Paleo Pot Pie

Ger got a PR today on Isabel - 1:49. (It's already 1:39 now!) Maybe this new pale chicken pot pie had something to do with that!
He had asked me to "try to do a Chicken Pot Pie, very healthy." (well, of course) Here's what I did:

I rubbed coconut oil in my dutch oven. You might use a big Pyrex or stoneware dish, but I hadn't made it before and I didn't know how big it would be....and I always go big.
I diced 4 huge chicken breasts and cooked them in 3 TBSP of coconut oil in a skillet. I tok the chicken out of the skillet and set it aside.

In the same skillet I put 2 more TBSP coconut oil and 5 organic carrots, peeled and chopped. ( Don't be tempted to use those carrots in the bags that are already peeled - they've been sprayed with chlorine. Oh, yes.) The carrots take the longest to cook, so I just stirred them once in a while as I prepped the other ingredients.
I diced 2 organic sweet onions and added them to the skillet and stirred.
Next, I cut 1 handful of french green beans into bite-sized pieces, and threw them in.
I threw in one 8 oz container of sliced baby portabella mushrooms. (use your favorite)

I washed and tore and removed the stems of 4 cups of organic kale. I threw it into the skillet, too. It barely fit, at first, before it cooked down some.

The last thing to go into the skillet was 2 TBSP fresh Thyme, 1/2 tsp smoked sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

I put a lid on all of that and let the steam cook them toward tender for around 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
 I set the lid aside and added 3 cups all-natural chicken stock and brought it to a boil. I turned it down a little and let it simmer for a few more minutes.

Nest, I needed a way to thicken it in a healthy and paleo kind of way, so I put 3 TBSP coconut cream concentrate in and stirred and let it simmer until it thickened. (If you want to add a TBSP of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch or even cornstarch, go ahead....)

When it was thicker, I poured all this beautiful goodness into the dutch oven and made the "biscuity paleo crust."

For the biscuity paleo crust, I put these things into a small mixing bowl:

1/2 cup pasture butter (from grass-fed cows, like KerryGold)
1 1/4 cupalmond flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
I smashed the butter into the other ingredients with a fork because I didn't want to get my big mixer out for this little job.
Then I added 4 egg whites. These were very large farm-fresh eggs. I whisked that all up with the fork, too, smashing any big clumps. It was frothy and biscuit-dough-ish looking, as you can see in the pic, above. So, I added 2 more TBSP of almond flour and it looked just right. Adjust as necessary.

I put the crust mixture and spread it out some. I put the dutch oven (WITHOUT the lid) into a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

We all wanted more crust on top next time, so be forewarned.....
If you don't have coconut cream concentrate yet, tropical traditions has the best. (tropicaltraditions.com)

I need to make this again soon! Let me know how you tweaked yours.

Bacon and Egg Cups

Cassie had learned of these wonderful little things from Tiffany Lockhart, and she showed me how to make them. She was concerned about Ger buying boiled eggs at the grocery when he was in too much of a hurry to cook his own here. (not the best eggs.....how long have they been sitting there.....)

When I looked around, they are all over Pinterest, too, in different versions. You won't find any of us making them with turkey bacon though - lol!

So, it's a cool idea. All you do is line your muffin cups with uncured bacon. Than, you crack an egg into each one. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper go on the top. Put them in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Some people rub the muffin tin with coconut oil first, but it seems that with the bacon grease, you really don't need to do it. Some people stir up the eggs in a bowl first, and add baby spinach or diced red pepper. It all works. They are a great way to plan ahead, so you can throw them on a paper plate and into the microwave for a few seconds before running out the door. They aren't bad cold, either! Mine are in a gallon Ziploc bag in the fridge, but you know they won't last long. 

Pumpkin Goji Chia Pudding

I've been making chia puddings lately. I blogged Paleo Cocoa Goji Pudding on here just the other day. So, I had to make a pumpkin one, too, right? Yes, I did. Now, it looks like it's a weird color in the photo, because the can of coconut milk lightens the color of the organic pumpkin. But, that's ok. We love it!
I shot this photo with all the ingredients stirred up except the pecan butter. That's why the pecans are cooling on a rack in the back of the shot - I was making my Toasted Pecan Butter because we'd eaten it all.....again!
The more prep work I do on the weekend, the easier it is for this household to eat paleo all through the week. It takes a little planning, but food is our fuel and we only get one body.


