Avocado and Jalapeño Stuffed Burgers with Mashed Cauliflower

I don't really have the time to explain this- so I am just going to post and say ENJOY! :)
These two dishes are delicious together. I love to take a fork of burger and a scoop of mashed cauliflower and eat it together... Makes it seem like dipping sauce?!

You best have a Food Processor or some kind of blender! 
And a CrockPot. I know I mentioned that before!


Mashed Cauliflower
1 Head of Cauliflower
5-6 Cloves of Garlic (or whatever you want)
1 Tablespoon of Coconut Oil
Handful of Fresh Basil
Pinch of Fresh Rosemary

1. Put a little water in a post and put a steamer tray in it - bring the water to a boil.
2. As you are waiting, break apart the head of cauliflower into florets and peel your garlic. No need to crush.
3. Once the water is boiling, put the cauliflower and garlic in the steamer tray and cover/boil for about 15 minutes.
4. As I was waiting, I got antsy, so I put 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, a handful of fresh basil, and a pinch of fresh rosemary in the food processor because I thought it would taste good blended together...
5. After 15 minutes of steaming, put the cauliflower/garlic mix in the food processor. Then pulse until it looks like mashed potatoes - but better!

Avocado and Jalapeño Stuffed Burgers
1 lb of Ground Beef
1 Avocado
1 Diced Jalapeño 
Pepper
Minced Garlic
Oregano

1. In a big bowl, mix the ground beef with the diced jalapeño, some pepper, some minced garlic (you choose - I always use a lot), and a little oregano. Mix well with your hands! This is the fun part!
2. Make little patties (I made a little ball in the palm of my hand and then flattened). With 1 lb of meat, I was able to make 12 little patties.
3. Take one patty - and scoop a little avocado on top. Then take another patty and mash on top - and roll together to mesh together. I just rolled them in my hand as if they were a lacrosse ball - don't put too much pressure on it!
4. Cook how you want to!

Go-To Meal #1

I am a sucker for routine. If I like something, I tend to want to eat it constantly.

For the past two years, we have made this dish if not every week, then every other week. Not only is it delcious - but you can play around with the different kinds of sauces you use, vegetables you add in, and spices you spice it up with. Be careful, though, and read the label! Sometimes, for whatever unnecessary reason, they like to add sugar into spaghetti sauce.

Speaking of really good tomato sauces, here is my favorite:

You can find the different Lucini's sauces at Wegman's, Moms, Martin's...

Oh - so the meal - Spaghetti Squash Pasta! I know I have posted this recipe before, but I am telling you, we are all creatures of habit - and I continue to make this dish every week because it is delicioius and easy!

Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash (the bigger, the more leftovers you get)

1 Pound of Ground Meat of Choice (beef, chicken, turkey)

Spaghetti Sauce of Choice (read the label!)

Optional: Diced Vegetables (try onions, mushrooms, zuccini)

Optional: Spices (Italian Seasoning, Garlic, Pepper...you name it!)

Directions

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half the long way (stem to stem). Scoop out the seeds and pumpkin like goop with a spoon.

2. Place the two halves face down on a plate and cover the plate with plastic wrap. Microwave for 10 minutes. I am sure that you could bake the spaghetti squash, but I don't have time for that...

3. Brown up your meat like any normal human being knows how to do! I usually brown it in the sauce pan so I only dirty one bowl.

4. Drain the fat (if that is your thing - it is not John's...gross). Add in the optional diced vegetables and jar of sauce. Heat up!

5. Uncover your spaghetti squash and fork out with a fork. It should look like spaghetti!

Eat this delicious meal! If you don't like it, I don't believe you! My brother, who is one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met, ate two bowls of this stuff when I made it. Get addicted. Make it once a week. Play around with the recipe. Let me know what you do so I can copy you!

Easy CrockPot Pork

If you are anything like me, you are going to be extremely motivated the first three days of the Paleo challenge. You will make a grocery list, plan out your meals, have a wide smile as you are baking that chicken, roasting that asparagus, and sautéing those vegetables.

 I don't need to help you with these meals.

Here is the meal for the fourth day - the day that you want to KILL ALL THINGS. The post that Connie posted is very true. If you do not go through this day (or days), then I am going to think you ate a piece of Hershey's Dark Chocolate out of the snack fund at work...

Oh - and if you don't have a CrockPot - buy one. Seriously.

CrockPot Pork

Ingredients

2 lbs Pork Loin (Bone-Out)

2 cups of Mushrooms

1 Red Onion

1 Tomato

1 Small Jar of Salsa (I used Amy's Medium)

Pepper

Cumin

Tablespoon Coconut Oil

Directions:

1. Dice up the red onion and (if they are not already sliced) slice up the mushrooms and put in a bowl to the side.

2. Dice up the tomato and put into a different bowl. Do not complain that I just asked you to use two bowls.

3. Heat up a pan on the stove with your coconut oil. While the pan is heating up, if you are like me, you will want to cut off the fatty stuff on the pork loin. You don't have to. Use the pepper and cumin to season the pork and rub in on all sides! 

4. Sear both sides of the pork in the pan you just heated (about 3 minutes each side). This will give it a little crispiness that the CrockPot won't give it.

5. Put the pork in the crockpot. Dump in the onions/mushrooms. Put on low heat. You should cook it for eight hours.

6. In the same pan that you seared the pork, put the diced tomato, the jar of salsa, some cracked pepper, and about a tablespoon of cumin. Stir until bubbly  - then put into the crockpot.

7. When it is done (eight hours after you have woken up and wanted to punch every single living person in the face), all you have to do is run your fork through it and it will look like this! 

Eat! It is good to just eat - or you can play around with lettuce wraps, on some veggies, with a sweet potato. Just eat it!

What do I do with all of my boxed Mac and Cheese?!

If you are starting your first Paleo challenge - and you are anything like me - you have a ton of food in your cupboards that don't exactly match up to the standards. Don't know what exactly to eat yet while being Paleo? Well, I bet you can guess that the boxed macaroni and cheese, sugary CocoPebbles, and boxes of cake mix don't exactly equal on-point nutrition.

Well - here is my challenge to you. 

Use this next month to clean out your cupboards. There are plenty of women's shelters, after school childcare programs, homeless shelters, etc. that are in need of non-perishable goods. ACTUALLY - the majority of these places also accept perishable goods - those refrigerated pudding cups, cinnamon rolls, ice cream...you name it.

Options for Food Donations: 

Howard County Food Bank: List of items they are currently accepting


Annapolis Women's Shelter (Lighthouse): List of items they are currently accepting


Additionally, I encourage you to experiment this month. Try to buy JUST meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Although the Paleo challenge doesn't start until June 1st, you can try it out as best as you can now to see where your biggest hurdle is going to be. Mine was and always will be chocolate...

My next post will focus on tricks and gimmicks in the supermarket and no-nos during the Paleo Challenge. Look for this post on Thursday evening.