Turkey Burgers by LBT

Ignore the bun in the photo...it's one pulled from the www :)

I don't eat red meat but there is something about a hamburger that just looks, smells, sounds tasty. I've found this recipe for a Turkey Burger that is more than fabulous substitute for me!

What you'll need:

• 1/2 medium white onion
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce *you can find one without HF corn syrup, etc if you don't want to make your own
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 lb lean ground turkey

What to do with it all:

1. finely chop onion and mix in a bowl with turkey, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper
2. Mix together and shape into 4 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick
3. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side over medium-high heat

Enjoy - Lisa Bender Thiel

Heather Reed's Knock Off Whole Foods Kale Salad

1 to 1.5 bunches of Kale - depends on how large the bunch is
3   TBS toasted pine nuts
3-4 TBS Chopped Cranberries
Dressing
about 1 TBS finely chopped shallot
3  TBS olive oil
1  TBS white balsamic vinegar
1  TBS lemon juice
.5 TBS honey
1  ts Dijon mustard
salt and pepper if you like

Finely chop the shallot and whisk all the dressing ingredients together.
Toast pine nuts and chop the cranberries
Wash Kale and chop/tear kale into bite size pieces. Make sure you cut off most of the thick stem. It is to bitter and tough to eat raw.
Toss everything together.
Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours, the acid in the dressing "cooks" the kale and makes it more tender.

ENJOY!

Tomato Soup--Showout Meg's version

The weather in Austin is sporadically cold but when it is I like warm soup. The other night I did not want to run to the store so I warmed up tomato sauce and added a few extra ingredients.


Tomato Soup-
Bertolli Tomato Sauce
Kalamata olives
Sauteed spinach
Avocado slices

Mexican Meatballs w/ Smoky Tomato Paste

By: Coach Crystal Nelson

Mexican Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried or 2 Tb fresh oregano
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 lb lean ground turkey
• 8 oz uncooked or cooked smoked chorizo sausage, finely chopped
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 Cup Smoky Tomato Sauce (see below)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly coat 15x10x1 inch baking pan with olive oil.
2.  In a very large bowl mix together the eggs, almond flour, chopped cilantro, garlic, oregano, 1 1/2 tsp of the chili powder, the salt, and cumin.  Add the ground turkey and chorizo sausage;  mix well.  With damp hands or a small ice cream scoop, form into 24 to 30, 1 3/4-2 inch meatballs (about 3-4 Tb).
3.  Combine oil and remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder; brush over meatballs.
4.  Bake meatballs 22 to 25 minutes or until cooked through (165 degrees on meat thermometer).  With a slotted spoon, remove meatballs to a large serving bowl; gently toss with the Smoky Tomato Sauce.  Top with cilantro leaves.
Makes 12-15 (2-meatball) servings.

Smoky Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
2 Tb Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp dried or 2 Tb chopped fresh basil
2 tsp dried or 2 Tb chopped fresh oregano
2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1.  In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, basil and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
2. Gently toss about a cup of the warm sauce with each batch of the Mexican Meatballs; pass remaining sauce.  Makes 7 cups.

3 days til Christmas - Quick and Easy Treat by LBT

Dark Chocolate Bark with Figs and Nuts

What you'll need:

• 8oz bittersweet dark chocolate baking bar
• 1/2 cup chopped figs
• 1/2 cup chopped lightly salted nuts of choice or mixed nuts
• 2 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces

What to do:

1. Melt chocolate baking bar as package directs
2. Stir fits and nuts into melted chocolate
3. Spread on foil-lined baking sheet - thickness should be about 1/4 inch
4. Chill until firm (about 30 min)
5. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over bark (I dipped a teaspoon in the chocolate to drizzle)
6. Let it chill until firm then break into small pieces

Enjoy - Lisa Bender Thiel

Pretty eggs

So this morning I had some left over veggies from the dinner the night before. I threw in some brussels sprouts, cabbage, turkey meat, and eggs to make a pretty breakfast! Basically, a gourmet meal from all leftover food. Purple and green looked yummy and pretty with my eggs and turkey meat. 

