Turkey Day Game Plan 2012

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Seems everyone right now is sharing their awesome recipes on the blogs, which offers an overwhelming array of delicious foods to choose from.

This year, things are going to be simplified in our house. We'll probably visit the in-laws for the usual feast, which means I will need to be stocked with some safe dining options. I'm cool with that, I love Thanksgiving food (and especially leftovers)!

However, due to the increasing size of my belly, and the strain on my poor muscles, I am not allowed to spend as much time on my feet. This has severely cramped my ability to cook lately (and do dishes, darn...).

So, this is my plan for the big day:

The Amazing Feast of 2011 

The bird: I have a 10 lb free-range turkey on its way, which I ordered from my favorite Sprouts Farmer's Market. I plan on keeping it simple, and following this winning recipe from allrecipes.com.

The sides: My favorite green bean casserole for the past few years - Thanks to Irvin at Eat the Love for allowing me to enjoy this classic dish without all the gluten and dairy! (pictured above)

Still debating between these two recipes - Roasted Orange Sweet Potatoes from Gluten Free Girl & The Chef - or Cinnamon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (I know it's a recipe from a yogurt website, but I plan on subbing cashew cream in for the yogurt). 

Of course, I'll be whipping up a batch of Cranberry Citrus Sauce from Kim at Cook it Allergy Free! I can't get enough of this stuff. I've been dreaming about it for months now, as the weather's hinted at getting colder ;) (pictured above)

If I have any leftover sauce, I may try adding some of it to this gorgeous cake recipe from Iris at the Daily Dietribe. 

Dessert: Of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without something amazing to satisfy the sweet tooth! I'm sticking to my tried and true (and much loved) Chocolate Pecan Tart. I think I'm going grain free on the crust this year (I love the Food Lovers' almond flour crust!), and will somehow be adapting the filling (possibly using Hallie's pecan tart as a guide?). 

I promise to follow up this year with the results of all this hard work!

What do you all have planned this year?

*The photo above is from last year's dinner, however, I never posted a follow up on how everything turned out! It was great! The turkey was deliciously flavored, and I definitely enjoyed all my leftovers :)

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!

Stuffed Zucchini

When I was a kid, my aunt came to visit, and she made us stuffed zucchini. The actual recipe is hazy in my mind now, but I remember this amazing squashy, meaty, cheesy goodness, with sweet bits of corn bursting through. We used to beg my mom to make it whenever we found a too-large zucchini in the garden. Which happened often at our place, thankfully :)

This is my latest makeover, inspired by nostalgia and this recipe by Sarah at Everyday Paleo. I kind of improvised, based on what I had around, and what I thought sounded good. So, here is a healthier version of stuffed zucchini.

Not the most appetizing picture, I know, but I was hungry!
Go to Sarah's link above for a more appealing representation. 

Stuffed Zucchini
Gluten free, dairy free, *mostly* grain free

Serves 4

2 large zucchini, halved
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 large tomato, diced
1/2-1 c corn (omit for grain-free/Paleo option)
1/2 c fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
A splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1/2 c spaghetti sauce (I added this to use up what I had, probably would be fine w/out)

Optional: Cheese/substitute to add on top (I sprinkled a little nooch-eez on half of my squash, and it was amazing!)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scoop the insides out of the zucchini, leaving enough flesh to be a sturdy bowl. Dice, then set aside flesh. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place the zucchinis, "bowl"-side up on the pan. Drizzle the insides of the bowls with olive oil, then bake for 15 minutes.

While the zucchini is baking, brown ground beef in a skillet with onion and garlic powder. When the meat is mostly cooked, add the diced zucchini flesh and tomato. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add remaining ingredients. Cook for 5-10 minutes more.

Once meat is cooked, and the shells are baked, fill the shells with the meat mixture. Stuff them with as much as they will hold. Sprinkle with cheese/substitute, if using. Then return the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!


And yes, it does kind of look like a lot to eat on your plate, but when you figure it's a meal-in-a-boat (meat and veggies all in one), it's not that much food. It is quite filling, and for some, may be enough. However, I was debating seconds just after having licked my fork clean. I settled for a brownie instead ;)

Favorite Summer Salad

Due to my current condition, gardening has not exactly been at the top of my priority list these days. Thankfully, I have an amazing husband!! A few months back, I dragged him to the Home Depot, and we picked out a handful of veggie and herb plants. He has labored over the garden this summer with diligence that I envy. And it has paid off. I swear I've never seen our garden look so good! So that's what happens when you actually water every day...lol.

Well, everything's growing nicely. The only problem is, I haven't been cooking as much. My herbs especially are exploding, and I am struggling to keep up with the weekly haul.

This salad has been a staple, since it is so fresh, easy, and doesn't require any heat! I must admit, this is one of very few ways that I actually enjoy cucumbers.