I put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl:

1 can organic coconut milk
1 can organic pumpkin
1 TBSP finely chopped fresh ginger ( I use Garden Gourmet; it comes in a tube in your grocery near the fresh herbs - it's so easy!)
2 TBSP agave nectar, or honey
4 TBSP chia seeds
2 scoops vanilla or cinnamon roll protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup goji berries ( optional, but they are a seriously powerhouse food)
2 TBSP pecan butter, or almond butter

I stirred all ingredients until mixed well. I put a lid on the bowl and placed it in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Feb 2, 2013
I made this again today and added 2 TBSP dark cocoa. It's a great way to tweak it.

Lemon Lime Protein Balls

I love protein balls and I am not alone.  I love my Cocoa Delight Bites, my Gingerbread Protein Balls, and my Paleo Vanilla Date Bites - those recipes are all on this blog and they are made often.

Today, since it's a SNOW DAY, I wanted to make something like that, but experiment with my Coconut Cream Concentrate. (tropicaltraditions.com They have some amazing products and some great sales, so check them out often.) Kim mentioned coconut butter (sometimes it's called that) the other day and then I saw on Facebook that Tony is even putting it in his coffee, so I knew I wanted to come up with a great recipe using this yummy goodness. So, I did. They just taste so creamy and fresh.

I put all the ingredients into one bowl:

1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and lime zest (1 tsp total - some of both in the tsp)
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
4-5 scoops of Progenex Vanilla Protein (OR 3 scoops of other brands of vanilla, like Myofusion - their scoop is bigger)
1/4 cup + 1 TBSP coconut oil (don't melt it)
1/4 cup coconut cream concentrate
2 TBSP honey, OR agave nectar

I stirred this up until I couldn't see white chunks of the coconut oil or the coconut cream concentrate.
Then I added:

2 cups unsweetened coconut chips ( the big flakes, although the shredded would work nicely, too)

I mixed the coconut in and used a cookie dough scoop to make protein balls. I put them on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and placed them into the freezer for 15 minutes.

They are REALLY good! Coconut cream concentrate acts like almond butter in this recipe, making them chewy and addicting! They are just about perfect on a snow day with a cup of coffee...... Let me know what you think, ok?

Paleo Scrambled Eggs with Vegetables

It's Friday. It's a snow day from school and I am one happy individual. I have my Paleo Short Ribs in the crockpot. My kitchen is cleaned up. I've talked to my mom. The laundry is going. I am going to try a new dessert idea later. Jess went to the grocery for me. See why life is so good today?

So, Ger came in from the box a little while ago and I was here to make him some lunch. He said he needed a fast lunch - no problem! I have a snow day and all things are possible!

I grabbed my green skillet and put it over medium heat with:
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp coconut cream concentrate ( both from tropicaltraditions.com) This is optional, but so delicious!
1 diced orange pepper
1/4 small red onion, diced

I cooked this about 4 minutes, to let it soften. Then I added:
1 large handful of organic baby spinach leaves

I stirred that up. Then I added:
4 large farm fresh eggs
1/4 tsp smoked sea salt
freshly ground pepper

I stirred it all up with the spatula and turned it over now and then until the eggs were done. I slid it onto a plate and then I fed Ger Sasser!

It was a good trade because he cut open a beautiful pomegranate and beat it with a wooden spoon over a bowl for me. (and that made life even better!)

Paleo Cocoa Goji Pudding

My mom taught me how to make a mean vanilla cream pie, LONG before anyone was eating paleo. Cocoa turned it into the best chocolate pie; one that was well-known at church dinners and family celebrations for decades. This long week-end gave me time to try to turn the idea of that creamy pudding into some kind of paleo treat. We loved it.
Isaac didn't eat his when the rest of us did. Ger said he just couldn't resist - and he ate Isaac's bowl of this pudding, too! So, obviously, I have a hit on my hands......and I have to make it again!

If you don't have goji berries, make it anyway. But, consider ordering some. They are a powerful food! I get mine from nuts.com. Whole Foods and Amazon are other sources.

I put the following ingredients into a saucepan and stirred them up:
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP + 1 tsp dark cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup agave nectar, or  local honey
1/3 cup almond flour

I added 2 cups coconut milk. THEN I put the saucepan on the stove, over medium heat, and cooked it, stirring constantly, until really bubbling, and then 2 more minutes.

