Paleo Diablo Burgers Stuffed with Baked Pineapple

Sometimes Paleo can get a little old. I do try to keep costs low by focusing on making things I can eat over the course of the week after one big cook on the weekend. However, every once in a while, I have to mix things up or I go crazy. That's kinda how I feel about playing Diablo! It's not an every day kind of game for me, but you can always go back any time and add a little kick to your day. So that's what inspired the name for this recipe. I tried it out with my friends Shannon and Steven who are my Whole30 accountabilibuddies! It was nice to have a chance for all of us to get together and try something new! It has a real kick to it, so if you like spicy food, then go for it, but it's not for the faint of heart!

Diablo Burgers Stuffed with Baked Pineapple

Ingredients

• 1 lbs of ground spicy Italian sausage
• 1/2 lbs of ground beef
• 1 tsp of salt
• Cayenne pepper to taste.(I think a pinch will do you just fine, but some people want their mouths afire)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 pineapple
• 2 tbs coconut oil

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Cut your pineapple in half. Chop it into half inch cubes and add to a mixing bowl with your coconut oil.  Toss till it's all evenly coated.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place your pineapple on the sheet. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. After that, flip/toss the cubes and then replace in the oven for another 15 minutes.
4. While your pineapple bakes, rinse your mixing bowl and then add the ground sausage, beef, salt, chopped onion, cayenne pepper, and parsley. Use your hands to mix thoroughly.
5. Then roll your meat into 8 even meat balls.
6. When the pineapple is done cooking, remove the sheet from the oven. When your meatballs are ready, then flatten four of them. 
7. Place as many chunks of pineapple in the center of each flattened meatball as possible. 
8. Flatten the other meatballs over the top of the first set. Make sure you pinch the sides closed. They cook best if you can't see any of the pineapple showing through. 
9. Place a large frying pan on the stove with medium heat. Spray with a light coating of olive oil. 
10. Then evenly space your stuffed paddies on the pan without the edges touching.
11. You should be able to cook them for about 5 minutes on each side, but you might want to slice through one to check that it's done. I like them medium rare but sometimes it takes a little extra time depending on how thick you made them.
12. Serve with salad, guacamole, sweet potato, and/or any extra pineapple you couldn't fit inside the burgers.

Paleo Baked Diced Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Recipe

I've been cooking a whole bunch of delicious Paleo food at my family reunion in North Carolina. 

It's given me a great chance to share what I've been doing with my relatives (many of whom are surprised to see me in the kitchen!) and to work on some new recipes with my dad. Just one year ago I weighed about 100 lbs more and was just getting ready to embark on my quest for weight loss and wellness while I was here with my family. I think they're all pretty shocked at the change but everyone has been very supportive and encouraging. To give you an idea, here's a picture from last year.

/shudder.

Aside from helping me map out and film my 20k run (which I'll report on soon!), Dad did a lot of shopping to make sure I had all sorts ingredients at the ready so I could stay on track this week. As a caterer he often has a lot of great ideas to liven up my dishes. In honor of Lord Caldephron (his D&D Druid alter ego) and his much appreciated assistance, today's recipe deals with a new way to enjoy sweet potatoes (my very favorite tuber treat!). It's a great side or even a tasty desert depending on how you look at it. So without further ado, here's the recipe for:

Caldephron's Roll for Crit Diced Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes (About 1/2 lb per person you're cooking for. For one person, I tend to use one hand sized sweet potato)
• Fresh Ground Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Ground Cinnamon

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Peel or not according to preference. If you are not peeling, give into the dark side and scrub sweet spuds aggressively. 
3. Cut into approximately 1.5 inch cubes.
4. Spray an oven safe baking dish with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray and deposit your sweet potatoes.
5. Fresh ground sea salt and pepper to taste.
6. Carefully sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon evenly across the potatoes. 
7. Drizzle a teaspoon (per potato used) of extra virgin olive oil on the seasoned potatoes and toss the cubes till they are all glistening and coated evenly.
   
8. Put baking dish into the oven for 15 minutes.
9. Remove baking dish and re-toss potatoes. 
10. Put baking dish back into the oven for 10 minutes. 
11. Remove from oven and serve like a boss!

Note: You may need to adjust your cooking times based on how thick your potato cubes end up being. Stick a knife in after the first round in the oven and you can adjust time more or less based on whether they seem cooked through.