Crock Pot Paleo Pepperoncini Beef

  This has become my new favorite meal option, and it's TOTALLY paleo! I guarantee your mouth will be watering when you smell this cooking. It has a bit of a spice to it, but not overpowering at all (and I don't like spicy).

   I pared my beef with a large salad. Grilled asparagus, fresh tomato, and some apple with it would be delicious as well! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Paleo Pepperoncini Beef

1 medium/large beef roast
2-3 TBS. Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 32oz. jar pepperoncinis (use all of it's liquid as well)

  1) Brown roast in skillet with the olive oil. Cover roast with pepper and salt.
  2) Place Roast in crock pot. Place minched garlic on roast and spread on top.
  3) De-seed pepperoncinis, chop and place in crock pot with roast. Pour liquid from pepperoncinis into crock pot.
  4) Cook on low for 8-10 hours 

~Fudgy Bites~

If your looking for something to sooth your chocolate sweet tooth, but are trying to stay away from processed sugars, wheat, eggs, and anything non-paleo....this recipe is for you! My family has made this multiple times and we LOVE them!

Fudgy Bites

1/2 cup medjool dates, pits removed
1 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons cacao powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt

1) place dates, walnuts, cacao power, vanilla and salt in food processor
2) pulse on high speed until smooth
3) Remove mixture from food processor and roll into little balls
4) Serve!

* if extra liquid is needed to make balls stick, dribble water and pulse mixture until balls form.

Moistest Paleo Coconut Flour Cookies Ever

    Usually when I bake with coconut* flour it's in small amounts mixed with a greater amount of almond flour. This time though, in hopes of making a higher fiber cookie, I made chocolate chip cookies with coconut flour mixed with a smaller amount of almond flour and a tad bit of my most favorite GF flour ever, Bavarian Mills. If I would have had enough almond flour, I would have used just coconut and almond combined, but I didn't. Thus the reason for using my GF mixture instead. Also, instead of 1 banana like the recipe called for, I put in 1 3/4 banana....definitely helps with the **moisture content.


  * Coconut flour soaks up liquid like a sponge which is why it's a bit harder to bake with.

   ** When cooking with gluten free flours or even nut flours, I've found that the more moisture you add, the moister the cookie or baked product. This is especially so with coconut flour. 

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup coconut flour (1/8 cup more if needed)

1/4 cup almond flour

(I used about an 1/8 cup almond and an 1/8 GF flour)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 mashed banana

 3 TBS honey

 1/2 TBS coconut oil

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup rice milk (more if needed)

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients in separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine. Dough should be very wet, this is good, coconut flour soaks up a lof of moisture! Mix in chocolate chips. Form 2 TBS. of dough into ball and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet - flatten slightly with back of spoon. Bake 18-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately transfer to cooling rack.

 

//Paleo// Cherry Walnut Almond Flour Cookies

   Having extra time on my hands this week, I decided to pull out some new paleo recipes and try experimenting. The cookies I am going to share with you today are a unique cross between a cookie and a biscuit in texture. I over baked mine just a tad, but they still came out delicious. Also, I made quite a few substitutions as well as decreased the amount of sweetener I used in them (it called for white sugar, BOO, and as that's all we had on hand, I used it. Ergo the reason for decreasing the amount.) As far as substitutions go, because I didn't have any dried cherries on hand, I rehydrated some dehydrated coconut instead and used that as well as  I used almond extract instead of vanilla extract (made them soooo yummy and nutty flavored). I would definitely make them again....just hopefully next time I have some kind of dried fruit (cherry, apricot, raisin) to put in them.

Recipe

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup butter softened

1/4 cup sugar (for a less sweet cookie, only fill the quarter cup measurer 3/4 of the way full. Also, a good sugar substitute would be coconut sugar)

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup shredded coconut(rehydrated) or dried fruit of choice

1/3 cup chopped walnuts 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Spoon onto greased cookie sheet making medium sized balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

~Blessings~

    Laura

P.F. Changs //Paleo// Chicken Lettuce Wraps

   Crispy lettuce, savory chicken (or turkey), and healthy to boot! These lettuce wraps are by far one of my most favorite meals....and I think their flavor alone rivals the original from P.F. Changs. Once eaten, you'll crave more! 

