Almond butter pancakes… We have tried a handful of recipes and in our opinion, this is by far the best and also the easiest to prepare.  You can snag the recipe here.  Rather than syrup, Gina will lightly cook a banana, blueberries, and Stevia.  Served with a couple strips of bacon I think this is right at the top of the list of my favorite breakfast meals.
Pop-upView Separately

Almond butter pancakes… We have tried a handful of recipes and in our opinion, this is by far the best and also the easiest to prepare.  You can snag the recipe here.  Rather than syrup, Gina will lightly cook a banana, blueberries, and Stevia.  Served with a couple strips of bacon I think this is right at the top of the list of my favorite breakfast meals.

“But I can’t go with my rice.” When I tell people what and how I eat, I usually get some type of reply about what they cannot go without.  I really love rice and for me, thought that it would be one of the things that I could not go without. Who knew that cauliflower could be so close to a replacement?  Lately, we have tried a few recipes with cauliflower and used it as a great substitute for rice.  Personally, I really like the flavor and the consistency is just like rice. Above was a quick experiment I made.  I dropped about half a head of cauliflower into a food processor and then cooked it in a pan with a bit of olive oil, some garlic, onions, and tossed in a few cherry tomatoes.  I also added a few diced chives and some steak strips.  Turned out to make a pretty good meal. Anyone got any great cauliflower recipes they have tried?
Pop-upView Separately

“But I can’t go with my rice.”

When I tell people what and how I eat, I usually get some type of reply about what they cannot go without.  I really love rice and for me, thought that it would be one of the things that I could not go without.

Who knew that cauliflower could be so close to a replacement?  Lately, we have tried a few recipes with cauliflower and used it as a great substitute for rice.  Personally, I really like the flavor and the consistency is just like rice.

Above was a quick experiment I made.  I dropped about half a head of cauliflower into a food processor and then cooked it in a pan with a bit of olive oil, some garlic, onions, and tossed in a few cherry tomatoes.  I also added a few diced chives and some steak strips.  Turned out to make a pretty good meal.

Anyone got any great cauliflower recipes they have tried?

These burgers brought the fire last night, son.  Onion, pepper, and jalapeno burgers topped with bacon and served on mixed greens.  Obligatory sweet potato fries. To make the burgers, I mixed 1lb of ground chuck, 1 diced green pepper, 1 diced jalapeno, tossed in some diced onions (sorry, I didn’t measure it), 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 egg.  I added pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and sea salt for taste.  Made these into patties (this makes about 7 or 8 patties) and now have a few left for the rest of the week. A braver soul than I might even try to add Sriracha to these.  They were hot enough!
Pop-upView Separately

These burgers brought the fire last night, son.  Onion, pepper, and jalapeno burgers topped with bacon and served on mixed greens.  Obligatory sweet potato fries.

To make the burgers, I mixed 1lb of ground chuck, 1 diced green pepper, 1 diced jalapeno, tossed in some diced onions (sorry, I didn’t measure it), 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 egg.  I added pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and sea salt for taste.  Made these into patties (this makes about 7 or 8 patties) and now have a few left for the rest of the week.

A braver soul than I might even try to add Sriracha to these.  They were hot enough!

Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes with Icing

image

I have made these twice now, and they have really knocked out my sweet tooth.  They are pretty easy to make and hit the spot.  Recipe behind the jump.

Read More

Paleo Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of ground Italian sausage
  • 6 assorted bell peppers
  • 1/2 head of cauliflower
  • 1 8oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 small white onion, medium diced
  • 1/2 head of garlic, minced.
  • 1 small handfull of fresh basil, minced
  • Extra virgin olive oil (2 tsp)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 jalapeno (optional)
  • Reduced fat feta cheese (optional)
  • Sea salt (optional)

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.

Please the extra virgin olive oil in a cooking pan and brown the sausage.  While the sausage is cooking, cut the tops off of your peppers and scoop out and discard the seeds.  Using a food processor, process the cauliflower into “rice” and put in a large mixing bowl.  Add your minced garlic, tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, jalapeno (optional), sea salt (optional), and onion to your cauliflower and mix by hand.



