Chocolate Chip "Milkshake" (Green Smoothie)

Yup, this is the latest and greatest of my green smoothie experiments. I've been on something of a cashew milk kick lately, and for some reason all that creamy goodness has me craving milkshakes! This baby boy LOVES his milkshakes!

The other day, I was craving a chocolate milkshake, and then once I created it, I realized that what I really wanted was chocolate chip ice cream! So I took the smoothie a bit further...

I've played with this one a bit over the past few days, and have really come to enjoy it. Of course, I added the avocado and spinach to justify it as a "healthy" treat ;)

As with most of my smoothies, the measurements are more of approximations. Taste test as you go, and you'll come up with results that work for you.

A great tip I wish someone would have told me awhile back is to experiment slowly w/ avocados in sweets. I absolutely love avocados, and obviously I love dessert, but I jumped in too fast with trying them out together, and had a few bad experiences before I figured out that I liked to add avocado slowly. Here's my rule of thumb: Start w/ half of the amount of avocado called for in a recipe (unless it's the centerpiece ingredient), then taste and add a little more if you like it, and then a little more...and compensate if it becomes too strong (add more chocolate, sweetener, etc). I really don't want to actually be able to *taste* the avocado in my smoothie, but it does add to the texture. Plus, it's a fantastic, healthy fat!

Anyway, back to the recipe!

Chocolate Chip "Milkshake" Green Smoothie
Gluten free, dairy free, coconut free, can be nut free
Makes about 2 c (1 large serving)

1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen
1-2 tbsp almond butter, or other nut/seed butter
1/2 c cashew milk, or milk of choice
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 - 1 c raw spinach
1/4 - 1/2 avocado
Additional sweetener, to taste (I have enjoyed a couple drops vanilla stevia, and a dollop of molasses the most)
A couple ice cubes
1 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Blend all ingredients except ice and chocolate chips in a high-powered blender, until smooth. Taste, add additional sweetener, liquid, cocoa, as desired.

Add ice and chocolate chips. Blend again, until ice is incorporated. Serve and enjoy!

Avocado Goodness "Recipe"

I mentioned this fantastic recipe in this post, and figured I'd share my favorite way to enjoy it. It's so easy, it really doesn't even need a recipe!

Sarah at Everyday Paleo created this little delight and I love her for it! It makes a great post workout snack or a fantastic side to most dishes where you want to add some delicious fat.

Avocado Goodness

Recipe adapted from Sarah at Everyday Paleo

1 avocado, halved, w/ pit removed

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

A pinch each garlic powder and salt

A sprinkle black pepper

Arrange your avocado halves on a plate. Either whisk together the remaining ingredients and drizzle over the avocado, or just pour on top of the avocado, and enjoy.

Paleo Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado "Sandwich" - 2 ways

Ok, it's recipe time!

I have always been a fan of the BLTA/turkey club sandwich combo, so I had to try both of the paleo recipes I came across. I couldn't decide which variation of my paleo club sandwich I liked better, so I will share both with you!

First up, we have the Portobello Sandwich. This sandwich was inspired by Sarah @ Everyday Paleo's Chicken Sandwich (doesn't that look delicious?!).

Paleo Turkey BLTA Sandwich #1

2 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

A few slices quality turkey lunch meat

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

A handful spinach or lettuce

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

2-3 pieces bacon, cooked

1 tbsp mayo (I know there are some paleo recipes out there, but I haven't delved that deeply into the lifestyle yet. Still using up the ol' Best Foods)

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add mushrooms, cap side up. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. The tops will turn a golden brownish color. Remove from pan.

My mushrooms decided to sweat, and so I put them on a plate w/ paper towels to soak up the excess liquid for a couple minutes.

Spread the mayo on underside of the mushrooms. Pile the remaining ingredients on top of one of the mushrooms, then top w/ the other.

Enjoy, and try not to freak out!

The next variation of my sandwich comes from Mark Sisson's cookbook, Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This was the first recipe I bookmarked when flipping through the book. Great foresight!

Paleo Chicken BLTA Sandwich #2

1 chicken breast (1/4-1/3 of the top cut off)

1 tbsp mayo

2 slices bacon, cooked

A handful of arugula or spinach

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Butterfly the chicken breast (cut lengthwise through it so it can be opened up like a book).

Heat a little butter in a pan, and cook the chicken, opened up, for 4-6 minutes, or until browned. Flip chicken over and cook, covered, for an additional 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Don't overcook the chicken, or it will be dry!

Remove from pan, and spread the mayo on the inside. Add the rest of the ingredients, and "close" the chicken breast. Dig in, and revel!

