Mochacinno!

So, it's hot here in Georgia! I hear it's hot just about everywhere this month. We got home from a little shopping for the yet unborn offspring, tentatively being referred to as Peanut, or as I like to call him "Paleo" Peanut and I thought I'd make an iced coffee for the wife and me. Then I was struck with an extraordinary idea: Mochacinno! This is about the easiest recipe, ever, and it taste's amazing.

Toss the following ingredients into a food processor or blender (I use a Magic Bullet):

- 1/2 frozen ripe banana
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (we use whey, but I think any would do and casein would probably add thickness
- 1/4 (or more :-) Cup Coconut milk (the whole fat canned stuff, not that goofy carton shite!)
- a teaspoon or so (depending on how you like the strength of your coffee) of instant coffee (or decaf)

Blend!
Voila! I topped ours with a nice sized piece of Packable Paleo Nut Clusters. Starbucks don't have much on us! LOL

Enjoy!

Grilled Acorn Squash

Slice and peel (cook in microwave first for a few minutes, it makes peeling easier) one acorn squash. Marinate in coconut oil, cinnamon, and all spice. Grill at a low temp for about 4-6 minutes per side. Drizzle with raw honey and if you like a touch more cinnamon. This is almost dessert-like...

Enjoy!

Lunch on the road

As a pretty die-hard Paleo foodie it's sometime difficult to get stuff while on the road. Panera bread may be an exception. I know, bread!? And don't they make sandwiches? Yes they do, and yes they do specialize in bread and pastries, but hey also make salads. They also have a very nice feature online called the Nutrition Calculator that allows you to figure out what proportion of fat, carbs, and protein you are getting. It's pretty cool because you can add or delete items to vary the percentages. 

Today I had the Fuji Apple salad, sans the Gorgonzola and Dressing on the side. I asked for extra chicken, but as luck would have it, they messed that up. So I paid for it, but just didn't get it. It's what I get for getting take-out/take-away without checking the package! It's a very nice salad. I get mine with an apple as a side (options are potato chips, bread, or an apple), which is really the only Paleo side. It's certainly better than fast food and if you don't have any Paleo Kits, CFG PoW-R Packs, or other Packable Paleos that are transportable self-contained forms of nutrition, it makes the cut. 


Enjoy!

The old standard for Lunch!

Before going Paleo I used to basically eat the same thing for lunch, just about every single day: A sandwich, a few leftover vegetables from dinner the night before, and a piece of fruit (usually an apple or pear, two of my favorites). Without bread in your diet this becomes troublesome, eh? Well not if you have Paleo bread. I've posted the recipe elsewhere.  This is actually the recipe for the burger buns, but pour this batter into a bread tin and voila, it makes bread instead of buns. 

So, I was able today to have a nice lunch, that stayed Paleo, but was reminiscent of the days of old... LOL   A turkey sandwich, Paleo Omega-3 Mayo, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, lettuce, side of leftover grilled veggies, and an apple. Perfect!

Enjoy!

Meat Muffins with Pepper-Carrot Slaw and Grilled Acorn Squash

First: Brown some ground beef with onions, garlic, salt and pepper. I also added some seasoning: Montreal Steak Seasoning, because I love that stuff! 

Second: while the meat is browning, make some Paleo burger bun batter . When scooping the bun batter into the muffin tin just put a dollop in the bottom, because you will want to top the meat too. Fill them about 1/2-3/4. Let the batter settle so that the top is flat.

Third: Spoon the (cooled off slightly, i.e. not piping hot!) ground beef mixture on top of the muffin batter trying to leave an edge of batter visible. This means you might have to make a depression/indentation in the batter to spoon your beef mixture into. Also, when scooping your beef mixture from the pan you browned it in, use a slotted spoon so that the juices stay behind in the pan. We are going to use that next. Put another dollop or two of batter on top of the meat. Place meat filled muffins into the oven and bake at 350F for about 20-30 minutes. (PS: I didn't use the muffin tin, instead I used some non-stick bunt ramekins I have, and they worked perfect for a 1 serving size portion.)

