Fried chicken meatballs, Okra, summer Squash Casserole, and Breakfast!

I am terrible about remembering to take pictures of the food I cook but managed to remember to snap some of our Sunday dinner.  I made fried chicken meatballs, oven roasted okra, and summer squash casserole. 

This was the first time for me to make Well Fed's fried chicken meatballs by Melissa Joulwan and they were like little bite size fried chickens!  I made a double batch but next time I will triple to have leftovers for lunches.

Fried Chicken Meatballs

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coating:

3 tablespoons tapioca starch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of dried marjoram

Pinch of ground cayenne 

Pinch ground cloves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Place all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Then place all of the coating mixture in a shallow pan or bowl.

Roll the meat into balls and then roll into coating mixture.  Set the meat balls aside until all are rolled and coated.  

Next, fry the meatballs in a tablespoon ( I used a little more than that) of olive oil on high heat.  They will cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Don't overcrowd the pan, you will need to cook them in batches.  Place on baking sheet then bake for about 10 minutes.

 

I love breaded okra and have a paleo recipe for it but it takes up so much time rolling all of those pieces in batter.  This recipe is a quicker way to use okra.  The kids like it as long as we have ketchup to dip it in.😋 

Oven Roasted Okra

Okra

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Dice okra and throw away ends.

Toss okra with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 35-40 minutes.

 

This next recipe is a favorite of my son, Wyatt.  It is also great to have with eggs for breakfast.  I got this recipe from

Jennifer Robins book called Down South Paleo. I doubled this recipe.

Summer Squash Casserole

1-2 tablespoons of avocado oil or your preferred cooking oil

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

3 medium yellow squash coarsely chopped

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a casserole dish.  Boil the squash in some water for about 10-15 minutes.

Drain the squash and mash with a potato masher. Add the eggs, sugar, salt and pepper and mix.  Pour in to a casserole dish and top with pecans.  Place and oven and bake for 30 minutes.  If you double the recipe you will need to allot it to cook for about 40 minutes.  

Enjoy!

  

Juicing For Your Health

Juicing has become more and more popular of the past recent years.  You may see new Juiceries in your neighborhood pop up.  Our city finally opened I Love Juice Bar and we have become habitual frequenters.  In order for you to get the most out of the vegetables and fruits, they must be pressed in a cold presser, no heat.  Drinking cold press juices is an easy way to get your daily intake of vegetables and fruits.  When looking for a juice, I usually try to find one that contains green vegetables with one fruit to add a little sweetness.  The kids love to get a juice or smoothie and sometimes I will tell them they need to pick a drink that has something green in it.  It has become a great after school treat!

I am always up for a "food challenge" so when my husband said he wanted to do a juice cleanse, I was all for it.  We watched a documentary called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead and it was a definite motivator.  If you ever need inspiration to eat healthier, get on Netflix and search for food/health documentaries.  They are so inspiring!   It helps to have a partner to do the cleanse with.  We started small with our cleanse doing only 3 days.  Our juice bar set us up with 6 juices a day.  We have been allowed to have a handful of nuts at night.  We also added a protein shake since we are still working out pretty hard.  We are on the 3rd and final day!  We are almost to the end!  I can honestly say I haven't been that hungry I just miss chewing food and I definitely miss cooking!  

What I have learned from this a experience.  I have learned that anyone can do this.  Don't get me wrong, its not easy!  If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.  Be the person who said you did it and finished!  Jesus fasted for 40 days, what a great example for us!  People in all cultures have been fasting for centuries.  This is not a new thing!  A juice fast may help you lose a few pounds quickly but to me the reason to do this is  is to repair your cells and to rethink your way of looking at your health.  After doing this, I do not have a desire to eat bad.  You would think I would want to gorge tomorrow but actually I just want a plate of veggies.  Yea, that surprised me too!  I was worried I would do this cleanse and then gorge for the next 3 days but I don't have that need.  (Hopefully I can say this in a few days!). We eat a lot of vegetables as a family but after going through this, I plan to stick with juicing and increase the amount of fruits and veggies in our diet.  I am hoping to add a green juice in our morning routine.  Would I do this again? You bet!

 

 

Veggies!

It is always hard to eat enough vegetables everyday as an adult much less getting your kids to do it, I know!  When it comes to getting your kids to eat vegetables, you must think outside of just at dinner.  The more often you offer them throughout the day, the more they will be willing to eat them.  Even if they don't eat them, offer them!  Make them "try" them.   If it becomes a stand off, back down but if it just takes a little push to get your kids to eat their veggies, do it.  Eventually they will like them.  Vegetables provide so many vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.  I believe most people have forgotten this.  Without the proper amount of vegetables, our bodies do not function correctly causing Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, poor skin, tiredness, digestive problems, anxiety, depression, and cancer.  We are designed to consume large amounts of vegetables.  Variety is also so important.  Different vegetables contain different nutrients.  We try to eat as many different kinds of veggies as we can find.  Trying new things can be fun!  We love to all talk about what they did and did not like on their plate.  I like to ask to insure they know their opinions matter.  

 My husband and I usually have vegetables with every meal including breakfast but I haven't been offering them to the boys for breakfast until recently.  I know it will take getting used to but they will learn to accept it as a breakfast item.  The trick is to start small, offer vegetables you know they will eat, and make them taste good!  Yesterday I made them shredded squash and eggs.  All 3 boys ate it all and I was a happy mom sending them off to school with 1/2 cup vegetables in their bellies!

 

Shredded Squash and Eggs

1/2 tablespoon of ghee or grass fed butter

As much shredded yellow squash that you think your child will eat (approx 1/2 a squash)

1-2 eggs

1. Melt butter in a sauté pan then add the squash.

2.  Sauté for about 4 minutes and add a pinch of salt.

3.  Top squash with fried or scrambled eggs.

4.  Serve with berries or fruit of choice

***Omelets are great as well because the kids can make their own decision on what they want in their omelet.  Gives them some power!  

