Casserole Time!

I am always looking for healthy recipes that can be prepared quickly. We all have busy lives, so casseroles are a good way to incorporate proteins and vegetables in one dish with ease. Mix good veggies, spices, sauces with protein and you are done. What can be easier than that? They are also a great way to re-invent your leftovers.

CROCKPOT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Let's start with breakfast. This casserole will start your day off with high protein and veggies. Feel free to use sweet potatoes (white or red). You'll be able to power through your morning with this recipe.

A healthy Crockpot breakfast casserole! SO delicious.

• 8 eggs

• 4 egg whites

• ¾ cup milk (whatever you prefer, dairy or nut)

• 2 tsp stone ground mustard

• ½ tsp garlic salt (I'd prefer powder or fresh to keep the sodium content down.)

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp pepper

• 1 30 oz bag frozen hash browns

• optional: 4 strips cooked bacon

• ½ onion, roughly chopped

• 2 bell peppers, roughly chopped

• 1 small head of broccoli, roughly chopped

• 6 oz cheddar cheese

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard, garlic salt, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Lightly grease the bottom of your crockpot. Place half the hash browns on the bottom. Layer with half the bacon, chopped onion, bell peppers, broccoli, and cheese. Add on the last half of the hash browns, then top with the rest of the veggies, bacon, and cheese. Pour all of the egg mixture on top.

3. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low. Serve hot!

Notes *Make sure to properly season your casserole! If you don't have garlic salt, replace it with salt and add in garlic powder or any other seasonings you love.

*The texture of this will be spongier. If you prefer more texture to your bake, try using frozen diced potatoes instead.

http://apple-of-my-eye.com/2014/05/22/healthy-crockpot-breakfast-casserole/

​CHICKEN BROCCOLI CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

There is a lot of cheese in this recipe. If you are not doing dairy, make a cashew cream. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-the-ultimate-vegan-cashew-cream-242648

​ ​A healthy and cheesy broccoli and cauliflower rice chicken casserole that is perfect for dinner and makes great leftovers. Gluten free and low carb! // isabeleats.com

• 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large cauliflower

• 16 oz bag frozen broccoli cuts

• 2 tsp coarse sea salt

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp butter melted

• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

• 1 1/2 cup Italian five cheese blend shredded

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, lightly coat in olive oil and place on baking sheet. Liberally season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.

3. While chicken is baking, grate cauliflower in a large bowl. Add frozen broccoli cuts, chopping some of the larger pieces in half.

4. Remove chicken from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

5. While chicken is cooling, add sea salt, melted butter, onion powder, garlic powder, shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the shredded Italian five cheese blend to the large bowl.

6. Mix everything together.

7. Carefully cut baked chicken into cubes. Toss with broccoli/cauliflower mixture and transfer to 9 x 13 inch (3 quart) baking dish or larger.

8. Top with ½ cup shredded Italian mix cheese.

9. Bake in oven for 50 minutes.

10. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

11. Top with some diced chives, a dollop of ranch dressing and enjoy!​

https://www.fromcatstocooking.com/broccoli-cauliflower-rice-chicken-casserole/

DRUNKEN CHICKEN ZOODLE CASSEROLE

​This dish will give you so much flavor with the fish sauce and aminos. Get those veggies drunk with this great sauce.​

This Drunken Chicken Zoodle Casserole takes a spin on the original Pad kee mao Asian stir fry and puts in casserole form. A Paleo Noodle Zoodle Casserole with tons of flavor, Thai spices, and simple healthy ingredients! Light and delicious.

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breast (the darker meat works best)

• Ingredients for Stir Fry Sauce

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce/paste (available in most Asian sections at store. Or use Sriracha)

• 2-3 tbsp gluten free Tamari soy sauce mixed with 1 tbsp dark sugar (coconut palm sugar, dark brown sugar, or molasses). This creates a dark soy sauce. *For Paleo use Coconut Aminos*

• Pinch of ground ginger

• kefir lime or 1/4 tsp lime zest (a splash of juice works too)

• salt and pepper to taste

• optional finely diced Thai bird's eye red pepper for extra spicy

Other Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil

• 1 tsp garlic

• 1 cup stir fry veggies (i.e. broccoli, snap peas, etc.)

