Lemon and Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken

Juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh sage, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine. Place the chicken breasts in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the chicken to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.

Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.

Grill the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes per side, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Enjoy!

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado, mashed
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp raw honey
1/2 tbsp nut butter (I used almond butter)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
pinch of salt
Nuts to top

Mix all ingredients together. I placed mine in the magic bullet but you could easily place it in the blender or the food processor. You could also just mix by hand.

Top with additional toppings as you desire! I have used slivered almonds and raspberries.

This recipe makes 1 portion and is a perfect little treat for those days that you are craving something chocolatey. You could also replace the cocoa powder with a chocolate protein powder (with this you may wish to reduce the amount of honey added to the pudding).   

Enjoy!!

Spaghetti Bolongese

1 lb grass fed ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup vegetable or beef stock
1 orange/red pepper roasted
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash

Brown ground beef in a large dutch oven. Once browned add the onion and garlic, continue to cook on medium heat until onions are soft 4 - 5 minutes. Meanwhile roast pepper on BBQ until blackened and tasty. Place pepper in blender with vegetable stock and pulse until smooth. Add to beef mixture. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a boil then turn down and simmer for 45 minutes. You can simmer it on top of the stove or move it into the crock pot on low for 2 - 3 hours. 

There are many different methods to cook the spaghetti squash. To start with cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds. You can then bake in the oven at 375 F for 30 to 40 minutes rind side up. Place a small amount of water in the pan so it doesn't burn. My preferred method is to cook it in the microwave primarily because it cooks much faster! Place in the microwave rind side up and cook on high for 10 minutes. Let it sit a few minutes and then run a fork through the squash to separate the spaghetti strands.

Top "spaghetti" with bolognese sauce and top with chopped parsley

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Who doesn't love sweet potato fries! These sweet potato fries will change your life. I’m serious! Salty-sweet, crunchy, and spicy if you wish, baked sweet potato fries are my favorite new snack.

Sweet potatoes (I’d plan on at least one per person)
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper 
Cumin and chili powder (sprinkled to taste)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces (I used by mandolin with julienne option). Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly.

Toss the uncooked fries into a mixing bowl or a plastic bag, or just onto your baking sheet. Lightly coat the fries with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and spices. I’d try to use half a teaspoon per potato or so. Mix/shake to distribute evenly.

Pour the fries directly onto a non-stick baking sheet for best results (lining with aluminum foil produces mixed results and parchment paper can burn in the hot oven). Arrange your fries in a single layer and don’t overcrowd, otherwise they will never crisp up.

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. I find the easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick turn of the wrist.

Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the fries are crispy. You’ll know they’re done when the surface of the fries change from shiny orange to a more matte, puffed up texture. It’s essential to bake them long enough, otherwise they won’t be crispy. Don’t worry if the edges are a little bit brown, they will taste more caramelized than burnt.

Recipe from Cookie + Kate

Mango Coconut Chia Pudding

Chia pudding has a sort of tapioca texture.The little tiny chia seeds when soaked in liquid expand to more than 4 times their size! They don't really have much of a taste, the texture is similar to passion fruit if you've ever eaten one.

The big question though - are chia seeds paleo/primal? I looked to Mark's Daily Apple for the answer. Here is what he had to say:

"Even though I've written about chia seeds already on two separate occasions, people keep asking me about them. They’re high in plant omega-3, ALA, which, according to most evidence, we humans are not great at converting into EPA and DHA, the long chain omega-3s that our bodies truly require. However, I’d like to add a couple new thoughts to the subject: 

There’s some recent evidence that moderately-longish term chia seed supplementation (7 weeks long) can actually increase plasma ALA and EPA levels in postmenopausal women. That ALA increased isn’t a surprise, since ALA is the predominant fat in chia, but the 30% EPA increase was a bit of a shock. Perhaps the conversion rate can be higher (although DHA levels slightly decreased). It’s worth noting that these were milled chia seeds, which are easier to digest (and, presumably, absorb the nutrients within) than whole seeds. That could have had a measurable impact. 