I took it off the heat. I quickly separated two egg yolks from the whites. (I saved the whites to add to tomorrow's scrambled eggs.) I whisked the egg yolks in a little bowl and added 3 TBSP of the mixture from the saucepan into the whisked yolks and stirred. Then, I poured this right back into the saucepan and put it back on the stove. I cooked it 4-5 more minutes, letting it get bubbly again. I took it off hte heat.

I added:
2 TBSP pasture butter
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut chips
1/3 cup goji berries (optional)

 I stirred this up and poured it into 4 cute little bowls and put them into the refrigerator while we ate dinner.

This recipe may look long, but it really doesn't take very long to make. Let me know how it goes, or what you might add instead of goji berries.  Food is your fuel.

Blackberry Reduction

So, Josh mentioned a Blackberry Reduction on pork chops the other day and I thought of it when I thawed 3 lb package of Banger Sausage from Whole Foods. So, this is how simple it was:

I put a large package of fresh blackberries in a little saucepan and splashed some balsamic vinegar in to the pan, maybe 2-3 TBSPs. I put this over medium heat.  I took a fork and smashed the blackberries, then switched to a wooden spoon and kept stirring while cooking until it thickened into almost a syrup-like consistency.  When I tasted it, I knew it would be amazing on any pork dish.

(I've made this with several different balsamic vinegars and my favorites for this recipe are the Blackberry-Ginger and the Black Cherry - both from flyingolive.com)

I did my recipe for Banger Sausage in the Oven from this blog, put the blackberry reduction on top, and enjoyed this with roasted acorn squash.

Life is good. (and it's a long week-end!) So, take the time to eat healthy meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts and seeds.

Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Today was a very good day. Ger ran his first CrossFit Competition - CrossFit Countdown Gym Throw Down. So many wonderful people helped to make this a success. So many wonderful people came to compete and to cheer competitors on.

The Next Mile had a booth and I sent people over there for Swiftwick socks, etc. Angie had farm-fresh eggs for sale.  Lonnie Winters from Vida Loca was doing chair massages. Kim had designed a great shirt to sell for the box. And.... I had a table of "Feeding Ger Sasser" foods. I sold everything I had way before the day was over.


Here's how I made the chicken I sold today:

I rubbed coconut oil my broiler pan and laid several hormone-free boneless chicken thighs on the pan. You know how they are sort of rolled up? Well, I left them that way.  I brushed the tops of them with olive oil and shook minced garlic on them. ( You could also just use the garlic oil from garlicgold.com. It's so delicious!)
 Then I sprinkled them with Salt Traders Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (salttraders.com) and freshly ground black pepper.  The last thing I did was to top them with fresh rosemary - I snipped each stalk into 3-4 pieces and put a piece on each chicken thigh.

I put them into a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

At the Throw Down, I took in my microwave, and the first person to buy a chicken thigh and heat it up.... got the scent of Rosemary Chicken in the air. That's all it took. I could have sold MANY more than I had with me. Dr. Kerry even said she loved them and she'd never been a fan of chicken thighs!

Congratulations to all the contestants today and especially to the people who stood on the podium! Congrats to Firebreather Fitness and CrossFit Thunder, who amazingly TIED for the $1000 prize!

                                                                Go, Cassie!

Paleo Pumpkin Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe

It's been unseasonably warm for the last few weeks so we were experimenting with paleo ice cream. We'd sometimes bought the Coconut Milk Ice Cream at the grocery, but after reading all the weird ingredients, home-made is the best way to go. It's easy.

I heated:
 1 can of organic coconut milk
 3 TBSP of honey in a small saucepan on fairly low heat.

In a little bowl, I whisked:
 2 egg yolks.

Then I added a couple TBSPs of the heated coconut and honey mixture to the eggs and stirred, to "temper" them. I added a couple more.... just to be sure. Then I poured the egg mixture back into the pan.

I added 1 TBSP of KerryGold pasture butter and stirred until melted.

I put a lid on the saucepan and put it in the refrigerator intil the mixture was completely cooled.  ( If you are in a raging hurry for this ice cream, you can put the saucepan into a big bowl with ice and water in the bottom.)

I took the saucepan out of the refrigerator and added:
 1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
 1/2 tsp real vanilla
I stirred this up with a big whisk until smooth.