Egg muffins are another great one especially for those fast mornings because they can be prepared and frozen.

Egg Muffins

12 eggs

3/4 pound sausage, ham, prosciutto, chopped small

Your choice of mushrooms, spinach, broccoli chopped very small,  as much as you think your kids would be willing to eat!

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat eggs  in a medium bowl and add meat, vegetables, salt and pepper.

Pour in to greased or lined muffin tins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

This morning we had spinach and prosciutto with eggs.  Bryce asked if we could have it again!!

 

Another way to get enough vegetables is through juicing.  It can be hard to consume all the vegetables we need so juicing is a great way to get them in easy way.  I have to admit, I have a juicer but we rarely use it.  Too hard to clean!  But I will pick up a cold press juice at Whole Foods, Sprouts, or I go to Juice Bar.  I get a green juice and the kids get a smoothie.  Sometimes I will tell them their smoothie must contain at least one vegetable.  

We also drink Greens everyday.  We like https://paleopro.com/paleo-protein-powder/ greens.  I put it in their water bottle for school.

Get your kids involved!  I hear this all the time from nutritionist and it is so true!  Let them dice and cut the veggies up.  Wyatt has become a true master at dicing things really small.  We have also bought a couple of tomato plants, strawberries, and herbs and I am in the process of having a vegetable garden made!! What a great way to teach our kids about healthy eating.  I strongly believe kids need to be taught about nutrition, cooking, and exercise.  

Thanks for listening and hope I have inspired someone out there to up their intake of veggies for themselves as well as their kids!

Caribbean Food!

 

The best Cuban food ever!  In Isa Mujeres, Mexico!  

We must have been missing Miami or maybe it was the hole in the wall Cuban place we like to go to when we are in Mexico because we made a lot of Caribbean food last weekend!  

Cuban food is one of the easiest foods to eat Paleo.  They eat a lot of plantains, yuca, tostones, ham,  pork, avocado, seafood, and pork belly and that's all Paleo!  Sunday after church, the weather was beautiful so we had a light lunch on the patio.  I would like to share a recipe for a shrimp, mango, avocado salad.

Tropical Salad

1 pound cooked peeled shrimp

2 Avocado

2 Mangos **

2 /3 cup fresh Cilantro

Salad mix

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

** If you can find Ataulfo mangos, they are the best!  They could also be called honey mangos.

1. In a small bowl mix lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

2.  In a larger bowl combine remaining ingredients.

3.  Pour lime mixture into larger bowl and mix.

4.  Serve over a bed of lettuce!

The boys had a side of plantain chips with it.

 

So we carried the "tropical" day into dinner and had a Cuban dinner!  Masas de Puerco Fritas (Cuban Fried Pork Chunks) from 

Epicurious, sautéed cabbage, and fried plantains.

Follow the link above for the pork recipe.  Be sure to marinate the meat overnight. We had a soccer game so I boiled the meat before we left, let it sit in the pot while we were gone, and pan fried them when we got back.  

Sautéed Cabbage

1 head Cabbage shredded

Coconut oil

Sea Salt

1. Heat a large pan at medium high heat.  Add coconut oil,

2.  Add cabbage and sauté until cabbage is slightly wilted.  Add desired amount of salt.

*you could also substitute the coconut oil with bacon.  Just dice up some bacon and cook.  Remove the bacon, leaving rendering fat.  Cook cabbage and top with bacon.

Fried Plantains

3 Plantains ripened

Coconut oil

Sea Salt

Heat a pan on medium high heat with coconut oil.  Once heated, add sliced plantains.  After it has been slightly browned, flip.  We like them more brown, so we let them get a little darker than what you would see in a restaurant.  Remove from pan and place on paper towel.  Season with salt. Serve immediately. 

 

Everything cooking at once!  This part took about 30 minutes. 

Dining Out

We love to go out to eat just like most people.  But if you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, it can be difficult if you don't do a little planning ahead of time.  I am going to give you a few tips I have picked up along the way.  It has made going out to eat feasible without messing up all the hard work you have done.  

We have a few usual places we like but we also like to try new places.  We never go into a restaurant without looking at their menu first.   We can usually find something to have at any place but we like to find somewhere that gives us a few options.   Burger places are actually one of the easier restaurants to go to.  It's all about what sides they offer.  More and more places are offering sweet potato fries or a side salad which is great!  We look for a place that has good sides and gluten free buns.  My husband and I go bunless but the kids usually want a bun and I prefer they not have gluten if I can help it.  Also when looking for a burger place, find somewhere that has add-ons to your burger.  I love to add egg, bacon, or avocado.  We were recently in Miami and I had a bunless burger with avocado and fried plantains!  Also, feel free to add extra meat!  

Mexican is also an easy option!  It's all about which Mexican restaurant you go to.  I look for a menu that has vegetables anywhere on the menu.  Then I just substitute the rice and beans for a double side of veggies.  Any basic dish can be made Paleo with a few substitutions.  Don't be afraid to ask either.  I have never had a problem when I order.  Most places have chicken mole, carne asada, fish, etc.    Just pick the meat you want and get a side of veggies.  I know some of you feel like if you don't have tortillas, beans, or rice it's not Mexican.  You just have to broaden your thinking.  Mexican is about the spices, sauces, and the method they cook.  Also, guacamole is also a great thing to have!!  We always get a large bowl of guacamole for an appetizer.  I do eat a few chips but have learned to limit it to just a few.  Margaritas!!  We love them!  Is there anyone in Texas who doesn't???  Look for a drink that gives the ingredients.  Don't get the maragarita that is made from a mix.  They are full of sugar.    I look for a drink that is made with agave, lime, and tequila.   You are still getting a great margarita (better in my opinion) but not all that sugar and preservatives.  If you can't find it on the menu, ask the waiter to make it for you.  They should have the ingredients.  This is for any alcoholic drink.  I always go for the drinks made with fresh juices and agave.  

