Turkey and Apples Topped with Eggs

The Ingredients:

1 cup turkey, shredded

1/4 cup apple, chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1 Tbs. coconut oil

Combine all in a skillet on med-high and mix. Allow mixture to brown.

I meant to do a poached or fried egg but scramble it was! OOOOOOPS

Peppermint Chocolate Almond Butter

A few weeks ago, I mentioned, I received a care package from the kind people at Artisana.


I love nut butters!!!


I have two favorites from Artisana. Coconut Butter and Cacao Bliss!!! I love them!

For a week, I have been playing with the idea of Peppermint and Cacao Bliss Almond Butter! Last week, I came up with Chocolate Maple Almond Butter. I could not wait to add Peppermint! I just knew the flavor and mixture would be AMAZING!!!! 

TODAY WAS THE DAY!!!!

3 cups of Almonds baked with Molasses and Peppermint Extract.

30 minutes later - mixed with a sweet potato, I enjoyed my creation! 

My 3 year old enjoyed this too! He asked if I had a banana he could mix in! :) 

The Ingredients:
3 cups Almonds
2 - 3 TBSP Molasses
1 tsp Peppermint Extract
2 - 4 tsp Cacao Bliss, broken up


The Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


On the cookie sheet add Almond, Molasses and Peppermint Extract. Mix well and put into the oven.


Bake for 15 minutes. Take Almonds out and mix well. Add Cacao Bliss. Put Almonds back into oven for 15 more minutes.


Add directly into the food processor and mix for 30 minutes, mixing often. Mix until the powder turns into silky smooth Almond Butter.


ENJOY!!!!


Thank you Artisana for Cacao Bliss!!! It is one of my favorite products you make!!! :) Thank you!!!!


Part of Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter

Turkey, again?

I obviously over estimated... 26 lb turkey for 4 adults and 2 kids (1 which does not eat meat yet!) 

I must admit, I was excited for the extra TURKEY! Time to be creative!!!!

Turkey and Apples TOPPED with Eggs

Turkey Fajita-style with Bell Peppers and Onions

I made this delicious soup! yes, another turkey soup!!! Different vegetables!

The Ingredients:
3 - 4 cups turkey, chopped
6 - 8 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini (I used a frozen zucchini from our summer food share!)
1 squash (frozen - food share, too!)
2 cups peas (frozen - food share, too! (three))
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mined
Parsley
Lemon Pepper
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Turkey Broth
Chili Powder
Tomato Paste

The Directions:
Saute Onion, Garlic and Olive Oil. Add carrots after 5 minutes. Add broth, turkey and remaining seasonings and cook for 10 minutes. Add peas and zucchini and squash and bring back to a boil.

Part of Pennywise Platter

Spaghetti minus the noodles!

Before everyone arrived, last week, I made an awesome dish. I forgot to share it with you...

SPAGHETTI without noodles but on top of zucchini!

WONDERFUL!!!!

Next time, I will try the zucchini in thin slices. 

The Ingredients:

6 small zucchinis, sliced real thin

Homemade Tomato Sauce

2 small tomatoes, diced

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery, chopped

1 1/2 lb grass fed ground beef

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

2 TBSP Basil

nutmeg

cayenne pepper

pepper

garlic powder

The Directions:

Brown the meat in a large soup pan.  While meat is browning, combine the onion and parsley. Once the meat is cooked through, add all of the dry spices and mix well.  Add the homemade tomato sauce. Simmer for 20 min.

For the “pasta” bring about 10-12 cups of water to a boil in another large soup pan. Add the thinly sliced zucchini to the boiling water.  Cook for 3 minutes and drain.

Serve the spaghetti sauce over the cooked zucchini pasta.

Part of Pennywise

Merry Christmas!

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful day!!!! We sure did!!!!

As much as I wanted to stay PALEO over Christmas -- I did NOT. I wish I had because the spot on my elbow (which is looking to be psarios) flared up. It is OK -- I learned my lesson. I am back on board and now know what happens when I quit!!!