Notes: The original recipe called for a whole chicken breast, but I had a larger-sized piece of meat, so I decided to trim it a bit. I probably cut of about 1/4 of the breast, and may even take off more next time. Keep an eye on your cooking times if reducing the meat.

This one was pretty messy, and the hinge broke, so everything slid out a few times. No biggie. It was good and messy fun!

The cookbook suggests eating either warm or cold. I have only had this warm, but I bet it would make an amazing lunch and plan on trying it cold soon!

This sandwich was much more filling, thanks to the massive amounts of protein, I'm sure. I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day (5-6 hours).

*

I ended up with less than half of an avocado leftover w/ both of these recipes, not really enough to save. So I made some Avocado Goodness to go along with each sandwich. I would highly suggest you do the same. You won't regret it!!

*

Also, if for some reason you need any encouragement to enjoy either of these sandwiches, head over to Primal Toad's blog for 5 Reasons Why Loving Bacon May Be The Healthiest Thing In The World ;) Then you can enjoy your bacon without feeling guilty!

Shrimp Grok-Amole - a primal feast!

So, in my quest to find the solution to my recently prevalent health concerns, ie, more gastro symptoms despite eating less problematic foods, I have been recommended by several people to look into the paleo/primal/hunter-gatherer diet. I've spent nearly all my free time the last two weekends absorbed at Mark's Daily Apple.

The paleo/primal way of eating is a fascinating concept to me. Basically, you're incorporating all the foods that your caveman ancestors ate. You're pretty much eating meat, veggies, fruit, roots and nuts. You're avoiding things like legumes, grains, dairy products and refined sugars (hmm, sound like Stephanie's problem food list to anyone else???)

I've tried a few basic recipes, and so far so good. I like the idea behind the diet, but I'm not positive that this is the cure-all to my problems. Right now I'm looking at getting on the lowFODMAP diet for awhile, which sounds like it may be more appropriate for my symptoms.

However, I did buy Mark's book on Amazon, as well as adding the cookbook to my wishlist, and am so excited to get reading! I will definitely be eating with a more paleo-conscious emphasis!

I was excited, if a bit apprehensive, about this dish. It incorporated many of my favorite foods, like avocado, tomatoes and shrimp, but it still seemed a bit foreign to me.

I loved it! I ate the first batch over the weekend last week, and am eagerly awaiting ripe avocados to make it again!

I ate chips with it the first night (so un-primal of me!), but decided I liked it better without them. Think of it like a great fresh seafood taco, just without the taco shell. It might even be good over some romaine lettuce. Taco salad!

Just FYI, I'm kind of OCD about having equal amounts of food in my bite-fuls, so I chopped everything to be uniform in size (like the shrimp, tomatoes and avocado). I like to enjoy all the flavors at the same time.

Grok-Amole Salad

Adapted from Mark's Daily Apple recipe here

1 lb cooked and peeled shrimp, chopped

3-4 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped

3-4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

2-3 green onions, finely chopped (I used a dash of onion powder and a teaspoon of chives. I think it subbed okay)

1 orange/yellow pepper, chopped (I used a green pepper)

3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Juice of 1-2 limes

Olive oil

Fresh cilantro, chopped (I just used about a teaspoon)

Salt and pepper

The original recipe called for 1 seeded/finely chopped jalapeno, but I didn't have one. I liked it without.

Mix the shrimp and all the veggies in a large bowl. Drizzle the lime juice and oil over the top, then sprinkle with cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix it all up really well, and serve.

Makes 3-4 servings

*Note: This recipe has been linked over to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday's Anniversary Edition*

Sloppy Dudes (think turkey burger meets fresh mex tacos!)

I'm so excited to share this new recipe with you all! I made this for dinner tonight, and it was amazing! An inspired dish as well, as it combined all the things I was trying to get rid of before they went bad in my fridge!

I can't even describe this dish. It's a perfect blend of the most unexpected ingredients. The flavors work so well together.

Ok, so think sloppy joe, only think, california style. Fresher. Lighter. Throw some avocado and tomato in there. Add a hint of zesty cumin and a splash of lime.

Yeah, this is it. Don't question it. Just make it!

GF/DF Sloppy Dudes
(adapted from the recipe in "Just In Time" by Rachael Ray)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
16 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed well
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 small lime
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 c chicken stock (more if needed)
2 ripe avocados
4 gluten free rolls*
2 tomatoes
tortilla chips, for serving
(recipe also calls for 1 jalapeno, but I didn't have one. I bet it would be great though!)

