JUMBO EGG MUFFINS for the MEATLOVER (and sweet potato souffle)

 My oldest has testing today at school. So I made a special breakfast...
We decided on Egg Muffins and Sweet Potatoes. I have leftover sweet potato from last nights dinner- so I think I will just fry up patties of cold sweet potato mash in Bacon Fat for the side. (Jack usually drinks water for breakfast.)

JUMBO EGG MUFFINS for the 

MEAT LOVER 

(that would be Jack my son- he loves him some meat!!!!)

So Whats for Dinner this week????

This week is crazy. Its Jason's spring break, but the kids are in school... and I have been working hard on a new project... 

I  will be teaching some nutrition (Paleo oriented) classes at a local gym in the near future... so I have been brainstorming, and getting prepared... Who knew how long it takes to just get a logo right and come up with a good blog name...

Will update with more as I have details.... I know you are all atwitter now!!! ha, ha

So DINNER this week---

Monday-          Steak, Sweet Potato Bake, and blue cheese coleslaw

Tuesday-         Italian Sausages and Peppers in Tomato Sauce

Wednesday-   Grilled Chicken Wings and sliced carrots/celery with dips (guac and blue cheese)

Thursday-           MEAT LOVERS BURGERS ( no bun needed, TRUST  ME) with Asparagus Bacon Wraps, and maybe some coconut drop biscuits??         

 (these are from an idea I saw from Rachel Ray)

Friday-              Portabella Burgers and Grilled Sweet Potatoes 


And we are off to the beach for Saturday and Sunday! WOOT! WOOT!

What is for dinner at your house this week?

Good Paleo Information Sources

Here is a list of my favorite Paleo Information Blogs-- some of them even have podcasts where they answer questions!!!


Kurt Harris's paleo -- he is a doctor who does lots of research and talks about it all. I have learned more from this site than anywhere I think! He is the guy my views from my own research are most in line with actually!!!


Rob Wolff - he has written a great book that was immensly helpful in my getting started towards a Paleo lifestyle.


Every Day Paleo- Sarah Fergoso - she has a book coming out, she is a mom and her blog is totally practical ways to feed your family Paleo style-- LOVE IT!!

Chris Kresser-  His blog is The Healthy Skeptic. He is a naturopath, an accupunturist, he also does tons of research and it is really really helpful!
He will do consultations via the phone and skype.. He actually specializes in patients who just can't figure out what is wrong, or simply are just not getting better.


So start there... Robb and Every Day Paleo both have podcasts that you will find at their sites...so great and so helpful!!!! There are more that I like, but the ones above are my favs!!!!
Below are some other great blogs I HEART if you wanna go farther-
 Hyperlipid
He is very very RESEARCH based, wonderful info blog!

Mark's Daily Apple
He has a great book too.. This site is really very helpful for everyone!

There are tons more, and I am trying to update my favorite blogs page soon to have lots of Paleo Cooking Links, and Paleo Information links!

Southern Fried Chicken Fingers- Gluten Free Parmesan Crusted Style

 Parmesan/Whole Wheat GF Chicken Fingers
( my chicken fingers have an orangish oil here because I used Palm oil as I was out of coconut oil the day I made these- just so you know!!!)

My kids have always LOVED chicken fingers, what kid doesn't???? So I have made many versions of the beloved chicken finger at home.

This is my first Gluten Free Chicken Finger.

(I served these with some homemade tomato sauce and broccoli slaw salad (recipe for that to come soon)

Gluten Free Southern Fried Parmesan Chicken Fingers

(this is more of a method than a recipe)

Chicken breast, cut up into bite size pieces

Finely grated good quality parmesan cheese and Gluten Free Breadcrumbs- (throw GF bread in a food processor and make breadcrumbs) combined together in a dish - add some salt/pepper and italian spices together here

Egg and Small amt Heavy Cream whisked together and placed in a wide dish

Heavy cream in a dish

Now you are ready to get started...

1. Dredge chicken in Heavy Cream.
2. Place in Breadcrumbs and coat lightly then place into egg mixture.
3. Finally place back into breadcrumbs and make sure to coat well.
4. Heat coconut oil to a high frying temp. Brown each side of chicken well. Drain on a plate covered with papers towels and Then place onto a well greased baking sheet and into a preheated oven at 350 F. Cook until cooked through, usually about 7-10 min. (Be careful not to overcook or they will be tough.)