I’ve been down on fiber in the past. Still am, in fact, provided you’re talking about insoluble, bowel-rending, toilet-bowl-filling fiber. But soluble fiber? Fiber that feeds the gut flora? Fiber that actually promotes gut health? Fiber that gets fermented into short chain fatty acids with a host of health benefits? I’m okay with that kind of fiber, and chia seeds have plenty of it. However, since soluble fiber is “active” in your gut, it can cause gastrointestinal distress, especially if you aren’t used to eating plant matter rich in the stuff. 

Verdict: Primal, but be wary of any superfood claims (unless they’re talking about liver and pastured egg yolks), closely monitor your fiber tolerance, and don’t rely on them for your omega-3s."

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup fresh ripe mango, diced
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Mix well and close container. Refrigerate overnight or at least 5-6 hours.

Blackened Chicken with Mango Salsa

Blackened Chicken
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 olive oil

Mango Salsa
2 ripe mangoes
1 long English cucumber
3 green onions
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Combine the chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Add the olive oil, almost making a paste. Add the chicken breasts and coat with the spice mix. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 4 to 6 hours. 

For the salsa, chop the mangoes, cucumber, green onion and cilantro into fine pieces. Add the lime juice and olive oil. Add salt to taste. Place in refrigerator and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to incorporate together. 

Turn the BBQ to medium high heat and cook the chicken breasts for 15 - 18 minutes, may need to be longer if thicker. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. 

Top with mango salsa and enjoy!

Salsa recipe courtesy of my friend Nat. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Cheat Day)

This is another of my go to recipes when I have company and it is always enjoyed. 

1/2 cup butter 
1 cup sugar 
3 over ripe bananas
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream butter and sugar. Add bananas, eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips and nuts. 

Place batter in a greased bread pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Complete cooling on a wire rack. 

Grilled Asparagus

High in vitamins B6 and C, plus fiber, folate and glutathione, an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant, asparagus is an excellent nutritional choice. It comes in three colors: white, green or purple, although the green variety is the most common. 

This is a quick and simple dish to accompany any meal. 

1 lb fresh asparagus
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare asparagus, you will need to rinse the spears and break off the tough ends. Next you will need to heat your BBQ to medium heat and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rill for 5 - 7 minutes or until tender. Enjoy with your choice of protein. 

Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in Chorizo Sauce

When it comes to cooking seafood at home it can be intimating and daunting for some people. This, however, does not have to be the case. All you need is good product. I bought my fresh mussels and shrimp at Charlie's Seafood Market here in Saskatoon. I dare you to try this recipe and see for yourself how easy it can be!

Chorizo is a name given to a variety of sausages, both fresh and cured, from Spain and Latin America. Chorizo is made from pork, is heavily seasoned, and has a characteristically red color. Although there are many regional varieties, most chorizo can usually be placed into one of two categories, Spanish or Mexican.

1/2 cup of olive oil
3  garlic cloves, minced
1 small Chorizo, diced
1 Green Pepper diced
1 large tomato, seeds removed and diced
1 bay Leaf
6 oz can of tomato paste
2 cups of chicken stock (or half a bottle of a good white wine)
1 lb of Mussels
1 lb of Shrimp
1 sprig of Fresh Parsley
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Line a large heavy pan with olive oil. Add minced garlic, chorizo, diced green pepper and large tomato and simmer until slightly browned. Add bay leaf, tomato paste and chicken stock and stir on medium heat until your kitchen smells amazing and the sauce is blended well.

Add Mussels and Shrimp and cover pot. Cook on medium for 10 minutes. Discard any unopened Mussels. Sprinkle with parsley and salt and pepper and stir until well blended.

Recipe borrowed from Family Foodie

Mango Glazed Grilled Shrimp

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 
1 mango, peeled and sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp jalapeno, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp olive oil

Combine mango, lemon and lime juice, apple cider vinegar, jalapeno, ginger and oil in a blender and blend till smooth. Pour mango mixture over peeled shrimp and let marinade for 15 minutes. 

