The Silver Spatula

Maple-Walnut Chicken Thighs and Cheddar-Apple Rice

2012-02-08T08:52:00.002-05:00

This was a little more time consuming than I originally thought, but well worth the effort. Since we don't eat rice, I just substituted cauliflower florets (frozen) to make cauli-rice and it turned out great!! Below are my modifications. The original recipe can be found here.

1 cup Walnut Halves
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 package froze cauliflower florets
2-½ cups Chicken Stock, Divided Use
1 whole Apple (peeled, Seeded, And Chopped)
¾ cups Packed Flat-leaf Parsley Leaves
¼ cups Packed Fresh Dill
Salt And Coarsely Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 pieces Bone In Chicken Thighs
¼ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cups Dark Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F).
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes.
In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the cauliflower and saute for a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to boil, and lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes longer.

While the cauliflower cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the cauliflower during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1-2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season alot with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook turning once, until browned 10-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drain off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat and add the vinegar to the skillet. Cook, scraping all the the drippings then add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock, the maple syrup, and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened about 1 minute longer. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon the sauce over them. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with the cauli-rice. Delicious!!

Lori's Maple Glazed Salmon

2012-02-08T08:50:00.003-05:00

My sister, Lori, introduced us to this delicious recipe when she was visiting when Max was born. It's a weekly staple in our house because it's so easy and delish!

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Chocolate Coconut Pie

2012-02-04T19:57:00.002-05:00

This is a super easy recipe and so good! It feels like a decadent treat, but really it's not! One of the few treats with no added sugar, not even honey! You may need to increase the amount of butter for the 'crust'. Using unsweetened coconut made the crust super crumbly. You can check out the original recipe here on Tasty Kitchen. Below are my modifications!

4 Tablespoons grass fed/pastured Butter, Softened
14 ounces, weight unsweetened Coconut Flakes
FOR THE FILLING:
10 ounces, weight 70% dark Chocolate Chips
1 cup Canned Coconut Milk, Refrigerated So Cream Separates From Liquid

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. In a food processor, combine the softened butter with 1/3 of the coconut and process until it comes together. Slowly add the remaining coconut. If it gets too thick to process, remove to a bowl and mix the rest by hand.

3. Place a 9-inch pie pan onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press coconut mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, leaving the top edges loose and fluffy.

4. Make a foil ring to prevent the edges from burning: Tear off a piece of foil about 3 times the length of the pan. Fold it lengthwise twice. Wrap it around the pie so it covers the crust.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the center starts to brown. Remove foil ring and bake another 3-5 minutes or until edges are browned.

6. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

1. Pour chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl.

2. Scoop the coconut cream from the canned coconut milk into a measuring cup. If you have less than 1 cup of cream, finish filling the measuring cup with the coconut liquid. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

3. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until completely smooth. This may take a few minutes.

4. Pour into cooled crust and place uncovered in the refrigerator until set, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Gorgonzola Quiche

2012-02-04T19:45:00.003-05:00

I made this for lunch on Day 4 of the Paleo Challenge 2012. Oh. My. Hell. It is good. I made several changes to the recipe to make it Paleo, but you can check out the original version over at Tasty Kitchen here. I haven't blogged or updated recipes for a while. It feels good. I missed it. Life gets so busy before you realize it you forget about the things you love doing. So, I'm back. I'm taking the paleo challenge as more of a life challenge. So, I'm trying to streamline Max's bedtime, keep the house clean, cook meals every night and start working out again. whew. That is a lot to do.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Gorgonzola Quiche

3 whole Onions

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided

1 whole Sweet Potato

Gorgonzola Cheese

6 whole Eggs

2 cups coconutMilk

½ teaspoons Pepper

¼ teaspoons Nutmeg

To caramelize onions, slice onions into an even 1/4″ slice and heat a medium pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Start cooking onions, stirring occasionally. After onions have cooked for 15-20 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to let cook, letting more time go by before you stir the onions (I go for about 15-20 minute increments.) Continue to cook and stir onions until golden, soft, and cooked down – usually 60-75 minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare sweet potatoes, peel and cut into 1/4″ slices. Toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and place on a covered baking tray. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and begin to brown. The onions, and sweet potatoes can be done all at the same time.

Preheat oven to 375˚F when you are ready to assemble and bake the quiche.

Once the three elements are ready, layer the sweet potatoes into the bottom of the pie dish. Sprinkle caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese on top. Finally, whisk eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg together. Pour the egg mixture over the filling ingredients.

If you don’t want to bake it now, it is at this point that you can cover the quiche, place in the refrigerator, and let sit for up to day before baking.

To bake, carefully transfer quiche to the oven on a baking tray. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the filling domes up and barely jiggles. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Coconut Shrimp

2012-01-29T00:48:00.001-05:00

1 whole Egg White
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
½ pounds Large Shrimp (about 12), Shelled And Deveined

Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. In another bowl, combine coconut and powdered sugar and stir until sugar is evenly distributed. Place corn starch in a separate bowl.

Dip each shrimp into arrowroot, then egg whites, then the coconut mixture. Place shrimp onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Bake for about 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Both sides should be brown at the end of cooking.

Seriously delish and tasty sweet!!

Blueberry Ice Cream with Coconut Cobbler Crumble

2011-07-07T13:17:00.005-04:00

This recipe comes from the July 2011 Clean Eating Magazine. I made several modifications to the recipe which are below. Seriously, super easy, it sounds harder than it is and it's amazingly delish! A perfect summer treat!!

Blueberry Ice Cream with Coconut Cobbler Crumble:

Ice Cream:
2 c fresh blueberries
1 & 1/2 c nonfat plan Greek yogurt (I used full fat kind)
1/4 c raw honey
1/4 c 100% orange juice
seeds 1 vanilla bean, pod discarded (I was out of vanilla bean so I used 1 t vanilla)

Crumble:
1/3 c almond flour
1/3 c rolled oats
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
3 T sucanat (I didn't have this or know what it is .. so I used a little bit of honey)
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 T coconut butter or buttery olive oil spread, chilled (there is a difference between coconut butter and oil, I used coconut butter)
3 T low fat buttermilk (I used 3T coconut milk)
1/2 t vanilla or almond extract (I used vanilla)
1 1/2 c fresh blueberries, optional

Instructions:
Prepare ice cream: in a food processor, , add all ice cream ingredients. Puree until just combined, about 2 minutes, stopping processor every 30 seconds to scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.

with spatula, spoon ice cream mixture into a shallow 9x9 non-reactive freezer-safe container. place container in freezer for 30 min or until mixure begins to freeze slightly around edges. remove from freezer, scrape edges with spatula and mix thoroughly with a whisk, blending in ice crystals until creamy again, about 2-3 minutes. return to freezer for an additional 30 minutes. repeat this process 2 more times. after the third mixing, return to freezer until hardened and ready to eat, 2-3 hours.

prepare crumble: preheat oven to 375. in a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, coconut, sucanat, baking bowder, baking soda and salt. add butter and use your fingertips to rub butter into flour until it resembles course crumbs. stir into buttermilk and almond extract until just combined and mixture forms a loose dough, being careful not to over-mix.

scatter dough into a 8x8 baking dish pressing lightly into bottom of dish. bake for 20-25 min, until golden brown. let ool completely, then crumble into small pieces.

to serve, allow ice cream to soften at room temperature for 5 min. scoop 1/2 c ice cream into each bown and top with 3 T crubmle and if desired, 1/4 c blueberries. for a clean sugary topping, drizzle with 1 & 1/2 T blueberry syrup

Modification:
If you are using a commercial ice cream maker, skip step 2. freeze mixture after completing step 1.

and here's the link for the blueberry drizzle!!

Blueberry Drizzle Recipe:

3/4 c fresh blueberries

2 T raw honey

1 T fresh lemon juice (I used organic bottled LJ)

2 t arrowroot powder

In a small saucepan, bring blueberries, honey, lemon juice and 1 T water to a boil on high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small dish, combine arrowroot powder with 1 T water to form a slurry (a thickening agent). Whisk or stir arrowroot mixture into blueberry mixture until incorporated. Simmer for 1 min or until just thickened, carefully mashing blueberries with a fork to extract juice. Remove from heat and let cool completely before pouring over your favorite ice cream..

Paleo Banana Bread

2011-06-14T07:29:00.002-04:00

I love banana bread. One of my favorite candle scents is banana bread and one of my favorite snacks is warm banana bread with some grass fed butter. Heaven. I was recently inspiried by some awesome paleo banana bread made by the lovely Siu at Queen City CrossFit. I finally got around to making my own! I love this recipe. Super easy to make and I separated it into 2 different loaves. I think next time I'll make one regular loaf and one with chocolate chips!

Enjoy!
Thanks for the recipe, robbwolf.com/2011/04/21/recipe-paleo-banana-bread/

2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
4 really ripe bananas (mashed well)
2 tbsp local honey
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, add the mashed bananas, eggs, honey, and vanilla and mix well. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until combined. Normally with breads or muffin recipes, you don’t want to overmix, but since there’s no gluten here, mix to your heart’s content. The muffins won’t get gummy or icky. Fill greased muffin tins, baking cups, mini-loaf pans or big loaf pans about 3/4 full. Bake muffins for 23-25 minutes and loaves for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Paleo, Crustless Quiche Lorraine

2011-06-14T07:21:00.002-04:00

I was inspired by the awesome quiche my sister made for my baby shower, but didn't want to make it on a regular basis because it uses a crust and half and half (which makes it amazing by the way)! I found this recipe and am in love. I ate it for breakfast this morning and know it is already a breakfast staple in my house! I have to get up and out of the house so quick in the morning, it's nice to have a quick breakfast which I feel good eating!

Paleo Crustless Quiche Lorraine!
Thanks, http://recipeoftheweek.blogspot.com/2007/02/crustless-quiche-lorraine.html

4 eggs
1 cup half & half (*I used 1 cup coconut milk)
diced green onions
crumbled bacon or sliced ham (* used diced ham)
Swiss cheese slices
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of nutmeg

Beat eggs with half & half and add salt and nutmeg. In a buttered shallow baking dish, crumble bacon and add diced green onions. Place cheese slices over all. Pour egg mixture over the cheese layer. Bake at 350 till slightly brown and the quiche should not jiggle in the center. Should take about 45 minutes.

So easy!!!

Paleo Orange Cranberry Scones

2011-06-14T07:00:00.002-04:00

Wow! I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted! Sorry about that! It's not that I haven't been cooking, I guess it's just that I've been busy!! Well, rest assured this recipe is well worth the wait! I've made them twice now and each time they have to be rationed to the official taste tester. Last night as they rest on the baking sheet I noticed 3 were missing. I mentioned it to the taste tester who admitted he didn't think I knew how many were on the baking sheet and he tried to "mess" them up so it looked like there weren't 3 missing! So, watch out!

Thanks for the recipe: http://www.civilizedcavemancooking.com/2011/06/cranberry-orange-scones.html

2 Cups Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
2 Tbsp Raw Organic Honey
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Egg
Zest of 1 Orange or to your taste liking

Process:
-Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F
-In a large mixing bowl, combine your almond flour, sea salt, baking soda, cranberries, and shredded coconut
-In a smaller mixing bowl, mix the egg and the agave nectar until well blended
-Add your wet ingredients to the dry and mix well
-Knead the dough with your hands if necessary to ensure an even distrobution of ingredients
-Add in the orange zest and continue to knead to mix well
-Form dough into two circles approximately 1/2 inch thick to look like mini pizzas, they should be about 6 inches across (Or you can make fun designs, get creative and share)
-Cut each circle like a pizza into 6 or 8 slices depending on the size you want the scones
-Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet
-Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through

Apple Cake

2010-11-16T20:29:00.003-05:00

I recently found the blog Primal Matriarch. It's a really delicious fall treat and makes a large amount which is perfect since the husband eats so much. I was actually shocked it made it through the night!