I adapted from this recipe over at The Food Lover's Kitchen, which is also in their fantastic cookbook. If you click on the photos on the recipe page, the salad is actually the second one that shows up, and it's gorgeous!

Because I'm a little OCD with my food, I measure out exactly equal parts tomatoes, cucumbers and olives, so I can have a bit of each in every bite, but you can do whatever you would like :)

Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Serves 1

1/2 cup each kalamata olive halves, cucumber chunks, and grape tomato halves
A handful of fresh basil, chopped thinly
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2-1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
A couple shakes of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A dash of garlic and onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Serve, and enjoy!

This salad keeps for a few hours, but isn't quite as good the next day, so I make just enough to eat.



Anyone else experiencing an abundance of herbs? How about those zucchini? Get ready for that saga...coming soon ;)

Hint of Chocolate Green Smoothie - GF/DF/SF

So, here's a quick fun little recipe for your enjoyment this evening.

I LOVE green smoothies. This just so happens to be my new favorite smoothie. It also has one of my new favorite foods in it.

Raw cocoa/cacao butter! I love this stuff! I especially love scraping the extra oil up after I melt it for my smoothie, and rubbing it all over my hands. P.S. I bought my cocoa butter on amazon. It was about $15 for a pound.

The smoothie is pretty simple to make. It's also quite versatile, so play with it. I decided to use cocoa butter since I'm trying to consume more fats, and can't have coconut. I had just bought the cocoa butter because I really want to try making my own lotion or body butter. Yes, this makes me a little bit hippie (we don't use the H-word in our house...all sorts of jokes generally follow - mostly my husband's doing).

Anyway, back to the recipe. Give it a try, adjusted to your tastes.

Hint of Chocolate Green Smoothie 
Gluten, dairy and sugar free

Makes 1 serving

1/2 - 1 banana
1/2 - 3/4 c almond milk or milk of your choice
a handful or two raw spinach
2 tbsp cocoa butter, melted
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 - 2 tbsp almond butter or handful of nuts
1/3 c crushed ice
a splash of vanilla
a couple drops of stevia (optional)
1 - 2 tbsp cocoa/cacao powder (optional, but makes the chocolate flavor more potent)

Add all ingredients except the ice to your blender. Blend on high until smooth, about a minute or two. Taste, and adjust accordingly. Add ice, and blend again.

Serve and enjoy!


Note: I have made this several times while on a sugar free diet. The only sugar I'm allowed is one serving of green banana a day. So, while I think this is good and very sweet just the way it is, you may feel the need for additional sweetener. Add away!

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

I'm rather embarrassed that it has been 2 months since I last posted. Life has been incredibly busy and stressful, but mostly good. However, I have not had much time to keep up the blog.

So, Thanksgiving is just about here, and I'm sure most of you have your menus all planned. However, if you are in need of any last-minute inspiration, here is my plan for the big dinner.

Well, technically, we are having 2 Thanksgiving dinners. Wednesday night, we're having a smaller feast, with just the two of us. On Thursday, we're headed to Grandma's house to celebrate w/ the in-laws. They should have some safe foods for me, but I always like to be prepared, just in case. So I'm sure I'll have a Tupperware or two of leftovers hanging out in my purse.

As far as my meal plan goes, this is the rundown:

For the bird - I have my brine soaking my 12-pound free-range turkey right now, a delicious-smelling concoction from Pioneer Woman (also, check out her tips on controlling saltiness post-brine). I plan on following this recipe to actually cook the turkey tomorrow.

I LOVED this cranberry citrus sauce last year, so I am making it again. But I am struggling to resist the gorgeous photos of this tart recipe, so I think I'm going to halve the first recipe, and make a half-batch of The Food Lovers primal cranberry sauce too! Funny that I never touched this stuff as a kid, and now I can't get enough cranberry sauce!

Rolls - I had planned on making Carol's beautiful GF/DF dinner rolls...but laziness struck, and I hit up the health food store to see if I could find any rolls from my new favorite local bakery! Success! They are a bit pricey, and not at all paleo (but still GF of course), but after my first bite, I decided they're definitely worth the cost! Hopefully I will have the self-control to save the rest for dinner tomorrow.

Since we're on a pretty paleo diet these days, I thought I'd skip the stuffing this year, since I'm the only one who likes it anyway. Hopefully the rolls will be enough to give us our carb-fix (and I'm sure my husband will get his fill of mashed potatoes on Thursday).

Another favorite recipe from last year - Irvin's GF/VEGAN green bean casserole. I've been having dreams about this dish, and can't wait to taste it again! I'm trying an onion-free experiment to see how my body does without them, so I wanted a substitute for the absolutely divine shallot crisps in this recipe. I think I'm going to give this almond "bread crumb" topping a go.