I made a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas... Remember, I do not eat PIG! so Ham in this house.

I made a great turkey! Moist and an amazing taste!!! and LOTS of left overs!!! I am so excited!

Last night, I made soup!


The Ingredients:
2 cups leftover Turkey
8 - 10 carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 box Turkey Broth, or  32 oz homemade broth
3 TBSP Parsley
1 tsp Garlic Powder (this is an estimate!)
1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper (this is an estimate!)
1 tsp Lemon Pepper (this is an estimate!)
1 TBSP Olive Oil

The Directions:
In a soup pan, saute garlic and onion in Olive Oil for 3 - 5 minutes. Add carrots and cook for another 3 minutes. Add turkey broth and bring to a boil. Add butternut squash and celery. Let boil for 3 - 5 minutes and then add chopped turkey. Add seasonings to taste!

ENJOY!!!

Chocolate Maple Almond Butter

Last Wednesday I made Vanilla Almond Butter... This week I am making Chocolate Maple Almond Butter!

What a delicious treat!!!

Yes, I know, chocolate is not Paleo... But I just had to try this!!!

Turned out wonderful!!! I wonder... I wonder if I should try a peppermint Almond Butter!!! :)

The Ingredients:
3 cups Almonds
1 - 2 Maple Syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp (maybe more) Coconut Oil


The Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a cookie sheet add Almonds, Maple Syrup and Vanilla. Bake for 20 minutes.

Add baked Almonds to food processor with remainder of the ingredients. Blend/Process for 30 minutes or until creamy.

Next time I will add real chocolate chunks!

ENJOY!

Part of Pennywise Patter

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Winter Squash and Almond Crusted Salmon

This weekend, I walked out of Trader Joe's with this HUGE stalk of Brussels Sprouts!

I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I saw this!!!! 

My plans were big and delicious!!

I cut the Brussels into 4's 

Prepared the Salmon -- Fresh from Alaska!

I cooked the Brussels with Olive Oil, Butternut Squash, Apple and a little homemade Almond Butter!

It was amazing! The salmon, perfectly cooked and seasoned! The vegetables - tender! The Butternut Squash and Apple added the right amount of sweetness! 

It was perfect!!!!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Winter Squash and Almond Crusted Salmon

The Ingredients:

4 fillets Fresh Alaska Salmon

1 stalk of Brussels Sprouts (about 3 cups)

1 cup left over Butternut Squash

2 small Fuji Apples baked in a little Cinnamon, diced

1 TBSP Olive Oil (you may need a little more)

Fresh ground Pepper and Sea Salt (very little)

Nutmeg

1 TBSP Almond Butter

Salmon Seasoning:

1 Cup Almond meal

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

The Directions:

Cut Brussels Sprouts into 4's. Wash and Dry.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with foil. 

If you do not have Almond mill, in a food processor chop Almonds. I like mine at a fine consistency but not to the flour state.  Stir in the Cumin, Ground Pepper and Garlic Powder. 

Lay Salmon on the foil. Drizzle with Olive Oil. Pour Almond mixture onto the Salmon and pat down, lightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. The Salmon will flake away when it is done. 

Meanwhile, in a large WOK add Brussels Sprouts and Olive Oil. Cook on Medium High heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked Butternut Squash and Apples.

(The Apples I chopped into small pieces and topped with cinnamon. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute)

Add in Nutmeg, Ground Pepper and Almond Butter. If I had any I would add toasted pine nuts.

Top Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Salmon.  ENJOY!!!!!

Part of Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Tuesday Twister

Quick and Easy

I have been LAZY...

This past February, I was on a MISSION --- MISSION LOOSE baby weight! I gained about 40+ pounds and instantly lost 15 or so when Micah was born. By February, I needed to loose 15 pounds to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. 

