Learn Just How Good Paleo Can Be.

Learn Just How Good Paleo Can Be

 

 

Don't Miss the Nutrition Class at Polarize CrossFit on the 21st!

 

 

 

 

Lemony Chive Mayo..

Lemony Chive Mayo..from Stupid Easy Paleo is the best! Super easy to make and super yummy!

Homemade Mixed Berry Ice Cream

 

Homemade Mixed Berry Paleo / Primal Ice Cream

 

This recipe can be made strict Paleo by substituting Coconut Milk or Almond Milk, it just won't be quite as creamy.

 

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (or Coconut milk or Almond Milk )

1 1/2 Cups of Frozen Mixed Organic Berries

1 tsp of Organic Vanilla Extract

1/8 to 1/4 cup of Coconut granules ( tastes just as good without the "sugar")

 

Add Cream, Vanilla and Coconut sugar to blender first, then add mixed frozen berries. PULSE the blender for about 30 seconds to mix the ingredients and chop the berries. Continue to blend/pulse the mixture until smooth.

 

Serve immediately for soft serve consistency. Place in freezer for 15-20 minutes for firmer ice cream consistency.



Bacon Wrapped Chuck Roast.

BACON Wrapped Chuck Roast........ as with anything.. BACON can only make it that much better!!

Ingredients:
Large 3-4 lbs Chuck Roast
2-4 large Carrots or small bag of baby carrots
2-3 Stalks Celery
1 Med. Onion
Lots of Garlic (I use a hold head. Leave skin on, but separate cloves)
Salt
Pepper
Arrowroot
and BACON (nitrate free/uncured)


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Salt and Pepper, to taste, Chuck Roast and Wrap in Bacon strips.
Chop Onion, Celery and Carrots in large chunks, peel paper off Garlic but leave the skin on each clove.
Place roast on top of onions, add Celery and Carrots and Garlic around the Roast in the pan.
Add about a 1/2 cup or so of water or beef stock to the pan.
Cover and bake for approx 3-31/2 hours..

When Roast is finished baking, remove from the pan, along with the veggies. Peel the roasted garlic and mash, add back into the roasting pan with the juices and place on low heat, add in a bit of arrowroot to thicken... viola.. tasty sauce to smother your veggies!

Mashed Cauliflower goes great with this!!

Note: This dish can be made in the crock pot as well. Just place all ingredients into crock pot and place on low for 6hrs or longer..

Easy Balsamic and Olive Oil Salad dressing..

We eat a lot of salad... and well.. there just aren't alot of Paleo salad dressing out there..
There is always the good 'ol standby: Olive oil and Lemon.. but that can get a little boring...

Here's a little creation of mine that tastes great on just about any type of salad.

Ingredients:
4 ounces Balsamic Vinegar (or you could use Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar)
8 ounces EVOO (for you newbies: that's EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil)
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
Seasonings ( I use Bragg's Organic Sprinkle) but Italian Herbs mix would work great too.
2-3 pressed Garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
Water just as a thinner..

This recipe will yield approx. 12 oz. of Dressing

Breaks down to 1 part Balsamic vinegar to two part EVOO.
Add ALL ingredients into a blender, mix in quick short spurts. If dressing seems too thick, add a few drops of water until desired consistency.

If you want your dressing a little more on the sweet side.. add 1/2 tsp. of agave nectar (I like the dressing more on the tart side, side I omit the sweetener)

Store in a spill proof container..shake to mix before each use.
IF you refrigerate, take out of fridge and let sit to room temperature before using.. .the oil and vinegar tend to separate and not mix well when cold.

One of our fav's... Rib Eye Steak Salad....

I usually BBQ Rib Eye Steaks once a week.. I use the left over steak the next day to top off my salad at lunch or dinner!

German Apple Pancakes

Who knew this could be soo much fun! Trying a new recipe pretty much everyday creates a sense of adventure and accomplishment that I never thought I would find in cooking....... I usually despise spending so much time in the kitchen.  Just goes to show, You become/accomplish what you focus on... Focus on how hard  this Paleo thing is... and it will be! Focus on how easy and fun this Paleo thing can be, and it IS! Amazing....
OK, enough of the "fluff" to help motivate you..... Just make these amazing German Apple Pancakes and you'll fall into the cult easily!!

