Stuffed Peppers

The thing I love about food is that what we really like about foods isn’t always just the taste, it’s the texture of a particular food we long for, especially when nature doesn’t create a paleo food with that same texture. Fortunately, nature gave us spaghetti squash so that takes care of that, but what about rice?

Cauliflower is the answer and it does it’s job quite well. Just pulverize in a food processor and voila you’ve got rice!

I used my rice this time in a mixture with ground turkey and other spices to fill up some bright peppers.

 

You need:

1 pound ground turkey

5 Bell peppers, 1 chopped, the others with tops cut off and hollowed out

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small head cauliflower

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 can diced tomatoes

salt to taste

for the sauce:

3 large tomatillos, quartered

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 jalapeños

1/2 can diced tomatoes

juice from one lime

salt to taste

 

pre heat oven to 350.

Brown and cook the turkey with a pinch of salt.

In a sauce pan, fill it with water and place in the tomatillos and jalapeños. Boil for 10 minutes.

In another pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and peppers in the olive oil until the onion is translucent.

Pulverize the cauliflower in a food processor and add it to the sauté pan. Add in the meat, tomatoes, and seasonings and stir. let cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally to meld flavors.

When the tomatillos and jalapeños are done boiling, strain them and place them in the food processor. Add cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice, and salt. Blend on high until the mixture becomes salsa like.

Add 1/4 cup of the sauce to the meat and veggie mixture and combine thoroughly.

Place the peppers that have been prepped into a Pyrex baking dish. Pour a bit of the sauce into the bottom of each pepper, then fill as full as possible with the meat mixture. Any left over can be placed outside the peppers. top off the peppers with a bit of the sauce.

Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until peppers are soft.

These can be made ahead of time and cooked later. Great for an easy oven pop in when you get home from work.

Grain Free Zucchini Friti

Have you ever had those lovely breaded and fried cuts of zucchini at a restaurant? Yum! Well I am bringing the restaurant to your house, and taking the bread out of it.

These were delish with some sugar free marinara sauce on for dipping! ( Yes pasta sauce often has sugar in it. Look at labels before you buy)

Note: After looking at the ONE picture I took of these before we devoured them all, I am wishing I would have made them more presentable… oh well. Eat up!

You need:

1 Zucchini squash

1 cup blanched almond flour

2 eggs

1 tbsp water

Salt to taste

OR

2 tsp Cavanders Greek seasoning

Frying oil ( I use a mixture of olive and coconut)

 

1) Cover a large skillet with oil to about an inch. Heat the oil to 350.

2) Cut the zucchini into thin fry-like strips about 2-3 in long.

3) In a small bowel, whisk the eggs and water till smooth

4) In a small bowel , combine almond flour and seasoning, mix well

5) Dredge the zucchini in the egg a few at a time and then dredge in the almond flour mixture. Do this until all are covered.

6) Place the zucchini in the skillet. Watch at all times. Turn the zucchini after 2-3 minutes or until the one side is golden brown. Cook on the other side until it is golden brown. You can do this in several turns of zucchini if you have a lot.

7) When zucchini are done, take out and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up the extra oil.

8) serve as is or with warm sugar free marinara sauce. I like Delallo.. $3.99 at sprouts!

Turkey Loaf

 

Don’t be fooled by the picture, it’s not bread it’s meat. This turkey loaf is an adaptation from Elana’s Cookbook, the Gluten Free almond Flour Cookbook. It turned out really good! I made a few slight changes and put it in a 5X3 inch loaf pan instead of forming a loaf.

What you need:

1 pound ground turkey

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded zucchini

2 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar free marinara sauce ( I used Delallo)

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1 tsp sea salt

1tsp ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tbsp fresh thyme

 

Heat the oven to 400.

Combine turkey, oil, onion, garlic, zucchini, eggs, and marinara in a large bowl.

Combine almond flour, salt, pepper, cilantro, and thyme in a small bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix with hands until thoroughly combined.

Spray the loaf pan with oil and place the mixture in it.

Cook for 60-90 minutes or until the top is browned and the loaf is cooked all the way through.

Serve with extra marinara sauce on the side.

