Friday, September 19, 2014

5 Minute Mommy Breakfast for 1!

Before Paleo, I never really ate breakfast...  didn't want it, didn't need it, whatever.  But, my 10am I was always snacking on chips or candy or something totally inappropriate!  :)  Now days, when the girls get on the bus, I always eat something.  It may simply be a handful of nuts or a lara bar, but most days it is eggs and something. I never get sick of eggs.... you can boil scramble omlet, fry, whatever... and they are SO easy to do.

Today, I want to share the super quick mommy breakfast I made this morning just to show you how easy a nice paleo breakfast can be!

We made the shrimp and sausage skillet for dinner the night before last (it is super amazing) and so I had an entire link of smoked sausage just hanging out with nothing to do... plus our grocery list this week has lots of zucchini on it, so you can spare a little!

5 Minute Sausage, Zucchini & Egg Skillet

about 3 1/2 inch slices leftover smoked sausage 
about 4 1/2 inch slices zucchini
1 egg
EVOO

turn small skillet on med high heat and drizzle with EVOO.  While it heats, quickly quarter your sausage and zucchini.  toss zucchini in skillet and let cook for about 1 minute.  Add sausage and let cook about 2 more minutes while stirring.  Shift everything to one side and drizzle a little more EVOO on the empty side.  Crack and egg on that side, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook until fried egg is finished the way you like it, over easy, over hard, or sunny side up!!!!

Have a great Morning!!!!


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

30 Day Dinner Meal Plan and Grocery Lists


Wow!  What a response to my offer of sharing my meal plan with everyone!  I'm happy to do it, and I put so much time and effort into it that I'm glad it will be used by many!!!!  A few notes:

-This will be a continual work in progress, so if you see a mistake, something doesn't work right, etc let me know!  I want to continually improve upon this list so it is user friendly to everyone.

-This meal plan is for dinners only.  I also have a suggested breakfast/lunch and snacks sheet to correspond, but it is much simpler.  I do most of my cooking at night.

-Meals can be moved around, if you need a crockpot meal on a different night than the night listed, just go for it!

-The grocery lists may look long, but alot of items you will already have on hand.  I just completed Grocery List 1 today (as well as several fresh fruits and a few lunch add-ons) and by shopping the sale adds and using a few coupons, I was able to spend right at $100, which for paleo dinners for 4 is pretty good.

-All of the recipes can be found on pinterest in my 30 Day Paleo Plan Board

-You will see alot of "venison" items on here.  Look folks, we eat ALOT of deer meat around our house.  It's fresh and totally organic and best of all free!  But, if you just can't do it, or don't have access to it, just sub it for buffalo in grass fed beef

-All of the sides are interchangeable.  If you see some type of leafy green you just can't handle or if you are running short on time, frozen veges do the trick.  Just grab a bag of steamable broccoli or green beans and call it a day

-On the grocery lists you may notice places I have noted (Costco) or (T Joe's) beside an items.  That is just where I have found the best prices for certain things.  You definitely don't have to go to those places to get the items though!!!!

-One last thing!  I don't check this blog a whole lot, so if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a private msg on facebook!

Hope you guys enjoy!

RP

30 Days of Paleo Dinners

Grocery List Week 1
Grocery List Week 2
Grocery List Week 3
Grocery List Week 4

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Saute Vegetable Medley

So easy, quick and delish!!!!


2 zucchini chopped
2 summer squash chopped
1 onion diced
1 TBSP minced garlic
Greek seasoning
olive oil
salt pepper

Pour a generous amount of EVOO into your skillet and heat up over medium high heat.  Add onion zucchini and squash and stir.  saute for about 5 minutes and add garlic, greek seasoning and salt/ pepper to taste.  Saute until done!!!!


Hot Bacon Dressing Salad

8 ounces young spinach
2 large eggs
4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Boil the eggs

While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.
Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. pour warm dressing over spinach and season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

Greek Chicken Salad


Paleo Greek Dressing
1 cup White Wine Vinegar
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
 Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Tbl Greek Seasoning
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

Paleo Greek Salad
4 cups Chopped Romaine
leftover rotisserie chicken meat
1  cup diced tomato 
1 cup Cucumber Chunks
¼ cup Chopped Purple Onion
¾ cup pitted kalamata Olive
¾ cup Pepperoncini Peppers (optional)
1 cup Paleo Greek Dressing
Directions:
Paleo Greek Dressing
Combine all ingredients together in a large measuring cup and stir well.  Mix other ingredients together in a bowl and pour dressing over the top.  Enjoy!

Oven Baked Zucchini

Easy & Quick Zucchini Recipe

2 Zucchini
4 TBSP EVOO
t tsp garlic
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Thinly slice zucchini.  Place sliced zucchini, EVOO, garlic and salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to combine.  Lay zucchini on aluminum foil lined baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.