Thank you Civilized Caveman for this wonderful delicisiousness

Servings: 8 with smalll ramikens 4 with large ramikens
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 Eggs
• 1 Cup Almond Milk
• 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
• 2 Tsp Vanilla
• 2 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8 Tsp Nutmeg
• 2 Apples, cored and diced
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 2 Tbsp Raw Organic Honey
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Nutmeg
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• Handful of crushed pecans

Process:

1. Preheat Oven to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla, and Maple Syrup
3. In a small bowl, stir coconut flour, nutmeg, and baking soda
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients and beat well to combine, set aside while you prepare the apples
5. In a small frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp coconut oil and raw organic honey
6. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg and juice of 1/2 Lemon and cook for 1 minute
7. Add in your apples and sauté until all your apples are nicely coated
8. Evenly divide your apple mixture between 8 Ramekins greased with coconut oil and then evenly divide your egg mixture on top of the apples between the 8 Ramekins
9. Place your Ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 Minutes at 425 and then reduce heat to 375 and cook for an additional 20 Minutes
10. Sprinkle with Pecans when removed from the oven
11. Enjoy

Moroccan Chicken and Broccoli with Riced Cauliflower

So my daughter Kaytlyn was over yesterday and sees my Paleo cookbooks sitting on the counter. She picks one up and starts perusing the pages... then she says... "this stuff looks pretty good"... So, I thought I'd better seize the opportunity and chatted about what to make for dinner... I chose Moroccan Chicken from Mark Sissons, Primal Blueprint Cookbook
So, we made dinner together... It was a great dinner! Not because the dish was good, but because Kaytlyn and I prepared it together AND she liked it!!

This dish, more like a stew and can be fairly spicy!  If you don't like spicy, cut back on the  turmeric and the cayenne pepper... another alteration we made was to cut the amount of cinnamon in 1/2, Kaytlyn doesn't like cinnamon very much... in my opinion, I think it was the perfect amount, otherwise I think it would have been a bit on the sweeter side.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon, finely chopped Ginger (if  not using fresh, cut it down by 3/4)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. Cayenne (adjust in small doses to turn up/down the spiciness)
4 Chicken Breasts ( the cookbook calls for thighs, but we prefer breasts..)
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups of water (chicken stock would be a good substitute to add a richer flavor)
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 cups of Broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (recipe calls green beans)
1/4 finely chopped mint ( I omitted the mint, didn't seem to miss it!)
Juice from 1 lemon

4 servings

Saute onion, garlic, and ginger in oil until soft and slightly browned. Add spices and saute a minute more. Then add chicken, tomatoes, water, cilantro and sliced lemon. Simmer with a lid for 30 minutes. Add green beans (if your using them) Otherwise, steam the broccoli first, then add to the dish. Simmer for a few more minutes, just enough for flavors to mix in with the broccoli.
Serve over "riced" Cauliflower (see below for directions to prepare)

Cauliflower Rice:
Cut cauliflower in to small florets. If you're adding the cauliflower rice to a dish that will simmer on the stove, there is no need to pre-cook. If you're serving it as a side dish, then steam it slightly before grating.. If using a food processor, use the grating blade. If grating by hand, mind your fingertips!

Taco Salad with Coconut flour tortillas...

Day ONE of the Paleo Challenge and off to a great start!!

Sooo Yummy!

Tex Mex Coconut Flour Tortillas (click the link for the recipe) and Taco Seasoning, Thanks to Mark's Daily Apple and his posted recipe we had a great dinner..

The Taco Seasoning can be used with just about any meat... I used Organic Hamburger this time.
But it's really good with Bison or Pork as well.

Today's post is short and sweet as I am currently "experimenting" in kitchen... Cilantro Ceasar Dresssing seems like it would be a great addition to this Taco Salad.. so I'll post the recipe when I get it figured out...

Enjoy!!

Stay Focused!  This isn't as hard as you think!!

Whipped Cocoa Frosting

Just a quick update for those of you who NEED your chocolate fix during the Nutrition Challenge...

