my weekends much heartier and more delicious.

I have Fridays off this semester so I can stay home while this fragrant sauce simmers away, but if you have to work you could start the sauce in the morning before you leave and finish it in the slow cooker, or make it your Saturday or Sunday tradition instead.

You want to let this sauce cook for a nice long time because the flavors will continue to meld and develop over the course of several hours. The long cooking time is the reason bolognese sauce is so synergistic. I also think the sauce tastes even better when I reheat it a day or two later, but I can never resist eating at least some of it the day I make it. The aroma is so enticing!

Because everyone’s schedule is different, I’m providing a slow cooker version and a version that cooks completely on the stovetop. Other than the cooking time, which is much longer for the slow cooker version, the only difference is the amount of liquid you add. The stovetop version needs extra liquid since much of the water in the sauce will evaporate, but the slow cooker keeps all that moisture locked in.