Once I began to workout --- The pounds melted off.  I became obsessed with working out. I worked out Monday - Friday and some Saturdays. My workout was an hour of cardio and weights. I worked on that for a couple of months. I was feeling good... I decided to up my workouts to an hour of weights and cardio and I would then go in and do a spinning class or another aerobic class. I would be at the gym for 2 hours. I worked hard. I lost the weight and some! 

BUT

July came and I stopped... I was burned out. I could not get myself back to the gym. I made excuse after excuse. 

We have all been there! 

(There was also an incident in the kids room)

Anyways - last week I made it back for my first spinning class. It took all of me to get myself there and to get over my hump! 

Yesterday - I started a new adventure and I want you to hold me accountable! I started INSANITY. 

WOW - Let me tell you... it is HARD. I pushed myself and I still was not able to do everything. 

I AM OUT OF SHAPE... but not for long!!!! :) 

I am going to take pictures and I may or may not post them... But I WILL go strong for 60 days... I WILL prove to (a certain someone) and myself that I CAN and WILL do this. 

To be honest -- I am not needing or looking to loose weight... I am looking to TONE up! I am looking to be and stay HEALTHY! 

Nap times are going to be all about me!!!! :) No more goofing around on the computer or watching (reality/junk) TV... It is ONE hour devoted to me and me alone.... 

Here is to a new and improve and healthy and in shape me!!!!

A QUICK AND EASY BREAKFAST SCRAMBLE!

Egg Scramble with 1 Chicken & Turkey Sausage (AppleFarms), 2 - 5 cups Fresh Spinach, 1 Orange Bell Pepper!!!! 

Beef and Peppers

I do try to take pictures of all my meals but that is really hard. 

I dish up the food and start eating. 2 minutes in I have an d'oh moment.

I will do my best to post our daily food but sometimes I just wont! :) 

These things are awesome and amazing... Spinach Egg Muffins. Real simple! 

A snack - Banana in leftover blender Vanilla Almond Butter. 


I have been hearing and reading mixed reviews on Bananas and Paleo.


We are the family that will be consuming Bananas.

Beef Stew with Carrots and Peppers

• 2-2.5 lbs of beef round eye
• 2-3 tomatoes or 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2-3 middle size carrots
• 1 big yellow or white onion
• 1 bell pepper
• Red pepper (½ teaspoon)
• 4-5 bay leaves
• Sunflower or olive oil
• 2/3 of cup of boiled water
• Salt by taste

The Directions:

Prepare the ingredients: Dice meat into cubes with 1.5-2 inches side.

Warm up the flying pan with 2-3 tablespoons of oil, I usually use the sunflower one. Put meat to the good warmed up frying pan. It is important that meat lays in one layer, if your frying pan is too small, split meat into 2 portions and fry them one after another.

Fry each cube of meat from each side one big heat. Move each cube to the pot once it is fried from each side till the brown color. Once you have all meat in the pot. Add 1/3 of cup of boiled water to the pot and bay leaves, salt by taste. Cover pot with a lid and put pot on the low heat. Make sure water isn’t boiling too much in the pot.

Skin onion and slice it into half-circles. Warm up frying pan with the 2 tablespoons of oil on low heat. Put onion on a pan and fry it till it become yellow (approx. 10-15 mins). While onion if being prepared, wash and skin carrots. Grate carrots on a large slots. 

Add grated carrots to the pan where onion is, mix and stew them together for 5 mins. Wash and dice tomatoes and add them to the frying pan. If you are using tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes, then put 1-2 spoons of tomato pasta to the cup add 1/3 cup of boiled water, mix and put it to the frying pan where onion and carrot are. Add salt and red peppers, mix let it stew for 5 mins.

Wash bell pepper and clean it from seeds. Slice it on stripes and add to the frying pan. Stew vegetables together for 2 mins. Turn heat under frying pan off. 

Move pan content to the cooking pot where meat is being stewed, but don’t mix. Cover pot with a lid and let vegetables and meat stew together till the moment when meat become soft (for approximately 15-20 mins). Taste the stew juice add more salt if needed. 

