BROCCOLI CHEDDAR PANCAKES

These are definitely kid approved in my house.  My kids will eat an entire batch and demand more. (they have cheese, so they are not strict paleo)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen broccoli
1 cup cheddar cheese (or any shredded cheese of your liking)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tbsp olive oil



DIRECTIONS

-steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, until just tender and bright green in color.
- put the broccoli in a processor and pulse until its all ground up
- combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well with hands
- take a small palm full, flatten it in your hand and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
-bake at 375 for 25 minutes

PUMPKIN TOMATO SOUP

This is the perfect meal for a rainy day.  That's exactly what we had here in Reno yesterday, and today as well.  Which means I get to enjoy my leftovers even more :)  If I had not roasted and eaten all my fresh Roma tomatoes the night before I made this soup, I would have used them instead of canned.  Fresh herbs can also be used!

INGREDIENTS:

29 OZ fire roasted crushed tomatoes (or roast 10 medium size Roma's)
1 can pure organic pumpkin puree
1 cup full fat organic coconut milk
3-4 cups broth of your choice
5 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp. curry powder or curry paste of your choice
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
- sautee onion in coconut oil until translucent (about 5 min) add in garlic and spices, suttee for another 30 seconds or so.
- add in the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT coconut milk, and whisk until combined. 
- turn heat up to medium high, until it boils.  Cover with lid and let boil for 10 min.
- remove lid and reduce heat to low.
- use your immersion blender to blend all the ingredients until desired consistency.
- cover again and let simmer for 30 minutes (if the soup is too thin for your liking, leave lid off to boil off some of it).
- remove from heat, stir in coconut milk.  Top with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg and a drizzle of coconut milk and enjoy!

ITALIAN STUFFED PORTOBELLOS

Marinate portobello caps in olive oil, some coconut aminos, a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and whatever seasoning you like (I use a steak rub).  Let sit for 1-2 hours.

Take 1 lb of ground meat (I use buffalo) and season heavily with salt, pepper, ground garlic, basil, and Italian seasoning (I make my own, you can find a good one on Pinterest). Use a good amount of seasoning, and to really get it in there I suggest mixing it all with your hands. Let it sit for 30 minutes to absorb flavor.

Broil mushrooms on high for 10 min, flip them and do another 10 min.

While mushroom caps are cooking, make the Creamy Basil and Prociutto sauce from http://www.planksloveandguacamole.com/2014/05/paleo-ala-vodka.html (in my opinion, the best marinera to use is Raos. It's divine). Let the sauce keep warm on low on the stove.

Brown off your ground meat until cooked through

Once the mushrooms are done cooking, drain off any liquid, fill with meat and top with sauce.

I imagine if you are primal you could add some nice mozzarella or fresh Parmesan and broil it all just a few minutes. That would be amazing :)

Planks, Love & Guacamole: The Best Ranch Dressing EVER

I'm re-blogging this because this ranch is HEAVENLY.  We could have drank it straight up!







Planks, Love & Guacamole: The Best Ranch Dressing EVER: This is an older recipe that I'm now giving it's own post for ease of access.  It can also be found with my Bacon Ranch Cauli...

PALEO MAC N CHEESE…it does exist

This is not my recipe.  But everyone in the world should share in this yummy goodness.  This is from Planks, Love and Guacamole.  I told her that she is my new internet bff because of this recipe.  SO GOOD!  The only thing I did different was serve it with Zoodles instead of Spaghetti squash.  But if I'm being completely honest, I'd really like to just drink the sauce alone.

http://planksloveandguacamole.blogspot.com/2014/06/creamy-smac-and-cheese-with-broccoli.html

CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 rotisserie chicken, remove skin and meat and chop (keep the skin!  Its nutritious and delicious!)
- 1 & 1/2 large apples, chopped
- 3 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 green onion, diced
- juice from 1 lime (or more to taste)
- 3-4 heaping spoonfuls of pale friendly mayo (make your own, or use Sir Kensingtons)
- salt & pepper to taste
- curry powder to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

- combine all ingredients, lets sit in refrigerator for 1 hour - overnight.  Will keep well for up to 4 days!

CURRIED AVOCADO EGG SALAD

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 avocado diced
- 2 hard boiled eggs diced
- 1 spoonful paleo mayo
- 1 tsp curry powder
- juice from 1/2 a lime (more to taste)
- salt & pepper to taste

Combine it all, mix well and mange!





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BASTED VEGGIES & EGGS

Breakfast is kind of my thing.  I hate the idea of eating early, but I feel better when I do.  Not to mention for about 15 years all I could cook was eggs and toast :)  Now that I can't have toast, I have to get creative!