I put the mixture into a Cuisinart ice cream maker and let it run about 16 minutes (you should follow your ice cream maker's directions here.) I transferred it to a container and added 1/4 cup tiny pecan pieces and put in the freezer. (the nuts are optional...)

An hour later, I scooped it out with a cookie scoop and served with a few perfect blackberries!

Now, you would think I would be thinking about summer, but I looked outside and it had started to snow!!!! But, that's ok - it finally looks like January!

You can also just put the mixture into a container in the freezer and stir every 15 minutes, if you don't have an ice cream freezer.... or, you could borrow one, like we did.

Paleo Spicy Chicken Soup

I put 5 chicken breasts (you can use less) in my stock pot along with 2 TBSP of coconut oil and turned it on low. When the coconut oil melted, I stirred it around with the chicken breasts.
I added:
1 can organic coconut milk
 2 cans of 15 oz natural diced tomatoes
1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes with chilis (I used the medium. You may want the hot one!)
1 can of natural tomato sauce
1 diced organic onion
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp smoked sea salt (if you use cans of tomatoes with added salt, you will not need this....)
1/2 tsp chipotle chili pepper

I put the lid on the stock pot. I let that cook on medium high until the chicken was completely done.
Next, I took 2 forks and shredded the chicken breasts. I added almost a whole big bag of kale. I stirred the kale in. put the lid back on, and let it simmer another 1/2 hour, until the kale was tender.

I grated a little KerryGold Ballyshannon cheese (from grass-fed cows)on the top.

This is great if you might be missing Chicken Tortilla Soup - there are no tortillas but it's creamy from the canned coconut milk and spicy and warm and flavorful. It also makes a lot, so you can have it for packing lunches the next day, or eat it for breakfast - Ger did!

Ger said, between big bitefuls, "Oh, mom.... Mom...That.... is one of the best soups you've ever made.....ever!"

I love a good compliment. It keeps me creating in the kitchen. 

Sausage and Sweet Potato Skillet

"Millions of wall balls and then we ran!
How can I get excited for Fran?
Split jumps and pistols made my butt sore,
But Paleo recipes can't be a chore!"

That little rhyme of mine didn't cover even half of what was in our WODs in the last 3 days.....So, I needed a delicious meal that was easier than usual.  I think I may have PRed with this one.  Feel free to adjust it if you don't feed people as big a quantity as I do, but we all wished there had been leftovers!

I browned 3 lbs of Banger Sausage from Whole Foods in a skillet. While it was browning, I peeled 4 sweet potatoes and Cassie cut them into bite-sized pieces for me. We put them in a saucepan with a lid and let them boil until soft when stuck with a fork.

Next, Cassie diced up a big organic white onion. It made her weepy. (Thanks again!)
We put the onion right into the sausage, along with:
1 tsp pesto paste    (but if you don't have it, don't worry about it; I couldn't even taste it)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

When the sweet potatoes were soft, I drained the water off of them and then added them to the sausage and onions. That's it. And, I got big compliments, even from Isaac, who said it was just perfect - the spice of the sausage and the sweetness of the sweet potato. He requested that I make it with Maple Sausage next time..... You got it, Isaac!

Try this when you need to make a quick, easy and delicious meal.

Moist Paleo Meatloaf with Paleo BBQ Sauce

It's hard to show how delicious this meatloaf was in a photo. All my photos on this blog are shot, so far, with my iPhone, and sometimes they look incredible, but I couldn't get a decent one of this meatloaf. I got rave reviews from the 6 people who ate it for dinner if that helps.

This recipe works with grass -fed beef, deer burger, or any other game meat burger you might have. There's a lot of flavor in the spices, so even people who say, "I don't like the taste of deer meat..." tend to love this meatloaf. It also looks huge when you put it in a 9 x 12 pan, but remember that meatloaves tend to shrink while cooking.

I put into a large bowl:
2 1/2 - 3 lbs of burger. (This one is 1 lb of Grass Fed Cooney Creek burger, and 1 1/2 lb deer burger)
1 egg
1 small organic onion, diced
1/4 cup almond flour
1 TBSP Garlic Gold Nuggets ( garlicgold.com ) or minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chiplotle chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

I squished this all up with my hands and began to pat it into a loaf right there in the big bowl. Then I slid it out into a 9 x 12 pan, covered with aluminum foil. (I buy the big foil - easy clean-up is important!) I pat the meatloaf out into the corners of the pan.

