Paleo Gingersnap Cupcakes

I was craving my big gooey gingersnap cookies but I wanted to have a grain-free, less-guilt experience....so I came up with these.  They are a great substitute but they aren't going to be that crazy-sweet cookie I was thinking about. (Hey, Ger says just make the cookies, Mom! So, I will, VERY soon. I'll put that recipe up on here, too.)


I mixed up all these ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup organic pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
6 eggs
1  1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

I placed 12 cupcake papers in my cupcake pan and divided the batter into the 12 cups.

I baked them in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. I let them cool on a cooling rack.

They are nice with coffee or organic whole milk - hey, you could count them as part of a great breakfast since there's 6 eggs in 12 cupcakes.

Next time I make them, I want to throw in some fresh ginger, too. 

Chicken Vegetable Soup

I made up new soup for when the kids came over for Christmas Eve lunch and present-opening. Everyone LOVED the soup and Ger said it was probably his second favorite of my soups ever! (I've got to remember to ask him what's in the number one spot.....) It wasn't paleo since it had potatoes and corn in it, but I went for organic, so I really don't feel guilty at all!

I hope you try it soon and let me know what you think. Mmmmmm.

I put 2 TBSP coconut oil and 4 huge organic chicken breasts into my big stock pot and browned the chicken on both sides over medium heat.

While the chicken was cooking, I diced 1 small onion and threw it into the stock pot.

When the onion was translucent, I added all the other ingredients:

4 organic potatoes, diced
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1  10 oz package frozen organic corn
1 10 oz package frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, etc)
2 large cans organic tomatoes including the juice
1 can Rotel Original tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
1/2 tsp turmeric
smoked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

I put a lid on it and let it simmer for a couple of hours. I shredded the chicken chunks before serving this soup with homemade basil flatbread.

If you have your own canned tomatoes, they are a great substitution for the canned tomatoes...like these red and yellow tomatoes, canned by my mom!

I hope your holiday season was filled with much laughter and love. The kids were so good to me - letting me try to get a photo as Elves.... and even though Mikko wouldn't keep his hat on, we sure did get a laugh out of it.

Honey Baked Ham and Pineapple Appetizer

What if you want a really delicious and easy crowd-;leasing appetizer? Well, it's all about the ingredients.  This is a great appetizer. We had it with a big pot of soup and flatbread and a Honey Fresh Apple Cake for dessert.  If you cut up your ham and your fresh pineapple the day before, you can throw these together and have them hot out of the oven in just minutes!

I cut 5 slices of Honey Baked Ham into big bite-sized pieces.

I cut one fresh pineapple into 8 spears and then cut each spear into bite-sized pieces.

I laid the ham pieces on a big flat pan and stacked a piece of pineapple on each one.

I sprinkled them with organic cinnamon.

I put them into a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

I took the pan out and set it on a wire rack to cool.

I stuck a toothpick in each one.

Done.

We all tried not to eat too many of them until everyone got here......but it sure wasn't easy!   I even got distracted and didn't get a photo of the finished product with the cinnamon and the toothpick!

Oxtail Soup

Oxtail Soup is just so healthy and delicious. If you've never had it, you don't know what you are missing.

This is a guest blog from Sonia. It's her second one. Her first was Sonia's Ceviche.
 She is a great cook and we're lucky to have another recipe from her!

 Also, she is a Crossfit Countdown BEAST. See?

So, some people are going to think, "What?? Oxtail?? I'm not about to eat that!" It's just another cut from the animal - be BRAVE! OR, make it with another meat that you think is ok, like a grass fed roast. You will do best with a roast that still has a bone in it, because the marrow is a very important part of this recipe though.

Here's Sonia's recipe:

2 lb ox tail (International Grocery Store in Charleston) or whatever meat preferred
1 cup diced white onion
1 cup red/green bell peppers
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup allspice
1/4 cup curry
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste

Add coconut oil to crockpot set on high. After melted add oxtail  and onions, peppers, garlic.  Once stirred together add all seasonings.  Simmer on high until meat is cooked. (The liquid comes from the coconut oil, water from the veggies, and marrow from the ox tail.) Simmer on low for one more hour.

Serve over rice.  I used cauliflower "rice."

Bone marrow is delicious and helps to keep your bones STRONG so try this one out. You are going to love it!

