Classic Meatloaf

Why do I love meatloaf so much? I don't really know but it screams comfort food to me. When the weather is cold (as it has been here, I'm talking -30'C for a high!) it is like a nice warm hug!

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup of minced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 carrot, minced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp Italian spice mix
1 can tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
2 -3 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
4 tbsp almond flour
1 - 2 tbsp coconut flour
2 large eggs, beaten slightly
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 350° F, with a rack in the middle. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter on medium heat until foamy. Add the minced onion, mushrooms, carrot, garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Cover the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, freshly ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, 1/2 can of tomato paste. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let cool to the touch.

In a large bowl, use your clean hands to combine the ground beef, eggs, cheese flours, the cooked vegetables, and parsley.

Press mixture into a loaf pan with 2-inch high sides. Cover the loaf with the remaining tomato paste.
5 Bake the meatloaf in a 350°F oven for 1 hour. Let rest for 10 minutes. Then gently remove by lifting with a spatula to a serving plate, and slice to serve.

Enjoy!!

Spinach Beef Sliders

Always a crowd pleaser!

1 pound frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 pound Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup small-dice celery
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet and toss in the chopped onions, celery and mushrooms along with some salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are softened. 

Add vegetables to the ground beef in a large bowl, and then added the chopped spinach, coconut flour, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley and nutmeg. Add the beaten eggs

I use my hands to gently combine all the ingredients and formed the meat mixture into small patties (about 2 inches in diameter).

Place the sliders on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve with a tomato sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

Homemade Italian Style Meatballs

I was watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives the other day and they were at this place that was making the most decadent meatball subs. This gave me the biggest craving for an awesome meatball. So I typed into google "large baked meatballs" and this was the recipe (with modifications) that popped up. I decided that I may as well try it and see how they would turn out. You know what? They were damn good! 

Meatballs
2 lbs ground beef and pork (50/50 mix)
1/2 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 - 1/2 almond flour
1 egg 
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (leave out for strict Paleo)
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Sauce
1 can crushed tomatos
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, parsley, oregano)

Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl combine meat, onion, garlic, almond flour, egg, cheese (optional) and seasonings. Combine together with your hands. If the mixture is too wet add more almond flour. Roll the meatballs into 2-inch diameters and place on a foil lined baking sheet with about 1 inch spacing between them. Continue making meatballs until ingredients are all used up. You should end up with about 12 - 16 large meatballs.Bake until they are cooked through, about 25 minutes.

For the sauce combine all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. The longer it simmers the more the flavours with develop.

Top the meatballs with sauce and enjoy!

Beef Keema

Keema is a traditional South Asian meat dish. According to very reliable source (wikipedia), keema originally meant minced meat. It is typically minced mutton curry with peas or potatoes. Keema can be made from almost any meat, can be cooked by stewing or frying, and can be formed into kababs. Keema is also sometimes used as a filling for samosas or naan.

This keema recipe I served over cauliflower rice!

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander 
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp chili powder
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
1 cup stock (I used beef)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch of spinach, washed and chopped or a bag of frozen spinach

Begin by browning the ground beef. Add onion and saute along with the beef. Add garlic, ginger and spices, fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beef stock, turn heat down and allow to simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until flavors are well melded. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir spinach through. Turn heat off and wilt the spinach.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Northwest Cavegirls

Beef and Cabbage Soup

What can I say? I really like soup. So here's another one for you to try for the potentially cold fall months ahead. I must admit now that I have a freezer full of soup that should last me a couple of months.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pinch ground cloves
3 cups cabbage, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 cups beef stock
3 cups water
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 lemon wedges

In large saucepan, brown beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with back of spoon. With slotted spoon, transfer to bowl. Drain fat from pan and wipe out pan.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and cloves, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in cabbage, carrots and celery; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add stock, 3 cups water and tomato paste. Return beef to pan and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Serve with lemon.

Recipe from Canadian Living

Marinated Flank Steak with Mushrooms

2 pounds grass-fed flank steak
1/2 cup red wine (sometimes you just need wine)
1/2 cup coconut aminos
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter or ghee
chopped green onion

Combine the wine, coconut aminos, garlic and pepper in a dish large enough to fit the steak. Add the steak and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 4 hours. Remove the steak from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and grill or broil the steak on high heat about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.
While the steak is resting, prepare the mushrooms: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and brown on both sides. (you may have to do this in 2 batches so they can brown)
Add the reserved marinade and reduce until it is reduced to roughly 1/2 cup. Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the steak, top with green onion and serve.