I don't ever remember eating butter pecan sweet potatoes, but someone mentioned them in a blog post the other day, and I started fantasizing. So I did some searching, and came upon this recipe. Knowing Martha, she won't disappoint.

We're bringing a couple appetizers to the big dinner on Thursday. I've got a veggie platter in the works, as well as my favorite cheezy dip from Kristen's Raw. I'm also contemplating baking some bacon-wrapped dates. I wonder how many of those would still be on the plate when we get to Grandma's...

On to desserts.

I keep coming back to this paleo pumpkin pie recipe. I love that it looks like a creamy, fluffy pumpkin filling, but there's no coconut in it! I'm sold! For those who can tolerate coconut, I suggest this chocolate mousse pie which has me salivating. As far as my own chocolate fix goes, I'm also planning on making my chocolate pecan tart recipe again, but I'm wanting to paleoize it if I can. We'll see how that goes.

There are so many great resources out there for paleo/gluten-free/dairy-free and other allergy-friendly recipes, if you can find them! I hope some of the recipes I've listed have inspired you! I can't wait to hear how everyone's meal goes :)

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving all!

Paleo update and this week's favorite links

No recipe post tonight, just saying hi, and spreading the blogworld love. I will, however, share what I ate for dinner, because it rocked!

Scrumptious Slow Cooker Chicken...and indeed it was! I followed the recipe as posted by Sarah, only I subbed 2 large chicken breasts for the thighs. Oh, and olive oil for the coconut. It was amazing! And my husband liked it too! I picked the onions out of his, of course ;) Next time, I am adding TWICE as many carrots and parsnips though. I seriously felt like I was cheating and eating real potatoes. An awesome dinner to come home to after a long day at work. Ate it w/ some salad fixin's fresh from my garden. Yum!

If you want to know details on what I've been up to over the past week as far as my 30 day paleo challenge goes, head over to Wellness Mama's forum, where I've started a wellness journal. I'm posting my food log, thoughts, plans, workouts, etc. I'm having loads of fun exploring her site, and am excited about some great giveaways too!

You can't fix a body you hate: This is the post I wish I could send to my past self (anytime 2-6 years ago), and to all my beautiful friends who don't feel comfortable in their own skin. Thanks Sarah and Jason for sharing it! It makes me appreciate who I am today even more, flaws and all! Thanks also to my amazing, supportive husband who has always praised my body, even when I felt I was at my worst. Jason has some great points to make. I'm excited to read more from him on his blog, plus he's already super cool in my book, being a fellow Oregonian (can I still count myself as one, even though the last third of my life has been lived in Utah?). Anyway, read the post!

Need more motivation to go paleo/grain-free/eat bacon? Primal Toad's got you covered with his 11 tips to living an awesome life. It really is an awesome way to live your life. I agree wholeheartedly with this post, but my favorite tips would have to be #2 and #9 ;)

Speaking of the good life, the hubby and I are taking the day off tomorrow for some R&R. He's taking the GMAT on Saturday, and we're using tomorrow to charge the batteries. I'm so excited! Massages, movies, lunch, and hopefully some time in the sun. I'm even more excited to have the whole thing behind us, and finally see my husband again (I feel like it's been months!!). Maybe we'll even get to go on a hike together before the summer is over!

Me and Grok on top of the world.

It's taken me almost a year, but I'm finally living this paleo/primal life...

and I LOVE IT!

Week three has been a tough one, in ways other than the diet mostly, but I have had some discouraging days where I'm unprepared to eat. I've found that I'm eating more at the beginning of the day, and not as hungry in the evenings, which helps. I've made some incredible food, which I'm so excited to share (at a later date). Well, it's almost 9:00...which means bedtime (for two more nights)!

Later!

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!

Paleo Diet Update

Today is lucky #13 (days paleo)! The past two weeks have been rather interesting. I've had a few slip-ups here and there. I've had a couple of unprepared meals of whatever I could scrounge up last minute. I've had a slew of other things occupying my time and energy (family drama, health/medical drama, work stress, husband-about-to-take-a-very-important-test-next-week drama). But overall, I feel like I've done really well!

My withdrawals seem to have been pretty minimal, probably due to my already low-sugar, gluten-free diet (and my toying w/ grain-free eating over the last few months). I had a couple days of irritability/headaches, a couple of days where I could not get enough food in my body (!!), and a couple of days with constant sugar cravings.

A few people have asked me about what I'm eating, so I thought I'd share links to some of the recipes that I've relied on. When I have a little more time to breathe, I will post a recipe or two of my own as well!

Sweet potato chowder from Chrissy at Growing Up Paleo - The only changes I made were subbing almond milk for the coconut milk (I also added a couple drops of coconut extract, since I can't tolerate the real thing but wanted the flavor), 1 tbsp onion powder instead of an onion, and after the first couple bowls eaten, I opted to puree the soup completely (kept getting jalapeno chunks! Love the flavor of the pepper, but not a big ol' mouthful!). This soup was great for my lunches, very tasty and filling. Will definitely make again!

