Arugula, Grape, and Sunflower Salad - Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
• 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula
• 2 cups red grapes, halved
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seed kernels $
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk.
2. 2. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.

Roasted Butternut Squash - Paleo Project

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash
1 1/2 cups of melted coconut oil
2 tbs cinnamon

Directions:

Peel butternut squash, scoop out insides and cut into 1×1 inch cubes.

In a large bowl, pour melted coconut oil onto cubes, covering each piece.

Lay squash cubes on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle your cinnamon all over.

Bake at 350 degrees F until browned, about 30 minutes.

Salmon with Cherry Salsa and Asparagus - Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Ingredients

• 4 wild salmon fillets, skin-on;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1/2 tsp sea salt;
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper;
• 1/2 tsp paprika;
• 1 tsp lemon zest;
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice;
• 1 tbsp olive oil
•  
• Preparation
• Set your oven to broil.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil.
• Whisk well. Rub the salmon thoroughly with the mixture on both sides. Place in a covered dish to marinade in the refrigerator for about 35 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with foil. Once the salmon has marinaded, place on the baking sheet and place in the oven to broil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pale pink and flaky.

Roasted asparagus preparation

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus;
• 1 tbsp olive oil;
• 1/4 tsp sea salt;
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder;
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste;
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Remove the tough part off of the asparagus stalks. Spread the asparagus out on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss the asparagus to ensure it’s all evenly coated and cook for 10 minutes, flipping once after 5 minutes.

Cherry tomato salsa preparation

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1 tsp lemon zest;
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice;
• 2 tbsp olive oil;
• 1/4 tsp sea salt;
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste;
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped;

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk well. Add the cherry tomatoes. Toss the mixture together.
2. Serve over the salmon once it’s cooked.

4.23.12 - MOW

4.23.12 - Meal of the Week


Chipotle Meatball with Guacamole

Chipotle Meatballs with Guacamole

• 1 lb ground meat (we used beef)
• 1/4 c almond flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 T chipotle adobo sauce 
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t garlic powder

For the Sauce

• 1 c chicken stock
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 finely diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or you could use just sauce
• 2 t oregano
• 2 t onion powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• s&p

For the Sauce

• 2 avocados
• 1 lemon or lime, juiced
• 1 t chili garlic sauce
• S & P

Method

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond flour, and herbs/spices. Add the ground meat and mix with your hands until combined. Form the mixture into balls and place in an oven safe dish. Bake until browned, about 15 minutes.
For the sauce
While the meatballs are browning, add the tomato sauce ingredients to a sauce pot. Let is simmer until the meatballs are done.
For the guacamole
Place all the ingredients into a bowl and smash with a fork until a chunky/creamy consistency has developed

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and PoppySeeds

•   Whole Living Eating Well
• Yield Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 1 lb. brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

Directions

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 3 long strips of lemon zest, avoiding white pith. Thinly slice zest; set aside. Squeeze 1 Tbsp. lemon juice and toss with brussels sprouts in a medium bowl.
   
2. Heat butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute sprouts for 2 minutes, until bright green and tender. Add salt, pepper, garlic, zest, and poppy seeds and cook an additional 2 minutes. Pour in stock and cook 1 minute more

Sausage Stuffed Apples

Ingredients
6 Granny Smith Apples
1 T Coconut Oil
1 lb Pork Sausage
1 Egg
1/2 Onion
1 Medium Carrot
1/4 c Pecans, chopped
1/4 c Chopped Dates
1/4 t Black Pepper
1/4 t Cinnamon
Instructions
Carefully cut out the core of the apples and create a nice little cavity for the stuffing.  Leave at least 1/2″ of flesh all around.

Grate the onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor, or at least dice them all really fine.  Set aside.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage.  Remove to a mixing bowl, reserving the grease in the pan.  Add the veggies to the drippings and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add veggies to ground sausage along with the pecans, dates, pepper, egg, and cinnamon.