Heat grill to medium heat. Skewer shrimp on bamboo skewers and place on BBQ. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until skin is pink and cooked through.

This is a summery dish and can be served with a lovely fresh salad. 

Cinnamon Grilled Fruit

Fruit is perfect for the grill because it is so easy to prepare. Fruit is basically made up of water and sugar and by grilling it you can concentrate the flavors by reducing the water and caramelizing the natural sugars. The process is very simple. You need sliced fruit, water, and cooking oil to make the most basic grilled fruit. What you will get is a quick and easy addition to any meal whether it is as an appetizer, side dish, or dessert. Hard fruits like apples, pears, and pineapples are the easiest to grill since they hold their shape and texture while cooking. Softer fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums and mangoes will become soft and mushy if overcooked. You will need to be more attentive of these kinds of fruit. Either way, pick a fresh firm fruit that is just short of being perfectly ripe. You will want a fruit that is solid enough to hold together and maintain its texture on the grill.


2 apples, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices (I just halved mine) 
2 pears, cored and halved  (I used anjou)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat grill for medium heat. Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add apple and pear slices to mixture. Place honey in a microwave safe bowl and heat until runny and add cinnamon. Place fruit on grill rack and allow to cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, turning once. Once cooked, place apples on a large dish and glaze with cinnamon/honey mixture.

Crockpot Curry Beef

Growing up one of my least favorite meals that my mother would make was beef pot roast. Still to this day it is not one of my preferred meals, however, with the use of curry and other earthy spices this beef was quite tasty. 

1 beef pot roast
1 onion, roughly sliced
2 tbsp curry
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp onion powder
1 carton beef or vegetable stock (900 ml)

Place chopped onions at the bottom of the crockpot. Combine spices and rub the pot roast with spices. Place roast in the slow cooker and cover with beef/vegetable stock until meat is 3/4 covered. 

Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours. I cooked mine on low and it was extremely tender when I pulled it out of the crockpot. 

I served mine it sauteed onion, red pepper and bean sprouts. I find these vegetables are a nice compliment to the earthy notes of the spices used with the beef. Enjoy!

Crab Cakes

1 pound crab meat (I used canned crab meat)
2 tbsp finely diced red onion
2 tbsp paleo mayo
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1 egg
2 tbsp coconut flour
2-4 tbsp coconut oil

If using the canned crab, make sure to crumble the crab with your hands into a large mixing bowl and pick out any shells you might find.  Mix the crab with the onion, mayo, garlic, sea salt, pepper, chili powder, egg and coconut flour.  In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat for 1 minute or until hot enough that a sprinkle of water in the pan makes the oil sizzle.  Form the crab cake mixture into palm size patties and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.  Makes approximately 10 crab cakes. Serve with mango chutney or fresh lemon. 

**I found mine to be on the dry side, I would start with 1 tbsp of coconut flour and check the consistency of the mixture, if still too wet add more coconut flour. 

Recipe from Everyday Paleo

Mango Chutney

Classic mango chutney has sugar added to the recipe, but I relied solely on the ripe mango for the sweet flavor of the dish. This mango chutney packs a powerful flavor punch, and is a great accompaniment for fish, crab cakes or chicken. 

1 ripe mango, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
1/4 of a large red onion, chopped into bite size pieces
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
The juice of 1 lime
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

In a large frying pan, heat coconut oil on medium. Add garlic and ginger to the frying pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add red onion and red bell pepper to the frying pan and continue to saute for another minute. Add the chopped mango, lime juice, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Continue to saute until the red bell pepper, onion, and mango have softened. About 5 minutes. Turn heat down to simmer, and cover with a lid until serving. I then placed mine in the blender for a smoother consistency (but this is up to you - you definitely don't have to). 

Portobello Mushroom Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. With use of the portobello mushroom you won't even miss the English muffin. 