Fourth: Go back to that frying pan which should contain some small pieces of meat and the juices from the spices, onion, and garlic and what not. Start heating that up again and as you do add some chopped tomato, fresh chopped garlic, dash of salt, some fresh ground pepper. You might need to add a little bit more oil. Saute that down into a thick tomato sauce. If it won't thicken you've essentially got two options. Option 1 add some tomato paste and that will help it turn into a thicker red sauce. Option two add some coconut milk and a touch of almond flour and baking soda (aluminum free) (or you could add a pinch of creme of tartar) and this will make it more of a pink creamy sauce. If you wanted to get really outrageous, you could add a few splashes of quality vodka and you've got a nice pink vodka sauce to serve over your meat muffins. 

I served this with grilled acorn squash pieces and a green bell pepper and carrot slaw.To grill the acorn squash simply remove seeds, slice into either chunks or long pieces. Remove skin; this can prove difficult, but easier if you half cook in the microwave first for about 4-8 minutes (depending on size). Marinate the squash pieces in some oil, cinnamon, and allspice. (You could also add a touch of Stevia natural sweetener if you wanted, but I wouldn't advise adding too much). When you serve it drizzle a touch of honey over it and some more ground cinnamon. For the slaw, mix finely sliced green bell pepper and carrots with homemade coconut oil. Toss a few dried fruits in (raisins or dried cranberries) for sweetness. Also, toss a few chopped walnuts, onions, and sesame seeds in. Mix well and refrigerate.

Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Fillet Mignon with Grilled Vege and Carrot and Pepper Slaw

So, I love me some grilled red meat so when I saw that the fillets were on sale at the market, I snatched a few up. I wrapped them in bacon for some added fat and flavor and served them with a side of grilled vegetables: eggplant (if you don't know, grilled eggplant is amazing), squash, and onion. To season the vege simply toss in a bag with some high heat oil (think coconut or walnut or grapeseed oils) and a dash of salt or seasoned salt, fresh ground pepper, fresh smashed cloves of garlic, Italian seasonings and some crushed red pepper flakes. Cook to your desired texture, we like our about 1/2-3/4 cooked so they still retain a bit of a crunch! Also good if you toss some whole baby mushrooms in too, but our market was out of 'shrooms. I've even tossed broccoli florets and / or asparagus spears in, equally good. For some additional high density carbs, say post-workout try tossing in a few thinly sliced sweet potatoes, yams, jicama, or acorn squash.

I also made a large salad that included, amongst the mixed greens, chopped walnuts, flaxseeds, fresh blueberries, halved grapes, 1/4 chopped fresh Georgia peach, and cucumber. Dress with olive oil and it's quite nice!

Enjoy!

Peaches and "cream" (of coconut)

Dessert or late night snack: Peaches and Cream, sort of. Easy enough, too. Simply slice up a ripe peach, hopefully yours will be better than mine, which felt ripe, but it wasn't that ripe and juicy. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon (and/or allspice) and some crushed nuts (think pecans) or flaxseed (I used flaxseed). Pour a few tablespoons of coconut milk over the top and stir well. If I could get my supermarket to carry unsweetened flaked coconut, I would have tossed some of that on it as well. If you fancy some chocolate then you could add shaved or grated dark chocolate. You could also add a scoop of coconut milk ice cream. Very flexible and adaptable.

It might also be cool to add some Nut Clusters, which are brilliant (recipe coming (again) soon)!

Enjoy.

600th follower celebration recipe: Pecan crusted shrimp salad and homemade crab cakes

OK, we needed to celebrate our 600th follower of the Facebook page and a few suggestions from other followers led me to thinking about seafood. So here goes: shrimp and crab cakes. They can be put together in the shape of a 600, and they taste really nice as well!

Here's how to make it. Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of a little coconut milk, jerk seasoning, and finely crushed pecans (add some seasoning as you like as well, think black pepper, garlic, etc). When you are ready to cook pan fry in some coconut oil for a few minutes on each side. Place shrimp atop a nice mixed green salad with a few chopped walnuts and flaxseed. I also made a blueberry-mango salsa dressing. Really easy to make, combine chopped ripe mango with some fresh blueberries. Add a squeeze of one quarter of a fresh ripe lime and a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Sprinkle some allspice and cumin and mix well. This really was nice when mixed with the shrimp and salad and a walnut. (PS: I used wild caught shrimp, but it's not that important).