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup of veggies chopped
- 2-3 eggs
- 2 tbsp grated raw milk cheese (*omit if not doing primal)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp ghee



DIRECTIONS

- sautee veggies in 1 tbsp ghee until golden brown
- crack eggs over veggies
- when whites are about half way set, season with salt & pepper, and cover with a lid that has a dash of water
- baste for 1-2 minutes

Serve with fresh avocado and salsa if you wish!

PALEO BROWNIES

I don't do paleo "treats" too often, I personally feel like it is defeating the purpose of what I'm trying to accomplish.  But once in a while, like everyone else, I like to indulge a little.  And this is a recipe I feel pretty good about, considering the minimal amount of ingredients.  And these brownies are JUST as good as the real deal, if not better.  Perfect for parties, or to eat the whole thing by yourself on the couch.  Em, not that I've ever done that…



INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1 egg
2 tbsp melted grass fed butter (or ghee)
1 tsp vanilla extract (it's also good with almond extract!)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS

Combine almond butter, maple syrum, egg and extract in a medium mixing bowl.  Mix on low until well blended.

Stir in cocoa powder and baking soda

Put the batter in a greased 8x8 round pan

Bake at 325 for 22 minutes (a little longer if you don't like them gooey.  but thats just crazy)

EAT! Top with fresh fruit and coconut whipped cream, or pumpkin spiced whipped honey, or maple butter, or combine my two favorite desserts and pile it up with chia see tapioca!

CROCKPOT LEMON SAUERKRAUT CHICKEN

I'm all about easy and fast recipes.  I'm also all about one step crockpot recipes.  I don't usually have time to brown the meat before it goes in, so this recipe is perfect.  The only extra step would be if you wanted to marinate your chicken for a few hours or overnight, but it doesn't have to be.  This recipe is plenty for our family of 4, with leftovers for lunch the next day.  It's also easy to freeze half, or just cut the recipe in half.

INGREDIENTS:

- 32 oz sauerkraut drained
- 3-4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (you could use breast meat if you don't mind the dryness, but i personally find thighs keep their moisture better, especially in the crockpot)
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (you could also sub dry herbs, but it's not as flavorful)  I used rosemary and thyme because it's what I had on hand, and they both go great with the lemon flavor
- 3 tbsp olive oil or melted ghee + one tbsp for the sauerkraut
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

- Drain the sauerkraut. Chop the herbs and toss with the sauerkraut and one tbsp of olive oil or ghee, then place in the bottom of crockpot to make a bed for the chicken.

- Baste the chicken with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice, and top with salt and pepper.  If you have time, I recommend marinated the chicken for a few hours to over night, but it's not necessary.

- Place the chicken on top the sauerkraut, and cook on low for 8 hours.



This recipe was so easy and approved by  my husband and 2 & 4 year olds.

CROCKPOT SHORT RIBS

This recipe needs no introduction.  It's divine.  I found the recipe on www.fastpaleo.com

ingredients

• 2-3 lbs beef short ribs
• 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Tb bacon grease
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¾ cup red wine
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 tsp. Tabasco
• 1 jar (7 oz.) tomato paste
• ¾ cup beef stock
• ¼ cup GF Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup Coconut Aminos
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

directions:

Season short ribs with s & p
Brown in a hot pan w/bacon grease
Remove ribs to slow cooker
sauté 1 chopped onion
add remaining ingredients to pan and bring to a boil
pour over ribs
Cook on low for 8-10 hours or if short on time like I was, on high for 2 hours, then low for 4 hours.

These smelled so amazing while cooking! They taste amazing, too!

PALEO, 6 MONTHS LATER

I started the Paleo journey at my heaviest (non pregnant) weight.  I weighed 137 lbs, had zero energy, anxiety up the wazoo, serious sciatic and joint pain, and no drive to much of anything, let alone work out or cook healthy.  Food was my weakness.  I loved all food.  Sugary foods, savory foods, fast food (though I didn't indulge in it often).  And I seriously loved eating out.  We would eat out and or order take out probably 4-5 days a week.  Thats just sad, my friends.  One day I stumbled upon a 30 Day Paleo Challenge (found here: www.robinssweetconfessions.com/wp/category/paleo-challenge/) and my husband and I just decided to go for it.  We dove in head first, no questions asked.  By week 2, I was feeling immensely better, had lost a lot of weight, and enjoyed cooking at home for my family.  After that first month, I had lost 7 lbs, abstained from candy and sweets both on Halloween AND my 4 year old bday party.  The challenge was up on Thanksgiving.  I did have dessert, but other than that continued living the Paleo lifestyle.  It was a bit harder during the holiday's, but we made it and continued seeing success.  Fast forward 6 months, I completed my first Whole30 (see details here: www.whole30.com) *Talk about life changing and difficult!*, am down 16 lbs and 2 dress sizes, I fit into jeans that I bought before I had kids, and even though I'd like to fit into even more things that are smaller, I'm pretty damn happy.  But it goes deeper than the scale.  I'll save you all the boring "i learned so much about my unhealthy relationship with food!" - even though I did, and I'll skip right to the awesomeness that has come from it:

- joint pain GONE
- sciatica GONE (I attribute this to Paleo as well as finding an amazing masseuse and chiropractor)
- strength - way up
- skin - clearer than ever
-anxiety - next to none
- cellulite - let's just say I'll feel pretty confident in my two piece this summer :)
- sugar cravings - finally gone after completing Whole30
- sleeping WAY better at night.  Since I still have little one's it's rare that I actually sleep through the night, but my brain shuts of at a proper hour now
- We have influenced quite a few family members and friends to at least look into a real food lifestyle, and some of them are living it.

Really the list could go on.  But I'll let the before and after pics speak for themselves:

BREAKFAST PUDDING

I made this one morning when we were completely out of eggs.  Technically I don't think I should be having it on the Whole30, but it was all I had.  And it was so good :)

INGREDIENTS:



1 avocado

1 banana

2 tbsp almond butter

1/2 cup coconut milk

2-3 tbsp 100% cacao powder

2 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tbsp cacao nibs



DIRECTIONS:



Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  blend until smooth!

TANGY AVOCADO DEVILED EGGS

Easter just can't happen without deviled eggs.  My mom and grandmothers all make amazing deviled eggs, which are quite simple: egg, mayo, salt and pepper.  sometimes topped with capers or olives.  As much as I love them, I can't bring myself to attempt homemade maybe again (yet), so I had to do something different.  Here they are, Tangy Avocado Stuffed Eggs.

INGREDIENTS:

12 eggs

2 avocados

juice from 2 - 3 limes

2 tsp garlic powder

1tbsp white or red wine vinegar

1/4 cup water or more as need to thin out to the consistency you like

4 slices crisp bacon, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

paprika for topping

DIRECTIONS:

Hard boil your eggs.  I actually bake mine in a muffin tin at 325 for 30 minutes.  Less work and they come out perfect every time.  Allow to cool, I always let mine over night.  You know, just in case :)

In your food processor, combine all other ingredients except the bacon and paprika.  Blend until smooth.

When eggs are cool, remove yolks, combine in a bowl with the avocado puree, and mash it all up.  fill egg whites with the avocado/egg filling.  Top each egg with bacon and a sprinkle of paprika.

ENJOY!

Buffalo Pumpkin Chili

This is perfect on a cold spring (or any season) day.  All the flavors blend so well, despite how it sounds :)  I usually add whatever I have on hand, but I'll just post how I made it this time.  This can be made stove top, or in the crock pot.  I like to keep mine simmering all day in the crock pot so we can eat it whenever we get home.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs ground buffalo
1 Qt Vegetable Juice
28 oz Can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 large yellow onion - chopped
1 large portobello mushroom - chopped
1 large green pepper - chopped

1 yellow squash chopped

1 red apple chopped

1 sweet potato chopped
15 oz canned pumpkin
2.25 oz canned sliced olives

2 cloves garlic minced
1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
1 TBS hot sauce
1 TBS chili powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

-Brown the buffalo in a large pan.  Season with salt 7 pepper

- put all ingredients in crockpot, cook on low 6-8 hours

- if cooking stove top, after you brown the meat, add the onion and mushroom and simmer for 5 minutes.  then add all ingredients and cook for 1 hour on medium heat.  

DANI'S TACO SALAD

This has been a staple in my life since I can remember.  My mom made it grown up, all my friends moms made it.  And everyone had their own way of doing it.  Mine used to have lots of cheese, sour cream, and a mayo based dressing.  When I started Paleo I had to find full flavor else wear.  The avocado and vinegar add a creaminess and zing that the salad deserves.  

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad

1 lb ground buffalo or bison

taco seasoning 

4 culs romain lettuce

2 cups shredded iceburg lettuce

1 avocado sliced

3-4 chopped campari tomatos

2 green onions chopped

1 small can diced green chills drained

4 tbsp fresh pico de gallo

1/4 cup chopped black olives

*1/4 cup shredded raw cheese, if you are doing Primal

- cook bison according to package.  I make mine with a homemade taco seasoning, and I add extra because it is so good.  Let the meat cool slightly.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (this salad is enough for 2 people in our house)

DRESSING

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp white or red wine vinegar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

juice from 1 lime

2 tbsp Trader Joes green or red chili salsa (or both!)

