Chinese Beef and Broccoli with Kale

Things have been busy here. My mom came out almost two weeks ago for a week to hang out and help get the nursery ready. We had so much fun just being together and shopping for the perfect items to decorate with. She and my dad were so generous to buy the baby furniture and decor as their gift to us. I absolutely LOVE the nursery. I think it is fresh and beautiful. Thanks mom for helping me!!

After mom left last Tuesday, we just had a busy week serving in our chiropractic clinic. This weekend the hubbie and I have been spending some much needed time just the two of us. Unfortunately for him this recipe is actually one I made a few weeks ago and not today. It is delicious. The ground beef is grass fed and full of great vitamins like Iron. The broccoli is like a multivitamin by itself. I added baby kale to punch of the nutrition factor! I love that this meal is a one skillet wonder. The spices are to our taste so you could easily adapt this for your family's palate. Enjoy!

CHINESE BEEF AND BROCCOLI WITH KALE

Serves: 4

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 Tbs coconut flour

3 cups broccoli florets, chopped small

3 cups baby kale, chopped

2-3 Tbs tamari gluten free soy sauce

1 Tbs raw honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1. Heat a large, greased cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and onions. Cook, stirring to crumble the meat, until beef is cooked through. Turn heat to high to cook off any fat from the meat, then return the heat to medium. Add coconut flour and stir mixture. 

2. Add broccoli. Cook 3-5 minutes until slightly tender. Add kale and all sauce ingredients (soy sauce through oil). Stir. Cook until the kale is wilted and the sauce is a little bubbly. 

EAT!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have not posted on the blog in almost a month! Forgive me. May was wonderful and crazy. I became an aunt again to a beautiful little girl named Taylor.

Sweet Taylor and Bryant. Please excuse my crazy hair and excessive excitement!

The hubbie and I went on vacation to see our families and go to the beach- it was heavenly. We needed a break and needed time with our families. Memorial Day weekend was full of getting ready for baby in the form of rearranging bedrooms in our house. We also spent time with friends hanging out which was wonderful. Now June is here and we are full speed ahead with our chiropractic office and getting ready for baby. My mom is coming into town on Tuesday for a whole week to help us do the nursery!! I am so excited! And my sister Grace and brother in law Jonathan will be here for two nights in late June. I am one blessed woman to have so many loving, fun relationships in my life.

On to the cookies. These are adapted from a vegan recipe over on Stir It Up. I love them. They are fluffy but not dense like a lot of primal cookies. They do have some sweetener in them in the form of maple syrup but you could probably substitute the same amount of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (I have not tried this though so let me know how it goes). One thing I love about this recipe too is that the batter stretches a long way making 20 cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes: 20 small cookies

1 cup blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg, whisked

1/4 cup diary free chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, place flour, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients through the egg. Stir to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, scoop dough on to a Silpat lined baking sheet. You can place these cookies close together because they do not really spread out. 

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes.

Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup

I posted a recipe very similar to this a year or so ago but I like this one even better for two reasons: 1. it contains lots of delicious, healthy fat coconut milk, 2. You make it in the crockpot!
Those of you that know me know I love easy cooking techniques and it does not get much easier than your crockpot. The best part is that sometimes all crock pot food ends up tasting the same. Not so with this soup- it is so flavorful it is Evan's favorite soup.

Another great thing about this recipe.... now that temperatures are heating up outside it is nice that with the crock pot you do not have to heat up your kitchen with the stove or oven! This recipe also doubles easily for bigger families or leftovers!

 

CROCK POT BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Serves: 4

 

1 large onion, chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed large

1 14oz can whole coconut milk (not light)

1 cup low sodium vegetable or chicken broth (homemade if you have it)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp curry powder

dash of red pepper

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

dash of sea salt

 

1. Place all ingredients in your crock pot. Stir. (You can adjust the spices to suit your taste or if you have picky eaters you could just do salt and pepper)

2. Cook on high for four hours, medium for six hours or low for eight hours (time just depends on what your day looks like and how fast you want dinner).

3. Once done cooking, puree until smooth using an immersion blender- watch for splattering :)

Grab some spoons and bowls and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Tuna Bacon Cakes

These are so delicious and the best part is that they are made with ingredients you probably already have on hand! I recently found Wild Planet Tuna at Costco and could not believe my eyes. I paid less than $3 per can. At the local grocer I was buying it only when it was on sale because it cost $6 a can! This tuna is so delicious. It is wild caught and not packed in anything- the can is just all meat!

We ate our patties with homemade guacamole- what is not even better with avocado!