Russian Cutlets with Mushroom Sauce

I make no claim that this is actually a dish in Russian culture! I was searching the net for something different to try and stumbled across this recipe. I decided to give it a try. Knowing me, I obviously made some changes to the recipe. To me these cutlets are more like a hamburger steak but hey maybe in Russia this is what they call a cutlet?

Cutlets

2 lbs ground beef

1/2 med onion, blended

3 cloves garlic, blended

1/2 tsp each salt, white pepper, ground mustard

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp butter or ghee

Mushroom Sauce

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1/2 cup beef stock

fresh ground pepper

For the cutlets, blend your onion and garlic together into a paste (as always I use my magic bullet), then get your other ingredients ready. In a saucepan, melt the butter/ghee on medium heat, then add the onion/garlic paste.  Simmer on medium heat for about two minutes, to sweat the liquid out of the onions and to lessen the oniony taste.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the other ingredients for the cutlets and gently mix together with your hands. Be careful not to over-mix the meat. Form the ground beef into six oval-shaped patties and place them on a baking sheet.  Place the cutlets in the middle rack of the oven and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then broil them for another two minutes.

Meanwhile, using the same pan you sauteed the onions and garlic in add the butter, mushrooms and onions on medium heat. Fry the mushrooms and onions until the mushrooms release moisture and start to cook down. Add the stock and season with pepper. Let simmer for 10ish minutes. 

Once the cutlets are ready remove from the oven and top with the sauce. I served my cutlets with a poached egg and wilted spinach. The egg added some extra creaminess with the soft yolk.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of The Domesticated Man!

Beautiful Beet Borscht

Well I hate to admit it but autumn is drawing near. The endless summery days are fading into cooler evenings and a beautiful array of colors. Autumn isn't all bad, in fact it's probably my favorite season. The days are still warm and the evenings are cooler making more enjoyable to sleep, workout and of course bringing out a whole different set of clothes. Growing up autumn always meant lots of cooking, baking and canning in my household. My mother would harvest the vegetables from her garden and start the arduous task of making large batches of borscht, salsa, pickles, pies and whatever else you can think of. It was always a treat coming home to a fresh bowl of soup or other goodies that may have been created that day. So now it is my turn to share some of those family favorites as well as some new recipes with you. Prepare yourself over the next few weeks to find yourself reading some delicious recipes that truly come from the heart!

The first autumn recipe and possibly one of my favorite dishes is a traditional Polish/Ukrainian soup called Borscht. Borscht is a soup made from beets, onions, and carrots that is simmered with dill, vinegar and cream. Now I must warn you that this recipe is not 100% paleo but it could easily be modified. I personally couldn't do it, I mean you can ruin a good thing!

To start with we need to make the soup base or broth. Now, personally I think this is a must however if this seems too time consuming you can use the purchased beef or pork stock. 

Stock

3 or 4 beef or pork soup bones

A package of short beef/pork ribs

4 L water

Place beef or pork soup bones and the package of short beef/pork ribs in pot. Cover with water, bring to boil. You will notice this lovely layer of "black foam" appear on the top, we need to get rid of this. Drain the water reserving the bones. Add new hot water to pot and simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours. Let mixture cool, skim fat and remove bones and meat. Reserve meat for later.

3 cups of chopped beats (we always shred the beets in my household)

1 big onion chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 tbsp salt

¼ cup vinegar

1 tbsp white sugar (omit for true paleo)

Dill to taste

Reserved meat

Add these ingredients to the broth and let boil together until the beets are soft. Then add:

 

1 – 2 diced potatoes (omit for the paleo purist)

¾ cup of frozen peas

Simmer until vegetable cooked. Add:

2 cans of tomato soup or stewed tomatoes

2 cans of pork and beans (I know this is weird but it really does the trick!)

Let simmer for a few minutes. Take some soup of the pot and add 1 small container of whipping cream to the removed soup. Pour back into the pot and heat.

Enjoy! This is truly a family favorite and I hope you can add this to your repertoire as well!

Deconstructed Samosa

Samosa's remind me of childhood. Now you might ask how do samosa's remind a boy from central Canada of childhood? I will tell you! Growing up we had a family friend (almost like a second mother) from Uganda and made the best samosa's. She was always sending over the treats for us to enjoy, even to this day I get a dozen or so at Christmas. These samosa's we filled with ground beef and a beautiful array of spices. This recipe is very similar and is damn tasty!


2 tablespoons ghee/coconut oil
1 large onion, finely minced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
2 pounds of ground beef
½ teaspoon turmeric
 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon garam masala
Juice from half a lemon
¼ cup minced cilantro

Heat the ghee or coconut in a large skillet over medium heat and prep your ingredients as the pan gets hot. Throw the onions in the pan and stir fry until translucent, about 10 minutes. 