Garnish with BACON!

Butternut Squash Hashbrowns by Crystal N.

Super simple and a nice treat on Sunday morning!

What you need:

1 Butternut Squash, shredded
Olive Oil or Bacon Grease
1/2 Onion Chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
I use my food processor to shred my butternut squash but a cheese shredder works just fine. Heat a large skillet and saute the onion in the oil until soft, about 8-10 min. Then add in the squash and cook until brown on one side. You can eat them now, but I like mine brown on both sides. So flip em and when it's all crispy, serve it up!

Turkey Marinara by LBT

Turkey Marinara paired with broiled asparagus and suateed sweet potatoes in coconut oil

The first time I saw my husband make this dish - I made a face, thought he was crazy, and quickly adopted it as one of my favorites:)

It's simple and yet pairs well with any veggie and the best part - it's tastes great as lunch the next day - kill two birds with one stone!

Italian Turkey

What you'll need:

• 1lb of lean ground turkey
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce **as always few ingredients is best - no sugar - no perservatives - etc

How to prepare:

1. Brown ground turkey in a skillet on medium heat. I like to keep it covered so it doesn't dry out
2. Pour marainara sauce over meat and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes - or just enough to warm the sauce and let the flavors blend

How to eat:

• pour over spinach
• pair with your favorite green veggie
• anyway you see fit!

Enjoy - Lisa Bender Thiel

Breakfast Casserole by alex

Looking for an incredibly simple and quick breakfast?  Check out this recipe brought to from Marks Daily Apple


Ingredients:

Aprox 4 servings:

• 1 pound ground breakfast sausage or other ground meat
• 3 turnips, peeled and grated (a food processor works well for this)
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 scallions, chopped
  
  

Instructions:
Sauté sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon or spatula, until almost cooked through.
Mix the sausage with the rest of the ingredients.
Spoon into a 8×8 baking pan.
When ready to cook, heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes then cover the pan and bake for 25 minutes more. Let cool 15-20 minutes so the casserole sets before cutting into it.

15-Minute Paleo Dark Chocolate Truffles by Jess

As I always say, even though these are a healthier alternative they should still be considered a TREAT. In other words, don't eat all 12 of them ha! I know the holidays are here and it's that much harder to stay away from sweets, treats, comfort food and alcohol! So if you are dying for a treat at least you have a healthier alternative right?! Enjoy!

15-Minute Dark Chocolate Truffles (Prep and Cook Time)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted dates
3 TBS almond butter
1 TBS maple syrup
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup finely grated unsweetened coconut.

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, drop the prunes and dates through the feed hole one by one. Scrape the processor bowl and run until the prunes and dates are smooth.

Add remaining ingredients except for the coconut. Run until smooth and scrape the processor bowl with a spatula as needed.

Roll the mixture into 12 one-inch balls and roll in coconut to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Makes 12 pieces

Fried Green Tomatoes by Coach Megan

Big, red, juicy tomatoes are on sale so I bought a few. Instead of how I regular use tomatoes in a salad, I decided to make some good 'ole soul food, and it was simple.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Almond flour
Egg
coconut oil

Directions:
Dip tomato slices in egg. Shake excess egg off tomato slice. Dip in almond flour. Place breaded tomato in skillet greased with a tad bit of coconut oil to prevent sticking. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. BAM. Fried green tomatoes. I enjoyed mine with sauteed spinach and a grass-fed hamburger patty.

Pancakes!

I really miss pancakes. I mean, REALLY miss them. I have done the almond butter ones that fall apart and make you feel like you ate a brick. Then you don't eat for the rest of the day because the high content of fat makes you soooo full. I have also tried the cashew butter ones...same deal. The Primal Blueprint reciepe is PERFECT. They are coconut pancakes. It calls for no nut butter or extraordinary amount of fat to hold it together. They are fulffy and I can eat them with my hands...pancakes need no fork. Main ingredient is coconut flour. The rest of them are:

eggs
vanilla ext.
salt
baking powder
water
honey- I did not add this in the batter, used it for syrup. You don't even need it though. 