To make the crab cakes, take some fresh crab meat, either backfin or claw meat, I used claw meat because it was on sale. Mix with 1 egg, almond flour (I grind mine at home with fresh raw almonds), garlic, seasoning (seafood seasoning), fresh ground pepper, and onion. Pan fry until golden brown, and a touch crispy on each side. Top with homemade spicy aioli by blending 1 egg with copious amounts of olive oil ( the base ) & old bay, Chesapeake bay seasoning until desired stiffness. This make a great mayonnaise for a crabcake sandwich if you have any leftover cakes, that is.

It's a nice 600th follower celebration that is high protein, high in good fats, especially if you top your salad with a good wholesome dressing like an olive oil mixed with spices, and low in carbs. Its pretty darn ketogenic, as well. Serve with a nice crisp white wine or a milder red wine, unless you are pregnant in which case have a non-alcoholic brew? ;-)

Enjoy!

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Paleo Turkey Club with Yam Fries

A nice, relatively easy Friday night dinner. Paleo Club Sandwich and some Yam Fries. The yam fries are easy, simply slice into crisp, or chip shape and bake on high (375-425F) for about 20-35 minutes. I seasoned ours with a little salt, some pepper, and a touch of basil. The club sandwich is equally easy. Toss, sliced grilled turkey breast, bacon, tomato, lettuce and some omega-3 Paleo mayo on a few slices of toasted Paleo bread, and voila! 

Enjoy!

Letter on Corpulence

Pure genuine bread may be the staff of life as it is termed. It is so, particularly in youth, but I feel certain it is more wholesome in advanced life if thoroughly toasted, as I take it. My impression is, that any starchy or saccharine matter tends to the disease of corpulence in advanced life, and whether it be swallowed in a direct form or produced in the stomach by combination, that all things tending to these ele­ments should be avoided, of course always under sound medical authority.

I have now finished my task, and trust my humble efforts may prove to be good seed well sown, that will fructify and produce a large harvest of benefit4o my fellow-creatures. I also hope the faculty generally may be led more extensively to ventilate this question of corpulence or obesity, so that instead of a few able practitioners, there may be hundreds distributed in the various parts of the United Kingdom. In such case, I am persuaded that these diseases will be very rare.

WILLIAM BANTING.
Letter on Corpulence

Apple Celery Salad (side dish)

 

Apple Celery side salad. We had burgers on Paleo buns with eggplant fries tonight, but as an additional side dish I made this nice summer dish. It's super easy. First make some Paleo, omega 3 mayo by mixing 1 egg and some olive and flaxseed oil into food processor until thick. You can add spices, I added some salt, fresh ground black pepper, and some additional flax seeds. Then chop one apple and one stalk of celery. Chop up about 2 tbs of red onion and about 1/4 cup of walnuts. Mix together with some mayo. Just add enough mayo to help things stick together.  Now, toss a few dried cranberries in, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and all spice, mix well and refrigerate. Best if refrigerated for a few hours. It's cold, it's fresh, and it's refreshing!

Enjoy!

Low Carb Paleo Waffles

So, I really like my Paleo waffles in the morning. Alongside a few eggs and some vege or other breakfast meat, forget about it - it's pure heaven to start the day. However, if you do not engage in a post-breakfast workout you may want to consider limiting the number of carbs you take in during breakfast. Well if you like the traditional Paleo waffles, then you know that they include banana and that is a relatively high-glycemic carb. So how to get rid of that carb so that you can better utilize it later, when you are about to work out. (There are reasons to concentrate your carbs, especially high-glycemic or dense carbs around your workout. If you eat a steady flow of carbs all day long, you run the risk of maintaining a higher than optimal insulin level. Insulin as we all know has the job of storing fat. It's also been pitted as one of the prime evils in the development of many diseases of civilization. Best to limit insulin spikes to times when you are going to actively burn that glucose off and reduce the effectiveness of insulin to store it as fat. So some carbs before (30-60 min) and after (up to 30-60 min) a hard workout is the best time to load up on carbs.) I digress, so if you are looking to enjoy the waffle, but reduce the insulin spike/carb load try this: forget about the banana. Instead mix 2 whole eggs, 1 moderately whisked (not to stiffness, just well whisked) egg white, about 1/4 cup almond flour and some coarsely chopped walnuts. I also throw in a few flax seeds, for good measure ;-) Mix well, it may be runnier than the version with the banana for obvious reasons. Then add to a greased hot waffle iron. Voila. Low carb high protein, moderate fat waffle to start your day. Now you could still top with honey and be lower than normal on carbs, or you could make this waffle savory and top with something else that's not sweet, for example a Paleo friendly butter or bacon strips. An even better alternative might be to top with some low carb/glycemic fruits such as berries, pears, apples, etc.