Thanks, Sonia.

Zucchini with Bacon

Why is deciding what to eat for breakfast so hard? Why do some foods seem so hard to even consider for breakfast?  Have you ever asked yourself these questions? I have found that the longer we eat clean, the easier it is to eat "different" foods for breakfast. The photo above is a perfect example of a great breakfast that doesn't fit into many people's idea of what should be eaten as the first meal of the day, but it delivers sustained energy, continued health and nutrition, and it was easy.

I cooked 6 pieces of bacon in a large skillet. I placed the cooked bacon on a plate with paper towels and patted the bacon with another paper towel.

I poured out half of the bacon grease into a container for later use.  (Do you keep bacon grease?)

I washed and sliced 2 organic zucchini and put it into the skillet over medium heat and stirred often.

While the zucchini was cooking I added:

1 tsp Garlic Gold Nuggets       garlicgold.com
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp turmeric
pink sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

This made a great breakfast. It also makes a great side dish. Make the effort to eat real foods and get lots of vegetables into your plan. Your health is so important and great food is like putting money in a savings account for your future.

Paleo Crock Pot Coconut Milk Roast

This is such a busy time of year. We put so much stress on ourselves, wanting to make everything just so, wanting to get through the to-do list, wanting to prep meals, eat healthy, WOD, make family memories, clean out that closet that won't shut....etc etc etc!

Just a small amount of time with some quality ingredients is worth it if you have a great recipe. This is one of those. It's patterned after my  Paleo Crock Pot Chicken Thigh Dinner.                             Paleo Crock Pot Chicken Thigh Dinner

Someone had made it often and they told me how they made it with a roast instead, but I can't remember who it was. If it was YOU please let now on whatever social media you interact with me on.  I want to give you credit for this great way to tweak my original recipe.


I rubbed 2 TBSP coconut oil in my crock pot.
I peeled maybe 8-10 organic carrots and cut them in in big pieces and placed them into the crock pot.
I placed a large grass fed beef roast into the crock pot.
I cut 2 small red onions into large chunks and put them on top of the chicken.
I poured 1/2 cup chicken stock into the crock pot.
I poured 1 can of organic coconut milk into the pot. (I didn't stir. The coconut milk was partly thick, partly thin, of course, but that's not going to matter after it cooks all day)
I added: 
1 tsp Cherry Wood Smoked sea salt, (salttraders.com) 
freshly ground black pepper, 
1/2 tsp rosemary, and 
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp turmeric
I left the crock pot on low 8+  hours. (4 hours on high would work, too)

Spicy Quinoa

I made a spicy quinoa the other night. It makes a great side dish and I wanted to share it with you. Now,  I've adjusted the recipe because when I first made it, it was way too SPICY. NO, really, it was.

I started with:

1/2 cup organic quinoa (I like the nuts.com quinoa. Have you tried it?)
1 cup water

I cooked this over medium heat in my smallest sauce pan until the water was mostly absorbed, but the quinoa still has its shape and isn't mushy.

I added:

1 organic yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup Mina Harissa Spicy Moroccan Red Pepper Sauce (I had TWICE as much in the first batch...)
2-3 TBSP coconut cream concentrate (coconut butter)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp smoked sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Then I stirred a couple of times while it was over low heat, just to blend the flavors.

Big Healthy Cookies

These healthy cookies - Let me know what you think. I think they are pretty much amazing! I think they are so healthy I can eat them for breakfast with my coffee with coconut oil, grass fed butter, and blackstrap molasses. (I'm trying not to eat another one before then.....)  Katie says we could call them "Better Than the Crap on the Shelves at the Store" - true that.

Here's how I made these big cookies:

In a large bowl I combined:
1  1/2 cups almond flour  (I always use the non blanched but blanched will work)
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

In a small bowl I combined:
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP peanut butter  (or almond butter)
2 TBSP water

I poured the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stirred with a wooden spoon.

I folded in:
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips  (I know this ingredient isn't paleo, Ger; I just can't help myself...)
1/2 cup unsweetened chunky coconut
1/2 cup cranberries

I measured them out with a 1/4 cup measure, almost full and then gave them a pat to flatten them just a little. It took 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. I left them lots of room to spread out. (I think it made 16 BIG cookies.)