Dipping Tomato Sauce-  Saute some finely diced onion and a clove or two of garlic. Add home canned, or store bought crushed tomatoes. Throw in some Italian spices and a bay leaf. Simmer at a low slow temp for at least an hour, a couple would be better. If you have a rind from a good Parmesan in your freezer throw that in while its simmering, it imparts a great flavor. The longer you simmer the thicker it will get and it will get a stronger better flavor. Now take out the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind and discard them. Next, using an immersion blender blend the sauce till all parts thoroughly combined. Now its ready to serve as a sauce- great for dipping sauce, chicken parm sauce too!

Coconut Curried Lamb with Coconut "Naan"

  I hesitated to put the pic, doesn't look that great, but it really was super tasty.

I made Coconut Naan for the kids to use to scoop up the sauce, or to pile to lamb mixture in...
It was a pretty big hit and oh so simple!

Coconut Curried Lamb with GF Coconut "Naan"

2lb grass fed lamb stew meat

l large can crushed tomatoes ( i used my canned whole tomatoes and just crushed them)

1 tsp curry powder

1 handful fresh cilantro, coarse chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 can coconut milk

Place all in CROCKPOT. Cook all day on low, or 4 or so hours on high.

Coconut Naan

4 whole eggs
1/4 c coconut oil
2 pinches salt
1/2 c coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
2/3 to 1/2 c coconut milk or water
Combine the flour, oil, baking powder, salt and eggs in a food processor. process until a thick batter forms. add enough liquid to make a somewhat loose batter.  Preheat griddle to med-high. Grease griddle very well with butter or coconut oil. Pour 1/4 c on a griddle cook till bubbling, flip and cook on other side.
makes 5
( you can use these as tortillas too if you wish too, though they are not my fave as a tortilla)

CrockPot Apricot Chicken

Here is a fast, easy CrockPot Paleo Meal!!!!! HOORAY!!!!
The crock pot is my friend. These days so many of our evenings are full of sports practices, or church events...the crock pot comes in handy!!!!

CROCK POT APRICOT CHICKEN

5 chicken breast (bone in or boneless both work)

1/2 cup roughly chopped dried apricots

2 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Mustard ( I used a white wine mustard)

 1 tsp ginger

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Place Chicken in bottom of pot. (If you are using boneless breast add a couple TBSP cocconut oil or butter to bottom)

Combine all other ingredients together and pour over chicken. 

Place in crock pot and cook on low 5-6 hours (boneless) or approx 8 for bone in chicken.

( may cook on high for a shorter cook time- I just tend to throw mine together first thing in the am, then turn to warm when ready and leave it till dinner...)

Serving Suggestions: 

• shredded over top "cauliflower rice" with the sauce
•  shredded and serve in lettuce leaves with the sauce in the bottom of the crock pot
• even with real white rice- if you eat it (sometimes my hubbie and kids still eat white rice)
• or leave chicken pieces whole, and serve with roasted veggies

VERDICT:This was very yummy. The sugars in the apricots make this dish rather sweet, but the kids LOVE that! - SUPER KID MEAL!

Why Paleo and the South go well together...My top 10 Reasons

1. Can we say Butter?? That has to be first. WE love us some Butter in our recipes down South.

2. Fried. If you can grow it, we can find a way to serve it fried. And now I find out that this is not bad for me. Fats are healthy. Fried is ok, if the right fat is used. Bring it on. I can fry in  coconut oil, lard or duck fat all day long for you bubba!

3. Slow going, from scratch, the way your momma did it? Thats what we are all about. Well not this generation maybe, but just go back one generation and thats REAL here.

4. There are TONS of grass fed sources in the South. I mean TONS. You just have to look for them.

5. We have good weather most of the year. So fresh local food. We have it covered. Right outside the door in our own garden is possible here. Or if not, the farmers markets are brimming with options almost all year long. We don't have to rely on the local Supermarket offerings. We really do not.

6. The  REAL South is all COASTAL, or within  a few hours at most. So there is no excuse for not being able to access fresh seafood. ( I have to kick myself here, as I NEVER cook fish-shame on me)

7. So many Southern Recipes, I mean AUTHENTIC, dyed in the wool Old South Recipes are almost Paleo already- need so little adapting.

