tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66877205700291895982024-03-13T05:10:23.481-07:00Pensive PaleoTasty food to suit your busy (or lazy) lifestyle without making you fat or brokePensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-65621801386447810902018-03-10T19:05:00.002-08:002018-03-10T19:52:38.149-08:00What do you stand for?Life has a way of shaking us up. Sometimes we ask for it, sometimes we don't. Either way, it's during times like these that we second guess what we're doing and why we're here. There's no easy answer but it all comes down to our core values, which will never shake no matter the situation.<br />
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What do I stand for? These are my top 10:<br />
1. Faith <br />
2. Happiness<br />
3. Laughter <br />
4. Love<br />
5. Family<br />
6. Close friendships <br />
7. Learning8. Nutritious food<br />
9. Exercise<br />
10. Hope for an even brighter tomorrow<br />
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What about you? What do you stand for?<br />
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<span id="goog_888337128"></span><span id="goog_888337129"></span><br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-64331303544889959882017-02-20T08:14:00.002-08:002017-02-25T10:04:15.268-08:00Strawberries n Cream Protein & Collagen ShakeValentine's Day (also known as Singles Awareness Day) is either a happy day, unhappy day, or just any other day. No matter where you fall, it's another day of eating :) Let's celebrate with a pink drink of deliciousness that also packs a protein, collagen, & vegetable punch... because gainz and smooth skin/hair/nails await, whether you're single or coupled!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Strawberries n Cream Protein & Collagen Shake</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslIqUKPwHLfzhTQHJoWZoupwl5zncz5q4ZcGHjSe84d6XS_Jop5jQvrCRQ7HGl6ld5RVc2HNHckEY2WbYLAdFZhn41tW_uconbEtG3FIygg6kKM1Dl_Hzu6D5HPH0PmGft-zOfjado68/s1600/IMG_3631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslIqUKPwHLfzhTQHJoWZoupwl5zncz5q4ZcGHjSe84d6XS_Jop5jQvrCRQ7HGl6ld5RVc2HNHckEY2WbYLAdFZhn41tW_uconbEtG3FIygg6kKM1Dl_Hzu6D5HPH0PmGft-zOfjado68/s320/IMG_3631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>INGREDIENTS</b><br />
1.5 c unsweetened almond or cashew milk<br />
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use Primal Kitchen Vanilla Coconut Primal Fuel)<br />
1 scoop of collagen peptides (I use Vital Proteins brand) <br />
1 c frozen organic strawberries<br />
1/2 c frozen riced caulifower <br />
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<b>DIRECTIONS</b><br />
1. Place all ingredients in a NutriBullet (or other electric blender)<br />
2. Blend until combined and smooth<br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-39690724750042760482017-02-02T18:54:00.001-08:002017-02-03T08:05:35.964-08:00Skinny Gluten-Free VDay CookiesNothing breaks my heart more than childhood cancer. When I heard about the <a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/Fundraiser/valentines2017">Good Cookies Food Bloggers' Valentine's Event</a>, I enthusiastically signed up without blinking an eyelash.<br />
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Food bloggers everywhere are doing this event is because we want to make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer.
Did you know that cancer is the #1 cause of death of children by disease in the U.S.? There are 40,000 U.S. children actively battling cancer right now. With less than 4% of the National Cancer Institute's budget going to all childhood cancer combined, I knew it was important for me to get involved.
Help us make a difference by donating to <a href="https://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cookies for Kids' Cancer</a>! Our goal is to raise at least $3000. Because these three companies: <a href="http://www.dixiecrystals.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dixie Crystals</a>, <a href="http://www.landolakes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Land O’Lakes</a> and <a href="http://www.mediavine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mediavine</a> have each pledged to match our donations raised through this campaign up to $3000!!!
Currently, we have raised: $1,515 we are a little over HALF WAY towards our $3000 goal, will you help us with a donation today? Every little bit helps!
<a href="http://www.littlekit.ch/2017donate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Donate here.</a>
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Since this is a Valentine's themed event, I decided to whip up a healthier version of a paleo/glutenfree cookie with a Cupid-esque flair. This recipe minimizes sugar and butter, substituting applesauce instead. Applesauce substitutes are pretty tricky, especially with cookies (it's more forgiving in cakes), but I wanted to find a way to cut fat/calories without sacrificing taste and texture.<br />
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Voila!<br />
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<b style="color: red; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Skinny Gluten-Free VDay Cookies</b><br />
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<b>INGREDIENTS</b><br />
2 tbsp butter (melted)<br />
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce<br />
1 tbsp honey <br />
1/3 c coconut sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
1½ cups cashew flour (blanched almond flour will also work)<br />
2 tablespoons coconut flour<br />
½ teaspoon baking soda<br />
½ teaspoon salt<br />
½ cup chocolate pieces of choice (I used VDay m&m's to get the desired color) <br />
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<b>DIRECTIONS</b><br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F <br />
2. Combine the wet ingredients: butter, applesauce, honey, sugar, egg white, & vanilla<br />
3. Combine all the dry ingredients: cashew flour, baking soda, & salt<br />
4. Add the dry to the wet and stir to combine<br />
5. Stir in the chocolate <br />
6. Form the dough into cookies and place on a greased cookie sheet. Note that paleo/gluten-free cookies don't expand like traditional cookies<br />
7. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are slightly toasted<br />
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Yield: 1 dozen<br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-34034778059666246662016-11-19T18:52:00.006-08:002016-11-19T18:54:15.467-08:00Bob's Red Mill vs. Trader Joe's: Blanched Almond Flour DebateThere are two new blanched almond flour products on the market! Blanched almond flour is ground almonds <i>without</i> the skins, which makes it suitable for baking and is especially great in gluten-free and paleo baking.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Bob's Red Mill </b></span>already offers blanched almond flour, but it got much criticism for being too coarse for baking. So, they recently came out with a "super fine" almond flour. <span style="color: magenta;"><b>Trader Joe's</b> </span>already offers almond meal (i.e., has the skins on), which is not good for baking. They recently came out with blanched almond flour that is "extra fine".<br />
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I put them to the test using Against All Grain's (gluten-free/paleo) chocolate chip cookies <a href="http://againstallgrain.com/2012/08/29/real-deal-chocolate-chip-cookies/">recipe</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrz1apv_r7UFLXaAzsBkLfTkQ2DR6dh3KBMyMq3aujFLvNo3tm3AJzqjlRXFag7JI7R8B8vrQ8HBqqTLbsh5Pi-0126Xg5tJss0R6F0C15QxzCG2Hd3hhtksz9K08EEIUAbyvAXzJ8OAY/s1600/15134640_10101032676794469_8840255016706226134_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrz1apv_r7UFLXaAzsBkLfTkQ2DR6dh3KBMyMq3aujFLvNo3tm3AJzqjlRXFag7JI7R8B8vrQ8HBqqTLbsh5Pi-0126Xg5tJss0R6F0C15QxzCG2Hd3hhtksz9K08EEIUAbyvAXzJ8OAY/s320/15134640_10101032676794469_8840255016706226134_n.jpg" width="268" /></a><br />
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Both flours looked identical to the naked eye and had the same batter mixing experience. After baking, cookie texture was the same across both flours. As for the rest...<br />
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<b><span style="color: magenta;">Trader Joe's</span>: </b><br />
Tasted like the real thing<br />
Did not puff up while baking <br />
Final product had some cracks<br />
Cost $7.99 at my local TJ<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Bob's Red Mill</span>:</b><br />
Nutty flavor, which would help a chocolate walnut / macadamia cookie (can eliminate the extra nuts)<br />
Puffed up while baking but deflated once out of the oven<br />
Final product had fewer cracks<br />
Cost $9.59 at my local grocery store<br />
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<b>***WINNER***</b>: Trader Joe's by a landslide!!! TJ dominated the flavor. The cost was a nice bonus. Cracks were not a big deal.<br />
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<u><i>Caveat</i></u>: My family gobbled down all the cookies and liked both types (albeit TJ a little more) so you can't go wrong with either brand. Both are much better than using a coarser flour (e.g., TJ cashew flour circa 2015) which yields the right flavor but wrong texture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBM2jDxboFAhTBbyX82N5UJhF_0GzPC3sxZpFxSDzpFvX7NNzfdhty5Z6IdVb2zdebg7z67xlILCVG0UY_wI-IFCHB8h3QvRUDEb_VKAMxGSc1Gqpy-6eE9pUqsVDQgEjDdrATEyc5b1I/s1600/15056328_10101032677128799_387008025270293821_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBM2jDxboFAhTBbyX82N5UJhF_0GzPC3sxZpFxSDzpFvX7NNzfdhty5Z6IdVb2zdebg7z67xlILCVG0UY_wI-IFCHB8h3QvRUDEb_VKAMxGSc1Gqpy-6eE9pUqsVDQgEjDdrATEyc5b1I/s320/15056328_10101032677128799_387008025270293821_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-13999549452820727512016-09-17T20:20:00.002-07:002016-09-17T21:29:36.619-07:00Danielle Walker's "Celebrations" cookbook reviewThere are a TON of cookbooks on the market today for literally every cuisine, cooking method, diet, health concern, personal preference, etc., out there. Looking specifically at paleo and gluten-free cookbooks, what does it take to stand out? Unbeatable flavors, innovative recipes, ease of cooking, and perhaps beautiful photos that make you salivate.<br />
