Jerk Seasoning

This past weekend I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Saskatoon: the Konga Cafe. It is a Caribbean Restaurant with amazing food and the best key lime pie I have ever eaten, but that's for another post. I was inspired to find a recipe for a jerk rub that I could use with various meats. I tried this blend with burgers, that will be posted in a few days, and it was great! Not quite that same as the Konga Cafe but still good!

Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. Jerk seasoning is traditionally applied to pork and chicken. Modern recipes also apply jerk spice mixes to fish, shrimp, shellfish, beef, sausage, lamb, and tofu. Jerk seasoning principally relies upon two items: allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers, other ingredients include cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, and salt.

2 tbsp dried minced onion
2 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a small bowl, stir together the dried onion, thyme, allspice, ground black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Use as a rub for chicken, pork or mixed with beef for burgers.

Kale Chips

 Kale is being called new powerhouse vegetable. Here are a few reasons why!

1. Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

2. Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

3. Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting.

4. Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

5. Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps fight against arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

6. Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

7. Kale is high in Vitamin A.Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

8. Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

9. Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

10. Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

1 bunch of kale
3 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
2 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to about 375*

Tear the leaves off the thick stems of kale into bite size pieces. Spread out on cookie sheets. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and cumin. Bake for about 15 minutes, until edges are brown and kale is crispy when moved in pan. Be sure to stir the chips ever 5 minutes, to ensure they do not burn. Enjoy!

Bacon and Chive Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 large sweet potato or yam (equivalent to 2 cups mashed)
3 tbsp Coconut Flour
3 eggs, whisked
6-8 strips of bacon, diced
leftover rendered fat from bacon
3-4 tbsp chives, thinly diced
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper



Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Poke holes in your sweet potato with a fork. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 or until soft. Once the sweet potato is done baking, turn oven down to 375 degrees.

When you sweet potato is almost done cooking, place your diced bacon into a skillet and brown until crispy. Then place your cooked, crispy bacon on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up the excess fat. The fat that is left behind in the pan, you will use in your biscuits.

When your sweet potato is done, peel and place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Then add in your eggs and mix well with your sweet potato. Then add your in your bacon fat and mix well. Then your dry ingredients: coconut flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Finally add your diced cooked bacon and chives. Mix thoroughly

Now line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a large spoon to drop your biscuits on the sheet, shaping them as needed. Try to make them all equal in size so they cook the same. Place in oven and bake for 22-27 minutes. Let rest.

Recipe from PaleOMG

Chili Shrimp

 

This recipe was simple and fast, from fridge to table in about 20 minutes. These pack a kick.

I bet you can't eat just one!

1 lb Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined)
3/4 cup of Paleo Mayo
3-4 tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Sriracha sauce)
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
A good sprinkling of Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper


Lay the shrimp out on a cutting board and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. 







While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, combine the mayo, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes in a medium sized bowl. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp, stirring frequently. When the shrimp are done (about 3-5 minutes) add them to the sauce bowl and stir until coated.

Recipe from Paleo Kitchen Sync

Sauteed Garlic Asparagus

This is a super simple and quick side that can be paired with many different dishes.

3 tbsp ghee*
1 bunch fresh asparagus
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 chicken/vegetable stock
salt and pepper

Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, asparagus spears and chicken stock; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until asparagus is tender. If you like your asparagus well done, reduce heat and cook an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving. 

*Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is prepared by boiling butter and removing the residue. Spices can be added for flavor. Ghee has a long shelf-life and needs no refrigeration if kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation. The texture, color and taste of ghee depends on the quality of the butter and the duration of the boiling.

Bacon Quiche with Almond Flour Crust

As an OT, we are known for having many potlucks and this was the creation that I brought to this week's breakfast potluck. It was a hit with paleo and non-paleo eaters!







For the crust
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

For the filling
6 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
6 pieces of  nitrate-free bacon
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 - 4 sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
Sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a medium sized bowl, combine almond flour, egg, and egg white and spices until "dough" starts to come together. Press dough into a pie pan, using the palm of your hand to reach desired thickness. Poke crust with a fork to avoid bubbles. Bake crust for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

While crust bakes, fry bacon in a pan until crispy. Crumble and then set aside. In the same pan, saute onions and mushrooms until onions are translucent. Add garlic, sun dried tomatoes and spinach and cook down slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and coconut milk. Add bacon and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.Pour egg mixture into pre-baked pie shell. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until center is just slightly set. 

