Ratatouille

Little did I know there were so many variations to cooking/baking Ratatouille.  This recipe is super simple and the return in flavor is exponential.  Ratatouille is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day because all the flavors have had time to meld.  I would really like to take credit for this variation but, sadly, I cannot.  I have to give credit to my buddy Jeff.   He has made this dish once or twice over the years and I was inspired to follow in his footsteps.

Like I said, this dish is super easy to make.  It’s even easier if you have a mandolin to help you slice the veggies.  If not, no big deal....just keep slicing by hand.   This recipe makes enough for a large family.  So eat up!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, thinly sliced

7-8 basil leaves, chopped

2 zucchinis, thinly sliced

8 Roma tomatoes, sliced

1 large yellow, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

FYI: You can use yellow squash instead of or along with the zucchini.  Try different tomatoes and different herbs too!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large baking dish, lay down a bed of chopped onion.  Sprinkle chopped basil on top of the bed of onion.  Next, arrange repeating segments of sliced eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes on top of the bed onion.  Repeat the segments until a row is completed. Continue until the bed of onion is completely covered and baking dish is packed with veggies.  Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Next, generously drizzle olive oil over the rows of veggies, such that they are all coated with olive oil.  Cover baking dish with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes.  Veggies should be tender and oozing with juices.

Super Flavorful Summer Salad....Nom Nom Nom

This summer salad is the epitome of summer:  Cheery Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Avocado.  These three vegetables scream summer.  If you have too many cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine and don’t know what to do with them then try this recipe.

While making this recipe, I noticed the preparation was similar to that of bruschetta. Thus, I decided to change the directions (a little) such that it would produce the juices, which really make this dish.   To be honest, the juices extracted from the tomatoes, cucumber and onion is what makes this dish so flavorful.  It’s an amazing mix of flavors such that it becomes a party in your mouth for your taste buds.  Who doesn’t love that? Right Kristy?

Yes, you can throw all the ingredients together (if you don’t have time) and promptly serve but the valuable juices will be missing.   If you have the foresight to make this recipe at least an hour before dinner time, follow my directions below. 

This recipe makes enough for 4-5 people.   

Ingredients

1 container of grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)

1 medium cucumber (peeled and diced)

½ medium red onion (diced)

1-2 avocados (firm, diced)

4 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)

3 table spoons of fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

¼ cup of olive oil

2 limes (juice from)

1 tablespoon salt (add more to taste if you like)

½ tablespoon pepper

Directions

In a medium sized bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Gently mix with your hands.  Then let bowl sit for a couple of hours.  It’s your call if you want to refrigerate the mixed veggies.

After letting the mixture sit for a couple of hours, mix in diced avocado and lime juice.

Serve! 

If in a pinch, just throw it all together and serve.  If you have left overs, it will taste better the next day!   

Flowers

Chocolate Glaze Dip

This glaze goes perfect with the chocolate cake recipe in this blog. You can also use this as a dip for your strawberries, spread it on muffins and of course...drizzle it on your favorite Paleo ice cream. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup of coconut oil

1/4 cup plus 1 TBS Agave

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 TBS coconut or almond milk

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together and whisk away until you get a smooth and creamy texture. If coconut oil is really melted, you may need to place glaze mix into fridge for a few minutes. 

Kristy

Super moist Chocolate Cake

I've came across a few Paleo chocolate cakes in my time and I have to admit that with a few tweaks here and there I have finally found one that I'm excited to blog about. I baked another one this evening and my CrossFit health fanatic husband is on his 3rd piece tonight! This cake is so fluffy and moist, it's hard to believe it's not the real thing. Not only is it delicious it's also super simple. We all know that's what this blog is all about...simple deliciousness, right Flowers?? So grab your blender and let's get this party started! 

Preheat over 350 degrees

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of unsalted grounded cashews (place cashews in blender and make sure to measure the cashews grounded) 

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup agave

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBS vanilla 

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

5 eggs

Directions: 

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until the texture is like cake batter. Grease an 8" round cake pan with coconut oil and pour mixture into pan. Bake for 32 minutes or until a toothpick is free and clear. 

While cake is baking begin making the Chocolate Glaze Dip, (you can find the recipe in this blog) place glaze in fridge until you reach your preferred consistency. Once cake is turned over in a cake plate and cooled you can frost away. Warning: glaze may be addictive so try to leave some for the cake :) 

Enjoy!

Kristy 

Paleo Blueberry Bread

This is a recipe that Nancy (member at CrossFit Anaheim) sent to me after I saw her post a picture of it on her Facebook.  Thanks Nancy for your narrative.

On a hunt for baked goods, I had been craving sweets not to mention a brownie, or a piece of cake. So I began to wonder, “What can I make????” I spoke with a co-worker and we conversed about cooking and CrossFit and she tells me, “YOU NEED TO MAKE BLUEBERRY BREAD, ADD EXTRA BLUEBERRIES IF YOU ARE ABLE TO”. I went online and located a recipe on “OMG PALEO.”  

My momma (a traditional Mexican, who cooks the good stuff) looked at me with a strange glare. She was baffled that there was no flour added. She left me alone in the kitchen. I continued baking and behold I had the finish product at my disposal. I made enough for two pie tins and a loaf tin. Of course, I had to put these babies to the test. Of course my mom liked it, she is my mother.  

I brought some into work. I arrived at work at 700 hours and placed them in the office. Within 3 hours, these babies were gone. I got a lot of compliments. They were in complete “awe” when I said, “gluten free.” A supervisor I worked with before has to follow a strict gluten free diet because of a disorder he has Celiac Disease, he gave me the thumbs and basically had more than one serving. With that said, if I got the approval from fellow coworkers (majority are men) and female coworkers, I believe I succeeded with the blueberry bread? Like any other baked pastry… check to make sure its fully cooked.

Ingredients  

1 cup almond butter

1 cup almond meal/almond flour

3 eggs, whisked

½ cup Raw Honey

⅓ cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

⅓ cup Coconut Oil, melted

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

pinch of cinnamon

½ cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. If you’re good at baking, you’ll know to mix the dry then the wet ingredients then mix together, but I do all the ingredients together and it works out just fine. Place ingredients into 8-10 silicone muffin cups in a muffin tin. Or you can use muffin tin paper liners. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on it, they will puff up and look adorable. Eat them and be happy and merry.