Roasted Portobello Mushrooms
4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
2 tbsp olive oil 
salt, dash

Hollandaise Sauce
½ cup grassfed butter
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper

8 strips of bacon
4 eggs
2 tbsp white vinegar
chives, for garnish (optional)

There are two options for cooking the mushrooms. You can use the BBQ or the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees or heat BBQ to medium heat. Rub portobello mushroom caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a baking sheet, cap side up, and roast 15-20 minutes, or until tender. If using BBQ cook for about 15 minutes or until tender. 

Cook bacon by your preferred method. 

To make the hollandaise sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Place a pot of water onto boil, and once boiled lower heat to medium. Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a glass or metal bowl and whisk together. Place bowl over the pot of boiling water (creating a double boiler), whisk vigorously and slowly add the melted better. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens up. 

Using the same pot of water, add the vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat to low. Crack eggs one at a time into a small dish, and gently slip them into the barely simmering water. Cover the pan and cook about 4 minutes, till whites are cooked but yolks are still runny (you can test this by gently touching them – they should jiggle). Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. 

To assemble, place one mushroom cap on each of 4 plates. Top with bacon, a poached egg, and a spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately. 

Recipe from 

Dry Rubbed Grilled Chicken

This is a super simple recipe! Quick and easy. From fridge to table in less than 20 minutes. 

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/4 cup The Ultimate Spice Blend
2 tbsp olive oil

After cutting chicken into strips, rub with the spice blend, let sit for 10 minutes to let the seasoning permeate into the meat. Heat grill to medium and oil grill. Place chicken on the BBQ and cook between 6 - 8 minutes. Enjoy! Served with salad, grilled portobello mushrooms or grilled vegetables. 

Tomato Egg Scramble

When I was in Vietnam this past September, one of the breakfast dishes we were served was a type of scramble made with tomatoes and eggs. It was a simple dish but was always quite tasty. Now, when they served the dish it was served with a delightful french style bread but this dish is just as good without it. The best past: simple and quick to make!

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 eggs

salt and pepper

2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Sriracha hot sauce

Heat olive oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until most of the moisture has been removed, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and scramble. Season with salt and pepper. Continue stirring until the eggs are cooked. Remove from skillet and top with fresh cilantro and sriracha hot sauce to taste. Enjoy!

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

The Portobello mushroom is a large, dark brown mushroom that has a rich flavor and meaty texture. Be sure to keep your unwashed portobello mushrooms refrigerated in a paper bag to maintain their freshness. Portobello mushrooms are a low-fat food -- one cup contains just 0.3 g total fat. It also contains nearly 2 g of protein and 1 g of fiber per one-cup serving.

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Clean mushrooms and remove stems, reserve for other use. Place caps on a plate with the gills up. In a small bowl, combine the oil, onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour mixture evenly over the mushroom caps and let stand for 1 hour. Grill over hot grill for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Grilled Radicchio and Zucchini Salad

Radicchio is a leaf chicory, sometimes known as Italian chicory. It is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. 

This is a simple salad that can be paired with any grilled meat!

1 head of radicchio
4 mini zucchinis
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Preheat your grill. Chop your radicchio into quarters and slice the zucchinis in half length wise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Grill on medium heat until tender with grill marks (about 5 - 7 minutes). Once tender remove from the grill. Chop into bite size pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle with a good quality balsamic vinegar and top with chopped fresh cilantro. The grilling cuts down the bitterness of the radicchio and when paired with balsamic vinegar it tastes great.

Grilled Pork Side Ribs

I was once asked by someone: If you could only eat meat from one animal for the rest of your life, which animal would you pick? Without hesitation I said: the pig! First of all: pig = bacon. Need I give you any more reasons. If so, check out this awesome pork side ribs recipe!

2 rack of pork side ribs
1/4 cup Ultimate Spice Blend

Sauce
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey


To begin with we need to prep the ribs. On the concave surface of all ribs is a thin, translucent membrane. This membrane is tough and will prevent any flavouring to get to the rib meat, and so should be removed. To remove the membrane: Insert a metal spoon handle under the membrane at one end of the rib rack and detach a corner. Then grab the detached flap and gently tear it away from the ribs. It should come off in one clean pull.

