Primal Protein Bars

My friend Courtney requested that we create a primal protein bar, so here it is! This recipe contains peanut butter and whey protein therefore they are not considered paleo. They are tasty and great for a quick snack before or after a workout.

1 cup organic natural smooth peanut butter
1 cup Iso Whey Protein powder
1 cup water
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup ground flax seeds

Combine all ingredients (I used my kitchen aid mixer) and spread evenly onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in fridge for 30 minutes then cut into pieces (20 bars). These are chewy and do best when kept in the fridge.

Nutrition (per bar): 151 calories, 10.2g total fat, 5.2g carb, 2.7g fiber, 1.0g sugar, 10.4g protein.

The 'Ultimate' Chili

I work up this morning and it was a rainy day so I decided to create a comfort food to help warm up the day.


6 slices of bacon, chopped
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 jalenpo, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 28oz can tomato pureé
1 – 14oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups coffee
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp sea salt + sprinkle
1 tsp pepper + sprinkle

Sauté bacon in large dutch oven or soup pot and cook until bacon cooked and renders the bacon fat. Remove the bacon and leave the bacon fat. Add the onions and bell peppers to the bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper, cook for about 5 minutes.

Add beef and garlic and cook until brown. About 7  minutes.

Add tomato pureé, tomato sauce, coffee and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours. The longer it simmers the more the flavours will develop.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Robb Wolf

Whoopie Pies (Paleo Indulgence)

Whoopie Pies
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 pure maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can of full-fat coconut milk (cream only), refridgerated overnight
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients, except the coconut oil, and blend with a hand mixer until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the coconut oil. Mix well. Let the better sit five minutes to thicken. 

With an ice cream size scoop, place 8 even mounds of batter on the parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten and smooth just slightly with a rubber spatula. They will spread a bit when baking. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until firm and the center springs back pressed lightly. Cool on a wire rack. 

For the coconut whipped cream: Open the can of coconut milk and scoop the top layer of white, fatty goodness into a decent sized mixing bowl (discard the coconut water or save it for smoothies). Blend the chunks of coconut milk with a hand mixer on high speed for 15-20 seconds, just until the mixture turns to liquid. Add maple syrup and mix until combined. Add the vanilla extract and blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and creamy. Whipped cream is best served immediately. **This recipe was not in the Paleo Indulgences Cookbook. I did not care for the recipe that the cookbook suggested.

Place 4 cooled cakes flat side on a serving tray. Spread the coconut whipped cream on each cake. Top with a second cake and press lightly to stick together. Enjoy!

For this recipe I had assistance from two wonderful ladies (Courtney and Ashlyn). The cakes were actually pretty good, they were not dry and the overall flavour was good. You wouldn't even know the difference for the cakes, however, the icing recipe was not appealing at all and I elected for a completely different recipe. I'll give this recipe 4 out of 5 stars. 

Chicken Fried "Rice"

1/2 of a large head of cauliflower, riced
2 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp hot chili pepper powder
1 tsp ginger powder (or 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of cole slaw mix
1 handful of bean sprouts
1 bunch of scallions / green onions
1 small white onion, diced
3 tbsp of coconut aminos
2 tbsp of fish sauce
1 tbsp hot chili paste (optional) such as Sriracha.
2 to 4 tbsp of water
2 eggs

Use a food processor to rice your cauliflower, or use a cheese grater. Turn your large pot or dutch oven to medium heat. Add your coconut oil, chicken, chili powder, ginger, and garlic. Stir well, and cook your chicken until browned and mostly cooked but not fully cooked. Add your coconut aminos and fish sauce and use them to deglaze your pot, stirring well.

Add your cauliflower, cabbage, scallions, onion, and bean sprouts. Stir well and make sure everything is well mixed, let cook for a couple minutes. Add 2 to 4 tbsp of water to the pot, and stir well again. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for up to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage and cauliflower are soft. If you want to add chili paste such as Sriracha, do it now and stir well.

Turn your heat up to high and stir well until all excess liquid has cooked off. Crack 2 eggs into your pot, stir fast like mad as you remove the pot from the heat. Stir well until the eggs are totally worked into your “rice” and then you are done. Garnish with chopped scallions and raw bean sprouts. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Paleo Pot

Homemade Chicken Stock

1 carcass from roast chicken
7 cups of water
1 bay leaf
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, quartered
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
8 to 10 peppercorns

Put the leftover bones and skin from a chicken carcass into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to bring the stock to barely a simmer. Simmer uncovered at least 4 hours, occasionally skimming off the foam that comes to the surface. Remove the bones and strain the stock.

I always have chicken stock in my fridge and has so many different uses including soups.  

Beef Jerky

1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
¼ cup coconut aminos*
1 teaspoon all natural liquid smoke
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 tbsp Sriracha 

* Coconut aminos are basically the “sap” of the coconut tree.  The sap produced is loaded with amino acids, minerals, and is low on the glycemic index. Amino acids are important because they help with the repair and rebuilding of muscles tissue.  Amino acids also help enhance the nervous system, boost the immune system, and boost energy levels.  The sap from the coconut tree is combine with sea salt and naturally aged to create coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are most notably used as a soy free substitute for soy sauce. In Saskatoon these can be purchased at Hygeia Health Market and Dad's Nutrition. 

Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.

Place in dehydrator for 8 to 12 hours. Or set oven at lowest temperature (150 -175 F) and bake for six hours, turning after three hours. 

Enjoy!

Banana Chips

Rich in potassium, vitamin A and B, bananas are a terrific food, both fresh and dried. Drying bananas in a dehydrator takes about eight hours, requires no pre-treatment except for dipping in lemon juice, and makes a delicious and healthy snack.