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Danielle Walker has a track record of delivering just that with her <a href="http://www.againstallgrain.com/">Against All Grain</a> website and two cookbooks (AAG, Meals Made Simple). I found her in 2012 when I began my own paleo journey and was doing quick internet searches to find recipes. Every (free) recipe I tried from her blog were just delicious. When I bought her first two cookbooks, I literally fell off my chair after each recipe I tried because they were just so freaking delicious. I didn't miss grains one bit!! Earlier this year, I found out that Danielle was releasing her third cookbook <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607749424/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607749424&linkCode=as2&tag=pensiv-20&linkId=084f74d975bd91ed93b4fcfe5a05757a">Celebrations</a> on Sept 27. I was so excited to have more tasty recipes from a fellow foodie whom I have come to trust, respect, and admire. When I made it onto Danielle's cookbook launch team, I couldn't have been any more honored or excited!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGBnIkg9arahuSQIwdZuUJAeMmhx6JbHor4TRBe070yyq1QUgLHpzhx4q3xwfi2JqRUyDKpeyvuuB-0o2O7wyGgl9dCxr8bSvDngigqoCmNLyDIkyEeGTNJaBhp_0nop1bnd8v9rWnFA/s1600/IMG_2272.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGBnIkg9arahuSQIwdZuUJAeMmhx6JbHor4TRBe070yyq1QUgLHpzhx4q3xwfi2JqRUyDKpeyvuuB-0o2O7wyGgl9dCxr8bSvDngigqoCmNLyDIkyEeGTNJaBhp_0nop1bnd8v9rWnFA/s320/IMG_2272.JPG" width="240" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzVZaannFCK4MlatRzoevbiId7wq_HklgaN7MmslJGZc5-qnzdV76JWPibIlhRpViKmEqlci5W5TT6kibqf2XmQrTEBWL_Oh_KZhdlqqy4GkAfqJs86_k74PWkFjf9EDpHOS9tBiXphg/s1600/IMG_2285.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzVZaannFCK4MlatRzoevbiId7wq_HklgaN7MmslJGZc5-qnzdV76JWPibIlhRpViKmEqlci5W5TT6kibqf2XmQrTEBWL_Oh_KZhdlqqy4GkAfqJs86_k74PWkFjf9EDpHOS9tBiXphg/s320/IMG_2285.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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As you may have guessed, the premise of the cookbook is grain-free recipes that fall under various holidays or celebrations all year long (e.g., New Year's Eve, Easter, Mother/Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas). I received the cookbook a few weeks before public release and literally could not stop cooking from it! My family kept raving about every single recipe I made, which is a testament to Danielle's foodie awesomeness.<br />
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In her latest cookbook, Danielle has truly recreated grain-free versions of old favorites and creatively came up with brand new ones. As a bonus, the photos are simply gorgeous to look at! While linked to particular holidays, the recipes can be enjoyed at any time of the year. The recipe index in the back is particularly helpful for seeing all the recipes available, broken down by meal type (breakfast, salads, soups, sides, main events, desserts, drinks). Furthermore, each recipe comes with helpful "tidbits" and "make ahead" tricks. Plus, the book lays flat- no need to find a heavy paperweight!! <br />
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As for the negatives... many recipes call for an electric mixer or blender. As someone who hates cleaning, I mixed the ingredients by hand in a bowl & wooden spoon, and they all came out just fine :) Also, many recipes require ingredients that aren't easily available in traditional grocery stores (e.g., cacao butter, raw cashew butter, light-colored raw honey). This is a common challenge in paleo cooking and you may have to take a trip to Whole Foods or place an order from Amazon. However, I've subbed other ingredients (e.g., roasted cashew butter, regular honey) and it turned out fine. <br />
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Whether you are paleo, gluten-free, clean eating, or simply just want to eat scrumptious homemade food, I wholeheartedly recommend this cookbook!!! Now, let's see what's in store in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607749424/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607749424&linkCode=as2&tag=pensiv-20&linkId=084f74d975bd91ed93b4fcfe5a05757a">Celebrations</a>... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNspREgStXw1ANY8jIZ42UVPqOrgEUjkhg9pawx4iUHSh48VjY5lPY9AvbzHMN1Ry_pjfKfhXGwp-BY7oprQWVPcsx8YGvMahdsUeUbbXJQ-AlbAVjE-1y1VBF4Q2DNLj8vghhFXv8L7s/s1600/IMG_2321.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNspREgStXw1ANY8jIZ42UVPqOrgEUjkhg9pawx4iUHSh48VjY5lPY9AvbzHMN1Ry_pjfKfhXGwp-BY7oprQWVPcsx8YGvMahdsUeUbbXJQ-AlbAVjE-1y1VBF4Q2DNLj8vghhFXv8L7s/s320/IMG_2321.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLPF_SdQuUX8uRObKRd9IEZl9FyW2BtyiPum5PPCapH4fEGPrWiiqiFSrPR4BR9ie_Ivbesiyylnwvrldt4EX7un4iteRiEvi3UlRdldYodd-zUQbLwRkb8UVc-LS6E8f5RdnuTQbCHA/s1600/IMG_2295.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLPF_SdQuUX8uRObKRd9IEZl9FyW2BtyiPum5PPCapH4fEGPrWiiqiFSrPR4BR9ie_Ivbesiyylnwvrldt4EX7un4iteRiEvi3UlRdldYodd-zUQbLwRkb8UVc-LS6E8f5RdnuTQbCHA/s320/IMG_2295.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>Carnitas on tostones with persimmon salad and "my heart beets for you" smoothie!</b><br />
<i>(NOTES: Pulverized the plantains in my food processor instead of frying & smashing. No persimmons available yet so subbed a peach instead) </i><br />
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<b>Fork-and-knife ribs, skillet "corn" bread, and heirloom tomato / watermelon / basil salad! </b><br />
(<i>NOTE: No heirloom tomatoes around here so subbed jersey tomatoes. No cast iron skillet so used a regular skillet. The "corn" bread was actually really easy to make and uses basic ingredients that you probably have on hand)</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75kEzzOBxDCPchjQagnUY0lJbWd_0V_GEVLgL9Utnf3tMsw7gYYupoLYK5goSMTWYJXMQWZL67odrkAjm1inZX6A1xHnmR5vKsf6G-OSeNkuvNtv9VT5_aUhEVfH6XBCcbrOFxfrKGJU/s1600/IMG_2273.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75kEzzOBxDCPchjQagnUY0lJbWd_0V_GEVLgL9Utnf3tMsw7gYYupoLYK5goSMTWYJXMQWZL67odrkAjm1inZX6A1xHnmR5vKsf6G-OSeNkuvNtv9VT5_aUhEVfH6XBCcbrOFxfrKGJU/s320/IMG_2273.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>Leftover BBQ</b> <b>sauce</b> from the ribs were used on these split chicken breasts. Deeeeelish, and such an easy weeknight meal to make! <i>#gainz</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXF1NulBz78XRsyFLWktVhQupXX2OveUR6nP6nNS4pVLcCU3llxDd2YQcJ3unIIV67jzx1usfCIANBKFex-RebUgrr34UrKRa3u7qZCDdHIxkTyDvLyHtaFEL-d2tgWSiGY-_JdqR60ac/s1600/IMG_2255.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXF1NulBz78XRsyFLWktVhQupXX2OveUR6nP6nNS4pVLcCU3llxDd2YQcJ3unIIV67jzx1usfCIANBKFex-RebUgrr34UrKRa3u7qZCDdHIxkTyDvLyHtaFEL-d2tgWSiGY-_JdqR60ac/s320/IMG_2255.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvqi5Ix7yN6rDC2S_kYHalcOtGunoSuDakU6aaX0LLeL26xwPJ4Clvxo01tOv_4ujR3stRMcWVsSr2giDAgpbHkseg0AcPhYmCE9QCEVIt3_AV7DRmx13H3GZ_jxzlEcZJsxKH6_10_M/s1600/IMG_2259.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvqi5Ix7yN6rDC2S_kYHalcOtGunoSuDakU6aaX0LLeL26xwPJ4Clvxo01tOv_4ujR3stRMcWVsSr2giDAgpbHkseg0AcPhYmCE9QCEVIt3_AV7DRmx13H3GZ_jxzlEcZJsxKH6_10_M/s320/IMG_2259.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>Blackened salmon with stone-fruit salsa, served with homemade ginger ale. Peach cobbler for dessert :P </b><br />
(<i>NOTE: My grocery stores do not carry pluots so used a plum instead)</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsEE8h_gaak-3j5n6O_Ml8jFOfbNxq-Jf2ZcDKDc4utp8bBj1Ga6Y9N9Cf96ROBHfCBg0VY9oPi-MHB-iu9DONggvp6EPl4hUwNuUW-qGNTGIeRKMUAApsBghYSLJ053aP0CCPuSNpR8/s1600/Mummy+dogs.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsEE8h_gaak-3j5n6O_Ml8jFOfbNxq-Jf2ZcDKDc4utp8bBj1Ga6Y9N9Cf96ROBHfCBg0VY9oPi-MHB-iu9DONggvp6EPl4hUwNuUW-qGNTGIeRKMUAApsBghYSLJ053aP0CCPuSNpR8/s320/Mummy+dogs.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVn6Au2wp0RQZiDq-w2qJ-mmEWiL-pCBorlmkqv5bbSr0JCY9X6HIb2VgDKtWZNyEFjUnuK39Bm_G5xpHjRnJ5c9iVHRWMmmmhy-FEvQAxejoBPTSIak2ibP6Dyvropq1SkIOg46Q0sY/s1600/Mini+corn+dogs+w+beans.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVn6Au2wp0RQZiDq-w2qJ-mmEWiL-pCBorlmkqv5bbSr0JCY9X6HIb2VgDKtWZNyEFjUnuK39Bm_G5xpHjRnJ5c9iVHRWMmmmhy-FEvQAxejoBPTSIak2ibP6Dyvropq1SkIOg46Q0sY/s320/Mini+corn+dogs+w+beans.JPG" width="320" /></a><b> </b><br />
<b> Mummy dogs (i.e., pigs in a blanket) // Corn dog muffins with baked "beans"! </b><br />
<i>(NOTE: These mummy dogs are a family favorite and something I really missed when going grain-free. It's soooo nice to finally be able to enjoy them again! The recipe says to chill the dough for 24 hours. My family was too impatient so I made this after chilling the dough for only 4 hours. They came out a little chewy - but still yummy - so I am going to try again with chilling it for all 24 hours. For the baked "beans', I omitted topping it with bacon before putting in the oven.) </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQgz-T3Afy42YklyLbdu-QQo1XpgQ1T8OsNirqaJcUAk-0C3ZgkbICJ3c6EB8DUoa5U2K3OoE7cggvBbh2D6KurlGFEHAEyv7vZuMttgjfGLJ0gE4_vzxp0NPSfVGlNG2UMM7cBT02pA/s1600/IMG_2317.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQgz-T3Afy42YklyLbdu-QQo1XpgQ1T8OsNirqaJcUAk-0C3ZgkbICJ3c6EB8DUoa5U2K3OoE7cggvBbh2D6KurlGFEHAEyv7vZuMttgjfGLJ0gE4_vzxp0NPSfVGlNG2UMM7cBT02pA/s320/IMG_2317.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_dm9u_i53-0OleuOgO3m3jkKW2a4gmmVUfsqoO78W5ICWAdwKRPv6YS_sol3dcKnMWs0GN4d_vSV0Vc0SYbOd-_5sLIV5kMCQ8zonQGYjgPR3zbmCMebs0UyagdkYQDC3pkeZASEvz4/s1600/IMG_2318.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_dm9u_i53-0OleuOgO3m3jkKW2a4gmmVUfsqoO78W5ICWAdwKRPv6YS_sol3dcKnMWs0GN4d_vSV0Vc0SYbOd-_5sLIV5kMCQ8zonQGYjgPR3zbmCMebs0UyagdkYQDC3pkeZASEvz4/s320/IMG_2318.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>BLTA burger on lettuce leaf "bun" with roasted garlic cauliflower mash, mimosa bar, and whoopie pies!</b><br />
<i>(NOTE: Used turkey instead of beef for the burger. Cauli mash was a little loose - but still delicious - fresh out of the food processor. After a night in the refrigerator, it had the consistency of traditional mashed potatoes)</i><br />