Avocado goodness. The name describes it all. Literally, when I tried my first bite of this recipe, the words that came out of my mouth were "Oh my goodness!" I'm HOOKED! Thankfully my local HFS had a sale on avocados 2 weeks ago (I bought 15), so I've been enjoying my avocados to the fullest (almost out already!). This is a great snack, side dish, or even just a way to use up a leftover avocado half. Praises to Sarah over at Everyday Paleo for this delight (and many other great dishes)!

Smoked Paprika Chicken - Check out Bill and Hayley's awesome blog, which has so many fantastic recipes that I am excited to try! Made this one for dinner the other night, and I loved the way this spiced up my ordinary chicken dinner! I used breast meat, and threw it in my foreman grill, rather than baking. Also, this cute couple has a cookbook coming out soon! I can't wait to get my hands on it!!

I totally dig this salmon, lemon, cucumber and avocado salad. I'm a huge fan of smoked salmon, and this dish hit the spot! Thanks Jessi!

Of course, my first favorite "primal" recipe, Grok-Amole has been added to the rotation, as have numerous recipes from Mark's cookbook Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals.

I've been enjoying simple foods as best I can. Kale salads, fresh veggies from my garden (TONS of zucchini!), and lots of easy snacks: carrots, celery dipped in almond butter, berries, banana "ice cream" (need to post my variations on this sweet treat stat!), and a square of dark chocolate here and there. I have tried to limit my fruit to 1-2 servings a day, to try and reprogram my insulin sensitivity, but I haven't been over-stressing it either.

More to come, I'm sure. This experience has been eye-opening, as I've become more aware of what I'm feeding my body, and appreciating it. I'm hoping to start seeing changes soon, and may even post my before/after pictures someday if I'm brave enough ;)

P.S. If you need some UPlifting thoughts, head back over to Sarah's website for this great motivating post. It's always nice to have a reminder to appreciate this awesome life to the fullest.

Speaking of living life, you made it to the bottom of this wordy post, so the least I can do is throw in a picture of me doing so ;)

I know, it's not exactly food-related (other than the paleo-fueled girl on the left)...

This is me, my husband, and my BFF at the top of Provo Peak on Saturday. The BFF told me last week that she is going to start trying to eat a more paleo lifestyle too! Yay! It's spreading :D

So Paleo

I'm so excited! I am finally doing it. I'm eating Paleo/Primal! Go me!! I sat down last week, made a list of all the recipes I've found, snack ideas, etc. And I laid it all out on a calendar. I then went grocery shopping, and did some cooking. And here we are.

Had a bit of a rocky start on Saturday, but I'm still going strong. Not feeling sick yet, thank goodness. I attribute that to the fact that I've been making a lot of paleo recipes lately, so I've been eating less carbs/sugar already. I haven't been eating perfectly paleo, but I'm trying as best I can, and not stressing over the rest.

Today was the weirdest day so far. I was STARVING all day. I ate a 3-egg omelet w/ veggies for breakfast, and by the time I got to work (an hour later), I was busting out the almonds. I then went for some sweet potato chips. Then some pistachios. Then it was lunch time. I had a bowl of sweet potato chowder (loaded w/ veggies and chicken). Finished that off w/ some grape tomatoes. Then another helping of sweet potato chips (I know I OD-ed on the sweet potato today, my bad). Finally started to feel satiated. Yeah...this all went into a 5 foot 3, 110ish pound girl, who has not worked out for 2 days. CRAZY!

Once I have some time, I will post some of the recipes I've been enjoying. I'm keeping a food log, may even share that. This has been an exciting change for me, and I'm excited to see the results in my body and overall health.

BONUS: Went to lunch w/ my husband yesterday and was telling him how the plan was going so far. We also went into some of the parameters of the diet, and what I CAN eat. He then said he would be willing to eat paleo with me! WIN!

Stay tuned!

Instant Gratification Gardening

Isn't this the cutest little guy you ever saw?

Each night as I water and inspect my garden, I come in the house and report to my husband on my new findings. Dill growing! Lots of lettuce popping up. I see my first bean stalks peeking through the soil. And just last night, I discovered 10 mini bunches of grapes on my vine. That is 7 more than I've ever had produced in a year! I'm so excited!!

My husband is so great, listening and pretending to care about my little garden.

I'll admit, I get to feeling a little frustrated by the lack of growth of some of my crops. I planted them weeks and weeks ago! Where are they???

If you're at all like me, it can be helpful to have something to get you through the slow months as the plants are taking root and gaining strength.

Check out Karen's easy how-to on growing your own sprouts! It only takes 4 days (by day 2, I was jumping up and down as the sproutlings had grown right before my eyes!), and you have great, delicious sprouts ready to eat!