Once the sausage is cooked, add it to your mixture and stir it up. With everything mixed up, fill up each pepper and place them all in a glass cooking dish.

Cook the peppers with filling on 375 for at least 45 minutes.  If you want to add in the cheese, place that on top with about 5 minutes left to cook.

If there are any of you out there still following the Whole Life Challenge, this is not going to be compatible for you simply due to the tomato paste as it has sugar in it.  Everything else should be good to go. 

This is a pretty filling meal.  I am a big guy and two of the peppers did the trick.

Paleo Chicken Tenders

Made this the other night and it was amazing.  Not just amazing, but THAT amazing.  I used to love wings & fries and never could have imagined that I could have eaten a health version that tasted just as good.

Read More

Paleo Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup nut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
  • Blueberries
  • Stevia
  • Coconut oil

Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl to make the pancake batter.  Drop a tablespoon of coconut oil into a pan on medium heat.  Once the oil is melted, pour in the batter, cooking on both sides until they are done.

Leave the oil in the pan and drop in the blueberries, cooking them until you see the fruit juices in the bottom of the pan. Right before you take them out, sprinkle with a little Stevia.

Best served with bacon.

Side note: We have tried several variations and recipes and like this one the best.  The blueberries really set it off.

Paleo Nachos with Guacamole

I made these the other night and they were amazing.  Figured I would share the recipe.

Read More

Protein Fruit Smoothie Made this and really like the taste. Just the right mix between being too thick and too thin. Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk 1 banana 1 mango 1 cup blueberries 2 cups grapes 1 scoop whey protein This makes a pretty big serving, to the tune of almost 2 shaker bottles full.  I tossed these into shaker bottles in the fridge and let them get a bit chilly before drinking them. PS - As has already been noted on Instagram, if I were using a juicer instead of a $20 ghetto Wal-Mart blender the smoothie would be more smooth.  :-)
Pop-upView Separately

Protein Fruit Smoothie

Made this and really like the taste. Just the right mix between being too thick and too thin.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1 mango
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 2 cups grapes
  • 1 scoop whey protein

This makes a pretty big serving, to the tune of almost 2 shaker bottles full.  I tossed these into shaker bottles in the fridge and let them get a bit chilly before drinking them.

PS - As has already been noted on Instagram, if I were using a juicer instead of a $20 ghetto Wal-Mart blender the smoothie would be more smooth.  :-)

Paleo Hash Brown Stacks I made these this morning and the wifey really liked them.  Said it was good enough to make again and that I nailed the hash browns, though they are a little hard to see in the photo, I promise they are there. Ingredients (For one serving): 1 sweet potato, graded 1/4 cup chopped onion Pinch of cinnamon 2 eggs Bacon, 2 strips Tomato slice 1/4 avocado Sea salt, optional Pepper, optional Instructions: To make the hash browns, mix the sweet potato (to save time, I graded my sweet potato the night before and tossed in the fridge), onions, cinnamon, and 1 egg into a bowl making a “batter”.  Add in sea salt for taste (optional). On medium heat, warm a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan, then drop in a hash brown.  I used a spatula to press the mixture down a bit and shape it into a hash brown instead of just a clump.  Cook until dark brown on both sides. As they start to brown, drop some coconut oil into another pan and cook your bacon.  When the hash browns were done, I cooked the egg over medium and placed it on top of the hash brown (Optional: Add pepper and sea salt for taste).  Top the egg and hash brown with bacon, tomato slice, and 1/4 avocado. I served mine with some banana, and the wifey went with blueberries.  I really liked this breakfast.  Great combination of cold and hot. Whole Life Challenge: For anyone doing the Whole Life Challenge, I am sure you already know this, but be mindful of the ingredients.  I made mine different than my wife’s, specifically with the bacon.  While I used nitrate free turkey bacon, that is still not Whole Life compliant as it is cured with sugar.  I searched the store and finally found some bacon that contained no added sugar in it.  It has continually amazed and baffled me at just how much sugar is added into our food.
Pop-upView Separately

Paleo Hash Brown Stacks

I made these this morning and the wifey really liked them.  Said it was good enough to make again and that I nailed the hash browns, though they are a little hard to see in the photo, I promise they are there.

Ingredients (For one serving):

  • 1 sweet potato, graded
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • Bacon, 2 strips
  • Tomato slice
  • 1/4 avocado
  • Sea salt, optional
  • Pepper, optional

Instructions:

To make the hash browns, mix the sweet potato (to save time, I graded my sweet potato the night before and tossed in the fridge), onions, cinnamon, and 1 egg into a bowl making a “batter”.  Add in sea salt for taste (optional). On medium heat, warm a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan, then drop in a hash brown.  I used a spatula to press the mixture down a bit and shape it into a hash brown instead of just a clump.  Cook until dark brown on both sides.

As they start to brown, drop some coconut oil into another pan and cook your bacon.  When the hash browns were done, I cooked the egg over medium and placed it on top of the hash brown (Optional: Add pepper and sea salt for taste).  Top the egg and hash brown with bacon, tomato slice, and 1/4 avocado.

I served mine with some banana, and the wifey went with blueberries.  I really liked this breakfast.  Great combination of cold and hot.

Whole Life Challenge:

For anyone doing the Whole Life Challenge, I am sure you already know this, but be mindful of the ingredients.  I made mine different than my wife’s, specifically with the bacon.  While I used nitrate free turkey bacon, that is still not Whole Life compliant as it is cured with sugar.  I searched the store and finally found some bacon that contained no added sugar in it.  It has continually amazed and baffled me at just how much sugar is added into our food.

The Big Homie Frittata

Recipe behind the jump…

Read More

Southwestern Frittata Made this last night to heat up for breakfast this morning.  I followed this recipe from Everyday Paleo with a few exceptions.  Those two exceptions being me forgetting to get jalapenos from the store, using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef, and adding reduced fat feta to the top (I added the feta at the very end, after taking off the foil). To me, this is a “family recipe” due to the amount of food it is.  It is a lot.  But the good thing is that you can toss it in the fridge and it heats up just fine.  Not a ton of prep time on this and it was easy enough to make.  Wifey approved.  Certainly one I will keep and use again. 
Pop-upView Separately

Southwestern Frittata

Made this last night to heat up for breakfast this morning.  I followed this recipe from Everyday Paleo with a few exceptions.  Those two exceptions being me forgetting to get jalapenos from the store, using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef, and adding reduced fat feta to the top (I added the feta at the very end, after taking off the foil).

To me, this is a “family recipe” due to the amount of food it is.  It is a lot.  But the good thing is that you can toss it in the fridge and it heats up just fine.  Not a ton of prep time on this and it was easy enough to make.  Wifey approved.  Certainly one I will keep and use again. 

Paleo Pancakes

My better half and I had picked out several new recipes to try this week.  This morning I took a shot at cooking paleo pancakes.  I found a recipe online, and while it was really good, we both agreed that we would make a few changes to make it better.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of nut butter (We used almond butter)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 TSP vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips
  • 1 Banana
  • Pinch of cinnamon

We were not really sure how many of these pancakes the mix would make, so we doubled the ingredients.  Turns out that was more than enough.  Doubling the recipe above will give you about 8 big pancakes.  If your kids will eat them, that is fine, but cooking for 2, stick to what is listed above.

Anyway, mix everything up in a gooey batter of awesomeness and love.  I just used a fork and found that it all mixed up pretty well.

I cooked them in a pan with coconut oil on medium heat.  They were easy to flip (unlike other recipes I have tried) and made some really good sized pancakes.  In hindsight, it was too much dark chocolate.  My wife said that if she were making these, she would take out the chocolate all together and replace them with blueberries.  I think they add something different to pancakes and I would leave them in, but nowhere near 1/4 cup.  Perhaps less than half of that at most.

Overall, a great recipe.  Served it with nitrate free turkey bacon, some fresh blueberries, and a glass of almond milk.