I recently made those Yummy Mocha Chocolate Cupcakes again, but this time I changed it up a bit..
Tried Heavy Whipping cream with a Tablespoon of Organic Pure Maple Syrup and some Dark Cocoa Powder and a sprinkling of Amberlyn Dark Chocolate.... Let's just say the results where.... well, you judge for yourselves based on the photo of Jeff and Michelle's faces as they ate, not just one, but several!!

The cupcake recipe can be found right here on my blog: Mocha Chocolate Cupcakes

To make the Whipped Cream topping, pour some heavy whipping cream (organic of course) into a mixing bowl (I don't measure, but to top 24 small cupcakes I would say 2 cups would be good),
add approx. 1 tablespoon of Maple syrup (organic and pure.. NO Mrs. Butterworths!!), add approx. 1/4 cup (or to taste) of Dark Cocoa Powder... Mix with handheld mixer until liquid turns to whipping cream consistency..
Hint: Refrigerate whipped frosting for a bit before icing the cupcakes.

Grate a small chunk of Amberlyn (paleo friendly) dark chocolate and sprinkle the tops of the cupcakes.

Enjoy!!!!

Please Note:  Moderation is the key!  When using chocolate please keep in mind that the purer and darker the chocolate the more "paleo" it's considered... Milk chocolate and White chocolate aren't allowed...  If anyone out there has an issue with using chocolate while eating paleo, please understand we all have our "allowances" and exceptions, as few people are 100%, absolute strict paleo hunting and gathering our own foods from the wild... most of us have to hunt and gather fighting off the crowds in the aisles of Trader Joe's and Whole foods, etc...

Make it Paleo...

I recently purchased a new Paleo recipe book: Make it Paleo, by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason.
There are several really good and SIMPLE recipes!  I highly reccomend this book! Well worth the $23 from Amazon. Make it Paleo at Amazon
Check it out!  Laura and I are thinking of having a "recipe" night and having several people make and share different Paleo recipes.  Let's get ourselves prepared to succeed in the upcoming nutritional challenge in January!

Chocolate Mocha Cupcake!!!

Banana Nut Bread.......

Hey look, someone found Cousin It from the Adams Family!!
Kellie, here is the long overdue Banana Nut Recipe you've been wanting! Now, I know you won't bake it yourself, so I should probably apologize to Kyra for posting this beacause she is the one who will become the kitchen slave for you!

Ingredients:
2 Cups Almond Meal
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda (I use the aluminum free stuff)
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
(I've actually made this w/o the baking powder, just didn't rise as much)
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 Large Eggs (cage free, of course!)
2 Medium ripe Bananas
1/4 Cup of Honey (melted, raw)
1 tsp. Organic Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup of Walnuts (I've use Pecans also, very good!)
1/2 tsp. Cocnut oil (or whatever you use to grease the pan)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Using Coconut oil, grease bread pan
In a mixing bowl, smash Bananas until no longer lumpy.
Add in all other ingredients, except nuts, mix well by hand
Add nuts, stir well
Pour into Bread pan and bake 45 -60 minutes, checking at 45 minutes with a toothpick insterted in the middle of the bread, if toothpick comes out clean, it's done.
Allow to cool before removing from the pan.

Definitely satisfies any cravings for baked goods!! Yum!!

Lovely Laura's Pancakes...... Yum!

Miss Laura, our fearless leader!
or is it, Sadistic Dictator!
either way, we love her!





Laura's Yummy Paleo Pancakes!

2 tbsp melted raw butter
2 tbsp coconut or almond flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tbsp pure maple syrup


Mix all ingredients then pour and grill. Top with pure maple syrup. I also like to add bananas or no sugar added apple sauce

Thank you to Laura, our Fearless Leader!

Forgive me Paleo, for I have sinned............

