Tag: paleo

Quick Hash

Published on by Christine3 Comments

Who loves a great hash!? This is on my regular rotation of dinners because it is so quick and easy + super versatile. It’s a great way to work in veggies and I love that it is great leftover for breakfast.

The key to making this super QUICK is using the slicing disc with your food processor. It’s amazing!! I didn’t use the shredding or slicing attachment for years and I’m embarrassed at how much time I used to spend chopping things and shredding cheese.  This brings food prep time down to seconds.

Ingredients:

  • 5 large red or golden potatoes or 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 bag of Brussels sprouts (I’ve also used broccoli florets, which of course don’t require slicing, and I’ve added carrots too before)
  • 1 package of sugar-free pasture-raised bacon
  • sea salt + pepper + onion powder + garlic powder to taste

Preparation:

  1. Put slices of bacon on parchment paper on a large baking tray (I use this one: GreenLife Ceramic Cookie Sheet)
  2. Place in cold oven and turn to 425 degrees.  I typically cook for 10-15 minutes until bacon is crispy. Baking time will vary depending on your oven preheating time and the thickness of the bacon – keep an eye on it!
  3. While bacon is cooking, prepare potatoes & veggies. Clean and cut small enough to fit into the feeding cylinder of food processor.
  4. Slice the potatoes and veggies using the slicing attachment of your food processor.
  5. When bacon is cooked, transfer to paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon grease on the pan.
  6. Add the potatoes and veggies to the pan and toss in the oil, adding more avocado or coconut oil if needed to coat.
  7. Season the potatoes and veggies, ensuring you use plenty of the sea salt.
  8. Place in oven and cook 20-30 minutes until browned and brussels are caramelized, taking out once mid-way to toss.
  9.  When potatoes and veggies are ready, crumble the bacon on top and serve.
Advertisement

2-Minute Guacamole

Published on by Christine1 Comment

Looking for a simple summer snack that will keep you swimsuit ready?  Today, I’m sharing the easiest 2-minute guacamole recipe perfectly paired with veggies like celery, carrots or zucchini slices.

Did you know that you actually need to eat fat to burn fat? Well, certain fats that is – unsaturated fats.  That’s the fat in fish, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, butter, seeds and avocados. They help remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries and promote a healthy heart.  And these real foods are soo much healthier than the low-fat processed foods loaded with sugar and salt to add flavor from the removed fats.  These healthy fats actually help break down the stored fats in your body and contain the building blocks to building muscle, all working together to help you slim down.

Avocados pack in healthy monounsaturated fats that contain oleic acid and give you protein and fiber.  They actually help reduce cravings and keep you feeling full so you don’t over-eat.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

Shopping Tip: How do you pick a perfectly ripe avocado? Peeling away the stem and if you find green underneath, take that one! If you find brown, then it’s overripe. If the stem won’t come off at all, it’s not yet ripe, but you can take it home to be ready in a few days!

  • 1 avocado
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (omit if AIP)
  • juice from 1/4 lime

Preparation:

Mash the avocado with all other ingredients in a bowl with a fork and it’s ready to serve! If you don’t plan on eating it all right away, save the avocado seed and put in the bowl with the guac to keep it from going brown for a day or two.

Enjoy!

 

AIP Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup

Published on by Christine1 Comment

I recently made dinner for a friend who is following the Auto-Immune Paleo diet. The AIP diet basically removes anything inflammatory so that your immune system has a chance to heal.  It’s very restrictive (depending on what you’re currently eating, of course), but great for people with auto-immune diseases or for anyone suffering from unexplained health issues and not seeing results from anything else. Since it avoids foods that are most often problematic, it can also help people understand what kind of food allergies they may have without taking the expensive tests.   Another thing about the AIP diet is that everything must be organic to avoid reactions to pesticides, additives, hormones, etc in non-organic foods – see why organic is always the better choice here.

One of my favorite anti-inflammatory, healing foods is bone broth.  It is super easy to make and I always have some on hand to drink or make soups with. So, when I was challenged to make a meal that was AIP-friendly, I knew I wanted to start there. Today, I’m sharing the delicious Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup I concocted by taking the tomatoes and peppers (nightshade veggies are a surprisingly common allergen) out of my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe.  Even if you’re not following an AIP diet, I promise you’ll love this one!