 

 

TUNA BACON CAKES

Serves: 3 (2 patties each)

 

10 oz wild canned tuna, flaked

2 slices bacon, diced

1/4 medium onion, diced

2 Tbs garlic

2 Tbs Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 Tbs coconut flour

1 egg, whisked

sea salt and pepper to taste (use the salt sparingly)

 

1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook until crisp. Spoon bacon onto a paper towel covered plate to drain.

2. Add onions to pan. Cook until tender- approximately 5-10 minutes. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl using a fork or your hands. Form into 6 patties

4. cook patties in the leftover bacon grease in your skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes per side. Serve with homemade guacamole. 

Primal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

The picture does not do these justice. They are so delicious that I made three batches in one week when I first came up with this recipe. That is a bit excessive but these are a great treat or cupcake for a birthday party! The best part is they have hidden vegetables and only 1/8 cup added sweetener for 12 muffins. I love any treat that hides nutrition in them like these muffins, banana bread and carrot muffins. I hope you will make these for your family soon!

 

PRIMAL CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI MUFFINS 

Makes: 12 muffins

 

2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/8 cup honey

2 eggs

1 cup grated zucchini (1 medium/large zucchini)

1/2 cup Enjoy Life dairy free mini chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 liners.

 

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a cookie scoop, scoop equal amounts of batter into each muffin liner.

 

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

 

*This can also be made as a loaf. Follow all directions the same except grease a loaf pan and add batter to pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before eating.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Nutty Chocolate Chip Bars

These bars are so yummy! I came up with the recipe on Saturday and have already made three batches! True Paleo people will argue they are not Paleo because they have sugar in the chocolate chips and honey, but I would argue they are a great alternative and full of items with great fat and fiber like raw nuts and coconut! So, I will be making them again and I hope you will too!

This recipe is based on the Oatmeal bar recipe I posted a few months ago. Since then we have stopped eating all grains so I just tweaked it a little so they are grain free.

We have friends coming into town next week and I plan to make these as a snack to take on our day of snow tubing and sledding. They are so easily portable. I am not sure I will snow tube since I will be 23 weeks pregnant. We will see if people are staying on the tubes or falling off a lot :) If I do not tube I will have something delicious to do- eat these bars!

 

NUTTY CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

Serves: 8-9 depending on if you cut the bars long or into squares

 

1 1/2 cups raw nuts (I used 1 cup almonds and 1/2 cup walnuts)

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 Tbs flax seed meal

4 Tbs raw honey

2 heaping Tbs almond butter

1/4 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

1/8 cup white chocolate chips (I used the dairy free brand Sunset)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

2. Pulse nuts in food processor until they are in fine pieces. Pour into a large bowl.

 

3. Add to the bowl the coconut, flax meal, honey, almond butter and chocolate chips. Combine with a spatula and then with your hands if needed.

 

4. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Pour in nut mixture; spread and flatten with your hands.

 

5. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes. Cut into 8 bars or 9 squares. Allow bars to cool before eating.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Breakfast Casserole

I remember the breakfast casserole I grew up on. I'm not going to lie- it tasted amazing. It started with taking white bread and covering both sides with butter. The dish only got more unhealthy from there- jimmy dean sausage, eggs, tons of cheese. Then you let it sit overnight and baked it the next morning. We only had it on special occasions like Christmas morning and I looked forward to it as much as my stocking.

This is my version of breakfast casserole. It still has delicious sausage but is loaded with veggies. I used organic hashbrown potatoes to make it a treat but you could easily leave them out or substitute shredded sweet potato. This casserole saved us last week with the many late nights in the office and fed two people 4 times. I hope you will try it for your next busy week breakfast, family dinner or for a special occasion!

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Serves: 8

 

1 lb pork sausage or ground pork that you have seasoned to your taste

1 large onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large head broccoli, florets chopped and stem tossed or included (whichever you like)

1 cup shredded carrots

2 cups chopped spinach

1 bag frozen organic hashbrown potatoes (I used Organic Valley- the only ingredient listed is potatoes) (optional)

12 large eggs

1 cup shredded raw cheddar cheese (optional)

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook through, using a spatula to crumble meat as it cooks. Remove sausage to an extra large bowl.

 

2. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil to pan (if there is not enough grease from the sausage to cook the vegetables). Add onion, pepper and broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add carrots. Cook 2 minutes. Add spinach, stir and cook 1 minute. Remove vegetables from heat and add to the same bowl as the sausage.

 

3. Add eggs to a large bowl. Whisk. Add eggs to the sausage mixture. Add hashbrowns. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Stir.

 

4. Grease a 9x13 pan with coconut oil. Pour egg mixture into pan. Top with cheese.

 

5. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until cooked through. Enjoy for any meal of the day!