Recipe*

16 Butter lettuce leaves
1 lb. ground chicken (I've used ground turkey and it works great!)
5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, finely diced (Regular mushrooms work fine)
1/3 cup scallions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1T fresh ginger, minced
1T sesame oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3T Tamari
1T white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard (More to taste if needed. I think I've used up to 1 1/2 TBS. before. It adds a wonderful flavor)
1T Sriracha (or any hot sauce works)
1T raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt


In a skillet, heat sesame oil on medium heat.  Add ground chicken.  Cook until almost done.
Add mushrooms, scallions, ginger and Tamari.  Cook until onions and mushrooms are limp.  Stir in garlic, almonds, white wine vinegar, mustard, Sriracha, honey and salt.
Serve the chicken mixture in a bowl with the lettuce cups on the plate.  Let your guests spoon the mixture in the center of the leaves and then hold like a soft taco to eat.
Enjoy!


*P.F. Changs Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (original recipe found here)

{Paleo} Almond Flour Biscuits

       This has quickly become a favorite recipe of mine. These biscuits are good for breakfast, lunch and dinner! They are guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds and are great paired with honey, butter, or jam. It is definitely a recipe worth a try and you will love them! Unlike normal white wheat biscuits, these are much more dense and packed with flavor. Don't expect a fluffy biscuit that flakes apart, these definitely won't fit into that category. I do believe though that these are a spot on substitute for the read deal. Enjoy!

//Almond//Flour//Biscuits*//

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil (or butter)
• 1 tbsp pure honey (I also have used real maple syrup)
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and honey, until smooth. Add the buttermilk and eggs, whisking together until well combined. Using a spoon, stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.
3. For quick and easy drop biscuits: Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing the biscuits approximately two-inches apart.
4. For classic-style rolled-looking biscuits: Scoop a large spoonful of batter into your hands and roll into a ball about the size of an apricot. Then place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently flatten using the palm of your hand.
5. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Serve warm with butter, raw honey or homemade jam.

    * I found this recipe at The Nourishing Home.

Real {Raw} Food ~ Recipes for Inspiration

www.abc.net.au

     Inspired by questions about where I find my paleo recipes and ideas, I thought I'd take some time and make a resource list of blogs and recipes that have great paleo recipes and information. Realizing that this way of eating may seem a bit over the top because of the expense of it (nuts, meat, and veggies aren't necessarily the cheapest things to buy), I do believe that if your a careful shopper and only eat the amount needed to satisfy yourself, your pocket book won't be overly strained, if strained at all. You see, if your eating quality over quantity, the less food you will need to consume (buy) to get the "full" feeling and the more nutrients you'll get in a smaller portion of food, the less you'll have to eat, eventually leading to a healthy more energy filled body.

   $$$ Budget tip $$$

   Cut out desserts ~ I know, I know....the desserts look extremely yummy and when you already feel like your only eating meat and veggies, a nut based dessert made with {RAW} sugars looks amazingly, mouth wateringly, over the top yummy! I get that...BUT if your trying to be budget conscious, cutting the ingredients out of your shopping list required to make many of these desserts will help you save. If getting our weekly dose of sugar in is a must, and yes, I do like my sugar as well, then maybe pick one recipe out and splurge. Pick a night when you can enjoy it most, either by yourself in your closet hiding from everyone else so you don't have to share (did I REALLY just say that! :P), or get together with some close friends who maybe share your food habits and have a social night all in the name of loving {Raw} desserts.  BONUS - eating less desserts and  processed sugar over the long run will help you achieve a more healthy you.

Foods I've Found to be My Best Friends

~Eggs

~Spinach - yes, I even eat it for breakfast and actually enjoy it

~Canned chicken

~Tea after breakfast

~Goat Cheese (my paleo weakness, cause it doesn't really count for paleo!)

~a hand full of nuts

~balsamic vinegar (for salads)

~sausage links (pre-cook them, then freeze ...when needed defrost in microwave for a quick meal)

~celery with nut butter

~Salads with meat on top for lunch

Awesome Websites with Great Resources

Whole9 - Great Resource

Paleomg - Great resource

Thanksgiving Paleo - really good recipes -

Pinterest - Paleo Recipes (search for almond flour recipes, coconut flour recipes or any nut flour recipes and they usually fit.)

Primal Palate

100 Top recipes - I think most of this food looks amazing

Real Food Freaks

Paleo Meal Plan Sample - Paleo Diet Lifestyle

Recipes I've Tried and Loved

Paleo Coconut Cream Pie

Great Breakfast Granola

Paleo Pecan Pie

 P.F. Changs Paleo Lettuce Wraps {{probably one of my most favorite things to eat, it

so good}}

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes

Stuffed Dates - Amazing!

1stwebdesigner.com

       The great thing about making a lifestyle change is the fact that we can accept our humanness and mistakes are guaranteed to happen. I will be the first to admit that eating this way isn't always easy....I've accepted the fact that I will not follow this 100% perfectly. Yes, that's my goal, but I'm not going to stress over it! So, be free to experiment, search the web for fun recipes, and make this fit into your lifestyle!