Chicken Salad I was a little hesitant about posting the recipe to this, only because the chicken is not the healthiest in the world, at least the way I marinated it.  A buddy passed along this to me and I gave it a shot, tastes awesome.  For the chicken marinade: 1 cup light Italian dressing 1/4 cup low sodium hot sauce Pinch of sea salt & some pepper Mix up the above ingredients and place them, along with your chicken breasts, into a freezer bag.  Shake it up pretty good and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours.  Once you are ready to cook it, placed the chicken breasts into a glass cooking pan and then pour the marinade on top of them.  Cook for 35-40 minutes on 375. The best part about this, for me anyway, is to cook several of the chicken breasts on the weekend.  After they are done cooking, toss them into some tupperware.  This takes a lot of prep work out of your meals during the week.  It is quick and easy to grab a chicken breast and toss it on a salad for a meal on the go.  I do the same thing with the onions. I will chop them up and toss them into tupperware.  That makes cooking volumes easier and it is cheaper than buying them already diced. For the salad: 1-2 cups of mixed greens Diced onions (I prefer red but didn’t have any handy) 1 tablespoon of reduced fat feta cheese 1 half avocado 2 tablespoons organic salsa The small things become big things.  For me, I can easily go overboard on salad dressing.  I just don’t have the self control.  I know the chicken was marinated with salad dressing, but that doesn’t mean I also have to douse my salad with it as well.  What I have been trying to do is move away from using any salad dressing at all.  Salsa has been the best thing for me personally.
Pop-upView Separately

Chicken Salad

I was a little hesitant about posting the recipe to this, only because the chicken is not the healthiest in the world, at least the way I marinated it.  A buddy passed along this to me and I gave it a shot, tastes awesome. 

For the chicken marinade:

  • 1 cup light Italian dressing
  • 1/4 cup low sodium hot sauce
  • Pinch of sea salt & some pepper

Mix up the above ingredients and place them, along with your chicken breasts, into a freezer bag.  Shake it up pretty good and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours.  Once you are ready to cook it, placed the chicken breasts into a glass cooking pan and then pour the marinade on top of them.  Cook for 35-40 minutes on 375.

The best part about this, for me anyway, is to cook several of the chicken breasts on the weekend.  After they are done cooking, toss them into some tupperware.  This takes a lot of prep work out of your meals during the week.  It is quick and easy to grab a chicken breast and toss it on a salad for a meal on the go.  I do the same thing with the onions. I will chop them up and toss them into tupperware.  That makes cooking volumes easier and it is cheaper than buying them already diced.

For the salad:

  • 1-2 cups of mixed greens
  • Diced onions (I prefer red but didn’t have any handy)
  • 1 tablespoon of reduced fat feta cheese
  • 1 half avocado
  • 2 tablespoons organic salsa

The small things become big things.  For me, I can easily go overboard on salad dressing.  I just don’t have the self control.  I know the chicken was marinated with salad dressing, but that doesn’t mean I also have to douse my salad with it as well.  What I have been trying to do is move away from using any salad dressing at all.  Salsa has been the best thing for me personally.

“Paleo Nachos” I caught this on Instagram and wanted to put it here so I could try it.  Also thought it looked pretty good so I figured sharing it wouldn’t be so bad either.  The recipe looks pretty simple and straight forward.  Sweet potato wedges around a bowl of ground turkey (I am told the turkey has carrots and zucchini in it as well).  It is topped with avocado and sour cream (obviously not paleo).  If any of you get a chance to make this before I do, please let me know how it tastes. Source
Pop-upView Separately

“Paleo Nachos”

I caught this on Instagram and wanted to put it here so I could try it.  Also thought it looked pretty good so I figured sharing it wouldn’t be so bad either.  The recipe looks pretty simple and straight forward.  Sweet potato wedges around a bowl of ground turkey (I am told the turkey has carrots and zucchini in it as well).  It is topped with avocado and sour cream (obviously not paleo).  If any of you get a chance to make this before I do, please let me know how it tastes.

Source