 

 

 

Asian Beef Broccoli Stir Fry for Dinner and Breakfast

I have been in a cooking rut. I am craving easy food that is wholesome, delicious and does not take a lot of time. Hence this stir fry. This stir is best made ahead and eaten as leftovers because the flavor gets better and more intense.

I also have been over scrambled eggs. So, I have been trying to be more creative with breakfast. So, we had this leftover stir fry for breakfast! It was so filling and satisfying. I was not hungry for hours. I plan to eat meat and veggie meals for breakfast more often now! I just ate a bowl of the stir fry but for hubbie I put two fried eggs on the top of his bowl. He loved it.

Stayed tuned for some yummy breakfast casserole recipes (also in my attempt to not just have scrambled eggs every morning). I love them because they are easy, use what is already on hand and can be made ahead and eaten all week.

 

ASIAN BEEF BROCCOLI STIR FRY

adapted from Stir it Up

Serves: 4

 

 

1 lb grass fed ground beef

1 package (8 oz) sliced mushrooms, diced small

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 bag broccoli slaw

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

4 Tbs tamari wheat free soy sauce

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

 

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef, crumbling it as you cook. Once cooked through, set aside.

 

2. Meanwhile, Heat 1 Tbs coconut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes.

 

3. Stir in onions, garlic, broccoli slaw and carrots. Stir and cook 5 minutes.

 

4. Turn heat to low.

 

5. Add spinach. Stir. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, pepper and ground beef. Stir and let cook a few minutes to allow flavors to combine.

 

6. Eat for any meal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Paleo Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Since becoming pregnant I have been a baking machine as far as sweet breads go. I usually am fine without these types of things since going wheat free, but I am craving having something to really sink my teeth into now. Good thing paleo breads such as this one are a great option for a snack or with some eggs for breakfast. It is made with protein and healthy fat filled almond flour and has no additional sweeteners of any kind! Plus it has a cinnamon swirl.... so basically I want to eat it for every meal.

This bread has also been very welcome because it is winter and I enjoy baking and having my oven on. This Sunday we had our biggest snow yet- about 8 inches. It was beautiful. Then yesterday the sun came out, the temperature went up and a lot of it melted. We were able to take the dog for two walks- beautiful, perfect Colorado weather!

 

PALEO CINNAMON SWIRL BANANA BREAD

Makes: 1 loaf

 

2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup organic unsalted grass fed butter or coconut oil, melted

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (4 small or 3 large bananas)

 

For the Swirl:

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 Tbs maple syrup

1 Tbs melted butter or coconut oil

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place dry ingredients for the bread in a large bowl. Stir. Add butter, eggs and banana. Stir to combine.

3. Grease a regular size loaf pan with coconut oil. Pour batter into pan.

4. In a small bowl, combine swirl ingredients.

5. Spoon swirl mixture over the top of the batter. Using a knife, swirl topping into batter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread. It should come out clean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Cauliflower Crust Pizza

This pizza is delicious! Now I will say, with the cheese it is not Paleo. But if we do eat cheese we eat RAW unpastuerized cheddar cheese, which is a way better choice than Kraft cheese. You could always leave the cheese off.

The crust is softer than a regular pizza crust and we often end up eating this with a fork, but it is still absolutely yummy and definitely fixs any pizza craving you could have. This recipe is for a veggie pizze, but feel free to experiement with whatever toppings you like. Just make sure the toppings are cooked before adding them to the pizza. I hope you enjoy it!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Makes: 1 large crust- feeds two hungry adults

Adapted from Detoxinista

 

Crust:

4 cups raw cauliflower rice
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup shredded raw cheddar cheese (like organic valley brand)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of salt

 

Sauce:

1 8oz can no salt added tomato sauce

1 Tbs minced garlic

1 tsp oregano

 

Toppings:

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 small head broccoli, chopped small

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

2 cups shredded raw cheddar cheese

 

Preheat your oven to 400F, then get to work on your crust.

 

1. Begin by making your cauliflower “rice.”

Simply pulse batches of raw cauliflower florets in a food processor, until a rice-like texture is achieved.

2. Cook & Strain the rice.

Fill a large pot with about an inch of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the “rice” and cover; let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.

Now here comes the secret:

Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel.

Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEEEEEEZE all the excess moisture out!

It’s amazing how much liquid will be released, which will leave you with a nice and dry pizza crust.

3. Make & Shape the dough.

In a large bowl, mix up your strained rice, beaten egg, goat cheese, and spices.

Don’t be afraid to use your hands! You want it very well mixed.

It won’t be like any pizza dough you’ve ever worked with, but don’t worry– it’ll hold together!

Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It’s important that it’s lined with parchment paper!)

Keep the dough about 1/3″ thick, and make the edges a little higher for a “crust” effect, if you like.

4. Bake!

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400F.

5. While your pizza crust bakes:

Place all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbs coconut oil. Add onion, bell pepper and broccoli. Cook until crisp tender- approximately 5-10 minutes. Add spinach and allow to wilt. Remove vegetables from heat and set aside until pizza crust is done.

6. Top pizza

Top your cooked pizza crust with sauce, then vegetables, then cheese. Return pizza to oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly!

 

EAT!

 



 

Cinnamon Glazed Walnuts

These walnuts were inspired by an invitation to watch the Superbowl at a friend's house. I just cannot show up empty handed but did not feel like making anything elaborate. So, these walnuts were born in a matter of minutes, allowed to cool, and packaged with a pretty purple ribbon.

As far as the Superbowl, we had a great time socializing! I am not a huge NFL fan, I prefer college football having grown up in the south, but enjoyed just hanging out with everyone. Yesterday was a day where I was reminded of what a blessed life we have in Colorado- so full of love and relationship.

I hope you will make these walnuts for your family, a party or as a quick hostess gift. They are slightly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. I could have eaten the whole bag.

CINNAMON GLAZED WALNUTS

Makes: 2 cups

 

 

2 cups raw walnut halves

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 heaping Tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla (a vanilla bean would be delcious here too)

1 tsp cinnamon

 

1. Heat a skillet over high heat.

2. Add coconut oil. Melt. Add walnuts. Once you hear a sizzle, turn heat to medium low and allow walnuts to cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Add honey, vanilla and cinnamon to pan. Stir. Allow the walnuts to cook 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. This allows the honey and vanilla to create a little syrup for the walnuts... yum!

4. Spread cooked walnuts on a peice of parchment paper, wax paper or a silpat. Allow to cool.

5. Eat or gift to someone!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Harvest Hash

I know what you are thinking- fall is way over! But Harvest Hash was the best name I could come up with for this dish. It is chock full of ingredients that peak in the fall and winter. It is hearty and delicious. We first ate it as a side dish with grilled chicken. For lunch the next day, when I took this picture, I just took my leftover chicken and added it right into the hash. You could easily do that to.

Nothing real new is going on around here. We are moving along in the prenancy. I finally had enough energy this morning to go back to CrossFit and it was so wonderful!! CrossFit is so fun. I love the commrade, the constant change in the workout and the fact that it is scaleable so that anyone can do it (including a pregnant momma like me :)

It rained here this weekend! That was only the third time it had rained since we moved to Colorado in June. Thank goodness it also snowed last night or we would officially feel like we lived in the desert. So, with cold weather back, this is the perfect comfort meal to make. Happy cooking and eating!

 

 

 

Harvest Hash

Serves:4

 

 

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and DICED REALLY SMALL

1 lb brussel sprouts, stem removed and quartered

2 apples, small diced

1 tsp cinnamon

sea salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Heat a large greased cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add an additional 1 Tbs coconut oil.

2. Add onion and butternut squash to pan. Stir. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add brussel sprouts. Stir. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add apples and spices. Stir. Cook 5 more minutes or until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

5. Eat!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Sweet Potato Bacon Biscuits

I have a new blog that I am obsessed with! These biscuits are adapted from the website PaleOMG. The author is Juli Bauer. Apparently I am a little late to the party, because she is big in the Paleo world. And I know why. Her recipes are creative and delicious. These biscuits are the first thing I have tried, but it all looks so good!

These biscuits are insanely good. I made them with scrambled eggs and fresh berries for a hearty breakfast before we headed out to hike in the snow. The recipe made six biscuits and we ate all of them :) I did top mine with a little grass fed organic butter (not paleo) but I am sure they are just as good without. I encourage you to make these ASAP!

 

SWEET POTATO BACON BISCUITS

Makes: 6 biscuits

 

1 medium baked sweet potato

4 strips uncured bacon, diced

2 eggs, whisked

leftover rendered fat from bacon or 2 Tbs melted grassfed organic butter

2 Tbs coconut flour

2/3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

 

1. Place diced bacon in a cast iron skillet heated over medium heat. Cook until crispy, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel covered plate. Save rendered fat.

2. Meanwhile, remove the skin from the cooked sweet potato and scoop out potato into a large bowl. Mash potato with a fork.

3. Add eggs to sweet potato. Stir. Add rendered fat. Stir.

4. Add your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and spices. Stir. Add cooked bacon. Stir to combine.

5. Line a cookie sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Using a spoon, drop biscuits onto sheet, making sure they are equal in size for equal cooking.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Serve topped with melted grass fed organic butter brushed on top if you like!



