Whole30 Day 5: Spaghetti Pie

This recipe is similar to one I posted last year, Pepperoni Pizza Casserole.  But PaleOMG's recipe is just different enough it made me want to try hers instead of mine.  Plus, PaleOMG's version is straight-up whole30 compliant. But I'm topping mine with non-compliant pepperoni slices as inspired by From Here To Health.

Photo: From Here To Health

Almost 5-Ingredient Pizza Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1 lb italian sausage
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup pizza sauce (no sugar added)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 eggs, whisked
• (optional: add anything you like with pizza: veggies, basil, even cheese if you do primal)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin of the squash gives when you press on it. Then, remove squash from oven and reduce temp to 350˚F.
3. Once squash is done cooking, remove threads and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Place a large pan over medium heat. Add italian sausage and onion. Cook until pink no longer remains in the sausage and it is broken up into pieces.
5. Add pizza sauce, dried basil and salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.
6. Add sausage mixture to the spaghetti squash and mix well.
7. Add whisked eggs to the spaghetti squash and mix everything together until you can no longer see the eggs.  Pour into an 8×8 baking dish.
8. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust that doesn’t give when you press on it in the middle of the dish.
9. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash

We're counting down to Thanksgiving!  I love Thanksgiving.  It is my favorite holiday.  I love cooking in the kitchen with my husband and it seems this is the only day we get to cook together.

I've been building my tried and true recipe files.  As I pulled out my Thanksgiving recipes I realized we've been making our Good Eats Roast Turkey for 9 years!  Why fix what ain't broken?  After going paleo last year we made some adjustments.  I thought I'd share our favorites with you in case you'd like to add them to your holiday dinner.

This is my version adapted from I'm Good Fat.  I found this recipe and made it for my mom last month while she was out visiting.  I recently made this recipe again because I love it!!!  It tastes just like Thanksgiving stuffing without any of the bread.  This will be our stuffing this year.

Ingredients:

3 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
coconut oil, sea salt, nutmeg
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tbs coconut oil
2 lbs ground organic, pastured pork, grass-fed beef, grass-fed bison, or try a combination
2 large carrots, diced
sea salt
1 tbs minced parsley
1 tbs minced sage
1 tbs minced thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 organic Fuji apples
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Dot the inside of each acorn squash with coconut oil and sprinkle each with sea salt and nutmeg.
• Place the acorn squash cut side up in a glass baking dish and add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Cook the squash in the oven 45 minutes or until fork tender.
• In a large skillet sauté the onions in coconut oil until they start to brown. Add the ground meat, carrots, sea salt, and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add the parsley, sage and thyme and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, apple, and nuts. Stir until warmed. Season to your liking with salt.
• Stuff each cooked squash half with the stuffing mixture and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Bison and Sweet Potato Chili

I love chili.  It really hits the spot when I'm craving comfort foods.  This is an amazing recipe from Paleo Girl that my whole family loves.  You don't have to use Bison but grass-fed bison is a great, low-fat meat option.  Tonight I'm using lamb because I have it on hand.  Any ground meat will work but I hope it's grass-fed...

If you want your chili to be more spicy, follow Paleo Girl's recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground buffalo (or ground meat of choice)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Brown your ground meat in a stock pot. Once browned remove it with a slotted spoon leaving any drippings in the pot.
2. Add the coconut oil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the onion and continue cooking until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Next add remaining ingredients except for cilantro.
5. Let simmer for about 10 minutes so that the flavors can meld together.
6. Stir in the cilantro right before serving.

• Skill Level: Easy