2 apples, peeled and diced
2 tbsp orange juice
1 cinnamon stick (definitely needed)
2 c. almond butter (unsweetened)
1/4 c. maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

In a saucepan, combine apples, vanilla, orange juice and a cinnamon stick. If you don't have one, use a dash of cinnamon. Simmer on low until apples are soft and only a small amount of juice (around 1 tbsp) remains.

In a food processor, blend the almond butter, eggs, baking soda, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add the apples and pulse it a few times.

Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until passes the toothpick test.

Check out the original post for the cream cheese frosting. I didn't use it, but it looks fabulous!!!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2010-11-16T20:17:00.002-05:00

It's cold outside and I was really wanting some comforting food and spaghetti and meatballs were on the menu! I found a great meatball recipe on the Every Day Paleo blog. Their garden fresh meatballs are delicious!!! I adapted a recipe for spaghetti sauce from CrossFit El Paso and my "spaghetti" was spaghetti squash!

Meatballs:

Garden Fresh Meatballs
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 lb grass fed ground beef
2 zucchinis
1 yam
2 big handfuls spinach
1 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers
2 cloves garlic
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup almond meal

Grate zucchini and sweet potato. In a food processor, finely mince spinach, roasted red peppers, and garlic. Hand mix all ingredients and form into meatballs (I made mine a little bigger then golf ball size). Bake at 375 in a large baking dish tightly covered with foil for 40-45 minutes. Makes 20-25 meatballs

Sauce:
2 cans crushed tomatoes 28 oz each
1 small can tomato paste 6 oz
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)
½ onions (chopped finely)
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. crushed chilli powder (depending on how spicy you like food)
¼ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste

Begin with a large pot (big enough to fit sauce and later on, meatballs as well). With the olive oil, make two turns of the pan or so. Begin to heat the onion, when the onions are almost transparent, add the garlic. Allow to cook for about another minute or so. Add the crushed tomato, and tomato paste. Then add all spices. Stir together well. Leave the sauce at a medium high heat until it begins to boil. Upon light boiling turn the heat down and allow simmering for as long as possible before you are just wayyy to hungry!

Seriously, enjoy this! You won't even realize you aren't eating pasta!!

Getting ready for Christmas

2010-10-28T14:18:00.004-04:00

The title is not a lie. I am getting ready for Christmas. I love Christmas and Thanksgiving, the latter being my favorite, but I love the traditions of Christmas. One of which is baking ridiculous amounts of cookies to give to friends.

Just a small alert: Christmas is 57 days, 10 hours and 38 minutes from right now!!

So, I've started making my Christmas cookie list to make. This year holds a special distinction for me.. paleo vs. non-paleo. Last year I did not make such a distinction, I just made what I wanted (which was like 20 varieties of cookies!). But this year it doesn't look like I am going to do it that way! I have paleo peeps and non-paleo peeps and I want to give to paleo what is due to paleo .. ok bad reference, but you get my point! So I started making my list. Here's what I have so far. This list will most definitely be cut down between now and when the baking starts:

Christmas Cookie List:

Non-Paleo
Sugar cookies (JB)
Cake pops (Bakerella)
Chocolate chip
Homemade almond joy (JB)
Lauren’s Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies (JB)
Monster cookies (PW)
Oatmeal (me)
Cinnamon rolls (PW)

Paleo

Chocolate chip cookies (EP)
Raspberry fig muffins (EP)
Pumpkin bars (Me)
Lemon blueberry custard tarts (CPG)
Almond joy chocolate bark (EP)
Peppermint patties (EP)
Mounds candy bars (EP)
Chocolate raspberry bonbons (EP)
Nut butter cups (EP)
Dina’s delightful cookies (EP)
Orange cake (EP)
Gluten free Twinkies (EP)
Hamanataschen (EP)
Chocolate covered cherries (EP)
Orange chocolate coconut clusters (EP)
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies (RM)
Coconut Macaroons (EP)
Raw energy bars (RM)

A little legend for reference: EP=Elana's Pantry, RM=Rawmazing, PW=The Pioneer Woman, CPG=Cosmopolitan Primal Girl, JB=Joy the Baker, Me = ME :)!

I thought this list was really interesting because I think it shows a shift in the way I eat. A dramatic shift from last year. Given that the paleo (well, as paleo as a baked good can get) list is twice as long as the "normal" list.

If you have an idea or preference or something you definitely want to see in a cookie basket, comment!

Pumpkin Bars

2010-10-27T08:56:00.005-04:00

I really wanted to try Elana’s Pantry Pumpkin Bar recipe. So, I decided to make a batch last night. They are super, super easy to make. All I used was my food processor which limited the dirty dish factor and made me happy!

The original recipe called for ½ c agave nectar but I often find that much agave makes things much sweeter than I want. I really like the taste of food and don’t want it to be overly sweet. So instead I substituted with a little less than 1/4c pure organic maple syrup. I also substituted 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice for the spices. I loved it! They weren’t too sweet and were perfect for a rainy fall evening.

Pumpkin Bar

Pumpkin Bars
½ cup pumpkin pure
¼ cup pure maple syrup (I actually used a little less than a ¼ c)
2 eggs
1 cup blanched almond flour
¼ tsp sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

In a food processor , combine pumpkin, maple syrup and eggs and pulse for 2 minutes
Pulse dry ingredients into wet for a full minute, until well combined
Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes

The great agave debate ..

So I was wondering, which is better? Agave or pure maple syrup (make sure you check the label on the maple syrup! Otherwise there might be some surprise ingredients!)? At the end of the day it might not matter a whole lot. After all, sugar is sugar no matter what it looks like! I decided a little research was in order. But don’t get me wrong! I’m not an agave or syrup hater! I use both because I love to bake and love baked goods. I try to stay as primal/paleo as possible, but cakes, cookies, and other baked creations are just not something I can get away from. But, obviously, I don’t eat that kind of food everyday, just on occasion as a treat! The three sugars I use are raw honey, raw agave nectar and pure maple syrup.

I found an article in Organic Lifestyle Magazine that had a breakdown of “healthy” sugars. I’ve never used stevia but have had natural gum with xylitol in it and it wasn’t bad.

Stevia – GI: 0 - Best Healthy Sugar Alternative
Though it is 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, stevia is not a sugar. Unlike other popular sweeteners, it has a glycemic index rating of less than 1 and therefore does not feed candida (yeast) or cause any of the numerous other problems associated with sugar consumption. Read more about stevia at Organic Lifestyle Magazine (OLM). Please note that Stevia and Truvia are not the same thing.

Xylitol – GI: 7 - Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol sweetener found in the fibers of fruits and vegetables which can cause bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence with initial consumption. It's said to be safe for pregnant women, and is said to possibly treat ear infections, osteoposis, respiratory infections, candida, and is it even helps fight cavities. In fact, in Finland, virtually all chewing gum is sweetened with xylitol.

Agave – GI: 15-30 - A sweet syrup made from the Blue Agave plant, Agave Nectar is obtained by the extraction and purification of "sap" from the agave plant, which is broken down by natural enzymes into the monosaccharides (simple sugars): mainly fructose (70-75%) and dextrose (20-26%). Read more about agave nectar at OLM.

Raw Honey – GI: 30 - A Healthy Sugar Alternative in moderation
With antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients, raw, unprocessed honey is considered a superfood by many alternative health care practitioners and a remedy for many health ailments. Choose your honey wisely. There is nothing beneficial about processed honey. Read more about honey at OLM.

Maple Syrup – GI: 54 - Maple syrup is made by boiling sap collected from natural growth maple trees during March & April. It is refined sap and is therefore processed. It has a high glycemic index, and though it is much more nutritious then refined table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, there are better choices.

But it seems the reason Agave is so low on the glycemic index is because the index tests the glucose in food. Agave only has about 10% glucose which means the rest of it is made up from fructose, which is not good. A great article entitled “Agave Nectar Worse Than We Thought” has a lot of information on the agave debate and says:

“In spite of manufacturers’ claims, agave “nectar” is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of the giant pineapple-like, root bulb. The principal constituent of the agave root is starch, similar to the starch in corn or rice, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of chains of fructose molecules. Technically a highly indigestible fiber, inulin, which does not taste sweet, comprises about half of the carbohydrate content of agave.

The process by which agave glucose and inulin are converted into “nectar” is similar to the process by which corn starch is converted into HFCS. The agave starch is subject to an enzymatic and chemical process that converts the starch into a fructose-rich syrup—anywhere from 70 percent fructose and higher according to the agave nectar chemical profiles posted on agave nectar websites. (One agave manufacturer claims that his product is made with “natural” enzymes.) That’s right, the refined fructose in agave nectar is much more concentrated than the fructose in HFCS. For comparison, the high fructose corn syrup used in sodas is 55 percent refined fructose. (A natural agave product does exist in Mexico, a molasses type of syrup from concentrated plant nectar, but availability is limited and it is expensive to produce.)”

In essence, the hubs was right (there, I said it) all along about Agave, it’s not what it’s cracked up to be and I’m sad about it. I don’t think I’ll be buying any more agave and will use what I have in extreme moderation (it was expensive! I don’t want to just throw it away). I’m still not an agave hater, just an agave skeptic and I’m going to try to limit my intake of it.

Paleo Latkes

2010-10-26T16:17:00.003-04:00

These are a fall staple for breakfast in our house. We love squash and it's not only comforting but also super easy to whip up a batch in the morning or evening. You can make them sweet or savory and they store well in the fridge. I usually make a big batch and cook them up on my griddle and store them layered with parchment paper between layers in the fridge for a few days (as if they last that long).

Latkes

4c butternut squash, shredded (food processor or shredder)
3 eggs, whisked
1 small onion (optional - I add for a more savory approach)
EVOO

Optional Toppings:
blackberry preserves
unsweetened applesauce
greek yogurt

In a large bowl make batter by mixing together squash, eggs (and onion if using)
Use your hands to form batter into 3 inch patties
In a large skillet, heat oil (I typically use EVOO but have used Grapeseed in the past with success)
Fry patties on each side over medium heat until golden brown and crispy

Top with your favorite topping or enjoy plain.

Thanks Hubs

2010-10-26T16:12:00.002-04:00

Gotta give some props to the hubs for the blogs' face-lift. He thought it was a little ho-hum and took some time to update it for me! He even added a search bar feature! It's so exciting! He's back from visiting the grandparents in Arizona and feeling better and I'm still feeling under the weather (boo!). But, to thank him for updating the blog, I think I'll make some of Elana's Pantry Pumpkin Bars for dessert tonight. Yum, Yum! I'll let you know how they are !!

Paleo Pizza

2010-10-20T11:04:00.007-04:00

I've tried a couple versions of paleo pizza. I wasn't impressed. One recipe used almond flour but the crust was too soggy and you couldn't hold it in your hand. I tried to save some leftovers but that was a disaster! There is another "primal/paleo" pizza recipe for a cauliflower crust but it uses a ton of cheese just for the crust alone.

Then along came this recipe. It's awesome. It might be a weekly event in the Trzop-Vos, Vos household as the hubs says. It is easy to make and versitile. I think you could even freeze the crust for future use but haven't tried this yet. You can hold the pizza slice in your hand like "normal" pizza or use a knife and fork. The crust was really tasty too! I call this my almost paleo pizza because I did use some raw milk mozzarella cheese, but you can omit if you are trying to avoid dairy.

Another Mark's Daily Apple Hit - Perfect Primal Pizza The link is actually a video, so below is the transcribed version of the video with some added commentary from me!

Seriously, enjoy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:
4 eggs
1/3c coconut flour **make sure you sift to avoid lumps
1/3c flax meal
1/2c coconut milk
spice (optional: I used parsley,basil and garlic powder and highly recommend it!)

Method:

Mix eggs, flour, meal and milk in a bowl until it looks like pancake batter consistency. Don't worry it won't be too thin! Add spices if using.

Place parchment on a cookie sheet. **This is a key step! At the 10-minute mark you will need to flip the crust over and parchment paper makes this sooo much easier! I ran out and only had aluminum foil which did not work very well!