You want it to be slightly jiggly, but not loose. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Adapted from CupcakesOMG

Olive, Garlic & Lemon Chicken

1/4 cup coconut oil or bacon fat
3/4 cup black olives (kalamata), cut in half
4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces;
1 large onion, sliced thin;
10 gloves garlic, minced and smashed almost to a paste;
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 extra lemons, thickly sliced (remove seeds with the tip of a knife);
1 1/2 cups chicken stock;
2 tsp thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Melt the first  1/4 cup fat in a large and hot pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. It will take about 6 minutes total. Set the chicken aside.

Cook the onions until soft, about 3 minutes, and make sure to scrape all the delicious chicken bits off the pan while doing so. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, until fragrant. You can season with salt and pepper at this point. Add the chicken stock, thyme and lemon juice and return the chicken to the pan, skin side up. Bring to a simmer and put the pan, covered, in the hot oven for about 20 minutes.


Remove the lid, add the halved olives as well as the lemon slices and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes uncovered. Serve the chicken with the olive, garlic and lemon sauce as well as with some of the lemon slices.

Adapted from Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Ginger Beef with Broccoli and Mushrooms

2 lb beef/steak, sliced thinly
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2" ginger root, peeled & sliced into matchsticks
1 bunch of green onions, chopped 1" in length
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
coconut oil
Sesame seeds

Trim your beef of any unwanted fat and slice thinly, set aside in a dish that will be good for marinading. Pour the fish sauce and olive oil over the steaks. Chop the garlic, peel and slice the ginger root into matchsticks, add to the steak. Add the green onions and let this marinade for a couple hours in the fridge (I let mine sit for an hour and a half). Turn once if you can.




When you’re ready to make dinner, get a large pan heated to medium-high. Prep the broccoli and mushrooms by cutting into florets and slices. When the pan is hot, melt a couple tablespoons of coconut oil. The beef needs to go in first, but you may need to work in batches, bring the meat and the veggies together in the hot pan and toss. Keep the temp high and turn often. Once the veggies soften slightly, pour the remaining marinade over everything and let it boil out a bit.

You’ll have to eyeball this next part. This is ready to serve when the broccoli is tender, but not mushy and the sauce has reduced slightly and the beef is not overcooked. That’s the window you’re shooting for. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Adapted from Fast Paleo

Coconut Almond Latte

For anyone that knows me, they know that I am a coffee fanatic. I just love the stuff. I mean who doesn't love a good cup of coffee in the morning, or afternoon, or evening. Really when isn't coffee a good idea. Now, I'm not one of those hardcore people who can drink it black, I need something in it. This was one of the hardest things to change in my diet when it came to paleo. And still to this day, I often stumble and resort back to cream or even whipping cream in my coffee. There are many alternatives that you can use but they just weren't quite right for me. For some, almond milk works but for me it just wasn't enough. I did use coconut milk for quite some time but again it just wasn't right for me.

However, when it comes to lattes this is a great recipe! Now if only I could get Starbucks on board! 

1/2 cup unsweetend almond milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 shot of espresso
1 tsp honey (optional)
Cinnamon for dusting (optional)

I have an espresso maker and therefore can make the espresso, heat and froth the milk all at once. If you don't have an espresso maker you can warm the almond milk, coconut and honey in the microwave and then froth with a milk frother or good old fashion whisk  The espresso you can make with a french press or you can just make really strong coffee. Place espresso shot in a glass and pour in your almond milk. Top with cinnamon. 

Breakfast. What's the big deal?

Let's talk a little about breakfast. We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day yet it is often skipped or missed because people run out of time in the morning. So, what is the big deal about breakfast? Can a solid breakfast really make or break your fitness goals?

Let’s start by dissecting the word ‘breakfast’. When you take it apart you find two words with an all-important hidden message. Break – Fast. I can hear your wheels spinning on this one! That’s right, breakfast is the meal that breaks the fast that your body goes into each and every night when you sleep. When breakfast is skipped, your body continues to fast until you eat later in the day.

Your brain needs fuel to function at its peak. This fuel comes in the form of glucose derived from food and is needed to walk, talk and perform all other activities. When you skip breakfast your brain is forced to work extra hard in breaking down stored carbohydrates or to turn fats and proteins into usable forms of glucose. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, increase your problem solving capabilities, enhance overall mental performance and even boosts your memory and mood.