I know she mentions using a fancy little lid that she made, but I was lazy, so I just used a folded paper towel and a hair band to keep it in place. I poked holes in the the towel w/ a tooth pick, and replaced it each day. It worked, as far as I know...

We've been trying to find creative ways to consume the sprouts the last couple of days.

Note to self: 2 tbsp of sprouted sprouts is far more than we need in our house at one time :)

Anyone have any good suggestions for how to enjoy sprouts?

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

I know I've mentioned my interest in following a paleo/primal lifestyle on this blog before. It's still an idea that frequently visits my mind. And occasionally I'll pick up and peruse my copy of The Primal Blueprint, which resides in the magazine pile in our bathroom. Mostly I've been too busy to try and change things up lately.

The other day, however, I stumbled across this great blog, and it renewed my interest in paleo/primal eating. The following evening, as I was driving home from a long day at work, doing a mental inventory of edible food in my fridge/pantry, I remembered I had all the ingredients to whip up this quick and easy breakfast pizza. I may have driven a little bit faster in my desire to give this recipe a try.

My version turned out really well! I overcooked my "crust" a bit, I think, but it was still delicious. I would also suggest adding bacon or ham, to give the pizza another dimension of flavor. I think this meal was a bit confusing to my taste buds, as I couldn't decide if it was more "breakfast-y" or more "pizza-ish." In my opinion, bacon would have married the two nicely, as it is a flavor that compliments both dishes.

This is definitely going to be a repeat recipe in my book.

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

Adapted from this recipe

8 eggs, whisked

1/2 tsp (ish) garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried basil

A few shakes salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c marinara/pizza sauce

1/2 lb Italian ground sausage (I used basil chicken sausage)

add BACON here. Lots and lots of bacon!

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 c sliced black olives

2+ tbsp nutritional yeast or nooch-eez

Other toppings of your choice

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet (my pan is cheap and sucks, so I coated it with pan spray, and added a little less oil).

Combine eggs and seasonings, mixing well. Pour mixture into skillet, cover, and turn heat down to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes. Eggs will be firm on the bottom. Do not stir!

After 3 minutes, remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Turn on the broiler, and let broil for about 3 minutes, until the top firms up.

Remove from the oven, and spread the pizza sauce over the surface. Pile on the rest of the toppings, and sprinkle on the nooch.

Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Slice and serve immediately.

Note: Be sure and use an oven-safe skillet. I don't think mine was. The handle swelled a bit, and it started to smell a little funny in the kitchen.

Also, I don't know how many servings this makes, but I managed to eat half of it in one sitting. Oops ;)

I've shared this recipe over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, The Gluten Free Homemaker, and The WHOLE Gang. Check out some great carnivals, filled with amazing recipes!

What have you been eating lately?

I don't know if anyone really even cares...but I'm gonna share anyway :)

I know a lot of people go through phases of eating patterns. Some of it has to do with the seasons (soups in winter, salads in summer), some has to do with what's available at the store/in the garden. Some of it has to do with what's easy, fast, and/or good.

Even though I haven't been posting a lot of recipes, obviously I have been eating over the past few months. So I thought I'd share a bit of what's been entertaining my dinner plate lately.

I've been trying to eat a lot more fresh foods, ie, veggies. I've been planning a lot more meals around what leafy goodness will be highlighting the meal. It's been a challenge at times, but a lot of fun too. Makes my husband laugh when I come home and make a plateful of kale chips...but have no other ideas of what I'm going to eat for dinner.

Green smoothies have been more prevalent in my daily routine. I'm a big breakfast person, and need lots of fuel to get through the mornings, especially after hitting up the therapy. Most days I'll eat eggs and muffins, or toast w/ hazelnut butter awesomeness.

New love affair.

And yes, I have been known to sneak spoonfuls of this stuff. You might be surprised at the number of spoons lounging around my house right now. Unless you'd tried this butter. Then you'd understand.

After eating breakfast, I'll cram some berries/banana/orange/apple/avocado, almond milk, spinach and chia seeds into my Vita-Mix, liquefy, and pour it all into my favorite starbucks cup, just in time to dash out the door.

On the weekends, I've also indulged in smoothie experiments, such as the chocolate-almond smoothie (easy on the banana, add a handful or two of spinach). I have even got the hubs to drink a couple dreaded green smoothies (added some peanut butter to his). I'm trying to see just how much green stuff I can cram into a smoothie without making it taste like a salad :)

I've been experimenting lately with this great new sugar substitute: Stevia! Look at this fantastic haul that I won from Iris over at The Daily Dietribe!

I'm totally digging the vanilla liquid stevia! It's amazing in chia seed pudding! Which is something else I've been eating a lot of lately. Chia seeds. I love 'em! In smoothies, in puddings, added to hot cereal. More to come on chia seeds...