I baked them in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes and then let them cool completely on racks.

They don't take long and they are totally worth the effort. Check the ingredients and add what you don't have to your grocery list.  Fuel up!

Paleo Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider

This.
This spiced apple cider.
This stuff made someone hug me.
This stuff almost made me want to put up the Christmas tree early....almost. I am excited about making this recipe for holiday gatherings and family gatherings and right-after-shopping-trips.....

I hope it lends a happy atmosphere to your gatherings, as well.

I poured 1 gallon of apple cider into my slow cooker. (Kroger had some from a local orchard)

I added the following ingredients:

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1 organic orange, cut into 4 pieces

I put the lid on and put it on low for 4 hours. (It would also be fine to be on low all day)

I squeezed the orange pieces and gave the cider a stir just before serving.

 I left it on warm the rest of the day so it was always ready.

It was warm and perfect AND the house smelled amazing and festive. Put this one into your plans!

Cookies n Cream Pecan Protein Balls

First I put 2/3 cup pecans halves on a small baking sheet and spread them out evenly. I roasted them in a 250 degree oven for 10 minutes. This releases their flavor! When they were cooled I broke them up into smaller pieces. (You could just buy the pecan pieces and roast them.)

I put the following ingredients into a mixing bowl::

1 cup Cookies and Cream protein powder  ( Muscle Pharm, Optimum Nutrition, Myofusion - many brands have this flavor. If you want it to try it with your favorite protein, just use vanilla and crumble up a couple of Oreos in the mixture.....)
2/3 cup roasted pecan pieces
1/2 cup coconut oil, NOT melted
2 TBSP raw honey (You may find that 1 TBSP is enough for you)
2 TBSP organic peanut butter (or toasted pecan butter or raw almond butter)
1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes ( the chunky coconut chips from nuts.com is the best!) 
4 TBSP coconut milk, as needed, maybe more.

I stirred them up with a wooden spoon until a dough-like look appears. It takes a little stirring, and kind of happens all at once but you want to make sure you've mixed the ingredients well. You may need a bit more coconut milk, or if it's too thin, you could add some more protein powder. 

I scooped them out on a parchment covered baking pan with a cookie scoop and popped them into the freezer for 1/2 an hour. Then I put each protein ball into a snack bag and put them back into the freezer so we could just grab them when we needed them.

These are in the Kill Cliff fridge at Crossfit Countdown right now (put $ in envelope that's with them).

                                                Beautiful ingredients make beautiful food. 

Buttered Sweet Potatoes with Molasses

Ger and Cassie came over to eat dinner with Isaac and me recently and I served this new recipe. Everyone loved these Buttered Sweet Potatoes with Molasses. (Organic blackstrap molasses have a solid mineral benefit - copper, iron, calcium, magnesium)

I put the following ingredients into a large skillet:

2 TBSP Cherry Balsamic Vinegar (Pampered Chef has a great one. So does Flying Olive. You can make this with regular balsamic vinegar, too, but put the Cherry on your grocery list.)
3 TBSP Kerry Gold pasture butter
2 TBSP organic blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp turmeric
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3-4 TBSP water

I stirred this up over low heat.

I washed, peeled, and cut into bite-sized chunks - a skillet full of organic sweet potatoes - it depends on the size; sometimes it's 5-7. Got big. You're going to love them and hope you have left-overs, which are great thrown into salads later or under over-medium eggs for breakfast the next day.

Anyway, I cooked sweet potato chunks in the skillet over medium high heat, stirring often so that the ingredients coated the sweet potatoes as they softened.  I turned them to low after they softened some.
(You may feel like you need another TBSP of water later on- sweet potatoes are all different)

Here's a pic of the whole delicious meal:

And here's some Barbells for Boobs shots:

Gluten-Free Apple Sunflower Seed Bars

Combine in a small bowl:
2 cups almond flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats ( I love McCann's, and remember: a little old-fashionaed oatmeal now and then won't spike your blood sugar like most grains.... who is 100 % paleo anyway?)
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Combine in a bigger bowl:
1/4 cup melted grass-fed butter
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup honey  (I used to make this recipe with 3/4 cup honey but 1/2 is enough for us now. Either works.)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Alternately stir in dry ingredients and 1 1/2 cups applesauce.
Then, stir in:

 2 small apples, diced
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips (or more....)

