Fresh Vanilla Chia See Pudding

Well, the CrossFit open came and went this year. A handful of the women at our gym participated. We didn't have any expectations or goals of making it to regionals. We simply wanted to be in the sandbox and play with the big kids. It was awesome. Many of our members found they were stronger than they thought and had skills they didn't know existed. It was also amazing to see the women at our box support each other! So often our worst critiques come from other women, but not at our gym. So at the end of the 5 weeks, my friend and I hosted a brunch to celebrate. One of the ladies brought this recipe and it just about changed my life. So stinkn' easy and so versatile! Not to mention bowl licking good! I have been having fun changing up the ingredients and toppings, and I am sure you will do the same. 

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

1 1/4 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chia seeds

1. Add ingredients to a bowl or a Tupperware dish.

2. Mix together. 

3. Refrigerate minimum 3 hours or overnight.

*Lemon option: Add 1/8 tsp zest and 1 tsp lemon juice 

Enjoy the pudding alone, or with fruit on top. Canned pineapple makes for an easy addition. Pictured here, I used some fresh strawberries. You really can't go wrong!

Fresh Cauliflower Mash

This recipe is so easy I decided to include it in my Friday tips, not as a recipe. It is simple and can be used as a foundation for another meal or as a delicious side. 
*Stay tuned for an upcoming Bacon Clam Chowder that will knock your socks off. 

Fresh Cauliflower Mash
2 heads cauliflower
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste
optional: 2 tbsp butter or ghee

Directions:
1. Wash and chop cauliflower into large pieces 1-2 inches should do the trick. 
2. In a large pot bring steam cauliflower until tender- about 10 minutes. 
3. Drain cauliflower
4. If you have an immersion blender, put cauliflower back into pot with coconut milk, salt, pepper and butter (if using). Blend until cauliflower is smooth. You may need to add more milk if necessary. (You can also use a hand masher)
5. If you are using a food processor follow simply add all ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. 

Fresh Baked Grapefruit

Oh. My. Word . . . my new obsession- baked grapefruit. Dude. Amaz-tastic. Yup I made up a new word for it. It is that yummy. 

When I was little I would have a grapefruit for breakfast, sprinkled with sugar on top of it. (No wonder I was hungry an hour later) Since switching to paleo, and not even having sugar in the house, I have missed out on grapefruit. But our weekly Bountiful Basket delivery brought me some beautiful grapefruit,  so I looked up some recipes. I combined a little of this one and a little of that, and landed on this concotion. A bonus to the flavor is how lovely it looks when it is served! 

Fresh Baked Grapefruit

Grapefruit
Cinnamon
Nuts of Choice

Cut grapefruit in half and using a serrated knife loosen the grapefruit from the membranes. Place grapefruit on a baking sheet or a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle each 1/2 with cinnamon. Roughly chop nuts and place on top. I have tried a few type of nuts and my favorite is pecans, although pictured below is walnuts. Place under broiler for 4-6 min or until the tops start to brown. Stay close and watch to avoid burning. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Looking for another recipe for grapefruit- check out this side from a previous post. Unique and tasty!

Spaghetti Squash Tips

Previously, I posted directions on how to make your spaghetti squash in the microwave. If you are in a pinch for time, this is definitely the way to go. But if you have the time to use your oven, you will be happy with the added flavor.

Preheat oven to 375. 

Cut your squash in half. Check out this post for a tip on how to do this safely. Remove the seeds. 

Slather olive oil over the flesh of the squash. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place halves in an oven safe dish.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until a fork inserts easily into the flesh. 

(The color of this "before" picture is more orange than the actual flesh. When baking it yourself there will not be much of a color difference in the before and after)

Remove from oven. Using a fork scrape squash to obtain the "noodles". Add to your recipe or serve with a little butter and salt. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts Tips

Brussels sprouts are notorious for wrinkling many noses as people say, "oh I don't like them". I was in that camp for quite awhile, until I learned how to cook them properly. . . with bacon. I mean really, anything cooked with bacon is good right? Since then I have graduated to other forms of preparations that don't include bacon. I found this little trick to help when sautéing and it works like a charm. 

Rinse brussels sprouts and remove any unwanted leaves. 

Cut each in half. Using the tip of your knife cut into the stem of each sprout. This will allow an even heating and cooking of your little veggie nuggets. 

Heat oil of choice in pan (I used coconut oil). Start process with cut side facing down, cooking on medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also added lemon pepper and a bit of lemon juice as I sauteed. After a few minutes flip each to their back side (as pictured) and continue to cook for 3-5 min more. Your sprouts will be done when they have softened a bit and are slightly browned. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Fresh Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I simply LOVE lemon. Any desert that has lemon in it will be at hit for me. My friend made these muffins for me awhile back and I was sold! They are easy, full of flavor and super moist. She got her recipe out of her Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook. I found a similar recipe here, and it turned out just a delicious!

Fresh Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs coconut flour
5 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 medium sized lemons (juiced)
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp baking soda
Zest from 2 lemons
1 Tbs poppyseeds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another. Add two bowl and stir until completely mixed. Place batter into lined muffin tins. Bake for 22 min. Enjoy!

Fresh Paleo Granola

I feel like this recipe should come with a warning.
* This granola is so delicious you may want to hide it from yourself. :) JK. . . sorta.

Although this is easy to whip up, it disappears in 1/2 the time. I've made it for a friend, and put it in a cute mason jar with a ribbon for a little gift. It is always a hit! Feel free to play around with the nut/seed combination, but just be sure they total 5 cups. Also, be sure to use a good amount of slivered almonds as these take place of your "oats". I had a friend at the gym replace the honey with apple butter and had great results. I haven't tried that, but if you do, let us know how it works out!

Fresh Paleo Granola
5 cups nuts/seeds (i.e.: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, slivered or whole almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins (or any dried fruit - stay away from the ones with added sugar)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Pre-Heat oven to 300 degrees. Mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Let cool a bit. In a large mixing bowl place nuts and add contents of the sauce pan. Stir till everything is coated.

Spread nuts out on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 min. Save mixing bowl for the end. Once nuts are finished baking, remove from oven and let them cool a little. This will help the honey mixture to thicken. Place mixture back into the mixing bowl, or a large gallon size bag. Mix in dried fruit and coconut flakes. (If your nut mixture dries too much, the coconut will not stick.) For best results, place in freezer as it preserves the ingredients and helps everything stick together.

Enjoy!

 

Fresh Bacon Sauteed Mushrooms

I have recently been on a mushroom kick. I used to hate them, but the recent resident growing in my belly has changed my appetite a bit, and one day I was craving mushrooms. So, I bought a pack a the market and wouldn't you know it- they are actually delicious! I added a bit of bacon to this recipe and made it a home run. It isn't fancy, but this is the way I cook- simple ingredients that are full of flavor and easy to throw together.

Fresh Bacon Sauteed Mushrooms
1 Pack of Mushrooms (washed thoroughly)
A few strips of bacon
Fat of Choice (I used coconut oil)
Fresh Minced Garlic
 
Cut bacon into small bits. Saute them in pan on med/high heat with oil and garlic. When the bacon is almost cooked, add mushrooms. Stir frequently until the mushrooms have darkened up in color and bacon is completely cooked. (Aprox 5 min)  I also did this with some baby zucchini and it was delicious too. A little bit of bacon can go along way! Enjoy!

 

 

 

Fresh Pumpkin Muffins

Last week I tried a few new recipes. Oh.my.word. I think my kitchen beast status was in serious danger of being revoked. I even burnt my eggs that I cook EVERY morning. (You may have noticed the absence of a post last Monday- sorry I won't ever share nastiness with you). Epic fail on many levels. *sigh*

So I cleaned my kitchen, took a break for a few days, and then headed back to one of my favorite little treats from last fall. I needed a major pick-me-upper in the cooking department. These little muffins are "fall heaven". They are full of pumpkin flavor and not too sweet. Enjoy them with your favorite tea or cup of coffee. If you have recently had some cooking failures like me,  these will brighten your day. What a great way to celebrate October 1st with a pumpkin treat.

Fresh Pumpkin Muffins
1 1/2 c almond meal or flour
3/4 c canned organic pumpkin
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/4 c organic maple syrup
Optional:
1/2 c dried cranberries (you could also use regular or white raisins)
1/2 c chopped pecans

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ingredients, except nuts and dried fruit, in a large mixing bowl. Once ingredients are blended, fold in chopped nuts and dried fruit. Spoon into oiled, mini muffin tin I use my silpat so I didn't need any oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when put into a muffin.  (If using a regular cupcake tin, add 5-10 min to the total baking time). Let muffins cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan. Enjoy!

Fried Eggplant

I think eggplants are just about the most beautiful veggie out there. Let's be honest they beat the sweet potato any day. The trouble is, I just haven't found a way to enjoy them without the lasagna. I figured out this simple recipe and made it with eggplant. I bet this would be good with zucchini or any other veggie. It is so simple you could whip up an impressive appetizer for your next dinner party. Even if that party is your family, they will love it too!

Fried Eggplant

Eggplant cut into slices about 1/8 inch thick.
Olive Oil (or oil of your choice)
Almond flour
Egg white
Sea Salt
Optional: Parmesan Cheese

In your skillet or fry pan, warm oil. Meanwhile, coat each eggplant in the egg white. Place almond flour, and salt on a plate. (At this stage feel free to add any other spices: garlic, herbs, seasoning salt etc). Lay egg covered eggplant on the plate and coat both sides with flour. Set in skillet. Do this until pan is full of eggplant. Cook for a few min per side or until the flour starts to brown. Don't overcook, this will make the eggplant soft and mushy. If desired, add cheese to the top layer of each side before placing in the skill. You will see one picture with the cheese and one without. Enjoy!

Without Cheese:

With Cheese:

Chipotle and Lime Sweet Potatoes

This is a perfect summer recipe, the heat from the chipolte peppers and the zip of the lime and cilantro blend together for a mouth full of flavor. I couldn't find a gluten free adobe sauce, but I have heard they are out there. If you find one, add a comment and share! 

Chipolte and Lime Sweet Potatoes
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of sweet potatoes
1 T and 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 chipolte pepper from a can of chipolte peppers in adobe sauce
2 tsp adobe sauce
1 garlic clove
1 T lime zest
1 T fresh lime juice
2 T fresh chopped cilantro

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Chop into slices or bits about 1-2 inches in size. Toss sweet potatoes with 1 T olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30-35 min, or until fork goes into the potatoes easily. Stir potatoes once during baking. 

Meanwhile, remove one chipolte pepper from the can and chop into tiny bits. Place in a large bowl. Using the sauce the chipolte pepper are in, add 2 tsp adobe sauce to the bowl. Mince garlic clove and add to the bowl. Finally, add lime zest, juice and 2 tsp olive oil. Mix all ingredients. 

Once potatoes are done baking, add them to the bowl and toss with the sauce until every potato is covered. Add in cilantro and toss gently. Serve and enjoy!

 

Fresh Grilled Artichokes

On a recent date my husband and I enjoyed a grilled artichoke as an appetizer at a local beach cafe. We were surprised how much we enjoyed it. Of course my Kitchen Beast wheels were turning as I thought, "I could totally make this". I tried it out this past week and it was a hit! So get out your basting brushes and fire up your grill, you are about to enjoy some scrumptious food!

Fresh Grilled Artichokes
4-5 whole artichokes, trimmed and halved
1 lemon
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
2 T olive oil
Salt to Taste

Prepare the artichokes by cutting the stem so it is about 1 inch long. Cut the tops of each leaf as pictured:

When it is ready it will look like this:

Cut artichokes in 1/2. Cut lemon in 1/2 and squeeze out the juice (set aside for later). Slice lemon into quarters and add lemon and garlic to boiling water. Let cook for 15-20 min or until the artichokes are tender. Remove from water and let stand for 5 min allowing them to dry. In a small dish add lemon juice and olive oil. Brush mixture over artichokes and place on grill. Sprinkle with salt and grill each side until they start to brown. (Approx 3-5 min per side)

When they are finished cooking remove "hair" from the center of the artichoke before eating. Enjoy!

Fresh Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Over spring break I had the TV on in the background as I was folding the laundry and putzing around the house. My attention was drawn in as I saw Ina Garten making this delicious looking salad. I googled the recipe, bought my ingredients and went to work. In no time at all my family was enjoying the tartness of the lemon, sweetness of the grapefruit and creaminess of the avocado. We paired it with some oven baked chicken for dinner and the flavors complimented each other well. The nice thing about this recipe is that the avocados are covered in the sauce so they don't turn brown. I also thought this would be amazing on a lettuce salad with some sliced chicken and a hand full of slivered almonds. Since I didn't make any modifications click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Shortcakes

Nothing says spring to me more than Strawberry Shortcake. It is crowd pleaser and easy to prepare. I modified this recipe from the Gluten-Free Cookbook. You can make these biscuits to go with a breakfast sandwich, soup, or strawberries and whip cream, as I did here,  for a modification of the traditional Strawberry Shortcake.


Fresh Strawberry Shortcake


2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup walnut, or coconut oil
1/4 cup organic maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tsp fresh lemon juice


Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or if you have a silpat- no lining is necessary.


In a large bowl mix ingredients until completely blended. Drop batter onto baking sheet into desired biscuit size. I made mine about 2 inches wide.


Bake for 15-20 min or until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center of the biscuit comes out clean.


Add cleaned, and sliced strawberries and organic whipping cream. Enjoy!

Fresh Baked Cauliflower

One reason I enjoy going to my Paleo friend's houses to eat is that I inevitably learn some new trick or recipe. This is a simple and delicious way to cook your cauliflower, that I my friend Janelle recently shared with me.  By cooking it in the oven it becomes a little bit crunchy on the outside, and perfectly cooked on the inside. Wow- so good. I hope you make this soon and enjoy it!

Fresh Baked Cauliflower
1 head of Organic Cauliflower
Olive Oil or Organic Butter
Sea Salt
Paprika

*Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

*Cut cauliflower into large florets.

*Place cauliflower onto cooking sheet.

*Using a basting brush cover florets with melted butter or olive oil. (Don't have a basting brush? Throw all your ingredients into a plastic bag and shake till covered)

*Sprinkle with sea salt and paprika.

*Bake for approximately 30 min or until fork enters cauliflower easily and edges are browned.

*Remove and enjoy!

Fresh Asparagus

Here is a great tip when preparing your asparagus. After washing the spears, take each stock and bend like this:

The spears will snap at their natural divide from the delicious soft part to the tough end piece. Keep the top part and throw the rest away.

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the asparagus with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt (or seasoning salt of your choice). I like to do this in a Ziploc bag so everything is coated evenly.

Place on cookie sheet. (On a side note, if you don't have a Silpat- get one! The nonstick surface makes everything cook beautifully and cleanly. No scrubbing burnt bits off your sheets-ever.)

 

Bake for 5-8 min, depending on size of spears. I cooked mine for 6 min. They were perfectly cooked and still a bit crunchy.

Serve and enjoy!

Have leftovers? Think about adding it to your omelet in the morning. . .delicious!

Fresh Sweet Potato Fries

This is one of my go to recipes. They are so easy and delicious. When my nieces are over they love to help make and then quickly eat these. There is always a sense of pride when I can get the little ones to enjoy Paleo friendly foods.

Fresh Sweet Potato Fries (Serves 2)
1 large sweet potato
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Paprika

Pre-Heat Oven to 400 degrees.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into "fry" shaped pieces.

In a large Ziploc bag, place raw potatoes. Drizzle olive oil into bag, as well as sea salt (or seasoning salt), and paprika. Zip up bag and shake around till all the fries are covered generously with oil and seasonings.

Empty sweet potato fries onto a large cookie sheet. Spread them out so they lay flat and are not overlapping.

Bake for 10 min. Remove from oven and flip/turn/toss the fries on the sheet.

Return to oven and cook for 10 more min. Fries should be a little crispy on the edges and cooked throughout.

(The cooking time are approximate and will depend on the thickness of the "fries". Keep and eye on your baking and adjust times as needed)

If needed, broil on high for a few min. to get them crispier- but BE CAREFUL things can go south quickly when broiling.

Remove and enjoy!

Here are some great Paleo condiment recipes. I have tried the simple ketchup and it is delicious!