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....These pics are just a sampling of all the deliciousness that you will get in her new cookbook. More to come!! :)<br />
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Finally, Danielle is traveling across the USA plus Canada on the <i>Celebrations</i> book tour so feel free to come out and meet her (plus get your cookbooks signed)! If you're in the NYC area, please join me in welcoming Danielle to the Big Apple on Tuesday, Sept 27 at 6pm at the Barnes & Noble in TriBeCa (97 Warren Street) as she kicks off her book tour! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6LwOPoXJPdsD7iy4G9p4fMqr7hLEQc2rdpluIoFzPxYMZmjnwiilt4S3QIuI6LPRFPwG-SoIZ-4dtnqL4pcx3KMFLNMQfUHZScudoxiZIcv74y9Fcm-aLGpWYNjrcqguQNFPJUHBgFw/s1600/unnamed-1-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6LwOPoXJPdsD7iy4G9p4fMqr7hLEQc2rdpluIoFzPxYMZmjnwiilt4S3QIuI6LPRFPwG-SoIZ-4dtnqL4pcx3KMFLNMQfUHZScudoxiZIcv74y9Fcm-aLGpWYNjrcqguQNFPJUHBgFw/s320/unnamed-1-1024x1024.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HCnReblZgLve4y2prs4gK8qhcqh8Kys3kaPpDxPXXqt2qy2QT51EEBUT9lrfda2ZYF9I5QkM95TRbkE8AQcQb4FMCs-Tsklb5eURYf-tdoKUBlGx84NKgei4qFjAhXnxIkQBq_Mc2HA/s1600/15913_10100571848792479_8075775125964483656_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HCnReblZgLve4y2prs4gK8qhcqh8Kys3kaPpDxPXXqt2qy2QT51EEBUT9lrfda2ZYF9I5QkM95TRbkE8AQcQb4FMCs-Tsklb5eURYf-tdoKUBlGx84NKgei4qFjAhXnxIkQBq_Mc2HA/s320/15913_10100571848792479_8075775125964483656_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<i>Meeting Danielle Walker at the Meals Made Simple 2015 book tour stop in NYC :)</i><br />
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Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-64943211393748428252016-09-15T18:03:00.003-07:002016-09-15T18:50:44.428-07:00What's up?! New Chowhound recipeOhhh boy, it's been awhile, hasn't it?? The last couple years (!) have been filled with a crazy work schedule, landing a new gig, commuting 4 hours/day, running, CrossFitting, traveling the world, and of course... cooking!!!<br />
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Part of my new gig is to support Chowhound.com (formerly CHOW.com),
which is a community-based food website with over 10 million unique
visitors a month. My role is in a consumer research capacity, but it's nevertheless awesome to work on food content. You can check out Chowhound's professional, health-conscious recipes here: <a href="http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/healthy">http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/healthy </a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbCrMVJSwmZ1za-5mIvWVf6lhkqvnOCTQLYOJ43B8DafW2gCXLFTfs7V6ty1kgTZwbKNkhgycbCxufQaRwTIEfNfH86Z0nrJd6E0GaHt9k3_zuDx-62elgrGyMMh85VpFXWbelfeUe5o/s1600/Chowhound+fried+rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbCrMVJSwmZ1za-5mIvWVf6lhkqvnOCTQLYOJ43B8DafW2gCXLFTfs7V6ty1kgTZwbKNkhgycbCxufQaRwTIEfNfH86Z0nrJd6E0GaHt9k3_zuDx-62elgrGyMMh85VpFXWbelfeUe5o/s320/Chowhound+fried+rice.jpg" width="269" /></a>As you may know, cauliflower is an incredible substitute for rice (if you haven't tried it yet, you need to!) In fact, cauliflower fried "rice" is so chock full of vegetables that you won't miss its starchy cousin or need extra fat or protein to fill you up. I was honored to create a paleo fried rice recipe exclusively for Chowhound:<br />
<a href="http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/grain-free-cauliflower-fried-rice-31780">http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/grain-free-cauliflower-fried-rice-31780 </a><br />
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Let me know what you think! Let's eat.<br />
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<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-8112570805050763892014-03-02T14:22:00.001-08:002014-03-02T14:22:20.477-08:00Paleo CrepesHappy March! It is snowing outside as I write this... alas it is still winter.<br />
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I was at the mall with my mom & sister when we passed by this cute crepe stand. It was literally a made to order crepe stand, complete with the real cooking stones & gigantic spatulas. The menu was pretty solid- everything from savory to sweet with meat, veggies, fruit, chocolate, and nutella. There was one gluten-free offering, but I decided, hey, why don't I try making it myself?? And a paleo one at that! <br />
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My recipe is easy & simple, the way life should be: tapioca flour, milk of choice, & eggs. Seriously, that was it! They came out pretty good, minus a couple flipping mishaps :P The crepes were soft, sweet, and delicious, albeit a tad on the stretchy/sticky side due to the tapioca. I filled them with blueberries, literally frozen from a bag and heated on low until the berries burst. I made another batch with the "flipping fails" with sliced bananas & a dash of maple syrup (not pictured here to prevent eye sore), also delicious!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Blueberry Crepes</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34jWCcdEEE1jIKDu8pmVoCaUN6vdsj4eGj6ajzCYni3-8Dii3_0P9lc8PzG4s1oBgJoEo-5Q3NHBOwzI9OiWrvEGMB4c1if6iSiipRu9Lk8YpyNGBZlYWaB8A7qTI6lyMwuqhIEjl_TE/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34jWCcdEEE1jIKDu8pmVoCaUN6vdsj4eGj6ajzCYni3-8Dii3_0P9lc8PzG4s1oBgJoEo-5Q3NHBOwzI9OiWrvEGMB4c1if6iSiipRu9Lk8YpyNGBZlYWaB8A7qTI6lyMwuqhIEjl_TE/s1600/photo(1).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberry crepes, minus the flipping mishap on the right :P</td></tr>
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INGREDIENTS <br />
1 c tapioca flour<br />
1 c milk of choice<br />
1 egg (or 2 egg whites if you're avoiding yolks)<br />
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DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Mix all ingredients together. Tapioca will dissolve into the milk, though it may initially feel clumpy at the bottom.<br />
2. Heat a small frying pan on medium heat. Spray with oil. Pour about 1/3 c batter into the pan. When the bottom has cooked (edges will turn white), carefully flip to the other side and repeat.<br />
3. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the process until all crepes are made.<br />
4. Crepes are ready to be eaten as is, although honey or maple syrup drizzle is recommended. If using a filling, add it down the center of the crepe. I used blueberries and bananas, but the sky is the limit. Fold, roll, or stack and gobble up!Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-62041085250863810322014-02-09T11:00:00.000-08:002014-02-09T11:06:03.447-08:00Chocolate Chip Banana PancakesThis winter has been absurdly awful. The midwest was ridiculously subzero, the south got snow, and all other regions were colder than usual - for longer - and got way more snow. Another snowstorm will be coming tonight and another on Wednesday. Seriously??<br />
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Cold winter days are the kind of days when it's nice to be warm and cozy indoors. Cold weekends are even cozier with a warm batch of pancakes for brunch :) This recipe is definitely my favorite paleo/gluten-free pancake recipe so far and were a huge hit with the family! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHebSRtsN13xPu5knhrbZrMyB0ekqPnYYT7MeDPLcNOvCyM05OkEKPzg2OHlXxryxIEyO49-dzBZ3zstfW74yIqIElJO8Jz5F2NUAz8SDN8_08delbixwuMA6L0JJL0S6RWvW6Owcn8QE/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHebSRtsN13xPu5knhrbZrMyB0ekqPnYYT7MeDPLcNOvCyM05OkEKPzg2OHlXxryxIEyO49-dzBZ3zstfW74yIqIElJO8Jz5F2NUAz8SDN8_08delbixwuMA6L0JJL0S6RWvW6Owcn8QE/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Adapted from <a href="http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/04/05/grain-free-pancakes/">Against All Grain</a></div>
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<b>INGREDIENTS</b></div>
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1 banana, mashed</div>
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2 egg whites</div>
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1/4 c coconut milk</div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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1 tsp honey</div>
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2 tbsp coconut flour</div>
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1/3 c blanched almond flour</div>
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1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/4 tsp salt</div>
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Chocolate chips</div>
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<b>DIRECTIONS</b></div>
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1. Mash banana in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients: egg whites, milk, vanilla, & honey. Mix until combined and the eggs are slightly foamy.</div>
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2. Add the dry ingredients: coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, & salt. Mix all that goodness together and all clumps are broken up.</div>
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3. Heat griddle on medium-low heat. When it's hot, spray oil on pan. Pour 1/4 c of batter per pancake onto griddle and use spatula to shape into a round shape. .</div>
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4. When pancakes start to bubble (about 4-5 minutes), sprinkle on chocolate chips. Flip and cook until pancakes are done, about 2-3 minutes. </div>
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Tip: These are gluten-free pancakes so they are more delicate than typical wheat ones. Flipping these babies is the easiest when the pancakes are smaller (4 inches in diameter is ideal) and smaller than the spatula. Smaller spatulas tend to work better than larger ones. DO NOT touch the pancakes until they begin to bubble and the outer edges start to turn white, otherwise they will fall apart.</div>
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Yield: 8 pancakes</div>
Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-56134925929269008942014-01-04T15:13:00.000-08:002014-01-04T15:13:14.573-08:00Primal Pumpkin Mac and Cheese (gluten-free)Cold this winter? Love mac & cheese? Eating paleo/primal? Try pumpkin mac and cheese for a tasty twist on an old favorite. The pumpkin adds a subtle flavor that excellently compliments the traditional cheddar cheese. It was a huge hit in my house and was the perfect way to warm up a chilly snow day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41TMsUbKH9sMBv0lpVLBn9E3wLRNdr5N_oWpkYvy-lThVpZkI5SgsT8slYhWk5RiK1fFIf6SD5EiAfrZKRogRO5SWEqCEG7b8F_1V2ShOi-0kvonM1OuZlplTF3U4XCHMj04rnzUxeTk/s1600/9e3a9d5e749a11e3b6271262f9471e8d_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41TMsUbKH9sMBv0lpVLBn9E3wLRNdr5N_oWpkYvy-lThVpZkI5SgsT8slYhWk5RiK1fFIf6SD5EiAfrZKRogRO5SWEqCEG7b8F_1V2ShOi-0kvonM1OuZlplTF3U4XCHMj04rnzUxeTk/s320/9e3a9d5e749a11e3b6271262f9471e8d_8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Primal Pumpkin Mac and Cheese (gluten-free) </span></b></div>
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Adapted from <a href="http://www.inspiredtaste.net/9038/pumpkin-mac-and-cheese-recipe/">Inspired Taste</a></div>
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Serves 3-4</div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
8 oz gluten-free pasta, any shape<br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
2 tbsp arrowroot<br />
1 c milk (any type will do)<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
pinch of pepper<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard<br />
1/2 c pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)<br />
2 c shredded cheddar cheese (additional 1/4 c optional for topping)<br />
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DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 (only if baking to make a crusty top layer). Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then cook pasta according to the package directions.<br />
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a saucepan on low heat. Once melted, add and stir to dissolve. Pour in milk and bring to a simmer, then simmer for 1 minute. Mixture will get thick.<br />
3. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in mustard and pumpkin. Add 2 c cheese and keep stirring until melted and all that goodness is evenly combined.<br />
4. Grease an 8x8 casserole dish or other serving dish. Gently transfer pasta to dish, be careful as gluten-free pasta is more delicate. Pour in cheese sauce and gently mix everything so pasta is evenly coated. Mac n cheese is ready to eat as is, but to make a crusty top layer, sprinkle the extra 1/4 c cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes.<br />
5. Eat that bad boy up!!!! My family destroyed it in less than 5 minutes :P<br />
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<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-75976835195821106252014-01-03T13:17:00.001-08:002014-01-03T13:25:14.507-08:00Holiday Veggie WreathHappy new year! Hello 2014!<br />
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Each family has their own holiday traditions. My family usually whips up a whole batch of appetizers (see last year's <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/12/new-years-eve.html">post</a>) but this year, we were all really tired from... life. So, my mom & I decided to do 2 appetizers, the holiday veggie wreath and chicken wings.Yes, the wreath is not paleo, but it's only once a year and very festive :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Holiday Veggie Wreath</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(adapted from <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/holiday-appetizer-wreath/f3482ff2-64b2-4ccd-96b2-7689ee0c5cfb?sc=Christmas%20Appetizer%20Recipes&term=Christmas%20Appetizer&itemId=bf150c81-178d-41ab-99bd-c256a80435a6">Betty Crocker</a>)</div>
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<div>
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<div>
<b>INGREDIENTS</b></div>
<div>
4 oz onion & chives cream cheese</div>
<div>
2 cans refrigerated dough (Whole Foods has a very good one; Pillsbury is full of chemicals)</div>
<div>
8 oz spinach (or broccoli, chopped)</div>
<div>
1 red bell pepper, diced</div>
<div>
1 egg white</div>
<div>
Sesame seeds</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>DIRECTIONS</b></div>
<div>
1. Preheat oven to 375 (or temperature on dough can).</div>
<div>
2. Heat a small saucepan on medium. Add a tsp of oil and cook the spinach until it reduces in size.</div>
<div>
3. Unroll dough and arrange in a circle on a a round cookiesheet with the widest part slightly overlapping and the points radiating outward (see picture below). </div>
<div>
4. Spread cream cheese on the dough.</div>
<div>
5. Transfer the spinach to the dough and evenly distribute over the widest part of the dough triangles. Add diced peppers (and/or broccoli). Only spread until you reach the end of the cookiesheet; do not put vegetables beyond the cookiesheet (why? when you flip the dough, it might fall out).</div>
<div>
6. Flip end points of the dough triangles over the veggies and tuck underneath the wide part of the dough. </div>
<div>
7. Brush egg white over the dough ring. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.</div>
<div>
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes (look at timer on dough can). Wreath is done when it is golden brown. Garnish the center however you want... more food, candle, holiday decorations, or nothing at all.</div>
<div>
9. Dig in!!! Optional: cut the wreath by crescent roll before serving. </div>
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Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-74228835736280048552013-12-30T19:47:00.000-08:002013-12-30T19:47:10.213-08:00Back from hiatus!Hello foodies! I am back from hiatus! I got my PhD finally and started a new job at a market research firm in NYC. In between reading, writing papers, moving from Chicago to the east coast, learning my new job, and training for my third marathon, I lost track of things!<br />
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Christmas 2013 was a lot of fun with the family. We went to my sister's place in Delaware. She whipped up some pretty awesome dishes and I took care of the desserts :) I also had a week off from work, which was literally the first break I've had since... winter break 2012. Finishing out my PhD program was one of the most stressful things I've ever had to do, then commuting 4-4.5 hours each day for work on top of the usual 9-5 office grind made me ready for a break. I've been sleeping a lot and definitely feeling a ton better!!<br />
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Any sushi lovers?? There's a pretty good AYCE sushi place in north NJ called Arigato. $20 gets you unlimited sushi, rolls, appetizers, & hot tea. This is what my buddy Megan and I polished off!<br />
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For all the meat lovers out there - this was one hefty sampler from a Greek restaurant at a holiday party! Four lamb chops, one chicken souvlaki skewer, one pork souvlaki skewer, two Italian/Greek sausages, one lamb/beef burger patty, & a side of lemon herb potatoes. And yes it serves one.<br />
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That's it for now. More food + recipes to come!Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-73260866334873304702013-07-24T22:58:00.005-07:002013-07-24T23:05:54.778-07:00Honey BBQ Chipotle ChickenProcrastinating on preparing for my dissertation defense, so posting a delicious new recipe! There are so many ways you can prepare chicken and having it taste completely different each time. This honey BBQ chipotle chicken is an awesome twist of tangy, sweet, and savory. The avocado is the perfect blend to combine all the tastes... it sounds odd, but it really works with this dish!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Honey BBQ Chipotle Chicken</b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Served with a side of roasted zucchini, paleo pigs on a blanket, and a paleo apple cake dessert (recipe forthcoming)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced <br />
2 tbsp chipotle powder, separated<br />
4 tsp cumin, separated <br />
2 tsp garlic powder<br />
2 tsp onion powder <br />
2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />
1/2 c tomato puree<br />
1/4 c apple cider vinegar<br />
3 tbsp honey<br />
1/2 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari <br />
1 avocado, sliced<br />
Shredded cheddar cheese, optional (omit for paleo)<br />
4 tbsp coconut oil <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Pour coconut oil into pan. <br />
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1 tbsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Saute until all sides are cooked. Place on a plate off to the side.<br />
3. In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of coconut oil. Saute minced garlic until begins to brown. Add 1 tbsp chipotle and 2 tsp cumin. Saute for 1 minute.<br />
4. Stir in tomato puree. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. <br />
5. Stir in vinegar, honey, and tamari. <br />
6. Add chicken and cheese (if using). Toss until everything is thoroughly combined, chicken is heated, and cheese melts.<br />
7. Slice avocado on your plate and place chicken on top.<br />
8. Devour!!! There were no leftovers here :)<br />
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<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-63135708692224717702013-07-20T22:16:00.002-07:002013-07-20T22:17:25.656-07:00Almond-Crusted Tilapia with Zucchini "Spaghetti" & Paleo Chocolate Bars Yikes, long time since my last post!! All time & energy focused on the dissertation and job search. Should be getting my PhD in 9 days and accepted a new job in NYC! Time to celebrate with paleo goodness...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Almond-Crusted Tilapia & Zucchini "Spaghetti"</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Almond-Crusted Tilapia</b><br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lb tilapia<br />