In a small bowl, I made my Paleo BBQ Sauce. I stirred up the following ingredients:
1 can organic tomato paste (Check ingredients - you don't want any hidden sugar!)
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP agave nectar ( or honey, if you prefer)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp Garlic Gold Nuggets (or minced garlic)
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
small amount of water or chicken stock, to thin it out a little, but I wanted it pretty thick.

I stirred this up and spread it on top of the entire meatloaf.
I put the meatloaf in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. (If you use a loaf pan, it may take longer, since it will be thicker. I like using a 9 x 12 pan because when I get home from teaching school, and doing the WOD at CrossFit Countdown, I am HUNGRY.)

I put a cookie sheet full of coconut oil covered peeled carrots with Smoked Sea Salt and Basil in the top rack of the oven for the same hour. It was really delicious together!

Oh! I'd made this Paleo BBQ sauce last week to go with the Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin on this site. Try that, too. Let me know how it goes, ok?

                                 Everyone gearing up for the Open, 2013? Food is your fuel!

I want to give a shout-out to 321Apparel. (321apparel.com) They sent Ger $100 in merchandise because he won first place in a competition wearing their apparel. (You just can't see it in this photo..)

Goji Berry Breakfast Bars

Goji berries have been eaten and used in medicines by the Chinese for thousands of years. Goji berries have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They have 15 times the iron of spinach! They are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. They are known to increase strength and longevity - how much more do you want? Google it, because there's lots more benefits to the mighty goji berry!

I order my goji berries from nuts.com. Besides having the best goji berries around, this company has the CUTEST packaging.

First, I lined a 9 x 12 pan with aluminum foil and rubbed it with coconut oil.

Then, in a large bowl, I stirred up:
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats. (We like McCann's Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal from amazon.com when we have a little oats)
3/4 cup almond flour
2 scoops Cinnamon Roll protein, or Vanilla or whatever your favorite is.
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

Next, in a small bowl, I stirred up:
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/4 cup raw honey
2 TBSP almond butter

Then I stirred the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Then I folded into the mixture:
1 cup walnut pieces
1 1/2 cup goji berries

I spread the mixture out in my prepared pan and patted it down. I cooked it in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. I cooled them on a rack, lifted them out of the pan byt the aluminum foil and cut them into bars.
Goji berries and walnuts go very well together in this great, mostly paleo (a little old-fashioned oats - they don't spike your insulin levels...) grab-and-go food.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

This was my New Year's Eve dinner for Ger, Cassie, and Isaac. We wanted to stay home to celebrate the "in with new, out with the old year" thing with a great meal. we knew we probably wouldn't make it until the ball dropped - I think only Isaac rang in the new year! (Hey! Sleep is very important!)

I patted dry a 4 lb natural boneless center-cut pork loin and seasoned it with Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (salttraders.com) and freshly ground pepper.
Next, I heated 2 TBSP coconut oil in a skillet with medium high heat. I put the pork loin in the skillet.

I browned the pork loin on all sides. I browned the top and bottom around 5 minutes each. I stabbed it with a carving fork while browning the other 4 sides, to help hold it up so it was really browned on all sides. The little sides didn't take long to brown.

I moved the pork loin to a plate, to let it cool for a few minutes. Next, I rubbed coconut oil on the rack of my roasting pan. I transferred the pork loin to the rack.

Next, I wrapped the top and sides of the pork loin with uncured bacon, side by side, touching, but not overlapping.

This is when I realized I was really on to something! Pork tenderloin is so delicious and uncured bacon makes everything tasted even better, so how could I go wrong? Right? I tucked the ends of the bacon under the edges a little and slid it into a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.

I took it out and carefully turned it over. I used the carving fork and a big spatula made to turn big pancakes with, to help keep the bacon on the pork loin as I turned it over. the bacon didn't stay exactly in place but it didn't matter. I turned the oven down to 350 degrees and put the upside down loin back into the oven for 15 minutes.
When this timer went off, I took it out of the oven and flipped it back over. I had to adjust the bacon a little bit. This last time it went into the oven for 50 minutes. When I took it out, the bacon was crispy and beautiful. I let it stand for 10 minutes, then Ger did the honors with slicing it up.

We had this lovely protein source with oven-roasted cauliflower coated in garlic oil. (garlicgold.com)

I also made up a paleo barbecue sauce for it.
That's going to have to wait. I am getting sleepy......