Serve your Beef Stew with Carrots and Bell Pepper with your choice of a side dish.

Apple Walnut Dessert

My hubby made us a delicious little treat after dinner this week. 

Apples, Cinnamon, Vanilla Almond Butter, Walnuts

Baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till they reach desired softness!

SIMPLE, EASY and DELICIOUS!!! :) Exactly what I was needing!

Meatloaf - Paleo friendly

This was a HUGE hit with my family.. 

It differs from an ordinary meatloaf because it is PALEO friendly! It has Almond Meal instead of bread crumbs. 

I must admit -- This was really good!!! I think I like it better than regular (bread crumbs) meatloaf!

 I sided ours with green beans and Brussels Sprouts with Apples. 

Meatloaf


The Ingredients:
1 diced red onion
1 1/2 - 2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 cup almond meal
2 eggs
1 can of tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 TBSP Garlic
1/2 TBSP Sea Salt
2 TBSP Dried Basil
Fresh ground pepper to taste

The Directions:

Mix all ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl. Place meat mixture into a large glass baking pan and form into a loaf.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink in the middle.   

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash

I am blessed! Thank you for all the kind words yesterday! I am thankful I posted, We are not Perfect. I am looking forward to opening up with you!!! I will continue to post stories, struggles and successes! 


I am always looking for easier ways to cook Butternut Squash. I usually cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and pop it in the oven. The only problem I have found with this way is that it is real hard to scoop out all the "meat" without leaving some behind or without pulling some of the outer skin with it. 


Well - here is what I came up with. 


Peel the squash first. Cut it in half. Cut it into pieces. Season and Cook 


EASY ENOUGH???

The sweetness of the squash really came out. 


Micah, the baby, ate half of this.. He loved it!

The Ingredients:

1 Butternut Squash

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Remove the skin from the squash with a potato peeler.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Slice the squash into very thin slices.  Toss with the coconut oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet.  Roast for 25 minutes. 

We are not perfect....

We are human...

I wanted to get on here today and let you know that we (my family) are human. We do eat healthy and at home, 95% - 99% of the time but there are those days where we are not perfect, we do make those not so good choices.

I am not perfect nor do I try to be or act as though I am. I have faults. I have bad days where I do not feel like cooking. I have days that meals do not turn out and we need a quick fix. We do eat out.

I am sorry if I have come across... not human. Here is a little something you may or may not know.

I am a wife and mom. There are days (many days) I do not get out of my PJ's!
I love to cook.
I used to be addicted to... CHICK-FIL-A.
I used to consume Dr. Pepper, daily.
I used to consume Sweet Tea, a couple time a week.
I used to - who am I kidding - I love Pizza!
I used to love to go out for breakfast, lunch and dinners.
I do not (and will not ---EVER) eat pig products. (bacon, ham, sausage, etc.)
I love chocolate. (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)
I have eaten Fast Food.
I have eaten store bought, corn fed, meat.
I have eaten unhealthy junk foods. I mean, who hasn't!
I have eaten Doughnuts.

I changed. One thing remains the same, I still do not consume pig nor do I ever plan on eating it!

My family and I decided to change the way we eat. I do my best to plan nutritious healthy meals. I am not perfect.

I do not live in my kitchen. I do not sit and dream about what to make next. Although, I really enjoy looking on other blogs for ideas, to some day in the future, try. I do not spend the day looking at the blogs. I spend 20 minutes in the morning. I do like to find NEW fun recipes for my family and I to try!

We have changed the way we eat. We enjoy eating local, hormone free, grass fed beef. Personally, it tastes better (and is cheaper, too!) We enjoying eating local vegetables, when we can. We have just read too much information, stories and books to turn the other way. It is our personal decision to eat the way that we do. We do what is best for us, my family. It may not be the best for you and your family.

We all make changes - here are a few I have made:
I quit eating meat - when it affected my nursing son.
I laid off peppers and onions - when it affected me (pregnancy heartburn).

Most recently - I am now laying off grains, legumes and dairy because it affects me.