Pour batter onto cookie sheet and form into the shape you desire. Any shape will do. I did a rectangle because it was really easy but a circle or square or triangle will work too!

Put crust in the oven for 10 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, remove crust from oven and flip over. Place crust back in oven for 10 more minutes.

While the crust is cooking, prepare your toppings. I used sausage, ham, pepperoni (nitrate/nitrite etc free), onions and mushrooms. I cooked the meats in a skillet and threw in the veggies toward the end just to let them soften a little while my crust was cooking.

At 20 minutes remove the crust from the oven. Top with your favorite sauce (or make your own!), toppings (meats/veggies) and cheese if using.

Put the oven on broil and put the pizza back in the oven for 60 seconds or until the cheese it melted.

Remove from oven, slice, serve and devour!!

** Update! 10/26/2010 - The hubs and I had this for dinner last night. It truly is a great recipe. It's so easy and quick and oh so delicious. I got some more parchment paper and it really made all the difference. It was so much easier to flip. A couple of things I noticed: make sure you don't leave the dough/batter to thick on the cookie sheet otherwise it won't be as crispy as you may like it. Also, don't be afraid to spread the batter a little thinner and cover more area on your cookie sheet. Still a delish recipe and I highly recommend it!! **

Strawberry Ice Cream

2010-10-20T10:56:00.004-04:00

Have I mentioned how much I love Elana's Pantry? Back in the summer I really wanted an ice cream maker but was deterred by the hubs. Recently I was out yard saling and found a Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream maker for $8! Score!! So, I decided to give Elana's Homemade Strawberry and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream a try! Mine did not look like the version in her picture. Perhaps it's because I omitted the agave. It was still good but more like Italian Ice. It was my first try at ice cream so I'll give it another try!

Strawberry Ice Cream
(1) 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
(1) 10 ounce package frozen strawberries
¼ cup agave nectar **I omitted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla beans (optional) ** I added

Blend all ingredients in a blender
Pour into ice cream maker and process according to instructions
Serve

Chili!

2010-10-20T10:43:00.004-04:00

It's chili time again. I love chili in the fall! This is my sister's recipe and it's so delish, it's my favorite chili recipe! The crock pot makes it a super fast and easy dinner. You can add beans about a half-and-hour before you serve, but since I don't eat beans these days, I omit. Serve with some delicious raw cheddar cheese (just a bit!) on top!

1 lb ground beef
1 lb mild or hot (depending on preference) sausage
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (usually, I get the chili kind or the onion/garlic kind)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (unsalted is always a good choice)
2 T chili powder
1 & 1/2 t ground cumin (this is the secret to this recipe!)
salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 cans light or dark kidney beans (depending on how much you want) rinsed & drained

1. Brown beef and sausage in skillet until cooked

2. Mix beef and remaining ingredients, except beans in a slow cooker (or pot, if using the stove, add the beans)

3. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The longer it cooks and simmers the better is tastes or until onion is tender -- you can't cook it too long!

**If you don't use a crock pot, add all ingredients and cook until heated through. Cook for at least an hour and a half until it reaches desiered consistency. Boil at first then simmer the remaining time**

4. Stir in beans then cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes.

Jambalaya

2010-10-20T10:25:00.007-04:00

It's getting cold outside and there is nothing better than a warm, soupy comforting dish on a chilly fall night. I was worried that the cauliflower in the dish would be overwhelming, but I was happily wrong. It really helps add the rice texture of the traditional Jambalaya dish. This is super easy to make and so delish! The hubs and I even argued over who would get the leftovers.

This is another Mark's Daily Apple hit!!

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb andouille sausage, cut into ¼ inch thick slices (I use Aidells found @ Kroger)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced crushed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1.5 cups chicken stock (I used Pacific something organic free range reduced sodium broth)
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme (I omit because I hate dried thyme)
1 tbsp parsley (fresh is preferable, but dried will do in a pinch!)
1 tsp chili powder
1 large head of cauliflower
2 cups shelled, deveined and cleaned shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and lightly cook the sausage and chicken over medium heat.

Once golden, add onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent.

Transfer items from the frying pan into a large pot. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, parsley and chili powder and bring to a simmer.

While the mixture is simmering (you’ll want to let it go for about 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally), place the cauliflower in a food processor and shred until it becomes the consistency of rice. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the mixture and simmer for another 15 minutes until tender.

Add shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust other spices as needed.

Serve piping hot. Enjoy!!

Fall Dinner

2010-10-13T21:53:00.002-04:00

Tonight's dinner was delicious! It was a little time consuming to make the sweet potato chips, but well worth the effort. They are delicious!

Dinner:
Apple-Stuffed Roasted Chicken
Sweet Potato Chips
Sauteed Beet Greens

Beet Greens:
1 bunch beet greens
EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash and pat dry the beet greens. Chop into manageable chunks. Heat oil in a skillet. Add beet greens and saute until tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Apple-Stuffed Roasted Chicken from Mark's Daily Apple

Click on the link for the recipe, it's not in typical recipe format so make sure you read through the whole recipe. Just a couple of notes. I didn't have duck fat, tallow or anything else animal fat wise to make the recipe. I fried the sweet potato chips in bacon grease then drained them on paper towels.

Official taste-tester says: One of the best combos. The chips are amazing.

Paleo Waffles? It's possible!!!

2010-10-11T20:43:00.003-04:00

I found this recipe on the blog Jen's Gone Paleo . I wanted something yummy for a special brunch .. they were fantastic!! The original recipe came from the gluten free almond flour cookbook and called for 1/4 cup agave. I don't think they'd be edible if it had more sugar!!! But check out Jen's blog because she gives a lot of substitutions.

Ingredients:
2 Large Eggs
1T raw honey
1 T. Vanilla Extract
1/4 C. Water
1.5 C. Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 T. Arrowroot Powder
1/2 Apple (I used Gala), grated
1/4 C. Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut
Grapeseed oil, for greasing

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, vanilla, and water, until smooth.
Add the almond flour, salt, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly,
Add apple and coconut. Mix to combine.
Scoop or ladle (approximately 1/4 C.) into heated (and greased, if needed) waffle iron.
Serve with 1 T. warm maple syrup (use the real stuff). ** I thought they were so good, they didn't syrup, but what's a waffle without syrup.

The waffles cook super quick, so keep an eye on them. They'd also make good pancakes.

Baked Fish with Mushroom Sauce

2010-10-06T20:35:00.002-04:00

This is my attempt at making a dish my Mom used to make paleo. It turned out really tasty though it reconfirmed my dislike of thyme!! Husband gave it good ratings and it will be on the menu again!!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 pound fish fillets

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart glass baking dish and set aside.
Melt EVOO in medium saucepan; add mushrooms, onion, and garlic and cook until liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add arrowroot, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and peel.

Place fillets in prepared baking dish and cover with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until fish is cooked and flakes when tested with fork.

It only took 15 minutes for it to bake in my oven.

Yum. Salad. Bacon. Chicken. Avocado. Yum

2010-09-18T23:37:00.002-04:00

This salad is great! If you haven't checked out Mark's Daily Apple, you need to! He's also got a great new cookbook (the Primal Cookbook - which I own) which is well worth the purchase!

This salad is sure to please even the largest carnivore in your family (I speak from experience on this matter!). It's really quick, flavorful and filling.

Bacon, Chicken and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 pound bacon, or 4-5 slices, cut into 1/2 inch bits
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into 2 inch pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 avocado – peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped walnut
1 apple – cut into 1 inch chunks (optional)
Instructions:

In a pan over medium heat, cook the bacon “bits” until crisp.

Remove and set aside, but save the bacon grease in the pan. Next, add the chopped and seasoned chicken thighs to the pan and sauté in the bacon grease. Cook the chicken and turn so that every side is browned.

Allow it to simmer over low heat while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Toss the chopped romaine, avocado, chicken and bacon together. Top with red onion, walnuts and apple. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette, or use Lauren’s:

Balsamic Apple Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon apple cider
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon mustard
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Mix all ingredients except olive oil (using a whisk, food processor, or blender). Slowly add in olive oil drop by drop to make an emulsion (like you would when making mayo) until it is all incorporated.

Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-09-18T23:27:00.002-04:00

I love Elana's Pantry! She has the best recipes! So I wasn't too happy with my Cranberry Apple "cheese"cake so I decided to whip up a batch of these Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes. I decided to use her recipe for the Peanut Butter Icing found in her cookbook The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook (page 124).

I was inspired to make the chocolate/peanut butter frosting combo by my visit to Abbey Girl Sweets in downtown Cincinnati, OH. It was a particularly rough week this past week and I needed a cupcake pick-me-up so I took a little break from work and found myself at Abbey Girls. It's a great bakery and I had an amazing chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing. Thus I was inspired to make a more healthful (and sort-of paleo) version. It still needs some work and I need to work on the icing, but I was pleased overall. Next time I might get a Newman's Own dark chocolate almond butter cup, cut it in quarters and top each cupcake (Abbey Girl cupcakes does that with the chocolate/pb cupcake).

Just a quick note on agave .. though I like dessert, I don't like things that are too sweet, so typically I half the amount of agave in a recipe. I halved the amount of agave in the cupcakes and the frosting and think it turned out pretty good.

oh, and did I mention these are ridiculously easy and quick to make?

Cupcakes
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
¼ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar

In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda
In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil and agave
Blend dry ingredients into wet thoroughly
Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and scoop a scant ¼ cup into each
Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes
Cool and cover with frosting

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1c peanut butter (I used natural peanut butter)
1/2c agave
1/2t sea salt
1 t vanilla

In a large bowl whip the pb and agave until smooth with a handheld mixer. Blend in the salt and vanilla and continue blending until rich and creamy.

Cranberry Apple "Cheese"cake

2010-09-18T23:21:00.003-04:00

I decided to try something from the Rawmazing website for the CFN Farewell to Brent Bash. It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but I am definitely going to try it again because I think it's worth it! I think there were 3 big problems to my version 1) I tried to hurry it and didn't read the total instructions before I started so time was a issue, 2) I had a 10" spring-form not a 6" which made it rather flat to cover the surface instead of high and 3) the directions I printed were from the tastykitchen blog which was the same title of recipe, but this version went into greater details so I wish I would have read both before .. but it tasted good and I'll definitely try it again!

Cranberry Apple "Cheese"cake

Crust:

1 C Almonds
4 Dates, soaked until soft with pit removed

Topping:

3 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 C Agave
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1/3 C Dried Cranberries
2 T Coconut Butter
1/3 C Crust

Filling:

2 C Cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 t. Lemon juice
1/2 C Coconut Butter (softened in dehydrator)
1/4 C Agave
1 t. Vanilla
1 t. Cinnamon
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t nutmeg

Read Through This Recipe Before Beginning

2 hours before: Combine apples, agave and cinnamon. Place on non-stick dehydrator sheet and dehydrate at 116 for 2 hours, stirring once during dehydration.

Make crust: Place almonds in food processor. Process until finely ground. Add dates, process until well mixed. Set aside 1/3 cup of the crust. Press remaining into spring form pan. I used a 6″ for this recipe. You may have extra crust. Place in refrigerator.

Make Filling: Combine all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth. This will take a bit. Pat over crust and return to refrigerator. Finish Topping: Combine dehydrated apples, dried cranberries, coconut butter and 1/3 C crust. Press over top of cheesecake. Return to refrigerator and chill for 2 hours before serving. Slice with sharp knife. Serves 8.

Paleo Stuffed Green Peppers with Cauli Rice

2010-09-16T09:51:00.002-04:00

Inspired by a recent post over at Elana's Pantry, I made these delicious stuffed green peppers for dinner last night. I made several modifications to the original recipe. The recipe below contains my modifications. Super yummy and really easy to make!