DONE! They are amazing and the FIRST REAL treat meal that actually tastes like the REAL THING! I really miss pancakes. I mean, REALLY miss them. I have done the almond butter ones that fall apart and make you feel like you ate a brick. Then you don't eat for the rest of the day because the high content of fat makes you soooo full. I have also tried the cashew butter ones...same deal. The Primal Blueprint reciepe is PERFECT. They are coconut pancakes. It calls for no nut butter or extraordinary amount of fat to hold it together. They are fulffy and I can eat them with my hands...pancakes need no fork. Main ingredient is coconut flour. The rest of them are:

eggs
vanilla ext.
salt
baking powder
water
honey- I did not add this in the batter, used it for syrup. You don't even need it though. 

DONE! e am

azing and the FIRST REAL treat meal that actually tastes like the REAL THING! 

Crystal Nelson's Rosemary Garlic Pork Tenderloin

This is my all time Winter favorite at the moment!  It's so simple and makes everything smell fantastic in your house.

What you need:

1 1/2- 2lbs Pork Tenderloin
Minced Garlic (about 2 cloves or more if you love garlic as much as I do!)
About 3 Tb Olive Oil
1 Tb of Rosemary (dried or fresh)
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

To Make:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Add 1 tsp of oil to a saute pan and bring to medium high heat.
Brown pork tenderloin on all sides.  Remove and place in baking dish.
Combine Olive Oil, Rosemary, and Garlic, blend well.
Rub mixture over entire pork tenderloin.
Top with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Bake for 18-24 minutes or until no longer pink in center.

Easy and done in less than 30 minutes!

Vanilla Nut Nog leftovers = Vanilla Pumpkin Muffins by LBT

Ok ok so your holiday parties are coming up and you have the Vanilla Nut Nog recipe ready but need to know what to do with all the 'leftovers' from the Brazil nut and date mixture! I've got the answer.
Vanilla Pumpkin Muffins!!

Ingredients: makes about 12 muffins

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup honey - I used honey one batch and Molasses for another. The Molasses WINS!!!
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla (yes, the "leftover" mixture has a vanilla flavor already but I added a bit more)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups Brazil Nut/Date flour from Nut Nog**If you are not using leftovers from last week's Vanilla Nut Nog recipe, simply use 2 1/2 cups of almond flour, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup chopped dates or raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine everything EXCEPT nut flour (**walnuts and dates)
3. Stir in nut flour until well combined (**walnuts and dates)
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups and press down any bumps on the tops before baking
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

The Vanilla Nut Nog leftovers were enough to make 2 batches and the batch with the Molasses was by far the most popular with the CrossFit Central crew!

The honey muffin is the one on the left - molasses on the right, darker color but super moist!

NO-Oat Oatmeal from Jess

I use to eat oatmeal ALL the time! It was my favorite "healthy" breakfast and was so sad to give it up once I started eating more Paleo. My mom forwarded me this recipe and it's AWESOME! If you haven't tried it yet, give it a whirl! Enjoy!!

"Paleo No-Oat Oatmeal"
INGREDIENTS:
1 small handful of walnuts
1 small handful of pecans
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened so-delicious coconut milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny)
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
1 handful of goji berries or fresh berries

DIRECTIONS:
Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor/blender and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs and almond milk until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard.

Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.

Stir in the nut mixture.

Microwave or gently warm on the stove until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes.

In both cases, stir the mixture frequently as it cooks.

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top.

Add more milk if you want.

Lick the bowl clean!

Left Over Delight By Heather Reed

Needed a quick breakfast and only had left overs to my name, this was the best dish I had all week!  The best part is that it took less than 5 minutes to make.

2 eggs

4 strips of chicken from My Fit Food

6 pieces of mixed zucchini and squash

1 Cup left over Kale Recipe

1/2 avocado 

all cooked in coconut oil

Move Over Paula Dean

Grandma's Easy BBQ Pork

(brought to you by the one and only Primal Blueprint Cookbook)

(Picture shown without the sauce)

This recipe is super easy, and like the other one I submitted can be cooking in the oven while you do things around the house, or even around town!