 Fill the apples with the sausage stuffing and arrange in a baking dish.  Sprinkle the tops with a little more cinnamon if desired.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, until heated through

MOW - 4.16.12

MOW - 4.16.12

Turkey Slider with Guacamole

Sweet Potato Fries

Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe - Gluten Free Goddess

We bake our shoestring potatoes instead of deep-frying them because after a certain age your tummy starts to protest too much fat and oil. But don't worry. These fries are still tender-crispy and delicious. Lining your cookie sheet with parchment paper helps the fries get crisper.

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato per person

Light olive oil or organic canola oil, as needed

Seasoning: ground cumin, thyme, black pepper, red pepper, and cinnamon*

For serving:

Sea salt

Champagne or rice vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into long thin shoestrings. Toss them into a bowl and drizzle with light olive oil or organic Canola oil; stirring lightly to coat.

Generously season them. *My seasoning mix is equal shakes of: cumin, thyme and black pepper; and a little less of hot red pepper and cinnamon.

Throw them on to the parchment lined baking sheet. Spread evenly- one layer single layer is best.

Bake in the upper portion of your oven for about 20 to 25 minutes- until they are tender and sizzling and crispy brown at the edges. (Your oven times may vary from mine.)

Season with sea salt. (Add salt after they roast, to keep them from getting soggy.)

Serve with champagne vinegar at the table or scarf them down plain. They're tasty on their own.

The Reese's Cupcake - The Food Lover's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 6 Eggs, Pastured
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/3 cup Maple Syrup, Grade B
• 1/2 cup Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder, Organic
• 1/2 cup Butter, Unsalted, or coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream, Organic, or coconut milk
• 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 1/2 cup Sunbutter Frosting, [click to view this recipe]

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crack 6 eggs into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add vanilla, salt, baking soda, maple syrup, and blend until smooth.
4. Add coconut flour, and cocoa powder and continue to blend.
5. Add melted butter or oil, and blend until smooth.
6. Stir in heavy whipping cream, followed by the chocolate chips.
7. Place cupcake papers into cupcake pan and pour batter into each cup.
8. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
9. Remove from oven, allow to cool, frost, and refrigerate until serving

Southwest Turkey Sliders over Spicy Avocado Slaw - PaleOMG

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the burgers
• 1lb ground turkey
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 poblano pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fat (I used bacon fat)
• For the slaw
• 1 small head of cabbage or bag of cabbage, chopped
• 2 avocados
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

First make your burgers

1. Add all your ingredients for your burgers in a large bowl.
2. Shape small burger patties.
3. Heat up a large skillet under medium heat with a bit of fat in it (I used bacon fat) and add your sliders. Flip after about 3-5 minutes or when you see the sides of your sliders begin to turn a white color (meaning they are cooking through).

Now make your slaw

1. Pull out your handy dandy food processor, add all your ingredients for the slaw other than the cabbage and pulse until smooth.
2. Pour your avocado “mayo” on the cabbage and mix. Top off with a bit of salt and pepper.
3. Place your cabbage on a plate and top off with your sliders!
4. Consume!

Zoodles and Squoodles Pizza Casserole -PaleOMG

Ingredients

• 2lbs ground turkey (I bought 85/15 but you can get leaner if that freaks you out)
• 1 15oz can pizza sauce
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce
• 2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise and into strips
• 2 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise and into strips
• 6-8 sundried tomatoes (the more the better honestly), chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons fat (olive oil, coconut oil, bacon fat, etc)