Your metabolism will go into ‘famine’ mode. Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

So the better question is: What options do we have for a paleo breakfast? Breakfast seems to be associated with cereal, toast, bagels, English muffins, waffles and sugar laden foods. Breakfast doesn't have to equal grains! I think a lot of people also get stuck in a breakfast rut making the same dish every day. My biggest tip is to get used to seeing breakfast as fuel – it’s just another meal! And who wants to start the day off with a big sugar crash?

Breakfast options are endless but here are a few suggestions:

1. Let's  start with the most obvious bacon and eggs
2. Bacon, eggs, avocado, mushrooms & tomato
3. An omelette with your choice of meat, vegetables and of course – egg yolks as well as whites
4. Make a frittata with your favorite veggies and meats (Sweet Potato Frittata)
5. There’s nothing like steak and eggs for breakfast!
6. Scrambled eggs mixed with diced bacon and avocado
7. Soft boiled eggs and wilted spinach
8. Lots of nations wake up to soup – make a soup with bone broth – or try coconut milk and leftover meat and veggies
9. Smoked salmon and fried eggs for a great protein boast
10. Smoked haddock with poached eggs and wilted spinach
11. Egg muffins – cook these up with your favourite veggies and meat in a big batch – and help yourself from the fridge all week
12. Almond Meal Porridge
13. Banana Vanilla Pancakes
14. Pork breakfast sausages and eggs
15. Sweet Potato Pancakes
16. And of course leftovers

Just remember to be creative, options are endless. 

Adapted from the Paleo Network

Hawaiian Chicken Skewers

These are seriously to die for!!

3 cups fresh pineapple, cut into chunks (I used canned because that's all I had on hand)
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp ginger root, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
4 chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra pineapple for skewering
1/2 red pepper, cut into large pieces 

Combine diced pineapple, olive oil, garlic, ginger,cilantro, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Puree mixture in a blender or food processor. I made this at my parents house and they have a food processor however at home I don't have one so I would just use my magic bullet.

Slice chicken into small cubes and pour 3/4 of the marinade over the chicken and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Reserve the other 1/4 of the marinade to use as glaze during grilling. 


Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Skewer pieces of chicken, red pepper and pineapple on metal or pre-soaked bamboo skewers.

Grill skewers for 12–15 minutes, turning every 4–5 minutes. Brush the chicken with the pineapple glaze periodically while grilling. Garnish skewers with chopped cilantro, and serve.

The natural sugar that releases from pineapple when cooked, may cause a sticky situation for the grill grates. The chicken and pineapple tends to have trouble releasing, so we recommend lightly oiling a grill plate to use, or grilling the skewers on top of foil.

Lemony Coconut Macaroons

Who doesn't like a macaroon. A co-worker of mine brought these to a potluck and with a slight modification here it is!

1 pkg shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup organic honey
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
4 egg whites

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. 

Whisk egg whites until white and frothy. Add in the lemon juice and the honey. Add to the dry ingredients

Drop onto parchment-lined baking sheets (I used a tablespoon). 

Bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes.

Grilled Sweet Potato Medallions

1 large (2 small) sweet potatos, washed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely diced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
sea salt, sprinkled on top

Wash and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds and place on foil sheet.

Place the olive oil in a bowl and add the chopped rosemary and garlic.Stir and spoon/drizzle on each round. Lightly salt the tops. Place a sheet of tin foil on the grill and place the sweet potatoes on top. Cook on low, about 5 minutes each side.

Enjoy!

Escargot

I made it home for my birthday and my mom made one of my favorite meals: steak, crab, lobster and escargot. This meal sounds super fancy but it really is easy to make at home! This recipe is courtesy of my mom! 

Escargot is a classic french dish of cooked land snails, usually served as an appetizer.

1 can snails
1 package Escargot Seasoning Mix (Sea-far)
1/2 cup butter
24 small - medium mushroom caps

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Saute mushroom caps in frying pan to remove excess moisture approximately 5 - 6 minutes. Meanwhile add the contents of the Escargot seasoning package to melted butter. Place escargot into escargot pan or mini muffin tins and top with mushroom cap. Pour butter mixture over the escargots. Heat in the oven until the butter begins to bubble. Enjoy!