Toss in the garlic, ginger, and peppers and sauté until fragrant. Crumble in the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the pieces with your spatula. Stir in the turmeric, salt, and coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. 

Simmer the meat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When time’s up, check to see if the liquid has evaporated from the meat. If not, cook the meat uncovered for 5 more minutes or until the moisture is gone. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the garam masala, lemon juice, and minced cilantro.You can serve the spiced meat in fresh lettuce wraps.

Recipe from Nom Nom Paleo

Lazy Cabbage Rolls

Being of Polish heritage I absolutely love cabbage rolls and the traditional flavours of dill, cabbage and tomato. A traditional cabbage roll from my family is stuffed with rice flavored with dill and bacon. Sadly rice is out but never fear I have found an alternative. This recipe tastes just as good as a traditional cabbage roll but with only half the work!  

1 small head of cabbage
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp water
1/2 head cauliflower
1.5 lb free range ground beef
1 can (796 ml) + 1 can (398 ml) tomato sauce
2 tbsp green relish
3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1/4 cup sauerkraut
Salt and fresh ground pepper

First, prepare your cabbage. It’s easy if you cut the head in quarter’s and then slice out the stem and discard. Place a quarter of the cabbage cut side down and slice about 1 cm thick. Do this for the entire cabbage head. In a large frying pan heat 2 tbsp water and 1 tbsp coconut oil on high heat. Add the sliced cabbage along with the sauerkraut and cook for about 5 – 10 minutes, or until some of the cabbage starts to become translucent and slightly golden. Meanwhile, in a separate pan on medium to low heat, fry the onions in the remaining coconut oil until translucent and beginning to turn golden brown.

Coarsely chop the cauliflower and place in a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until you get the consistency of rice.OR if you don't have a food processor just grate it on a box grater (that's what I did). Fry the ground beef until fully cooked. Once cooked, add the fried onions, 1 tbsp of dill, cauliflower rice, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot to medium heat and add the tomato sauce, relish and 2 tbsp dill. Bring to a light simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now it’s time to bring everything together. Place about 1/2 of the sliced cabbage on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish so it covers the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/2 of the ground beef mixture and 1/2 the tomato sauce. Repeat, finishing with the sauce on top. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and place in a 350°F oven. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. These lazy cabbage rolls are much better the next day, so this is a great make ahead dish that is totally good for you!

Bon appétit!

Recipe from Going Against the Grain

Taco Salad

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup water
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 romaine heart
guacomole 
fresh cilantro
salsa

Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef or turkey and onion to pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, oregano, sea salt and water, and let simmer
for 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, wash lettuce and tear. Top with meat, tomatoes, cilantro, guacamole and salsa.

Simple as that! I suggest not using the taco seasoning mixes as they often have preservatives and are high in salt. 

The 'Ultimate' Chili

I work up this morning and it was a rainy day so I decided to create a comfort food to help warm up the day.


6 slices of bacon, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 jalenpo, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 28oz can tomato pureé
1 – 14oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups coffee
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp sea salt + sprinkle
1 tsp pepper + sprinkle

Sauté bacon in large dutch oven or soup pot and cook until bacon cooked and renders the bacon fat. Remove the bacon and leave the bacon fat. Add the onions and bell peppers to the bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper, cook for about 5 minutes.

Add beef and garlic and cook until brown. About 7  minutes.

Add tomato pureé, tomato sauce, coffee and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours. The longer it simmers the more the flavours will develop.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Robb Wolf

Beef Jerky

1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
¼ cup coconut aminos*
1 teaspoon all natural liquid smoke
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 tbsp Sriracha 

* Coconut aminos are basically the “sap” of the coconut tree.  The sap produced is loaded with amino acids, minerals, and is low on the glycemic index. Amino acids are important because they help with the repair and rebuilding of muscles tissue.  Amino acids also help enhance the nervous system, boost the immune system, and boost energy levels.  The sap from the coconut tree is combine with sea salt and naturally aged to create coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are most notably used as a soy free substitute for soy sauce. In Saskatoon these can be purchased at Hygeia Health Market and Dad's Nutrition. 

Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.

Place in dehydrator for 8 to 12 hours. Or set oven at lowest temperature (150 -175 F) and bake for six hours, turning after three hours. 

Enjoy!

Shepherd’s Pie

Topping
3 large parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tbsp grass-fed butter
sea salt

Filling
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 pound ground beef or lamb (I used beef!)
1 can tomato paste
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
Sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place parsnips and turnips in a medium saucepan, add enough salted water to cover about one inch over the parsnips/turnips. Boil over medium-high heat until they are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain. Add the butter and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

While parsnips and turnips cook, add ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stock and spices. Let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are soft and the flavors have a chance to meld together. Add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. 

