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

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.

Homemade Ghee

Photo: Brad Johnson

My husband made ghee.  I can't believe we've lived so long without it.  I seem to use it so much.  Any time I need an oil I consider, "should I use ghee?".  It's nutty, buttery, yummy.  It reminds me of drawn butter you would dip your lobster into.

Why ghee? Besides being delicious:

• It has butter's nutritional benefits, plus: 
• Excess moisture and milk proteins are removed, resulting in long shelf life with or without refrigeration. 
• Very stable saturated fat; great for high-heat cooking. 
• Good for those with allergies to milk protein. 
• Long history in Indian cuisine. 
• Nutty flavor due to caramelization of butter solids while cooking. 
• Yet another fun food experiment. 

Anyway, here are the three websites Brad referred to when he made our ghee.

Homemade Indian Ghee If You Dare

How To Make Ghee

How To Make Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter)

Now go out and make ghee!!!

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.

Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip

I discovered a great dip that makes a fabulous appetizer.  We served it with assorted fresh vegetables before our Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit, even with the grandbabies!  It has the texture and taste similar to hummus, which we haven't had in a LONG time.

Ingredients:

Photo: Cupcakes OMG

• 1 cup walnuts
• 6 oz roasted red peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 clove garlic
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add walnuts to food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until creamy and dip-able.  Add more oil, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.
3. Serve with assorted crudite.

This makes about a cup.  Make lots!  It will go fast.   I'm seeing a lot of paleo peeps serving this dish during the Super Bowl...

Raw Lemon Bars

I only slightly changed my friend, California Cavegirl Kindra's recipe "No muss, no fuss Raw Lemon Bars".  If you like Larabars, you'll love this quick and easy recipe.

Photo: Rawtarian

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
15 pitted dates, +/- depending on how much juice you get from your lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 cup raw coconut flakes
pinch sea salt

Directions:

• Place almond in food processor and process until coarse powder
• Add remaining ingredients and pulse until combined
• Transfer to a glass pan and press in the mixture so that it sticks together
• Refrigerate for about an hour for easy cutting
• Store in the refrigerator

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.