Not 100% paleo but darn close!

Crockpot Beef Stuffed Peppers

2 pounds ground pork/beef
4 large bell peppers
1 large onion
2 carrots
4 cloves of garlic
1 zucchini
6 ounce can of tomato paste
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp basil
1 tsp chil flakes 
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the tops of the peppers and clean the seeds out. Arrange peppers in the Crock-Pot standing up and make sure they fit securely. Grate onion, carrots, garlic and zucchini in the food processor or with a box grater. You can also just chop them into small pieces with a knife if you don’t have a food processor.

In a big bowl, combine ground pork/beef, shredded vegetables, seasonings and tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and arrange leftover meat between the peppers. Add half a cup of water, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

If you don’t have a slow-cooker, the dish can be cooked in the oven, covered, for 1-2 hours.

Adapted from Mark's Daily Apple

Banana Vanilla Pancakes

2 bananas, peeled
3 eggs
3 tbsp coconut flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Place banana in a food processor and puree until smooth. Then crack eggs into food processor and mix together. Add the coconut flour, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Puree until smooth.

Now heat up a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with coconut oil. Once skillet is hot, pour around 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into skillet. I made each pancake about 3 inches, and that was perfect for flipping. Wait until each pancake begins to form bubbles on the surface, then flip. If you keep the pancakes smaller, the will cook more evenly and flip perfectly.

Enjoy! Makes about 10 pancakes.

Served with unsweetened apple sauce
and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Borrowed from PaleOMG

Cooking Tip: Oven-Baked Bacon

This makes perfect crisp bacon without the mess. If you often cook large quantities of bacon at one time this allows you do it quick and easy.

Line a baking sheet with foil. This will make cleanup easier later.

Arrange bacon slices on the foil and place the baking sheet on the center rack of a cold oven. Close oven door. Turn oven on to 400°F. Walk away.

Come back 15 to 20 minutes later. As soon as the bacon is golden brown, but not excessively crisp, it's done. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the bacon slices, and also on how quickly your oven reaches the target temperature.

Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the bacon to another sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the fat. You can pour the liquid fat into a heat-resistant container to save for other uses. 

Cooking Tip: Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Place the desired number of eggs in an empty pot. Make sure you use a shallow pot so that water will completely cover the eggs. 

Pour cold water into the pot. Cover the eggs completely with at least 1 inch of water. 

Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda to the water. The salt helps the proteins in the eggs coagulate, which means they become firm and are more likely to seal if they crack in the pan. The addition of baking soda aids in removing the shells from the eggs when they finish boiling. 

Place a lid over the pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Turn the heat off once the water boils. Keep the pot on the warm stove top with the lid. Leave the eggs in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not time the eggs until the water starts boiling. 

Remove the pan from the stove top. Run cold water over the eggs to stop them from cooking. Allow the eggs to cool completely before you begin peeling the shells. 

Perfect easy to peel eggs every time!

Avocado Egg Salad

1 ripe avocado
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 hard boiled eggs, chilled
2 tbsp celery
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1-2 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
4-5 endive bulbs

In a medium bowl, mash avocado and lemon juice together with a fork until it is creamy and smooth. It’s okay if there are still a few lumps. With a box grater over the bowl, grate in the four hard boiled eggs. Add the chopped celery, parsley, and seasonings to the bowl. Combine gently with a fork until everything is incorporated. Taste the egg salad and adjust the seasonings as needed. At this point the mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours.

Break off the endive leaves and arrange them on a plate. Spoon the egg salad into the lettuce cups and top with chopped bacon and dill. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Simple Bites

Singapore Noodles

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 slices bacon, diced
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 cups spaghetti squash, cooked (1 large)
1 tbsp olive oil

In a large wok or saucepan. Add chicken and bacon and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Add in zucchini, red pepper and garlic. Cook and stir until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder and stir to coat. Add chicken stock and let liquid reduce. Stir in the 3 cups of spaghetti squash. and green onions. Cook and stir until squash is heated through. Remove from heat and add the olive oil. 

Can be served hot or cold.  

To cook the squash, cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds and pulp as you would with any squash or pumpkin. Bake rind side up about 30 to 40 minutes at 375 F or microwave 6 to 8 minutes (let stand for a few minutes afterwards). Separate strands by running a fork through in the "from stem to stern" direction.