Wouldn't you change something if you 1) could do something about it, and 2) if it was affecting you????

- I wasn't sleeping at night
- Many upset stomachs
- Sluggish
- Hormone full meat makes me sick. Really - when we go out, 9 times out of 10, I end up in the bathroom sick. Meal wasted... more importantly, money wasted.
- I had no energy

Those are just a few of the symptoms or affects of the food I was eating.
-------------------------------------
Back to the items I listed, above.
I used to eat Fast Food. I used to consume Chick-fil-A, weekly. I do not judge. I have been there. I used to drink Dr. Pepper, DAILY. I do not anymore. I have not had one for a couple months now! I am proud and happy about that accomplishment. It was a process and yes, it was hard. We all have our one thing... Dr. Pepper was mine! I love Pizza. Really. I do. But I prefer to make my own, now! I like to know what I am consuming. Yes, there are times where that is not possible, like, oh-no I burnt, I ruined, whatever the case pizza is an easy fix.

I am not perfect...

I hope that you see me as human and my family and I do --- occasionally go out. We are working on making "better" healthier choices when we do eat out. Which has become almost -- NEVER...

I hope that this post has shown you that we are not perfect and we too, have to work hard to eat healthy.

I want to stay honest with you and this blog. I am going to post struggles from time to time... I might list FLOPS or struggles with my diet.

Thanks for reading!!!! :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Simple. Easy. Delicious. Healthy. 

Next time I will take out the Chocolate Chips and add Cranberries or Raisins to make it Paleo friendly.

The Ingredients:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup almond meal/almond flour

¼ cup chocolate chips

¼ cup granulated splenda (you could use honey, or sugar if you have a serious problem with artificial sweeteners)

½ tsp baking soda

1 egg

The Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients (Almond meal, chips, splenda/sugar)

Add all other ingredients and mix throughly.

Use the mixture to form small “dough balls” on a greased baking sheet. Use around 1 large kitchen spoon (1tbsp or so) for each one. The batch should make around 15. Obviously if you make the individual cookies too big, they won’t cook correctly.

Bake at 350F (preheated) for about ten minutes, until they start to brown well. They won’t look like they’re done. Touch them with you finger to check if they have hardened. It will be obvious (by touch) when they’re done.

Vanilla Almond Butter

I just had to post this today! Second batch I have made this week!!!! So good and super easy!

The Ingredients:

Raw Almonds, about 3 cups

1 tsp Coconut Oil

1 TBSP Vanilla

The Directions:

Bake Almonds at 350 degrees topped with Vanilla. Cook for 20 minutes or so. Dump the Almonds in the food processor, our's out in the garage, due to the LOUD noise! I added 1 tsp of Coconut Oil into the food processor. Process for roughly 30 minutes! Shake or scrap about 20 minutes in. Keep mixing... 

This is wonderful and delicious!!! Came out very creamy!

Part of Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, and Fight Back Friday.

Dry Feet (Skin) and Chicken Rolls

Can I share something, funny and personal with you??? 

I have EXTREMELY dry skin... any suggestions?

We eat healthy. 

I take vitamins and I drink lots of water. Still my skin is so dry. 

I am excited to see what happens to my skin as I eat NO grains... NO Legumes... NO Diary.

 The other night, I made Chicken Roll-ups.

I used Chicken Strips, Carrots and Zucchini.

I would have love to try these again with Chicken Breasts. 

The Ingredients:

6 Chicken Strips

2 Carrots, sliced lengthwise

2 Zucchini, sliced lengthwise

Fresh Thyme

Garlic Powder

Pepper

Coconut Oil

Toothpicks 

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss the sliced carrots and zucchini with the Coconut Oil, salt, pepper, and fresh Thyme.  Place 2 zucchini and 2 carrot slices in the middle of the flattened chicken breasts, roll tightly, and secure with a toothpick. Place chicken in a baking dish and poor the chicken broth over the chicken roll-ups.  Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the middle.