Raspberry and Spinach Salad

If you haven't noticed, most of our recipes on this blog are main dishes. After all, vegetables are just vegetables and fruit is just fruit. Not much you can do to spice them up right? Wrong! A simple salad is something that hopefully every child in America knows how to make. Some lettuce, some onions, tomatoes, and carrots and you're good to go. I have to say though, after a month on the Paleo diet you will be poking your eyes out at the sound of the word "salad". This is why I'm bringing you a twist on the traditional salad. Who knew that kiwi went so well with spinach and onions?! On the Paleo diet, it is especially important to mix fruits and vegetables together to create new and complex flavors. That way you won't miss your Ranch dressing so much (notice I said "so much"). I found this recipe on Paleodietlifestyle.com.

Ingredients:

3 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup fresh raspberries, crushed to a puree
8 cups baby spinach
2 cups fresh raspberries
4 tbsps walnuts, crushed
½ red onion, finely chopped
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette: olive oil, vinegar and crushed raspberries. Combine well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large salad bowl, combine the remaining ingredients: spinach, raspberry, walnuts, kiwis, and onion. Drizzle with the dressing, toss well, and serve.

This was a needed break from my boring salads. The raspberry flavor really kicks it up a notch. Got any other ingredients that would make this salad even better?

Becca

Pumpkin Custard

So...blackmail is playing a large role in the posting of these recipes today so I apologize if you can't sense the love I usually put into my posts.

Today I bring you pumpkin custard! While doing the Whole 30 challenge I needed something that felt like dessert without it being chocolate! I love pretty much anything pumpkin flavored so I thought I'd give it a try! Not too shabby! I didn't use maple syrup since it was optional. I can imagine that would have jacked the flavor up quite a bit! If you just want a warm, hardy dessert, this could be the one for you! I found this recipe on balancedbites.com.

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of sea salt
2 pinches of grated nutmeg
2 organic eggs
1/4c grade B maple syrup (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Set a pot of water on to boil (enough water to fill the baking pan as directed below). Combine pumpkin and all spices in one bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs lightly then whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla and coconut milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the pumpkin mixture until well combined. Pour the custard into 6- 1/2 cup ramekins.You can also just do it in a baking pan! Just make sure that it's not too large or they may not cook in the middle. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and add enough boiling water to the dish to come up 2″ high around the ramekins. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled.

Just as a reminder, always buy the canned coconut milk that you would find in the Thai food section of the grocery store! Don't buy the stuff in cartons. The cartons do not contain full-fat coconut milk.

I hope you enjoy it! Let me know if there are any modifications that you come up with. A squash one probably wouldn't be too bad!

Becca

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with the almighty BACON!

That's right folks, I am getting back to my heritage on this one.  It’s been a few posts since I have offered up a Paleo recipe with, none other than, BACON.  Lovely, strippy, bacony-bacon! 

I know what you are thinking, “It has brussel sprouts. Boo!”  Some people love them.  Yet, others hate them because, as kids, we were forced to clear them off our plates or else we could not go outside to play.  And if got caught trying to feed them to the dog, our parents would make us get the “hitting stick” and whoop us with it.  Then, we would cry relentlessly until our parents threaten us, yet, again.  But I digress.  Was that TMI? Well my Paleo-Crossfitting friends, I am saying its time to give brussel spouts another chance.  Really, it’s about time you revisit them. 

I made this recipe twice in a week’s time.  Seriously, it was that good.  Various non-Paleo friends loved it too.  Makes an excellent side dish to just about anything.  This recipe came from no particular website but am sure there are tons of variations out there.

Ingredients

18-24 brussel sprouts (halved or quartered, depending on size)

4-6 garlic cloves (minced)

6-infinity bacon strips (uncured, diced)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

black pepper

lemon juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine brussel sprouts, garlic, bacon and olive oil.  Toss thoroughly to coat brussel sprouts.  Lay out brussel sprouts flat on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle brussel sprouts lightly with fresh cracked pepper.  After baking for 15 min, move brussel sprouts around on baking sheet to ensure all sides eventually face up while baking.  Bake for an additional 15 min.  Remove brussel sprouts from oven and place in a large bowl.  Pour lemon juice over sprouts, toss and serve hot.

Sautéed Squash, Red Pepper and Mushroom with Lemon and Basil

After making bruschetta, I had a metric ton of basil left over and needed a simple recipe that used basil but I also wanted something that is in season.  After all, it is time to celebrate summer.  

I have to admit, it’s probably not as delicious as, say, having a vanilla shake laced with booze…after all that is NOT Paleo.  However, this side dish is light, zesty, easy to make and echoes with the flavors of summer.  Though I used zucchini you can use any type of squash.  This recipe makes plenty of leftovers, which I like.  It means less cooking for the next couple of days.  I used the leftovers in an egg white scramble for breakfast. 

Calorie counting?  Each serving (about 2 large servings) is approximately 93 calories (11 grams of Carbs (of which 5 are sugars), 4 grams of Fat and 5 grams of Protein). This recipe was taken from www.paleoplan.com 

This is a way easy dish to make.  WAY EASY!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

6-8 button mushrooms (sliced)

1 medium Zucchini (diced)

1 red pepper (diced)

3 garlic cloves (minced; I used way more)

6-10 basil leaves (julienned)

Juice from half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large pan over medium heat.  When pan is hot, add coconut oil.  Next, add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms are tender.  Should take about 8 min or so.  Add red pepper and zucchini to mushrooms and continue to cook until red peppers and zucchini are slightly softened.