This chocolate chia pudding recipe has been a staple for me lately. It's soooo good! I was recently given some cacao powder, which I'm enjoying, and have been adding it to this pudding in place of cocoa.

Mayan superfood! Yay!

I also love making the chia seed pudding cacao-free, and adding extra vanilla. Topped with some buckwheaties and berries - trust me, it's the perfect afternoon delight!

Also been eating my favorite staples: avocados, kale (new favorite: kale salad - shred up some kale, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle w/ S&P, then "massage" everything into the kale for a couple minutes), my favorite GF bread, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.

So, that's about it. I'd love to hear what everyone else is eating!

Thanksgiving thoughts and a few tips/recipes

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching.

Two weeks and counting.

Anyone else feeling a bit nervous? I might be. Mostly because I haven't thought it through in my head, and formulated my plan.

The holidays make me sentimental. Sorry. You might have to put up with a bit of my reminiscing.

Holidays are not a big deal in our home, mostly b/c I'm the only one who gets excited about them. My husband could probably care less about Thanksgiving (except for the excess amount of dishes I seem to dirty), and my cat will just run and hide if people come over or I try and put a Santa hat on her. I'm sure once we have kids, this will change.

But I grew up in a holiday home. We all got really into the holidays. My mom is obsessed with Halloween. And Christmas! We had our Christmas tree up by Thanksgiving weekend, and it often stayed there until Valentine's Day.

Growing up, we didn't have any family in town, so we found our own to spend the holidays with. My "adopted" grandparents, Jane and Jonathan, always had a glorious feast ready when we came over for holiday events...as well as the latest season of Star Trek on a VHS. I remember falling asleep at my dad's feet as the post-turkey coma overtook me, incorporating Captain Jean-Luc Picard's monologues into my dreams.

My grandma Jane really knew how to throw a party! There were usually 15-30 people at our holiday dinners, and she made sure there was enough food that everyone got leftovers :) Johnny would carve the meat, and my sister and I usually got saddled with the responsibility of setting the table, or keeping the cats away from the turkey. The only thing we didn't like about Thanksgiving dinner was the "weed" salad, which my mom made us eat. There were things like spinach, red lettuce, kale and DANDELIONS in it. So funny that I totally eat all those things now!



New to the allergy-free holiday zone? Check out this article, which features Karina from The Gluten Free Goddess. It has some great tips on how to host for people with food avoidances, as well as how to approach a host for a party you're going to.

Once you get a plan in place, braving the holidays isn't too daunting. Being prepared is the key. Always having more than enough food, so you don't go hungry while everyone around you is gorging. And overcoming your fears (like learning to make gravy! It's so easy! And I used to be terrified of it!!!).

Around here, I've got a pretty good routine down. We're usually invited to my husband's family shindig, hosted by an aunt or grandma. They all understand my dietary needs, however, since I have such a long list of things to avoid, I have learned it's easier for everyone involved if I just bring my own basics.

So, usually the day before Thanksgiving (or the frantic morning of), I'll make myself a turkey, some sides like stuffing, potatoes, rolls, and lots of gravy. I pack up a plate for myself, and will usually bring some fantastic-looking dessert to share with everyone.

When we get there, I'm given the lowdown on what's safe for me to eat, and will join everyone in munching on veggies, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, and such until dinner is ready. Then when everyone is gathering around the table, I just throw my plate in the microwave, and dig in! I've learned what I need to have at a family dinner to not feel left out, so I make sure and have extra meat and gravy, rolls, and something chocolatey :)



Check it out!! I've found a great potato-free alternative to the omnipresent spuds that accompany most holiday dinners. Mashed parsnips! I was a skeptic, I'll admit. I've tried undercooked parsnips, and the flavor is strong! But, if you actually cook them through, and add the right amount of butter, a little salt, and the perfect plate of meat, this side dish is a miracle to behold!

I don't really have a recipe, so I'll just wing it...

Potato-Free Mashed Parsnips

Boil some water in a pot. Once it's bubbling, add some peeled, chopped parsnips (I don't know how many make a serving, probably one good-sized parsnip per person). Cook until parsnips are very soft. Make sure you don't undercook, or you'll have a helluva time trying to "mash" them!
Once they're cooked, drain the water from the parsnips. Add some butter (or butter sub like earth balance), a splash or two of milk (or almond milk or other sub), and some salt. Using a hand mixer, beat the parsnips in a large bowl, until they resemble, well, mashed potatoes :) Top with a little cheese, additional buttery goodness, or gravy.

Apparently mashed veggies are all the rage. If you're not sensitive to crucifers, and can't find/don't want to try parsnips, you could also check out Elana's mashed cauliflower.