Garlic and Herb Brussels Sprouts

 

This was my first time ever eating Brussels sprouts and they are delicious! They remind me of baby cabbages. Enjoy these as a side with just about anything!

What you need:

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

Chefs Shake seasoning to taste

 

Soak the Brussels sprouts in water for 10 minutes prior to prepping to wash dirt and things out of them.

Cut off the ends of the sprouts and cut them in half.

Bring the chicken broth to boil in a large skillet and add the  sprouts. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until the are tender.

Discard the liquid and then add the oil, garlic, and seasoning. Stir and sauté for 3-5 minutes.

Veggie Frittata

 

Sometimes eggs for breakfast get a little boring. But it’s super easy to spice them up with some delicious veggies! This morning I made a wonderful veggie frittata and it satisfied Diego and my urge to go out to breakfast. Who says home cooking isn’t the best!? The best part about a veggie frittata is that you can use any sorts of veggies you like. Diego was craving Asian style veggies that conveniently were frozen so it was a breeze to sauté the veggies with

no prep and then add the eggs. I highly recommend it. I served the frittata with nitrate and chemical free breakfast sausage and strawberries. YUM!

 

What you need

5 eggs

1/4 cup water

1 package of frozen veggies of your choice

OR ( my favorite combo)

1/2 onion, minced

1 bell pepper

1 cup broccoli

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

3 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan with a lid. Place your choice of veggies in the sauté pan ( if frozen just dump em all in, if not, start with the onions and peppers first and sauté till translucent, then add the broccoli and cook for 3 min).

In the meantime, whisk the eggs in a bowl with the water until light and fluffy. Add the last of the olive oil to the pan and stir around a bit to make sure the pan is covered ( this will make the getting the frittata our easier).Pour the eggs into the pan and lower the heat to low.  Sprinkle the cilantro on the top of the eggs. Cover the pan immediately and let the frittata cook about 10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through. Be careful about opening the lid as this will let the heat out and make the cooking time longer.

The heat should be low so as to not burn the bottom of the frittata.

Roasted Chicken with Paleo Cranberry Orange Sausage Stuffing

In my quest for a Paleo  T-Day I stumbled upon Boulder Sausages Cranberry Orange Breakfast sausage and I thought to myself, I bet that would be great in stuffing!!!! This stuffing is all paleo and is just enough sweet.  The stuffing was enough to fill the chicken and fill the outside of the 13X9 baking dish and probably would be enough just to fill the inside of a turkey. You could also use the regular breakfast sausage as well.

You need:

1 small whole Chicken

1 tbps olive oil

1/2 lb Cranberry Orange Breakfast Sausage

1 large onion, minced

1 cup Celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 Medium golden Delicious apple, chopped.

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 cup Cranberries, fresh

1.5 cups orange juice

1 tbsp fresh sage chopped

1 sprig thyme

1 tbsp Chef’s shake seasoning

salt to taste

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a 13X9 glass baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the sausage breaking it up into small bits.

In the meantime, cook cranberries and 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, let the cranberries cook and become sweeter with the OJ. When the cranberries have become soft, drain the cranberry orange water and save for marinating and basting the chicken. Save cranberries for stuffing.

In  a small bowl, mix the cranberry orange juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, sage ,thyme, and chef’s shake.

When the sausage has cooked add in the onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add in the apples  and cauliflower to the pan and coat them about 1 minute. Transfer into a large bowl and add in cranberries. 

Add last 1/2 cup of OJ to the pan to scrape up the browned bits and add to the stuffing. Fold everything gently together.

Pour the marinade over the chicken and under the skin. Shake extra seasoning over the chicken it you wish. Stuff the chicken with the stuffing and pour the rest outside the chicken or place in a separate baking dish if you don’t want it mixed up with the chicken juices.

Bake for 1. 5 hours or until the chicken reached 180 degrees F. You may wish to place a piece of foil on the chicken after an hour to keep the moisture in.

I ate mine with Panetta, apple spinach salad. Yum!