Instructions

1. Ok this is where sh*t gets fun. Grab a [url href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LKZ9JG?ie=UTF8&tag=healtbent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000LKZ9JG"]mandoline[/url]. If you don’t have one, buy it, buy it now. Greatest little gaget to have around, I swear. You can find them anywhere. Even super cheap ones do the trick. Just buy it. If you don’t, you’ll just use a knife for 3rd step. Oh, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat fat over medium-high heat in a large skillet and add your 2 lbs of ground turkey. Add spices and mix to combine.
3. Cut the ends off the the zucchini and squash and cut them thinly, lengthwise using your knife or mandoline. Once they are cut lengthwise, cut those strips into smaller strips, like fettucine noodle size.
4. Once your turkey has cooked about 3/4 of the way through, add your can of tomato sauce and mix to combine. Let cook down for about 3-5 more minutes.
5. Once the turkey is done, add your ground turkey, sundried tomatoes, and zoodles and squoodles to a 9 x 11 baking dish. Add your can of pizza sauce on top, along with some salt and pepper. Mix with a large spoon so all the “oodles” and ground turkey are covered in pizza sauce!
6. Throw that sucker in the oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the veggies are soft.
7. Let sit for an hour. I know, I know. What the hell. But it thickens up a bit once you let it sit. Runny casserole just isn’t a great casserole.

Sweet Steak Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing - PaleOMG

Ingredients

• For marinating the steak:
• 2lb london broil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• gallon sized Ziploc bag
• For the salad:
• 1 bundle of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 bundle of spinach, chopped
• 1 cup pearl onions, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, then peeled
• 1 package of fresh blackberries
• 1.5 cups chopped walnuts
• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• 5-6 strips bacon, diced (uncured, nitrate free)
• 10-15 dates, pitted and diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• For the Dressing:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3-4 Tbsp ground mustard (no sugar added)
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• sea salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions

Time to marinate that steak. Don’t be lazy. Marinate the crap out of it. You won’t be disappointed. The longer the better. I only marinated it for about 8 hours or so, but longer would have been even more awesome.

1. Add all of your ‘marinating the steak’ ingredients to a gallon sized and shake it around. Give it some loving here. Work it.
2. Now throw the bag in the fridge to marinate for a while.
3. Once the london broil has marinated for AT LEAST 2-3 hours, pull it out of the fridge to let sit on the counter and come to room temperature. While it comes to room temperature, heat up your grill.
4. Make your grill SUPER hot so you can sear both sides of your london broil for 1-2 minutes/side. Once it is does searing, turn down the heat to medium and cook for about 5-6 minutes/side.
5. While the london broil is cooking (don’t forget to flip it after 5-6 minutes), begin cooking up the ingredients for your salad. Add your chopped bacon to a large skillet, once it has oozed a bit of fat to the pan, add your sliced red onions and let them cook down until translucent.
6. Once your red onions become translucent, add your pearl onions to the mix to cook down for about 3-4 minutes, then add your dates and walnuts. Cook all the ingredients together, adding just a bit of salt and pepper at the end.
7. Your steak should be done cooking at this point. Don’t forget about it and ruin the entire meal. Kidding. But once it is done cooking, put it on a plate and let it sit for around 30 minutes so the juices don’t come spilling out.
8. While the steak sits and ponders life, make your salad dressing.
9. Add all dressing ingredients to your food processor and mix well to combine. This dressing a bit thicker than usual dressing, so if you’re not a fan of that, add a bit more oil and vinegar to make it runny.
10. Once your dressing is made, thinly slice your london broil to desired thickness.
11. Throw your chopped greens into a large bowl, top with your date/onion/bacon/walnut mixture along with blackberries, steak, and salad dressing.
12. Consume with a smile on your face while all the flavors make a happy play land in your mouth.

Paleo Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Steak and Pasta - PaleOMG