Rub coconut oil in a 9 by 12 pan. Add the cookie bar batter and spread it out. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20-25-30  minutes.

Today was Barbells for Boobs at Crossfit Countdown. It was a great event and there were lots of people there having fun. When I get a photo of Michael stanley in his sports bra I'll have to share it here.....

Bacon Egg Artichoke Gluten-Free Pizza

I woke up at 3am earlier this week and made notes about this idea on my phone.....so I would remember to try it on the weekend. I am so glad this one woke me up! It's awesome with all it's paleo crust and uncured bacon and over-medium eggs and artichokes and just a hint of KerryGold cheese....

In a large mixing bowl I stirred the dry ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
1/4  cup coconut flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Then I whisked in the wet ingredients:
3 eggs
3 TBSP olive oil (or macadamia oil)
1/2 cup organic coconut milk from a can

I spread this gooey mixture on parchment paper on a cookie sheet with a rubber spatula.

I baked this in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.
I took it out and added:

 1  6 oz jar of drained artichoke hearts
4-5 pieces of uncured bacon, cooked and crumbled
3-4 eggs
2-3 TBSP KerryGold cheese (your favorite - mine is Ballyshannon or Dubliner)
pinch of smoked sea salt on the eggs
oregano, to taste

I put the pizza back into the oven for 10 minutes. My eggs were over-medium. You may want to adjust your cooking time here depending on how you like your eggs!

It was awesome. I hope you like it, too.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Protein Balls

I put the following ingredients into a mixing bowl::

1 cup chocolate protein powder  ( SFH Chocolate Protein or Progenex Locha Mocha or whatever protein you like best)
1 TBSP dark cocoa ( If you use a protein like TEN Institute's ITP just double the cocoa)
1/2 cup coconut oil, NOT melted
2 TBSP raw honey (You may find that 1 TBSP is enough for you)
2 TBSP raw almond butter (or toasted pecan butter or organic peanut butter)
1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes ( the chunky coconut chips from nuts.com is the best!) 
1/3 cup chocolate chips ( Ghirardelli Dark)
1/3 cup dried cherries
4 TBSP coconut milk, as needed, maybe more.

I stirred them up with a wooden spoon until a dough-like look appears. It takes a little stirring, and kind of happens all at once but you want to make sure you've mixed the ingredients well. You may need a bit more coconut milk, or if it's too thin, you could add some more protein powder. 

I scooped them out on a parchment covered baking pan with a cookie scoop and popped them into the freezer for 1/2 an hour. Then I put each protein ball into a snack bag and put them back into the freezer so we could just grab them when we needed them.

These are in the Kill Cliff fridge at Crossfit Countdown right now (put $ in envelope that's with them)....unless Ger has eaten them all. He said they were AMAZING.

Perfect Bar Fruit Bowl

While we were in Charlotte for the GRID quarterfinal and semifinal matches last week, we tried Perfect Bars. The Perfect Bar people had a table set up and were giving away samples at every match Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. They were just the nicest people to talk to and their bars really are PERFECT!  

 So, the Perfect Bar guy said you could order them online at perfectbar.com or you could get them at Whole Foods, etc.    Well, the closest Whole Foods is 99 miles away from my house so Marsha, Bill, Isaac, and I went to the Whole Foods in Charlotte while we were there to stock up. They are found in the refrigerated cases, not with other bars. I tried every flavor but one and love them all but Peanut Butter's my favorite.

While we were in the Whole Foods this lovely blonde gal came up and talked to us - she'd noticed our Perfect Bars AND she had the most lovely English accent ever. I'm going to tell you what she said and I want you to read this in your best English accent, like I'm doing while I type it, ok?

" So, you're new to these Perfect Bars?  Well, they really are perfect. You see, you've got to try them my favorite way. You take a bowl....and you fill it with lovely berries of all sorts..... and then you take aPerfect Bar, whatever kind you like, and break it up into chunks on the top. Then, you heat it up just a bit, and give it a stir. It makes this sort of lovely...pudding."

She was so right! I don't know who she was, but I wish I could tell her that I loved her idea.  The first photo is wild blueberries with a Peanut Butter Perfect Bar warmed and stirred.   This photo is before I warmed it.