Make Ahead Collards and Kale

Ingredients

10 to 12 cups of water
smoked ham hocks, bacon or salt pork
3 cloves of garlic, peeled 
1 bunch of collards or any other leafy green you like
2 bunches of kale
1 large yellow onion
2 tablespoons bacon fat or oil
Salt and pepper



 In a large pot, bring the water and meat to a boil over a high flame. Wash the greens well in cold water.  Chop the yellow onion into a medium large dice.  add the greens and garlic to the water and bring back to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for at least 1 hr for chewy or up to 2 hours for soft greens. Periodically check and add more water if needed.

When the collards are done, turn off the heat and using the tongs, transfer the collards from the pot into a frying pan with the onions. drzzle with olive oil. Sauté the greens until all the flavors have blended, splashing in a few ladles of the cooking liquid towards the end to moisten the greens. Salt to taste and add several grinds of fresh pepper. Serve 'em up!

I like to run the leftover thru a food processor with a little splash of coconut cream or milk and serve them the next day as creamed greens!!!!


Turkey Apple Sausages

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 apple, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 TBSP dried parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped (or use 2 Tablespoons dried oregano)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • salt and pepper
  • coconut oil to cook with
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Place 4 tablespoons of coconut oil into a skillet and cook (on a medium-high) the apples, thyme, parsley, and oregano until the apples soften (7-8 minutes).
  3. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Mix the turkey with everything in the skillet, as well as the garlic powder, salt and pepper (including any leftover oil).
  5. Form 12 thin patties from the meat and place on a baking tray lined with foil (
  6. Bake for 20 minutes
  7. Cool and store in fridge or freezer (reheat easily in the mornings in the skillet- just pan-fry for a few minutes in coconut oil 

Flavored Pecans

Ingredients

2 cups raw pecans
2 tbsp kerrygold butter
1-1.5 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300.  Melt butter in microwave and pour salt in.  stir to combine.  place pecans in a bowl and pour butter mixture over the top.  Stir like you mean it to combine!!!!  Place marinated pecans on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes on 300.  stir them and bake another 10 minutes.  let them cool and devour!!!!




Quick, Easy Bacon Eggs & Asparagus

  • 8 slice(s) bacon
  • 1 pound(s) asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 6 large eggs

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. cover a baking sheet with lip or casserole dish with aluminum foil and arrange bacon slices in single layer. bake 15 minutes or until browned. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate; set aside
  2. drizzle a little bacon fat into a skillet and add asparagus. Roll in fat until evenly coated. Arrange in tight single layer, Sprinkle thyme onto asparagus and cook about 3 minutes.
  3. Carefully crack eggs, without breaking yolks, directly onto asparagus spears. cook until whites are set and yolks are still a little runny (or however you like.) Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper on eggs. serve over bacon

Chicken Avocado and Bacon Salad

Ingredients

  • leftover rotisserie chicken meat
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
  • 1 avocado, pitted
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/4 cup lime olive oil (or 1/4 c olive oil with fresh squeezed lime)
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions 
Add the diced chicken, lettuce, bacon, avocados and tomatoes to a large bowl, and toss until combined. Drizzle or toss with olive oil and serve immediately. 


Turkey Tacos

Ingredients:
 

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • low sodium/ gluten free taco seasoning (I like savory spice shops)
  • 1/2 small onion, minced
  • 8 large lettuce leaves from Iceberg lettuce
  • sliced avocado
  • diced fresh tomato or pico de gallo
  • (optional) 1/2 cup shredded cheese and sour cream

Directions:

Brown turkey in a large skillet breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink add dry seasoning, water and onion. Simmer until done

Wash and dry the lettuce. Divide the meat equally between the leaves and place in the center of each leaf and top with your avocado and tomato or pico de gallo... add cheese and sour cream for kiddos if desired! 

Garlic Shrimp and Kale over Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients
Remove the stem from the kale. (Fold the leaf in half lengthwise, then use a knife to cut the thick part of the spine away from the leaves.)  Stack the leaves together, roll them slightly, and slice the leaves crosswise into strips. 
Rinse the shrimp with cold water and dry with towels.
In a saute pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 TBSP of butter with a TBSP of EVOO.  Add the chopped garlic and shrimp to the pan in a single layer, and allow to cook for about 1 minute on each side (use tongs to turn the shrimp to ensure they are cooked evenly). When cooked, remove shrimp to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the chopped kale to the saute pan with the garlic.  Shake in crushed red pepper to taste and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Toss over medium-high heat until the kale is wilted and tender.  Add the wine, stir, and cook until the wine has mostly cooked off.  Add the shrimp back to the pan.  Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve over cauliflower mash

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Paleo Venison Chili

My Favorite Paleo Venison Chili!


2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium onion diced
  5tsp garlic minced
2 pounds ground venison
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
 1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 cup water
Directions:
1. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add onions, stir and cook until they’re translucent. Add the garlic and crumble the ground meat into the pan with your hands, mixing with the wooden spoon to combine. Continue to cook the meat, stirring often, until it’s no longer pink.
2. In a small bowl, crush the oregano and add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, allspice, and salt. Combine with a fork, then add to the pot and stir. Add tomato paste and stir until combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Dump into your slow cooker and add the tomatoes with their juice crushing each one with your hand as you add it, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well. and cook on low for 4 hrs up to 8hrs.