Ingredients

• For the broil–
• 1 london broil
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• For the pasta–
• 2 zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise with a mandoline and into noodle shapes
• 2 yellow squash, sliced thin lengthwise with a mandoline and into noodle shapes
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers (I don’t know what size, the bigger the better I always say. HA. I’m funny)
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Let’s get the london broil cooking. I cooked mine inside on stove top because I didn’t feel like dealing with running back and forth between the grill and kitchen. I like being claustrophobic in my kitchen anyways. But you are welcome to use your grill.
2. Get your skillet extra hot and toss a bit of fat in the pan. Season your london broil on both sides and put it in the pan. Cook on both sides for about 5-7 minutes or however long it takes to cook it through how you like. I like my meat crying still so I didn’t cook mine for too long.
3. While your meat is cooking, slice up your zucchini and squash in the noodle sized slices you prefer. If you have a julienne slicer, you can use that as well. I’m going to buy one today, just so you know.
4. Now let’s make the sauce so grab your food processor and first toss in your roasted red peppers to puree. Then add your almond butter, coconut milk, and spices until all is blended beautifully together.
5. Your london broil should be cooked perfectly by now so pull it off the skillet and place it on a cutting board to rest while you finish your noodles and sauce.
6. Now you can either use that same skillet or a larger pot to cook your noodles and sauce in. Add your zucchini and squash to the hot pan of choice along with the sauce and mix together. Let cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the noodles are soft and cooked through.
7. Once your noodles are done, add your pasta to a dish, thinly slice your broil and lie on top of your pasta. Then eat it all together. A thing of beauty I tell you

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze - PaleOMG

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes
• 1/4 cup Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
• 1/8 cup cashew butter
• 1/8 cup maple syrup/agave/ or raw honey
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Dark Chocolate Chips
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• For the Glaze
• 3 tablespoons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
• 3 tablespoons Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 tablespoon cashew butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Use a large bowl to first mix all your dry ingredients: coconut flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Then mix your wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, cashew butter, sweetener, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
4. Line 6 muffin liners with silicone muffin cups or paper muffins liners, place batter evenly in cups.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
6. While cupcakes are baking, add your glaze ingredients to a bowl, place in the microwave for around 1 minutes, then stir until chocolate chips are combined.
7. Pour over top of cupcakes!
8. Consume!

Blueberry Pumpkin Pie Protein Shake - PaleOMG

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon cashew butter
• 1-2 tablespoons protein powder- or however much you use (I used Simply Pure Nutritents
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of ground cloves

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender (I used a food processor and it worked awesome!)
2. Blend until completely combined.
3. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
4. Drink it on down!!

MOW - 4.9.12

Meal of the Week - 4.9.12

Vegetable Quiche

Serve with a protein like bacon or sausage

IT IS SOOOOOOO GOOD, you better make 2

Savory Vegetable Quiche - Elana's Pantry

2 T coconut oil
1 med onion, thinly sliced
2 C broccoli, chopped
1 clove garlic thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
¼ finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 large eggs, whisked
4 oz goat cheese
½ t salt
1 Savory Pie Crust, pre-baked

Preheat oven to 350.  Steam broccoli.  Heat oil and sauté onions and mushrooms until soft.  Add broccoli, garlic and tomato to onions and sauté about 15 min.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese and salt.  Stir veggies into eggs then pour into pre-baked crust.  Bake for 30-35 min.  Let cool 30 min before serving.

Savory Pie Crust:
1 ½ C blanched almond flour
½ t salt
½ t baking soda
1 T minced scallions (or green onions)
¼ cup grapeseed oil
1 T water

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Press into a 9 ½ in or deep dish pie plate.  Bake for 12-15 min, until golden brown.  Cool before filling.

Cinnamon Toast Cake - Gluten Free - Barefeet in the Kitchen

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups GF flour mix (OR 1 cup brown rice flour, plus 1 cup tapioca starch/flour)
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted and semi-cooled

Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" square pan (8" works as well) and set aside. Whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake. Blend in the milk, vanilla and butter. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes (27 minutes for 8" pan).

While the cake is baking, combine the topping ingredients and whisk together. Remove the cake from the oven after 25 minutes and pour the topping across the cake. I like to pour the topping mostly around the sides first and then lightly across the top. I've found that if I pour it all on the center of the cake immediately, that will cause the cake to fall slightly. Still delicious that way, but not as pretty.