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Souffle

OK, looking for a good Paleo decadent dessert, try this bad boy: DARK CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE!

It's actually quite easy to make too. Here's what it takes....

Step 1: melt some dark chocolate. I used organic dark chocolate (80% cacao) that had some pure cacao nibs in it. Wonderful just to eat too..... Melt it with some butter or if totally Paleo use some coconut oil, in a frying pan over a low-medium heat, that's what I opted for. Once melted and smooth, remove from heat. Allow to cool down while you prep the rest of the dish. 

Step 2. Coat a few ramekins with some coconut oil and then dust with Stevia extract sweetener.

Step 3. whisk or beat 2 eggs whites until stiff. Once stiff add about 4-6 packets of stevia extra and whisk/beat again until stiff, again. 

Step 4. mix 2 egg yolks into the melted chocolate. 

Step 5. fold the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture. 

Step 6. pour into ramekins and bake at 375 F for about 17-20 minutes. 

I served mine with some coconut milk ice cream, vanilla for Austen and soy free, dairy free Green Tea flavor for me. 

This is the type of thing, that if you are absolutely dying for a brownie like decadent dessert, will fill the bill. 

Could also mix it up a bit. I've made banana souffles, blueberry, mixed berry, etc. It's all about what you fold into those egg whites. If you want the banana or other recipes peruse my blog evotraining.blogspot.com archives, I think they are posted in there somewhere. If you really want them, drop me a message and I will send them along to you. 

Enjoy!

Wine, enjoy it.... occassionally.

Sometimes you just gotta do it. Enjoy a nice glass of red wine once in a while. This was a merlot and it really hit the spot after a long week (I know, it's only Wed) and a long summer session.

Tuna Putanesca

Austen made one of her Paleo dishes this evening and it was very nice. It's also pretty easy to make, taking her all about 10, maybe 12 minutes. She served it with a side of steamed broccoli and the two went very well together. 

Easy peezy: in a frying pan make some red sauce - tomatoes, olives, spices, capers, tomato sauce, etc. Then add some canned tuna and allow to simmer. We used to serve this over paste, but once it thickens up, it's actually dynamite on its own with a side salad or a vegetable like we had tonight. 

Thanks Austen!

Enjoy!

Sesame Crusted Wild Caught Tilapia with Protein Power Salad!

I am on a huge wild caught fish kick lately. I eat about one fillet of fish, almost every day for lunch. Usually I have it alongside a huge salad, steamed vegetables, or leftover vegetables from the night before. Today I had Sesame Crusted Wild Caught Tilapia along side a huge salad that I am calling the Protein Power Salad, which I will explain why in just a moment. 

Sesame Crusted Wild Caught Tilapia

Take one 4-6 oz fillet of wild caught tilapia, toss in a teaspoon or two of coconut oil and coat with sesame seeds and seasoning (think garlic powder, pepper, etc). Fry in a pan for about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fillet. The meat should flake when pushed with a fork and appear white and flaky not clear and fleshy. 

Protein Power Salad

This was great, if I say so myself. But then, like I'm on a fish kick, I also appear to be on somewhat of a salad kick as well. So, toss a handful of fresh mixed greens in a bowl. Top with chopped tomatoes and 1-2 tbs of flax seed. Then top with 1 sliced hard boiled egg and sliced turkey pepperoni. I made a dressing that I also used on the tilapia by combining equal parts olive oil and coconut milk and stirring in some of my favorite spice like Beaumont seasoning, garlic powder and fresh ground pepper. 

It doesn't get much better than this for lunch and the whole deal tool about 10, maybe 15, minutes from prep to mouth. 

Enjoy!

Sausage Gravy!

Well, there it is. It doesn't look like much, but it tastes pretty darn good. It was easy to make too, here's how you do it....

Brown some sausage. I used locally slaughtered sausage links, but in the future I would use ground sausage because I think it would taste a whole love better. After the sausage is just about done browning coat with some finely ground arrow root. My arrow root actually went rotten :-( so I used some aluminum free baking soda and a touch of baking powder, like less than a 1/16th of a teaspoon. Once it got coated with the oils from the sausage, I reduced the heat and added about a cup, give or take, of coconut milk. Use a light flavored coconut milk, my gravy ended up tasting very coconut-y, which I like, but a lighter flavored C-milk will help alleviate that issue. Saute until the milk thickens. You will need to stir it on occasion. 

