This warm dinner recipe combines ground pork and flavorful fall ingredients like butternut squash and cranberries to make a wonderful, easy meal. Paleo, Whole30, and AIPNote: This recipe was updated in 2021 to be fully AIP-compliant and a lot easier to make.
2tbsAvocado Oil, Coconut Oil, or Olive Oil(divided)
1mediumOnion(diced)
2stalksCelery(diced)
3clovesGarlic(minced)
2lbsGround Pork(or Ground Turkey or Chicken)
1/4tspdried Thyme(finely chopped)
2Apples(cored and diced)
1cupCranberries(fresh, frozen, or dried*)
1bunchBaby Spinach, Kale, or Chard(chopped and tough stems removed)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place diced squash on the baking sheet and toss with 1/4 tsp sea salt, the dried sage, and 1 tbsp of the oil.
Roast squash for 20-30 min or until soft.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp oil and then add the onions and celery. Cook until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Add the ground pork to the pan, breaking it up with your hands. Season with the remaining 1/4 tsp of sea salt and the dried thyme. Continue to cook, breaking up the pork with a spatula or wooden spoon, until the pork is browned and cooked all the way through.
Add the apples and cranberries to the pot and stir well. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the spinach (or kale or chard) and the squash to the pot and stir. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the greens have wilted. Serve!
Notes
*If you use dried cranberries for Whole30, make sure they are fruit-juice sweetened. If you use dried cranberries for AIP you'll need to find ones that aren't tossed with sunflower seed oil (or other seed oils) You can also make your own dried cranberries - see how here.