Filling and hearty in 10 minutes – you cannot beat the ease of this Instant Pot Sausage and Rice!

Did you see? I had awake surgery! I know it’s a little wild what we are capable of doing these days and recovering from – but yes, I had a breast lift/reduction while totally alert and awake. So yes, this was an elective and cosmetic procedure and I know people have all sorts of feelings about that. And that’s fine! You don’t have to undergo surgery if you don’t want to. For me, I was really experiencing so many changes after implants, explant, nursing 3 kids, aging, and weight gain over the years and my top-heavy body had become increasingly more uncomfortable. 

I felt like walking cleavage, felt uncomfortable physically in my clothes, and really wanted to feel more liberated in my skin. I am here to say, 4 weeks post-op, I am SO HAPPY with my decision. Also I bet you didn’t think a sausage recipe would be all about a breast surgery. Surprise!

I started a highlight on Instagram HERE that takes you through my surgical journey and what my awake surgery was really like. With autoimmune disease and a sensitivity to anesthesia, I knew I needed to be careful with surgeries or treatments that are not “mandatory” for my health. That’s why I also made sure to take care of my existing issues with my fibroid and iron deficiency before doing something as optional as a breast lift. 

So now that I am 4 weeks into healing, I wanted to share these last couple of recipes that I have easily been able to make while recuperating and resting as needed. It’s so nice to be able to toss things into one pot and not have to worry while still being able to get the nutrients you need to get back to your bada$$ self! Hope you enjoy too!

Instant Pot Sausage and Rice

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 Package Unexpected Cheddar Chicken Sausages from Trader Joe’s (or your choice)
• 32 Ounces Chicken or Beef Broth
• Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (1/2 tsp each)
• 1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos
• 1.5 cups Basmati Rice
• Fresh Parsley or Chives to Garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Add ingredients into Instant Pot
2. Stir
3. Secure lid and cook on high for 12 minutes
4. Garnish and serve with veggie side

Looking to feed a crowd easily for any meal of the day? This TATER TOT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE does the trick and comes together without browning the meat in advance!

I swear my kids are going to eat me out of house and home sometimes. I remember when I could make a dinner using a pound of meat and have leftovers for the next day. No longer! So like every household with growing teens, I’ve had to get more creative with how I stretch a meal or make enough food without breaking the bank.

My solution: more casseroles please!

Despite negative feedback that my casseroles are ugly, I will keep making them as long as I’ve got an intact baking dish. This is the easiest, most filling method I can use, besides my beloved Instant Pot recipes of course, to make sure the fam is fed. But this casserole has a kicker that makes it even better… no precooking the meat!

Yep, like some of my other one pot meals, this one does not require you to brown the meat in advance. You can see in the reel on Instagram HERE how I just press the sausage right into the pan. That saves you 10 minutes right there y’all! Then just layer the rest of the ingredients and pop it into the oven. We all loved it and the kids told me I could “make this one regularly” which is always a great compliment and sweet relief!

So add it to your meal plan and tell me what you think! If you need to stick with dairy-free cheese, you can do that too. I know how some of y’all feel about dairy because you are not shy to share with me when I post recipes with cheese. Make it your own boo. 

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

1 pound breakfast sausage
•5 eggs
•8 ounces shredded cheese, vegan if dairy makes you violent
•1/4 cup milk of your choice (I used oat)
•salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
•1 bag frozen higher quality tater tots, you can use sweet potato tots too

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Press sausage flat
2. Mix eggs, seasonings, and cheese
3. Spread flat onto sausage
4. Arrange tots on top and bake for 40 at 350F then another 20 at 425F or until tots are crispy on top
5. Slice and serve

When I tell you that this Protein Rich Crustless Quiche might be one of my new favorite meals for any time of day, I mean it! Savory and filling plus 16 grams of protein in one slice!

I know I know, everything’s about protein right now with my recipes. But y’all, I’m really trying not to shrivel up and I am learning so much about how vital protein is for an aging body so I’m all in! If you missed my Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bread or my Protein Packed Salad Dressing, make sure to check those out too!

This week so far I’ve made my Chicken Lettuce Wraps and my Paleo Cowboy Chili, both favorites of everyone who tries them (I mean for the most part – some people clearly have no taste). And I wanted to make a quiche tonight, or something like it. Recently Sadie, my middle, told me how much she loves sauteed zucchini so I figured that would be a great addition to this quiche. And then I started thinking – what if I loaded up the protein in this dish like I have in my other new recipes lately, and off I went. 

I was curious how cottage cheese would do in quiche if I blended it until creamy and OMG, it’s fantastic. So between the 14g protein in that, the 36g in the 6 eggs, the 18g in the collagen, plus the cheeses and bacon, we’re talking about 16g of protein in 1/8 of the pan! And if you eat more like my kids and husband do, you’re upwards of 30g or more protein in your dinner. It’s so filling and delicious too – I think making this ahead for breakfast and pulling out a slice throughout the week might just be my next plan. 

So if you’re also trying to figure out ways to increase your protein consumption, give this one a go – I think you’ll be shocked just how much flavor AND protein is baked into one pan. 

Protein Rich Crustless Quiche

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 scoops grass fed collagen
• 3 zucchini squash, chopped and sauteed
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 tsp each – Ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
• 8 ounces cooked bacon, chopped
• 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine the eggs and cottage cheese in a mixing bowl and use a stick blender to blend until smooth
3. Add in all remaining ingredients except for the bacon and parmesan
4. Stir then transfer into a medium casserole dish, exact size/shape not important
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully pull out oven rack with casserole dish and sprinkle the parmesan shavings and chopped bacon on top
6. Bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the center of the casserole is cooked through and an inserted toothpick comes out clean
7. Slice and serve

If you’re a fan of the one pot wonder, this No Boil Gluten Free Ravioli Lasagna is going to rock your world. No need to cook the meat or boil the ravioli ahead of time, it’s literally one and done!

I had seen some rumblings about a “lasagna” made by stacking ravioli and really wanted to give it a try with my “I don’t have time to pre-cook the meat” method of pasta dishes. I had a hunch it would work but REALLY don’t love recommending anything until I try it myself. I used the gluten free ravioli from Trader Joe’s as my noodle choice, and it worked great. If you have followed my Instagram, you’ve seen some of my other dishes where I don’t precook the meat, and I’m continuing to find that this method is fantastic in one pot dishes. 

So with that success, I have continued to experiment and find new ways to avoid pre-cooking anything for these magical weeknight, one pot meals. Speaking of which, if you haven’t tried my Tex Mex Casserole, you might want to consider. It’s been called both ugly and delicious and I’m good with both. As always, if you can’t have dairy, then don’t. I’m not your mom and I’m not forcing you to make this. But let’s just say that if you CAN eat dairy or are creating enough to work around your intolerance, make sure to save this one!

No Boil Gluten Free Ravioli Lasagna

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 – 32 ounce jar of marinara
• 2 packages Trader Joe’s refrigerated GF ravioli, or similar
• 1 package sliced mozzarella
• 1 pound ground beef
• 8 ounces Italian blend cheese
• Italian blend seasoning to taste
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Pour 1/3 of the jar of marinara in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish
3. Next layer one package of ravioli, topped next by half the ground beef, broken off into small pieces
4. Sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and italian seasoning over the top of this layer, followed by the slices of one package of mozzarella
5. Repeat until you have used all of your ingredients and top with the Italian blend shredded cheese and a little more seasoning
6. Bake for 30 minutes and serve warm

Shopping for safer skincare can be complicated and expensive. In this Clean Cosmetics Drugstore Edition post, I show you how to save on a few items so you can splurge on others!

First I want to briefly discuss why finding cost-effective safer cosmetics might be beneficial as well as some of the pitfalls. The obvious benefit is saving money, who isn’t trying to budget better and not be wasteful? There are very few people who do not have to consider cost and I’m thinking this post is not for them! But for the rest of us, budgeting carefully to save for the things we do want to splurge on is very important. I personally love a good brow gel and I do use Beautycounter’s because I find it to be the best quite honestly, but if I could save there to spend on active ingredient safer SKINcare, I certainly would. Second, without fail, every time I travel I end up leaving behind a cosmetic item that I can’t live without. Y’all know I don’t leave the house without mascara, so what does a girl do? I find the next best thing, and many times that means the only accessible ones are at the drugstore. So knowing what I can use there that won’t cause harm is super convenient. And third, one of the reasons I joined Beautycounter to begin with was because their mission was to put safer products into the hands of EVERYONE. Not everyone shops online and not everyone has endless funds to spend. But many do hit up their local Walgreens or CVS to grab cosmetics and skincare, so I wanted to know first hand, what safer options are out there for us?

Before I share my finds, I do want to mention one thing. Safer is relative – so just because these items rank well on EWG or Think Dirty does not mean the companies all go the extra mile. What do I mean by this? I mean that HOW and WHERE they source Mica to avoid harming children in the process, or whether or not they batch test for heavy metals is not likely. So the ingredients themselves in these products may not be inherently “Bad,” but some of them likely have room for improvement. Also some information has not been updated for the most current formulations, so there is always an opportunity for ingredients to change (for better or worse).I think this is worth noting for those who tend to want extra protections still may need to avoid drugstore picks. That said, let’s take a look at what I found! (Disclaimer: I have not purchased any of the following products so I cannot vouch for their effectiveness, ease of use, or feel on the face)

Mascara

This mascara is by Maybelline is part of their new Green Edition line. There are multiple products but I had trouble finding rankings for any of the other items in the line. This one ranks a 3 on EWG and in a pinch would definitely be one I’d consider. Click HERE to purchase. 

Eyeliner

Almay All Day Intense Eyeliner. Ladies and gentlemen, this one is actually EWG verified! Can we get an amen. So exciting. Buy it HERE. 

Foundation

This Covergirl Clean Matte Oil Control Foundation ranks well on EWG and is very affordable. Click HERE to purchase.

Almay Smart Shade ranks well on EWG, though not all shades rank equally. Worth noting when considering this product. The highest ranking was 4 though which is still not terrible. Buy it HERE!

Flower Beauty is the product line by Drew Barrymore. While it touts being safer, it seems to really depend on the product itself. This concealer, however, ranks very well on EWG and I can vouch for it that it does indeed do a decent job when I tried this one myself! Buy it HERE!

Neutrogena CC Matte Cream ranked very well on EWG and while I have not tried it, I’m very curious to see how this one performs! Find it HERE!

Mineral Primer

Physicians Formula Mineral Primer has great ingredients and a great pricepoint. For people who swear by primers, this might be a good one to try. Find  it  HERE!

Bronzer

Physicians Formula Bronze Booster is actually a favorite of mine. I’ve had it for years and while I don’t wear it daily, I do love the look and feel of it when I do want a little extra pizazz. Find it HERE.

Blush

Burts Bees Blush comes in a variety of colors and ranks a 1 on EWG! While we can’t know how they source their mica, that’s a great rating! Buy it HERE!

Flower Beauty Powder Blush has some beautiful shades and rates a 3, not too shabby!

Eye Shadow

Burts Bees Eye Shadows have some gorgeous shades and rank a 1 on EWG! Find it HERE!

Physicians Formula has some extensive eye shadow options. Remember again, mica sourcing and heavy metal testing not necessarily considered in this scoring. Buy it HERE!

There is one more brand I’d like to single out that was new-to-me at the drugstore. It is called Uoma by Sharon C. It ranks VERY well across EWG in almost all of their products. It’s black-owned, embraces diverse pigmentation in its selection of foundations, and has a bunch of fashion-forward, fun names and products. As I looked up the products in EWG while standing in the aisle at the store, there were very few poor-scoring products and I love the merchandising, packaging, and messaging of the brand. I definitely will be trying these out on my own to see what’s what!

Bake ahead and grab a slice during busy mornings, this Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bread is a great protein-packed snack on the go!

Ok, I’m on a kick, bear with me. But I’m really enjoying finding ways to sneak in extra protein to hit personal nutritional goals and this was just too fun to make. Let me preface by saying, making eggs and bacon first thing in the morning is fantastic, and on the weekends we have more leisure time to make a big animal-protein breakfast. But on school days, it always seems more difficult. 

My kids tend to warm frozen GF chicken nuggets in the air fryer for breakfasts on school days. And when hungrier, they will heat a GF frozen chicken pot pie. I much prefer these options to sugary cereals and we aren’t militant about food around here regardless. But cooking from scratch is always a best bet as we all know. This recipe for the protein bread came as an idea since I am really trying to hit near 100g a day. I have been experimenting with ways to sneak more protein in like in this salad dressing recipe  and even adding collagen into my coffee which I’ve been doing for years. 

I also realize that I will forever be a meat eater and that I do not feel my best on plant protein alone, but that a combination of the two really helps me hit my goals and feel my best. Added to that, sometimes we prefer an option that feels more “bready” and I wanted to create something that wouldn’t cause a carb crash simultaneously. This bread does have some chocolate chips and maple syrup, but it also packs a whopping 16g of protein per slice (8 slices per loaf). That’s equal to almost 3 eggs! Let me know what you think, I’m excited for the kids to have this option… ok and maybe me too.

Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bread

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 scoops Collagen peptides
• 2 scoops Plant Protein
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons corn-free baking powder
• 1 cup peanut butter (or preferred nut butter)
• 2/3 cup dairy free milk
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• PLEASE NOTE: THIS BREAD IS NOT SUPER SWEET. THIS WAS INTENTIONAL SO YOU COULD ADD A SWEETENED SPREAD, OR AVOID EXCESS SWEETENER. Please adjust as desired.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and then transfer to an 8×4 loaf tin
3. Bake for around an hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
4. Allow to cool, then slice and top with your favorite spread or butter!

Working on hitting protein goals?  Don’t forget about condiments! This Protein Packed Salad Dressing has almost 4 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving!

If you’ve been following my latest health saga, I have been droning on and on about iron deficiency, sex hormones, and getting in enough protein. I’ve made so many great strides over the years but I still have so much to optimize. As I’ve entered into my mid-40s and all the shifts that comes with that, I’ve been paying extra close attention to the factors I’ve noticed in myself. I’ve also been following the work of Dr Mary Claire Haver of The Galveston Diet, as she zeroes in on perimenopausal and menopausal women and how to nutritionally serve those. 

I personally have never tracked protein in the past. When you are younger, your body tends to compensate for whatever nutrition is lacking. This is good and not so good, especially when it doesn’t sink in until your more mature organs, bones, and muscles let you know that it’s time to up the game. This is, in a nutshell, what I have started to realize. Though I was never a crossfitter or heavy weight lifter, I was a dancer for 20 years. I have definitely noticed the decrease in stamina and strength as two key nutritional factors have been lacking (in my case iron and protein).

I’m doing the obvious in terms of seeking protein-rich foods, but I also realized that sneaking in an extra few grams here and there is really helpful as well. How do you reach your protein goals? I always love to hear tips and tricks!

Protein Packed Salad Dressing

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup dairy free milk
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• pinch black pepper
• pinch onion powder

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy
2. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks

This Grain Free Mushroom Marsala Pizza might be the best thing to hit your taste buds and that’s an understatement! 

I love mushrooms and I love pizza, but I do not love the typical sliced fresh or canned mushrooms on pizza. Those puppies need a good slow saute with some butter and seasonings. So that gave me the idea – what if I made a pizza with sauteed mushrooms but made the sauce base a CREAMY MARSALA! Does that not just sound amazing? It brings together some of the best flavors – pizza, and marsala sauce, and of course mushrooms cooked just right. 

That my friends is when we officially hit the jackpot. And if you are so inclined, you can make this grain free pizza entirely dairy free as well with some easy subs. In the meantime, I used dairy products because I felt like it and because I can, even if Jenni from FB is apparently disgusted by the cheese on my sliders. But nevermind her, I’m telling you this pizza is so full of flavor you can easily sub the dairy and it would be fine. If you needed to that is. 

This recipe uses my Legit Bread Company pizza crust, which is THE BEST even if I am a little biased. It gets crunchy outside, tender in the middle, and is foldable like the best pizza crusts are. So this one is one for the books and I cannot wait for you to try it! 

Grain Free Mushroom Marsala Pizza

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 2 cartons button mushrooms sliced
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 1 stick butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• splash coconut aminos
• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon of each)
• —–
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• splash coconut aminos
• fresh chives
• pinch salt, pepper, garlic powder
• ——-
• 1 Legit Bread Company Pizza Crust Mix
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Prepare the pizza crust according to the packaging and set aside
3. Now prepare the mushrooms with the 1/2 cup marsala wine, 1 stick butter, 1 onion, sliced, splash coconut aminos and salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon of each)
4. Saute all those ingredients over high heat until the mushrooms darken and caramelize
5. Now start the creamy marsala sauce with the 1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup marsala wine, splash coconut aminos, fresh chives, and pinch salt, pepper, garlic powder
6. Bring to a simmer until the liquid reduces by half and set aside
7. Par bake the pizza crust for 10 minutes, remove than spread the sauce and top with mushrooms
8. Finally, top with shredded mozzarella and fresh chives and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Not even one iota of you will be missing regular buns with these Grain Free Cheeseburger Sliders. They are every bit as scrumptious as you imagine and without gluten or grain!

I’ve officially survived my myomectomy (that’s a long word for fibroid surgery) and I am SO RELIEVED to be done. I had so much anticipatory anxiety leading up to the surgery, I really questioned my ability to follow through with it. Fortunately, everything went well and I am recovering as best I could have hoped. 

My family is en route to Florida to spend the holidays together and so I am really grateful I won’t be in bed the whole time. I was worried about the timing of this surgery, but also knew I needed to get it done. If you haven’t been following along my not-so-fun journey, you can see it under my Instagram highlight HERE. 

Since we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas with my parents, I wanted to have a menu that checked all the holiday boxes. So we’ll do traditional latkes and sufganiyot one night, and all the traditional Christmas fare on the 25th. I love when the two holidays overlap – it might add to the chaos, but it also keeps things nice and consolidated. I had the idea to make these sliders tonight and tomorrow I’m making homemade pizza with my Pizza Crust and Pretzel Mix from Legit Bread Company. This recipe uses the Everything Dough Mix from Zenbelly and OMG is it perfect. 

It takes a little time to pull together each step, but once you get going, it’s pretty seamless. I was able to spend only about 30 minutes of active time and the rest was just waiting for the goods to be done. You can start the buns first or the meat, it really won’t matter which gets set aside. I cooked the meat first and then let the cheese get melting while I baked the buns. Let me know what you think, this might be a new favorite!

Grain Free Cheeseburger Sliders

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 cup pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic powder each
• 2 packets Everything Dough Mix 
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 packets yeast
• 12 tablespoons butter or avocado oil
• 1.5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• cheese slices

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. To prepare the burger patties, combine the first 4 ingredients and spices by hand until mixed well
3. Roll the meat between two pieces of parchment paper until thin, transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes
4. While the meat bakes, prepare your slider buns by following the directions on the Everything Dough mix packaging
5. Remove the burger meat from the oven and set aside
6. Roll the dough into 3″ balls and place them in a pie tin or other pan with edges to keep them from spreading too far apart
7. Bake for about 25 minutes
8. While they bake, use a pizza cutter to slice your burger meat and place the cheese slices on top to start the melting process
9. Once the buns are ready, remove them from the oven and let them sit briefly, before slicing them open and placing a cheese topped patty on each one
10. I added caramelized onions to mine and left the kids with meat and cheese only but top them to your liking!

If you want to breeze right past apple and pumpkin this holiday season, these White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies are right up your alley!

I was recently on a call with FOOD SOCIAL and the opening poll was simple: pumpkin or apple. Simple question right? But what if you aren’t enthusiastic about either? 

My response in my most non-adversarial tone was… CHOCOLATE! As much as I look forward to holiday recipes each year, both indulging and creating them, the truth is the traditional pie story is not my favorite. That said, I am working on a new peanut butter pie with chocolate cookie crust so stay tuned for that one. 

Outside of recipes, many of you know I have been all-consumed with our new foster pup. Or should I say FOSTER FAIL! Sami Glacier Davis Jr is now a Robins! If you missed just how cute he is, you can see him HERE . He is a doll and he is a handful too! Honey is not quite as in love as the rest of us so we are slowly working to warm up. I’d say she tolerates him at best but they have shared the sofa and a bed a handful of times so that’s promising. 

Next week we start training so that will be interesting. Have you fostered or adopted a dog before when you already have existing pets? How did it go? Fingers crossed Sami can learn to temper his spunky playfulness with the more mature Honey and Lulu. Only time will tell! 

White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 bag Allergen Friendly Cookie Mix
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or liquid allulose
• 1/2 cup butter, sustainable palm shortening, or ghee
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips like THESE or THESE
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Prepare as indicated on bag
2. Add 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (I like Guittard and Lily’s best)
3. Now add crushed candy canes (can be dye free if needed) on top
4. Bake for 10-12 min at 350F.

Having any chronic illness lasting beyond a few weeks can feel isolating at best. As time marches on, things can feel hopeless.  Here are Four Painful Truths in Chronic Illness and Coping Mechanisms to help you work through each of them.

1. Friends and family may bail. 

In the beginning you may have an abundance of people who try to reach out, make a meal, or care-take. But over time when you do not heal at a pace that pleases them, people may start to vanish; or at least it feels that way. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you. It doesn’t mean they don’t still care. But there is something about chronic illness and lack of resolution or completion that leaves people uncomfortable and not knowing how to respond, especially if you have stopped accepting social invitations or have become unavailable due to illness

How to cope:

CAUTIOUSLY find people in your community of similar symptoms or journeys to lean on for support and connect with online or in person. I say cautiously because during this time, you may feel tempted to fall into a pit of despair with other unwell people. Some of them, even well-intentioned, do not serve themselves or others in the ways they identify and embrace their illnesses. Look for people who can be supportive, uplifting, and who are committed to healing (rather than identifying as their disease). Do not fall into the trap of competition of who’s worse off. Remember the goal is to heal. 

Second, find forgiveness. Forgiveness is not about letting someone “off the hook,” it is about setting yourself free. Holding onto wishes and what-ifs of how people should show up for you will continue to eat at your spirit. Set your boundary, reframe your expectations, and let that shit go. Pour that limited energy into your healing only. 

2. Everyday may look different. Even every hour or minute. 

You may find that you have a few hours in the morning where you feel stable, before crashing in the afternoon. Or maybe you wake up foggy and achy, only to have it lift by lunch. Sometimes you have a brief window in a day where you actually feel good and think a shopping trip or lunch with a friend feels reasonable, only to crash minutes later. 

How to cope:

You’ve heard the phrase – energy flows where the attention goes. This is the time to apply it. When you feel sick, do what you need to nurture your body. A bath, a nap, a cup of broth, meditation. BUT, do not feed the feelings that come with the illness. Insidious thoughts are powerful and they will try to creep in every time. “I’ll never get better” “My pain is so bad it will never leave” “My life is terrible”. We are only human for feeling those, but they are not the path to wellness. When you have moments of stability and okay-ness, CHRONICLE them! Write a note to yourself about how you feel, take a photo outside in the sunshine smiling and create a caption to go with it. You’ll need this documentation for #3 below. 

3. You may forget what “normal” feels like.

Some days will be so hard that feeling normal or healthy seems impossible. It also is hard to even REMEMBER what feeling well is like. In fact, you may look out your window and wonder how in the world all these people get up, get dressed, drive, go to work, and gasp, even do things for fun that don’t include laying in bed. 

How to cope:

Here’s where those journal entries and letters to yourself come into play. I used to write down things I was able to do (go to a party or spend time with a friend) so that I could look back and realize that not every moment of everyday was spent in bed or on the sofa. It was hard to believe unless I read and saw it for myself. But here’s where the big work comes in. It’s not your fault that you get potentially trapped in a cycle of illness. There are all sorts of external and internal triggers (viruses, foods, stress, inflammation) that can contribute to this. But your brain becomes trapped in a fight or flight pattern (yes even when you feel “calm”). The reptilian center of your brain is working very hard to protect you from harm, and in doing so may keep your body believing it is under constant threat. There is work we can do on this to help release that pattern and forge a new one. If you haven’t read my post on NEUROPLASTICITY go read that HERE! Even when I was treating mold with 40 different supplements, it wasn’t until I started helping my brain retrain to understand I wasn’t under constant threat that I made progress. I’m not alone. The Gupta Program has helped SO MANY and is a great place to fall back to when you flare up. 

4. People will refuse to believe you.

Pe0ple, including doctors, may write off your symptoms, your story, and will dismiss you. They may tell you it’s anxiety or stress. Even when seeing lab reports and tests that indicate otherwise, it happens. And it’s not just healthcare practitioners. People in your life my think your testimony sounds impossible, because honestly some of the symptoms we experience are so bizarre they sound like science fiction. 

How to cope: 

Remember that community of people mentioned up above? CONNECT with them! Avoid hyperfocusing, but having people who understand, who you can bounce ideas off of, who you can lean on when you are in rough shape is 100% crucial for your emotional survival. Avoid isolation at all costs. Find your folks and stick with them.

The ongoing list of unspoken truths in chronic illness goes on. Those of us who have lived in this space for a long time are no strangers to them. And wishing away disease is not a thing, or we’d all be in perfect health. But there are ways we can move through tragic times and improve and even heal to a highly functioning place again. It takes a lot of commitment and helping our brains and bodies get on board as well. 

When I tell you this 5 Minute Prep Instant Pot Taco Soup will save your tush on a weeknight, I am in no way joking. Make it!

I’ve been really focused on moving my body lately. I got the Oura ring close to a year ago and at first I was mostly focused on my sleep quality. But as time as gone on and I’ve dialed that in for the most part, I’m really wanting to make sure I nail the activity goal.

If you follow my main page, you know I post recipes there regularly, but I also have THIS personal page where I share furniture flips and extra sass. And what’s wild is, as long as I am using my body to work in the garage on furniture and art, I’m hitting my activity goal. Not by taking HIIT classes, not by going to a gym, not by jogging (which I loathe). I’m doing the thing I love the most and just making sure to really get into it. 

I was a dancer for 20 years, went to a performing arts high school, and loved my craft. But when I left it, I never really found anything physical I loved as much. And I know that weight bearing exercise is so vital to aging bodies; but still could not quite get on board with a “thing” that felt good. 

I have spent the last weeks working HARD. I’m lifting, sanding, sweating, moving, painting, carrying, transporting. But the difference is, I love it because I am doing the hobby that brings so much joy. 

What does all this have to do with taco soup? Nothing. Except that food is part of the whole. Movement is part of the whole. Joy is part of the whole. Writing recipes without tuning into the other stuff is not enough. It was my primary focus for so many years. I did not seek out inspiration specifically or find ways to physically move my body. The hyper-focus on food was it. I spoke about this in a recent post HERE. 

And while I started this trek in 2013, I realize just recently how some of the puzzle pieces had actually fallen off the table and got shoved into dark corners. I’m so glad I have clarity in that way now – that there is so much more to what “health” really is. And also, make the soup, it’s damn good I promise. 

5 Minute Prep Instant Pot Taco Soup

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon Primal Palate taco seasoning
• 1 can corn (undrained)
• 1 can chilies and tomatoes like Rotel (undrained)
• 32 ounces beef broth
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• dash taco sauce

Instructions

1. Saute beef in your Instant Pot and add in taco seasoning
2. Add in remaining ingredients once browned and secure lid
3. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes
4. Release pressure and remove lid once safe to do so
5. Serve topped with tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, and fresh cilantro

I know I’m exhausted too – that’s why I made US this 30-Minute Tex Mex Casserole!

I uploaded this dang reel THREE TIMES to Instagram this week to try to get y’all some fresh eats. And it showed it to NOBODY. I made this so stinkin’ long ago the leftovers have all now been eaten. Gah. So let’s try this again. Hi, I made you a delicious 30 minute casserole and it’s worth seeing!!!

I’m still trying to find my groove cooking in the kitchen of our new house. As much as I love it, I don’t entirely feel settled yet so I’m leaning on almost-ready-to-eat meals often. That doesn’t mean “unhealthy” but they are definitely not homemade either. My goal is to get my kids more familiar with -independent cooking- so that during the school year they can alternate making meals for the fam.

We tried it last year but to be honest, without me enforcing it, it just sort of fell by the wayside. So here we are again, LET’S DO THIS!

Inevitably every time I make a casserole someone gives me a hard time about cheese or ugliness or some other boredom-derived criticism. So here it all is out in the open:

1. This has cheese. Sub it, trash it, don’t make it, breathe deep.
2. This is not militant paleo – there are still a few bloggers around who tell you only meat is allowed if you raised it from birth so maybe they are a better fit for you
3. It’s ugly. It’s a flippin’ casserole y’all. The whole point of a casserole is to feed people, not garnish a plate with edible flowers. Go to a Michelin restaurant if you need pretty

If you aren’t worried about the aforementioned, let’s dig in. This sh*t’s the best, I promise. 

30-Minute Tex Mex Casserole

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can diced tomatoes + peppers (undrained)
• 8 ounce cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 6 gluten free tortillas like Siete Foods
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Brown the ground beef and add seasoning, cream cheese, and tomatoes/peppers undrained
3. Continue to stir until all the ingredients meld
4. Layer 3x in a small/medium casserole dish – tortillas, meat mixture, then cheese
5. After adding the top layer of shredded cheddar, bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is gooey and melty and releases extra dairy juice on everything
6. Serve with sour cream and cilantro and enjoy!

Gosh golly it was time I really get back in the kitchen and these Chicken Cheesesteak Rice Bowls were the perfect place to start!

Wow, not since March have I posted a new recipe on here. What’s wild is when I first started this website, I would rarely go a single day without posting, creating, writing a new recipe. And now it’s been literal months. I have reasons of course: life, our big move, lack of inspiration, difficulty creating in today’s heavy world, my own covid infection…

But the truth is I think I’ve wanted to put my efforts elsewhere. Sometimes it seems that *nobody* sees my creations anyway, so why bother. And sometimes it seems that regardless of what I create, there are naysayers and nitpickers. But ultimately, I started this blog because I needed solutions for my own body and decided to share them because if even one other person found them helpful then it would be worth it. 

So here I am – inconsistently creating (for the blog at least) but showing up when I can. Showing up feels hard in and of itself these days but if you are on the dumpster fire of social media, you can still find me in a few places:

Predominantly Paleo  (the OG)

Legit Bread Company (my baking good mixes still alive and well)

Esther and Loretta (my alter ego with Zenbelly where we slip away into our retired Jewish yenta personas from South Florida)

Jennifer Lauren Bailey Robins (mouthy personal account with furniture rehabs and plenty of real life opinions you might hate)

Ok but now I’m here, at least for now with this new recipe, which I might say is absolutely divine. I was brainstorming this morning after indulging in more gluten than I care to admit over the long weekend. The bad news is I need to calm the eff down with eating whatever sounds fun. The good news is, that means I’m back in the kitchen with a little creative spark to get going. We all win.

In the meantime, enjoy this new dinner idea. You’ll notice I left the bell pepper out. My mom said she had an aversion to it when she was pregnant with me and let’s say, it stuck around. Feel free to throw it in the cooked veggie combo or eat it raw on the side. As you wish…

Chicken Cheesesteak Rice Bowls

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4–5 tablespoons butter
• 16 ounces white mushrooms sliced
• 1 sweet onion, sliced thin
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 1–2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• Rice for serving – I added 1 cup raw basmati with 1.5 cups water to my Instant Pot and cooked on the rice setting with a little salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a larger skillet and add in the mushrooms and onion (and green onion if including)
2. Add in the pepper, garlic salt, and coconut aminos
3. Allow the veggies to simmer for around 15 minutes before adding in the chicken
4. Let all the ingredients cook for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through
5. Then add the provolone slices on top of the mixture until melted
6. Serve scooped on top of rice

Stressed or anxious and not getting enough daily Magnesium?! I created this delicious Chill Pill Magnesium Chocolate recipe to help!

Okay, there’s some back story here. You’ve seen me talking about my taters and lady bits and that encouraged me to go deeper. Over 40 (hi that’s me), things start to shift: everywhere from metabolic efficiency, to recovery from fitness, to how you sleep, to menstruation patterns. The good news is I feel better than I have in years in terms of chronic mysterious (and not so mysterious) illnesses. The bad news is I am iron deficient, have disruptive monthly cycles, and feel less energetic. 

I started looking into metabolic shifts that can happen around this time, simultaneously with hormones that begin to shift away from “child bearer” to a more, let’s say, mature system. I have definitely noticed over the past few years my inability to burn fuel the same way as well as weight settling into my middle. While I’m not going to touch the topic of weight gain with a 10-ft pole, seeing a change in the collective whole warrants discovery of *what does my body need most right now*.

I am so grateful to have finally returned to regular screening and found a great OBGYN in Tampa. She is helping me with the physical aspects of fibroid treatment and the iron deficiency that has resulted from them. But I started getting extra curious about what my actual nutritional needs are right now as a 45 year old woman.

Would I need more Vitamin D to protect me from disease? What about vitamins and minerals specific to pre and perimenopause? There is not nearly enough easily-accessible information on the internet to break it all down. But I did come across a few experts that piqued my interest: one of whom is Dr. Mary Claire Haver, who is an OBGYN and founder of The Galveston Diet.

Now I hesitated to even write out the word “diet” because I feel like it triggers ideas around starvation and weight loss for *bikini season* and other unhealthy notions. And honestly, I haven’t signed up for “the diet” so I don’t follow it. But what got me curious is one of her Instagram reels that was particularly eye-opening ( THIS one), discussing 4 crucial nutritional elements for women my age. 

Dang! I had a real moment here in reflecting upon my last 2 decades of healing and how my goals had been two-fold:

• Avoiding inflammatory/trigger foods
• Eating nutrient dense foods

But here’s what I missed – I did not ever in my years of *lifestyle changes* look to meet specific nutritional goals. Even after learning of specific nutritional deficiencies, I only ever supplemented what was missing. Why? I don’t actually know. I don’t have an answer. It never occurred to me to try to get all of my daily magnesium or Vitamin D from food. LIKE WHAT?!

And to be honest, maybe it’s an impossibility to get every nutrient every day from food alone. But shouldn’t I be trying? Yes, 100% absolutely. So I made this recipe, because after looking into the big 4 nutritional components Dr. Haver recommends paying attention to initially, I dug into best food sources and started focusing on getting those regularly. I wrote this recipe because 1 bar (which is also a delicious treat), is PACKED with 20% of your daily magnesium. Easy and delicious way to pack it in – enjoy!

Chill Pill Magnesium Chocolate

Print Recipe

• Author: predominantlypaleo

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted. I used THIS brand because it is low/no sugar. You can also use a brand that is higher naturally in magnesium to give this recipe a boost!
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts
• 4 Brazil nuts crushed
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon flax meal

Instructions

1. Feel free to buy soaked/sprouted seeds or do that yourself if preferred
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
3. Spoon the mixture into 5 equal sized candy molds or spread the mixture in an 8×4 bread pan if you don’t have a candy mold
4. Place the bread pan or filled molds into the refrigerator for an hour or until firm
5. Pop out of the molds or slice into 5 equal-sized bars

The post Chill Pill Magnesium Chocolate appeared first on Predominantly Paleo.

What do you get when you combine all the best savory flavors in one recipe… you get this KETO PATTY MELT CASSEROLE, that’s what! 

I’d like to take a moment for a quick back-pat because it is nothing short of a miracle that I have created TWO new recipes in a week. I mean, it’s been a dry spell of several months and I’ve not been able to tap into my most creative self. Lots of distractions between health, moving, and my “haus frau” husband starting his second career post-military! Lots of exciting things but also the plate is extra full.

So I’m pretty pumped to have created this new HIGH PROTEIN ONION DIP and now this! I was falling asleep a few nights ago thinking about my PALEO STUFFED BURGER BUNS. And then I imagined making a keto version but slightly different with caramelized onions and cheddar and designed a little more like a casserole. So as I was falling asleep I thought through the logistics and I woke up with another item on my to do list!

Well I have very good news to report! I made it today and it worked amazingly well. I will say that I do recommend using leaner meat if you intend on using 2 layers of cheese because the additional fat will settle at the bottom of the casserole dish. You can also choose to do one layer of cheese only if you prefer. The only ingredient you have to cook outside of the casserole dish is the caramelized onions, but trust me, it’s so worth the extra step! The flavors just come alive together. 

I haven’t tried it with the Everything Dough Mix, Challah Bread Mix, or Original Sandwich Mix, though I suspect they MIGHT work (no guarantees).

KETO PATTY MELT CASSEROLE

KETO PATTY MELT CASSEROLE

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 1 bag Keto Blender Bread Mix by The Castaway Kitchen
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil,  melted coconut oil, or melted butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon cooking fat of your choosing
• 6–12 slices of cheddar
• 1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder

Instructions

1. Start by sauteing/caramelizing your onion slowly over medium heat in the tablespoon of cooking fat, shifting the onion periodically over the next 10 minutes (you can season with a bit of sea salt and pepper)
2. Now blend the first 5 ingredients to make your bread batter (following bag instructions)
3. Preheat your oven to 350F while you line a casserole dish 10×6 or similar, and line it with parchment paper
4. Spoon about 1.5 cups of the bread batter into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan
5. Now place half the cheese slices down on top of the batter (like you would layer a lasagna)
6. Sprinkle the raw ground beef evenly across the top of the cheese slices
7. Now evenly distribute your cooked onions
8. Layer with an extra layer of cheese slices
9. Last use a large cookie or ice cream scoop to distribute the remaining bread batter into 6 portions (as if you were making 6 sliders)
10. Press the batter slightly and sprinkle with poppy seeds
11. Bake for 50-60 minutes, allow to cool once removing from oven, slice and serve

The post KETO PATTY MELT CASSEROLE appeared first on Predominantly Paleo.

Looking for an easy grab and go for the week? Make these Buttery Maple Oatmeal Squares ahead and start your day with a hug!

How is it only Tuesday? I have lived 6 lives already this week between solo parenting, OBGYN follow-ups and game plans, cooking, cleaning, breaking up sibling quarrels, and then of course wish away cold, dreary, wet days. If you’ve been following along on my Instagram, you may have seen me discussing mammograms, fibroids, possible perimenopause, and all the fun lady bits that nobody wants to discuss (or apparently hear about). Turns out, I may at 45, be very capable of pregnancy (double yikes), but have some uterine intruders that need evicting. 

I bet you’re really glad you came here looking for an oatmeal squares recipe aren’t you? 

Welp, that’s life folks. And as much as I love me a juicy burger or a maple sugary buttery breakfast, I also have real shit I’m working through, like all of us. So that’s life and thanks for doing it alongside me. 

Ok back to breakfast, shall we? It is so dang grey and rainy here which is very uncharacteristic for Florida except during the Summer rainy season.. and even then the sun pops back out quickly. But the past week or so it’s been having a Midwest moment (ummmm maybe minus the snow). But it is grey and yuck and I’m not having it.

So between medical appointments I decided it was gosh darn time I pull together a new recipe. Funny enough this has been written in my little journal (where I do my best work) for months. I just hadn’t gotten around to actually making them. Cold rain for the win I guess!

PS might I mention the maple sugar makes a crunchy crust on top that is sort of amazing!

So now my kids can have an easy warm and go breakfast each morning this week that will keep them full until lunch. Best part? You probably already have the ingredients. So make a batch, have breakfast for dinner, or pop these sliced in the fridge for an easy breakfast all week long. 

Buttery Maple Oatmeal Squares

Print Recipe

• Author: Jennifer Robins

Ingredients

• 2 cups GF oats
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup dairy free milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder like Legit Bread Company’s new AIP/GRAIN FREE one!
• 1/2 cup maple sugar – I love Primal Palate’s
• 8 pats butter (dairy or vegan)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Sprinkle oats in a casserole dish, mine was 10 x 7 (8×8 would also work)
3. Crack eggs on top
4. Pour milk and maple syrup on top
5. Sprinkle baking soda and salt
6. Stir altogether in the casserole dish
7. Sprinkle the maple sugar on top and spread evenly with a fork
8. Place pats of butter on top
9. Bake for 30 minutes
10. Remove, cool completely, and slice

The post Buttery Maple Oatmeal Squares appeared first on Predominantly Paleo.

Nobody wants to make the naughty list but with this AIP Paleo Lump of Coal Cookies, you might just ask to be added!

Well I’m not proud to admit that I haven’t blogged a new recipe in several months. And I could sit here and make excuses about “busy” or tell you how I’ve actually compiled a substantial list of the things I’m GOING to make, like these cookies; but honestly none of that matters. The pressure we create for ourselves by letting the thoughts and expectations of others infiltrate our own minds gets a little insane sometimes. 

But alas, here we are – made it through Thanksgiving (barely), made it through the launch of 3 new Legit Bread Company products (barely), survived Hanukkah (barely), breezed through my birthday week (barely), and now we’re on cruise control until the new year. JK it’s probably going to be more of the same, which is a lot of everything. 

Ok back to the recipe just in the St Nick of time! I had this idea months ago as well and thought it would be so fun and kitschy for Christmas. While I don’t personally observe, my father is Christian and we are fortunate enough to be able to spend the holidays together, we do all the things. Stockings are always my favorite; special thanks to Fritos and bean dip, a family tradition. So my idea with these is to drop a few in each stocking as edible lumps of coal – they can be kept completely AIP compliant with our new cookie mix from The Castaway Kitchen, or you can add some additional cocoa if tolerated. 

Looking for more holiday cookie recipes? I can help there too! Check out these SNOW GLOBE COOKIES or these BEST PALEO SUGAR COOKIES to add all your personal touches to!

The post AIP Paleo Lump of Coal Cookies appeared first on Predominantly Paleo.