1/2 c almond meal (unblanched is fine)<br />
1 tbsp garlic powder<br />
1 tbsp onion powder<br />
1 tbsp paprika<br />
1 tsp old bay, optional<br />
Juice of 1 lemon, optional <br />
1 egg white<br />
Coconut oil, for frying<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Combine almond meal, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and old bay.<br />
2. Heat a large skillet on medium heat.<br />
3. Crack the egg white in a separate dish. Add coconut oil to the heated skillet. Oil is hot when a flick of water poured into the pan sizzles.<br />
4. Coat tilapia in egg white, then dredge into the almond meal mixture. Fry until both sides are cooked to your liking (took me ~4 minutes per side). <br />
5. Sprinkle with lemon juice if you like.<br />
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<b>Zucchini "Spaghetti"</b><br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 medium-large zucchini<br />
1 batch of lazy tomato sauce (see below) or other sauce (see <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/12/zucchini-pesto-pasta.html">basil pesto</a> or <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/02/tuna-cakes-with-kale-pesto-pasta.html">kale pesto</a> for alternatives)<br />
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with garlic & herbs<br />
1.5 c spinach, optional (adds extra veggies and disguises the taste)<br />
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<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Wash zucchini and cut off ends. Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a boil.<br />
2. With a mandoline, slice zucchini into 1/4" pieces. Use a nice to cut them into long ribbons, spaghetti shape.<br />
3. Place zucchini "pasta" into boiling water and boil until softened, about 2-3 minutes. NOTE: do not over-cook or zucchini will be a little mushy (not the end of the world, but not quite 'al dente').<br />
4. While zucchini boils, place canned tomatoes & spinach in a food processor or blender. Whip until blended into a smooth paste, about 5 seconds.<br />
5. Drain zucchini. Add tomato sauce to the pot and mix until combined. The heat of the zucchini will warm the tomato sauce.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Chocolate Bars</b></span></div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
1 medium sweet potato<br />
2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
1 egg + 2 egg whites<br />
1/4 c honey or agave<br />
1/4 tsp vanilla <br />
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder <br />
2 tbsp coconut flour<br />
1/4 tsp baking powder<br />
<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/4 c chocolate chips, optional<br />
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DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Poke holes in sweet potato and bake until soft, about 40 minutes.<br />
2. Turn oven down to 350. Slice potato in half, scoop out the insides, and mash in a bowl. <br />
3. Add the wet: coconut oil, eggs, honey/agave, & vanilla.<br />
4. Then add the dry: cocoa powder, coconut flour, baking powder, & salt.<br />
5. Combine. Stir in chocolate chips if using.<br />
6. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. <br />
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Slice into squares. Devour!Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-46712805071792939622013-04-21T23:26:00.002-07:002013-04-21T23:26:21.850-07:00Paleo Pen Pals - AprilIt's time for April's <a href="http://www.whatigather.com/p/paleo-pen-pals.html">Paleo Pen Pals</a> recipe... My pen pal this month is Victoria and she got me a bag of dried chile pasilla, straight from Mexico! I had to make something Mex-esque, so I whipped out my handy dandy crockpot and got to work!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Crockpot Chile Pasilla Carnitas</b></span></div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
1.5 lb pork tenderloin, excess fat trimmed<br />
4 (dried) chiles pasilla<br />
1 green bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 yellow onion, chopped<br />
1 tbsp paprika<br />
1/2 tbsp cumin<br />
1/2 tbsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tbsp onion powder<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Soak chiles in a bowl of water until reconstituted, the longer the better (I did 2 hours). When softened, roughly chop.<br />
2. Combine chiles, green pepper, and onion, and place in bottom of crockpot.<br />
3. Sprinkle pork with spices. Place on top of veggies and cook on low for 6 hours.<br />
4. Shred pork with 2 forks and dig in!<br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-29005233281487682172013-03-24T19:16:00.001-07:002013-03-24T19:24:27.721-07:00St. Patty's Egg MuffinsToday is the end of CrossFit Open Week 3 of competition. The WOD was AMRAP (12 min) of 150 wall balls, 90 double-unders, & 30 muscle-ups. I don't even come close to a muscle-up so that was out of the question. My double-unders aren't even that great either - I usually do a few singles before the double - so my main goal was to finish the wall balls and then hope for the best with the doubles. I finished my wall balls in slightly under 11 minutes so I had a full minute to try and sneak as many doubles in as possible. I did my usual single-single-single-double and then decided hey why not and just went for it... and got 4 double-unders in a row! May not seem like much, but I'll take what I can get :P The next day, part of the WOD was AMRAP double-unders in 10 min and I got 8 unbroken! Woo! Getting better, one rep at a time... <br />
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Today was my second race of the year: Chi-Town 10K. It was FREEZING outside (20s) and very windy. I was shaking cuz I was so cold. Took a good 1.5 miles to finally warm up but I still couldn't feel my fingers or toes. The entire run was against the wind... didn't matter if you were heading north, south, east, or west, the wind was there to make you fight. The course got screwed up bc the volunteers mis-directed people, which made for a confusing race. There were also no mile markers or time clocks, and only 1 water station halfway through, but thankfully I had my Garmin and don't drink much in races under an hour. I finished around an hour, which was much slower than what I was hoping for, but coming off the winter season, not running too much due to older adult subject testing all over the city 7am-8pm (furthest run this winter was 4 mi, yikes!), and racing against the wind... it is what it is. On the positive side, I executed my race strategy alright with negative splits and a fast last mile. Then I made it to church in time for Palm Sunday to see the kids choir perform. Soooo adorable! <br />
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So, last weekend was St. Patty's... this post is a bit overdue, but just thought I'd share my St. Patty's-inspired egg muffins! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Egg Muffins</b></span></div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
6 eggs & 6 egg whites (feel free to use 3 whole eggs if you prefer)<br />
1 small zucchini<br />
2 c broccoli florets <br />
1 c fresh spinach<br />
1/2 green pepper<br />
1/2 onion<br />
4 green onions, optional<br />
Salt & pepper to taste<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 12 muffin molds.<br />
2. Pulse veggies in food processor until finely chopped but not puree.<br />
3. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add eggs, salt, & pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and pour into muffin tins by the 1/4 c.<br />
4. Bake for 20-25 min or until the eggs are set in the middle.<br />
5. Enjoy your handy breakfast on the go! Tastes great on their own, or add bacon, sausage, or <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/02/game-day-noshes-with-recipes.html">paleo waffles</a> to round out the meal.<br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-25944777747927119962013-03-23T19:11:00.002-07:002013-03-23T19:33:20.665-07:00Paleo Pen Pals - March 2013It's that time of the month... paleo pen pals recipe report!! (ahem) The premise of the program is that paleoites are assigned a pen pal and they send each other surprise ingredients, then come up with a recipe from the ingredients they receive. My pen pal this month is <a href="http://kbrabon3.wordpress.com/">Kristina</a>, an energetic, sweet southern belle new to the paleo world. Turns out that we both share similar faith values and a love for running. Kristina and I have been emailing each other regularly and we even send each other pictures of our meals! We also share and support each other in the struggles of living paleo in a non-paleo world, which has been really great.<br />
<br />
For this month's swap, Kristina sent me a care package of: dried chilis, chinese five-spice, shallots, & garlic. Although the ingredients seemed to go together, I was struggling to come up with an idea that encompassed all of them... so I used my tried-and-true method of throwing random stuff together and was really happy with the result. I love crockpot cooking, especially in winter (yes, it may be March but Chicago was in the 20's with 25mph winds!) so I created Five-Spice Barbacoa in my handy crockpot :) <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Crockpot Five-Spice Barbacoa</b></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2-3 lb beef roast<br />
3-5 dried chilis (depending on how spicy you like it :P)<br />
1/3 c apple cider vinegar<br />
3 tbsp lime juice <br />
4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1 shallot, chopped <br />
1/2 tbsp cumin<br />
2 tsp oregano <br />
1 tsp s&p<br />
1 yellow onion, chopped<br />
Fire-roasted peppers, chopped (I used red & yellow from a jar) <br />
2 tbsp chinese five-spice<br />
1/4 c chicken broth<br />
2 bay leaves, optional<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Soak chilis in water for at least 30 minutes (but the longer the better; I did 2 hours). Cut chilis in half; remove some or all seeds if you don't like it spicy. The actual chili pepper itself isn't too hot.<br />