Bake the cake for an additional 10 minutes until the cinnamon layer is bubbling. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Chili Steak Fajitas

 - Made in the Crockpot
recipe adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner?

1 lb beef flank steak, sliced into very thin
1 large medium onion, sliced into thin strips
2/3 cup salsa
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, this was less than the juice from one medium size lime
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 teaspoons taco seasoning, I used my spicy homemade one
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 bell peppers, I like to use the red and green ones together, sliced into strips

Place the onion and the steak in the bottom of the slow cooker. Mix the salsa, jalapenos, lime juice, taco seasoning, garlic and salt in a small bowl and then pour over the steak and onions in the crockpot. Toss gently to coat. Cook at the lowest setting for 6-10 hours*.

Once the meat is cooked and tender, add the bell peppers and cook another 30-60 minutes, until softened to your preference.

* The total cooking time will vary based on your crockpot. I've made this twice, in two different crockpots and the cooking time does vary that much. Just monitor the meat as it is cooking through the day and turn off the heat before it is falling apart.

Baked Brussel Sprouts - Everyday Paleo

• 1 lb Brussel Sprouts
• 6 cooked and diced bacon strips
• 1 tbsp dried dill weed
• olive oil to taste
• black pepper to taste

Steam brussell sprouts for 4 minutes and quarter.  Mix with all other ingredients, spread evenly in a glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Stir once half way through cooking time.

Meatloaf - Everyday Paleo

Meatloaf

• 1 diced red onion
• 2 lbs of grass fed ground beef
• 1 cup almond meal
• 2 eggs
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp marjoram
• cracked black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl. Place meat mixture into a large glass baking pan and form into a loaf.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink in the middle.  

Mexi-Salad with fresh Guacamole - Whole 30

Taco salad:

• 2 lbs. organic, grass-fed ground beef (fresh, or frozen and thawed)
• 1 can (16 oz.) of organic diced tomatoes (read ingredients!), or dice your own
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 head of fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 each yellow, green and red pepper, diced
• 1 jar of organic salsa (or make your own )

Guacamole:

• 4 fresh avocado, pitted and mashed
• 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 limes, squeezed for juice (squeeze them like you’re deadlifting!)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro (chopped), to taste

Instructions:

• Prepare the guacamole ahead of time, and chill while you make the salad.  Mash the avocado in a glass or ceramic bowl* to desired consistency.  Pour the lime juice over the avocado right away to prevent browning.  Use a wooden spoon* to mix in all other ingredients.

*The lime juice in this recipe is reactive with metal, so avoid metal mixing bowls and spoons.  Plus, we always prefer alternatives to plastic.

• Start to brown the ground beef.  Add tomatoes and spices and simmer until it’s no longer pink.  Drop a pile of chopped romaine on a plate, top with ground beef, sprinkle with diced pepper and cover with fresh salsa.  Spoon a hearty helping of guacamole on the side.

We’d also like this topped with black olives, onion or chives, or any other fresh vegetables you can think of.  You can also boost your leafy green consumption by using baby spinach as your salad base… but there’s something about the warm ground beef on top of the crispness of romaine that we really like. (A blend of both lettuce and spinach might be just the thing.)
We don’t count calories or blocks, so we’re not sure what this would work out to from a macronutrient perspective… but if you Zone, you can easily figure that out for yourself.  Add or subtract fat in the form of more or less guacamole, and if you need more carbs, consider adding pineapple or making a mango salsa instead of the traditional tomato-based version. Olé!