No, we don't go to fast food restaurants.  I know some of them have some good options, but for us, I would rather find a place that has a little more flair.  If I go to a fast food burger place I would only be able to get a patty and maybe a side salad.  Kind of boring.  Plus the quality isn't always great.  I always think of eating a meal as a special time.  If you are running through the drive thru all the time, eating has become uneventful for you.  It makes eating just something you have to do to fill yourself up, not enjoyable.  

With all that being said, we have cut back on going out to eat because it can be easier to just make something good at home.  We went from going out 2-3 nights on the weekend to once every 2-3 weeks.  It took some getting used to but now going out to dinner has become a special treat instead of a a common occurance.  But hopefully the next time you go out to eat, you will have a better plan.  

I would like to share with you an easy recipe you can add to your kids lunch rotation or use it as a side dish.  For most of you, this is a recipe you have seen before but it's one that I often forget about.  This particular recipe came from Paleo Restart.  If you are trying to eat Paleo for the first time or have been eating this way for a while but need some new ideas, this is a great website to use.

Bacon Broccoli Salad 

2-3 heads broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

1 1/2 cups grapes, halved

10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 an onion (we are a no onion family)

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1 cup mayonnaise (made with avocado or olive oil)

1/4 cup lemon juice

Combine mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in a larger bowl.  Add the mayonnaise mixture to the larger bowl and combine.  

 

Lunch boxes!

Many of us are on Spring break right now.  We get a break from making lunches, and the part I dread everyday, emptying their lunch box after school!  But hopefully you will get some good information from me to get you motivated to finish the year with some good healthy lunches for your kiddos.  I know it can be hard to try to come up with lunch ideas for our kids every single day.  I can be a daunting task but if you do a little pre thinking, it can make things a little easier, a little more interesting, and definitely more nutritious for your kids.  Our lunches are not cute with shapes or design to appeal to the kids.  It's just good basic food.  It doesn't have to be fancy, just well balanced with Whole Foods.

When deciding what to give my kids I always make sure they have a protein, fat, and some kind of carbohydrate.  I don't count nut butters as protein, I count it as a fat.  I am going to give you some general things we do for protein, carbohydrates, and fats to start off with.  I could talk hours about this so I definitely will be touching on this subject again soon!

Protein

Chicken breast, legs, thighs. They have leftovers from dinner or I throw something on the grill in the morning while making breakfast and preparing lunches.

Deli turkey, roast beef with simple mills brand crackers, and vegan cheese or wrapped in lettuce with a slice of avocado and tomato

Ground beef with Mexican spices.  I give them lettuce, salsa, avocado, and  Siete brand tortilla chips from Whole Foods.

Tuna or chicken salad with celery, pecans, apples, mayonnaise, avocado, or apple cider vinegar. Rhett's favorite lunch!

Applegate hotdogs

Boiled eggs.  Plain or mashed up to make a salad with avocado or mayonnaise 

Lettuce wrap burger.  Leftovers from dinner or throw a few on the grill in the morning, or while you are cooking dinner the night before!

Meatballs

Protein shake. Find a protein made from natural ingredients without whey.  Our protein is made from grass fed beef and eggs from Paleo Pro.

Smoked sausage

Fats

Nut butters (look for nut butters without added stuff, just nuts, oil, and maybe salt)

Mayonnaise

Nuts

Avocado (Holy guacamole single servings)

Lara bars

Macaroons-There are lots of brands out there.  Cocoroons is one brand we like.

Non dairy yogurt

Almond milk pudding

Salami or pepperoni

Dark chocolate (make sure it is at least 55% cocoa, the higher the better)

Coconut butter

Coconut shredded or chips

Carbohydrates

Salad, lots of salad!

Raw veggies and ranch.  We like Primal Kitchen for our dressing.  

Spinach

Lettuce wraps

Fruit with nut butter, coconut butter, or shredded coconut 

Dried fruit without added sugar

Simple mills crackers (Sprouts, Whole Foods)

Siete chips and tortillas(Whole Foods)

Terra chips They have all kinds!

Almond flour or coconut flour muffins

Legit bread company bread for sandwiches occasionally

Paleo cookies 

Salsa 

When making dinner, make extras for lunch the next day.  Adults are not the only ones that can enjoy leftovers.  After a while they will start asking for leftover dinner for lunch.  I just get the food really hot and double wrap it in foil or put it in a thermos and no one has ever complained about it being cold.  

Mini "corn" dog muffins are a great thing to have on hand when you don't know what to pack. Double the recipe to make 24 mini muffins.

Mini Corn dog muffins

1 cup almond flour

3 tablespoons coconut flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 eggs

1/2 cup palm shortening

3 tablespoons Raw honey

3 tablespoons Applesauce

1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar

Applegate hotdogs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix the dry ingredients together and then the wet ingredients together and combine wet with dry.

Spray pan with coconut oil and fill each tin 3/4 full with batter.

Cut up hotdogs in to 4ths an stick each piece into each tin.

Bake for about 15 minutes

Freezes well!

    

 

It is a struggle!

I have a confession, I love food!  I love it so much I have a blog about it!  I love to talk about it, make it, and of course eat it!  That's where the struggle comes in.  I have to keep myself in check all the time.  Recently I have gained a few pounds and that has put me in a mood to really watch what I eat.  Being paleo has helped with my struggle with food because now I am able to eat more (I'm all for that!) but it isn't a miracle solution.  You can still go over board if you don't watch it.  Paleo has definitely helped me because there are specific rules.  I can't tell myself  that it's ok to have that slice of cake just once because I know it is not Paleo. I don't make exceptions.  If I started making exceptions, there would be no end.  We have so many holidays and reasons we should "celebrate" that if I ate off my Paleo diet every time it would be all the time.   I am not good at just having as a treat every now and then, I wish I was.  I would eat half the cake if I let myself!  Now I do have Paleo treats.  I feel like that's sort of a compromise to help curb my sweet tooth.