Homemade Chicken Soup

 

I’ve been thinking about making chicken soup for a while now and I have been waiting  to make it on just the right cold and snowy day. This is super easy, but it does take some  time, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

You Need:

1 small whole chicken, skinned

2 quarts organic low sodium chicken broth

1 large onion

5 stalks celery

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves

3 sprigs thyme

3 sage leaves

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs rosemary

1 large leek, chopped

1.5 cup zucchini, shredded

juice from one lemon

In a large stock pot, place the chicken and chicken stock and enough water to just cover the chicken. Heat to a boil. Put in the onion, 2 celery stalks chopped, .5 cup carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, sage in the pot and cover and lower heat to low and simmer for 1.5 hours.

Take the chicken out of the pot and place on a cutting board. Let the stock sit with the heat off and skim off the fat. A quick tip: I put the pot in my fridge for 20 minutes to let it cool and speed up the separation process. Then I was able to skim off the fat and see it easier.

Remove chicken from the bones however works best for you and place back into the soup. Place the remaining veggies, except the zucchini in the pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer covered for 10 minutes and then add zucchini, simmer for 2 minutes and then serve!

Homemade Chicken Soup

 

I’ve been thinking about making chicken soup for a while now and I have been waiting  to make it on just the right cold and snowy day. This is super easy, but it does take some  time, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

You Need:

1 small whole chicken, skinned

2 quarts organic low sodium chicken broth

1 large onion

5 stalks celery

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves

3 sprigs thyme

3 sage leaves

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs rosemary

1 large leek, chopped

1.5 cup zucchini, shredded

juice from one lemon

In a large stock pot, place the chicken and chicken stock and enough water to just cover the chicken. Heat to a boil. Put in the onion, 2 celery stalks chopped, .5 cup carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, sage in the pot and cover and lower heat to low and simmer for 1.5 hours.

Take the chicken out of the pot and place on a cutting board. Let the stock sit with the heat off and skim off the fat. A quick tip: I put the pot in my fridge for 20 minutes to let it cool and speed up the separation process. Then I was able to skim off the fat and see it easier.

Place the remaining veggies, except the zucchini in the pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer covered for 10 minutes and then add zucchini, simmer for 2 minutes and then serve!

Homemade Chicken Soup

 

I’ve been thinking about making chicken soup for a while now and I have been waiting  to make it on just the right cold and snowy day. This is super easy, but it does take some  time, perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

You Need:

1 small whole chicken, skinned

2 quarts organic low sodium chicken broth

1 large onion

5 stalks celery

1 cup baby carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves

3 sprigs thyme

3 sage leaves

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs rosemary

1 large leek, chopped

1.5 cup zucchini, shredded

juice from one lemon

In a large stock pot, place the chicken and chicken stock and enough water to just cover the chicken. Heat to a boil. Put in the onion, 2 celery stalks chopped, .5 cup carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, sage in the pot and cover and lower heat to low and simmer for 1.5 hours.

Take the chicken out of the pot and place on a cutting board. Let the stock sit with the heat off and skim off the fat. A quick tip: I put the pot in my fridge for 20 minutes to let it cool and speed up the separation process. Then I was able to skim off the fat and see it easier.

Place the remaining veggies, except the zucchini in the pot and bring to a boil.

Mini Vegetable Frittatas

 

These veggie frittatas are so simple to make and they make for an easy quick or even to-go breakfast… lunch or dinner for that matter. I got this idea from a client who started to make them for her son who has recently adopted the Paleo diet and was having trouble eating enough for breakfast. I decided to make them today and I think I will make some more soon because Diego’s already eaten two or three.

What you need:

1.5 cup zucchini squash, shredded

1/2 an onion chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

6 eggs

1/2 tsp  Celtic sea salt

1tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sauté onions and salt in olive oil in a large pan until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté another 3-5 minutes.

While this is happening, whisk the eggs in a medium size bowl. Add the zucchini   and green onion to the egg mixture and mix.

Spray a 12 muffin pan with oil and fill each hole with mushroom and onion just so it covers the bottom.

Fill each muffin hole with egg mixture a little more than 3/4 full but not quite to the top, it will fluff up and the egg might run over a bit.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the egg is cooked all the way through.

Indian Spiced Cauliflower “Rice” Pilaf

 

I’ve been craving rice lately and specifically that saffron colored wonderful aromatic basmati rice they serve at an Indian restaurant. I’ve been pondering the idea of making “rice” on it’s own with cauliflower for a few weeks and I finally gave it a try. After seeing how this dish created itself, I can see there is a ton more rice-y dishes you could make with cauliflower, especially a rich risotto. I can’t wait to try some more.