Ingredients:Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup

  • 1 organic zucchini
  • 1/2 bunch organic celery
  • 3 organic carrots
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 organic chicken cooked and shredded (crock-pot chicken recipe)
  • 8 cups homemade bone broth (or organic chicken broth)
  • 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt
  • 1 tablespoon organic olive oil (my favorite brand is Kasandrinos)
  • 1/4 cup diced cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation:

Prep time: about 5 minutes, Cooking time: 35 minutes

  1. Put all the veggies (first 5 ingredients above) into a food processor and blend until puréed.
  2. Add olive oil and puréed veggies to soup pot and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  3. Add broth and salt to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Add chicken, lime juice and cilantro to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  5. Serve with fresh avocado slices on top for added texture.

Hope you enjoy!

Christmas Chili

Published on by Christine4 Comments

Chili with TamaleIt’s a Texas tradition to enjoy fresh tamales and chili during the holiday season, and I can’t wait to make this for a cozy dinner with family on Christmas Eve.  Today, I’m sharing my super easy, go-to chili recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of grass-fed, organic ground beef
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 16 oz can organic tomato sauce
  • 1 can organic diced tomatoes
  • 15 oz can organic kidney beans, drained
  • 15 oz can organic pinto beans, drained
  • 1/3 cup organic, non-GMO cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup bone broth (or beer or water)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon himalayan salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Toppings: shredded raw cheddar cheese, chopped red or green onion, tortilla chips (my favorite are Jackson’s Honest brand – the only kind made with coconut oil AND organic, non-GMO corn!)

Preparation:

  1. Put the ground beef and garlic into a large pot and cook on medium heat until the meat is browned.
  2. Drain the excess fat from pot.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and all spices. Stir together, then reduce to low heat.
  4. Simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture starts to look a little dry, I usually add some bone broth (or beer or water) a 1/4 cup at a time.
  5. In separate bowl, mix the cornmeal and 1/2 cup bone broth together.  Then dump into the chili. This will be your thickening agent and add that corn flavor. (Beer works really well here too!)
  6. After this, see what the consistency is and add more liquid based on your preference. Typically, I add about 3/4-1 cup of liquid in.
  7. Add both cans of beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
  8. Now it’s ready to serve with all the yummy toppings!

Wishing you a healthy and hopeful holiday!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Published on by Christine1 Comment

Tortilla SoupLast Sunday, we finally got some beautiful cool Fall weather here in Austin, so, of course, I had to make one of my favorite super simple soup recipes: Chicken Tortilla Soup.

This recipe is filled with protein, is Paleo compliant and the broth is amazing for supporting your bones, ligaments, joints and skin, as well as providing lots of valuable vitamins and minerals. It’s a perfect quick & healthy meal that your family will love!

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups of bone broth – find my homemade crock-pot bone broth recipe here
  • Meat from whole chicken (shredded) – find my easy crock-pot chicken recipe here
  • 1 can organic diced tomatoes (Mexican style)
  • 1 can organic tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or grass-fed butter)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1-2 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper, depending on spiciness preference
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Optional: You can also add some chopped veggies – carrots & kale are my favorites in this soup

Preparation:

  1. Dice onion and garlic and put in large soup pot with coconut oil.
  2. Saute garlic & onion on medium heat until onion is soft.
  3. Add all other ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes (or cook in crock-pot on low all day for even better flavor!)

Tortilla ChipsGarnish with a squeeze of lime, freshly grated raw cheddar cheese and some salty tortilla chip crumbles.  When it comes to tortilla chips, there is only one brand that I can recommend… I am beyond excited about Jackson’s Honest NEW tortilla chips cooked in coconut oil.  They are the only brand that makes tortilla chips with coconut oil; all the others use super toxic vegetable oils.  Plus, they are organic, made with non-GMO corn and gluten-free. I found them at my local Whole Foods – you must pick up a bag!

Enjoy!!