Ingredients: (feel free to cut in half if desired -Recipe serves 8)

-1 Tablespoon olive oil or high quality lard

-8 Pork chops or about 4 lbs. of pork shoulder roast (bone in)

-1 small onion, finely chopped

- 1/2c. ketchup (for primal recipe click on the link) *I used Central Market organic ketchup*

- 1 c. water

- 1/3 c. vinegar

- 1 teaspoon of sea salt

- 1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Brown meat on both sides in fat/oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or pan that can be used on the stove and in the oven.

3. When meat has browned, remove from heat and pour mixture over meat.

4. Cover with lid or foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours for chops and 2 1/2 hours for roast.  Add water halfway through, if necessary.

5. Remove bay leaf, transfer chops or roast to a warm plate, pour sauce over meat and EAT!

The sauce is what really makes the meat, and the pork pulls apart so easily; you don't even need a knife!

I served this with the Bacon Broccoli Salad (submitted by Karen) and both were deeeeelicious!

Snack Dinner

I had a MONSTER salad for lunch and still was not starving at dinner. I opted for "snack night" at the Cardella house. That always means salted nuts ( oohhhh dare devil), package of cocktail shrimp, and some wine! simple, fast, and yummy.

Crystal Nelson's Bison Tacos

We live in Austin, and sometimes you just crave Mexican food.  This is a favorite cuisine for me growing up where you are surrounded with enchiladas, breakfast tacos, and queso.

This was made on a whim and it was GREAT!  Usually the best recipes are the ones you throw together, so experiment in your kitchen.  Odd combination's make your palate happy and keeps things interesting!

Ingredients:
1lb Ground Bison
1-2 Yellow Squash (diced in tiny pieces)
About a Cup of Fresh Salsa (or more!)
Lettuce Wraps
Avocado
Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat Olive Oil in pan and cook bison until almost done.  Add in diced squash, continue to cook until squash is tender.  Add in salsa and let cook for an additional few minutes so that everything soaks together.

Serve meat in a lettuce wrap and top with fresh avocado.  YUM!

Tis the season for Vanilla Nut Nog by LBT

Do you love Egg Nog but need a healthier alternative this holiday season?
If you have some time for preparation (about 1 hour) and a good sense of humor then I've found the perfect recipe for you! I tried this recipe out with my sister and a few friends a couple weeks ago. DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:
5 cups Brazil nuts
30 -40 medjool dates (pitted)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract (or 5 vanilla beans)
9 -11 cups water
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
grated nutmeg

Directions:
1 Soak Brazil nuts in water to cover 8-12 hours.

2 In separate bowl, soak dates and vanilla beans (or extract) together in water to cover 8-12 hours.

3 Drain Brazil nuts, rinse, and drain again.

4 Remove dates and vanilla from water and add enough more water to equal 10 cups.

5 Pour water into blender, add nuts, and process til smooth.

6 Add dates, vanilla, and cinnamon to blender and process til smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally with a spatula.

7 The mixture will be thick. If you want it thinner, add more water and process again.

8 Taste and add more dates, vanilla, or cinnamon if desired and blend again til smooth.

9 Place a nut milk bag in a large bowl, pour in the nog in batches and gently squeeze out the liquid. Pour into clear cups and dust with nutmeg. I used cheese cloth because I couldn't find a "nut milk bag"......I think this is one of the reasons my version was so labor intensive.

10 NOTE: if you don't have a high-speed blender, make the nog in small batches. I strongly suggest this - I didn't do it and it was a pain! Here is the ratio for 1-2 servings:. 1/2 c Brazil nuts (soaked 8-12 hours) 4 pitted Medjool dates AND. 13 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 tsp extract(soaked with dates 8-12 hours) a pinch of cinnamon - enough water added to the date soaking water to equal 1 cup.