JIMMY MOORE’S MACADAMIA NUT CRUSTED LUSCIOUS LEMON SQUARES

The Crust
13 ounces macadamia nuts
1 Tbs fresh local honey
4 Tbs lemon zest
3 large pastured eggs
2 Tbs Pure Indian Foods grass-fed ghee, melted
Coconut oil (enough to grease your pan)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take a paper towel and dip it in your coconut oil. Liberally grease the bottom of your 9X9 inch dish or pan (mine is a glass dish baking pan). Pulse blend the macadamia nuts 4 ounces at a time and dump into a mixing bowl when you create crumbs. Repeat until all of the nuts are chopped up into your “flour” mix. Add honey (or you can substitute some stevia if you don’t want to add the carbs to your recipe), lemon zest, and eggs to the macadamia nuts and whip vigorously with a fork until well-blended. Do a taste check of the batter to make sure it has the appropriate sweetness for you. You’ll taste a subtle lemon flavor, but not overpowering (saving that for the custard). Empty batter into baking dish and gently press down the batter with a spoon until it is evenly distributed along the bottom of the pan. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow crust to completely cool on counter or quickly in the freezer.
The Lemon Custard
1/2 cup Pure Indian Foods grass-fed ghee, melted
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
8 large pastured egg yolks
2 Tbs fresh local honey
2 packets of stevia (or liquid stevia equivalent)
Zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
While crust is baking, whisk egg yolks, honey, stevia and lemon zest in a mixing bowl until blended. Pour mixture into a sauce pan on medium heat adding in the ghee, coconut oil and lemon juice. Continually stir this mixture to prevent the eggs from getting cooked in the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture begins to thicken, remove from the heat immediately and continue stirring. Strain this mixture through a fine sieve (if not, you’ll get some of the lemon pulp and even a few seeds in your custard) and place in refrigerator or freezer until completely cooled.
Making The Lemon Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove completely cooled crust and custard from the freezer and/or refrigerator. Carefully spread a layer of the thickened lemon custard mixture over the top of the crust covering it completely. Place the dish in the oven baking it for 10-15 minutes until the custard becomes nearly translucent. Allow the finished bars to cool in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. ENJOY!

Tri-Tip Roast and Sweet Potato Salad - Everyday Paleo

Tri-Tip Roast

1 (3 lb) tri-tip roast

1 onion, thinly sliced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup coconut milk

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Coconut oil

1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the pan is nice and hot, place the roast in the hot oil and sear on all sides until browned all over.

3. Place the seared roast into a crockpot and pour the vinegar over the roast.

4. Drizzle the top of the roast with the honey, sprinkle with the minced garlic, and top with the sliced onions.

5. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or until the meat is tender and shreds easily.

6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and use a fork to shred the meat.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the juices in the slow cooker and spread evenly over the top of the shredded roast.

7. Pour the juices from the slow cooker into a medium saute pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

8. Add the coconut milk to the pan and whisk together.  Bring back to a simmer and reduce the liquid down by half, whisking occasionally.

9. Pour the sauce over the roast and the onions and serve!

Sweet Potato and Egg Salad

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small 1/2″ pieces

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced

1 cup leftover diced ham

2 tablespoons diced chives

2 tablespoons home made mayo

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the cut up sweet potatoes and saute until the the potatoes are browned and fork tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl add the diced eggs, ham, and chives.

3.  Add the cooked sweet potatoes, mayo, salt and pepper and mix well.

Carrot Cake - The Food Lovers

Ingredients

• 5 whole Raw Carrot, Organic, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup Maple Syrup, Grade B
• 3/4 cup Coconut Flour, sifted
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 10 Eggs, Pastured
• 10 Medjool Dates
• 1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Coconut Oil, Organic, melted
• 2 cup Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1 cup Walnuts, chopped for garnish

Process

1. In a food processor, using the grating blade, shred carrots.
2. Place carrots in a large ziplock bag.
3. Pour maple syrup over carrots and let marinate in the fridge for an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F.
5. In a small mixing bowl, add sifted coconut flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
6. Make date mixture with 10 medjool dates and 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
7. In a large mixing bowl or kitchen mixer, blend eggs, vanilla, melted coconut oil, and date mixture.
8. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend.
9. Remove carrots from the fridge, and drain the excess maple syrup from the carrots using a colander.
10. Stir grated carrots into cake batter.
11. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with coconut oil.
12. Pour batter into pans.
13. (For easy removal, line pans with parchment paper)Bake for 35 minutes.
14. Test center with a tooth pick—if the tooth pick comes out clean, then the cakes are done.
15. Remove cakes from oven and cool.
16. Frost cake with cream cheese frosting, garnish with walnuts, and serve.