 I want to give you a little information about my past.  When I was in college. I gained a bunch of weight, I won't give you numbers but let's just leave it at a bunch.  Most of it was from being a freshman, thinking I could drink, eat whatever I wanted.  I didn't eat much, but what I did have was junk.  My husband and I met and I started to lose the weight.  We started cooking more and working out.  

When I had our twins I gained a lot of weight again, of course this was for a much better reason this time.  But our twins were BIG twins!  6 lb 8 oz and 7 lb 1 oz, full term!  They were perfectly healthy and did not spend one night even in the nursery.  I was proud that my body could do such an amazing thing.  I lost the baby weight quickly. Nursing for a year helped!!  I had my third baby 2 years later and lost the weight again without a problem.  

After having 15 pounds of baby and a third baby, I had to deal with "post baby body".  I don't mean post baby body like 6 months or 2 years later.  I haven't had a baby in 8 years but I am NOT the same!  News alert! Another quick confessions I had a tummy tuck and breast lift but I am still not the same.

I pray that those who read this are not judging me or looking down on me in any way.  I pray that someone reads this and realizes that they may not be the only one who struggles.  I think that is why I like to blog, cook, talk about food so much.  It keeps my obsession in a healthy check.  I can obsess over good fats and carbs in a healthy way so that I can still have my obsession with food but direct it in a healthier way than just filling my obsession with junk food. I am filling my obsession (lets just say addiction) to eating healthy.  

So today I have started counting my macros again.  Not calories as much, just macros, Fat, carbs, and protein.  I use My Fitness Pal to keep track.  If you have any questions about this, please feel free to ask. I also have a great coach that can help if you are interested.

On a lighter note, I would like to share with you a website I found that has been great!  It is called Know Foods.  We have tried their sandwich bread, mini muffins, and donuts!  Okay, I take that back, the kids have tried it.  I just watch them eat and ask if it's good.  They love them. I bought a bunch and threw them in the freezer.  

Another great new product is Nut Pods.  It is a great alternative to coffee creamer if you don't want to make your own.  We like Vanilla but they also have hazelnut and original.  

Y'all have a great day!  Thanks for reading and please ask me any questions you may have!

  

Our Valentines/ Birthday weekend

I know it's a few days after Valentines Day but I still want to share our holiday with you.  It was my husband's birthday on the 12th, so we got a hotel in Dallas at the Rosewood so we could celebrate his birthday and Valentines.   Very fancy!  This has become our usual thing to do every year, get a fancy hotel and go out to a fancy dinner.  We decided not to go fancy with dinner this year.  We ate at HG Supply Co. in Lower Greenville.  If you are not familiar with Dallas, Lower Greenville is a hip area with lots of Twenty-somethings.  My best friend and I used to cruise down lower Greenville in high school, we thought we were cool!  Anyway, if you are looking for a cool restaurant with real food, I highly recommend it!  I had the DelMonico which was a ribeye with an egg on top, and some awesome brussel sprouts!  My husband had the beef short ribs with charred cabbage and it was great!  To drink, I had the Moscow mule made with Kombucha and my husband had the old fashion, one of his favorite drinks.  We shared a dish of sweet potato hash as well.  It was a great meal! After dinner we walked across the street to Dude Sweet Chocolate and picked up some amazing chocolate to have in the hotel room.  It was a great night!

               

Valentines morning, the boys had Almond flour waffles with strawberry sauce and coconut whipped cream.  They had a cute heart shaped egg on the side.  

  

Since it was on a Tuesday we decided to cook at home and make it a Taco Tuesday!  No one can argue with tacos, especially in our house!  I made tortillas out of almond flour.  My boys love them and think they are better than wheat tortillas!  That's always a good complement to hear.   We had regular ground beef tacos with guacamole and a salad to go with.  

Here is the tortilla recipe I use.

 1 1/4 cups almond flour

1 1/2 cups  Tapioca flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

3-4 ounces of Water

2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening, melted and cooled

2 Egg whites

Combine the dry ingredients, then make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients. Start with 3 ounces of water and add more if needed.  Mix until it is in a dough form.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Then, take a ball of dough and roll out on to a surface lightly covered in tapioca flour.  To make them perfectly round, I take my sauce pan lid and use it as a cutter.  Place tortilla on a heated pan and cook on both sides until they are slightly browned.  

It's all very similar to a "regular" tortilla recipe, just different flour!  Don't get too frustrated if they break the first few times you try to make them.  It takes practice and then you will be a pro!  

     

For dessert I made Fed and Fit Flourless Chocolate cake.  Yea, that was awesome!  And I had made some Elanas Pantry Mexican Chocolate Ice cream to go with it.  

 

Kids and Valentines Candy

Every year, our kids come home with a ton of Valentines candy.  This year, I didn't say anything about it. I wanted them to make their own decision as to what to do with it.   One of our boys gave his candy away before he left school, the other asked if I would pay him to throw the candy away.. Uh yea!  And the third ate a few pieces and decided he wanted to be paid for the rest.  Not bad!  So how did I get to this point??  It has taken some time, sometimes bribing, but also educating.  They know the candy makes them feel bad.  They know that the ingredients are not even recognizable.  Plus, I made them a super cute chocolate box for Valentines with really good chocolate!  Some of the chocolate I made and some I ordered online.  They were happy and so was I!  I have learned if there is something I prefer that my kids don't eat, I need to have an alternative ready.  They have learned that really good dark chocolate with strawberry filling, or homemade mounds bars is way better tasting than a package of gummy worms.  

 

Easy Coconut Ice Cream

Tonight we had Coconut Milk Ice Cream.  It was good!!  You need an ice cream maker in order to make it.  I just bought a new one and its pink!  If you have ever made ice cream, it is very similar to any basic recipe.    I doubled this recipe because I double, triple, quadruple all our recipes!  I love making homemade ice cream because I know exactly what is in it, it's dairy free, and sugar free.   My kids won't get a "sugar rush" right before bed, yea it's worth the extra effort to have a calm evening.