I was a skeptic for sure - how could something as silly sounding as "Nut Nog" take the place of creamy, sweet, sugary Egg Nog? Much to my surprise and the surprise of my not so Paleo guests, it was delicious (even before we peppered our drinks with whiskey!)

After you've squeezed out all the Vanilla Nut Nog you're also left with about 5 cups of Brazil nut and date "flour". I couldn't stand the thought of wasting it - Next week I'll post the muffin recipe I created to make the most of my Brazil nut purchase!

Butternut Squash Soup by Alex

It is getting cold outside!  Tomorrow is going to be even colder.....So, my go to is Soup!  The only way to avoid all those extra ingredients and sodium found in store bought soup is to make your own.  Here is a recipe for a delicious butternut squash soup brought to you by Balanced Bites

Ingredients:

1 Butternut squash, roasted

1 Tbsp bacon fat, coconut oil or ghee

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed

celtic sea salt

2 pinches of dry sage

black pepper

16oz chicken or vegetable broth

2 Tbsp coconut milk (optional but recommended)

2 Tbsp water (or more for thinner soup)

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Halve the squash and place it face down in a glass or ceramic roasting dish about 30-55 minutes. After the squash has been roasting for about 20 minutes, begin to cook the rest of the soup ingredients on the stove-top. 

Use a large pot and sautée the bacon fat and onions until the onions begin to brown on the edges. Then place the garlic in with the onions and add salt, sage and pepper. Allow this to cook for just couple of minutes to take the edge off of the raw garlic then add your chicken stock, coconut milk and water.

By now your squash should be roasted and you can add it to the mixture and stir together. When it's combined, add the orange juice as the last thing you do before you turn off the heat. 

Allow the soup to cool a bit and then pour it into a blender and whir it up until it's smooth. Be careful not to fill the blender to the top when you're blending hot liquids as the steam tends to expand the liquid when you blend it - blend in batches if necessary.

This makes 4-6 servings depending on how big you serve up the bowl!

Salmon for Breakfast? Yes! By Jess

I often hear clients say the hardest part about going Paleo is breakfast. Traditionally breakfast is thought of as starchy carbs such as cereal, oatmeal, bagels and more. When people switch to paleo eating eggs every single morning can get boring. So don't!!! Mix it up just like any other meal. One of my favorites is a few pieces of smoked salmon with 2 sides...1/2 a pear and 1 Tbs. Nut Butter of your choice. This breakfast is loaded with healthy Omega3s and a perfect balance of protein, carb and fat!

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 oz Smoked Salmon
1/2 Pear or Apple
1 Tbs. Nut Butter (Almond, Walnut, Cashew, etc.)

Deviled Eggs by Coach Megan Parsons

I made Deviled eggs for a Thanksgiving appetizer. Total success and pretty simple to prepare if you already have the Paleo Mayo whipped up. This morning I ate a few Deviled eggs along side sauteed spinach for breakfast.

PALEO MAYO

Ingredients: (makes about 1 cup to 1 1/4 cup)

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp mustard
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil

Technique:

1. Put the yolks in a bowl with the mustard and 1 tsp lemon juice
2. Start whisking vigorously (blender or food processor on low) while dripping the oil very slowly, even drop by drop in the beginning. You’re creating an emulsion and if you put too much oil at once, it will separate and will be very hard to save. Whisk non-stop and use a towel under the bowl to help stabilize it. Mys sister helped me here!
3. As you add more oil, the emulsion will form and the mayonnaise will start to thicken and you can pour the oil faster at this point.
4. When all the oil is incorporated and the mayonnaise is thick, add the rest of the lemon juice and taste your creation. You can season to taste with salt and pepper.

DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup Paleo Mayo (see above)
• 1 TB mustard
• 1 TB cumin
• 3 slices bacon
• Paprika for garnish
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon slices until crispy. Let cool.
2. Crumble the bacon to small bits.
3. Place eggs in a pot filled with cold water.
4. Bring to a boil and let boil for 12 minutes. After the 12 minutes, remove from the heat, drain and run some cold water immediately on the eggs. The cold water will cool the eggs so you can work with them and will also stop the cooking process.
5. Once the eggs are cold enough to handle, peel them and cut them in half.
6. Scoop out the yolks and mash them in a bowl with the mayo, mustard, bacon bits, cumin, salt, & pepper.
7. Spoon the yolk, mayo, and bacon filling into the egg whites.
8. Garnish with paprika.