Here are a few of my recipes that have worked well for holiday feasting, or general winter enjoyment:

Bread cubes for stuffing

Pumpkin Soup

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Thanksgiving Meal Plan 2008, including links to a lemon cream coffeecake and rolls


And I have apparently not posted my stuffing recipe, but that's okay. It's really easy. I found this recipe, which is almost identical to the one I use. Just use the bread cube recipe above, and you're set!

One last thing: Check out the thanksgiving favorites post here by over at Gluten Free Easily, as well as giveaways of two awesome books!!

Savory Veggie Quiche

This is an awesome recipe! I love the tang of tomatoes in every bite, and it's super healthy. I mostly followed the recipe in The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam, but made a few adjustments to suit my tastes.

Like she says in the book, this dish is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Or all of the above, which is how I ate it when I first made it :D

Savory Veggie Quiche

GF/can be DF

(Adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

Serves 6

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

2 c thinly sliced mushrooms*

1 c chopped spinach*

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp onion powder (original recipe calls for 1 med onion; if using, saute this first until soft, before adding mushrooms)

1/3 c sun-dried tomatoes in oil (or you can use 1/4 c dry packed)

3 large eggs, whisked

4 oz white cheese substitute (I've used fake mozzarella, as well as the real thing. Recipe calls for goat cheese)

1/2 tsp salt

1 savory pie crust, prebaked** (P.S. I have made this recipe before w/out the crust, and it's still as good. The crust does give a little extra texture though)

4-6 slices cooked bacon/turkey bacon, chopped*

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms for a few minutes, then add the spinach, garlic, onion powder and tomatoes. Saute for about 10 minutes (give or take; if using dry tomatoes, you probably want to cook a few extra minutes. The original recipe sautes for 15 min).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine eggs, cheese and salt in a large bowl. Add all the veggies, and stir. Pour mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle bacon on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Quiche should be browned a bit and cooked through. Let it cool on the counter for half an hour or until you can't stand it. Then serve it up!

*Notes: Elana's recipe uses 2 c broccoli and 1 c mushrooms, but I don't eat broccoli, so I upped the 'shrooms and added some spinach (I've used both fresh and frozen and both are good).

Also, the original recipe doesn't use any bacon, but when I made this the first time, I felt like it was missing something savory and meaty, so the next time I made it, I added some chopped bacon. Make sure you add it to the top of the dish, otherwise it gets lost in the multitude of flavors.

**Savory Pie Crust Recipe (also adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook)

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp (or so) onion powder

1/4 c grapeseed oil

1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, salt, soda and onion powder in a bowl. In the center of the mixture, whisk together the oil and water. Incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. Press dough into a 9-inch (ish) pie pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Crust is ready when golden brown. Remove from oven and cool before filling.

P.S. Forgot to mention, this recipe is just one of many delicious dishes you'll find at Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Head on over and join the party!

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*

Chicken Vegetable Soup

You all must know by now about my devotion to the first GF cookbook I bought, "Life Tastes Good Again" by Kirsti Kirkland and Betsy Thomas, two local girls who saved my life. However, I don’t believe I’ve ever posted my favorite soup recipe from their cookbook! Shame on me!

So, it’s chicken vegetable soup, and I seem to make it differently almost every time I make it. The page is covered with little notes that I’ve made, variations, suggestions, etc.

I love this recipe, and surprisingly, so does my husband. It was one of those meals I was sure he’d shun, seeing so much green, but he ate it up. Granted, he soaked grilled cheese sandwiches in it...but hey, he got his freaking vegetables!

So, to share with the world, here is my favorite adaptation of this recipe:

Chicken Vegetable Soup

1 chicken breast (cubed)
1 large onion/1 tbsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed (I use my zester for this)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots
2 small celery stalks
(the recipe calls for a parsnip, but I’ve never had one on hand to try)
1 (14 oz) can green beans, drained
2 small potatoes (I don’t eat potatoes, so I usually sub 1 c dry quinoa/rice and an extra cup water)
¼ head cabbage/bok choy (and/or leafy greens like spinach or kale)
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
6 c chicken broth (or half broth/half water)
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

Chop all the veggies. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sauté for a few minutes. Add onion, garlic and additional oil, if desired. Cook another couple minutes. Remove chicken. Add all the veggies and sauté for a minute or two. Add seasonings and stir. Add chicken broth and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil, allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes, until veggies are softened. Add the chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes more. Remove from heat.
If using potatoes, you can mash some of them to thicken the soup. I will throw half of the soup into my Vita-mix and puree it, then mix it back into the pot. Stir, then serve.

This makes somewhere between 5-8 servings, depending on how much you’re eating, and whether it’s main dishing it, or taking back seat to some grilled cheese sandwiches.