Forgive me Paleo, for I have sinned! It has been a few weeks since I fell off the Paleo wagon, well not completely, but close! Amazing how life happens, schedules get changed and before you know it, old habits come back into play! For the most part, we stuck with Paleo on a daily basis until a few weeks ago. A visit to see old friends in Arizona was the beginning.....Then the was New Orleans, Jazzfest....there my friends, is the ultimate temptation of ALL things BAD! Too much good food NON paleo friendly food! Binguet's (those doughy powdered sugared evil little monsters!)Then there's jambalaya, gumbo, craw fish ettouffe (probably spelled that wrong)..the list goes on and on, not to mention Alcohol! No shortage of that in N'awlins!!!
Needless to say, here I sit, paying my penance with 5 extra pounds gained, bloating, irritability (poor Steve) and wanting to kick myself for letting this happen! But today, is a new day! Today, I make a stand, step back up on the Paleo wagon, strap myself in and prepare to enjoy the ride.......it can only get better!
Tonight is "Recipe" night at Oceanside Crossfit. We will be participating in another Paleo challenge, this one 30 days, starting 5/17 and ending 6/17. Tonight the congregation will meet and we will share our success' our failures (I will hang my head in shame appropriately) and then we will exchange recipes, take note of who says they are committing to the challenge and then spend the next week preparing and purging. Be ready to see some great new recipes posted! I looking forward getting back to normal! Stay tuned.........

Paleo: My New BFF!!

Well, as of yesterday, March 4, 2010 the Oceanisde Crossfit Nutrition challenge has come to an end....or has it?


Yesterday was to be the First day off the challenge, I have to admit, I had a hard time thinking about spending a day without my new found friend Paleo! The one or two times I thought of hanging out with my old friends, potato chip and popcorn, pizza and even enchilada, I realized they are NOT really my friends, they're empty and shallow, my past relationship with them had no substance, no meaning, and all they have ever done is cause me grief. I realized how in the past, I always made excuses for them, I always defended them. Not once did they ever do anything good or nice for me.......What did I ever see in them?

My new friend, Paleo, is incredibly satisfying, gratifying and even indulgent! Paleo is never shallow, Paleo always provides substance and meaning. Paleo gives me gifts, like strength and power. Paleo always puts me first, gives me lean muscle and only takes unwanted things from me, like fat! How kind and wonderful is that!

During my our first 30 days together, Paleo did take a few more things from me, but I am good with those things being gone from my life. Because, what Paleo gave me in return, is far better than what was taken!
Things taken:
2 inches from waist
8lbs
Fatigue
Digestive issues
Bloating and abdominal distension

Gifts Given:
Strength
Endurance
Energy
Lean muscle mass
Appreciation for GOOD food!
These are just a few of the big gifts......... I could go on forever....

So, I think my friend Paleo is here to stay......... That's not to say that I won't visit with the old crew once in a while, but I definitely will think about whether or not the consequences are worth a short lived visit with them.

Kaytlyn's Carnitas Tacos, Paleo Style!

Well it's been quite a while since we started the nutrition challenge at OCF, 53 days to be exact! The 7 day count down to the 60 DAY mark begins....... Although, I must admit, I will likely continue in the way of "Paleo"!

Even Kaytlyn, my daughter has pretty much converted to the Paleo lifestyle. After battling with digestion issues all her life, and realizing that her daughter, Jaydin Lilly, (my sweet little princess grand daughter) was starting to suffer the with the same, Kaytlyn decided to change her eating! For the most part she has cut out dairy, grains and legumes, and guess what! No More intestinal cramping or digestive issues!! And sweet little Jaydin Lilly is doing great as well!

She even came up with a great tasting Paleo Carnita's Recipe


Ingredients:
2lb. (small) Pork Sirloin Tip Roast (or any lean cut of pork roast)

Celery (couple stalks)

Carrots (one or two)

Cilantro (to taste)

1/4 to 1/2 and Onion (to taste)

Salsa Verde (7 to 8 oz. depending on size of Roast

Salsa Rojo (for you gringo's, that just regular salsa, the red kind!)

Iceberg Lettuce



Place the Pork Roast in the crock pot

Finely chop, Celery, carrots, onion and cilantro, throw on top of pork roast in crock pot.

Add Salsa Verde, and Red salsa to taste.....if you like it spicy add more, mild add less!

If you wish to make a larger batch, just use a larger pork roast and adjust the rest of the ingredients accordingly.......it's not rocket science. :-)



Depending on the size of the pork roast, crock pot cooking time can vary from 6 to 8 hours.
The 2lb roast I made only took about 5 1/2 to 6hrs.

The meat should shred easily with a fork.


Gently separate the Iceberg lettuce leaves.

Use the iceberg lettuce leaves as your "Taco Shell", spoon the Carnitas meat in the center of the leaf, fold over and ENJOY!!