This was great over the mashed cauliflower we had with dinner last night, as well as over the nut flour fried chicken cutlets. This would also be good over a Paleo muffin as a Paleo version of biscuits and gravy. Now that, to me, just sounds perfect. 

Enjoy!

Paleo nut flour fried chicken, oven roasted greens, and cauliflower rice

This was made at Austen's request. She was in the mood for a fried chicken(ish) meal and being pregnant, she gets what she wants. LOL. It WAS very tasty, here's how it goes....

Soak about 6-10 chicken cutlets in a mixture of 2 eggs and a splash of coconut milk for about 10-20 minutes. Make some nut flour by blending together some almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, and i added a touch of aluminum free baking powder and seasoning (garlic powder, black pepper, thyme, marjoram, and a pinch of salt). Once the chicken has soaked in the egg-milk mixture toss in the nut flour and place in fridge.

While the chicken is in the fridge start the veggies. Cut e tips off of the greens and place on a cookie sheet with some fresh chopped garlic and some cooking oil of your choice - I used coconut oil. I also seasoned with a touch of fresh ground pepper. Bake for about 30-35 minutes at 375 F. If you like them chewy, or al dente, then take them out sooner. If you like your veggies very crispy either leave in for another few minutes or turn the broiler on for the last few minutes.





While the greens are roasting, start boiling cauliflower florets. Once they are easily broken when you stick a fork in to a floret, remove from heat and mash with a hand. If you over mash, don't worry about it, they will simply become cauliflower mash, a more coarse mashing creates a texture of rice, or rice-like side dish.





The tomato-avocado-red onion salad is about the easiest, but one of the tastiest salads, ever! Simply combine one chopped tomato, one avocado, and about 1/4 chopped red onion. Toss in some olive oil and seasoning of your liking. I think it's perfect with just some fresh ground pepper, although a little pinch of salt really brings out the flavors as well. You could also toss in a few drops of balsamic vinegar.




Voilà, a pretty tasty, good for you Paleo meal that is reminiscent of s southern chick fry!

I also served mine with a side of Paleo roll, which topped with honey became my dessert, LOL...

Enjoy!

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Rib eye steak and steamed veggies

Went out for my birthday knight and had a huge rib eye and some steamed veggies. Totally awesome. I wish every weekend was my birthday weekend! LOL


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Cobb Salad

Last night for dinner, Austen made this Paleo Cobb Salad and it was delicious. Here's what was in it:

Tossed greens, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, hard boiled eggs, bacon, and chicken cutlets. I made a spicy dressing from olive oil, coconut I'll, flaxseeds and ground red pepper. It was awesome, thanks Austen!

Enjoy

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Paleo Burger Buns

So this is an easy take on the Paleo bread recipe, turned into a bun and i use them for burgers and sandwiches. They are pretty tasty with a little jam or almond butter on them if you are craving a Paleo PB&J. The are also pretty good as a side "bread" for a stew or soup dish. The consistent is such that you could actually dip them!

Mix 3/4 cup almond butter with 4 egg yolks (whisk/whip the egg whites until semi-stiff). One the egg yolks are mixed into the almond butter, add the egg whites. This should start to look like batter. Add 1/4 cup almond flour (you can toss in some other nuts and seeds too, but the base (60%) should be almonds), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder. Pour this batter into greased muffin tins and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when stick in the middle of a roll.

Once cooked, simply slice in half, dress with some Paleo mayo, or other Paleo condiments, and voilà, a burger on a bun!

Enjoy!

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Fish tacos with mango-tomato salsa & mexican slaw

Ok, my first try at this...but smiles all around! It was quite nice, and I made so much that I'm contemplating having some fish taco for breakfast...

First thing to make is the Paleo tortilla. Pretty easy, but takes a little touch to get it right. Mine ended up being a bit crusty because i made it way before dinner. I should've made a new one, but i was busy. Mix 1 cup almond meal/flour, flax seeds, and a few walnuts with 1 egg, about a tsp olive oil and some salt. Blend, or mix well into a batter. Spread thinly on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. This is where it gets tricky, I think a few minutes less and it would have been more flexible. Broken up into small pieces it would've also made a great bunch of chips for dipping in guacamole or salsa.