Paleo Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

I'm back! Please forgive my lack of posting. I cannot believe it has been almost two months. Our life has been a whirlwind since Thanksgiving. I have not been able to post for  a few reasons. One is that the holidays were wonderfully busy and we went home to Alabama for over a week- no posting without our computer. Secondly, we are having a baby!!! and the pregnancy has been wearing me plum out. Also, I have had no interest in food, so being creative in the kitchen and cooking nightly have not been on my to do list. But, things are getting better and slowing down. So, I am happy to be back with all of you sharing this hearty recipe.

I hope all of you had a special holiday season, especially Christmas. Ours was filled with lots of family time. And I hope your new year is full of goals to live more fully including being more healthy. That is where this blog can be a huge help to you! I am so happy to get to share whole food recipes that promote health. After all, health is our greatest asset and often we do not notice it until it is gone. So good for you for taking care of yourself and family by what you eat!

Next up, I have one request from all of you. I am hosting a fun workshop at our clinic on Sinfully Delicious Valentine's Treats for the whole family that are gluten free and, hopefully, paleo. What I want to know is what type of treats you guys would like to see. Any great recipe I make and share at our office, I will share with you guys!!! So, please leave a comment on here or on the Feed Your Genes facebook page! Thanks!!

On to the recipe. I already have a recipe for stuffed squash on this blog but I am constantly making variations of it based on what is in our refrigerator. This version is an example of that and I hope it inspires you to be creative and change it to whatever you have on hand or think would be good too!

PALEO SAUSAGE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Serves: 6

3 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

1 lb chicken sausage of any kind (I used mild italian I think)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, small diced

3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Fill two 9x13 glass pans with water to cover the bottom of the pan. Add 3 acorn squash halves to each pan. Cover with foil. Place in oven for 30-40 until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage. Cook through, using a spoon to crumble as it cooks. Remove sausage to a plate and set aside. 

4. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil to pan. Add onion, bell pepper and carrots. Saute 10 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and allow it to wilt, approx 1-2 minutes. Add sausage back to pan. Stir together. 

5. Remove all squash halves from pans. Drain water out of one of them. Place all six squash halves flesh side up in pan that you drained the water from. Scoop sausage picture into squash halves. 

6. Return pan to oven and cook 5-10 minutes until sausage mixture is browned. 

You could top the stuffed squash with shredded raw cheddar cheese prior to cooking. 

Hearty Chicken White Bean Soup

Hello blog friends! I hope all of you had a healthy, happy thanksgiving. Our week was full of time with family, including a surprise visit from Evan's brother. It was a wonderful time of fellowship that we greatly needed. Our thanksgiving day went as planned: a morning hike in the beautiful Colorado outdoors and an evening paleo dinner that did not disappoint.

We topped our weekend off with getting our christmas tree with friends last night. I love my tree! It is perfectly round and smells of christmas. My sweet husband put it up and hung the lights on it all by himself while I chatted with my sisters. I then hung the ornaments on the tree. This is my favorite part. As I hang each one I think of the story or memory behind it. What joy! Christmas will be here before we know it.

Today's recipe is a great meal to have around to avoid grabbing just anything for lunch or dinner in the midst of this crazy, busy season.

I know what some strict paleo people are going to say... beans are not paleo. But, white beans are an excellent source of folate, fiber and a decent source of protein. For this reason, they occasionally make it onto our dinner menu. If you are going to eat beans, this soup is a delicious way to do it! Also, as the title says, this soup is seriously hearty and filling with great flavor.

HEARTY CHICKEN AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Serves: 4-6

1 Tbs coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups carrots, sliced into rounds

1 bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14oz) cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 large cooked chicken breast, diced

4 cups broth of any kind (i used vegetable)

1 bay leaf

1 Tbs ground thyme

2 tsp pepper

1 Tbs dried rosemary

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and pepper. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in carrots, garlic and spices. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in beans, broth, chicken. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 1 hour or until carrots are tender.

2. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving. 

Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Just in time for Thanksgiving week I have one more delicious pumpkin recipe to share. Now lets be honest, I actually have many more pumpkin recipes to share, like Pumpkin Sweet Potato Spice Bread, that will probably still find their way to a post before the year is over. Pumpkin recipes are just too good.

As Thanksgiving gets closer I hope you checked out my Paleo Thanksgiving Menu for delicious recipes for the big meal. As I said before, Evan's parents are coming into town and we could not be more thrilled. Our thanksgiving day plan is to go for a morning hike and then come home to cook and enjoy a mid afternoon meal. These pancakes, along with some uncured bacon, will make a great pre hike breakfast. I serve them sprinkled with a little cinnamon!