8. Because living like our Grandmomma's , grandmomma's, momma's momma's did is COOL!

9. Because we have sun most of the year-- getting your Vit D is easy here ya'll!!!!

10. Because BBQ is on the Good for you list. FOR REAL YA'LL. Need I say more?

Chorizo- maybe not a Southern Ingredient, but Yummy none the less

So I found some Chorizo in the grocery store this week. Not the links that are already cooked. But ground Chorizo. This is something that is not found often here in South Carolina, usually I can only find the precooked links.  I was excited, and could hardly wait to come home and make, well something....

My first memory of Chorizo was back in college, I had a friend, Emilie, who had lived for a few years growing up in Spain. She made fresh chorizo sausage just simply seared of,  so that it was nice and almost crispy on the outside of the links that she had cut on a bias, and she had us put them into soft rolls.We stood over the pot in the tiny apartment kitchen and sopped up the reddish fat drippings with the bread as we ate. It was something I had never tasted. It smelled heavenly. It had just a tad bit of heat, but not too much. The reddish color of the oil in the pan was unlike anything I had cooked with before, and it just tasted so wonderful. We ate until we were stuffed, and I think we would have eaten more if we had not run out. It was so simple, but so Yummy. My mouth waters just thinking of the memory.

So, with the first half of the chorizo I made these egg muffins:

Chorizo Egg Muffins

12 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 lb ground chorizo

1 onion, finely diced

1/2 red pepper finely diced

1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Saute chorizo until browned over med heat. Add veggies and saute till translucent and soft, med heat. Crack eggs into bowl, add eggs and remaining ingredients and whisk together briskly.

Pour into lined muffin tins and bake for approx 12 min, or until set.

These freeze well.

Reheat at 50% power for 1 min, then feel and repeat at 30 sec intervals until warmed through.

( you may add cheese to this recipe if you wish- a sharp cheddar, or a manchego, or monteray jack perhaps)

Next, I made a soup for our dinner tonight. I have a little bit of a cold and felt like soup....

Tequila Lime Chorizo Soup

 1/2 pd Ground Chorizo, ( or links diced)

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 bag broccoli slaw, diced into small pieces

2 limes, juiced

zest of 2 limes

1/4 cup tequila

48 oz chicken stock

1 lg can tomato puree ( good quality) I used home canned

1 lg can diced tomatoes (good quality)

1 T cumin

1 t chili powder

1/4 tsp chipoltle chili flakes

Brown off Chorizo over a med heat. ( you do not need to add any oil here as it puts off plenty of its own fat immediatly),  then add all veggies except broccoli slaw. Saute over med heat till soft. Add broccoli slaw, and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then turn to a simmer. Simmer for 45 min and then check veggies for tenderness. If they are tender enough the soup is done. Check for flavoring, adjust spices as needed.  ( When I do this soup I juice the limes over the pot and throw the whole lime in, then fish them out right before serving)

My Version of Texa Chili- Paleo Style

Gearing up for the Super Bowl I had to try and come up with some dishes that would not get us too far off from our Paleo lifestyle. So many of they typical food My DH would eat were decidedly non-Paleo to say the least.... So here is the spread I served

My Version of Texas Chili- Paleo Style
Sausage Jalapeno Poppers
Sweet and Sour Kielbasa ( this one was a give in, I admit-
sugar content kinda high, but no wheat-compromising)
Red Wine ( here there was usually LOTS of BEER) and Diet Gingerale

The chili and the poppers turned out really well so here are the recipes...

Texas Chili-Paleo Style

2 1/2 cups onion soup, prepared from dry mix

1/4 cup bacon grease

2.25 pds boneless beef round steak, cut into very small cubes

1.5 lbs beef sirloin sirloin steak, cut into very small cubes

0.5lb bacon cooked well and cut up in pieces

1.5 tsp salt

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp black pepper

12 oz tomato paste

12 oz tomato sauce

4 can diced tomatoes

4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

12 oz coke ( yea I know!! sugar - use diet if u must)

1.5 tbsp hot sauce- I used Franks

1/2 tsp Chipoltle chile flakes

1. Prepare soup from a packet of onion soup mix according to package direction, and set 2.5 cups aside.

2. Place bacon grease into large soup pot ( I used Le Crueset Dutch Oven) over med-high heat, and stir steaks into bacon grease until well browned. Pour reserved onion soup mix over meats and bring to a boil. Then Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 min. Make sure you stir well to get up all the yummy browned bits off the bottom.

3. Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, chili flakes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Next, Cover and reduce to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

4. Add bacon, cocoa powder, coke, and hot sauce. Simmer 20 min more.

It is now ready to serve if you must. It is really best if you now let it cool, put it in fridge 8 hours or overnight to let the flavors meld, and then serve the next day!!!!!

Sausage Jalapeno Poppers

2 (12) pkg ground sausage

2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

30 jalapeno chili peppers

1 pd sliced bacon, cut in half ( pre-fry these half way**)

1/4 cup green onions, very finely chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Place ground sausage in large deep skillet and Cooke over med high till evenly browned. Drain.

3. Mix Sausage, Cream Cheese, Green Onions (or chives), and cheddar.

4. Cut jalapenos length wise and remove all seeds. Stuff each half with equal portions of sausage cream cheese mixture. Wrap with half a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.

5. Arrange wrapped jalapenos in a large, shallow baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 min. ( I think I left Mine more like 30 )

**If you pre-fry your bacon half way the poppers will be crispier, if you don't the bacon never gets quite crispy enough**

Paleo Pancakes

In our Paleo adventures as a family, one of the hardest things I have found its finding breakfasts that break out of the eggs realm. The easiest, and probably healthiest choice for our children for breakfast is eggs. Scrambled eggs, poached eggs, egg muffins, eggs with sausage, eggs with bacon, eggs with sweet potato hash... Well my son Jackson, he could have eggs and bacon every single day and he would never complain.
Caroline on the other hand. Well lets just say she gets tired of eggs, eggs, and well more eggs.
I am not strictly straight Paleo, more the PANU variety so we do eat dairy. Whole milk yogurt and berries gets thrown in to our breakfast mix sometimes. However, I still was in search of more variety....

So I decided I need to give gluten free baking a try. I have to say I was very wary... I previously LOVED baking bread. HUGE FAN. Will these other flours stand up at all, or will it just all FLOP???

My first ever recipe I tried was for Paleo pancakes, a recipe I adapted slightly from one I found browsing sites on the internet. Before I give the recipe I have to say, I am a little leary of almond flour, as almonds are higher is omega-6 and I am really a little worried about this. I want to work on the 6:3 ratio and don't want to introduce things high in omega 6 to my family's diet very often. That being said... WE NEED SOME BREAKFAST VARIETY SOMETIMES PEOPLE!!!!!!---- so.....

without further ado..

Paleo Pancakes

 2 eggs

1/8 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

Blend wet ingredients in blender. Add dry ingredients to blender and pulse until well blended. Let rest in fridg 20 min up to overnight. Make on Griddle using coconut oil or butter, over med-high heat.     ( this is a rather thick batter,- it works!- but if too thick thin out with a little more water)

To DIE FOR Pumpkin Paleo Pankcakes

This was my first go at my own gluten free, no wheat baking recipe. I wanted some really good breakfast food, something other than eggs and bacon for the kiddos once and awhile....
I  had made regular Almond Flour pancakes, mainly from a recipe I had seen, see my version- Regular Paleo Pancakes. They were good, but I wanted something more, shall we say DECADENT? These hit the spot!!!---
I PROMISE- make these suckers!!-whether you are gluten free, paleo or not at all. THEY ARE tO dIE fOR!!!! YUMM!

Pumpkin Paleo Pancakes

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree ( not pumpkin pie mix)

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp maple syrup ( the real stuff)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

Blend all wet ingredients in Blender (or a food processor) first. Next add all dry ingredients and pulse until well blended and no lumps. Place in fridg to rest for at least 20 min to overnight. Now you are ready to make pancakes!!! I made mine silver dollar sized. ( This is a thicker batter, thats ok, it works!- if its too thick, as coconut flour does soak up the liquid, add a little more milk as needed)

ENJOY!!!

Here is mine on the griddle... the smaller you make them the easier they are to handle! - (just a hint)