Second make the mexican slaw. I personally think that slaws are always better after at least an hour in the refrigerator. So here goes, chop some cabbage and shred some carrots. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of Paleo mayo or dijon mustard. Juice from 1-2 whole limes, depending on your taste. Ground black pepper, just a touch of olive oil (it was all i had, but you could use any oil, actually), a sprinkle of flaxseeds, chopped cilantro, and chili seasoning (or crushed red pepper). My guest and i really Ike spicy foods so I also added 1/2 finely chopped jalapeño pepper. Once mixed well, refrigerate until you are ready to use and be sure to stir again before serving.

Third, mango-tomato salsa. Mix together, finely chopped red onion (1/2 cup, or so), chopped tomato (depending on number of servings use 1-2 large tomatoes), 1 diced ripe mango (again adjust for number of servings), chopped cilantro, ground pepper, and a touch of olive oil. Oh, and add about 1-3 tsp of juice from a lemon.

Fourth, the fish! Use a relatively bland whitish fish. For example, tilapia would work wonderfully, i used wild caught cod, 2 pounds. It was definitely enough. Marinate the fish in non-dairy butter, olive oil, ground pepper, lime juice, and chili seasoning. Then in a glass casserole dish, heat some coconut oil, or other non-dairy butter and 4 chopped garlic cloves. Place fish on top and broil for 12-18 minutes. Our fish took 18 minutes, but like i said we had a lot. You will know it's done because the fish will break apart into pieces very easily when push with a metal spatula.

To serve, dish the fish over the tortilla, spoon some salsa on top, a d dish the slaw on the side. Serve with a Paleo margarita (tequila, squeeze of lime juice, and a splash of agave nectar) and you have one heckuva a meal!

Enjoy!

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Sweet Paleo Zuchinni Rolls/Muffins

Sweet Paleo Zuchinni Rolls.

These are very nice. I just whipped this recipe up because i had some leftover Paleo hamburger bun batter (I'll post that recipe soon, too). Because it's based on leftover batter the measurements are, well, less than precise, but hey give it a try.

Here goes:

Mixed some almond butter (3/4 cup) with some (4) egg yolks. Whip up some egg whites (4, from the yolks, to help make them stiffen add a touch of cream of tartar) until they are semi- stiff. Stir in a dry mixture of 1/4-1/2 cup of ground almond flour (I also added a couple of macadamia nuts as well), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder. Mix well. It should be a smooth batter with some stick-like consistency. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded zucchini, mix in well. Stir in some cinnamon and all spice. Mix well. Pour into greased muffin tin and bake in a 350 F preheated oven for about 30 minutes. They will rise a little, so don't overfill your muffin slots. You know they will be done if a knife comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the muffin/roll.

I do have to say, these are pretty good. I guinea pigged them on my wife and her friend, who is visiting from Delaware, and they both enjoyed them. My wife asked for a second whole roll and it was gone, quickly. She also scarfed one down with breakfast this morning. A little jam, butter, or just plain Jane, they are good. I had a little piece of hers this corning, that's all she would share with me, just kidding.

These would actually be a very nice compliment to a dinner as well as for dessert or with breakfast. For example, these could be, in my opinion, a nice compliment to chili in place of a corn bread muffin. Could also serve on the side with some salmon or even another meat like steak. It would add a little sweet relief to anything that might have some spice going on up in it. The other thing i contemplated WRT to these bad boys is croutons. Since I've bee eating salad with just about every meal, i thought chopping one of these up into littler pieces and toasting in the broiler or oven, they might make a nice crouton. However, we've only got two left and i don't think they are going to last the day.

Enjoy!

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How to drink on Paleo....

Ok, going Paleo means no alcohol. Period. However, if you are less than super strict you might want a drink or two on a cheat day. Robb Wolf has been so kind to post a few recipes for Paleo drinks and i am going to replicate some ideas here, and add a little of my own twist, as well.

The Paleo margarita: high quality tequila, a squeeze of lime, maybe a shot of agave or honey to sweeten. Not bad, eh?

