PaleYo

Archive - March 2015

Blueberry Muffins for Breakfast

How is everyone’s bracket doing?  While you’re watching the game you can prep your breakfast for the morning…BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!  These are no joke, my friends.  They taste delicious with a little grass fed butter melted in the middle…yum!

Blueberry Muffins

  • 2 ½ C. almond flour
  • 1 TBSP coconut flour
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 TBSP vanilla
  • ¼ C. coconut oil
  • ¼ C. maple syrup
  • ¼ C. coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 C. fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 2-3 TBSP cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12 count muffin tin lightly with coconut oil. Combine almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. Pour in coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, coconut milk, and vanilla; mix well. Fold in blueberries and cinnamon. Distribute and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake 22-25 minutes.

These are seriously so good, I almost doubled the recipe to just have more!  😉

Happy Bracket-ing and Muffin-ing!

“The whole point of the week is the weekend.”

 

Rolling into Day Four

Have you taken your vitamins today?  GOOD!

Today was an easy day as far as food prep goes.  For breakfast you had leftover balls, if you liked them.  I made myself some eggs.  Then for lunch, JAMBALAYA!  Yum.  Tonight’s dinner is Stuffed Bell Peppers…

I designed this 30 days to make it easy and enjoyable.  So far, the only thing I’m changing is the Breakfast Balls.

Here’s the recipe for tonight’s dinner:

Stuffed Bell Peppers

  • 5 large bell peppers
  • 1 TBSP coconut oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 large zucchini, halved and diced
  • 3 TBSP tomato paste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the stems and very top of the peppers off, removing the seeds. Place in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the water and drain face-down on a paper towel. Heat the coconut oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add in the onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the ground turkey, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until turkey is browned. Add the zucchini to the skillet as the turkey finishes cooking. Cook everything together until the zucchini is soft, and then drain any juices from the pan. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the tomato paste. Place the peppers upright in the greased baking dish and spoon the meat mixture into the center of each. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley.

“Being who you are is more important than being who others expect you to be.”

 

Tonight’s Dinner – Jambalaya

The balls for breakfast were not my favorite, but they were okay.  Tomorrow I am substituting the balls for some scrambled eggs.  Next time around I may do a change on that one.

Did anyone try it?  Did you like it?

Lunch tomorrow will be leftover jambalaya from today’s dinner.
Here’s the recipe for tonights dinner:

 Paleo Jambalaya

  • 1 TBSP EVOO
  • 16 oz. Andouille sausage, cut into smaller pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 TBSP smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Cayenne pepper to your liking
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, grated
  • 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the EVOO in a pot. Add the Andouille sausages and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the red and yellow peppers, garlic, onion; stir. Cook about 5 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and spices. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the cauliflower into big pieces and grate into a bowl.  This is the substitution for the rice in traditional jambalaya.  Mix in the cauliflower “rice”(depending on how big your cauliflower is, you may not want to add the entire amount).  Simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender. Add the shrimp and cook everything for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp are opaque. Add salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

This was a delicious dinner!

“You say I dream too big.  I say you think too small.”

Balls for Breakfast

Friends!  I’m aware that today’s dinner should have been corned beef and cabbage, but I celebrated this weekend with family already.  The spaghetti squash with the ground turkey was so good.  It’s been awhile since I had spaghetti squash.  I got an 8 pounder!  Tried to cut it in half, but it was so big it was more like 70-30.  haha  Oh well!

Now it’s time for breakfast prep, and the good thing about tomorrow’s breakfast isn’t only that it’s easy to make, but that you’ll have enough for day 4’s breakfast!

Sausage Balls

  • 1 lb. sausage (if it’s in the casing, take it out)
  • ¼ C. coconut flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients. Form into 1 ¼ inch balls. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Makes 35 balls.

Yes, you read it right…35 balls!

And I leave you with that for the night.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

What’s for dinner?

Welcome to day 2!  I enjoyed my breakfast and lunch again today…success.  Feeling pretty good, too! This is what I’m having for dinner today, and leftovers for lunch tomorrow:

“Spaghetti” and Meat Sauce

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

For the sauce

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 jar of tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil, for garnish

Prepare spaghetti squash, I microwave mine (see note below). Then melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add ground turkey and brown the meat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped tomato, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti squash with basil for garnish.