If you have been craving that rice texture and you want something that is flavorful and satisfying you will love this cauliflower rice.

 

You need:

1 medium head cauliflower, pulverized in the food processor

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic

10-12 green cardamom pods

1 tbsp cloves

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp fresh ginger

1 cinnamon stick

2 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp saffron strands

1.5 cup chicken stock

Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the cardamom, cloves, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon. Sauté 3-5 minutes.

Add Cauliflower and sauté with spices about 5 minutes or until it starts to get a golden color and the aromatics of the spices have spread around the kitchen again.

Add the chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, and saffron and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to low and let simmer for 10-20 minutes until the liquid is soaked up by the cauliflower. The longer you let it simmer the more the flavors will come into the cauliflower.

Serve and garnish with cilantro or thyme.

Paleo Frito Pie with Guacamole

I was in the mood for chili yesterday and after doing some experimenting with  Sweet Potato chips on Friday I got the great idea to make Frito pie. Now when I make Chili I sort of “wing it” as far as a recipe and use things I have laying around the kitchen, so I tried to write down this recipe as best I could. The best thing about winging it with chili is that every chili comes out new and excited but the bad part is, it’s hard for me to replicate a really good chili over again. This batch turned out smoky with a sweet taste from the squash and the andoullie sausage. Yum!

Chili:

1 pound Grass fed ground beef

2 links nitrate free Andoullie sausage, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

2 jalapeños, chopped and pitted

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch cilantro

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 14 oz cans  no salt added  organic diced tomatoes in juice

1 cup beef broth

Salt to taste

1 tbsp cumin

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

water

 

In a large pot heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium high. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeños and sauté until the onions are translucent, about  10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large skillet brown the ground beef and sausage until cooked. Set aside.

In a food processor, add 1 tbsp olive oil and cilantro. Blend until it becomes a thick paste and add water until it forms a saucy consistency. set aside.

Add the Mushrooms and squash to the pot with the onions and sauté for 3ish minutes or until the mushrooms have begun to shrink. Add the meat to the pot and let everything cook together for about 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Add cans of tomatoes and beef broth and cilantro sauce. add in all spices and stir. Bring to a boil and then set heat to low and let simmer for 1-2 hours. It depends on how think you want your chili. I wanted mine thick this time so I let it simmer for over 2 hours to reduce and thicken. ( If you don’t have beef broth, chicken broth or water would work just as well)

 

Sweet Potato Chips

2-3 large sweet potatoes

olive oil

coconut oil

grapeseed oil

salt

Peel the sweet potatoes. I cut mine using the slicer in my food processor so they come out uniform. If you don’t have access to one of these you can cut them yourself. They can be as thick or thin as you like. Just remember the thicker they are the longer the cooking time will be.

If you have a deep fryer, this part will be much less time consuming. If not, place an amount of oil in a large skillet so that the oil is about 1/2 inch high, enough to cover your chips. Heat up to 375 if you have a thermometer or heat to med high. Know your stove, mine is a lot hotter than it says it is. Test one chip and get a feel for if the oil is hot enough, too hot etc and how long it needs to cook for. you will need to watch the chips at all times. When one side is golden brown, flip it over. The point here is to get rid of the moisture in the potatoes, so if your chips are coming out and ending up a little soggy, they need to cook longer.

When your chips are done place them on a plate with some paper towels to catch the excess oil. Salt them if you like and then put them in a large bowl. I found that it’s best to salt them immediately after taking them out of the oil so the salt sticks.

The same technique would work to make sweet potato chips. I also tried a few squash chips which turned out great but required a different cooking time because they have so much more moisture. As long as you stay by the pan, flipping and checking your chips, you can’t go wrong. 

 

Guacamole

3-4 Large avocados

1 bunch cilantro

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeño

salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin

juice from 1 small lemon

 

place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until the consistency is what you want. If you are going by hand, mince the cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño and place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash with a masher or a fork, or use a mortar and pedestal if you have one.