PALEO PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Serves: 2-3, makes 6 medium pancakes

4 medjool dates, pits removed

1/4 cup whole coconut milk

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3 Tbs coconut flour

1/3 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Place dates in a microwave bowl with 1 Tbs water and heat for 30 seconds. Mash with fork. Place dates in a food processor or blender. Add milk, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. Pulse to combine.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients (flours-spice). Add to blender. Pulse to combine.

3. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 tsp coconut oil. Add pancake batter 2 heaping Tbs at a time to the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter until all batter is cooked. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Paleo Thanksgiving Menu

Paleo Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

It is time!! Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and, if you are anything like me, planning for the day of family time is in full swing. I hope you will take this menu and work some or all of the recipes into your special dinner of gratitude. The blog post includes the menu, a shopping list and all recipes. Double check the shopping list and pantry list to make sure you really do have everything on the pantry list. I advise you to read through all the recipes so you can make a game plan of when to make each dish.

The menu includes recipes enough to feed four people. To feed less or more the recipes are easily adaptable. We are actually having a huge beautiful fresh free range turkey instead of just breasts at our meal but you may not want to cook a huge bird for only 2 or 4 people. Please comment with any questions you have. I will say the menu is not 100% paleo. True paleo includes no added sugars like maple syrup but if you are going to have sugar and natural organic source is the best. Also, this is a special day that warrants exceptions with moderation! I would love to hear back from you about your special day and stories of your family enjoying eating food that truly makes them feel good.

In conclusion I want to give you three tips to keep the day healthy and stress free!

1. Drink Water
2. Choose good food (organic ingredients and free range organic meat)
3. Add movement to your day whether it be a family hike after the meal (this is what we are doing... after all we live in beautiful colorado), a family fun run first thing in the morning or a bike ride. Whatever brings your family joy.


In Health and with a grateful heart,
Hillary

PALEO THANKSGIVING

Maple Spiced Roasted Turkey Breasts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

Sauteed Green Beans with Shallots

Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Crumble

Spinach Salad with Pears and Toasted Nuts

Paleo Pumpkin Pie with Almond Crust

Slow Cooked Apples with Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

MAPLE SPICED ROASTED TURKEY BREASTS

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine Nov 2012

One  2 1/2-3 lb bone in, skin on free range turkey breast

3 Tbs organic maple syrup

1 Tbs olive oil or melted coconut oil

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried oregano flakes

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Place all ingredients except turkey in a large bowl. Whisk together. Add turkey and toss to coat- make sure you get the mixture under the skin and rubbed into meat. Marinate for 20 minutes

3. Remove turkey from marinade and place turkey in a 9x13 baking dish or a roasting pan. Discard marinade. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 155 degrees.

4. Remove turkey to a large platter. Cover with foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Serve

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CARROTS

We love this dish and honestly have it at least once every two weeks in the fall and winter. It is simple food but is an easy addition to a large meal because it is easy to make and tastes great!

3 lbs brussels sprouts, ends removed and sprouts quartered

6 carrots, ends removed and carrots cut into 2 inch pieces

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients on a large parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

2. Place in oven with turkey and cook 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn vegetables. Return to oven and cook 10-15 minutes until tender.

SAUTEED GREEN BEANS WITH CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

2 lbs fresh green beans, ends removed

1 large shallot, very thinly sliced (if you do not have you could substitute a small onion)

dash of salt and pepper

1. In a medium pot, bring a small amount of water to boil. Add steamer basket. Add green beans. Steam 5 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile. in a large cast iron skillet heat 1 Tbs coconut oil over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook until tender an brown. Watch them to make sure they do not burn. Remove shallots from pan.

3. Place steamed green beans in cast iron skillet. Saute 5 minutes with a dash of sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add shallots. Toss and serve.

MAPLE MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECAN CRUMBLE

This recipe can me made ahead of time and then popped in to the oven as directed at the end of the recipe to heat and toast the crumble.

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 Tbs organic no salt added butter

2-3 Tbs maple syrup (amount depending on how sweet your potatoes are)

1 Tbs cinnamon

Crumble:

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup almond meal/flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbs melted coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes and wrap them individually in foil. Place on a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.

2. Slice potatoes into large chunks and place slices in the bowl of a food processor. Add butter, syrup and cinnamon. Process until smooth. Scoop potatoes into a casserole dish.