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

I can coconut milk, full fat 

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs yolks

1.  In a small sauté pan whisk the coconut milk on medium until it simmers.

2.  In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks, honey, and vanilla

3.  Slowly pour the the coconut milk into the egg mixture and whisk while pouring.  Make sure you pour slowly and whisk or you will have scrambled eggs!

4.  Pour the ice cream back into the sauté pan and whisk on medium.  Keep stirring until the ice cream is thick enough to coat your spoon.

5.  Pour into the bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 45 minutes.  I left for only 30 min and it just took longer in the ice cream maker.

6.  Next just follow the directions of your ice cream maker.  I let mine churn for about 15 minutes and then poured it into a airtight container and put it in the freezer to freeze completely.

We added dark chocolate bark and coconut whipped cream to ours for extra fun!  I made the chocolate bark and bought the whipped cream from Whole Foods.  

 

Sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes contain a large amount of vitamin A, are low on the glyicemic index, and provide some fiber to your diet.  If you need a boost of energy, sweet potatoes are a good option for a higher carb food.

Roasted sweet potatoes are a easy side dish that can go with just about anything.  It's also great for any meal, including breakfast.  If you are trying to stay away from bread but want something with carbs, it is a good alternative and they are slightly sweet so they can curb your sweet craving!  It's a win win!

Our family LOVES chorizo so this recipe was a great one for us!  We have some leftover so I thought I would give some to the boys with their dinner tonight too.  If you have never had chorizo, definitely give it a try!  It is really just ground meat (pork, chicken, beef) with a bunch of Mexican spices.  

Sweet Potato Chorizo Hash

2 sweet potatoes diced, with skin on

2 tablespoons coconut oil melted

1 pound chorizo

1 red bell pepper (or any color)

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 teaspoon (or more) jalapeño

1 teaspoon cumin

1 avocado

1/2 cup cilantro

You can make this the night before or make the sweet potatoes only and have them ready to prepare the rest the next day.

1.  Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  You may need to adjust the oil so that the potatoes are coated.  Spread on a baking sheet, making sure the potatoes are not overcrowded otherwise they will come out mushy.

2.  Cook in oven on the roast setting at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes give or take.

3.  Cook the chorizo in a skillet on medium high just like if you were to cook any ground meat.  When the meat is about half way cooked, add the bell pepper and jalapeño.

4. Once it is cooked through, add cumin and sweet potatoes and stir to combine.

5.  Serve with a side of avocado!

Another great recipe to make if you are wanting sweet potatoes is Sweet Potatoes and Bavon

Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

 3-4 sweet potatoes diced with skin on

8-10 strips of bacon

1.  Preheat oven at 375 degrees on roast

2.  Place bacon on a foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven for about 10 minutes.

3.  Remove bacon and dice saving the bacon grease.

4.  Put diced potatoes in a bowl and toss bacon grease and chopped bacon together with the potatoes.

5.  Place potato mixture back one baking sheet, making sure they are not over lapping or too crowded.  Add a generous amount of salt.

6.  Roast for about 25 minutes.

7.  That's it!

  

Variety is the Key

I have been reading The Paleo Approach by Sarah Ballantyne, PHd.  This is a great book, especially for beginners that are unsure on how to get started on a Paleo diet.  One section of her book talks about eating a variety of foods.   I know we have all heard that before but it didn't really click with me until recently.  Our bodies need so many different types of vitamins and minerals in order to function at its best.  If you are eating (I have been completely guilty of this) the same things every day you are not getting the nutrition you need.  So this last month I have focused on varying up our meals.  Children need variety for the same reasons but I think it is important for them to get used to eating a variety of foods in order for them to be open to trying new things.  

A good example That Dr. Ballantyne pointed out was comparing kale to collard greens.  You would think they provide the same kind of nutrition, not much difference but we are all so wrong!  Kale has more vitamin C and K, while collards have more vitamin B3 and B9.  Meat should follow the same rule.  Don't limit yourself to ground beef or chicken.  Try a different part of the cow you usually do not buy.  Don't think you should only be eating the breast of a chicken.  Americans have become obsessed with only eating the breast, which has caused unethical chicken farmers to raise chickens with unusually large breasts, filled with hormones and antibiotics.    I won't go off on this targent, at least not today!  Try to incorporate fish into at least 3 times a week, and don't limit it to dinner.  I am so proud of us for having an English Breakfast this week!  Smoked Salmon, eggs, and bell peppers all sautéed together.  It was really good!  My husband said it tasted like bologna!  Be open to a variety of seafood.  One of our boys loves to fish so we like to find out what kind of fish we are having and look it up online to see what it looks like.   You can do this with any animal.  If you are having pork loin, for example, look it up to see where it is on the pig!  It can be fun for kids!  It's the circle of life people!  

One last thought before I go.  I hear from people everyday how picky their kids are.  I understand it can be really hard.  Here is a tip I used to do with the kids.  If there is a food I want them to eat, we would have a taste testing party.  Let's say I want to be able to pack them some raw vegetables in their lunch box.  Gather a variety of veggies, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, bell pepper (lots of colors), raw zucchini, raw yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms. I could go on and on!  Pick about 5-10 and let them taste test.  Don't pick the veggies you know they will eat.  Have them tell you 2-3 they would be willing to eat.  That's a good start!  I usually give them a little disposable container of Primal Kitchen's Ranch dressing to dip or I buy those Holy Guacamole to go packs.  Kids love to dip stuff!  Next week I plan to take pics of my boys lunches and post them at the end of the week.  Left overs are key!

Salmon and Eggs

 

Hamburger buns and sandwich bread!

Sometimes you just need bread!  I have to admit my husband and I don't eat it often, but the kids do.  Being kids, I think they need more carbs than adults.  When I make hamburger buns, I know they are getting some good nutrition out of it.  I found this recipe from Make Ahead Paleo by Tammy Credicott.  I make a double batch, sometimes triple, and freeze them. They are also great as an English muffin.  

