5 Recipes to Whip Up this Weekend

The weekends are time for ‘catch up’ when it comes to laundry, bills, cleaning, grocery store runs and…meal prep.

Today is Meal Prep Friday, and here are five recipes to inspire you for prepping for the week ahead over the weekend. My intention is to help YOU take the thought out of meals during the week, so you can go on fueling your life with goodness!

Turkey Sausage

Roasted Chicken

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

Butternut Squash Casserole

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Your Grocery List

Proteins

• 1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey, I used 93% lean (for sausage)
• 3 lb Pork Shoulder (or tenderloin)
• 1 whole chicken
• 2 lbs. chicken breasts/boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2-3 lbs. grass-fed bison, turkey, or beef (for meatballs)

Produce

• Spaghetti squash
• Butternut squash
• Spinach (1 bag)
  • Veggies of choice (for sides throughout the week) Pick 2-4 of your favorites to have on hand!
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Zucchini/Yellow squash
    • Asparagus
    • Brussels Sprouts
    • Broccoli
    • Spinach, Chard, Kale

Oils/Non-Perishables

• Cooking oils/fats- olive oil ,grassfed butter, and/or coconut oil
• 1 – 2 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar
• Coconut aminos
• Coconut flakes, unsweetened (1/2 cup)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 cups free range, organic, Chicken Stock

Spices

• 1 fresh garlic bulb
• garlic powder
• Himalayan sea salt
• ground black pepper
• dried sage
• dried oregano
• 2-4 tablespoons – Rustic Tuscan spice or favorite herbs

Turkey Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey, I used 93% lean
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Kosher or sea salt to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sausage patties to desired size and thickness. I usually get about 8 patties.

Add patties to a large nonstick skillet and cook on medium-high heat until brown on both sides and cooked through.

Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 – Whole Chicken
• olive oil or grassfed butter (melted)– to drizzle
• 2-4 tablespoons – Rustic Tuscan spice or favorite herbs

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rub the skin with the olive oil or butter until well coated.
• Mix the spices and sprinkle liberally over the entire chicken.
• Roast for 1-1.5 hours until an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F.
• Remove and let sit for 20 minutes to intensify flavor.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork (plus homemade BBQ sauce)

*inspired by Civilized Caveman

Ingredients

• 1 head Garlic, peeled
• 3 cup free range, organic, Chicken Stock
• 3 lb Pork Shoulder (or tenderloin)

Directions

• Rinse pork under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Cut slits into the entire pork shoulder and stud with cloves of garlic.
• Place pork in crock pot and cover with chicken broth.
• Cook pork on low for 8 hours.
• While the pork is cooking, make the barbecue sauce (optional, see below).
• After 8 hours of cooking, remove the pork from crock pot, and let cool.
• Remove any of the thick layers of fat, connective tissues, or veins.
• Shred pork by pulling apart the meat using two forks.
• Toss pork with barbecue sauce

This is a great meat to add to salads, lettuce wraps, atop coleslaw and alongside homemade sweet potato fries or chips. You can also try it with this Beasty BBQ sauce from Civilized Caveman. http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/condiments/beasty-bbq-sauce/

“Cheesy” Chicken Butternut Squash Casserole

*inspired by Empowered Sustenance 

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (approximately, you can use more)
• 1 1/3 cups cooked and mashed butternut squash
• 1/4 cup coconut cream (the thick stuff from the top of a can of coconut milk Don’t shake the can)
• 1/4 cup ghee or butter or coconut oil (coconut oil will impart a stronger coconut taste)
• 1 cup spinach (or other green of choice)
• 1 tsp Himalayan sea salt
• 1 – 2 Tbs. raw apple cider vinegar
• Optional: 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut for the topping

Directions:

For butternut squash:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place squash, cut sides down, in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour water into dish around squash halves.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove the skin with a fork; it should be very easy to remove.

For casserole:

Put everything in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the peas are warmed through and everything is melty and creamy. Top with toasted coconut, if desired. If you want, toast the coconut in a skillet over medium heat. Stir until golden and toasty which will take just a few minutes.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients

Pre-cooked Spaghetti Squash 

+

• 2 lb grass-fed ground beef, turkey, or bison
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and mix with hands to combine. Create about 1/3 cup sized balls from the mixture, roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat this with the rest of the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.