Roasted Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

This salad is one I could eat every day, and lets be honest I eat it nearly every day. So many vitamins and protein packed into one salad! I used to get this (without chicken) at PCC, but I craved it so often I finally asked if they would give me the recipe and apparently they will you give you any/all of their recipes!

This one is easy, and tastes even better after sitting in the fridge, so it's great to have on hand for a quick meal!

Salad:

2-3 large bundles of lacinato kale
1 large garnet yam
Avocado Oil
salt

Dressing:
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
pinch of salt
3 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard


Heat your oven to 425 degrees peel and chop the garnet yam into 1/2 or so square chunks, toss in a bowl with a really small drizzle of avocado oil and some coarse kosher salt. Roast on parchment paper about 30 minutes or until they start to brown. Take them out and place in a bowl. Next rough chop about two full bundles of lacinato kale with a tiny bit of avocado oil and salt turn oven up to 500 degrees and roast 2-3 minutes, just until soft. Once finished toss both together with the dressing, add grilled chicken if desired!

Nut Free Energy Balls: Paleo, Raw Vegan (assuming you're not the crazy vegan who doesn't eat honey)

So these have become a routine staple around here once I finally perfected my recipe, Austin takes a couple along with a couple hard boiled eggs to work for breakfast, the kids love them and I eat them post-workout for protein and energy. They are full of healthy fats, the raw cacao powder provides a lot of minerals and antioxidants and the seeds/nuts provide a lot of protein. I have made several versions and tried a lot of different combinations, this one has become my favorite. Keep in mind I don't measure anything in this recipe except the seed/nut base so these measurements are estimates :) 

3 cups organic raw unsalted sunflower seeds (What I use because I am sensitive to nuts) you can use walnuts or almonds as well. 

about 1/4 cup organic raw cacao powder

1 tbsp. vanilla

1 tsp. pink Himalyan salt (full of minerals) 

1/2 cup raw unfiltered local honey

Organic Coocnut oil 

Using a food processor add the nuts/seeds and raw cacao powder pulse until fine. 

next add the salt, and vanilla, pulse again until blended. Then add the honey and mix well. Once you've mixed the honey add the coconut oil slowly until it start to come together (sort of like a dough) then stop immediately so they're not too oily. Form into small balls and roll in the coconut. Let them set up in the refrigerator until they are slightly harder (once the coconut oil has chilled). 

Keep in mind these are very healthy but the raw cacao has a bit of caffeine and they will keep you up if your body is sensitive to caffeine like mine is. Also these are calorie dense; good fats and calories but don't eat half the batch, I usually eat 2 or 3 a day depending on my activity level for the day. 

Paleo (dairy free) Ranch Dip and Mayo

One thing I missed was ranch dip when I became allergic to dairy, as soon as I discovered how to make my own healthy paleo mayo I began trying things to make a ranch dip with it...and it finally worked! I am going to first give you the recipe for the mayo then the add-ins to make a ranch dip, so win-win!


Mayo:
2/3 cup avocado oil
1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 egg
a pinch of salt
1 tsp. dijon mustard

put into a deep cup and using an immersion blender, start with the blender at the bottom and blend until creamy working your way up, this should take no longer than 15 seconds and should keep in the fridge in a container for about a week.

To make the mayo into ranch:
mice about 1 tbsp. fresh dill
1 minced green onion, white and green parts
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder

mix with a fork until incorporated...
(all these herbs are to taste so adjust as needed)

AMAZING Paleo chocolate cake and raw vegan carmel sauce

I am sort of obsessed with this chocolate cake I made, I found a recipe on Pinterest and adapted it. It's seriously good. If you're craving chocolate this is the way to go!

For the cake:
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate (I used Sunspire 100% cacao bar)
3 large organic eggs (wisked)
1/2 cup palm shortening
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
3/4 cup raw local honey

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Start by melting the palm shortening and the chocolate bar together. You can use a double boiler or do what I did, stick in a microwave safe measuring cup and melt slowing stirring every 15-25 seconds so it doesn't burn. Let the mixture cool then slowing add the other ingredients, mixing until perfectly combined. Take a cake pan grease with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and even with a spatula. Bake approximately 20 minutes. Be sure to cool before eating. This cake is very rich I would recommend small pieces! Top with this raw carmel for a little more decadence.