English muffins/Hamburger buns by Tammy Credicott

 YEAST MIXTURE

1/3 cup warm water

2 tsp honey

2 tsp active dry yeast

DRY INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup almond flour

3 TBSP coconut flour

1/3 cup arrowroot flour

1/3 cup tapioca starch

Pinch of sea salt

WET INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

1 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1.  Preheat oven to lowest setting

2. On a large baking sheet place 8  English muffin rings on parchment paper

3. In a small bowl mix yeast, honey, and warm water. Set for 5 minutes until frothy

4.  In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients

5. Add the yeast mixture to dry ingredients along with wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Let dough set for about 4 minutes.

6. Lightly spray rings with cooking spray and fill each muffin with about half a cup of dough. Smooth top

7.  Place the pan in the oven and turn off the oven.  Let the muffins sit for 10 minutes.  

8.  Leave the tray in the oven and turn temp up to 350 and bake for 20 minutes.

9.  Let them cool and then remove them from the rings.

 

I also wanted to share with you where we get our sandwich bread.  Again, my husband and I never eat it but the kids do.  I tried making my own with a few different recipes.  They are ok but then a new company called Legit Bread Company came out a few months ago and we were hooked!  I order 4 at a time and freeze them.  It's not something we eat everyday, but once or twice a week the boys have toast with breakfast.  They also have mixes if you want to make it your self or they will give recipes to make other things.  I made cinnamon rolls with it on Christmas Day!  

 

Thrive Market

You may start to notice that I love to shop at many different stores.  I am a store hopper.  I have no commitment to just one store.  I love going into a store I haven't seen in a while to see what new things they have.  My Thrive market order came in and I got lot's of good stuff, especially for our boys.  One thing I like about Thrive Market is you can minimize your search for Paleo.  If you just want gluten free you can do that too.  They have so many great snack options that I can use for lunch boxes.  They also have one of my favorite Paleo salad dressing brands, Primal Kitchen.  They have a great mayonnaise as well.  Simple Mills is a great brand and you can find it in more and more places, which is great!  I love their mixes for when I need something quick and don't want to think about it.  Plus, the boys can make it without my help!  If you get on their Instagram, they will post recipes to make with their mixes. That's pretty cool! They have some great crackers that are good for lunchboxes too.    Cocoroons  are also a great treat.  I put a couple in the boys lunch box, or it is also great for a dessert. Ona treats  are good too a,  I picked some other items we use a lot of like applesauce, tuna, pistachios, honey, cinnamon, coconut cream, good dark chocolate, and pumpkin seeds.  When I buy chocolate, I make sure it is dark and at least 56% cocoa.  It also should not have any ingredients you don't recognize.  It will probably contain some sugar, but for us, good chocolate is one of our exceptions.

Happy shopping!

 

It tastes like candy!

Those are words out of the mouth of one of my 10 year olds when he ate his butternut squash last night.  "It tastes like candy!"  It was a proud moment, I have to admit.  One of my favorite recipes is maple bacon pecan and butternut squash by one of my favorite bloggers, PaleOMG   If you have never had butternut squash, I think you will be pleasantly surprised how good it is.  There are so many great winter squash's out there that can do more good than just for decoration on Thanksgiving.  One of the things I have loved about eating Paleo is discovering new foods!  We had this last night with out pecans, with a side of oven roasted broccoli, and Meat loaf.  Who could ever say Paleo eaters are depriving themselves?!?  If you are used to steaming your broccoli, try roasting it.  To me, it brings out a nutty flavor thats my kids will gobble up!  Just lightly coat your broccoli in some coconut oil or olive oil with some sea salt.  Put your oven on roast at 400 degrees.  Let them cook for roughly 10 minutes give or take.  Let me know what you think!

Paleo OMG Maple Bacon Pecan Butternut Squash

 

My take on milk

Trying to decide what kind of milk to your family can be exhausting!  There are so many choices out there and so many opinions!  I want to start by saying that I do not believe everyone should eat the same way I do.  Every family has different things going on and different circumstances.  I do believe you should be educated.  I think a lot of people feed their families whatever the rest of the United States is eating and assume that it is ok with out putting any thought into it.  If you start thinking differently about food (not the traditional American way) it can really open your eyes to a new way of looking at your nutrition.  I have read about how different countries eat and it is amazing the difference in quality and the value they put on food.  

Ok back to milk.  So many choices!  Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, cow's milk, soy milk, flax seed milk, goat milk, and recently I have heard camel milk can be very good for you!  I may have to get some!  I love testing out new foods!  We used to be a 2 gallon of milk a week family.  I thought milk was necessary for our growing family.  About 3 years ago I was doing some research on acne.  I have always had skin issues since I was 12 years old.  I have been on numerous medicines including Accutane twice!  I came across something that said that dairy can cause acne.  I had NEVER heard that before!  I was desperate for answers so I gave up milk and after about 6 months, my skin was clear!  It took a while, so if you ever take away any food out of your diet, give it some time.  Do not expect changes immediately.  Then about 2 years ago we decided that our boys needed to give up cow milk.  We started with one of our twins who had reflux as a baby, eczema, and bowel issues.  He was reluctant at first but after a few months, it became second nature to him and he also noticed how he felt if he did have dairy.   His bowel issues were gone almost immediately his skin looks much better!  We quickly changed the entire family to dairy free.  

So here is some technical info on why cow's milk is not good for most people:

I like to reference information that I find.  That way you can read it first hand out of the mouth of the writers.  I found this article written by Dr. Mark Hyman who referenced his information from Dr. David Ludwig and Dr. Walter Willett from Harvard.  

Milk is Dangerous for your Health. 

A few years ago I started taking soy protein.  Big mistake!  Soy really messed with my hormones.  I will just leave it at I looked like I was nursing!  I also had this unexplainable amount of cellulite.  So from personal experience alone, I do not recommend it.