 

 

The Piece de Resistance

Putting it all together,

In your bowl, put a layer of chips, then pile on the chili, then put some more chips on top and a big dollop of guac…. mmmmmmm Diego Approved! Garnish with chopped avocado, peppers, cilantro, lime wedges, cabbage…. whatever your little hear desires.

del.icio.us Tags: Paleo,Recipes,Paleo Frito Pie,Paleo Chili,Chili,Guacamole,Sweet Potatoe Chips,Clean Eating

The Down Low on Clean Eating Series: Introduction

When I talk to people about Clean Eating and specifically Paleo, I get a lot of confused, shocked, and resistant faces. What I have found in my years in this industry is that asking people to give up sugar is a no brainer. People have come to expect that if they want to eat healthier, they need to give up sugar and other white products like white rice, refined flour, etc. But asking people to give up ALL GRAINS, BEANS, and ALL DAIRY... whatsoever... is like asking them to get naked and speak in front of thousands of people.

When I was first presented with the Paleo diet "rules" I know I did the same thing. For me the grains part was easier to understand than the dairy part, especially since in the past my "healthy" way of eating often involved eating a lot more dairy products than normal like string cheese and yogurt. Often when we have a fitness or health goal we are presented with ways of eating that I now consider excuse diets; diets that allow people an easy way out.

For Example:

No sugar? Have as much fake, laboratory-produced sugar as you want, even if it’s a neurotoxin. Who cares at least you won’t be taking in calories.

You hate cooking? No problem, don’t learn how to cook and eat over processed, chemical ridden frozen meals that have as much nutritional value as a cardboard box.

Count your Calories! No need to worry about what’s in your food or where it came from, or if it will even get into your cells for your body to use.

The diet industry of today has you running around in circles believing that there is some magical,easy way out. I am so sick and tired of people trying to make hard things easier by cutting corners. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

I really believe that this is a huge reason people are such yo-yo dieters. If you don’t re-learn what you know about food; how it affects you, how you shop for it, how you cook it, and how you eat it you will never learn any way of eating that will be sustainable for you. Remember those factors for later.

Key Point: Something that sounds sustainable for you in the future right now… to the person you are now whom you are trying to make life changes to…. probably sounds this way because it is still in your comfort zone. If I have learned anything in this life it’s that in order to grow and change we have to go OUTSIDE of our comfort zone. I know this because at one time, I didn’t think I would be able to I could sustain a life without cheese or ice cream or even ENJOY it. But I did and I’ve never enjoyed eating more than I do now.

In this series of blogs I am going to give you the down low (DL) on the 4 absolute musts that you need to learn (either for the first time from a different perspective) if you want to create a healthy way of eating that you will be able to sustain and enjoy for the rest of your life.

· How Food Effects You

· How to Shop for and Cook Food

· How to Eat Food

· How to make it a part of your NEW YOU!

I will go over things things like how body composition, emotions, energy level, performance and health are related to insulin, hormone regulation, gluten, lectins, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and other foods and non-foods we put into our bodies. We will go more in depth about what to look for in the grocery store, reading labels, and creating and finding great recipes for your weekly meal planning. And lastly I will give you some great tips along the way to begin to implement these changes in your life. Look for the DL on insulin in the next blog. I look forward to questions and empowering you to make more healthy decisions.

del.icio.us Tags: Paleo,Clean eating,The down low on clean eating series,weight loss,optimal health,diets,fitness

7 things no one told you about food

QUALITY of food is always going to be MORE IMPORTANT than QUANTITY of food.- Crystal Nelson

A blog recently written by my friend Crystal Nelson, along with many recent conversations with family and friends about “why the heck I don’t eat dairy or grains anymore” inspired this week’s inspire me Monday. There are so many things I could talk about but to start, I want to lay down the law of the basic things people don’t realize about food.

The 7 Truths no one told you about food:
1) Food is Fuel
2) Food is a Drug
3) Calorie Counting is BS
4) Food has amazing healing power
5) Food has amazing destructive power
6) Food is a Drug
7) Food is Fuel

Just in case you were wondering, it’s not a mistake that “food is fuel” and “food is a drug” made it in the list two times. So much of my job is getting my clients to CHANGE THE WAY THEY VIEW FOOD. If you know me, you know I am all about optimal health and functioning which this why love the Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain and the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson as an optimal way of eating (notice how I say way of eating, not diet).

Food has Amazing Healing Power: I love Robb Wolf’s blog for great paleo success stories and pick me ups when I need a reminder of why I eat this way. Something Crystal noted in her blog that I want to spread around even more is a topic that has recently come up on Robb Wolf’s blog about the reversal of diabetes in a little girl. This story, as Crystal said, gives me chills. The basic story is a little girl was diagnosed Sept 10 of this year with type 1 diabetes and her family (including her) went completely paleo. Immediately after this the little girl’s blood sugar levels began to drop rapidly. As of Oct 19, this little girl’s doctor has concluded that she needs NO INSULIN and the family is currently awaiting antibody tests to determine whether or not the attack on her pancreas has slowed or stopped all together: “This REVERSAL of a life-threatening autoimmune disease is being mediated by a focus on food quality (paleo).” Interesting….

Food Has Amazing Destructive Power: Is it possible that grains, gluten, and dairy contributed to the development of this autoimmune disease. I would say yes. While there is some merit to autoimmune disorders being genetic, just because you have a gene doesn’t mean you will see it until it is EXPRESSED by your body. Food definitely has the power to express or not express genes, emotions, illness you name it. Do your own research. Books I love are Dangerous Grains, Good Calories, Bad Calories, The Omnivores Dilemma and The Unhealthy Truth.

If you still aren’t convinced read this letter to Robb Wolf about surviving a life threatening blood infection. Paleo will save your life. And I’m willing to bet it’ll help you fend off that H1N1 too.

If you want to find out more, need more elaboration on the 7 truths no one told you about food, please email me. I would love to help anyone, near or far, figure out how to achieve optimal health and how all this CAN FIT INTO YOUR LIFE.

Coconut Crusted Chicken Fingers and Squash Pear Sesame Sala

This weekend I tried a recipe from my Paleolicious cookbook and created one of my own! These chicken fingers are so flavorful and crispy on the outside. I used the larger coconut shavings instead of shredded coconut which added more crisp to the chicken. We dipped the chicken in leftover sesame dressing, jalapeno cilantro chimichirri and homemade bbq sauce.

The recipe in the cookbook is actually paired with a sesame greens salad, but I had no greens at home. What I had was squash, so I thought, I can make a salad with squash. Later I eyed the pears I had gotten and thought that it might make a great combo. It's sweet and refreshing.

For the Chicken:
2 Chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 in thick and cut into strips
3 egg whites, whisked in a small bowl
1/2 cup almond flour, in a small bowl
shredded coconut to cover the chicken
2 tblsp grapeseed oil

Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet. Dredge the chicken in these three steps: Almond Flour, egg whites, coconut; until the chicken is covered. Place the chicken in the skillet, cooking until golden brown on both sides; about 3-5 min each side. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through.

Salad:
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and dices
1 large ripe pear, diced into cubes
juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
salt to taste

In a pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil and saute the squash until soft. Meanwhile mix lemon juice, oil, ginger, and salt in a bowl. Prepare a bowl with ice water, and when the squash are soft, pour into the ice water to stop the cooking process and cool the squash temperature. Drain the water and place pears in the bowl. Pour in the dressing and mix making sure everything gets covered in sauce.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Scones and Zucchini Chocolate Chip muffins

Thursday I had the urge to bake things. I love baking! It gives me some cool sense of accomplishment. I've been wanting to try making the Chocolate Chip Scones from the Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook and Zucchini Chocolate chip muffins.



Both turned out great! The zucchini muffins were made with coconut flour and it was my first baking experience with that. The zucchini keeps the muffins moist and flavorful! They have a wonderful cinnamon flavor as well. The scones were great too. Just the right amount of sweet.

I always end up halving the recipes because I don't need the extras laying around my house. There are only two of us!

Paleo meter: To be used Sparingly....

Carne Asada with Cilantro, Jalapeno chimichurri

So I was at Whole foods yesterday planning to buy ingredients to make my own nutella, and I came across Carne asada with Cilantro Jalapeno salsa and it looked DELICIOSO! So I thought, I can make that myself. I am not sure what's in the whole foods version but mine turned out rich and satisfying. I cheated a bit though and bought the whole foods marinated carne asada.... I didn't have the energy to explore making my own marinade and I know I love the whole foods version ( stick with what you like eh?). So that will be my next endeavor since there is probably something not exactly paleo in their marinade.

Chimichurri:
1 bunch cilantro
1 avocado
2 medium jalapenos
juice from 1 lime
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
water
salt to taste

Place jalapenos on a baking sheet or glass baking dish and broil in the oven ( be sure to move the rack to the very top). Roast the jalapenos until the skin is black on both sides, you will need to flip them over at some point to get both sides about3-5 min a side. Let the jalapenos cool a bit then under cold water peel off the black skin. Cut off the tops and scrape out the seeds if you don't want your chimichurri to be super hot. If you like super hot, leave them in.

In a food processor, put in all the ingredients expect the water. Blend until a paste forms and add water until the chimichurri reaches a sauce like consistency. You could have it as thick or thin as you want.

And that's it! Serve with your Carne Asada. This sauce tastes great on just about anything. I had it on my eggs this morning. There is just something about a bright green sauce that feels so refreshing to eat. Buen Provecho!

Boundaries Vs. Limits

“Boundaries are to protect life, not to limit pleasures.” -Edwin Louis Cole

Do you know where you keep your boundaries? Do you let things or people cross your personal boundaries too often? This week I challenge you to think about where your strongest boundaries are and where you need to toughen them up a bit.

We all can think of a situation where we let someone into our space, cross our boundaries and it made us feel sticky, not your-self, or just not right. Take a moment to think about those people or situations. Can you find a recurring theme? Is it always the same type of person or situation?

When we have strong personal boundaries, we become empowered. A very common weakness in boundaries for people is saying no. Do you say yes too often when you really mean no?
Every time you say yes to something when you really mean no you are letting a piece of yourself go with it. You are losing power, losing energy.

Having strong boundaries doesn’t mean being snobby, mean, or rude. It simply means being true to yourself and your needs. Boundaries are here to protect us.

On the other hand, sometimes we confuse boundaries with limits. We put limits on how much joy and abundance we can have and confuse that with a boundary. When all your boundaries are set and impenetrable, you will be able to honor yourself in the highest way.

Where are you putting caps on your happiness, your success, yourself? You will find that boundaries and limits go hand in hand. When you build up and strengthen your boundaries, your limits will be endless.
So take this week to notice this: What are your most important boundaries? Which ones do you need to acknowledge and strengthen? Where do you put limits in your life and which of your boundaries will help you break open that limit?

A very Paleo Thanksgiving Recipe: Chicken and Squash Pot Pie and Mashed Garlic and Herb Cauliflower

This weeks taste testing of some paleo thanksgiving meals was Butternut Squash and Chicken pot pie with Mashed Garlic and herb cauliflower. I loved both of these recipes.

For the Pot pie, I used a recipe out of Elana Amsterdam's Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook.



I added butternut squash chunks instead of peas to stay paleo and I used a roasted crockpot chicken for the chicken and it turned out great. I think this would make a nice vegen dish if you take out the chicken.

I also Imagine using my leftover turkey for this dish.

The Cauliflower was super easy to make. You need:
1 head cauliflower
olive oil
water
1 package poultry herbs ( sage, thyme, and rosemary), minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste

Boil the cauliflower (cut into small pieces) until soft. Drain the cauliflower and place in large bowl or blender/food processor. Add in garlc, herbs and salt. Begin to mash or blend the mixture and add olive oil and water alternating the two one tablespoon at a time until you reach a consistency you want.



I used my food processor and my mash turned out more like a thick cream. Next time I will try simply mashing them for a more potato like texture.

Bon Apetite!

Moroccan Chicken Casserole and Vanilla Cupcakes

This week I made some awesome Paleo foods. Above is the Moroccan Chicken Casserole from Mark Sisson's website and it was delish! The cauliflower is just the right texture for rice and it's so refreshing. The spices are wonderful. It does take some prep time though so don't expect this to be a quick dish.

For my paleo challenge finished celebration I made myself some paleo cupcakes. FYI I used the almond flour recipe from Elana's cookbook, the link here uses coconut flour. The cupcakes were moist and just the right amount of sweetness.