Stuffed Peppers
6 bell peppers (I used green)
1 pound ground beef (natural, no hormones added)
1/2 pound breakfast sausage (Bob Evans Naturals)
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
6 small slices of raw milk cheddar cheese

In a medium sized bowl mix all the ingredients
Cut the tops off of the peppers and set aside
Place peppers in an 11 by 7 inch pyrex baking dish
Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture; place one slice of cheddar on each pepper. place tops on peppers to close
Bake at 350° for 1 hour (**I needed about 10 extra minutes)

We also tried the cauli rice recipe on Elana's Pantry. It was a good alternative to rice and gave the same consistency.

Cauliflower Riceprint this post
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat
Saute onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft
Add celery to skillet and saute for 5 minutes
Meanwhile, place cauliflower in a food processor with the "S" blade and process until the texture of rice
Add cauliflower to skillet, cover and cook 5-10 minutes, until soft, then add salt

My Favorite Banana Pudding

2010-08-18T23:14:00.001-04:00

Banana Pudding
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
4 egg yolks (large eggs or better)
box of Vanilla wafers
4-5 ripe bananas

Meringue:

4 egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line the bottom of a 9" x 9" baking dish with a layer of vanilla wafers. This recipe will not use the whole box, so you may snack, but don't get carried away.

Peel the bananas and slice into 3/8-inch rounds; use a ruler (I'm kidding). Cover the banana slices with plastic wrap to keep them from darkening and quickly make your pudding.

Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a bowl, and stir well to mix. Mash out any flour lumps with the back of your spoon. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, beat the egg yolks well (just use a fork or whisk, but beat them well). Over medium heat, add the flour mixture to the egg yolks, alternately with the milk and vanilla, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and, when the mixture begins to thicken, add the butter, continuing to stir. Keep boiling and stirring until mixture reaches a nice pudding consistency. [Note: If you're working with an electric cooktop, adjust the heat so that it's hot enough to boil, but not so hot that the pudding scorches.] Remove from heat.
Place a layer of banana slices in the baking dish on top of the vanilla wafers. Don't stint and put one slice of banana per wafer. Line those banana slices up edge-to-edge. Pour, spreading as necessary, half of the pudding over the banana layer. Put down another layer of vanilla wafers, another layer of banana slices, and cover with the remaining pudding.

Beat the egg whites at high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar. At high speed, gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the vanilla into the meringue, and spread the meringue over the pudding, sealing it at the sides of the dish.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until meringue browns, 12 to 15 minutes, depending upon your oven.

Lemon Cake

2010-07-27T21:49:00.001-04:00

I was looking for a light and refreshing summer cake. This is it! It's really easy to make and makes two cakes! Perfect for a food day at work. It's a three step process, bake cake, make syrup, make icing; but it's easier and quicker than you think!

Lemon Cake

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Baklava

2010-07-27T21:47:00.003-04:00

I got a lot of compliments on this Baklava today! It's definitely time consuming, but a very delicious outcome!!!

1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
1 lb of phyllo dough
1 cup of butter, melted
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves
For the syrup:
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)
METHOD
1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and set the oven to 350°F.
2 Thaw the phyllo dough according to manufacturer's directions (this may take overnight). When thawed, roll out the dough and cut the dough in half so the sheets will fit in the pan. Cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
3 Process the nuts until in small, even sized pieces. Combine with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.
4 Place a sheet of phyllo dough into the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Repeat 7 more times until it is 8 sheets thick, each sheet being "painted" with the butter.
5 Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each one with butter. Continue to repeat the nut mixture and two buttered sheets of phyllo until the nut mixture is all used up. The top layer should be 8 phyllo sheets thick, each sheet being individually buttered. Do not worry if the sheets crinkle up a bit, it will just add more texture.
6 Cut into 24 equal sized squares using a sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown, and edges appear slightly crisp.
7 While baking, make the syrup. Combine the cinnamon stick, sugar, lemon juice, honey, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and let simmer for 7 minutes and slightly thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and allow to cool.
8 Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Garnish with some finely crushed pistachios of desired.

Spanakopita

2010-07-27T21:47:00.001-04:00

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (4 ounce) packages feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 (16 ounce) packages phyllo dough
3/4 pound butter, melted
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened. Mix in spinach, dill and flour. Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.
Separate one sheet of phyllo from the stack and evenly brush with a light coating of butter. Place another sheet of phyllo over the butter and press the two sheets together. Cut the layered phyllo dough into long strips about 3 inches wide. Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
Lay out one strip of phyllo at a time on your work surface with one of the narrow ends close to you. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling 1 inch from the end closest to you. Fold the bottom right corner over the filling to the left edge to form a triangle. Fold the triangle up, bringing the point at the bottom left up to rest along the left edge. Turn the lower left corner over to touch the right edge. Continue turning the triangle over in this manner until you reach the end of the phyllo. Repeat with the remaining filling and phyllo dough.
Place filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet and brush with the remaining butter. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2010-05-04T21:37:00.002-04:00

These are so delicious. Make them today. Make sure you share, or you will eat the entire batch. Amazing. Simply. Amazing. If you don't already own Elana Amsterdam's The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook (of the blog Elana's Pantry) you need to own it. It's amazing!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry FIg Filling:

Cupcake Batter:
3 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1/2 c agave nectar
2 lg eggs
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 t apple cider vinegar
1/4 t orange zest

Filling:
1/2 c dried figs
1/2 c raspberry fruit spread (*I chose the variety that was sweetened by fruit juice and had no other ingredients or added sugar)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 24 mini-muffin cups with paper liners.

To make the batter, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, eggs, vanilla, vinegar, and orange zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

To make the filling, place the figs in a food processor and pulse to a fine paste. Gradually pulse in the raspberry fruit spread.

Scoop 1 heaping TEASPOON of batter into each lined mini-muffin cup. Drop 1 TEASPOON of the raspberry-fig mixture into the batter. Cover the filling by scooping an additional heaping TEASPOON of batter onto each cupcake.

Bake for 12-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then serve.

Salmon Burgers

2010-05-04T21:25:00.003-04:00

As always, thanks Elana's Pantry for this great recipe! This is such a great summer/spring recipe! It tastes so fresh thanks to the fresh dill.

Salmon burgers:

1 lb skinless salmon fillet
1/2 c blanched almond flour
2 lg eggs
1 T lemon zest
1 T finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 t salt
2 T grapeseed oil

Rinse the salmon, pat dry, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the salmon, almond flour, eggs, lemon zest, dill, and salt. Form the mixture into 2-inch patties.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties 4-6 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate and serve.

Paleo Pecan Raisin Bread!

2010-04-27T21:00:00.004-04:00

And the best part is (1) it's like bread, (2) it is super easy to make and (3) NO AGAVE!!!

Seriously, try this today.

Pecan-Raisin Bread

3/4 c creamy roasted almond butter @ room temp
4 lg eggs
1/4 c blanched almond flour
1/4 c arrowroot powder
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 c pecans, coarsely chopped **
1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 7x3 loaf pan with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour.

In a large bowl, mix the almond butter with a handheld mixer until smooth, and then blend in the eggs. IN a medium owl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Blend the almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold in the pecans and raisins. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 min on the bottom rack of the oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 1 hour, then serve.

To store: wrap the bread in a paper towel, place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. WIll keep for up to six days (as if it would last that long!).

Thanks Elana's Pantry for the recipe!

**the only change I would make would be to toast the pecans first.

Paleo Meatloaf

2010-04-23T22:23:00.002-04:00

I wanted to create a flavorful and delicious meatloaf for lunch. So, I took some advice from CrossFit Dallas Central and made a couple of alterations. It resulted in a delicious meat-y dish that I now love. It's ridiculously fast and forgiving and you can add your favorite things to it!

Paleo Meatloaf:

2 lbs. Ground Beef (I used 1# 91% Laura's Lean and 1# Kroger "natural's")
1 Bell pepper finely diced
1 White or yellow onion (approx. 1/2 lb.) finely diced
2 large eggs
Black Pepper to taste
1/2c Almond Flour
3+ Strips bacon

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and adjust to the middle rack. Combine everything except for the bacon, put in a loaf pan. Top with bacon slices. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Next Time:
I would add a little more salt and pepper
I would add garlic
I would add more bacon
Add carrots

Carrot Cake

2010-04-23T09:11:00.002-04:00

I made this as-Paleo-as-a-carrot-cake-can-get recipe for Easter. Even non-Paleo people liked it! I didn't make the frosting, but I am sure it is delish!

Carrot Cake:

3 cups blanched almond flour
2 teaspoons celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
5 eggs
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup grapeseed oil
3 cups carrots, grated
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, agave and oil
Stir carrots, raisins and walnuts into wet ingredients
Stir wet ingredients into dry
Place batter into 2 well greased, round 9 Inch cake pans
Bake at 325° for 35 minutes
Cool to room temperature and spread with coconut cream frosting
Serve

Coconut Cream Frosting

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup agave nectar
pinch celtic sea salt
5 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon water
1¼ cup coconut oil

In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk, agave and salt, simmer for 10 minutes
In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste
Pour arrowroot mixture into saucepan
Mix contents of saucepan with a hand blender and bring to a boil, briefly
Remove pot from heat and very gradually blend in coconut oil
Place pot in freezer for 30-40 minutes, until frosting solidifies and turns white
Remove from freezer and blend again, until fluffy
Spread over cake or cupcakes

Cinnamon Rolls - Not AT ALL good for you

2010-04-23T09:02:00.002-04:00

I love Ree Drummond. I want to be her and live on her ranch and cook all the time. Everything except for the five kids; that's a lot of work! Anyway, I made her cinnamon rolls for a food day at work. They were amazing, delicious and life changing. They are not good for you. Not at all. But they are oh so good .. try these. Just note the recipe makes 7 or 8 (mine made 8 - a total of 56 rolls) round baking dishes of cinnamon rolls. Not that that is a bad thing. Also make sure your read her instructions on her site, they are good and fun. Just click on the words "Cinnamon Rolls" below. Oh, and if you feel if-y about the coffee , don't be. I hate coffee but added it anyway and it was delish. I asked people at work and they said it's great!

Cinnamon Rolls

1 quart Whole Milk
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Sugar
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
Plenty Of Melted Butter
2 cups Sugar
Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
_____
MAPLE FROSTING:
1 bag Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
½ cups Milk
¼ cups Melted Butter
¼ cups Brewed Coffee
⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions
Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

Almond Flour

2010-04-23T08:59:00.002-04:00

Almond Flour

I recently bought 25 pounds of almond flour. I had no idea how much 25 pounds of almond flour was until the huge box came. It's a lot of almond flour. I'm going to have to bake a lot ...

If you need any, check out honeyvillegrain.com they are great with incredibly low shipping rates.

Paleo Pancakes

2010-04-23T08:50:00.002-04:00

Eek! Sorry for the posting hiatus! I drove to New York for a late Easter with the fam and then got sick! But, I'm back and so are the recipes!!

Breakfast it by far my most favorite meal of the day. Historically, pancakes are my favorite thing, specifically banana-walnut pancakes. So I miss them! These pancakes are a delicious alternative to regular pancakes. You can even add your favorite ingredients to them if you want! Make a big batch and store them in the fridge, heat them up for 25-30 seconds for a super quick breakfast treat!

Paleo Pancakes (thanks for the recipe Elana's Pantry!)

2 eggs
¼ cup agave nectar**
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
grapeseed oil for sautéing

In a blender, combine eggs, agave and vanilla and blend on high until smooth
Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and blend again to incorporate dry ingredients into batter
Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken up
Warm grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat
Ladle pancake batter onto skillet - make silver dollar size
Pancakes will form little bubbles, when bubbles open, flip pancakes over and cook other side
Remove from heat to a plate
Repeat process with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed

**In an effort to reduce my sugar I halved the amount of agave.

Paleo Brownies

2010-03-17T22:36:00.003-04:00

Yum. Yum. Yum.

**Just a quick note - I cut the agave down to half of what the recipe calls for, I just thought it was a lot. I am glad I did because they were super rich and I think any more would have made it too intense.

