Peppermint Wonderland & Breakfast Casserole

Adam and I [ attempt to ] get up every morning at 5:45 AM.  Our bed is so cozy, adorned with a thick quilt, with a woodland scene containing bears and pine trees on it, and pillows to match.  Each morning as I hear the alarm beeping, I sink down into my cozy pile of blankets and pillows and try not to hit the 'snooze' button.  Especially on a morning like today, when it was a whopping 4 degrees
 outside.

This morning, we were on a mission, so waking up at exactly 5:45AM had to happen.

I recently have gone back on the paleo diet, as I am noticing in my ripe late 20's, that my belly seems to grow for no reason.  I definitely cannot eat the same way I used to.  I may be naturally skinny, but even skinny girls can be out of shape, and out of shape I am!

This morning our mission was to make a yummy paleo casserole for breakfast, that we could eat on for lunch and dinner as well if we so choose. The prep began last night in order to expedite the process this morning, and as I mixed my ingredients together the smells of healthy, natural food filled the house like warm cookies coming out of the oven.

Before I could start, I of course had to make a cup of tea.  This morning I chose peppermint tea.  Peppermint has a way of filling every part of me.  The taste and smell are strong and slightly spicy.  Even now as I write and take a sip, my tongue starts to tingle as though my taste buds are dancing in a peppermint wonderland.   Peppermint is very beneficial to the body as it relieves almost all stomach ailments, clears skin, helps digestion, promotes weight loss, and can give you a great sense of stress and sinus relief.  If you ever are feeling down, achy, stressed, etc; peppermint is the way to go!

After my tea had brewed, I started combining all of my ingredients. You start by adding a tablespoon of bacon fat to your pan.  I chose to add Ghee to my pan instead.  Ghee is clarified, organic butter made from organic milk.   It's hard to find, but its a wonderful way to supplement butter in your diet without eating actual butter.  After the fat [or Ghee] melts, add in a whole diced yellow onion and minced garlic.  Let the onion get soft, and then add a pound of ground, grass fed beef.  Continue to cook your beef until it browns and then add your spices.  Cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, and oregano are all in order for this luscious dish.

After your concoction is mixed and browned, pat your beef down into the bottom of your pan, making it look almost patty like.  Add shredded sweet potato on top and pat this down as well.  The sweet potato looks like cheese and add a rich taste!  Top with enchilada sauce or salsa and cover for 8-10 minutes to simmer so the sweet potato softens.  Once the potato is softened, remove from heat and mix in 6 wished eggs.

After this, place the pan in the oven.  For this reason, I cooked everything in my trusty cast iron skillet ( thanks for the wedding present, John!) so I could easily throw the dish into the oven instead of having to transfer the ingredients to a baking dish.  If you don't have a cast iron skillet, transfer into a baking dish and go from there.   Then go invest in a cast iron skillet because you will love life that much more.

Bake your casserole at 450 degrees for 25 minutes, and voila, you have a yummy, healthy, breakfast [lunch and dinner] casserole!

* For a complete list of ingredients, send me an email at: kalaver@gmail.com.