3 Bananas
Juice of one lemon
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamon

Slightly brown-flecked bananas will have the sweetest, most concentrated flavor when dried. If necessary, wait until bananas have ripened to brown-flecked. Peel the bananas. Slice bananas into 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch chips.

Dip each banana slice into the lemon juice. This lessens browning of the banana chips and adds a bit of vitamin C back into the banana. Shake off the extra lemon juice and lay the banana slice on the dehydrator tray. Leave enough space between banana slices on the tray to allow sufficient air flow for drying. Sprinkle with cinnamon and cardamon.

Fill the available dehydrator trays with banana slices. Put the trays into the dehydrator and turn on. Mine only has one setting. I turned it on a walked away. They will take between 6 - 8 hours. Half way through, flip over all the banana slices. The slices are easy to peel off the dehydrator tray when they are warm, and turning ensures dryness.

Test for dryness. If the banana chips are leathery to crisp, they are done.

Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or meat from small roasting chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup seedless red grapes
1/4 cup paleo mayo
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dillweed or fresh dill (I didn't have any)

I purchased a small roasted chicken from Sobey's. I carved and chopped the chicken (saving the bones for homemade stock). Combine ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for an hour or so. This is a simple yet delicious recipe. This can be eaten on it's own or served in a lettuce wrap.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup raw honey
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Enjoy Life chips 

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line cookie sheet with non-stick foil or oil the pan with coconut oil. In a bowl, whisk all ingredients (except the chips) together. When combined, gently fold in chips to incorporate. 

Using a regular spoon, spoon about 2 tbsp worth of batter onto the cookie sheet, about 1.5 inches about. The batter is loose, but it actually doesn't spread a lot. Bake for 7-10 minutes (until just slightly firm). Remove from oven and let cool for another 10 minutes on the cookie sheet. This is important to make sure they "set up" right. 

Remove cookies from sheet and allow to finish cooling on a cookie rack. Store in an airtight container.

Thanks to my fine assistants Courtney and Ashlyn.

Recipe from Cupcakes OMG

Summer Vacation

Hey Folks!

I hope everyone is having a great summer. I am away for some summer vacation myself this next week so you will have to create some of your own recipes and share them with me!

See you in a week!

Caprese Salad Skewers

These are not pure paleo but are low-carb. Sometimes you just need to have some cheese!

Insalata Caprese is traditionally a simple salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. In Italy, unlike most salads, it is usually served as an antipasto, not a contorno.

1 package 8-inch bamboo skewers
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tubs bocconcini (small balls of fresh mozzarella), drained
24 leaves fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper

For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes and bocconcini bites, placing basil leaves between them. Drizzle these sticks with extra-virgin oil, balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
10 slices bacon
toothpicks

Preheat grill for medium heat.
Wrap shrimp in bacon, and secure with toothpicks.

Lightly oil grate, and arrange shrimp on grill. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. The shrimp will be done when the bacon is fully cooked. Serve with lemon herb aioli.

Lemon Herb Aioli
1/4 cup paleo mayo
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp basil, chopped

Mix together and enjoy!

Sundried Tomato Pesto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Umm…how is that for a recipe title? I think it encompasses the awesomeness that is this meaty meal.

1 lb pork tenderloin
6 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp basil, chopped
3 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Remove any silver skin from the tenderloin. Butterfly the pork tenderloin (cut it down the middle vertically, but not all the way through – it should open up like a book), then place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it thin with a meat mallet – you’ll want about 1 cm thickness. Set aside. Note: you can also use a heavy can of soup to pound the pork.

Preheat an oven-proof pan on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine sundried tomatoes, parsley, basil, garlic, nuts, olive oil, salt and pepper in food processor or blender. Combine until it forms a paste then spread over top of pork loin. Starting at the short end of the pork, start rolling it up like a jelly roll. Once rolled take some butchers twine and wrap the tenderloin to ensure that it does not fall apart during cooking. 

Heat up some olive oil in the prepared pan. When it’s hot, place the tenderloin in the pan and sear both sides. When you’re done searing, place the pan in the pre-heated oven and roast for 45 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from oven to a cutting board and let stand, covered with foil, for 5-10 minutes. Slice into 1″ thick slices and serve.

Enjoy!

Paleo Indulgences Cookbook Review

I received the Paleo Indulgences Cookbook by Tammy Credicott for my birthday and I was asked to complete a review. So that is what I am going to do. Over the summer I am going to randomly select 10 recipes to cook/bake and make them as written. I will then complete a mini review of each recipe and at the end of the summer I will complete a review of the entire cookbook. I will rate each recipe out of five based on taste, recipe quality and over appearance. 

The aim of Paleo Indulgences cookbook is "to present options for better choices when you just have to have that special treat." The author explains that the cookbook is not a guide on how to eat a primal diet but merely something that can be used occasionally to supplement your paleo diet.

The cookbook is divided into five sections: The Bakery; Today's Special; Restaurant Recreations; the Candy Counter; and the Ice Cream Shop. The book provides some good information about the primal diet and is a good looking cookbook. The pictures are crisp and pleasing to the eye. 

Keep your eyes open for the recipes over the summer!

Ginger-Peach Scones

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 sea salt

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 cup coarsely chopped peaches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the almond flour, coconut lour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add maple syrup, vanilla, eggs and ginger to the dry mixture. Blend well with a hand mixer. With mixer on low slowly add the coconut oil and mix well.Stir in the peaches.

Using an ice cream scoop, drop 8 even scoops of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 23 - 25 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze. 

Recipe from Paleo Indulgences by Tammy Credicott

This recipe was pretty good, the scones were not dry and the overall flavour was good. I may increase the cinnamon to 1 tsp and try different fruits (apple, apricots). You may also want to add some pecans or walnuts for extra crunch. I'll give this recipe 4 out of 5 stars.