Brownies

1 (16) ounce jar salted almond butter, smooth roasted
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate 73%

In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth with a hand blender
Blend in eggs, then blend in agave and vanilla
Blend in cocoa, salt and baking soda, then fold in chocolate chips
Grease a 9 x 13 pyrex baking dish
Pour batter into dish
Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes

Butternut Squash Latke

2010-03-10T08:51:00.002-05:00

This creates a well rounded and satisfying breakfast!

Latkes

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and grated
1 small onion, peeled and grated (**I've had with and without onions, both are good, but I prefer without)
3 eggs, whisked
grapeseed oil, for frying(**I use olive oil)

-In a large bowl make latke batter by mixing together squash, onion and eggs
-Use your hands to form batter into 3 inch patties
I-n a large skillet, heat oil
-Fry patties on each side over medium heat until golden brown and crispy
-Remove latkes from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil
-Repeat Steps 2-4 until batter is used up
-Serve with applesauce, sour cream or yogurt

Paleo Roasted Broccoli Pizza

2010-03-09T21:33:00.002-05:00

Recipe to follow!

Very Vanilla Cupcakes - Paleo!

2010-03-09T19:03:00.003-05:00

A co-worker is having a birthday and she actually eats like me (well, almost)! So, I thought I'd make her some paleo cupcakes. They are as paleo as a cupcake can get (let's not get into the Agave debate!!!). So, vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting, yum!!!

Ok, I'm going to try 2 different recipes for this! I'll let you know which one is better!!

Cupcake 1:
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

-In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
-In a small bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
-Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
-Pour batter into well oiled muffin tins
-Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
-Cool completely
-Top with chocolate frosting

Cupcake 2:

2 large eggs, separated
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1/2 c agave nectar
1 T vanilla extract
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 & 1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda

-Preheat oven to 350. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners.
-In a large bowl, whisk the eggs yolks until pale yellow with a handheld mixer, then whisk in grapeseed oil, agave, vanilla, and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs whites to stiff peaks with a hand held mixer. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixtures.
-In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda, then gently fold into the egg mixture. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
-Bake for 20-30 min, until the tops are golden brown or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 30 minutes; the center will sink just a bit - that is normal. Frost, if desired, then serve

Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup dark chocolate 73%
½ cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch celtic sea salt
-In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and grapeseed oil
-Stir in agave, vanilla and salt
-Place frosting in freezer for 15 minutes to chill and thicken
-Remove from freezer and whip frosting with a hand blender until it is thick and fluffy
-Frost over cake, chocolate or vanilla cupcakes or between cookies

Savory Vegetable Quiche - Paleo!

2010-03-09T18:52:00.004-05:00

The crust smells amazing when it's baking and the whole thing is amazing!!! YUM!!

Savory Vegetable Quiche

Crust:
1 & 1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 T minced scallions (white and green parts)
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1 T water

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and scallions. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and water. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press dough into a pie pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.

Quiche:

2 T grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 c mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 c finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry packed)
3 large eggs, whisked
4 oz goat cheese (** I omitted this ingredient to make it paleo)
1/2 t sea salt
1 savory pie crust

Preheat oven to 350

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. While the onion is sauteing, steam the broccoli until it is bright green. Add the steamed broccoli, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes and saute for 15-20 minutes, until the broccoli softens. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheese (** if using), and salt. Stir in the sauteed vegetables, then pour the mixture into the crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned around the edges and cooked through. Let the quiche cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then serve.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

2010-03-09T18:26:00.002-05:00

Blueberry Banana Muffins:

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 t sea salt
1 & 1/2 t baking soda
2 T grapeseed oil
3 large eggs
2 c (4-5) mashed very ripe bananas
1 c frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

in a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir the bananas into the batter, then fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the muffin tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 30 min, then serve.

My Favorite Kitchen Things

2010-03-09T18:12:00.002-05:00

I think I've done this once before. My favorite kitchen things are my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, my cast iron skillet (thanks Mom!), and my steamer. I love all these things and can't live without them!

Updated Links

2010-03-05T23:32:00.000-05:00

Check out my link section (on the right) I've updated it to add a bunch of new sites that I am obsessed with (i.e. Elana's Pantry and The Pioneer Woman).

Enjoy!

As Paleo as it gets Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-05T23:15:00.004-05:00

Ok, so Agave isn't the greatest for you, but it's better than the alternative! Sometimes you just NEED a cookie! Well, here's a Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. They are actually pretty good. One "batch" doesn't make a whole lot, so you may need to make two! The "official taste-tester" is on hiatus, so in my opinion, these are pretty good for a paleo cookie! Though, next time I am going to cut down on the agave ...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ½ cups blanched almond flour *
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate 73%

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
Mix wet ingredients into dry
Form ½ inch balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes
Cool and serve

Paleo Baking

2010-03-01T20:54:00.003-05:00

The hubs is leaving tomorrow and so I am sending him on his way with some Paleo baked treats!

Breakfast Bars:

1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup agave nectar (** I only added a third of this to cut down on the sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup almond slivers
¼ cup raisins

1. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
3. Stir dry ingredients into wet
4. Mix in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins
5. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with grapeseed oil
6. Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly
7. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
8. Serve

Official taste tester said: "Scrumptious"

Roasted Cauliflower and Seared Ahi Tuna

2010-03-01T20:48:00.002-05:00

Roasted Cauliflower:

Ingredients

* 1 head of cauliflower
* 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
* Lemon juice (from 1/2 or a whole lemon)
* Olive oil
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper (*I used Celtic Sea Salt - be careful it's very potent!)

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.

2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower.

Seared Ahi Tuna:

Season Tuna with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tuna and press down. Place seasoned side down in the pan. Sear 1 & 1/2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on your preferred doneness). It should be pink in the middle for best taste.

Enjoy!

Root Vegetable Chicken Apple Sausage Stew

2010-01-27T23:36:00.003-05:00

Such a comforting stew in the cold winter! Yum!

1 butternut squash or acorn squash
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1 & 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or chix broth or grapeseed oil, divided (I used veg broth - Brand: Pacific Natural Foods)
2 c kale, spinach, chard or collards, washed, chopped, and stems removed
4 chicken apple sausages, fully cooked and sliced (I used Adiells Chicken and Apple Sausage)
Cayenne Pepper
dried thyme, crushed

Preheat oven to 400f.
Pierce squash with the point of a knife and microwave on high power for 3-4 minutes. when the squash is cool enough to handle, peel, seed and cube it.
In a saute pan, saute the squash and sweet potatoes in 1/2 cup of the broth until they begin to soften. Add the greeens, continuing to saute, stirring frequently. Stir in the remaining broth, then add the sausages, pepper and thyme to taste.

Bake for 30 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times with the pan juices. Serve hot.

Pulled Pork

2010-01-27T23:28:00.002-05:00

This is so easy in the crock pot and fall apart delicious! I am including the recipe as a whole, however if you want to make it Paleo (I did) just omit the items in italics.

Part 1:
1 6-8 lb pork shoulder or butt roast
3T Paprika
3 T onion powder
2T brown sugar
1/2 tsp of salt and pepper

Part 2:
8-10oz cider vinegar (** I substitute organ apple cider for the vinegar)
6 t worcestershire
1 t dry mustard
1 t garlic salt or powder
1/2 t sugar
1/2 + t cayenne red pepper

Directions:

Rinse and pat dry pork. Mix ingredients in part 1 and rub over the entire pork roast.

Place in the crock pot on high for 6-7 hours.

Mix together ingredients in part 2 and add to crock pot. Put the crock pot on low for 10-11 hours.

When pork is very tender, with a fork, remove roast from crock pot.

Chop or pull roast very fine (basically as much as you can cut it with a sharp knife and fork.

Take a Tablespoon and ingredients from part 2 (bbq sauce ingredients) and apply over the chopped or pulled meat.

Enjoy!

Mashed "Potatoes"

2010-01-26T20:19:00.002-05:00

Since I made stew, I felt like we needed mashed potatoes. Instead mashed cauliflower!

1 head of cauliflower, cut into big pieces
1tsp Salt
water
1T garlic oil or olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic
1/4 c chopped parsley

Put cauliflower and salt in a deep saucepan. Fill the pan halfway with water. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 20 more minutes. Cauliflower is done when it's very soft. Strain the cauliflower very well.

Transfer the cauliflower back into pot and mash it. If water builds in bottom of pan, re-strain. Add the garlic oil and stir. Sprinkly with the parsley.

Paleo Lemon Meringue Pie

2010-01-26T20:07:00.003-05:00

This was super delicious. I made one change and added a paleo pie crust. Thanks Living Paleo!

Recipe:
Lemon Filling
1 cup lemon juice
5tsp finely grated lemon rind
(approximately 4 lemons)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 /2 cup coconut milk
4tbs arrow root
5 egg yolks

Meringue
5 egg whites
2tbs maple syrup

Instructions
Pre-heat fan-forced oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 F).

Place lemon juice, lemon rind and maple syrup in a medium size pan on low heat.

In a small bowl, combine coconut milk and arrow root powder. Add to lemon juice mixture, stirring consistently until simmering.

Beat egg yolks together in a small bowl then add to simmering lemon mixture, stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture has thickened. Pour into a pie dish.

To make the meringue, beat the egg whites and maple syrup in a medium size mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.

Spoon the meringue on top of the lemon filling then place into oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Cool before serving.

Paleo Pie Crust:
Almond Meal and Coconut Oil until it spreads like pie crust. Bake in 350 F for about 12-15 minutes.

Beef Bourguignon

2010-01-26T20:03:00.002-05:00

After a trip to Paris, I was inspired to make Beef Bourguignon, Ina Garten style. It is definitely yummy, but very time consuming.

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Sticky Buns

2010-01-03T10:47:00.002-05:00

I haven't made these yet, but I have every intention of doing so! I wanted to make them for Christmas morning, but ran out of time! If you make them, remember to read all the directions because you need to make the dough the night before! Also, let us know how they were!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm whole milk (105°F to 115°F)
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon plus 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

PREPARATION
Stir milk, yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Let stand until mixture bubbles, about 6 minutes. Stir again.
Mix remaining 2/3 cup sugar and orange peel in medium bowl.
Add flour, cinnamon, salt, and ginger to bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on low speed. Add yeast mixture; mix on medium-low speed until dry shaggy mass forms, scraping down bowl occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk; beat on medium speed until well blended. Add sugar mixture; beat until moist soft dough that resembles thick batter forms, about 3 minutes.
Add butter by 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls; beat on medium-low speed until almost incorporated before adding more, about 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Beat dough on medium-high 2 minutes longer. Let dough rest in bowl 10 minutes (dough will become less sticky).
Scrape dough out onto work surface; gather together. Place in large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 2 hours. Punch dough down; cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Follow directions for Brown Sugar-Pecan Sticky Buns.

Brown Sugar Pecan Sticky Buns

INGREDIENTS
TOPPING
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup honey
3 cups pecan halves
FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Spiced Sweet Dough (click for recipe)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, warm room temperature
PREPARATION
TOPPING
Butter two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes. Whisk sugar, butter, and honey in small saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth and bubbling around sides. Divide hot syrup between prepared baking dishes, allowing topping to cover bottom of each dish. Place pecan halves, rounded side down, in syrup, dividing equally. Cool.
FILLING
Whisk both sugars and cinnamon in small bowl.
Turn cold Spiced Sweet Dough out onto floured surface; sprinkle with flour. Divide dough in half. Roll out dough to two 15x12-inch rectangles. Using fingers, spread 2 tablespoons butter evenly over each rectangle. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over each. Starting at 1 long side of each dough rectangle, tightly roll up dough jelly-roll style, enclosing filling. Using large knife, cut each roll crosswise into fifteen 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange 15 dough slices, cut side down, atop cooled syrup and pecan halves in each baking dish, spacing evenly apart. Cover with waxed paper; let rise in warm draft-free area until buns are puffy and doubled, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment; place dishes with sticky buns on baking sheets. Bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is barely bubbling around edges, about 25 minutes. Let buns stand 2 minutes. Cut around sides of buns to loosen. Place large rimmed platter atop each baking dish. Using oven mitts, firmly hold baking dish and platter together and invert buns onto platter. Cool at least 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cookie! Cookie! Cookie!