2. In a high-speed blender or food processor, toss in the chilis, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, shallot, and spices (except five-spice). Whip up until thoroughly combined (it should be a liquid) and chilis have been all broken up.<br />
3. In your crockpot, put the chopped onion & peppers on the bottom. Pour in chicken broth.<br />
4. Sprinkle beef with chinese five-spice on all sides and place on top of onion/peppers. <br />
5. Pour chili mixture over beef. Add bay leaves if you'd like.<br />
6. Cook on low for 7-8+ hours. Remove bay leaves. Using two forks, shred beef.<br />
7. Serve with salsa, guac (see below for my 2-easy, 2-ingredient guac!), or whatever else your little heart desires. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2-Easy 2-Ingredient Guac</b></span></div>
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<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 ripe avocado <br />
1/2 c fresh salsa (sold in the produce dept) <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS <br />
1. In a medium-small bowl, mash avocado with a fork.<br />
2. Add fresh salsa and mix all that goodness together.<br />
3. Chow down! Phew, that was hard. <br />
<br />
<br />
Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-78205251886071855552013-03-16T18:41:00.000-07:002013-03-16T18:53:08.715-07:00Spinach-Artichoke Chicken PastaGuess what... just got my first postdoc offer! Also got a campus interview invite (tenure-track faculty position) and my second phone interview for an industry position that I could really see myself doing if I left academia. Craziness! After being on the job market for a discouraging 6 months, it's nice to finally see things materialize. There are definitely feelings of relief, but also uncertainty since I'm still not sure what the best plan is for me. Trust in the Lord...<br />
<br />
Today was my first race of the year: Get Lucky 7K. It was cold and windy, then near the end it started to flurry... I couldn't feel my face or toes for most of the race. The start line was poorly organized and half the runners (yours truly included) had to stand outside the start until the race started and there was enough clearance. So, the first half of the race was spent passing people and getting into a good position at a comfortable pace. The race stats said I passed 526 people. Sheesh! Once I finally got settled in, it was time to turn around and head back toward the finish... as soon as I made the turn, the wind hit like BAM! I was fighting against the wind those last 2.2 miles and it was really uncomfortable. Ended up finishing in 45:11 (10:24 pace) which is not my best time by a long shot. But, considering that I haven't been working on my run fitness due to dissertation/CrossFit, suboptimal weather, crappy start, and didn't run all-out, I'll take it. Hopefully I can redeem myself once running season kicks into full speed this spring/summer. <br />
<br />
Also, the CrossFit Open 13.2 workout was posted: 10min AMRAP of 5 jerks, 10 deadlifts, & 15 box jumps. I got 7 rounds (210 reps), which I was satisfied with... definitely better than last week's 13.1. A couple coaches looked surprised at my score and were like "nice, Jess!", which was amusing bc I don't think they expected me to bang out that many reps. HA! Unfortunately, in round 5, I completely lost it on the 4th jerk (didn't use legs enough) and had to drop the barbell, which took immense effort to get off the ground again. I lost time & reps there, so I'll probably try again tomorrow after church for one last shot... assuming my legs aren't too sore from the 7K ha.<br />
<br />
In other news, I tried out a new veggie: artichokes! They were just alright on their own, but tasted great when combined with other things. It was fun experimenting!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spinach-Artichoke Chicken Pasta with Paleo Garlic Bread</b></span></div>
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<br />
<u>CHICKEN PASTA</u><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 medium spaghetti squash<br />
1 lb chicken, diced <br />
1 small yellow onion, dicced<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 c fresh spinach leaves <br />
1 can artichoke hearts<br />
1 can diced tomatoes with basil & oregano, mostly drained <br />
2 tbsp poultry seasoning (or some combination of salt/pepper/paprika) <br />
1 tbsp Italian seasoning <br />
Red pepper flakes, optional<br />
1-2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
1 tbsp olive oil (ideally basil-infused but regular works just fine) <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS <br />
1. Preheat oven to 425. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds/roots, and place face-down on cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 min or until soft.<br />
2. While spaghetti squash is baking, heat a large skillet on medium heat. Melt coconut oil. Sprinkle chicken with poultry seasoning and add to pan. Saute until thoroughly cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.<br />
3. Pour olive oil into pan. Add onion and garlic. Saute for 1 minute then add spinach. Saute everything until spinach begins to wilt.<br />
4. Add artichokes, tomatoes, chicken, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir until thoroughly combined.<br />
5. When spaghetti squash is done, use a fork to shred it into "noodles". Serve with spinach-artichoke mixture on top. <br />
6. Serve with paleo garlic bread...<br />
<br />
<br />
<u>PALEO GARLIC BREAD</u><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 slices of paleo bread (my <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/02/game-day-noshes-with-recipes.html">waffles</a> recipe would also work; feel free to eliminate the veggies lol)<br />
1 tbsp grass-fed butter or ghee<br />
4 tsp garlic powder<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Toast bread on medium setting.<br />
2. Spread butter or ghee on each slice of bread. Butter should melt easily.<br />
3. Sprinkle with garlic powder and use knife to evenly distribute.Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-6158730194923191922013-03-09T17:05:00.000-08:002013-03-16T19:12:55.705-07:00Crockpot Turkey ChiliGuess what, I had my first in-person job interview this week! It was in Boston, which is different from Chicago but definitely a place where I could see myself living/working for the next few years. It was great to have interviewing & job talk experience under my belt since my last round of interviews was for grad school 4 years ago... and the criteria was much different than for postdocs. They're interviewing other candidates though, so we'll see how it goes.<br />
<br />
2 notable CrossFit updates... (1) it's Week 1 of the Open! It's where CF athletes all over the world perform a particular set of workouts over 5 weeks and then the top scorers move on to regionals and then to the world championships aka "The CrossFit Games" featured on ESPN. Since I can't Rx most of the skills, I didn't have any expectations for myself except to try my hardest and to push myself beyond my limits. The first workout (13.1) was 4+ rounds of burpees and snatches. The snatch is my weakest of the olympic lifts and the weight for the second round was 10 lbs higher than my 1RM so I knew it would be a struggle... and it was. I got through the first round just fine (100 reps), but then on the second round, for the life of me I just could not get under the bar at 75 lb. Oh well, better luck next time...<br />
<br />
(2) Friday's WOD was death by shuttle runs. Turns out I outlasted everyone in the group, including all the boys! Looking over the day's scores (~40 people), I had the top finish for the girls, tied with 2 boys, and got beaten by 2 boys. WOOOO!! Dissertation or not, it's nice to know that I don't suck at everything at CrossFit lol <br />
<br />
Anyway, most of this week (and last week) was spent preparing for my interview, particularly in getting my job talk ready. I cooked really easy meals and ate (leftover) crockpot turkey chili basically everyday... #crockpottime <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Crockpot Turkey Chili</b></span></div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglWTIe2aMnbSPOx3KaCS9b8WLgQ5k_kTV5P6pE9wu9WLYhb1UdNBXFGMDYyW31On02ces1WG-c0dN-QCY3tdH1sLdevvkuuTdS5UO9ZK2yi0Hu5AkxatXivS53LppR2oFlS197kxF98g/s1600/IMG_0796%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglWTIe2aMnbSPOx3KaCS9b8WLgQ5k_kTV5P6pE9wu9WLYhb1UdNBXFGMDYyW31On02ces1WG-c0dN-QCY3tdH1sLdevvkuuTdS5UO9ZK2yi0Hu5AkxatXivS53LppR2oFlS197kxF98g/s320/IMG_0796%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crockpot chili makes delicious leftovers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
<br />
1 lb ground turkey (I used .5lb 99% lean & .5lb 93% lean)<br />
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes <br />
1 c chicken broth<br />
1 medium onion, diced<br />
4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
2 bell peppers (I used green & orange) <br />
1/2 pack of mushrooms, roughly chopped <br />
1 zucchini, chopped<br />
1 yellow squash, chopped<br />
1-2 carrots, chopped (optional)<br />
2 tbsp chili powder<br />
2 tbsp paprika <br />
1/2 tbsp cumin<br />
2 tsp cayenne<br />
2 tsp garlic powder<br />
2 tsp onion powder<br />
Salt & pepper to taste<br />
A few shakes of red pepper flakes, optional <br />
2 bay leaves, optional<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Heat skillet to medium and brown ground turkey. <br />
2. Take out your crockpot. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Then add in turkey and the remaining ingredients. Stir until combined.<br />
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaves (if using).<br />
4. Enjoy your hot meal!!! Savor the leftovers... the flavors continue melding in the fridge :)<br />
Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-15850340142441126362013-03-01T19:00:00.000-08:002013-03-01T19:02:57.609-08:00Crockpot Beef StewWinter = Cold. Or at least in Chicago it does. Nothing beats the winter blues like coming home to a piping hot, hearty meal straight from the crockpot! Some of my go-to crockpot meals are <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/12/holiday-season.html">chicken curry</a> and <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/01/crockpot-time.html">pulled pork</a>, but I wanted to try something different... beef stew! Swapping out the potatoes for veggies was a sneaky, delicious paleo way of consuming extra veggies and I didn't miss the potatoes one bit. #crockpottime<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Crockpot Beef Stew</b></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1.5 lb chuck roast (or other stewing beef), cubed<br />
2 c beef broth <br />
1 onion<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced <br />
3 carrots <br />
2 celery stalks<br />
1 small green pepper<br />
1 small red pepper <br />
1 zucchini<br />
1 yellow squash<br />
2 c sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella) <br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning<br />
1 tsp parsley <br />
2 tsp paprika<br />
1 tsp cayenne<br />
2 tsp garlic powder<br />
2 tsp onion powder <br />
s & p, to taste<br />
1 tbsp coconut oil<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Melt coconut oil and brown your meat.<br />
2. While meat cooks, roughly chop all your vegetables.<br />
3. Pull out your crockpot and add all the ingredients. Mix well, then toss in the browned beef and mix all that goodness again.<br />
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.<br />
5. Come home (or wake up) to a hot, delicious meal with your name on it!Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-35280308497660372582013-02-28T21:03:00.001-08:002013-03-03T18:15:09.327-08:00Tuna Cakes with Kale Pesto "Pasta"Weird people are all around us. If you take public transit, you know what I mean. It's not uncommon for homeless people to ask you for money or creepy guys to ask you out on dates, but has anyone ever chosen to give you a misinformed nutrition lesson?<br />
<br />
After a long day of running around the city to test older adults for my dissertation, I was holding a takeout bag from Epic Burger (an organic, supposedly higher quality ingredient burger joint). I sat down on the bus minding my own business when this lady next to me pointed to my takeout bag and asked if I had chicken. I told her no, that it was a burger. She says "ok" and then says she hasn't eaten chicken in years. Um, ok. Then she tells me that meat isn't good for you, that I should cook, and not eat takeout. I told her that I do enjoy cooking my own food, but on days like today when I'm up at 6:30am and not home until after 8pm, I don't feel like cooking. She told me to use tupperware. I said that I have a cabinet full of tupperware but this particular week has been exceptionally stressful (significantly above average) and with these 6am-8pm days, I'm just so exhausted so takeout it is.<br />
<br />
She said that I was limiting my options and then proceeded to lecture me on why I should make grilled cheese or peanut butter & jelly sandwiches - a whole vat of them - keep them in the fridge all week and then freeze extras. I wanted to lecture her on why meat isn't all that bad and why a diet of grilled cheese or pb&j is actually rather awful for the human body. But I bit my tongue and ran off the bus as soon as my stop came... unfortunately it was her stop too. I said good night and then walked home and enjoyed my burger in peace (minus the bread). As a side note, Epic Burger makes pretty good burgers. Not restaurant-quality of course, but much better than McDonalds, Burger King, or any other fast food joint.<br />
<br />
Today's WOD was a team workout where you & a partner did 200m sprints, double-unders, & rowing, with medicine ball sit-ups intermixed throughout. My partner Natalie & I totally rocked the workout and we beat most of the boys! Muahahahaha<br />
<br />
When I got home tonight, I was tired but wanted to cook something easy so I made a new version of old favorites: tuna cakes with kale pesto zucchini "pasta" (or zucchini "noodles" as others call them). My <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/12/salmon-cakes.html">paleo salmon cakes</a> are a classic, and these tuna cakes are a nice twist with a different flavor. My <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2012/12/zucchini-pesto-pasta.html">basil pesto zucchini "pasta"</a> is also classic fare (paleo-ified of course), so using nutrient-rich kale was equally delicious. <br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tuna Cakes</b></span><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS <br />
5oz can of tuna, drained<br />
1 egg white<br />
1/2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning<br />
2 tsp onion powder<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
2 tsp dried paprika <br />
Pinch of ground ginger <br />
Pinch of cayenne <br />
Salt & pepper to taste <br />
1 green onion, chopped; optional <br />
2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat.<br />
2. Combine all ingredients (except coconut oil) in a medium bowl. <br />
3. Melt coconut oil in frying pan. When pan and
oil are hot, drop tuna mixture into pan, about 1/4 c each. Use
spatula to flatten and shape into cakes.<br />
4. After one side is cooked (edges will turn white, about 3 min; DO NOT touch beforehand or
they will fall apart), flip each cake over. Cook for another 3 minutes, adding extra coconut oil if needed.<br />
5. Dig in!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kale Pesto Zucchini "Pasta"</b></span><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS <br />
2 medium zucchini<br />
2 c fresh kale leaves (remove the "rib")<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2/3 c olive oil<br />
1/4 c pine nuts (I use macadamias for the omega-3s)<br />
Salt & pepper to taste <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Bring a pot of water to boil. While water is boiling, use a mandoline
to slice the zucchini into thin strips. Then, use a knife to slice the
zucchini strips into noodles. Add zucchini to boiling water and cook
until soft, about 2 minutes.<br />
2. In a blender or food processor, pulverize the remaining ingredients.
Sample the pesto and adjust ingredients to your preference as needed.<br />
3. Transfer zucchini into a large bowl and toss with pesto until thoroughly combined. <br />
4. You CAN have your pasta and eat it too! <br />
<br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-89707218161787258412013-02-27T19:57:00.001-08:002013-02-27T19:58:53.642-08:00Sliders & Sugar Detox Donuts!The winter blues have definitely gotten me down. Cold, snowy, & slushy out... my socks keep getting wet! Cold, wet socks are not pleasant grrrrr<br />
<br />
In other news, I made an easy, simple meal with plenty of flavor: turkey portobello sliders! I wanted "dessert" which defeats the purpose of a sugar detox, so I came up with a paleo, sugar detox version. It's no Dunkin Donuts, but you can use your imagination to take you there :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Turkey Portobello Sliders</b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbKpPwS56R5HllEC0MnhVGYasyeeL6Gd4q76mPyEp3AqdP4tPeimfOyyGRGB-iP1ZMn3XEv-6hJNTUzlFiRfkXgTwL_EPMA9pfVRnQth7nFF4lS-tBsQlYCSj3YYeGT1fIA0mS84f_Uk/s1600/IMG_0768%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbKpPwS56R5HllEC0MnhVGYasyeeL6Gd4q76mPyEp3AqdP4tPeimfOyyGRGB-iP1ZMn3XEv-6hJNTUzlFiRfkXgTwL_EPMA9pfVRnQth7nFF4lS-tBsQlYCSj3YYeGT1fIA0mS84f_Uk/s320/IMG_0768%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkey portobello slider with lettuce & avocado.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lb lean ground turkey<br />
5-6 small portobello mushroom caps, stem & gills removed<br />
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning<br />
1/2 tbsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tbsp onion powder<br />
2 tsp basil<br />
2 tsp rosemary <br />
1 tsp dried parsley<br />
1 tsp paprika<br />
2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
Toppings (optional): avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickle, raw/grilled onions, cheese (if allowed), etc <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.<br />
2. Place mushroom caps on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Use a paper towel to blot the excess moisture.<br />
3. While portobellos are baking, heat a skillet to medium-high heat.<br />
4. Use hands to combine turkey with seasonings. Divide into 5-6 small patties. Pinch the center so the burgers cook evenly.<br />
5. Melt coconut oil in skillet. Drop turkey patties into skillet and fry until bottom side is cooked (the edges will start to turn white), about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat. Add more coconut oil as necessary. <br />
6. Assemble your burger: portobello, toppings, turkey slider, & more toppings!<br />
7. Gobble up!!!<br />
<br />
NOTE: These sliders taste delicious with carrot "fries". Simply slice baby carrots in half, toss with olive oil & salt, then roast at 425 for 20 minutes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sugar Detox Paleo Donuts</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk6Sh4iCsLiHwiWv0L2AG0gliRM_kn7DSGmAjIGCGzg9RvVG_KrD2mF4h5OfUdZ5VG6DGim7nMT3NZ52-SN2gLbg4JGtrFmoyjSxuvyU0uqwxMUNRZlE4jUyr9DvR6cVzWFHX6UQ1kI0/s1600/IMG_0729%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlk6Sh4iCsLiHwiWv0L2AG0gliRM_kn7DSGmAjIGCGzg9RvVG_KrD2mF4h5OfUdZ5VG6DGim7nMT3NZ52-SN2gLbg4JGtrFmoyjSxuvyU0uqwxMUNRZlE4jUyr9DvR6cVzWFHX6UQ1kI0/s320/IMG_0729%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donuts clockwise from top left: cinnamon, sunbutter, cinnamon, sunbutter, & "chocolate frosting"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1/4 c coconut flour<br />
1 tbsp cinnamon <br />
1 tsp nutmeg<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
4 egg whites <br />
3 tbsp coconut milk <br />
Optional: 2 tbsp maple syrup, agave, or honey (NOT allowed on sugar detox, obviously)<br />
<br />
"Frosting" ideas: unsweetened sunbutter, cinnamon, or shredded coconut. If you're not on the sugar detox, honey would be a DELICIOUS frosting! <br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br />
2. Combine dry ingredients: coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add wet ingredients: egg whites, coconut milk, & sweetener if using. Mix until thoroughly combined.<br />