Bacon Broccoli Salad

Bacon Broccoli Salad

By Coach Karen

(Primal Blueprint Cookbook p.139)

Ingredients:
2 cups of hommade mayonnaise (see below)
2-3 tablespoons raw honey, grad B pure mable syrup, or coconut/palm sugar
1-3 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar, preferable raw (may be ommitted)
10 slices of cooked bacon, cooked or crubled into bit-size pieces
2lbs of fresh broccoli (about 2-3 large crowns), rinsed well and cut into small florets about the size of a walnut or smaller
1 cut nuts, chopped coarsely (try almonds or walnuts)
1/2 cup assorted raisins or dried fruit, or 1 cup cut up fresh fruit: grapes, cherries, blue berries, or chopped apples (optional)


Insctuctions:
Combine mayo and honey or maple syrup in a large bowl and mix well (adjust sweet-tart taste with cider vinegar). Add bacon, borccoli, nuts, and dried fruit (if using) and mix until everythign is evenly distributed and coated with dressing. Flavor is best if allowed marinate in the fridgerator or on ice in a cooler at least a few hours.

Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
1 whole egg or 2 egg yolks
2-3 table sppons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash of paprika
Pinch of salt
3/4 to 1 cup pur olive oil (not that extra virgin olive oil can create a very bitter flavor when blended with an electrice device. Eitehr use refined or "light" olive oil, or blend with a whisk instead of an electric device)

Instructions:
Place egg, vinegar, paprika, and salt int eh container you will whisk it in. I fyou are using a hand-held or "stick" immersion blender, make sure the container is tall enough to prevent splattering yet wide enough to accommodate the immersion blender. Drizzle the oil in while blending. If sing a hand-held whisk, a glass or stainles steel bowl works best. Measure 1 cup oil into sperate container, ideally with a good pouring lip. Whisk or blend the egg misture for 10 sec. while continuing to whisk, begin to slowly drizzle oil into the container in a very thin, steady stream, no thicker than pencil lead. When about half the oile is mixed in, the mayonaise will start to thicken and take shape. Continue blending and drizzling until the oil is gone, or until no mroe oil will disappear into the emulsion. Season to taste with more salt if necessary. If the emulsion shoudl seperate, add1 teaspoon water or vinegar and whisk again briefly.

Crystal Nelson's Cinnamon Walnut Turtles

Happy Thanksgiving!!! It's very likely you are already enjoying some other treats, but I thought that this might be an easy dish to take to a party as an appetizer or simple dessert.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Walnuts
1 Cup Raw Honey
1/2 Cup of Cinnamon
1 Tsp of Vanilla Extract

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix honey, cinnamon and vanilla into paste. Stir in walnuts and thoroughly coat. Form into small clusters and dehydrate for at least 24 hours. You can also bake 20-30 minutes if you don't have a dehydrator.

Your new Thanksgiving Sweet Potato dish by LBT

Yes, we're gonna consider sweet potatoes Paleo - especially since it's Thanksgiving!

What You Need
• 3 pounds sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 head radicchio, chopped - No, I didn't know what this was either...but you can find it!

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and roasted - about 10 minutes on 325 in the oven if you wanna make your own without all the added 'stuff'

Dressing
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced aka minced for all you chef's out there!
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to Make it
1. Boil peeled and chopped sweet potatoes in large pot until tender. Drain water off when cooked.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil, honey, jalapeño, salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked sweet potatoes with chopped radicchio, cilantro and roasted walnuts. Toss gently with dressing and serve!

