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 10: Zoodles Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara is probably my favorite pasta dish.  I love the richness of the egg and the saltiness of the bacon.  Fortunately, this dish is still very yummy plus it's good for you.  Bonus: it's quick and easy, too!

Photo: http://www.insulinresistancerecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini, spiraled or julienned
• 6 pieces of bacon, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Cook bacon, add garlic, and cook for just a few seconds.
2. Add zoodles and cook for a couple minutes
3. Add in eggs and stir to coat evenly.
4. Enjoy!

Whole30 Day 7: Teriyaki Pineapple Burgers

Whole30 Day 6 was leftover Pepperoni Spaghetti Pie.  Day 7 was an amazing, delicious treat! Thank you, whole30recipes, for this one!

Photo: whole30recipes

I pretty much followed her recipe exactly except I grilled my onions.

Actually, I added extra bacon fat.  This is what I did:

1. cooked my bacon, poured off most of the bacon fat
2. sautéed my mushrooms in the bacon fat, set aside in a bowl
3. added more bacon fat to the pan, grilled my onions, set aside in a bowl
4. added more bacon fat to the pan, grilled my pineapple, set aside
5. then grilled my burgers

It really is so yummy!!!

Get the whole recipe on instagram: whole30recipes, August 14, 2014

Whole30 Day 3: OMG Sliders

Photo: whole30recipes

This is amazing! Thank you whole30 for this recipe.  I followed the recipe pretty much.  I just substitued turkey for leftover "beer can" chicken and avocados for guacamole.  Delicious!!

For the recipe visit whole30recipes on Instagram, August 27, 2014 and while you're at it, visit the whole30 website.

By the way, I've never made my sweet potatoes this way.  Why the heck not?  I'm thinking every time I cook bacon, I'm making these potatoes, too.  Yum!!

Flourless Mocha-Bacon Brownies

Nineteen years ago today my husband did the greatest thing - he proposed to me!  Thankfully, I was smart enough to say, "YES"!

In honor of our good choices, 19 years ago, I made my husband a batch of these to-die-for-brownies from Diane Sanfilippo's book Practical Paleo.  Now don't just copy the recipes from my blog.  Go out and buy the book yourself.  It is chock full of information along with great recipes like this one.

Photo: Practical Paleo

Ingredients:

• 4oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons very strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons fine coffee grounds
• 2 slices cooked bacon, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine chocolate, butter, maple syrup, and eggs.
3. Slowly sift in the cocoa and mix to combine.
4. Add coffee and coffee grounds and mix to combine.
5. Spread into a parchment lined brownie pan.
6. Top with chopped bacon.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Dust with cocoa powder.

Did you notice this recipe is grain free? It is also FODMAPs free!

Enjoy, we did!

My Paleo Valentine

My friend, Kindra, is a paleoista and an amazing blogger.  With Valentine's Day around the corner, this is perfect timing.  I'm super grateful.  Thanks, friend!

My Paleo Valentine! 12 Chocolate Recipes to Melt Your Lover’s Heart!

Standard Warning: CHOCOLATE ON THE BRAIN!

Let’s talk Valentine’s Day, shall we? It’s about a week away, and since my hubby will be gone the 13th and 14th, we’ll be celebrating even earlier. Never too soon to be thinking of your one true love on a completely manufactured, made-up, marketing scheme of a holiday. All skepticism aside, I will be making him some fun goodies to take to the fire station to share. Here’s a few ideas I gathered that could all be thought of as Valentine treats, which dials down to “chocolate covered.”

Chocolate Covered Strawberries!


Chocolate Covered Bacon


Paleo Chocolate Magic Shell


Dark Chocolate Covered Hasselbacks!


Gingerbread Cake Pops with Dark Cacao Frosting


Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies!


Paleo Mug Cake


Gingerbread Pumpkin Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze


Best Ever Paleo Lava Mug Cake


Dark Cacao and Bulletproof Coffee Nutella


Almond Flour Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies


Nutella Croissants

Pancake Bacon Strips

Photo: blog.chefuniforms.com

What a delicious way to start (or end) your day.  Try this with Pancakes My Kids Will Eat from my earlier post.

Guess what we're having for breakfast on Saturday.

Thanksgiving 2013 Menu

This year our Thanksgiving will be a much needed low-key, super mellow family day.  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 HCSB

Our menu:

Alton's Roast Turkey 

see recipe below

Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash

Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

 Bacon Garlic Green Beans

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

Apple Crumble

Good Eats Roast Turkey with minor modifications:

Photo: Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1 14-16 lb frozen organic, free range turkey

For the brine:

•  1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 gallon bone broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 sage leaves
• melted butter

Directions - 2 to 3 days before roasting:

1. Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38˚F.
2. Combine the bone broth, salt, coconut sugar, allspice berries, and ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil.  Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
3. The night before combine the brine, water, and ice in a 5-gallon bucket.  Place the thawed turkey (innards removed) breast side down in brine.  If necessary. weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in a cool area for 8 - 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Directions - day of:

1. Preheat oven to 500˚F.  Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.  Discard the brine.
2. Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage.  Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with melted butter.
4. Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500˚F for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover breasts with a double layer of foil.  Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F.  Set the thermometer alarm to 161˚F.  A 14-16 lb bird should require a total of 2- 2/12 hours of roasting.  
5. Let turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.