I have read that goat and sheeps milk and cheese are acceptable.  Milk has lactose which is made up of 2 different types of sugar molecules, glucose and galactose.  There are lots of people that are lactose intolerant and are not aware of it.  I know I wasn't!   Goats milk and sheeps milk is sometimes more easily digested than cow's milk.   We do not drink it but I am not against it either.  Just make sure it is organic and in moderation.  

One thing that I hear from people and I thought my self was that I didn't think I had any problems with any foods.  I have never been diagnosed to have any allergies.  I don't even get seasonal allergies.  But after giving up milk, wheat, corn, etc I have discovered that those foods were harmful to me I just didn't notice or didn't make the connection.  I just thought I had acne and that's it or I have a "sensitive" stomach.  Uh no, the foods I was consuming were causing it, duh!  

I know it is very hard to change something that you have been doing your whole life plus trying to get your kids to do something new seems impossible but I promise it is possible.  Your kids will fight you on it, no doubt.  It will be hard at first especially when you see the rest of society have dairy galore.  But just think of yourself as an innovator.  I always tell my kids that we are just ahead of the game when it comes to nutrition.  Or we are just catching up with other parts of the world, I'm not sure which.  

Here are some tips on how to get started.  Just some things we did to ease our way into a dairy free lifestyle.  I am lucky enough to have a husband that is as much pro paleo as I am so no problem there.  If you do have a spouse that is unwilling to go dairy free, just like your kids, you can ease your way into it.  Start with lactose free milk or buy chocolate almond milk.  Also, take away cheese last but slowly start taking cheese out of your meals.  Avocado is a good replacement when making sandwiches, Mexican food, or when you just want something creamy.  Canned full fat Coconut milk is a great replacement when cooking and the dish requires cream or milk.  There are so many great alternatives that you will realize that it isn't a big deal.  When my kids ask for cheese every so often, I give them almond cheese and that seems to satisfy their craving.  Anytime they are craving a food I find an alternative.  

To close, please take a look at the benefits of almond milk.  I have talked a lot about the dangers of cows milk but wanted to share this article I found that explains some benefits.  

Benefits of Almond milk

Thanks for reading y'all!!

Creamy Spaghetti!

Our youngest is a huge Italian food fan.   This recipe satisfies his need for Italian without the pasta.    Last night I made Spaghetti with a creamy tomato sauce by Sarah Fragaso.  Actually, the boys helped!  Bryce, my youngest, spiralized the zucchini and one of my twins, Wyatt, helped me with the rest.  We made a double batch so the boys took some for lunch today.  Everyone loved it!  I wanted to share this recipe with you.  I love the artichokes added to the dish. I doubled the recipe but I also added an extra can of diced tomatoes to mine.  Be sure to not let the zucchini cook too long or they get mushy.  I have done that before!  If you don't have a spiralizer, I use this  spiralizer  but I saw others on Amazon that look pretty good and are cheaper.    Let me know what you think!

Sarah Fragaso's Spaghetti with a creamy tomato sauce

 

Paleo is not about eating like a caveman

Anytime someone finds out that I eat a Paleo diet, the first thing they say is "Oh are you a caveman?  Haha!"  Hilarious (insert sarcasm).  I do not eat Paleo because I believe that is how cavemen ate that way long ago.  I have know idea, I'm not a historian.  I eat this way for so many better reasons.  For one, I am getting more nutritionally dense foods.  What I mean is I am eating foods that have nutritional value, not just empty calories.  My body is getting vitamins and minerals, etc from everything I eat.  Second, I am not starving all the time!  Because I am eating foods with value, I am able to eat more and the foods I have take longer to digest, therefore I am not hungry.  I used to get light headed if I didn't eat.  I thought I just needed to eat.  I now know it was my blood sugar going crazy!   Third, over the last 50 years the way Americans eat has changed dramatically.  We are still the same people but we are eating more processed food, sugar, and artificial foods than ever before.  That it is so scary.  Fourth,  for me one of the jobs as a mother is to make sure my children are fed well.  I want them to grow up understanding the importance of health.  I know it is very hard feeding kids today.  There is junk food everywhere!  All we can do is our best and know we are not perfect.  And last,  I actually enjoy eating this way better!  No more low fat foods.  I remember when I bought real butter for the first time.  It was exhilarating!  I don't have cravings anymore, I sleep better, I have gained muscle, and my kids feel better too!  It's a win win!

I have attached a link to an article I read yesterday.  It gives a simple view of comparing paleo foods to other foods.  Hopefully this will help those who may be confused.  

Why Should you Follow a Paleo diet?

Thought I would post what we had for breakfast and lunch!

For Breakfast it was veggie scramble.  I sautéed broccoli, kale, and mushrooms in some coconut oil for a few minutes.  Then added 3 eggs.  Topped the scramble with diced tomatoes and avocado!  Very simple!

For lunch it was leftover breakfast quiche of shredded yellow squash and eggs with red cabbage and apples.  Very good!

 

 

 

What we ate this weekend

Here in Texas, it was rainy and no fun!  Plus we had some sick boys in our house.  We spent most of our three day weekend laying around the house not doing much.  I am not the type who likes to just do nothing, so when there's nothing to do, I cook!  One thing we had this weekend was pizza!

It took some time for me to learn how to make Paleo Pizza.  It was a lot of trial and error and I am still trying to perfect it.  My favorite pizza dough is from Julian's Bakery.  As far as sauce, I have used lots of different kinds, just look for a brand that does not have sugar.  Cheese has always been difficult.  We use almond cheese and I have to admit, that it is not the same as dairy cheese.  But, I learned a few years ago that dairy gives us stomach problems and skin problems.  It is not worth it for us!  So anyway, I use Daiya block mozzarella.  I have found it at Whole Foods.  We load the pizza up with whatever we feel like.  Pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, basil, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and artichokes have been our favorites.  Just follow the directions on the pizza crust mix package, its very simple.  We always have pizza with a salad.  Pick a salad dressing that doesn't have sugar, and all natural ingredients or make your own!  My favorite salad dressing brands are Primal Kitchen and Tessemae.  Our kids have no problem eating salad.  If your kids are not crazy about it, give them the salad before serving pizza.  Just call it an appetizer.  We still do this, but only because it is a habit now.  