Cover the ribs on both sides with the Ultimate Spice blend and gently rub into the ribs.

Now, many people have their own way of cooking ribs. Some people will say you need to boil them first, then finished them on the barbecue. Others will say you need to bake them in the oven and then put them on the barbecue.  I am sure these methods result in very tender ribs but honestly I did not have an hour and a half to cook these. So, I turned on my barbecue and threw the ribs on. After about ten minutes I turned them over and cooked for another 10 minutes. While they were cooking I combined the sauce ingredients. I then turned the barbecue down to mediumish, basted the ribs and cooked them for an additional 15 minutes, basting ever 5 minutes.

And that's all I did! They were moist and tasty! I had no complaints.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cheat Day)

These are simply the best chocolate chip cookies ever!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water
½  tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Grilled Pork Souvlaki

The warm prairie summer was definitely in the air today and as such my BBQ was screaming for some attention. So I hauled my propane tank to gas station and filled it up and set to some grilling. This is a fresh summer recipe!

Marinade
1.5 lbs boneless pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Skewers
1 bell pepper
1 red onion


Whisk together all the ingredients for the pork marinade. Pour it into a gallon ziploc bag along with the pork chunks. Marinate at least 4 hours but preferably overnight or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the barbecue. Thread the pork chunks onto skewers, shaking off excess marinade alternating with pieces of bell pepper and red onion. Grill on medium heat until nicely charred and cooked through (10 to 15 minutes). 

Can be served with grilled zucchini, Greek salad or grilled vegetables. 

Cobb Salad

Salad
1/2 container mixed greens
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I just bought a roast chicken from the grocery store)
2 large avocados- sliced
1 package grape tomatoes
10 slices bacon- crumbled
4 hard-boiled eggs- sliced
raw almonds (can sub any type of nuts basically)
4 green onions, chopped


Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 egg
2 cloves fresh garlic
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup coconut milk
fresh ground pepper- to taste
dash of cayenne pepper

Begin by hard-boiling eggs and setting them aside. Check out the post on Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs. Then, place strips of bacon in frying pan or on a baking sheet and cook until crispy.

In the meantime, prepare and chop all other ingredients and veggies. When ready, arrange all ingredients decoratively on a large platter (line or quadrant formation). Garnish with raw almonds and green onions.

To prepare the dressing, combine all the above ingredients and mix together with a hand immersion blender or food processor (again I used my wonderful magic bullet - I love that thing!). Drizzle dressing on top of salad and serve!

I took this to yet another potluck (I go to a lot of potlucks) and it was gobbled right up!

Recipe from PALEOdISH

Water, Water Everywhere

This article is from Living Super Human

Water is often the most overlooked part of the Paleo Diet. It’s actually the most overlooked part of any diet. The prescription to DRINK MORE WATER can be found in pretty much every diet out there.  

Water and oxygen are vital to our health.  Our life on earth revolves around these simple elements.  I’m as guilty as the next person for letting these things become a small side note of my health.   

By focusing on drinking more water and taking the time to breathe deeply, I’ve uncovered some really amazing health benefits.  My energy and mood feel amazing, and I feel like my body and mind are balanced and clear.

Too many people think about walking the desert for days without water when they think dehydration.  They don’t realize that many of us go through our whole day dehydrated and lacking our full energy potential.

The Paleo Diet has changed the way I eat, but as importantly, it has changed the way I drink. I’ve allowed water to become the magical health tool it is.

1. It Fuels Your Energy.

• Start everyday with a glass of water. Immediately upon waking up, drink some water to get your system going. Many people rely on energy drinks or coffee in the morning. They don’t realize that a big part of what their body is craving is simply the water from that drink of choice.

2. It Kills Your Cravings

• Most food cravings are actually water cravings is disguise. We think we are hungry but our bodies are truly just thirsty. That’s it. We've become a culture of snacking with a billion different snack choices out there for us. 
• Our bodies often just need a glass of water to do the trick. It is easy to confuse the need for water for a need for snacks, especially when we have made the snack a habit of ours, a poor habit as its most likely a soda or candy that “rewards” you after a hard half-day’s work. 