So, I make my spaghetti squash like my Mom taught me.  Cut it in half long ways.  Find a microwavable tray that you can put water in, and lay the spaghetti squash on top.  Cover it with saran wrap.  Microwave it for 10 minutes.  Be careful when you take it out; it’s going to be steamy and boiling!  Let it cool a minute, then fork out the insides.

IMG_20150317_181539992 IMG_20150317_181550475

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @paleYoblog!

“Paleo is not a diet.  It’s about eating real foods that do not harm your body.  It’s about maximizing your potential by eating what you were meant to eat.  It’s about feeling amazing inside and looking better on the outside.”

 

Prepping for Day 2

The only thing I have to prep tonight is breakfast.  That’s because my lunch is leftovers from dinner!  Yay!  I find it’s much easier to just use your dinner as leftover lunch.

So for breakfast…

Breakfast Burrito

  • 4 egg whites & yolks separated
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
  • ¼ C. diced canned green chilies
  • 1 red pepper cut into strips
  • ¼ C. finely chopped cilantro
  • ½ C. cooked meat (I used ground beef)
  • 1 avocado cut into small chunks
  • Frank’s Red Hot on the side

Whisk egg whites. Warm a lightly oiled 10 inch skillet. Pour half eggs whites and swirl pan so the egg whites spread evenly. After 30 seconds put lid on and cook for 1 minute. Use rubber spatula to loosen and slide egg white onto a plate. Repeat once more with remaining egg whites. In the same pan, sauté the onions with oil for 1 minute. Add tomato, green chilies, red pepper, cilantro, and meat. Whisk egg yolks and pour into pan mixing into a scramble with other ingredients. Add avocado at the very end, then spoon half onto each egg white. Roll egg whites into burritos and serve with Frank’s red hot!

You may not get the egg white burrito part on the first try…but don’t stress.  Just scramble it in and next time you’ll get it.

“Every morning you have two choices:
Continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.”

Spicy Chicken and Bell Pepper

Sorry it’s late, but here you go…

Today’s dinner was PRETTY INCREDIBLE!  I will be enjoying left overs for lunch tomorrow.

Spicy Chicken and Bell Pepper 

  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 2 TBSP coconut oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 each green, red, and orange bell pepper, thinly sliced <–ended up using more because I love bell peppers
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt
  • Scallions, for garnish

 For the marinade

  • 1/2 cup coconut cream from a can, well mixed
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, minced
  • 1 TBSP black pepper
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric

Place all of the marinade ingredients into a Ziploc bag and add the chicken.  Shake it up and let it  marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours. In large sauté pan, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the marinated chicken and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir the chicken until it begins to brown, and then add the peppers, garam masala, and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle with salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the bell pepper is cooked to desired doneness. Serve hot.

“All great change begins at the dinner table.”

Paleo Irish Soda Bread

Hey all!  Posting this so you can make it in time for Saint Patrick’s Day!

Big thanks to Dr. Noah for this one!

Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Irish Soda Bread

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Connie Sarros, “Leprechaun Bread” which appears in her cookbook, Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free, Reduced-Calorie Cookbook. This recipe makes a light, classic loaf of Irish Soda Bread with terrific flavor and texture.

If you tolerate dairy foods and can find it, serve Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread with Kerry Gold butter- the rich, deep yellow, super creamy butter from Ireland.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour mix ( I used Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Crust Mix with great results)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon honey OR 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cold dairy-free butter substitute, cut in small pieces (see note)
  • 1/2 cup currants OR raisins
  • 2 large, lightly beaten eggs
  • 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon light, canned coconut milk (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon gluten-free mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Extra gluten-free flour to shape dough
  • Extra coconut milk to brush on loaf before baking

Note: If you include dairy foods in your diet, use unsalted butter instead of dairy-free butter substitute and substitute buttermilk for the coconut milk. If using buttermilk, reduce the amount of apple cider vinegar from 1 tablespoon to 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375° F / 190° C

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.

Note: The key to preventing stickiness while shaping the bread loaf is to liberally flour a large cutting board (work surface) with gluten-free flour mix or white rice flour. Keep hands and loaf lightly floured while shaping!