Place beef mixture in a casserole dish. Spoon parsnip/turnips on beef mixture and smooth over the top.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until the beef is bubbly.

Recipe adapted from CrossFit Carbon

Ropa Vieja

Ropa vieja literally means "old clothes" in Spanish. The name describes the shreds of meat and vegetables which resemble colorful strips of rags. This Cuban beef stew is hearty enough to eat on its own.

1 lb flank steak, cut into 1/3
1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups of stock (any kind)
2 handfuls of green, pimento stuffed, olives
1 yellow onions, sliced in ½ moons and then into strips
2 red peppers, sliced into strips
2 tbsp olive juice
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
hot sauce, to taste
salt and pepper

Dump all the ingredients into a medium sized pot (anything you have with high sides that will fit a lid). Place the stove heat on medium, cover with the lid and let simmer for 1 hour. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour. You’re looking for beef that’s easily shredded. Take out the beef pieces and place onto a cutting board. Use two forks (one to hold the meat in place and the other to shred) to pull, (against the grain of  the meat) it into nice, thin shreds. Put the shredded beef back into the pot. Stir it around and serve. 

Moroccan Burger with Grilled Eggplant and Pickled Red Onion

Moroccan Burgers
2 lb ground beef
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp all spice
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 egg
1 tbsp coconut flour

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Form into burgers grill for 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat for a medium burger or longer if you want it cooked through more. Makes approximately 6 - 8 burgers depending on how big you make them.

Grilled Eggplant
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

Drizzle slices of eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place eggplant on a hot grill and grill for about 15 minutes, turning once.

Quick Pickled Red Onions
1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tsp honey
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water

Whisk vinegar, honey, salt and water in a small bowl until salt dissolve. Place onion in a bowl; pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

To assemble burger, top beef with sliced tomato, lettuce grilled eggplant and pickled onions. Enjoy!

Moroccan Burger topped with grilled eggplant and pickled red onions

Recipe adapted from Everyday Paleo

Spaghetti Bolongese

1 lb grass fed ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup vegetable or beef stock
1 orange/red pepper roasted
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash

Brown ground beef in a large dutch oven. Once browned add the onion and garlic, continue to cook on medium heat until onions are soft 4 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile roast pepper on BBQ until blackened and tasty. Place pepper in blender with vegetable stock and pulse until smooth. Add to beef mixture. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a boil then turn down and simmer for 45 minutes. You can simmer it on top of the stove or move it into the crock pot on low for 2 - 3 hours. 

There are many different methods to cook the spaghetti squash. To start with cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds. You can then bake in the oven at 375 F for 30 to 40 minutes rind side up. Place a small amount of water in the pan so it doesn't burn. My preferred method is to cook it in the microwave primarily because it cooks much faster! Place in the microwave rind side up and cook on high for 10 minutes. Let it sit a few minutes and then run a fork through the squash to separate the spaghetti strands.

Top "spaghetti" with bolognese sauce and top with chopped parsley

Crockpot Curry Beef

Growing up one of my least favorite meals that my mother would make was beef pot roast. Still to this day it is not one of my preferred meals, however, with the use of curry and other earthy spices this beef was quite tasty. 

1 beef pot roast
1 onion, roughly sliced
2 tbsp curry
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp onion powder
1 carton beef or vegetable stock (900 ml)

Place chopped onions at the bottom of the crockpot. Combine spices and rub the pot roast with spices. Place roast in the slow cooker and cover with beef/vegetable stock until meat is 3/4 covered. 

Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours. I cooked mine on low and it was extremely tender when I pulled it out of the crockpot. 

I served mine it sauteed onion, red pepper and bean sprouts. I find these vegetables are a nice compliment to the earthy notes of the spices used with the beef. Enjoy!

Beef Stew

1 lb stewing beef
2 tbsp bacon fat
4 cups beef stock
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, combine the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes with the bacon fat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beef to the saucepan and brown. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, mushrooms and spices. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about one hour. Stir a few times during the cooking process. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. If the mixture is too thick at the end of the cooking process, you can add a little bit of water or stock.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Caribbean Beef Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1 egg
2 tbsp jerk seasoning

Once onion, mushroom and cilantro are chopped add to ground beef. Add egg and jerk seasoning mix. Form into patties and place in the fridge to let sit for about 30 minutes. 

Heat BBQ grill or George Foreman Grill, my BBQ was unfortunately out of propane so I opted for the inside grill. Grill for 4 - 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Serve with pineapple salsa, veggies or a nice fresh salad. 

Caribbean Beef Burger with fresh pineapple salsa.