Mary Smith - Quick Prep Paleo: Easy Sheet Pan, Slow Cooker, Instant Pot and Stovetop Meals with Only 5–15 Minutes of Hands-On Time

QUICK PREP

Paleo

Mary Smith

Creator of
Marys Whole Life

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To Annabel, Finn and Liambeing your mommy is both an honor and a privilege.

And to my husband, Bryan, for always believing in me, for being the ultimate taste-tester and for never hesitating to stop at the grocery store on your way home from work. I love you.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved food. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2016, I had to figure out how to continue eating (and cooking) delicious food using different ingredients. I could no longer have gluten, and I realized that I felt better if I didnt eat dairy. When I discovered the Paleo diet, I started to feel better than I had in years. I began to experiment in the kitchen and saw how fun it was to try to recreate some of my favorite dishes using real-food ingredients. This is when my blog, Marys Whole Life, was born. Its been so exciting helping others realize that switching to a Paleo lifestyle doesnt have to be hard, complicated or time-consuming, and eating this way can still be delicious, easy and fun!

As a busy working mom of three children, I dont have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen, and I know many of you dont either. This is why I am so excited about the concept of this book. Quick prep = recipes that can all be chopped, diced, mixed and sauted within 5 to 15 minutes before popping them into the oven, pressing start or covering them and walking away. This means you will have more time to do other things you love!

I approached the development of the recipes for this book with efficiency in mind. I want to help you make the best use of your time! A key tip for saving time in the kitchen is chopping veggies or gathering ingredients while your meat is browning or while your skillet or pot is heating up. The prep times listed in the recipes are based on multitasking and working efficiently in this way. If youd like to cut the prep times down even more, some additional tips include buying pre-chopped and pre-spiralized vegetables, which can be found in most grocery stores. For instance, I always use pre-minced garlic. I also recommend chopping and/or prepping different meal components ahead of time when you can. For example, for the , you can save time by making the spaghetti squash ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the casserole.

Since comfort food is simply the best, many of the recipes in this book are recreations of childhood favorites using healthier ingredients and simpler cooking methods. Cashews, for example, are incredible to use in recipes because when blended, they can create decadent, creamy sauces that taste very similar to dairy. Its remarkable how dishes like all taste just like the versions you grew up loving, but are so much better for you!

Whether you are switching to a Paleo diet for the first time or have been living this lifestyle for some time now, the recipes in this book will keep things easy and exciting. Eliminating gluten, dairy, grains, legumes and refined sugar has been known to improve sleep, decrease gastrointestinal issues, decrease inflammation and improve mental clarity. I personally experienced all of these benefits after switching my diet, which is why I am so passionate about creating and sharing these types of recipes with others.

There is something for everyone in this book, whether you are trying to eat low carb, have a nut allergy or cant eat eggs. I tried to include ways to alter the recipes to suit different needs, because I know firsthand how challenging it can be to have an allergy or dietary restriction. Ive also included tips on how to save even more time in the kitchen where relevant. Youll also find a variety of cooking methodssheet-pan meals, slow cooker and Instant Pot dishes, one-pot meals and casseroles, to name a few.

It can be hard to balance it all, but my hope is that with this book, cooking will become one less thing for you to stress out about. I hope youll feel empowered to whip up delicious, real-food, family-friendly meals without having to spend hours in the kitchen. These recipes are simple enough for everyone to make, even if youre intimidated by the idea of cooking or feel like you just dont have the time. If I can do it, so can you!

Cheers,

A Note on the Recipes

Rather than listing the prep and cook times for each recipe, I have broken it down by Hands-On Time and Hands-Off Time. This will help you determine which recipes will fit into your schedule on busy nights, and which ones would be better options for days when you have a little more time. The Hands-On Times listed are based on an experienced cook working quickly. Please keep this in mind as you are prepping.

Sheet-pan dinners are one of my favorite things to make, especially on busy weeknights. Its so nice to simply toss your ingredients together and let the oven do the work. The recipes in this chapter are not only quick to prep, but all of the ingredients get cooked on one or two baking sheets at the same time. This makes for super-easy cleanup, which is always a win in my book! Sheet-pan dinners are an easy method to use when it comes to Paleo cooking, since meats, vegetables and seafood roast up wonderfully in the oven.

I like to include a good marinade or sauce with my sheet-pan recipes to keep them from becoming too dry. One of my personal favorites (and the number-one recipe on my website) is the . Everything gets tossed in a delicious marinade prior to baking, which gives an otherwise simple meal a standout flavor profile. My family has been known to eat it straight off the pan while standing at the stove!