(paleo friendly) crockpot fajitas

i like to eat. like, a lot. and i really like food that is yummy. 

unfortunately, eating lots of yummy food often does not equal a flattering pant size. 

now that cora is one, (wait, cora is one?!?!) i feel like i can no longer use the "i just had a baby" bit. 

so last week, feeling overly bloated and like i never wanted to wear pants that didn't have an elastic waistband, i decided enough was enough. we eat pretty cleanly, for the record. but it isn't always belly friendly. 

also, a lot of my cooking happens to be in the form of crockpot cooking. mostly because 5pm is prime meltdown time, and if i throw a bunch of healthy stuff in a crock pot, then i'm less likely to make a bad choice for dinner, grabbing something fast. 

i've done some crockpot freezer meals in the past, and i love them. but lately i have even gotten too lazy to prepare ahead. so, out of necessity (read: laziness) i have devised some meals that are so ridiculously easy and healthy, that it should be a crime. they also happen to be well loved by my 2 little people, so yay me!

Crockpot Fajitas

(edit** i definitely had this as chicken fajitas. they are not. though you could make them with chicken!)

(I didn't make this up, really. but i have made it my own.)

1 package of beef for fajitas (i used about 1 1/2 pounds, but that wasn't really enough for us)

taco mix*

~1/4 cup water

1-2 red peppers, sliced

1/2 an onion, chopped

1 bunch romaine lettuce

cheese (optional as a topping)

guacamole**

-put beef in the bottom of the crockpot.

-sprinkle taco mix* over beef

- add water

-add red pepper and onions

-cover and cook on low 6-8 hours

once it's dinner time, cut the end off the bunch of lettuce, and use each leaf as a shell. 

*taco mix: I make my own. part of that whole, "not using processed/packaged" stuff, and honestly, i like it way better than any store bought one anyway, and it's cheaper. so win win win!

1 tbsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayanne pepper

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

mix it all together. if you make double (or triple) you can store in a shaker or airtight container. 

**guacamole: i also make my own guacamole. i don't claim that it is authentic or even the best tasting, but i love it and it's easy. 

1 (or 2, if you are making a lot) avocado

1 tomato, diced

1/2 an onion, chopped (i usually use half an onion here and put the other half in the meat mixture, so i use 1 whole onion instead of having any left over)

lime juice

chopped cilantro (you can use fresh or the seasoning kind)

sea salt

-roll avocado around on the counter (this helps separate the flesh from the meat). slice it open, remove the core and scrape out the meat. 

-add chopped tomato and onion.

-stir until well incorporated and to desired consistency. 

-add salt, lime juice and cilantro, to taste. 

ta da! 

bella ate 4 small lettuce leafs filled with fajitas, and asked for more (i would have let her eat more but it was all gone!) and cora ate a bit and asked for more too! so, this is going to become a meal we prepare more often.