Coconut Macadamia Bark-by Coach Alex

photo: Coconut macadamia, Coconut macadamia and blue berries and coconut peppermint chocolate and macadamia bark

The sugary season is upon us!  It is also the season of giving, so try this paleo treat and bring some along to your parties!
Below is the instructions for the coconut macadamia bark but don't be afraid to have fun and try some variations.


Ingredients:
1/3 Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)
1 cup Coconut Oil
2/3 Macadamia Nuts

Instructions
Mix together oil, coconut flakes and nuts. Line a pan or plate with parchment paper.  Pour the oil mixture onto the parchment paper. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. Break apart into pieces of bark. Store in the freezer.

Paleo-ISH Pumpkin, Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jess

Mmm, 3 of my favorite things, pumpkin, coconut and chocolate!! Even though these are a healthier option they should still be considered a TREAT! Enjoy =)


INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Canned Pureed Pumpkin
1 Large Egg
1 C. Turbinado Sugar
6 Tbs. Coconut Oil
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
2 C. Hazlenut Flour
1 C. Shredded Coconut
1 C. Dark Chocolate Chips



DIRECTIONS:

*Pre-Heat oven to 375

1. In a large bowl beat all of the wet ingredients until mixed with no lumps.

2. Add Flour, Coconut and Chocolate Chips and stir until mixed.

3. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and bake 14-16 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and ENJOY! Mmmmm

Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi by Coach Megan

Almond-Crusted Mahi Mahi
1 Mahi Mahi fillet
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp of almond flour
Salt & pepper for seasoning

Mahi Mahi was on sale at Sun Harvest so I stocked up. Melt the coconut oil in the skillet place the fillet on the skillet and sear 1 min on each side then add the almond flour to one side and continue to grill. I sauteed onions, spinach, and asparagus with my meal.

The fish tasted similar to fried fish without all the trans fats.

Lunch To Go by JenC

Today I needed some food at the gym! I dropped into People's Pharmacy across from Central Market on Lamar and got this great salad. I added the gluten free tuna salad and had a great lunch...with bacon!

Crystal Nelson's Egg-licious Recipe

The last few weeks I have cut back drastically on my egg intake.  Now, eggs feel like a special treat that I get to eat a couple of times a week!  That means that I want to make my eggs feel special!

This is my go-to egg breakfast dish.  It doesn't take a lot of time and gets you off to a good start!

Ingredients:
Eggs
Kale
Garlic
Bacon
Fresh Salsa

Directions:
Cook bacon and remove from pan.  Set aside and cut into bite sized pieces.
Throw torn kale into bacon grease and cook.  About 30 seconds later throw in chopped garlic.  Cook to your preference.

Add in bacon and eggs.  Let eggs sit and cook until slightly firm, then stir everything together to finish cooking.

Add salsa and mix together cooking another 20-30 seconds.  Voila!  Enjoy!

K.I.S.S: BenderThiel Green Drink

This Green Drink isn't a new one for many of you and a few of you may have tried this recently when I posted it to my blog. However, I this one is so delicious and simple, I think we should share it with everyone!


1/3 can coconut milk
1/2 avocado
1/2 cucumber - skin and all!
Handful of spinach
2-3 stalks of Kale
1-2 stalks of celery
Splash of lemon juice
Squeeze of honey
2-3 dashes of cinnamon
Splash of Vanilla
1 serving of Paleo Meal protein powder

Put all of the above in a blender with enough water for it to "blend". I like to blend ice in mine to make it really tasty.

Sounds like an odd combo of goodies, right?! Don't take it form me - to try it for yourself.
It's surprisingly refreshing and sweet :)

Coconut Crusted Chicken with a Side of asparagus and Spinach Salad by Coach Alex

 

photo compliments of my PT Client Yvonne Para.  She is on the last week of her 21 day paleo challenge and loving it! GO YVONNE

Coconut Crusted Chicken

 Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 to 1 teaspoon coconut oil or enough to just coat the bottom of a heavy skillet

 

Instructions

Whisk egg with water in a flat dish and set aside.

Place chicken pieces individually between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet pound the chicken to uniform sized pieces. Uniform pieces allow for even cooking.

Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture until coated.

