Crab Cakes

I came home from the gym last night starving. Searching through my fridge and cupboards the only thing that I could find that slightly interested me was a can a crab. SO what better to do with that can of crab but to make crab cakes. 

1 pound lump crab meat
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1/3 cup white onion, chopped small
1/2 cup red and yellow bell pepper, chopped small
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg, whisked
1/3 cup paleo mayonnaise (check out my blog for this recipe)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/3 cup almond flour (plus extra for dusting)
4 tbsp lard/bacon fat/ olive oil (for cooking the crab cakes)
  
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl (other than the coconut oil or bacon fat). Mix very gently until combined, adding a little more almond flour if the mixture is too wet. Shape into cakes and dust lightly with additional almond flour. 

Heat the lard/bacon fat or oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and allow the fat to get hot. Cook the crab cakes in batches for about 3-5 minutes on each side or until browned, turning them over very gently once during cooking. Place on a plate covered in paper towels and finish cooking the rest of the crab cakes. 

Serve immediately.

Recipe from Paleo Cupboard

Spinach Beef Sliders

Always a crowd pleaser!

1 pound frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 pound Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup small-dice celery
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet and toss in the chopped onions, celery and mushrooms along with some salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are softened. 

Add vegetables to the ground beef in a large bowl, and then added the chopped spinach, coconut flour, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley and nutmeg. Add the beaten eggs

I use my hands to gently combine all the ingredients and formed the meat mixture into small patties (about 2 inches in diameter).

Place the sliders on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve with a tomato sauce. 

Recipe adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

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.

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!

Banana Bread

So far I've given you a cheat day banana bread recipe, now here is a paleo option!

4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup coconut oil or grass-fed butter, melted
4 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup organic coconut flour 
1 heaping tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
optional add-ins: 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds, raisins, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine bananas, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla. Combine until well mixed. In a separate bowl combine cinnamon, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. 

Pour into a lightly greased (use coconut oil or butter for greasing) bread pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until center is set and top is golden.

Often times paleo baking can be dry but this is far from that. This bread is moist and delicious.

Recipe from my friend Ashlyn via Primally Inspired

Spiced Nuts

3/4 cup almonds
3/4 cup pecans
3/4 cup cashews
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Place nuts in a large skillet over medium heat.Toast until lightly browned. While nuts are toasting, prepare spice mixture. Combine chili, cumin, black pepper and salt in a small bowl. Coat nuts with olive oil, then coat with spice mixture. Enjoy!

You can make several different variations with different combinations of nuts and spices. 

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!