3. It Hydrates, Unlike Other Drinks

• Has your throat ever felt like the Sahara desert upon waking from a long night of drinking? I know the feeling all too well and will chug bottle after bottle of water in order to recover. This also helps fight hangovers (more below). The reason why our bodies can feel like crap after drinking beer or soda or any other sugar laden drinks, is because these drinks actually work to dehydrate you. You heard that right, a drink made of liquids can actually work towards dehydrating your body.

4. It Cleans Your System

• It amazes me how when people catch a sickness or bug, they completely forget the magical powers of water. They make the poor decision of turning to bread or continuing to eat dairy with expectations of recovering. Next time you are sick and have to stay home from work, make drinking water your job. Drinking water will speed up recovery time and help flush your system of the toxins that are plaguing you. 

5. It Helps You Avoid Injury

• A dehydrated muscle is more prone to injury and inflammation. Our bodies are made up of mostly muscles and our muscles are made up of mostly water. They work best when they are “well-oiled”. Drink as much water as your workout allows. You can drink a lot more water in a low heart rate, heavy lifting session as opposed to an interval jogging/sprinting.  I promise you can lift more if you are drinking more water, it goes beyond a placebo effect.  

6. It Assists Food Breakdown Instead of Hindering It

• The coach in me wants to tell you to drink water with every single meal, regardless of where you eat it. There is no healthier drink choice during a meal than a glass of water. Period.

7. It Can Help You Take Down Stomachaches and Headaches

• We often confuse causation and correlation. Dehydration is not the cause of all headaches or stomachaches. They often happen together, but we fail to even realize the strong relationship between them.

8. It Gives You OOH-AAH Skin!

• Want the skin you see on celebrities you see on magazine covers (minus the massive airbrushing)? It starts with keeping your skin properly hydrated. There are many commercial products out there claiming to nourish skin and “wash away” wrinkles, but no skin product is more effective than water. Water keeps skin hydrated from the inside out. It also helps you prevent acne and wrinkles. And it costs a whole lot less than those fancy butters and creams.

What’s ENOUGH Water?
The right amount of water you should be drinking in a day ultimately depends on how active you are. The key to getting enough water is drinking it when you are NOT thirsty. Don’t wait until hunger or thirst strikes. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and keep it flowing throughout your body all day long. You will notice a significant increase in energy and you will feel better.

Blackberry Glazed Porkchops

1-2 lbs  Pork Chops
salt and pepper, to taste
12 ounces fresh blackberries
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
pinch of salt

Turn on your grill on. I had to use my george foreman grill because I still don't have propane.

Place pork chops on a plate and cover your pork chops in some salt and pepper on both side and press into the pork chop. While your grill heats up, place a small saucepan over medium heat on your stove top and add your blackberries, balsamic vinegar, water, and a pinch of salt. Let the sauce begin to mix together, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom. Turn heat to low and let the sauce simmer for about 3-5 minutes.Then pour half of the sauce into a bowl (you can leave the blackberries in the saucepan because you’ll just use them to top your chops off later).

Use a glazing brush to glaze one side of your pork chop then place that glazed side down onto your grill. Then glaze the other side, cover grill and let cook for 5-7 minutes per side. I glazed each side of my pork chop probably 3-4 times to make sure as much blackberry sauce as possible could be soaked up by the chop. Make sure your chop is cooked on both sides and cook completely through before removing from grill. (took me about 12-14 minutes total). Once your pork chops are all done cooking, add to plate and top with your leftover blackberry sauce that has been simmering and thickening up.

Recipe from PaleOMG

Beef Stew

1 lb stewing beef
2 tbsp bacon fat
4 cups beef stock
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, combine the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes with the bacon fat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beef to the saucepan and brown. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, mushrooms and spices. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for about one hour. Stir a few times during the cooking process. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. If the mixture is too thick at the end of the cooking process, you can add a little bit of water or stock.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Paleo Diet Lifestyle