2009-12-29T23:43:00.002-05:00

I think if this platter was placed in front of "monster" he'd turn back into "cookie monster".

The official taste testers favorite cookie: Chocolate Chip

Here's the recipe!

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

My Favorite Cookie: Coconut Macaroon

I actually made two versions. One version contained sweetened condensed milk, I preferred the version without it.

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (14 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut (5 1/3 cups)
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat generously with nonstick cooking spray).
In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in coconut until moistened.
Drop mixture by packed level tablespoons onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake until lightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Holiday Lasagna

2009-12-29T23:39:00.002-05:00

Not at all healthy or good for you (other than the taste-buds) this lasagna is delish! The homemade sauce is amazing and I will be duplicating for other recipes (non-lasagna related) in the future! I made it with and without the spinach. Both versions are fantastic! Enjoy!

Bon Appetit

Three-Cheese Lasagna with Italian Sausage

INGREDIENTS
SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 ounces lean ground beef
6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
LASAGNA
15 lasagna noodles (about 12 ounces)
2 15-ounce containers part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
2 large eggs
4 3/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 1 1/4 pounds)
PREPARATION
FOR SAUCE
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes. Add beef and sausages to pan; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and sauce measures about 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool.
FOR LASAGNA
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water.
Combine ricotta and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Mix in spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.
Drain pasta and pat dry. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Place 5 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. Spread half of ricotta-spinach mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese evenly over ricotta-spinach mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over cheese, spreading with spatula to cover (sauce will be thick). Repeat layering with 5 noodles, remaining ricotta-spinach mixture, 2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Arrange remaining 5 noodles over sauce. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly over lasagna. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

2009 Christmas Cookie List

2009-12-21T17:49:00.003-05:00

The final list is in! The final cookies have been decided! Here is the 2009 Christmas Cookie List. It's bigger than ever before!! The cookie menu will follow shortly!

1 - Truffles
2 - Coconut Cookies
3 - Rugalach
4 - Chocolate Sandwhich Cookies
5 - Cowboy Cookies
6 - Vienesse Hazelnut Butter Thins
7 - Cookie Rings
8 - Mexican Wedding Cookies
9 - Spritz Cookies
10 - Thumbprint
11 - Triple Layer Fudge
12 - Sugar
13 - Oatmeal
14 - Chocolate Chip
15 - Peanut Butter Cup
16 - Macaroons
17 - Hershey's Kiss

And that's a wrap!!! Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Cake!

2009-12-17T22:32:00.002-05:00

For our office Christmas Party this year, I made a Coconut Cream Cake! It was so delicious! So decadent you cannot eat it all the time, but what the heck! It's Christmas!!!

Coconut Cream Cake:

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (14 ounce) can coconut cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, water and coconut flavoring. Beat for 2 minutes and pour into 9x13 inch pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

In a medium bowl, combine coconut cream with sweetened condensed milk and stir until smooth.

Allow cake to cool completely. Poke holes into it in even rows using a large fork or chopsticks (larger holes work best). **Don't poke the holes through the cake or it will drain to the bottom of the pan! You want the cake to absorb all the liquid to be moist and yummy** Pour milk mixture over, allowing it to soak into the cake.

Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

In a large bowl, whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue whipping until stiff. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle top with flaked coconut.

Pecan Pie

2009-11-29T20:18:00.001-05:00

This is such a yummy pie! It doesn't contain corn syrup, so even though it isn't good for you, at least it's a little better for you!!!

1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust
2 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup melted margarine
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup pecan halves
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.)
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, margarine, milk, vanilla and eggs. Blend until smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Pour into pie crust. Place whole pecan meats gently on top in decorative manner.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is set.

Thanksgiving Time!

2009-11-21T11:20:00.003-05:00

I am going to try to post a recipe everyday until Thanksgiving of what we are going to have to eat!

Sausage & Cornbread stuffing
1 pound fresh pork sausage, casings removed, crumbled (plus giblets, diced; optional)
1 large onion, (about 2 cups), finely chopped
3 celery, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 pounds prepared cornbread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (12 cups)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 to 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage (and giblets, if using) over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl.
To pan, add onion, celery, and 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to medium; cook, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add to sausage.
Add cornbread, sage, and eggs to sausage and vegetables. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan; pour 1/2 cup over stuffing, and toss gently (cornbread will break down into smaller pieces). If needed, add up to 1/2 cup more broth, until stuffing feels moist, but not wet. Stuff into turkey, using about 4 cups. Spoon remaining stuffing into a baking pan; it should reach the top. Refrigerate stuffing in pan and remaining broth separately, covered, until ready to bake.

Cornbread:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk; whisk in remaining butter. Stir cornmeal mixture into buttermilk mixture just until moistened. (Do not overmix.)
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan at least 15 minutes before inverting and slicing.

Honey Pecan Pork chops

2009-10-26T00:30:00.002-04:00

These are super moist and very delicious! I promise, you won't even know they are good for you!

• 1 1/4 lbs boneless pork loin, pounded thin (I just used regular pork chops and did not pound thin)
• 1/2 c almond flour
• sea salt
• pepper to taste
• 2 t olive oil
• 1/4 c raw honey
• 1/4 c chopped pecans
In a shallow dish, mix together flour, salt, and pepper. Roll pork in the flour mixture.
In a large skillet, add oil over medium-high heat. Add chops and brown both sides. Transfer
to a warm plate. Mix honey and pecans in the pan drippings. Heat, stirring constantly. Pour
sauce over cutlets.

New Lifestyle, New Recipe Ideas

2009-10-24T11:05:00.005-04:00

I am on a 36 day Paleo Challenge (for more information click here ), so I am trying to come up with some new recipe ideas. Today, I made Primal Pancakes and Pumpkin Lasagna. There is no wheat, gluten, or sugar in either dish. I ate the pancakes for breakfast and will eat the lasagna for lunch! Can't wait!!!

Here's how I did the Lasagna:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 roll of Natural sausage
Onion
3/4 - 1 cup spaghetti sauce (no sugar)
salt, pepper, italian seasoning, basil, oregano

1 - "sugar" pumpkin, halved, gutted, and sliced into crescents

Brown beef, sausage and onion together; drain.
Mix together spaghetti sauce, spices and meat mixture.

Saute the crescent pumpkin slices in olive oil

Layer, pumpkin and meat mixture in a baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Almond Flour Pancakes
1 c almond meal/flour
3 eggs
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t vanilla
pecans (optional)
wild Maine blueberries (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and spoon onto a hot oiled pan. They won't get fluffy like other pancakes. Flip and cook the other side. Serve with a drizzle of raw honey and topped with sliced bananas or berries.

The pancakes are a great alternative to carb crazy normal pancakes and they are yummy and satisfying!

Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2009-08-17T22:30:00.003-04:00

This has become a camping tradition to make a cake in my dutch oven. I love that you are able to make baked goods in a dutch oven while camping! Cake, biscuits, whatever! It all works!

I kind of just wing the recipe .. use a box mix and some canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, but I found this recipe:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Topping Cake Batter
4 Tbs. butter 1 yellow cake mix
1 cup brown sugar 1 cup pineapple juice
8 pineapple rings 1/3 cup water
8 maraschino cherries 3 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Prepare Cake Topping: Melt butter in bottom of a 12" Dutch oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter being careful not to touch the sugar once it has begun to dissolve into the butter. Carefully place pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar, 7 around the outside and 1 in the center. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Prepare Cake Batter: In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pineapple juice, water, eggs and oil; mix well. Spoon cake batter carefully over the top of pineapple rings. Spread batter evenly to edges.

Bake: Cover Dutch oven and bake usinge 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so in the oven with the lid cracked. Next run a rubber spatula around the inside edge of the oven to loosen the cake. To turn the cake out, first lay a piece of parchment paper across the top of the oven so it lays flat and replace the lid so that it holds the paper in place. Make sure you have an available lid stand resting on your table for the next step. Using gloved hands place one hand on the lid and the other hand under the oven and carefully lift and flip the oven over so the cake falls onto the lid. Rest the oven upside down on the lid stand and tap the bottom and sides of the oven lightly with your hand to make sure the cake didn't stick. Then lift the oven off the lid. The cake will be resting on the parchment lined lid and can be cooled this way or slid off the lid using the parchment paper. Allow cake to cool slightly before service.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

2009-08-17T22:23:00.003-04:00

This is my favorite recipe by far! I wish I would have remembered the red pepper and garlic! But I was trying to get it ready really quick before work! Next time!! It's not the best picture ever, but you get the idea!

1 - 2lb pork tenderloin
pork seasoning - I used Old Bay
1 pkt Ranch dressing mix
2 cans chx broth
1 can crm of mushroom soup
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes * I Forgot
2 cloves minced garlic * I forgot

Liberally season tenderloin with pork seasoning.

Sear the pork loin in a large skillet preheated over medium high heat using 1/3 cup canola oil. Approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side.

While the pork is searing pour one can of cream of mushroom soup into your slow cooker, along with two cans of chicken broth. Add one envelope of ranch salad dressing mix (dry) and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 2 cloves of minced garlic.

Place the seared pork into the slow cooker, cover and set to 4 - 6 hours or cook on high for 2 hours and low for 4 hours.

I did not do this step:
After 6 hours, remove pork loin from slow cooker and allow to rest. While the loin is resting, ladle the gravy into a sauce pan and thicken with flour or cornstarch and season to taste. I thickened our gravy with a little flour and seasoned with salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence.

For more pictures click here

Black Bottom Cupcakes

2009-08-17T22:18:00.003-04:00

I made these for a work celebration today, they were a huge hit! And oh so yummy! I doubled the recipe and highly recommend doing the same!

Black Bottom Cupcakes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
** I added about a tsp of vanilla to the crm chz recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter muffin tins and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Batter will be thin.

Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with the chocolate batter. Top each one with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.** I found that 25-30 (I did 27 minutes) was perfect

My new favorite breakfast

2009-07-17T08:05:00.001-04:00

Zoned Crustless Quiche Breakfast

2 whole eggs (2 blocks protein)
4 egg whites (2 blocks protein)
(OR substitute 1 cup egg substitute for egg whites and whole egg)

2 oz skim mozzarella (2 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups chopped portabella or button mushrooms (1/2 carb)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1/2 carb)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup frozen spinach (thawed and drained) (1/2 carb)
3/4 cup chopped tomato (1/2 block carb)
(OR use other vegetables equaling 2 blocks carb)

6 macadamia nuts, crushed (6 blocks fat)
Basil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
2 apples, sprinkled with cinnamon (4 blocks carb)

Directions:

Use nonstick mini bread loaf pans or coat each with a little vegetable spray. (I made it in a casserole dish and just divided it in 2)

Layer vegetables in two mini bread loaf pans. Layer half the cheese on top of each loaf.

Beat eggs and add seasonings. Pour one-half of the eggs over each pan and sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until brown on top.

Makes two mini quiches, each with 3 blocks protein, 3 blocks fat and 1 block carbohydrate.

Remark: Serve two, 3-blocks meals.
Eat one with an apple and cinnamon for a 3 block complete breakfast. (also an ovo-lacto vegetarian meal).

Blueberry Pancakes

2009-07-15T22:52:00.002-04:00

Inspired by my recent stay at the Captain's Inn B&B in Moss Landing, Ca, I found this recipe for Zone appropriate pancakes! The innkeeper made these amazing high protein blueberry custard pancakes! I hope these are close!