Marinated Steak and Eggs

Happy Birthday to me!

I decided to post this for my birthday because who doesn't like steak and eggs! A large Starbucks coffee + steak and eggs = great start to my birthday!

Marinated Flank Steak
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch ground black pepper
1 pound flank steak

In a medium bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, ginger, lemon juice, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in sealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 6 hours.


Steak and Eggs
Marinated steak
2 eggs
1/2 yellow onion
fat of choice - I used bacon fat
2 tbsp chopped green onions

Heat up 2 small skillets over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of bacon fat to one of your skillets and add your sliced onion. Salt and pepper your onions to your liking. Use a wood spoon to stir the onions around to make sure they don’t burn and help them caramelize.

While the onions get to caramelizing, add steak directly to your hot pan. Cook your steak on both sides for about 3-4 minutes. After your steak is cooked, put on a plate to rest for a few minutes. Once rested you can slice the steak into thin strips. Add a bit more bacon fat to that same pan, if needed. Now crack both of your eggs into the pan (this is where you can cook your eggs however you’d like). When eggs are cooked to preference, pull off heat and top on your steak. Once onions are caramelized, after about 10 minutes,add the green onions, and top on steak and eggs.

**The steak marinade can be used for any kind of steak and works great on the BBQ!

Recipes adapted from PaleOMG and Crave Paleo

Apple Cinnamon Cookies

I was looking for a baking recipe to bring into my co-workers and stumble upon this one. I tried it out and it was awesome! I didn't have to change a thing. Thanks to River North Paleo Girl






2 large apples, cored and cut into eighths (the sweeter the better)
2 cups ground almonds 
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp honey (use more for a sweeter cookie) 
1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
A pinch of salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using the shredder disc in a food processor, shred the apples. I don't have a food processor so I just grated them with my box grater. Measure out 2 cups of shredded apples and set aside in a large bowl. 

Add the ground almonds, cinnamon, vanilla, and melted coconut oil to the grated apples. Add the coconut, and salt in the large bowl and stir to combine. Add the eggs and honey, stir everything until it is mixed evenly

Use a small ice cream scoop (or a large spoon) to evenly place the dough on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. *The parchment paper is important, it will stick to your cookie sheet if you don't. Lightly flatten the dough into evenly sized cookies with your hands. 

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, rotating cookie sheet half way through, take them out when the edges begin to brown and your house smells like heaven. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes before enjoying. 

Delicious!

Spiced Peas with Cilantro & Lime

"Green beans, snow peas, green peas, and other green legumes encapsulated in pods are often questioned in the Paleo world. Are they Paleo? The short answer is yes, but here’s why.

When they say don’t eat legumes, it’s because legumes have certain anti-nutrients in them, like phytic acid and lectins. Phytic acid binds to the minerals magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron in your gut and removes them, unabsorbed, from your body. And lectins are sticky little suckers that can glom onto your gut lining and wreak havoc on its integrity. Not good.

However, nuts and seeds also contain these things, and you’re still “allowed” to eat those on the Paleo diet. And that’s because we’re assuming you’re not going to fill half your plate with nuts and seeds like you might with lentils or black beans. It’s a quantity thing, and so it is with green beans and peas. Yes, those things contain those anti-nutrients, but if you’re not eating them by the shovelful, you’ll be just fine.

So eat your green beans, snow peas, and even your green peas on occasion. Just don’t make them a staple or a large proportion of your plate and you’ll be just fine." - Information from the Paleo Plan

Sea Salt
2 cups fresh peas in the pod, shelled or frozen peas
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp fresh lime juice

If using fresh peas, fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes; drain. To defrost frozen peas quickly, place them in a colander and run them under cold water until thawed.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the peas, garlic, curry powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

From Real Simple

Crockpot Ham

Nitrate Free Ham
1 can pineapple tidbits
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup water

Slice ham into smaller pieces as this allows the flavors to permeate into each piece and cooks the meat faster. Place ham in slow cooker, pour in the can of pineapple, vegetable stock and water. Mix in crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. 

Remember no peeking! Each time you lift the lid, enough heat will escape that the cooking time should be extended by 20 minutes to half an hour. To check progress without lifting the lid, spin the cover until the condensation falls off. Then it's easy to see inside!