Aspargus Soup - The Food Lovers

Ingredients

• 1 quart Chicken Stock (Free Range, Organic)
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil, Organic
• 1 Vidalia Onion, chopped
• 2 lb Asparagus, ends removed, and chopped
• 3 clove Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp Prosciutto, diced, for garnish
• 1 tsp Chives , minced, for garnish

Process

1. In a large soup pot on medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil, adding salt and pepper to taste.
2. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
3. Add the asparagus to the pot, and cover with the chicken broth.
4. Cover the pot with a lid and boil the asparagus until soft and tender.
5. In a medium-sized frying pan, sauté prosciutto for 5 minutes, set aside.
6. Transfer the soup to a food processor, or high-speed blender, and process until smooth.
7. Pour into soup bowls and sprinkle with ground pepper, prosciutto, and chives.

Mashed Turnips and Parsnips - The Food Lover

Ingredients

• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 cup Turnips, chopped
• 3 cup Parsnip, chopped
• 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Process

1. Preheat oven to roast at 400°F.
2. Rinse and chop turnips, parsnips, and onion.
3. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread out evenly on a roasting pan.
5. Roast at 400°F for 45 min.
6. Puree vegetables in high-speed blender or food processor until smooth.
7. Serve.

Notes

Keep an eye on these to ensure that they do not burn. It is best to stir them every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Pear and Walnut Salad - The Food Lover

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Dried Cherries
• 2 Bosc Pear, very ripe
• 3/4 cup Walnuts, Organic
• 5 cup Spring Mix Salad Greens, mixed spring greens

Process

1. Cut pears into chunks, chop walnuts, and slice cherries in half.
2. Toss with spring greens.
3. Serve with Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Stuffed Turkey Breast - The Food Lover

Ingredients

• 1 cup Vidalia Onion, chopped
• 2 cup Baby Spinach, Organic, chopped and stems removed
• 2 cup White Mushrooms, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, minced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 lb Turkey Breast, boneless, skin-on
• 1 tsp Salt and Pepper, to taste

Process

1. Preheat oven to roast at 375°F.
2. In a non stick skillet, sauté mushrooms, baby spinach, onion, garlic, and rosemary in 1 tablespoon olive until mushrooms have softened slightly.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Carefully remove skin from turkey and set aside.
6. Place turkey breast, skin side down on a large cutting board.
7. Spread halves of breast apart, so the turkey breast opens like a book.
8. Release thickest tenders of meat with a sharp knife so that you can open the breast more to create an even thickness of meat.
9. Cover turkey breast with parchment paper and carefully pound to even thickness with a meat mallet (or cast-iron skillet like we had to resort to using).
10. You want the meat to be as even as possible without damaging the breast.
11. Spread stuffing over turkey and tightly roll the breast for roasting.
12. Cover the stuffed breast with the reserved skin, and tie with kitchen twine in three evenly spaced intervals to keep skin in place.
13. Lay stuffed breast in a roasting pan or baking dish, seam side down.
14. ProcessRoast at 375°F for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, or until the roast has reached 175°F in the breast.

Sauteed Bosc Pears With Toasted Walnuts, Balsamic and Basil - Healthy Eating Tips

Ingredients:

Bosc Pear

• One bosc pear, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 tsp butter
• Cinnamon to taste
• 1/4 c. walnuts
• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 5 basil leaves, chiffonade into strips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, core and cut bosc pear into 1/4 inch slices.
Place balsamic vinegar in small sauce pan and gently heat until simmering. Allow to reduce, swirling occasionally until reduced to 25-30% volume, about 10 minutes. Reduction should be dark and thickened. Test by seeing if it coats the back of a spoon (and tastes good). Do not over reduce.
While vinegar is reducing, place walnuts on a cookie sheet and put in oven. Toast walnuts, turning once or twice for 6-7 minutes. Do yourself a favor and set a timer. It is very easy to burn toasting nuts. I set the time for 3 minutes, toss the nuts, then reset for another 3 minutes. Remove nuts from oven, allow to cool, then coarsely chop.
Heat butter in a pan on medium heat until it begins to foam. Add pear slices and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook gently until slightly tender, about 3 minutes on each side. Turn with a thin spatula.
Place pears on a plate and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Sprinkle on chopped walnuts and basil. I didn’t try it, but I bet this would be awesome with gorgonzola and port (or other dessert wine).

MOW - 4.2.12

Meal of the Week - 4.2.12

Bacon Alfredo

Steam and green veggie or make a salad

Guacamole Salad - Health Bent

• avocados, diced
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 4 large-ish tomatillos, diced
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• handful cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• salt

Method

The only thing I really need to explain (probably) is how to deal with tomatillos, so here goes…
Remove the green husks. You’ll feel that the tomatillo is slightly sticky to the touch. Rinse those suckers under some warm water, then chop ‘em up like the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, add all ingredients together. Consume.

Zesty Cilantro Lime Roasted Chicken - Food Renegade

 The Players

• 1 whole fryer chicken, somewhere around 8 lbs
• 1 lime, zested & juiced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 3 green onions, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 c olive oil (where to find quality olive oil)
• coconut oil or lard for greasing (where to find coconut oil)
• salt

The How-To
Get your chicken out of the fridge pronto. It’s ultra, super important, for the most moist roasted chicken ever created, that you bring the chicken to room temperature. Think about it this way, if you stick the chicken in the oven straight out of the refrigerator, at least 1/2 of the time it’s cooking, you’re actually trying to bring the temperature of the chicken up…and by doing it this way, you’re getting different temperatures within different parts of the chicken, so some parts cook faster than others, resulting in dryyyyyy chicken.
Now we’re going to split the chicken in half — trying to get it to lay flat as it can. Splitting the chicken in half is just another trick that will help the chicken cook faster, thus keeping it moist. Using a pair of kitchen shears, or a cleaver, cut the chicken along its back (not the breast side), making sure you start cutting to the side of the backbone, don’t actually cut into the chicken’s backbone. Sit the chicken on the counter to give yourself a sturdy base and start at the neck opening, cutting down towards the end at the tailbone. The chicken will look like it’s doing a split — sort of. Lay the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan or large oven-safe baking dish.
In your food processor, puree the lime zest & juice, green onions, garlic, olive oil and salt. Also add the cilantro, but I want you to include the stems, along with the leaves. Think of it as nose-to-tail cilantro use. Smear the mixture all over the top of the chicken. Use the time it takes the chicken to come to room temperature as marinade time too.
Preheat your oven to 400F. Clean off the bottom of a cast iron pan and lightly grease it with oil. Stick the chicken in the oven and place the bottom of the cast iron pan on the top of the chicken. This allows the oven heat to cook the chicken from the bottom and the cast iron pan to crisp the chick from the top. Bake until the temperature in the thigh of the chicken is around 150-165F. It should take about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the cast iron pan from the top of the chicken, and if you’d like the skin crispier, just stick the oven on broil and peek at the chicken every minute until it’s done to your liking

Fajita Chicken Salad - Health Bent

• 1- 1½ lbs chicken, cooked anyway you like & chopped (breasts or a mix of breasts & thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 c mayo, preferably homemade
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt, to taste
• hot sauce or chili garlic sauce, to taste

Method

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, lime juice, cilantro, salt and chili sauce. Add the chopped chicken, bell pepper and green onion. Mix to combine. Let the salad sit in the fridge, so the flavors can meld, at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.

Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro

• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 (8-ounce) bags coleslaw mix
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips
• 6 medium green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and olive oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine slaw mix, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.