- combine all ingredients and toss with salad.  

Mange!

Olive Tapenad

Everyone that has been to our house knows this is always in the fridge. And we go through one batch in just 2-3 days. It's super easy, super yummy, and is great with chips, crackers, veggies or just by the spoon (or bowl) full. It is my grandmothers recipe, and it's probably the best thing ever for any olive lover :)



INGREDIENTS

-1 can pitted black olives drained
-Equal amount green Spanish olives with pimentos
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup (plus more to taste) olive oil
- juice from 1/2 large lemon
- 1 tbsp capers (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Chop olives in food processor until desired chunkiness. Combine in a bowl with all other ingredients. Stir well. Store for up to 1 week in the fridge. Eat often :)

I find the key to this simple dish is to buy good quality olives and olive oil. It can make all the difference in flavor.

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CHEW CHICKEN

This is probably my favorite chicken dish.  Maybe even ever.  It is really easy to put together, but does take a while to cook.  The flavors are strong, and there are so many variations you can do to make it your own.  I adapted this from a recipe that was featured on The Chew, so at home I call it Chew Chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

4 LBS boneless chicken thighs (prefer skin on, but you can definitely do it without as well)

1 can quartered artichoke hearts drained

1 small box of baby bella mushrooms 

2 tablespoons spicy mustard

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 red wine

1/4 redwine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon tarragon

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken skin side up in a baking dish.  Top with artichokes and mushrooms.  Combine all other ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.  Poor over the top of chicken mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1&1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour.

Breakfast For Dinner

Sweet potato shavings sautéed in olive oil, add salt and pepper. Ad a chopped (already cooked) chicken apple sausage until warm. Then baste an egg. Voila! Breakfast! Add any veggie if you want a more rounded meal. This is so good, with the sweet/savory combo.




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Paleo Cold Cereal

Use what you have! Any nits and sees, fresh and dried fruit, almond and or coconut milk



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Pizza Spaghetti Pie

http://paleomg.com/almost-5-ingredient-pizza-spaghetti-pie/

Pizza Spaghetti Pie from the website above. I add 1/2 cup of raw milk cheese and olives.




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Side - Sautéed Baby Bok Choy

Chop 2-3 heads of baby Bok Choy. Heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a pan, add Bok Choy. Stir once and add fresh squeezed like juice and curry powder. Takes about 3 minutes to cook.



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Bison & Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe is not strict paleo. It has raw milk cheese, so it's primal.






I used the tortilla recipe from www.stupideasypaleo.com .  Here are the instructions (*i always at least tripple it)

Makes: Three 8″ tortillas

Ingredients for Simple Paleo Tortillas:

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon melted ghee (sub: melted coconut oil)
• Update: 1 Tablespoon water makes the batter more spreadable / thin
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon coconut flour
• Pinch of salt
• Directions for Simple Paleo Tortillas:

1. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk in the melted ghee and water.
2. Add the dry ingredients—arrowroot, coconut flour and salt—and beat well to combine.  
3. In a small (8″) skillet over medium heat, pour in about 1/3 of the batter and immediately roll it around to evenly coat the bottom. The tortilla should start to pull away from the edges as it cooks.
4. Cook for 1 minute on each side.

And the enchilada sauce found on www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com  (*i did not strain the sauce. And it was delish) http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/homemade-enchilada-sauce/

makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and oregano and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sauteing your spices for a few seconds will give your sauce a fuller flavor.
  2. Add in the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove from heat, and strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the onion to extract the sauce. If I am making enchiladas or something similar, I'll add the reserved onions to my filling. You may discard the onion if you wish.
  4. Keep refrigerated for up to one week. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Then I cooked 1lb of ground bison with my own taco seasoning.  In each tortilla I add a little bison with just a tiny amount of cheese, roll the tortilla and repeat until baking dish is full.  Top the enchiladas with a bunch of sauce and as much cheese as you'd like (I use about 1/2 cup for the top, and the same for the filling) and then bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Serve with fresh avocado and sauteed bell peppers or a fresh salad!
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Chicken Fajitas with Paleo Tortillas

Chicken Fajitas with Paleo Tortillas (tortilla recipe from www.stupideasypaleo.com)

Pulled BBQ Chicken

Pulled BBQ Chicken from Against all Grain -