• 2-3 tbsp tapioca starch or potato starch/flour

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 16 oz (or about 3-4 c Zucchini noodles- zoodles) This equals about 1-2 large zucchini

• 3 eggs

• 2-3 tbsp coconut milk

• Garnish/Topping

• Thai basil

• 1 Thai red pepper (see notes for other pepper)

• optional sesame seeds to garnish

Directions

1. Clean your chicken then dice your chicken meat into small slices/cubes. Set aside.

2. Slice veggies and spiralize your zucchini. If you don't have a spiralizer, just cut julienne style. I use this spiralizer. Make sure to pat your zucchini noodles extra dry with a towel. To remove excess water.

3. Next Mix your stir fry sauce. Whisk together the fish sauce, chili sauce, ginger, tamari + sugar (to equal the dark soy sauce), lime, pinch of pepper. Taste and adjust with more tamari/sugar if needed. For Paleo option, use palm sugar or molasses

4. Preheat oven to 350F and greased casserole dish. Set aside.

5. Place meat, garlic, onion, oil in skillet or large pan. Sauté 5 minutes.

6. Add your stir fry veggies, sliced red pepper, sauce, and 2-3 tbsp tapioca starch. Stir fry 10-15 minutes until chicken no long pink (but not overcooked) and starch is mixed well with the meat/vegetables.

7. Place (Zucchini noodles) zoodles at the bottom of your casserole dish

8. Add the Chicken stir fry with sauce on top of zoodles; evenly.

9. Next whisk your eggs and coconut milk. Pour over casserole dish.

10. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the egg mix is cooked through.

11. Remove from oven and garnish with Thai basil and optional sliced Thai peppers.

12. Salt/pepper to taste. Sesame seeds to sprinkle over top, if desired.

Recipe Notes

• For Paleo friendly option use Coconut Aminos in place of tamari sauce

• If you don't have Thai red pepper, you can use any other spicy red pepper. I also added jalapeno for extra kick! Thai red peppers are Available in the Asian foods section or produce section of some supermarkets, or at some Asian markets.

• 8x 11 casserole dish is what I used. But 9 x13 should be okay, just won't be as thick in pan once cooked.

• Don't overcook chicken during the stir fry.

https://www.cottercrunch.com/drunken-zoodle-chicken-casserole-paleo/

https://draxe.com/best-casserole-recipes/?utm_campaign=article-february-2018&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=casserole

I am always looking for healthy recipes that can be prepared quickly. We all have busy lives, so casseroles are a good way to incorporate proteins and vegetables in one dish with ease. Mix good veggies, spices, sauces with protein and you are done. What can be easier than that? They are also a great way to re-invent your leftovers.

PALEO BBQ CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Your spaghetti squash has numerous uses. Try this one with BBQ chicken. Very easy.

• 1 large spaghetti squash, cooked and shredded

• 1 pound beef bacon, divided (or sugar free pork bacon)

• 1 red onion, diced

• 2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

• 1 1/2-2 cups paleo BBQ sauce

​ (for options see http://paleogrubs.com/bbq-sauce-recipes)

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• salt to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3 large eggs​

1. Preheat oven to 400° and line a 13x9 with parchment paper.

2. Place cooked spaghetti squash in a large bowl and pat dry with paper towel.

3. Cut bacon with scissors and place in a large skillet.

4. Cook on medium/high until crispy. Remove half onto a plate and add onion and chicken to remaining bacon.

5. Cook until onion is tender and chicken is cooked through.

6. Add chicken mixture to the spaghetti squash and then add the barbecue sauce. Start with 1 1/2 cups and add more if needed. Add the pepper, salt if needed, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is mixed well.

7. Add the eggs, stirring completely.

8. Place mixture into prepared pan, top with remaining bacon and bake 30-35 minutes.

​https://www.jaysbakingmecrazy.com/2016/10/02/paleo-barbecue-chicken-casserole/​

PALEO BUFFALO CHICKEN

Staying with the chicken theme, go with this zesty buffalo version. Save some time and buy frozen cauliflower rice. Frank's Red Hot works well on just cauliflower too.

• 1 large head cauliflower, grated

• 6 eggs

• 1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (You can also use rotisserie chicken.)

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)

optional toppings

• Crispy bacon

• Diced red onion

• Diced green onion

• Diced avocado

• Ranch dressing

• Blue cheese crumbles

• Diced tomato

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. In a large bowl combine the grated cauliflower and eggs. Mix well until full incorporated.

3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into a casserole dish.

4. Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on what size dish you used. Mine is a 2.5 quart round dish and I baked it for exactly 1 hour.

5. Top with desired toppings and serve.

https://www.wickedspatula.com/paleo-buffalo-chicken-casserole/

CAJUN SHRIMP AND SPIRALIZED POTATOES

Add some greens to this dish like spinach, Swiss Chard, or kale.

• 9 cups spiralized potatoes (This was from 4 medium-large red potatoes for me, using the chipping blade of my Paderno Spiralizer.)

• 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil ,divided

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 1 1/2 cups diced Campari tomatoes , diced (This was from 5 Campari tomatoes for me)

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (if frozen, thaw first)

• 1 1/2 cups coconut cream (Savoy tastes great and has no preservatives)

• ½ cup minced onion (this was from 1 small onion for me)

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced

Cajun seasoning ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp paprika

• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp cayenne powder

• 3/4 tsp oregano

• 3/4 tsp thyme

• a pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Spiralize the potatoes. (I used the Chipper/Chipping Blade of my Paderno Spiralizer)

3. Mix all the Cajun seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.

4. Bake the spiralized potatoes. Put the spiralized potatoes into a large baking pan (I used a 9.5 x 13 x 2 in glass pan). Top the spiralized potatoes with 1 Tbs olive oil and 1 tsp of Cajun seasoning, and mix. Then put the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. (After 30 minutes, remove them from the oven and set them aside). While the potatoes are baking, make the sauce.

5. Make the Cajun sauce. Put the minced onion, sliced garlic, and ½ Tbs olive oil into a sauce pan, and cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the sliced red peppers, diced tomatoes, and 1 tsp of the Cajun seasoning, and cook 3 minutes, mixing often. Add 1.5 cups of coconut cream, and 1.5 tsp of the Cajun seasoning, mix and boil for a few minutes.

6. Pour the sauce on top of the spiralized potatoes and mix. Cook for 15-20 mins.

7. Top the shrimp with 1 tsp of Cajun seasoning and mix. Then, add the shrimp to the casserole and mix. Cook the casserole for another 10-12 minutes, until the shrimp and potatoes are cooked through.

https://perchancetocook.com/2017/05/25/cajun-shrimp-and-spiralized-potato-casserole-paleo-whole30/

http://realsimplegood.com/25-delicious-paleo-casseroles/

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving to enjoy this casserole. Make it any time.

For the sweet potato mash:

• 2lbs sweet potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), peeled and diced

• ⅓c milk (I use unsweetened almond, cashew, or coconut milk)

• 3 Tbsp butter, ghee, vegan butter, or coconut oil (melted)

• ¼c pure maple syrup

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 eggs or 2 Tbsp egg substitute (chia or flax egg)

For the pecan topping:

• 1½ cups pecans, roughly chopped

• 2 Tbsp butter, ghee, vegan butter, or coconut oil (melted)

• 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• pinch salt

For the sweet potato mash:

• Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover by at least 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until completely tender (potatoes will pierce easily with a fork). Drain sweet potatoes.

• Transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add milk, butter/oil, syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg/egg sub. Mash until no lumps remain. If needed, add 2-3 Tbsp additional milk if your mixture seems too thick.

• Pour mash into an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish and smooth the surface. (You can make the sweet potato casserole up to this point the day before Thanksgiving, if desired. Simple cover the baking dish and refrigerate)

For the topping:

• When ready to bake the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine pecans, butter/oil, syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mash.

• Cover the dish with foil and bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

• Remove foil and bake another 20-25 minutes. If pecans begin to brown too quickly, simply cover with foil again.

• **If you've got multiple things in the oven (like on Thanksgiving), allow yourself some extra time. If your oven is set to a lower temperature or full of other dishes, you'll need to bake this closer to an hour. Be sure to watch your pecans (I only remove the foil when there's about 20 minutes to go).

https://www.onelovelylife.com/paleo-vegan-sweet-potato-casserole/

You can make a great meal with just a few ingredients. Combining vegetables and proteins in one dish will save you time in the kitchen, without skimping on nutrition. Aren't we all looking for more time in our lives? Try one of these casseroles tonight and enjoy the extra time you'll have with your family. For a funny take on casseroles, check out: http://www.newsleader.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/05/27/beauty-casserole-logic/85048426/.

Here's to your health! Happy Cooking (and relaxing)!

Lori