Finely chop/mince tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeno (if using).
Place a large skillet over medium-high, and add oil. Once it's hot, stir in the turkey and chopped veggies. Break up the turkey and mix everything together in the pan. Season with half the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add half a cup of the chicken stock, and simmer for 5 more minutes. The liquid will have mostly evaporated by the end. Add more liquid if needed.
In the meantime, halve the avocados, remove pits, and scoop out of the skin. Mash avocados in a small bowl with remaining lime juice.
Split and toast or broil the rolls until lightly golden browned.
Slice the tomatoes, and set aside. You can also use additional red onion slices, if desired (raw onions don't do so well with my system).
To assemble, spread some of the avocado over the rolls. Scoop on the turkey filling. Top with a tomato slice. If possible, you can put the top of the roll back on. My rolls didn't split so easily, so I just did open-faced sandwiches. I actually ate them with a fork, as they were a bit sloppy (really the only true resemblance to sloppy joes).
Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4ish servings. I halved the recipe, and still think I have enough for 3 meals! Maybe I just need to go heavier on the toppings. My GF rolls aren't exactly ginormous.

*My roll recipe is still a work in progress. The rolls I've made taste good, but they don't really look amazing. Nor do they have that glutenous split-in-half thickness to them. I am planning on testing another batch this weekend, and will post the recipe soon!

I apologize. None of the pictures I took of the finished product turned out that great. So, I photographed all the elements to the meal. Don't they look yummy though?

P.S. If you have leftover avocado mash, it works great as a butter/mayo sub on toast/sandwiches. I make "poor man's butter" all the time by mashing an avocado, and mixing in some lime juice and salt. Soooo good!

P.P.S. This recipe is linked over to Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Check out the other fabulous recipes there!

*Note: This recipe has been recently updated, thanks to a disastrous experience in the kitchen the other night :P

This recipe has also been linked to Diane's Friday Foodie Fix - Tomatillos.

Unripe Gucamole

image borrowed from Breakfast with Spanky

Do you ever find yourself in the situation where you are about to enjoy an exotic dish of guacamole, which you've been imagining all morning, and salivating over the vision dancing through your head of such a creamy, zesty combination of foods? Where you've got the rest of your meal together, all boring and chickenish, and to excite yourself, you will be feasting on beautiful avocados, juicy tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and lime blended together, marinated in each others flavors....
Well, that was me yesterday. I'd just bought some gluten free multi-grain crackers at Costco, and was so excited to try them out, topped with guacamole. I chopped my tomatoes and cilantro, squeezed the juice from my limes, zested my garlic, and as I began cutting into my avocado, my heart dropped. It was hard as a rock. I had to get out my chainsaw to get through it. I literally had to saw the skin off the flesh. The dread began to well up inside me, my hope of spicing up an otherwise boring meal of chicken and quinoa fading fast. I reached for my iPod, desperate to search the world wide web for any advice, any help for my situation. Sadly, I discovered I had no connection to the outside world. Oh yeah...I remembered my husband has been upstairs all morning, rearranging our office, and had unplugged our internet.
Frustrated, I glanced around the kitchen. I spotted my Vitamix, freshly washed from having made my weekly batch of almond milk. An idea began to form in my mind. Holding my breath in anticipation, I grabbed the blender, threw in the avocado pieces, a couple scoops of salsa, and some lime juice. I began blending. I added a little bit of almond milk to cream it up, then added half of the other ingredients. I blended for about a minute, scraping the sides down, then added the rest of the ingredients, and blended for awhile longer.
I grabbed a cracker, and nervously scooped a bit of the green goop out of the blender. I raised it to my mouth, my hands shaking, and took a bite. I smiled. I began to breathe again. It was good. Not as amazing as freshly mashed guacamole. There were no ripened chunks of avocado. It was mostly pureed, with a little piece of tomato here and there. But it was a great substitute, and still managed to make a mundane meal better. Way better than throwing up my hands and tossing everything into the trash. I considered it a success :)
So, if ever you find yourself in a similar situation....Relax. Keep breathing. Grab your blender, and remember that life will still go on with guacamole!

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

This is a really simple meal, a good gluten free alternative to your average sandwich. My aunt made this for us at a family reunion campout this summer. I loved it!
I've tried to recreate it without a real recipe, so these are all just approximations. Sorry, I'm usually a recipe follower, and I hate improvising, but I was hungry, and wanted to have this. Couldn't get a hold of my aunt for the recipe...I still thought it was great :)

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

Cooked chicken meat, chopped/shredded (a breast works great here, as does canned chicken)
Grapes, halved
Celery, chopped
Walnuts, chopped
Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Avocado, peeled, halved, pit removed

Mix all ingredients except avocado. Taste. Add anything that may be lacking. Serve over avocado. Corn tortilla chips work great as a side.
In the picture, I chopped up the avocado and ate it like a salad. But it also works great to use the avocado as a "shell" for the salad. Yum!