I've found that for me, the best things to keep me on track if I decide to have a drink, is to stick strictly gluten free. This can be challenging if before paleo you were a wheat beer champion, or just a beer keg stander, sorry Brutus, beer is way high on gluten so mostly, it's out! But wait, a few companies have seen a niche in the beer market for folks like you and I, as well as those others that just cannot tolerate gluten and haven created gluten free beer. Mostly these beers are made from sorghum and I've tasted a few. The most affordable option is red bridge lager. It's nice, smooth, and tastes like beer. Sort of. It tastes like average beer. But on a hot day, sitting by the pool, well it does the trick when poured into a plastic Solo cup, that's all I'm going to say. Now for the beer connoisseur who might actually prefer a beer with some taste, I'd highly suggest trying Quest's triple blonde. It's touted as a Belgian beer, but it's no Chimay, that's for sure. That being said, it's really tasty, especially if you have not had a nice tasting beer in some time.

There are other options as well. Note, that fruit, but not wheat, barley and the like are Paleo and gluten free (mostly). So guess what's usually OK? Wine. Fermented fruit. In fact, there is som scientific literature showing that wild critters (animals, including primates) will feast and become intoxicated on rotten, naturally fermented fruits. Probably an extreme rarity, but then so should be drinking on the Paleo diet, especially if you are Paleo for performance. So the occasional glass of red wine, even white wine is probably ok. Red is a bit better for you because of the health benefits associated with red wine, but either could do in a pinch (e.g., 4th of July picnic, just sayin'). Another good fruit fermentation based great tasting alcoholic beverage is cider. If you like cider, I suggest wasting your cheat day on a high quality product like Magners or Blumers . Both happen to also be naturally gluten free (according to their sites).

If you're a mixer, well don't despair. Although you must remember to still keep levels of alcoholic ingestion to an extreme minimum. It's important to note that I am in no way advocating that drinking alcohol is part of the paleo diet, it IS NOT! However, a cheat day is good, ok, advisable evens that you keep on track for the longer haul. So back to mixed drinks. Whiskey - and it's relatives, bourbon and scotch - are out. Corn based. I know, I know, trust me. I live in Georgia! I'd love me a glass, i mean shot of some jim beam, but.... Ok back to some things that you could probably choke back in moderation. Vodka. Yeah, you could have a little gluten free vodka. On the rocks with a twist of lime and some agave to sweeten. Or if you prefer it dirty, drop a few olive in there and add some olive juice, i find this dirty martini to be gross, but i hear many pele actually enjoy it. LOL.

Ok, well i could go on, but rather than do that, I thought I'd quit and let you try a few of these. Please remember: I'm certainly not advocating drinking, nor am I suggesting in any way, shape, or for, that drinking alcoholic beverages is "part of the paleo diet", so please don't ever quote me as saying that. Rather, what i am trying to do is supply folks with some ideas for allowing a divergence from strict paleo, a cheat of sorts. You should keep in mind that any drinking of alcoholic beverages that does take place should do so in extreme moderation. That is 1-2 drinks at best. Going on a bender could be disastrous and we wouldn't want that. So try to keep cool, and just sip away at your gluten free drink (you might want to peel off the labor of your GF beer if you Are macho and worried about people asking you questions and having to explain the entire paleo diet). In fact, people will ask. I like that they ask because it gives me an opportunity to educate them, however, this often leaves me sounding like an elitist as i drink my gluten free beverage, paleo margarita with a burger and no bun. It's the price you pay for being healthy.

So, enjoy and one last bit of advice, if you have not had a drink in a while, it may have the potency to hit you like a ton of bricks. A designated driver would be advised. Especially if you go for the Quest beer, at 8.5% ABV.

Cheers!


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Salmon and mixed green salad

A perfect lunch, or dinner: salmon atop some mixed greens.





It's really quite simple. Toss some mixed greens with some olive oil, sprinkle some seasoning on top (e.g., fresh ground black pepper, italian seasoning, jamaican jerk seasoning, lemon juice or lime juice, etc). Also, sprinkle some ground flax seed on top. Additionally, here i finely chopped some macadamia nuts and tossed them in as well. On second thought I'd have toss the Mac nuts into the dressing i made (see creamy dressing recipe). Then top off with some wild caught sockeye or Atlantic salmon. This might sound tricky for a lunch, but I've been using flash frozen at sea fish. It tastes reattach, it's an easy and good source of omega-3's, and it does not take that long to prep. Simply allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. Then when you are ready to cook, either toss it in a pan and oven cook it for about 4-6 minutes per side, or better yet toss it on your grill!

Enjoy!