I hope you check them out. I ALSO hope Ger and Cassie start carrying them at the box!!

Roasted Chestnuts

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."
 Most people know the holiday song, but how many of you know where a chestnut tree is?  I'm glad I do. Kim invited me over to pick up some chestnuts so I took Panera salads, we had lunch, and then we picked up 10 lbs of these big fresh chestnuts. Her dog, Raleigh, probably ate a lb or so, too. Aren't they beautiful?

I have some in the fridge - I've read they are good for about a month like that.
I have quart freezer bags in the freezer, too. They're good for 4 months or so.

Here's how I roasted chestnuts:

I cut an X into each chestnut. I was going to choose nice big heavy-feeling chestnuts, but they all fit that description! I made sure that I cut deep enough into the chestnuts that I got all the way through the shell. I did this on the most flat side of each one.

I rubbed coconut oil on them and placed them on a baking sheet. I put them into a 425 degree oven for 12 minutes. During this roasting time, the shells curled back.

After taking them out of the oven, I let them cool for 10 minutes, so they were still warm but not too hot. This was the perfect time to peel back the shell and brown skin.

I love them warm and served beside a little smoked sea salt to dip them in.

I know they are starchy but they also have a lot of nutrients and I think they are yummy!

I watched the National Pro GRID League Final while eating them today - Ger's SanFrancisco Fire team took on the DC Brawlers on NBC today in the first GRID final. #gridfan #gridmom

Ger and Cassie are flying home today. I know everyone at the box is so excited to have them home.

Crock Pot Roasted Pumpkin

I bought this lovely pie pumpkin from my favorite farmer at the farmer's market the other day, thinking about how it would exactly fit into my oblong slow cooker.....it seems like I always have pumpkin on my mind every October.

So, I came home and washed my pumpkin, dried it off, and rubbed it with coconut oil.

Next, I rubbed a little extra coconut oil in the slow cooker.

I stuck my pumpkin several times (maybe 10 times) with a fork, leaving little holes. Then I laid it down in the slow cooker, covered it with the lid, and cooked it on low for 7-8 hours.

When the time was up, I unplugged it and took off the lid to let the pumpkin cool off some.

After a few minutes, I placed it on a cutting board and easily cut it in half.  I took out the stringy stuff and the seeds for the compost pile. I scooped out the pumpkin to use in recipes all week.
(It's easy to fill quart freezer bags with this mixture if you can't use it all up so you can use it at a later date.)
If you like pumpkin recipes, just put the word pumpkin into the search box on this blog - I've got lots of different things for you to check out!

I had to eat one big slice immediately, with maple syrup and cinnamon. Sometimes I like it savory, with grass fed butter and smoked sea salt.  Yum!

Bacon Jam

This is a guest post from my friend, Lynn.  I'll be making this one later this evening but I wanted to get this recipe up asap.

Paleo Bacon Jam

I attended the Babes with Barbells competition at Crossfit Thunder, and expected to spend the day cheering on my CFC girls.  Well- I ended up pinky promising someone that I would compete next year-(clearly that was a loss of rational thought) and I discovered Bacon Jam.  I should have asked for the recipe, but I found one, and tweaked it paleo and made it mine. This is what I did:

1 lb. Uncured Bacon
2 T of reserved Bacon grease
1 Vidalia Onion
2 bunches green onions
3 T. Garlic - the kind in a jar or 4 cloves- chopped fine
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 TSP. Smoked Paprika
1 c. Maple Syrup
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar

I cooked the bacon under the broiler until moderately crispy.  Drain off the rest of the grease using paper towels.
Using your food processor, chop up the onion and green onions.  In a frying pan (or the frying pan if that's how you did your bacon) combine the reserved grease and processed onions.  Cook on medium until they start to carmelize.  Add garlic and cook another minute or so.  Add the spices and syrup.  Cook another few minutes being sure to scrape the pan.  Add the vinegar.
Tear up the bacon into pea sized pieces and toss it into the pan.  Stir it up and cook for another few minutes. Turn off the stove top and drain if you have any standing grease.  Transfer to a container or jar and store in the refrigerator.