For the Carmel Sauce: (this sauce is great on anything, especially this cake and on apples) :)
Keep in mind, this is raw, all the ingredients have health benefits; but it's NOT low calorie, so eat sparingly.

1 cup cashew butter or sun butter (unsweetened)
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. raw local honey
pink Himalayan sea salt (or regular sea salt) to taste.
2 pitted dates (make sure they are softened, to do this place in a bowl with piping hot water until they are soft to the touch)

Put all ingredients into a high-powered blender and process until smooth. Keep in the fridge to store.

Paleo Pot Roast and Mashed potatoes

One of my favorite things in the world is pot roast and mashed potatoes on a cool rainy fall day. I was so excited when it was raining Saturday so I could make my favorite food! My favorite all-time pot roast recipe is Ina Garten's (barefoot contessa). Her recipe is to die for and I had to make very few changes! I subbed arrowroot powder for anywhere that called for all-purpose flour, I omitted the cognac (because I don't drink and I refused to spend the money to buy a bottle that I won't use), I subbed palm shortening and arrowroot powder for the butter and flour to make the gravy.

Now, for my mashed potato recipe.

Peel and cube about 5 large organic yukon gold potatoes. Place in pot with cold water and a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil.  When they are fork tender put into a mixing bowl or stand mixer (I like fluffy, not lumpy mashed potatoes). To the potatoes add minced garlic (to taste), about 1 or 2 tbsp. of good organic extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and homemade cashew cream (about 1/2 cup, or until you reach a creamy consistency). If you don't know how to make cashew cream follow my post from July 5th, only don't add anything except the water, cashews and salt, no one wants sweetened vanilla cream in their potatoes. Using an electric mixer, mix until very fluffy and delicious. Now layer the potatoes, gravy and roast. I have a ton of veggies and juices left so I used about 1/3 for gravy and used my immersion blender to create a soup with the rest for Austin to take to work all week. Best way to stretch a dollar :) Enjoy!

Paleo Chicken Strips

My kids are loving these lately, I have made them twice in less than two weeks. They're easy and they are so good. My friend Kristin sent me a recipe and I changed it a little and it turned out awesome!
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Start by cutting 4 chicken breasts into strips. In a shallow dish whisk two eggs. In a second shallow dish add the dry ingredients.

Cover the chicken in the egg and then completely coat in the dry ingredients. Place the strips on a baking sheet covered in parchment.

Generously drizzle with avocado oil and bake 15-20 minutes then flip and bake another 15-20 minutes. Dip in BBQ, ketchup or a Honey Dijon dipping sauce.

2 eggs
4 chicken breasts
1 cup cashew flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

Vegetable Soup

My soups are random, they sort are just whatever I have on hand. This one turned out great!

1 tbsp. Avocado oil
1/2 sweet onion (minced)
2 celery ribs (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
2 huge garlic cloves or 4 small (minced)
10-15 cremini mushrooms (ground in a food processor)
1/2 butternut squash cut into 1/4" cubes
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
14 oz. water
bunch of basil
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil to finish

Heat a Dutch oven to medium high heat
Add the avocado oil
When the avocado oil is hot add the mirepoix (the celery, carrot and onion) Sautee until soft
Add the garlic, Butternut squash and ground mushroom mix (grinding the mushrooms makes the soup thicker)
Season with Italian spices, salt and pepper
Add the tomatoes and fill the can 1/2 way with water and add to the pot
Stir and simmer (I simmered for 2 hours)
When You're ready to serve add chopped basil and a little fresh extra virgin olive oil.
I dipped an herby variation of my paleo bread in it. My bread recipe with garlic, thyme and rosemary from my garden...

Cheap and easy and super healthy!