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Paleo lasagna & oven roasted eggplant crisps

Paleo lasagna is about one of the best things ever, whether you are eating paleo or not - it's just plain good eating. Here's how to make it.

Slice a few zucchini and yellow squash, these become your "noodles". Brown some ground beef in seasoning. We used garlic, Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc). Layer the zucchini and squash, then put the beef in between layers. Add crushed fresh tomatoes, your favorite pasta sauce, or make your own sauce (sauté garlic, onion, and tomatoes for abut 10-15 minutes in some olive oil or butter. Season with garlic and oregano. You can also toss on some finely chopped olives. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

At the same time the lasagna is baking bake some thinly sliced eggplant. Season with whatever suits you, but for an italian meal garlic powder and black pepper work brilliantly. We also served with a nice size mixed greens salad.

Enjoy!

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Spicy creamy salad dressing

So sometimes a dish, a salad just calls for a creamy (I.e. Not oil-based) salad dressing. Yesterday on my salmon topped salad was just one of those occasions. It's super easy. Mix together a touch of olive oil, a splash of coconut I'll, some flax seeds, some finely chopped olives, and spices. For seasoning i used crushed red pepper, fresh ground black pepper, cumin, and just the tiniest dash of salt. You could also use a Cajun spice, a Jamaican spice, or Old Bay seasoning. It really livens up a salad in a new way.

Enjoy!

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Paleolithic Birthday Cake!

Paleo Birthday Cake. Seriously. Ok, it's more of a Paleo bread cake, but with icing ,it's not a bad treat. Here's how you do it....

2-2.5 cups of almond flour. I grind my own from raw almonds using my Magic Bullet. It turns out very nice. 

1/2 cup of pecan or walnut mean, again i make my own from fresh raw nuts.

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/4-1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda

1/4-1/3 cup pure honey. I use the stuff with the comb in it, because its so sweet. Also, you will need to heat this, either over a low heat or for about 5-15 minutes in the microwave to help liquify it. 

1/4 cup of oil. Grapeseed or walnut oil is probably best; essentially what i do is fill a liquid measuring cup with my honey (you could also use agave nectar, i put in about 1 tbs), then just add the oil to that cup until you've reached 1/2 cup of oil and honey mixture. 

2 whole (preferably free range chicken) eggs

1 whisked/whipped egg white

1 mashed banana

A handful or two of crushed very dark chocolate. I use dark chocolate that is greater than 70-75% cacoa when cooking for other people, but even darker for my wife and I, because we like it, while most other pele whoar eased to milk chocolate or Hershey's idea of dark chocolate (<=60% & loads of sugar)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl

3. Combine all of the wet ingredients (except the egg white) in another bowl.

4. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.

5. Once combined into a nice "batter" stir in the egg white. I find this strategy actually help the cake/bread rise. 

6. Pour the batter into greased cake tin or like i used, my bread pan. 

7. Bake at 350 F for about 25-30 minutes, then reduced the temperature to 300, but 325 might also work, to keep the top from burning. Bake at lower temperature for another 10-15 minutes. So about 40 minutes total bake time, total. Test by sticking a knife deep into the middle of. The cake. If it comes out wet, it needs to keep cooking, if it comes out dry, it's done and you should allow it to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. 

While the cake is baking you can whip up the icing, which is extremely easy. Melt some dark chocolate in a small pan with some oil. I used grape seed and walnut mix. Do this at very very low temp so as to not make the oil rancid. Add just a touch (1-2 tbs) of honey or agave and about 1/8-1/4 cup of coconut milk. I use the canned coconut I'll that tends to have a lot of fat, if you use the SO delicious stuff sold as drinking coconut milk then you will only need to add a very small splash. Warm these ingredients until they are a smooth, but thick liquid. Once the cake is cool and you've allowed the icing to cool a bit, spread the top of the cake with the icing. If it's still warm it will run down the sides. 

I tested this cake on my wife, about 8-10 athletes at my gym, and my in-laws (the latter of whom are NOT Paleo), and myself. Rave reviews all around. 

Stick a few birthday candles in there and voilà! 

Now there could be a million modifications to this depending on your tastes. For example, you could add cinnamon raisins instead of choco chips/chunks. You could top with a honey, coconut milk, shave coconut topping. You could top with my vanilla protein pudding to increase the protein content. You could add fresh fruit. The possibilities, I think are limited only by your creativity.

Enjoy!