Heat up just the portion that you are using for a few seconds in the microwave.  Be creative.  This stuff is good on meats and veggies.  I think I could eat it by the spoonful.  :)

Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Pecans

We had such a BLAST in Charlotte this week for the NPGL Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Congratulations to all the teams - they played their hearts out. HUGE congratulations to the San Francisco Fire ( and GER!) for winning both their matches!  The finals are fast approaching.

I cut a medium sized butternut squash into large chunks - I think there were 9.  I scooped out the seeds with a spoon.  Then I placed them in a large pan, covered them with water, and put a lid on them to boil until tender when stuck with a fork, but not too mushy. I wanted them to hold their shape a little. 

Next, I poured off the hot water and covered them with cool water.  I took each chunk and easily cut way the skin with a paring knife. I cut the large chunks into bite-sized chunks and put them in a mixing bowl. 

I added:

 1/4 cup roasted pecans (10 minutes at 350 degrees)

1/4 cup sugar-free ( or reduced sugar) cranberries

2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP Cherry Balsamic Vinegar (Pampered Chef link has a great one. So does Flying Olive)

I stirred things up gently and shared it with a friend in the hospital. Delicious! 

Ground Pork and Bacon Meatballs with Bell Pepper and Zucchini over Spaghetti Squash and Sauce

This is a guest blog recipe from my dear friend Kim. She shared this recipe with me over the summer - those meatballs are so interesting. Don't just take my word for it - try it AND check out her Crossfit/clean-eating progress at the bottom of the post. Healthy choices can literally save lives. Love you, Kim!

Kim says:

Dinner tonight is Ground Pork and Bacon Meatballs with Bell Peppers, Zucchini over Spaghetti Squash with sauce. 

Meatballs - 
1 lbs ground pork
1 lbs ground bacon
Sea salt & Pepper to your taste w/ fresh diced garlic clove finely diced. Mix together and roll into balls. Place in skillet with coconut oil (just enough oil to cover bottom of skillet) and cook until light brown.
(grind bacon with a grinder or a food processor OR ask your butcher to do it for you)

Spaghetti Squash -
Cut S. Squash in half long ways and place cut side down on a cookie sheet with 1/4 inch water, place in oven at 325 for 30 mins or until skin is easily pierced with fork. After squash is cooked set aside to cool. 

Zucchini & Bell Peppers-
Cut zucchini in round disc and peppers into strips and place in skillet over meatballs and steam them until tender while meatballs finish cooking.

Sauce -

Make your favorite tomato sauce to pour on top.

I place peeled tomatoes, pure tomato paste, onions, & carrots, sea salt & garlic clove, in a blender until smooth and thick then heat in sauce pan.

Place cooked Spaghetti Squash on plate spoon meatballs, zucchini, peppers and sauce on top. 
ENJOY!!

Kim started at Crossfit Countdown in May of 2012.  Do you think Kim has made amazing progress? We all do!

Paleo Blueberry Dutch Baby

I've been developing and tweaking this recipe for months and this morning it seems JUST RIGHT. #worththewait  #gersgonnalovethisone
 This is a paleo version of a German pancake, also called a Dutch Baby, or a Dutch Puff. Mine doesn't "puff" as much as the ones I used to make but hey, I'm not using sugar and flour here, right? I'm using organic maple syrup and recovery protein and fresh eggs and that's BETTER. I think Ger will love this one when me or Cassie make it for him. (She's such a good cook.)

I heated up the oven to 425 degrees.

I put 2 TBSP grass fed butter into my cast iron skillet and set it into the oven for a few minutes as the oven was heating, just to warm the skillet up and melt the butter.  I took the skillet out and tilted it until the butter had covered the bottom of the skillet.

I poured 2 cups frozen organic blueberries into the skillet and spread them out and let this wait while I quickly whisked up the batter.

I whisked these ingredients together in a small mixing bowl:

2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk (from a can)
1/3 cup recovery protein (I used TEN Institute, I've also used SFH and Progenex in this recipe)
3 TBSP organic maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

I poured the batter over the blueberries in the skillet and slid it into the oven.

I baked it for 20 minutes and then took it out and let it sit for 5 minutes before cutting it. It was puffed up some and then deflated a little and curled away from the edge of the skillet - this is a good thing!

It was just amazing with bacon and coffee with coconut oil and butter.
Let me know what you think. I want to make an apple one soon with thin slices of apple laid around the skillet........