  1. Sift all dry ingredients EXCEPT baking soda. Pour into a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Use hands to work cold butter substitute into flour mixture. Add currants.
  3. Add cider vinegar to coconut milk and pour into dry ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer to thoroughly blend.
  4. Add mayonnaise and lightly beaten eggs and mix just until combined. Add baking soda and mix to combine.
  5. Turn the thick, sticky batter onto a floured cutting board and shape the loaf into a round ball, about 6 inches in diameter.
  6. Use a sharp knife to cut an “X” on the top of loaf.
  7. Brush with coconut milk and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Brush with coconut milk again.
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden and done.
  9. Serve warm

Serves 6

Enjoy!

“When Irish eyes are smiling, they are up to something.”

Start of My 30 Day Paleo Plan

Hello friends…I was able to get a couple of days down for my 30 day paleo meal plan!  I’m going to most likely post 3 recipes a day, and if you’d like to follow along…you’re more than welcome.  This is what I will have for my breakfast and lunch tomorrow.

Don’t worry, at the end of my 30 days, I will post my meal plan in it’s entirety!

For breakfast…

Nutty Banana-y Pancakes
2 bananas
2 TBSP crunchy almond butter
4 eggs
dark chocolate chips (optional)

Mash the bananas, then add the almond butter and eggs.  Combine together well.  Spoon 1/4 C. onto a hot pan (use grass fed butter or coconut oil to keep it from sticking).  When you see the bubbles, flip it for another minute or so.  Top with the dark chocolate chips…and enjoy!

For lunch…

Tuna Avocado Lettuce Wraps <—one of my favorite meals.
1 can of tuna
1/2 avocado
2 TBSP paleo mayo (I haven’t mastered it yet, so just Google a recipe)
1/4 C. green olives
2 TBSP canned green chilies, diced
1 scallion
Lettuce of your choice to use for the wraps

Use a fork to break up the tuna and set it aside.  In another bowl, use a fork to mash your avocado and mix it with the mayo (you don’t have to use the mayo if you don’t want to).  Add tuna, olives, scallions, green chilies to the mixture.  Mix well.  Place one scoop of tuna into your lettuce leaf, wrap, and ENJOY!

If you’re prepping the lunch to bring to work or school, you can put the tuna in one container, then put the lettuce in another…and assemble at lunchtime.

I’ll try post dinner tomorrow sometime early in the day!

If you’re along for the ride, let me know and I can get you some recipes in advance.  Be sure to follow me on twitter @paleYoblog.

“You’re off to great places.  Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”
– Dr. Seuss –

Pour Some Apple Cider Vinegar on Me!

That’s right, folks!  I will be drinking, bathing, and loving everything about Apple Cider Vinegar…and you should, too!  It really is a wonderful product with many uses: digestion, acid reduction, healthy hair, and clearer skin.  If I knew this years ago, I would have been all over it.

Drink 1 tsp to 1 TBSP before meals.  Doing this will help with the digestive enzymes in your stomach to break down food.  After awhile, you’ll definitely see an improvement.  ACV has a soothing effect on your GI tract, and helps with gas and bloating.  Who wouldn’t want that relief?  Also, if you have heartburn or GERD (raises hand), this will reduce the acid in your stomach, but go easy – too much can irritate your esphogus.  Take a glass of water and put 1 tsp – 1 TBSP of ACV.

After you wash and condition your hair, take some ACV, massage it in and rinse it out.  It improves scalp health.  It will clear product buildup and a dry scalp.  In a short amount of time, your hair will be visibly healthier.  If you have any breakouts on your skin, use this as a topical treatment.  But, if you have sensitive skin, dilute it with some water first.  It has antimicrobial and antibacterial products.

It’s just a fantastic little miracle worker (well, kind of)…and you can find it at your local grocery store.  If you have any uses for Apple Cider Vinegar, or if you have used it…let me know how it went!

BTW, get organic, unpasteurized and unfiltered  Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother…that’s the weird looking “slime” thing in the bottle.  Happy ACV-ing!

“Man is the sole and absolute master of his own fate forever. What he has sown in the times of his ignorance, he must inevitably reap; when he attains enlightenment, it is for him to sow what he chooses and reap accordingly. – Geraldine Coster” 
― Paul Bragg, Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System