Don't feel like you are force feeding your kids or anything like that.  If it is a really struggle, just start with a small portion.  If you need to, start with one vegetable to add to the salad.  Try to avoid just giving them a lettuce salad.  Salads are a good opportunity to reinforce eating vegetables.  Don't be afraid to add toasted nuts or avocado, those are good fats!   It takes time for kids to like new foods but don't give up after one try.  It can take months but it works!  Happy eating!

 

Fats....yes!!!

 

This a picture from @cocos_paleo_kitchen made me laugh!

Found this article this morning that I thought I would share with you.  Many people still think fat is bad for you!  If you are one of those people, start changing your thoughts!  We eat grass fed butter, avocados, coconut oil, beef, avocados!  I used to believe low fat foods were the way to go but studies have shown our bodies need those fats to to have energy and burn fat.  Fats keep you full longer as well.  Sugar and bad carbohydrates are the things to avoid.  

Why it’s OK to eat fat - The Australian Women's Weekly

https://apple.news/AZdoEFCeJQ3OtFt1pASaBYg

So now go put some butter on something!!!

Amazon Fresh!

My new discovery!  Amazon Fresh has started delivering to my city!  It is so cool!  They have almost everything I need and the produce is flawless.  I did have to go to the store to pick up a couple of meats but that was only because they were sold out on Amazon.  They deliver it in these cute bags (our kitty liked them too) that you return at your next order and everything is iced and packed very nice.  You pick a day and and a 2 hour window of when you want it delivered.  If you have it in your city, give it a try!

    

How my love of cooking and exercise started and evolved and what we eat for breakfast!

I started to love cooking in college.  It was never anything healthy...manicotti, stir fry (not the healthy kind), lots of grilling, etc.  I have always loved trying new recipes.  When the twins were born, we were not eating great.  Lots of eating out or ordering in.  We didn't exercise except for pushing twins in a giant double jogger!  I did nurse all 3 boys for a year, so that definitely helped with losing the baby weight but our diet wasn't great.  When our 3rd son was born and the twins were 2, we decided we need to get a hold on our health.  We joined Cooper Aerobics, the founding father of Aerobics.  We joined mainly because they had awesome childcare and when you have 3 kids under 3, you need awesome childcare.  I started going to the gym on a regular bases mainly because it meant I had an hour to myself!  I immediately got addicted to working out.  Over the last 9 years I have been a consistent exerciser.  My workouts have changed over the years.  I have done zumba, spin, aerobic classes, personal trainers, and bootcamps.  About a year and half ago I decided to leave Cooper and started Crossfit and loved it!  I am still at Crossfit FXTX but I do a cross between Crossfit and Bikini fitness.  I feel more comfortable in my own skin than I have ever before!

Ok, back to food.  When we started eating healthier, I cooked out of Cooking Light cookbooks a lot!  We counted our calories, eating about 1700 calories a day, at times I was down to 1200 calories!  Not enough..  I was always thin but muscle tone was not there.  Plus I was hungry!  I was eating a lot of empty calories that did not keep me full.  When we joined Crossfit I learned a lot about eating!  I was not open to eating Paleo, but after researching more and more we decided to give it a try.  We have become a Paleo family and the kids do great with it!  I'm eating more than I have ever had and I am hardly ever hungry.  We eat whole foods with lots of protein and fats.  They are not perfect but who is!  I can go more into how to feed kids at another time.  Food and exercise is a large part of our families conversation.  Our kids know the importance of being healthy.  God says: Do you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were brought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

On to what we have for breakfast.  We eat a lot of eggs!  When I need something that doesn't require thinking, its usually eggs, some kind meat, and a veggie.  For meats, it could be ham, sausage, chorizo (a family favorite), or....Bacon!!! Yes we eat bacon!  For veggies, we usually have leftovers from dinner or I cook up something.  Spinach is good morning vegetable if you don't have anything already cooked because it cooks in about 3 minutes.  Spinach tip:  If you have never sautéed spinach, put a spray of coconut oil in a pan and add a lot of fresh spinach.  It cooks down a lot!  Please do not overcook your spinach so it looks like it just came out of a can!  Yuck!  Just cook it enough that it has wilted.  Add some salt, and your done!

Today I made sweet potato pancakes.  Sweet potatoes have more fiber, vitamin A, lower in carbohydrate, lower on the glycemic index, and are a strong anti-inflammatory.

So here's the recipe for the pancakes. I tripled our recipe.  We have 3 boys that eat a lot and I like to have leftovers.  This recipe is from 

Practical Paleo. I take no credit for this recipe... just sharing what I found!

2 cups shredded sweet potatoes.  I used my food processor and it was super quick.   I did this the night before.

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 salt

2 teaspoons coconut flour

Mix everything but the sweet potatoes in a bowl. Then add in the sweet potatoes.  Heat a pan at medium high heat, just like if you are making pancakes.  Add a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil to the pan.  Scoop about a 1/4-1/3 cup of sweet potato mixture and form into a pancake with your hands.  Cook on both sides until brown.  I like them crispy so I leave them on a little longer, plus they hold together better if you leave them on longer.  

The boys ate there's with butter and syrup.  

Y'all have a blessed day!

 

Kale!

Anyone else eating Kale chips and watching the game??? Probably not right!  I decided to do a test.  We had an excess amount of Kale and I wanted to see if kale chips are better cooked in the oven or on the stove so I did 2 batches tonight.  The oven left it much crunchier.  I lightly tossed them with coconut oil and played them out on a cookie sheet.  Nom Nom paleo says to cook them for 12 minutes at 350 degrees and that worked perfect!  After cooking, I sprinkled some salt and they were ready to go! If you are craving something salty and in need of a late night snack this is a much better option than popcorn.  The coconut oil is so good for you and the kale has very little carbohydrates.