Goddess Food: Sexy Spring Pasta w/ Roast Asparagus and Tomatoes

Wow! I have got a lot of blogging to do to meet my deadline. All I can say is it's a good thing we've got a long weekend ahead of us, during which I have sworn off the outside world! Yep, freeway construction plus holiday traffic = not a happy time on the road. So, bring on the Warcraft, baking and blogging! Oh, plus I'm taking on way more than I can handle with some photography projects. Yikes!

Anyway, on to the food...


This pasta is amazing! I mean it! Heavenly!! I love it! I swoon over it! Karina is a genius! The first time I made it, I ate my way through the whole batch before realizing I had just eaten meatless meals 3 days in a row. Impressive!

It is aptly named, in my opinion. This meal is the epitome of sexiness!! You MUST try it! With a glass of wine, preferably :)

Sexy Spring Pasta with Roasted Asparagus-Tomato Sauce

(adapted from the Gluten Free Goddess recipe here)

1/2 of a 1-lb package of gluten free linguine or spaghetti
A fistfull of asparagus, trimmed and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 leek, sliced thin**
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced fine
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 heaping tbsp capers
2 tbsp raisins (yep, raisins!)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried basil
Pinch hot red pepper flakes (I used ground red pepper)
1-2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, if desired (which I didn't use)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Move one of the racks up to the top spot in the oven.
Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
Mix remaining ingredients together on a baking sheet or roasting pan (I used a foil-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup). Toss with your fingers to incorporate the sauce and seasonings over the veggies. Spread evenly across the pan, and place in the oven. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, checking every couple minutes. Don't let the asparagus overcook (it's best tender-crisp).
Remove pan from the oven. Gently toss together the cooked, drained pasta with the veggies in a large bowl.
Serve.

*Note: To make up for the lack of meat in this recipe, I sprinkled some chopped cashews on top of the pasta a few times. I think this would be AMAZING with pine nuts mixed in! It's on my grocery list for the next time I try the recipe.

**See this post for instructions on how to clean/prepare leeks. I had no idea!!

Karina says this makes 2 servings, but I managed to get 3-4 out of it. But, then again, it was just me eating it, with a side of GF french bread, so I may not be the best judge of portions.

Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

This meal was amazing! The salsa stole the show though! I've never had anything like it. Mango salsas and peach salsas are great, but I was not expecting this. Sweet, sour, tangy, spicy. I loved it! I got the recipe from the back of the salmon package, and doh, I threw it away on the eve of garbage day. I did a search on allrecipes.com, and pieced this recipe together to the best of my memory.

Strawberry Salsa

About 1 lb strawberries, finely chopped
1/4 c finely chopped red onion (I don't eat onions, so I used onion powder)
1/8 c chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced or grated
1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let sit for half an hour, then serve.

Great with salmon (I just grilled mine on my George Foreman grill) and some rice and GF bread, or corn tortilla chips (that's how I ate all the leftovers).

Amazing Sweet Potato Chips

I love Karina's website! I am always so excited when I see she's posted a new recipe.
This one isn't new, but it's definitely at the top of my faves list right now. I haven't had a potato chip in AGES! I stopped eating them since I noticed a trend of bloating and cramping after eating. I always assumed it was the fat/oil content. Until I figured out it was actually the potatoes themselves (although it may have been the fat/oil as well).
Eating with a sensitive stomach can be challenging, and sometimes frustrating when there are so many "normal" things I can't enjoy anymore. Praise Karina, potato chips are no longer on that list!
Her recipe can be for either regular or sweet potatoes, depending on which you prefer. I really don't think these tasted much different than "regular" potato chips. Although, mine were not quite equally sized. I hate cutting sweet potatoes. I can never get the thickness even, and so I ended up with a lot of half rounds, as well as many thick and thin chips. Not enough to stop me though! I might try slicing the potatoes with my food processor next time. And believe me, there WILL be a next time!

Sweet Potato Chips

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced very thin
Light olive oil, as needed
Sea salt, as needed

Heat about an inch of oil in a large, deep skillet. When the temperature is very hot (I used a candy thermometer to try and get it to about 350 degrees F, which was almost exactly medium heat setting) place just enough chips to fill the pan without crowding them. Fry until golden crisp. This was hard for me to determine when they were done. A lot of mine were overcooked, and a lot ended up still soft in the middle (due to my horrendous sweet-potato-cutting skills). Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Lightly salt them while they're still hot.
Repeat with the next batch until all the chips are cooked.
Add more oil as needed, but you don't need to drench them in the oil.

This makes about 2 servings (or 1 if you're really excited to eat these and get carried away).

I noticed these went soft really fast. They were great and crunchy when still hot, but once they'd cooled, and I'd eaten my fill, I threw them in a ziploc. By the end of the day, they'd sogged up a bit, and even toasting them in my toaster oven didn't crisp them up enough.
So maybe they're a same-day snack. Well worth the time and energy :)