3. In a small bowl, combing crumble ingredients. Using your hands, Crumble the topping onto the potatoes. 

4. Place dish in oven heated to 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are warm and crumble is toasted.

SPINACH SALAD WITH PEARS AND TOASTED NUTS

6 cups baby spinach

2 ripe bartlett pears, sliced

1/4 cup dried cranberries sweetened with orange juice

1/2 cup raw nuts (pecans or walnuts are my favorite)

Honey Mustard Dressing

1. In a large salad serving bowl, place spinach. Top with pears and cranberries.

2. In a small skillet, melt 1 tsp organic, unsalted butter. Add nuts. Toss and cook until lightly browned. 

Add nuts to salad. Toss and serve lightly dressed with Honey Mustard Dressing.

This beautiful slice of pie is served on my beautiful Grammy Crawley's china!

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE WITH ALMOND CRUST

I have posted this recipe before with a gluten free flour crust. Now I have upgraded it to be healthier and paleo! The crust is from Elana's Pantry and I did not even adapt it... you can't fix what isn't broken :)

Remember.. the cashews have to soak overnight so plan ahead.

1 cup raw cashews (NOT roasted or salted)

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 can (15oz) organic pumpkin puree

1 cup organic maple syrup

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Crust: 

1 1/2 cups pecans

1 egg

1 Tbs coconut flour

1/8 tsp sea salt

1. Place cashews, water and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir. Refrigerate overnight. When are you ready to bake, remove cashews from water and place in a blender. Discard water.

2. With cashews in blender, add pumpkin, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Blend until smooth.

3. For crust, place pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the texture of coarse gravel.

4. Pulse in egg, flour and salt until a ball forms. Place pecan mixture in a coconut oil greased 9 inch pie plate. Press mixture into pan and up the sides using your hands.

5. Pour pumpkin mixture into pecan pie shel. 

6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes then at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

Remove pie from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate pie for at least two hours. 

THIS IS DELICIOUS!!

SLOW COOKED APPLES WITH VANILLA COCONUT ICE CREAM

This picture does not do the deliciousness of these apples justice. I posted this recipe only a few weeks ago too.

True Paleo means no dairy. The great thing is that for special occasions there is a delicious ice cream that is made from coconut milk. It is called SO Delicious dairy free ice creams. You can buy it at our local Sprouts or Whole Foods but I have also seen it in our King Soopers (the same thing as Kroger in the South). 

30 small apples or 20 large apples

2 Tbs cinnamon (or more to taste)

1/4 cup apple cider (make sure it is natural, unfiltered and no sugar added)

1. Peel apples and cut the sides off of the core. Place apple pieces in crock pot. 

2. Add cinnamon and apple cider. Stir.

3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until falling apart tender. Serve warm over vanilla coconut ice cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

SHOPPING  LIST

• 2 1/2 - 3 lb bone in, skin on Free Range Turkey Breast
• 3 lbs Brussels Sprouts
• 6 Carrots
• 2 lbs fresh green beans
• 1 large shallot
• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 1/2 cups raw pecans
• 6 cups spinach
• 2 Bartlett Pears
• 1 can 15oz Organic Pumpkin Puree
• 1 cup raw cashews
• Fresh Apple Cider (no sugar added)
• 30 apples 
• PANTRY  LIST

• Maple Syrup
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Pepper
• Oregano
• Smoked Paprika
• Ground Coriander
• Cinnamon
• Organic Unsalted Butter
• Almond Flour/ Meal
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• Dijon Mustard
• Agave or Honey
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Coconut Flour
• Eggs
• Pumpkin Pie Spice

Coming Soon... Paleo Thanksgiving Menu

I am very excited about Thanksgiving this year. It will be very different than in the past. I will admit, although I do not like to dwell on it, I am sad because I will not be with all of my family in Alabama as I have been for the past 27 years of my life. But, my in laws are coming to Colorado, and for that I am more grateful than they will ever know. In addition to them coming, the reason I am so excited is because this will be the first Thanksgiving I host and cook! It is a cooks dream. Even before we moved out to Colorado Evan and I dreamed about what thanksgiving would often now look like for us. Our dream included a healthy, whole foods thanksgiving meal with a good hike afterwards in the beauty that surrounds us. My mother in law makes the best turkey ever (whose remains makes the best stock ever :) and I hope to twist her arm to have her cook the turkey and anything else she would like so the meal also feels like tradition to them too.

But, on to the reason for all this chatter. Since I am hosting it means I get to plan the meal and all of you are going to get to benefit from this! Next week, after much recipe testing, I will be posting a Paleo Thanksgiving Menu! You may cook one recipe from it or use the whole menu. It is up to you. May you take this opportunity to have food that makes you feel grateful for eating it and not wishing, or maybe even feeling like, you were in a coma. At the end of the day, may your cells thank you for giving them what they need on a day that is so known for abandoning all logic and, as I have seen on the internet, "gobbling til you wobble." And a little hint of the yumminess to come.... the menu contains TWO delicious desserts!