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.

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Thanks to PreppyPaleo for the inspiration for this delicious side dish.  We have officially added this accompaniment to our Thanksgiving lineup.  My husband loved it so much he had it again for lunch the next day.

Photo: Preppy Paleo

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. raw honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Salad:

6 cups mixed greens
4 cups chopped root vegetables - beet, parsnip, sweet potato, carrot
2 tablespoons unsweetened apple cider
1 tablespoon melted butter

salt to taste

4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425˚F.
• Toss root vegetables with cider and butter. Season with salt and bake for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.
• While vegetables are roasting combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
• Cook bacon until crispy and crumble.
• Toss mixed greens with dressing, top with root vegetables, bacon, and almonds.

Bacon Butternut Squash Soufflé

Thanks to PaleOMG for the inspiration for this one.  This would be a nice addition to your side dishes but also a great post-Thanksgiving creation using leftover mashed yams or sweet potatoes.

Photo: PaleOMG

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, or yam, pureed
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 heaping tablespoon arrowroot starch
• 4 slices of bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• butter
  

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 400˚F.

2.    Cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate with a paper towel.

3.    Add puree, 1T bacon fat, and egg yolks to the food processor. Puree until smooth, pour into a large bowl.

4.    Heat 1T bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic and shallots.

5.    Cook until shallots are tender and translucent.

6.    Add shallots, bacon, arrowroot starch, herbs, salt and pepper to the bowl of puree and mix well.

7.    In a separate large bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold egg whites into your squash bowl until no white streaks remain.

8.    Grease a glass baking dish with butter and pour in mixture. 

9.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Braised Short Ribs

So amazing!

Photo: Primal Palate

Here's my slight variation on Primal Palate's recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 pieces bacon, crumbled, reserve grease
• 1 1/2 Tbsp bacon fat
• ¾ cup beef broth or bone broth
• 8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 3/4 lb beef short ribs, about 8 ribs
• 1/2 tsp salt, to taste

Directions

1.    Cook bacon in a heavy skillet on medium heat until crispy.

2.    Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.

3.    Turn heat up to medium high and sear short ribs in the remaining bacon grease, about 1-2 minutes a side, adding more bacon grease as needed.

4.    Place the first four ribs in the bottom of the crockpot, season with salt and smoked paprika.

5.    Top with 4 garlic cloves and repeat with the remaining short ribs.

6.    Top all the ribs with the crumbled bacon and pour in the beef stock.

7.    Cover and cook in crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.

Spaghetti Squash alla Carbonara

This recipe, from Paleo Parents, is my VERY favorite spaghetti squash dish.  I could make it every night and as I'm typing this I'm wondering why it has been so long since I've made it.  Everyone in my family loved it, especially since it has bacon in it.

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash
12 oz bacon
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/2 C coconut milk
6 eggs
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or herbs de provence)
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 heaping Tbsp coconut oil or butter

Instructions

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds, place open side down on a plate and microwave for 10 minutes (alternatively, bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees)
2. While the squash is cooking, fry up the strips of bacon (whole) in a pan over medium heat. Use one you can also scramble eggs in, we like a cast iron skillet
3. When the bacon is finished cooking and crispy, remove from the pan and set-aside bacon
4. Over medium heat, whisk in the coconut flour to the bacon grease and let cook for a few minutes
5. While the flour cooks, combine eggs, coconut milk, seasoning, parsley, salt and garlic powder in a bowl until all yolks are fully incorporated
6. Pour eggs into pan, stirring frequently, and cook in bacon fat until still wet but cooked through (about 3 minutes)
7. Slice bacon into 1/4 inch strips, add to serving bowl and top with egg mixture
8. Scrape out spaghetti squash “noodles” with a fork and and add to serving bowl, top with oil or butter
9. Slowly start to incorporate oil/butter into spaghetti squash; once melted, stir to combine all ingredients

Delish!

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad

I was trying to think of something healthy I could eat at a baby shower I threw for my friend, Mandie.  This recipe is totally made up and turned out to be a huge hit.

I used a mixture of iceburg and spring mix lettuces.  Use whatever organic lettuce you like on your cheeseburger.

Brown 1-lb grass fed, ground beef.  Drain and let cool.  

Cook one package of high quality bacon.  I used Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon.  Let cool.  

Grate about 1/2-lb grass fed cheese.  I used Trader Joe's New Zealand Grass Fed Sharp Cheddar.

After the meats have cooled, combine all ingredients together and add a couple handfuls of organic cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

The dressing is mayo (learn how to make your own here), apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and sea salt.

Mix all ingredients together and top with more cheese!

Since I served this at a baby shower, the kids couldn't give it a rating but all my friends loved it!

Enjoy!