Transfer veggies to a medium bowl, add basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Toss. 

The Taste of Summer: Bruschetta

It’s simple, it’s quick and it’s tasty too.  I made this last night because I had tomatoes laying around and didn’t want the tomatoes to go bad.  Literally, it only takes 5 minuets to make bruschetta.  Seriously, you can me this dish faster than doing one round of Cindy.  As you know, Bruschetta is flavorful and basil really adds a different dimension.  Bruschetta is the taste of summer! 

I know what you are thinking, "What about the baguette?"  No baguette, sorry.  Its simply not Paelo. What you can do instead is spoon it on a grilled chicken or serve on the side.  

Ingredients:

3 Roma tomatoes (diced)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

10 basil leaves (julienned)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt

White pepper to taste.

Direction:

Gently mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and place in refrigerator for an hour.  Then consume.  See simple.

Please be sure to add salt.  Salt will pull the water out of the tomato cells, which, in turn, will make your bruschetta juicy.  

Garlic Chicken with Bell Pepper in a Coconut Mushroom Sauce

Let me be the first to wish you a relaxing and restful summer.  Its official, I am checked out of school for the summer and have nothing to do but read, blog, cook, eat, sleep, travel and Crossfit, of course. 

I was inspired to make this dish when I sent out an “all call” to my Paleo colleagues for a Paleo potluck on the last Monday of the school year.  Some colleagues responded with “I’ll make veggies” and yet others responded with “I don’t know how to cook.”  Really?  I mean, really?  All-in-all the potluck was an awesome turn out with many awesome Paleo dishes: Paleo muffins, date bars, lettuce wraps, roasted chicken, cauliflower mashed potatoes, fruit salad, and grilled veggies to name a few.  I am sharing what I brought to the potluck, Garlic Chicken, Bell Pepper in a Coconut Mushroom Sauce.  Boooyah!

This dish tastes better the next day. All the ingredients have time to thoroughly mix in the coconut sauce.  Second, this recipe yields four servings of garlic chicken, which is perfect to take to lunch. Reheat and serve.  Third, this is a fairly hardy dish.  It will stick with you for a while-you will not get hungry within a couple hours.  Lastly, it’s delicious. 

Keep in mind this recipe does require at least an hour to marinate chicken.  Thus, there is some planning involved.  I marinated the chicken over night and made it for dinner the following day.  Simple.  Oh and some advice, use a large pan.  This recipe was barrowed from www.paleoplan.com.  The next time I make this dish, I am going to add jalapenos and fresh basil.

For the calorie counters out there, one serving is approximately 127 calories (4 grams of Carbs (of which 2 are sugars), 4 grams of Fat and 21 grams of Protein).  This dish is loaded with tasty protein!

Try it, you'll like it.  Now its time for me to go out side and start to enjoy my summer vacation!

Ingredients

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

½ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon of chili powder

1 clove of garlic (I used four cloves)

1 medium yellow onion (diced)

8-10 button mushrooms (sliced)

2 red bell peppers (sliced)

1/3 cup of coconut milk (I probably added a bit more)

Directions

Marinate chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and chili powder.  Like I said, I marinated the chicken over night.

Next, heat two large pans over medium heat. In one pan, sauté the marinated chicken until almost fully cooked.  In the second pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (yeah, you can use coconut oil instead of olive oil).  Add onions and sauté for 5 min and stir occasionally.  Next, add bell mushrooms to onions and continue to cook until tender.  Then add bell pepper, coconut milk and chicken.  Cook for an additional 5-10 min or until chicken is fully cooked.  

"Spaghetti" and Meatballs

Could it be?! Has she really risen from the dead?! That's right, I'm back people! After a 2-3 month hiatus, I am here again to grace you with my Paleo posts! My sister found this recipe here: http://hip2save.com/2012/02/09/spaghetti-and-meatballs-paleo-style-yum/

Now...I know that there has already been a meatball post on our blog but I realize that some people may prefer their baby cows alive and well. Therefore, I bring you a less depressing meatball recipe!

Along with the baby-less meatballs, I found yet another pasta substitute in the form of zucchini! These zucchini "noodles" have a little more substance than spaghetti squash and do not have much taste.

Well here we go!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey (I used half turkey half pork. It was GOOD.)
1/3 cup almond flour
2 eggs
3 cloves of minced garlic
A handful of fresh chopped basil (or about 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (for an added kick!)

1 jar of Paleo-friendly tomato sauce

4 zucchinis (roughly, depending on size)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Just throw all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until everything is incorporated. Form into balls and place the meatballs on a baking sheet with parchment paper (if you have it). This will help make for easy clean up when the fat cooks off while baking. Put pan in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

(We didn't use parchment paper and it was a bad idea. Use it.)

While the meatballs are baking, heat up some Paleo-friendly tomato based sauce on the stove. I have been able to find multiple kinds in the grocery store.

As the sauce simmers, either thinly slice 4 zucchinis with a nice or use a mandolin with a special blade to create long noodle-like pieces of zucchini. Place in a bowl in the microwave and microwave until they are the desired consistency. It took me about 2 ½ minutes.

(For the life of me I can't seem to rotate this picture...but you get the idea.)

When the meatballs, the spaghetti sauce, and the zucchini “noodles” are all warm, put them on a plate and enjoy!

It’s actually a much simpler recipe than you would expect, especially with special mandolin blades. I don’t have the patience to cut the “noodles” by hand.

Well...I’m back! And I hope after this post there will be a few more happy ALIVE baby cows in the world. You can enjoy your meal in peace!

Becca