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3/4 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

1. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a small bowl. Whisk ricotta, egg, egg white, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
2. Brush a large nonstick skillet with 1/2 teaspoon oil and place over medium heat until hot. Using a generous 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, pour the batter for 2 pancakes into the pan, sprinkle blueberries on each pancake and cook until the edges are dry and bubbles begin to form, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and berries, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Serve these light pancakes with our Chunky Blueberry Sauce, maple syrup or honey. Sprinkling the berries on top of the cooking pancakes ensures even distribution. Keep finished pancakes warm in a 200°F oven, if desired, while cooking the rest.

Makes 4 servings, 2 pancakes each

238 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 334 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (24% daily value), Calcium (16% dv).

Zone-ing? This recipe contains almost 3 full blocks of fat, just shy of 2 blocks of protein, and 3 blocks of carbs. To make it a perfect 3 block meal, add 1 oz of turkey sausage on the side for your protein, and an almond.

Independence Day Banana Pudding!

2009-07-04T12:46:00.005-04:00

What celebrates independence like banana pudding? Nothing! Not healthy or Zone in any way, shape, or form, but totally yum!

From the talented Paula Deen (and yes, it contains a stick of butter)!

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 (12-ounce box) vanilla wafers
For the meringue topping, optional:
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
Directions
Mix together sugar and cornstarch and slowly add milk. This should be cooked in the top of a double boiler, but you can cook it over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens--do not leave it unattended. Slightly beat egg yolks and temper with a small amount of the hot custard; stir well. Add egg mixture to custard pot and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Let cool. In a 9 by 9-inch oven proof baking dish, alternate pudding, bananas, and wafers, beginning with pudding and ending with pudding. Add topping, if desired.

For the meringue topping, if using:
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form, then spread onto top of pudding mixture. Bake until golden brown.

**I recommend doubling the custard recipe! **

Start with sliced bananas (dip in lemon juice to avoid browning)

Make and cool the custard

Another reason I love the stand alone mixer: perfect meringue!

Bake to brown! YUM!

Early Birthday!

2009-07-04T12:45:00.003-04:00

Don't you love getting early birthday gifts!? Especially in the form of earrings?!

Spaghetti - Zone Style

2009-04-24T21:43:00.003-04:00

Not eating spaghetti noodles and bread can be depressing at times, but not with this dish! It's very yummy and you won't even miss those noodles!!

Serves 2 (3 Blocks)

2 c spaghetti squash (cooked) (2c)
1 c spaghetti sauce (low-carb) (2c)
2 c chopped zucchini (1c)
6 oz chx breast (6p)
2 t EVOO (6F)
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
1 c Strawberries (1c)

Half lengthwise the spaghetti squash and place cut side down in 350 oven for 45 min. When you remove the squash from the oven, use a fork to "shred" the squahs, making it look like noodles.

Saute zucchini in EVOO, add to taste Oregano, Basil, Parsley. Cook until zucchini is tender.

To serve, put cooked spaghetti squash, zucchini, chicken, and sauce in saute pan and toss together. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top. Serve strawberries as dessert.

Zone Stuffed Peppers

2009-04-21T20:28:00.003-04:00

Makes 2 servings - 3 blocks each

6 green bell peppers - 4 with tops off and 2 diced up for stuffing (2c)
1 c diced onion (1c)
2/5 c cooked brown rice (2c)
1 1/4 c diced tomato (1 c)
6 oz lean ground beef** (4 p)
2 oz low fat cheese (2p)
2 t EVOO (6f)
salt and pepper

** I substituted Yves Veggie Ground Round to make this dish vegetarian (I used 1 & 1/2 c of the veggie ground round). Rich couldn't even tell the difference! To make this super quick, I used frozen precut onion and diced bell pepper. I used the peppers I had, yellow and red.

Cook 4 peppers ina small amount of water and salt in the microwave, until slightly tender. Combine rice, diced peppers, tomato, hamburger meat, and salt and pepper and saute in EVOO until veggies are tender. Stuff the 4 green peppers with mixture. Any remaining mixture should be placed around stuffed peppers. Bake in 350 degree oven, top with cheese and serve.

Zone Blueberry Muffins

2009-04-17T20:58:00.003-04:00

If you can't find oat flour, you can grind old fashioned oats in the blender or you can find them in the natural/health food store/section at the grocery.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups oat flour
4 - 1 oz. scoops vanilla whey protein (84g of protein)
(2 & 1/4 t pumpkin or apple pie spice - optional)
1 T nonaluminum baking powder
(1 T grated orange rind - optional)
4 whole eggs or 8 egg whites
5 1/3 teaspoons unrefined canola oil
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 c fresh or 1 & 1/3 c frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside (makes 16 mini muffins). Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir and set aside. Combine the wet ingredients (except blueberries) in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. Or, whisk the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until evenly mixed, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate the flour and removed lumps. Do not overmix or the muffins will be tough. Gently fold in blueberries.

Bake until firm to the touch and golden on top and around the edges 12-15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate muffins. Use the muffins within 1 week or freeze them. Best kept in the fridge!

Each muffin contains 1 protein, 1 carb, 1 fat! Perfect for snacks and oh so delicious!!!

Variation: You can also make large muffins making it 4 - 4 block muffins. Fill 4 muffin tins with batter and bake 20-24 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan

2009-04-17T20:54:00.003-04:00

This recipe comes from Zonediet.com. It is a great recipe. I made one modification, instead of 8oz of cheese, I reduced the cheese to 4 oz and added 4 oz of chicken. The first time I made it, I did the peaches, but the second, I omitted the peaches, chives, and lime and added a 16oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli (I steamed the broccoli first). I like the second version better than the first, even though it turned into an eggplant broccoli casserole instead of eggplant parmesan! If you are hungry on Zone, try this recipe! Still hungry?!!!

Eggplant Parmesan - makes two - 4 block meals

Ingredients:
8 oz low fat skim mozzarella, shredded
3 cups eggplant (peeled/sliced)
2 cups tomato sauce
Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 peaches
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
2 Tbsp. chives, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper

Brush sliced eggplant lightly with olive oil and roast them on a hot grill, season with salt & pepper. In the bottom of a glass baking dish, place 1 cup tomato sauce, eggplant and ½ of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, herbs, and then rest of mozzarella. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Cut the peaches in half, then into thin slices and lightly grill on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with lime juice. Leave in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Garnish with fresh basil and chives

Zoned Baked Oatmeal

2009-04-17T20:46:00.003-04:00

This is my new favorite oatmeal breakfast! Even the official taste-tester who loves his bacon and eggs in the morning loves this one! I like to do a mix of strawberries and blueberries and add just a few chopped up nuts. I make it the night before for a quick on the go breakfast, but I imagine (though I haven't tried it) that it is amazing straight from the oven!! If you like cinnamon, I'd add more!

Baked Oatmeal - Makes 4 -3 Block Portions
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups egg substitute
1 cup milk
4 scoops Protein Powder (28g protein per scoop)
½ cup blueberries or 1 cup strawberries - diced (I used 1/4 c bluberries and 1/2 c strawberries)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl except fruit. Add milk, fold in strawberries or blueberries. Lightly spray a 9x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place mixture into pan. Bake around 30 minutes. I test the center with a toothpick.

Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

2009-04-03T15:16:00.001-04:00

So yummy! Zone recipes, serves 2 .. 4 blocks each

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup favorite prepared marinara sauce
2 large (5 to 6 inch) portabella mushrooms, cleaned with stems and gills removed
1 (3/4 cup) small zucchini, diced
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 large egg
4 sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and minced
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup Fontina cheese, diced
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, seasoned to taste
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon marinara sauce onto the bottom of the prepared dish and set aside. Place two mushroom caps in the dish with the tops facing down.Place zucchini pieces in a microwave-safe container, add 1 teaspoon of water and microwave for 1 minute. Drain well and pat dry with paper towel.In a mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, ricotta cheese, egg, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, Fontina cheese, 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper. Spoon an even amount of this mixture into each mushroom cap. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and bread crumbs. Divide and sprinkle this mixture over each filled mushroom cap. Spray caps generously with vegetable oil cooking spray and bake for 15 to17 minutes. Increase heat to broil and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden.

Favorite TV Cooking Reality Show

2009-03-30T00:35:00.002-04:00

The winner: TOP CHEF!!! WIth 40% of the votes!

Coffee Cake

2009-03-30T00:30:00.002-04:00

I am on a quest to find a good coffee cake recipe. This I made for Rich's grandparents for breakfast today. Do you have a good coffee cake recipe? Please post if you do!!

Changes: I doubled the topping recipe and put half of the topping in the middle of the coffee cake before I poured the rest of the batter into the pan. I made it in a bunt pan, but it seemed to take a long time to bake. Next time, I will use a regular pan. Also, I felt like the pecans became overly toasted (some burned) so I may put the topping on the bottom of the pan, add batter, then add the rest of the topping to the middle before pouring the rest of the batter on so that doesn't happen again! Aside from the slightly burned pecans, the flavor was pretty good!

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch pan with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sour cream, then beat in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. By hand, fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Spread batter into prepared pan.

To make the Pecan Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cake batter in pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and remove foil.

Chicken Mania

2009-02-25T18:27:00.001-05:00

I made some Chicken Tortilla Soup for a food day at work today. It's so good and so yummy and Zone appropriate! 1/12 of the recipe is 2.5 blocks. Good luck on the math on that one! Thanks Formula Zone!

Tomorrow night is Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Night! Yum.

2 cup Cheese, cheddar, 2%, shredded
3/4 lb Chicken, breast
1 16oz cn Refried beans, canned
2 10oz cn Soup, cream of mushroom, 98% fat free
2 cup Sour Cream, Light
12 ea Tortillas, taco, low carb, MISSION

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Use canned chicken breast. Drain water from chicken. Combine cheeses. In a medium sized bowl combine chicken, soup, 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup cheese. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 tortillas, roll the tortillas and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 inch dish (you will have to squish them all in). Using the same bowl, combine remaining cheese, sour cream and the last can of soup. Spread evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Bake uncovered in the oven for 35 minutes or until cheese looks melted and enchiladas are heated through. Heat beans in the microwave and serve on the side. Enjoy!

Amazing Cupcakes

2009-02-25T18:20:00.002-05:00

These are not at all healthy, but they are oh so good. Imagine a Hostess cupcake with cream filling, only homemade and 10x better. They are time consuming to make, but are great! Make sure the icing on top is in swirls just like the Hostess ones!!

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
* 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling:

* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache and Icing:

* 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in two 12-cup muffin pans.
Prepare the cupcakes:

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling:

Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.
Prepare the ganache:

Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). Dip the cupcake tops in the ganache. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip; pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Zone Chocolate Muffins

2009-02-19T09:52:00.002-05:00

Once the blueberry muffins are gone, can't wait to try these! From Dr. Sears' Zonediet.com.

**Update 4/17/09 - We tried these muffins and they aren't very good. I couldn't even eat one! Rich had to douse his in peanut butter .. I just gave up. So the verdict is.. good concept but don't waste your time!!

Guilt-free Chocolate Muffins
4 - 1 Block Muffins

Ingredients:
Nonstick spray Oat flour to dust pans
1/3 cup oat flour
21 grams chocolate protein powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoon fructose
1/3 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 whole egg
1 1/3 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil 4 muffin tins. Dust tins with oat flour to prevent sticking. In a bowl, sift oat flour and protein powder. Add baking powder, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and fructose. Sift and set aside. In another bowl combine milk, egg, oil and vanilla. Whisk with a fork. Add to dry ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Fill each prepared muffin tin about halfway. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Bacon and Apple Sandwich

2009-02-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

Can't wait to try this sandwich!!! From Dr. Sears' ZoneDiet.com

Bacon and Apple Sandwich
3 Block Meal

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
3 oz. lean Canadian bacon
1/2 apple sliced thinly
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 slice rye bread

Instructions:
Lightly toast bread and spread with peanut butter. Layer Canadian bacon, apple and sprouts. You may also cut back on Canadian bacon and serve with low-fat cottage cheese.

Clean Baby Ike

2009-02-18T21:21:00.002-05:00

Zone Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2009-02-18T21:17:00.003-05:00

This so fantastic! I can't wait to eat the leftovers!