Place chicken in coconut and turn until coated evenly.

In the meantime heat the coconut oil in a heavy skillet. Place the chicken pieces in the skillet and cook until coconut is browned and chicken liquid runs clear flipping once. Cooking takes about 3-4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the meat. Serve with a salad and a Grilled Pineapple slice.

Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp thyme

Instructions

1. Remove the tough ends off of the asparagus.
2. Place in a roasting pan
3. Drizzle the oil and thyme over the asparagus and toss together until well coated.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250 for 15 more minutes.

Quick and Easy Paleo Chili by Jess

Sunday was cold and gloomy and I was craving something warm and cozy so decided to make Chili and it was delicious! Great things about making chili:

1. It's not time consuming!
2. Buying the ingredients is relatively inexpensive
3. It makes a TON so you have lots of meals for the week or great for a big family!

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Organic Grass fed Beef
2 Large Cans Organics Tomato Sauce
1 Small Can Organics Stewed Tomatoes
Chopped Onions
Chopped Carrots
Chopped Celery
Chopped Red Bell Pepper
Sliced Mushrooms
Coconut Oil
Sliced Jalapeno
1 Box DL Jardine's Chili Seasoning Kit
Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan brown beef, onions, salt and pepper

2. Sautee Celery, Carrots, Bell Peppers and Mushrooms in 1 Tbs. Coconut Oil

3. In a large pot pour in tomato sauces and then add the meat, vegetables, jalapeno and seasonings. Stir and let simmer for 30 mins.

Paleo Pizza

Paleo Pizza

by Karen

This pizza version removes the grain and dairy and still taste good! This is a basic pizza recipe. You can alter it and add whatever veggies and meats that you like to make your favorite style of pizza.
Ingredients
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup almond flour
3 Tbs cashew butter
1/3 cup egg whites
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped red pepper
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 large Italian sausage, cut in 1/2" slices
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed

Instructions
Mix almond flour, cashew butter, and egg whites in a small bowl. This makes the dough.
Cover a pizza baking sheet with 2 tsp of olive oil, then spread the "dough" mixture over it, making a 1/4" thick crust. Preheat the oven to 250 F. In a skillet, add the remaining olive oil and the sliced sausage. Once browned remove from skillet and place in small bowl. Add the garlic, onions, and red pepper to the skillet. Sauté the veggies shortly. You do not want them to be too soft.
Cover the dough with the marinara sauce, then add the meat and all the vegetables except the tomatoes. Add the oregano and fennel seed, then bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, add the halved tomatoes. Make sure to be careful when lifting slices off the pan. The dough will be be as thick as normal so make sure to use a spatula.
Makes 4 servings.

OMG this is amazing!! I have made it a few different ways! I have even used almond butter vs cashew butter and I can't taste the difference. I would recommend cooking the crust for a few mins before you add in all the toppings. It will make it easier to removed from the pan when comes time to eat! Enjoy!

Homemade Cobb Salad

One of my favorite things to order at Central Market is the Cobb Salad, minus the blue cheese and ranch dressing.  I usually get it to-go so I can weigh and measure everything to make sure it's zone-paleo friendly.  Here's my homemade version of the Cobb salad.

What You Will Need:

- Chicken breasts, grilled or baked (however you prefer)

- Nitrate Free, applewood smoked bacon ( I usually buy Applegate Farms)

- Mixed salad greens

- Avocado

- Boiled eggs

- Olives (rinsed and drained)

- Cherry tomatoes

The great thing about this recipe is there is no magical way to make it; except for the few following steps:

1. Grill or bake chicken breasts

2. Cook the bacon until crispy

3. Cut up avocado, dice the boiled eggs, halve the cherry tomatoes, rinse the olives

4. Measure out your blocks for each ingredient and toss all together!

Sometimes the avocado, olives, and tomatoes make enough moisture that you don't really need any dressing.  But feel free to use whatever dressing or oils you normally do and enjoy!

Heather Reed's Fab Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

I LOVE kale and here this is just one more tasty way for me to get it in and have a salty crunchy treat!!!!