Slow Cooked AppleSauce

Above is a sneak peak of the recipe I am sharing with you today! I have been hinting for two weeks at the delicious apple recipe to come and tada.... It is applesauce. I know what you are thinking, that is baby food and I have had jarred applesauce and it is not that great. But hang in there because this is the most delicious thing I have tasted in a while, and I cook good food every night of the week.

First I want to show you the beautiful winter wonderland we had last week. It snowed Wednesday and Thursday nights. It was our first true snow since living in Colorado and it was gorgeous. As we rode to work Thursday morning I said to Evan, "I hope I always find the snow this magical." It was a mesmerizing site. The craziest part is that as I went shopping with my friend on Friday I reached out to touch some of the leftover snow on a bush. I realized that was the first time I had actually touched it! Praise God for busy days of serving. Here are a few pictures.

Sunrise after crossfit. My husband Evan out in the street with our neighbors house in the picture. He was trying to get a picture of the beautiful aspen for me. 

Aspens

Guess we will hang out on our back porch another day!

There is one more thing I want to chat about that has been on my mind. As you know, this blog is all about giving your body the foods it requires and was designed to eat. We originally came across this knowledge from Dr. James Chestnut, DC and his research on humans, genes and the wellness lifestyle (eat well, move well, think well). We immediately began to change our diet by adding even more good, whole food to the point that we now eat a "hunter gatherer diet" better known now as the paleo diet. I have been hesitant to label our diet because we do not consider it a specific diet at all, rather we eat the way we know is best for our bodies. But I do feel it would be wise for me to begin to give some guidance to my readers in addition to recipes. So, in the future you can expect more application on eating well and reference to the Paleo diet.  This recipe is a perfect example! 

Fall is apple season and slow cooking is the best way to cook. These apples are delicious and are perfect eaten still in large wedges (although they wonderfully fall apart when you touch them with your fork) or you can mash them into applesauce. These are so good I actually plan to serve them as a Paleo dessert at thanksgiving this year with coconut milk ice cream! I hope you will let me know what you think.

Also, remember you can sign up to follow this blog and receive emails of the posts!

SLOW COOKED APPLESAUCE

Serves: this makes a lot of applesauce (at least 8 cups) but my husband and I still finished the first batch in three days!

30 small apples or 20 large apples

2 Tbs cinnamon (or more to taste)

1/4 cup apple cider (make sure it is natural, unfiltered and no sugar added)

1. Peel apples and cut the sides off of the core. Place apple pieces in crock pot. 

2. Add cinnamon and apple cider. Stir.

3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

4. Eat as is or mash into applesauce with a fork or potato masher. 

Sweet Potato and Apple Sausage Hash

Hello all! I know I said I was going to post a delicious apple recipe and I have not forgotten. This is note the one I was originally talking about but is definitely one of them. The original will be coming next week when I am not too lazy to load the new pictures from this week:) But since I am too lazy it means you get to hear about this amazing recipe that is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This hash is fabulous. It is sweet and hearty all at the same time. We have literally had for all three meals of the day and often have to discuss who gets to eat the last of it. Another great thing is that it is easy!

Other than delicious hash I do not have too much to share. I did find out a few weeks ago that I will be an aunt again and am thrilled about it! I love being an aunt so much... the only thing that would make it any better would be to get to see all of my sweet family more often. We got to do some beautiful hiking yesterday and today. Fall is still alive and beautiful here and it is breathtaking. The mountains in the distance have snow on them, the skies are blue and the trees are all sorts of autumn colors. God is good.
Also our dear friends had a baby on friday and we got to go see them today. He is a beautiful baby and mom and dad are thrilled. I am grateful to have so much love and new life in my life (and delicious food :) I hope you all have a great week until next week!

SWEET POTATO AND APPLE SAUSAGE HASH

Adapted from Multiply Delicious

Serves: 3-4

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced small

1 apple, peeling optional, diced small

1 tsp cinnamon

3 links fresh chicken apple sausage from your local grocer (make sure it is fresh made in house with good chicken and no nitrates- ask for an ingredient list to check)

1/4 cup onion, diced

3-4 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tbs coconut oil. Add sweet potato, apple and cinnamon. Stir. Cook until tender- approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep potatoes from burning. 

2. Meanwhile, heat a second large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp coconut oil. Remove sausage from casings and put sausage into pan. Add onions. Cook until cooked through using a spoon to crumble sausage. Add spinach and allow to wilt- this will take 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add potatoes and apples to sausage. Stir and eat!!