I usually serve with steamed cauliflower ...... kind of gives it a "rice" texture and is really very tasty!

Princess Jaydin Lilly!

Catina's Cookies.....mmm, good!

Day 28 Paleo / Zone Challenge

Busy weekend for me so far....... I haven't had a chance to post anything until now.

Not that I am keepin a score card or anything, but the Paleo world has a new convert!
Welcome Catina! Hoping Cat enjoys all things Paleo! (she was "in the zone" before)
Anyway, Catina is a kick butt chick at OCF in all she does, and apparently, she kicks butt in the baking category too!!
This is her Paleo Cookie recipe she served up at Friday's poker game......... Let me just say one word about these cookies.........YYYYUUUUUUMMMMMM!!!!!!!

Paleo Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups raw honey
2 cups ground walnuts
4 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup dried fruit (Cat used Raisins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper. Warm honey in a saucepan. Let mixture cool slightly. Sift together flour and spices. Place honey in mixing bowl; gradually add flour mixture and stir until well blended. Stir in dried chopped fruit.
Roll dough about 1/4-inch thick on a floured board; cut into squares and rectangles with a pastry wheel or sharp knife. (If you prefer, you can also make drop cookies, dropping the dough by teaspoonful.) Bake ten minutes. Makes four dozen.

Making a batch right now.......... I'll let you know how they turn out and post I'll post pics too!

Wanna Be Parmesan Chicken...

Day 25 Paleo / Zone Challenge

The first time I made this dish I was craving Italian food, and of course........cheese!
So, I took how I would normally have made Baked Parmesan Chicken and tweaked it, to make it Paleo.........or in other words: Wanna Be Parmesan Chicken!

Ingredients:

Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast or Tenders ( I prefer the tenders)

2 or 3 eggs, beaten

Almond Meal

Bragg's Seasonings (or Italian Herbs)

Olive Oil

Organic, Pasta Sauce (or if you're really ambitious, home made sauce!)

Optional items: Portabella Mushrooms, Black Olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat approx. 2Tbs of Olive oil in frying pan, Mix approx. 2 cups of Almond meal with the Bragg's/Italian seasonings, and place in baggie or on a paper plate. Dip Chicken breast in beaten egg to coat, then dredge in Almond Meal mixture. Brown in olive oil for a few minutes.

In baking dish, place approx. 1/2 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish. Place browned chicken on top of sauce. Sprinkle any remaining Almond meal mixture over top of Chicken, Add remaining sauce over chicken. Bake for 25 minutes,or until done. (Chicken Breast will take a bit longer than the tenders, time used is for tenders.) Optional: Add black olives before baking.

A few minutes before Chicken is done, slice and brown Mushrooms in small amount of olive oil. Use as a topping for the chicken.

I serve with Cauliflower topped with a bit of the sauce.

Note: during browning, the almond meal mixtures tends to separate from the chicken, just be flexible, and let it brown on it's own, and add to baking dish....this is what gives the dish the texture and "feel" of having cheese in it.

Just remember, as with all the recipes I have posted here so far.... I am figuring this out as I go along and am just sharing my ideas and experiences with you......I am not a professional. ;-) So, if you have any suggestions or ideas, Please share them with us!

One week to D day! The 60 day Paleo Challenge..

Tomorrow starts the one week count down to the 60 day Zone/Paleo Challenge at Oceanside Crossfit.......... I'll spend this week preparing for the challenge. Cleaning out the pantry of all things NOT Paleo and purchasing ONLY things Paleo.
Last year Steve and I participated in the Zone challenge and while I learned quite a bit about nutrition and blocks, protiens, carbs and fats and oh yah, MEASURING, Zone was not for me. While I did see a marked increase in my strength and performance at the box, the trade off was a contstant abdominal discomfort and serious weight gain (over 12 pounds, which is a lot for me!) This time around we are going Paleo, NO measuring! Yeah! Just eat when we're hungry, eat protien, veggie's and healthy fats EVERY meal, seems simple enough. Oh, almost forgot the most important part, all foods consumed must be what would have been hunted or gathered by "caveman" or woman!

Of course there is more to it, I am still researching and learning and I'll share what I learn as I go, including the good, the bad and the ugly.......let's hope there's not too much ugly!