Easy Zoodles

It's been awhile but I'm getting back on track and wanting to share my meals with you.

It's been hot here so I haven't been willing to turn on the oven.  Needless to say, we've been having a lot of salads.  Well, this one was easy and didn't take very long on the stove.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 zucchini, zoodled (this is the spiralizer I use)
• handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• gorgonzola, optional

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp.  Drain most of the bacon fat.
2. Sprinkle zucchini zoodles with salt and let sit for about 20 min to release the water.
3. Add zoodles to bacon pan, toss to coat, and cook for about 1-2 min.  Zoodles should still be crispy.
4. Plate with chopped tomatoes and gorgonzola on top. 

Crockpot Stuffing

I know. I know. But seriously, this is an amazing recipe.  It's easy, doesn't take up any room in your already packed oven, and is delicious!

Ingredients:

Photo: Serious Eats

• 1 C butter
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 2 C chopped celery
• 2T chopped fresh parsley
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 12-13 C slightly dry gluten free bread, cubed
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 t dried sage
• 1 t dried thyme
• 1/2 t ground marjoram
• 2 - 2 1/2 C chicken or bone broth
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Photo: Serious Eats

1. Melt butter in a large skillet and sauté onion, celery, parsley, and mushrooms, until onions are translucent.
2. Add bread cubes to a large bowl and add butter mixture.
3. Add all the seasonings as toss well.
4. Pour in enough broth to moisten bread cubes.
5. Add beaten eggs and mix well.
6. Pack lightly into a well buttered slow cooker.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serves 6.

Whole30 Day 13: BLATs

Bacon Lettuce Avocado Tomato - easy, delicious, quick, yummy.  This time I turned my avos into guacamole (smashed and added salt, pepper, garlic powder) because that is the only way Cooper will eat them.  I used baby heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joe's and Niman Ranch bacon.

Whole30 Day 8: No-Taco Tuesday

Tonight's dinner was inspired by my sister-in-law's take on Non-Taco Tuesday. Check out her instagram and more delicious paleo plates.

• Start with any fresh greens
• Top with fresh or grilled veggies: bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, etc.
• Add seasoned grass-fed ground beef: as you're cooking your beef add cumin, sea salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, etc.
• Top with pico de gallo and guacamole

Super easy and super yum!

Chocolate Pie

Photo: Paleo Magazine

Paleo Magazine's, Oct/Nov 2013 issue gives us this amazing chocolate pie with a raw graham cracker-like crust.  It is so easy to make and so delicious you'll be proud to serve it to guests.  It offers a perfect ending to any meal.

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnut halves and pieces
• 1/4 cup soft, pitted Medjool dates
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut cream*
• 1/2 cup soft, pitted Medjool dates
• 3 oz dark chocolate, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

* use the cream at the top of a can of separated full-fat coconut milk that has been refrigerated over night or "Let's Do...Organic" brand organic coconut cream.

Directions:

1. To make the crust, in a food processor with an "S" blade purée all crust ingredients for about 20 seconds or until very fine.
2. Transfer the crust mixture to a glass pie dish and press it across the bottom and halfway up the sides.
3. Rinse the food processor.
4. In a small saucepan heat the coconut cream just slightly.
5. In the food processor add the heated coconut cream to the remaining filling ingredients and purée for 1 minute or until the filling is dark and completely smooth.
6. Pour the filling over the crust and chill to set.
7. Store the pie at room temperature.

Butter-Basted Cod and Vegetable Rice

Yum! Light and delicious! I'm really proud of myself.  I feel like I got all fancy with my cooking but it was super easy.

Vegetable Rice

Ingredients:

• chopped vegetables du jour - I used green onion, zucchini, and broccoli
• white jasmine rice
• butter
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare rice as directed.  I added a tablespoon of butter to the water when I put in the rice.
2. While rice is cooking,  heat a skillet with a couple tablespoons of butter.
3. Add vegetables and stir fry until cooked through and still crispy.
4. When rice is finished add to vegetable skillet and combine over low heat.  
5. Add more butter and salt to taste.

Butter-Basted Cod

Ingredients:

• wild-caught cod fillets
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 tablespoon butter
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon thyme
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a skillet heat ghee on medium-high heat.
2. Add fillets.
3. Using a large spoon, baste fillets with ghee by tilting the pan, filling the spoon with liquid, and pouring it over the fish.
4. Continue for a couple of minutes then flip fillets.
5. Baste again for a couple of minutes, until cooked through.
6. Remove fillets to serving dish.
7. Add lemon juice, butter, thyme, and salt to ghee.
8. Pour lemon butter over fillets.
9. Serve over vegetable rice and pour remaining liquid over both.

Pancakes My Kids Will Eat

Pancakes were a staple in our house before drastically changing our diet.  My husband made waffles or pancakes every other day.  I don't think I'm exaggerating, either.  I've tried many pancake recipes and I either got a, "no way" or "eh, it's ok".  I stopped trying for a long time and now I've stumbled on a new recipe.  Last week when I made them before school, both kids had seconds! 

Photo: Real Food Made Easy

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut nectar or honey
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Using a blender is fast and makes for easy pouring.
• Allow batter to sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
• Melt butter in a frying pan or griddle and pour in pancake batter to the size of pancakes you desire.
• When the batter bubbles on top, flip over and continue cooking for about 30 seconds.
• Top with grass-fed butter and Grade B 100% pure maple syrup.

Bacon Garlic Green Beans

Photo: Galonamission

Easy and super yummy.  This will round out our Thanksgiving dinner nicely and won't take up any precious oven space.

Ingredients:

2 lbs organic green beans, ends trimmed
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-5 garlic cloves, chopped or 1T garlic powder
2T butter
Salt to taste

Directions:

• In a large pot boil water and add salt. 
• Add green beans to salted boiling water and parboil for about 5 minutes or until softened but still crunchy. 
• Drain green beans.
• Melt butter in a skillet and add garlic.
• Add green beans and toss to evenly coat.
• Add salt to taste.
• Top with bacon and serve.

Bison and Sweet Potato Chili

I love chili.  It really hits the spot when I'm craving comfort foods.  This is an amazing recipe from Paleo Girl that my whole family loves.  You don't have to use Bison but grass-fed bison is a great, low-fat meat option.  Tonight I'm using lamb because I have it on hand.  Any ground meat will work but I hope it's grass-fed...

If you want your chili to be more spicy, follow Paleo Girl's recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground buffalo (or ground meat of choice)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Brown your ground meat in a stock pot. Once browned remove it with a slotted spoon leaving any drippings in the pot.
2. Add the coconut oil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes stirring often. Add the onion and continue cooking until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Next add remaining ingredients except for cilantro.
5. Let simmer for about 10 minutes so that the flavors can meld together.
6. Stir in the cilantro right before serving.

• Skill Level: Easy

Easy Tacos

 Sometimes you just don't feel like cooking.  This can barely be called cooking.

1 lb Trader Joe's grass-fed ground beef
Trader Joe's Salsa Verde
Trader Joe's Just the Leaves Romaine (bummer, not organic)
Trader Joe's organic cherry tomatoes
Organic avocados
Organic Pastures Raw Milk Cheddar Cheese

I sauteed the ground beef, drained the juices, and added cumin, sea salt, and salsa verde to taste (I don't use too much because my 10-year old is not a huge fan).


I put everything is separate bowls and called the kids to build their own tacos.

Another 2-thumbs up family favorite!