1 tsp Basil, dried
10 oz Broccoli, frozen, chopped
2 oz Cheese, swiss, reduced fat
12 oz Chicken, Deli, Breast Strips, Grilled
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise, Light
1/2 cup Milk, nonfat
4 oz Noodles, Whole-Wheat
3 tsp Oil, Olive, Extra Virgin
1/2 cup Onions, Green
1/8 tsp Pepper, black
1 10oz cn Soup, cream of mushroom, 98% fat free
3 med Tomatoes

Cut precooked chicken into chunks . Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well. In 2-quart casserole stir together noodles, chicken, broccoli, and diced green onion. In a medium mixing bowl stir together soup, milk, mayo, cheese, basil and pepper. Stir into noodle mixture. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Slice tomatoes into bowl and drizzle with olive oil, serve on the side.

Makes 6 servings .. 2.9 Blocks each

Zone Blueberry Muffins

2009-02-18T21:14:00.001-05:00

Really yummy! Very dense!

1 Tbsp Baking powder
1 cup Blueberries
1/2 cup Egg substitute
1/2 cup Fructose
1 & 1/4 cup Milk, nonfat
2 & 1/4 cup Oat bran
3 Tbsp Oil, vegetable, canola
3 scoop Protein Powder

Makes 36 Mini muffins (0.5 Blocks each)

NOTE: Protein powders vary and scoop sizes vary. You want to use enough protein powder to yield 60 grams of protein. Your batter should be workable. If it is too stiff, add some water, a little at a time to make a workable batter.

Preheat oven. In a large bowl combine the oat bran, baking powder, protein powder, fructose, milk, egg substitute, and oil. Gently fold in the blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw or muffins will be purple! Line mini muffin pan with paper baking cups, and fill with batter. Bake for 13 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick; it should come out moist but not wet.

Almond Chicken

2009-02-17T20:50:00.003-05:00

Can't wait to try this recipe!! 3 Blocks

From Dr. Sears' ZoneDiet.Com

Almond Chicken

3 Blocks

Ingredients:
3oz. skinless chicken breast – sliced
1 tsp. olive oil
1cup cherry tomatoes
1 Green Pepper – chopped
1 Red Pepper – chopped
1 cup onion – chopped
1 clove of garlic – minced
3 cups of broccoli flowerets – steamed
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp toasted and slivered almonds
1 cup of strawberries or 1 pear

Instructions:
In a sauté pan heat olive oil. Add chicken, green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic. Sauté until vegetables are cooked el dante and chicken is cooked through. Add in tomatoes and steamed broccoli. Top with almonds. Eat fruit for dessert.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

2009-02-14T04:35:00.002-05:00

So yummy and very hearty! Makes 1 serving for 3.5 blocks!

1/4 14oz cn Beans, black, canned
1/4 cup Celery
1/2 oz Cheese, blue
1 & 1/2 oz Chicken, breast
1/4 Tbsp Chili powder
1/8 tsp Cumin
1/4 ea Garlic, clove
3/4 tsp Oil, olive
1/4 cup Onions
1 oz Peppers, chili, green, canned
1/4 cup Salsa
1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
1/4 14oz cn Tomatoes, Italian, Diced, Canned

TOTAL CALORIES: 316
Makes 1-1/2 cups

Heat olive oil in pot. Add diced chicken and cook until no longr pink. Add diced onion , minced garlic and diced celery and continue cooking on medium-low until vegetables begin to soften. Add rinsed and drained beans, tomatoes, chilies, salsa, cumin and chili powder (and salt and pepper to taste if desired). Stir, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in Tabasco sauce.

Breakfast Burrito!

2009-02-14T04:32:00.002-05:00

Yummy quick and easy 2.8 Block Zone friendly breakfast!

1/2 oz Cheese, low fat, cheddar or colby
1 ea Egg, white
1 ea Egg, Whole, Extra Large
1/2 cup Milk, nonfat
1 Tbsp Salsa
1 ea Tortillas, low-carb, small, LA TORTILLA FACTORY

TOTAL CALORIES: 259
Makes 1-1/4 burritos

Break eggs. Add salsa and cheese. Beat together. Scramble mixture. Heat tortillas in microwave for approximately 10-20 seconds. Place egg mixture in tortillas and roll up. . Serve with milk.

Crab Salad in a Tomato

2009-02-08T21:56:00.003-05:00

I love this as a snack! I think it will be great in the summer!! This is another Zone recipe.

1 Tbsp Celery
6 oz Crab, imitation
1/2 tsp Lemon juice
3/4 Tbsp Mayonnaise, Light
1 & 1/2 Tbsp Olives, ripe, canned
1/4 tsp Pepper, black
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sour Cream, Light
2 med Tomatoes

TOTAL CALORIES: 294
Makes 2 Tomatoes
(Each whole Tomatoes is 1.6 Blocks)

Dice celery and olives. Flake crab. Mix celery, olives, and crab with light mayonnaise, light sour cream and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut stem spot off tomatoes. Slice tomatoes almost all the way through from top to bottom into eighths and open out like a star. Fill tomatoes equally with crab salad.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2009-02-08T20:58:00.003-05:00

This recipe comes from a lady at work. It's essentially the basic Nestle Tollhouse Cookie recipe, with a couple of modifications. I swear, they are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted! The * indicates the change from the original recipe.

Ingredients:

* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour*
* 2 teaspoons baking soda*
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 sticks butter flavored Crisco*
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract*
* 2 large eggs
* 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

My Favorite New Chicken Salad Wrap

2009-02-08T20:52:00.003-05:00

This is another Zone Recipe .. Serving size is 1 wrap though it makes enough for 1.5 wraps! It is super easy and super yummy!!!

1/4 10oz cn Chicken, canned
1 lg Egg, white
1 lg Egg, whole
1 & 1/4 Tbsp Mayonnaise, Fat Free
2 tsp Nuts, pecans, raw
1/2 Tbsp Pickle relish, sweet
3/8 Tbsp Seasoning, Cajun
1 ea Tortillas, low-carb, large, LA TORTILLA FACTORY

TOTAL CALORIES: 443
Makes 1-1/2 wraps
(Each whole wraps is 3.4 Blocks)

Boil eggs. Mix chicken, chopped eggs, nuts, mayo, relish, and seasoning in a bowl. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until ready to serve. To serve, spread chicken salad on tortilla and enjoy!

Zone Diet

2009-02-08T20:39:00.005-05:00

I started the Zone Diet last month in an effort to increase my performance during workouts and to lose weight. It's working! I lost 4 lbs in the first week! Every meal and snack is weighed and measured to the ounce, so it's a little time consuming but worth the effort. This recipe is a Zone recipe, but so yummy!

"Zoned" Chicken Stir-Fry
Makes 1 Serving

1/2 cup Carrots
1/2 cup Celery
2 oz Chicken, breast
1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 cup Mushrooms
1 & 3/4 tsp Oil, olive
1/2 cup Onions
1/2 cup Peppers, Bell, green
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, Light
2 & 1/4 Tbsp Water
3 & 1/2 Tbsp Water chestnuts
1/2 cup Zucchini

TOTAL CALORIES: 333
Recipes is 3.7 Blocks

Slice or chop all vegetables as desired. Slice or dice chicken. Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken, cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery and onions. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add green pepper, zucchini, mushrooms. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add water chestnuts. Mix soy sauce, corn starch, and water, then add to pan and stir until thickened. Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-01-20T02:15:00.001-05:00

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Taco Seasoning (recipe below)
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Place the onion, beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours (I ended up cooking this for over 9 hours and it turned out delicious).

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired. Makes GREAT leftovers.

Taco Seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Dinner this Week

2008-10-26T21:32:00.003-04:00

This week is completely inspired by Martha Stewart. Here's what we are having:

Monday:
Buttermilk Baked Chicken with Spinach Salad

Tuesday:
Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Wednesday:
Bean and Pasta Soup

Thursday:
Light Chicken Parmesan

Friday:
Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

Saturday:
Lighter Chicken and Biscuits

Sunday:
Beef Stroganoff

We are also going to try:

Lighter Macaroni and Cheese
and
Light Cherry Cheesecake

I can't wait for this week!

Martha Stewart Beef and Stout Stew

2008-10-26T17:25:00.004-04:00

This stew is fantastic! It's great on a cold night and is very yummy. I didn't change a thing about the recipe, except, I made it in the crock pot instead of the oven. It turned out incredibly tender and I didn't have to watch the stove! Of course, another favorite from Martha!

Irish Beef and Stout Stew:

Serves 10

* 4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
* 2 1/2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
* 2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium beef broth
* 1 can (14.9 ounces) Irish stout beer
* 10 garlic cloves, sliced
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen baby peas, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, toss beef with flour; stir in tomato paste. Add potatoes, onions, broth, beer, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Transfer pot to oven, and cook, covered, until meat is fork-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in peas, and season with salt and pepper.

Easy and Quick Chicken Dish

2008-09-12T17:37:00.003-04:00

This recipe comes from my favorite site, Allrecipes! It's a quick, easy, and comfort-food style satisfying. It's great when served with brown rice to soak up the yummy sauce. I hope you enjoy Chicken and Mushroom Saute! Just a note- I did make a couple of changes to the recipe- check it out below (indicated with a *)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil*
1 cup fresh, thinly sliced mushrooms*
1 cup chicken broth*
1 can cream of chicken soup (99% fat free version) *
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
ground black pepper to taste

Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour onto a sheet of wax paper. In a nonstick skillet, combine the vegetable oil and butter or margarine and heat over medium high heat until bubbly and hot. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

To the same skillet, add the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes. Combine the water, broth mix, cornstarch, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Return chicken to the skillet and cook until chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Spaghetti Squash Mania!

2008-09-06T17:11:00.003-04:00

I picked up a couple of spaghetti squash at the store today and am excited to try a couple of different recipes!

Wikipedia describes Spaghetti Squash as:

The spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash, "Spaghetti Marrow (in the UK) , squaghetti or Sharkfin Melon 鱼翅瓜 to Chinese) is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. The fruit can range either from ivory to yellow or orange in color or green with white streaks. Its center contains many large squash seeds. Its flesh is bright yellow or orange or white for the latter variety. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash; when cooked, the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or strands like spaghetti or shark's fin (when cooked in a soup form). Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as for pasta, or used as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories, averaging 75 calories in 8 cooked ounces. It is a Chinese native vegetable."

So, there are 2 recipes that I can't wait to try!

The first is from Food Network's Michael Chiarello. His show, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, has such fun dishes. I've tried a couple of them and they are yummy! Anyway, this one is called Spaghetti Squash with Marinara. I think that pretty much sums up the dish! It will be an easy dish to make tonite! I hope it's a great substitute for spaghetti!!

The second and equally yummy sounding is Simple Spaghetti Squash. It sounds really fresh and yummy! I thought I'd make it tonite, but I'll wait until later this week when I can pillage my Dad's garden for a couple of tomatoes!

So, we'll see how the spaghetti squash adventure goes! I'll keep you posted!

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

2008-09-05T15:28:00.002-04:00

A friend made this bread and it is awesome! I had to get the recipe.

The best zucchini bread I've ever had!

* 3 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups white sugar
* 2 cups shredded zucchini
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
* 1 pint fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
3. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Burgundy Pork Tenderloin

2008-09-05T15:27:00.001-04:00

Really yummy! And so easy!

* 2 pounds pork tenderloin
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 2 cups red wine
* 1 (.75 ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place pork in a 9x13 inch baking dish, and sprinkle meat with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Top with onion and celery, and pour wine over all.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
4. When done baking, remove meat from baking dish, and place on a serving platter. Pour gravy mix into baking dish with wine and cooking juices, and stir until thickened. Slice meat, and cover with the gravy.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

2008-08-20T19:22:00.002-04:00

This is a great recipe from Allrecipes! Enjoy.

6 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard --I actually omitted b/c I was out!
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil.