Ras El Hanout Spice Blend (Whole 30)

I hope you all had as wonderful Christmas as I did. My youngest brother and his family came home for Christmas for the first time in over 15 years. So I got to hang out with these knuckleheads.

They kept this old auntie busy playing WII, tying blankets, doing crafts, doing puzzles and watching Christmas movies. It will always fill my heart right to the top when they sit next to me and cuddle with me.

My mom fed us every two hours. On the hours we didn’t have a meal, mom gave us a snack. Okay, Mayby it wasnt quite that often but it sure felt like it.

As much as I love my mom’s cooking, I am looking forward to getting back into my kitchen and using this bad boy. Thanks Russell, Jenny, Charlie, Auggie, Maggie and Mary. Its the nicest knife I have ever had.

Here is a spice blend that I have been using spice up my random no grain, no egg breakfasts the last week or so. It makes just enough to season 1/2 pound of meat and as many veggies as you can throw in a pan.

Ras El Hanout Spice Blend

• Difficulty: Easy
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1/2 level tsp salt

1/2 heaping tsp cumin

1/2 level tsp ground ginger

1/2 scant tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground corriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Pinch ground nutmeg

Combine all spices in a small bowl and mix well. Makes enough to season 1/2 pound of meat.

Curry Spiced Scrambled Eggs and Red Onion (Whole 30)

The start of this week is going so much better than last week.  Riley is completely off her meds and back in the cage with all her parakeet and cockatiel brothers and sisters.  Riley’s weight is up to 98 grams, right about where it should be.  Riley is much happier and so am I.  Maybe, now I can get back in the kitchen and cook again.

Curry Spiced Scrambled Eggs and Red Onions

• Difficulty: Easy
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From Eat, Drink,  Paleo

1 TBS ghee

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 large eggs

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp curry powder

1 handful of baby spinach leaves

1 TBS lemon juice

Heat ghee in a medium frying pan over medium heat.  When hot, add the onions and sauté 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.  Whisk the eggs in a small bowl; set aside.  add the garlic and curry powder to the onions, mix well.  Pour the eggs into the pan and gently stir continuously until the eggs are cooked to your liking.  Add the spinach to a serving dish and drizzle with lemon juice.  Top with the scrambled eggs.

The Fast Five (Whole 30)

Taped to the inside of my  cupboard doors are 5 recipes.  I always keep the ingredients for these recipes on hand for those days when cooking seems like a chore, not a joy.  The recipes can be made in 20 minutes or less. The recipes weren’t Whole 30 so I can’t use them on a round.  I really missed them.  So I decided before I did my second round I would have a Whole 30 version of my fast five.  This is what I came up with.  At this point,  I probably could add many more quick and easy recipes to this list.  Like cooking in general,  cooking a Whole 30 only has to be as complicated as you want to make it. Find the non Whole 30 recipes for my Fast Five under the title of What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking.

Sloppy Joes

Pan Fried Sardines

Teriyaki Chicken

 20 Minute Beef and Zuccini Stir Fry

Tuna Salad, 2 Ways

Italian Sausage (Whole 30)

So tomorrow I have a Whole 30 breakfast you are going to love.  The original recipe called for bulk pork sausage but I couldn’t find any without added sugar so I made my own.  it only takes a minute.  I made half into patties for breakfast yesterday and used the rest for today’s breakfast.  It could also be cooked and frozen for use at a later date.

Italian Sausage

• Difficulty: Easy
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1 lb ground pork

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

In a medium bowl,  Add the ground pork and all the spices.  Using your hands, mix the meat and spices until well blended.  Don’t over blend the meat or it will make the meat tough when you cook it.  Either form it into patties and cook it 6-8 minutes per side or cook without forming into patties and use it anywhere you need Italian sausage.

Pumpkin Breakfast Sausage (Whole 30)

I think my mom is trying to kill me.  I got a text from her at 11 am on Saturday saying she sent me a package. It should be there Monday and I should watch for it.  That was it, no idea what she sent or why.  You would think after 47 years of knowing me she would know I am very curious about stuff and it drives me absolutely crazy not knowing what is coming in this box!!!!! And it is still a day away!! UGGHHHH!!!

While I am waiting for this box to show up, I made these really yummy pumpkin breakfast sausages.   I know it sounds weird but it is really, really good.  You know what eslse is really weird?  In the last month I have posted 3 savory pumpkin recipes and only 1 cranberry recipe of any kind.  What the heck is going on with me this year?

I am sending you directly to the blog this recipe came from because I made absolutely no changes of any kind to this recipe.  Even if you don’t want to make the sausages you should still visit Physical Kitchness.  She is funny, informative and has really good recipes whether you are on a Whole 30 or not.

Pumpkin Breakfast Sausage