3. Grease a donut or mini-donut pan (I used mini) with coconut oil or butter. Pour batter into pan, about 3/4 full.<br />
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.<br />
5. Serve with frosting of choice. For the detox, sunbutter was the best in my opinion. Cinnamon was second place. I didn't have coconut at the time... but if you try it, let me know how it turns out.<br />
6. Eat with your eyes closed and imagine that you are biting into a Dunkin Donut... :)<br />
<br />
NOTE: I tried unsweetened cocoa powder mixed with melted coconut oil to
make "chocolate frosting" and it tasted horrendous. I don't it
recommend it :PPensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-28540105346289010782013-02-22T00:15:00.000-08:002013-02-24T22:11:18.329-08:00Paleo Pen Pals - FebruaryTime for February's round of <a href="http://www.whatigather.com/p/paleo-pen-pals.html">Paleo Pen Pals</a>, where you swap ingredients with another paleoite and create a dish from the ingredients. My pen pal was Rachel, a fellow Chicagoan and awesome blogger at <a href="http://painfreekitchen.com/">Pain Free Kitchen</a>. Shipping this round was the easiest one yet since we did a hand-off in the city. You can see what I got her and the recipe she came up with <a href="http://painfreekitchen.com/2013/02/paleo-pen-pals-make-your-own-mayonnaise/">here</a>. Rachel just finished her Whole30 and has been very encouraging since I've been struggling this go-round. She got me 3 ingredients: unsweetened coconut flakes, ground fenugreek (an Indian spice), and CSA leeks. I never had any of them before, so this was going to be a whole new adventure! Heck, I didn't even know what a leek looked like or how to go about cutting one :P<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZD1NXIJavsRl4SxD8_zurUFk7sr6aeTL3Ks6YdliLV6bnYPytfFODhRJZMxCrYg5V7BrWl4mI4kHQjBjyV9ABoba7HB3lAzC40oTGytAgXtqiWoqw4iufd2SGYWhk9H2hJJaygOvISM/s1600/IMG_0749%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZD1NXIJavsRl4SxD8_zurUFk7sr6aeTL3Ks6YdliLV6bnYPytfFODhRJZMxCrYg5V7BrWl4mI4kHQjBjyV9ABoba7HB3lAzC40oTGytAgXtqiWoqw4iufd2SGYWhk9H2hJJaygOvISM/s320/IMG_0749%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
I honestly had no idea how to combine all 3 ingredients into one meal. Coconut-flaked Indian-style leeks? Would that even taste good? Didn't want to risk botching this up, so I did a cop-out and made 3 separate things to highlight each ingredient: coconut shrimp (appetizer) with Indian chicken tikka masala and roasted leeks & asparagus. Each one turned out delicious!! The leeks were so yummy!! I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate more veggies into my diet so I'll definitely be buying leeks on my own now, even if I still don't know how to cut one... but that's another story. <br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Coconut Shrimp</b></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eRMh-nEY2rhhw-cHILfK_cVhMZNEX1KaC6sqKC1QUZsRqZ2Kr-4YHcI8HVjBmEKANLD7IfzxugAUDPdlI6TYnqmbTZIgnOpXbGf6TY_K9FZc3r_TLMPmU-goj80yZXdMAEfrbvgd6CU/s1600/IMG_0753%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eRMh-nEY2rhhw-cHILfK_cVhMZNEX1KaC6sqKC1QUZsRqZ2Kr-4YHcI8HVjBmEKANLD7IfzxugAUDPdlI6TYnqmbTZIgnOpXbGf6TY_K9FZc3r_TLMPmU-goj80yZXdMAEfrbvgd6CU/s320/IMG_0753%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lb shrimp, cleaned<br />
1/3c unsweetened coconut flakes (or finely ground)<br />
1/4 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/4 tsp onion powder <br />
1/4 tsp cayenne<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 egg white<br />
2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Heat skillet over medium-high flame. Pulse coconut flakes in food processor until finely ground.<br />
2. On a sheet of wax paper, combine coconut and spices.<br />
3. Crack egg white into a small bowl. Melt coconut oil in heated skillet.<br />
4. Dip shrimp into egg white, then dredge through coconut mixture until coated.<br />
5. Place shrimp into pan and cook on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add more coconut oil as necessary to get the job done.<br />
6. Serve with cocktail sauce or eat those bad boys by themselves! I may or may not have eaten the whole batch in one sitting...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chicken Tikka Masala</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUb36m41Pza1KCHr2fn71J1IDCz8of8-oW0KhrrjufGmPo5KDCxeo-Lzfeqm0LAd_o_D3pnX8ekTdKK5JZ01jYQJ_Ld41C0FiWDmVUib0og4w3z2rZpiW9bFgWgEdFu3JGy_ZNVodpF-g/s1600/IMG_0763%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUb36m41Pza1KCHr2fn71J1IDCz8of8-oW0KhrrjufGmPo5KDCxeo-Lzfeqm0LAd_o_D3pnX8ekTdKK5JZ01jYQJ_Ld41C0FiWDmVUib0og4w3z2rZpiW9bFgWgEdFu3JGy_ZNVodpF-g/s320/IMG_0763%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1.5 lb boneless/skinless chicken (breast and/or thighs), cubed<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
2/3 c coconut milk <br />
1/2 tbsp lemon juice<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced <br />
1 tbsp ground fenugreek<br />
1 tbsp garam masala<br />
1 tbsp turmeric <br />
1 tbsp chili powder <br />
1 tbsp cinnamon<br />
1 tbsp ground ginger<br />
2 tsp cayenne<br />
Cilantro leaves, chopped<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
2 tbsp coconut oil <br />
3 oz tomato paste<br />
1/3 c coconut milk<br />
1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained <br />
1 tsp each: fenugreek, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, ginger, & cayenne<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Place chicken into a zip-top plastic baggie. Add all following ingredients up to and including cilantro. Mix well to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but the longer the better (up to 48 hours).<br />
2. When you're ready to make the dish, heat a wok or deep pot over medium flame.<br />
3. Melt coconut oil and add the onions. Saute until translucent.<br />
4. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Add chicken, including marinade, to the pot. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.<br />
5. Serve over cauliflower rice, with <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/02/game-day-noshes-with-recipes.html">secretly veggie waffles</a> (a surprisingly good naan replacement to mop up the sauce), and/or enjoy all by itself. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Roasted Leeks/Asparagus</b></span></div>
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 leeks, julienned <br />
1 lb asparagus<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
3 tsp garlic salt (or 1.5 tsp garlic powder & 1.5 tsp salt)<br />
2 tsp herbs de provence<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.<br />
2. Arrange leeks and asparagus on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Pour olive oil over veggies and use hands to toss until the veggies are coated with oil. Sprinkle garlic salt and herbs de provence.<br />
3. Roast for 20 minutes or until browned and crispy. <br />
<br />Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-11725422933459136272013-02-19T21:50:00.006-08:002013-02-20T19:43:23.612-08:00Paleo HashbrownsRegistration for the 2013 Chicago Marathon opened today at noon. It was slated to sell out in record time, so the entire world logged in and the server crashed. Over 2 frustrating hours & 40 minutes later, I secured my slot in that epic race. The race organizers emailed later that night apologizing and they are working to fix the glitch. They are postponing all registrations for at least 2 more days, at which time they will tell people when registration will be reopening. Ridiculous.<br />
<br />
No sugar, no carbs, no gluten... 3 weeks later, I feel like I'm going crazy! I am craving everything, which is made worse all the more by the bitter cold (we eat more in wintertime), no sleep (our appetites are stimulated and metabolism slowed), and recent abnormally high stress (we crave carbs/sugar). I've been coping by eating more fat. This probably isn't the best cure and the idea of eating fat is something that used to repulse me but since going paleo I've learned to enjoy eating fat. In some ways, I wonder if my nutrition would be better if I had a more "balanced" diet of protein, fat, and just a little bit of carby carbs (rice, pasta, etc) instead of none at all. Then I think back to how I feel when I eat carby carbs and the answer is NO! Maybe I'm being too hard/strict on myself with this Whole60/sugar detox thing (plus self-imposed no fruits whatsoever). Perhaps one day I'll get to the point where I am a carefree, strict paleo and wouldn't have it any other way.<br />
<br />
Brunch is one of my favorite types of meals, so it's no surprise that one of my favorite "fatty" foods to eat is hashbrowns. Of course fried potatoes are an obvious no-no, but that doesn't mean that one can't reinvent them! I never tried rutabaga before, but turns out that they shred easily and can turn into tasty hashbrowns that are just as good as the white potato classic. I actually just had some for dinner... love me some breakfast for dinner :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oUbUfNph6puItfWN-UQRx8QYjL5r9UAiHR0j5garU3z7CJhzGN1OPhLzHXcWm7fpyGXEVuQtE4QyvJkDknLtsDrnMo7A4zxDHITpop6gOfMEvxKjedXOYk6qjzDo6MUQjliKVskvMd4/s1600/IMG_0755%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oUbUfNph6puItfWN-UQRx8QYjL5r9UAiHR0j5garU3z7CJhzGN1OPhLzHXcWm7fpyGXEVuQtE4QyvJkDknLtsDrnMo7A4zxDHITpop6gOfMEvxKjedXOYk6qjzDo6MUQjliKVskvMd4/s320/IMG_0755%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs, bacon & rutabaga hashbrowns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Hashbrowns </b></span> <br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS <br />
1 small rutabega, peeled<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
s&p<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.<br />
2. Using a food processor (or grating by hand), shred the rutabaga.<br />
3. Place rutabaga on a greased cookie sheet (or lined with non-stick foil). Drizzle olive oil on rutabaga and use hands to mix together.<br />
4. Spread the shreds evenly on the sheet. Sprinkle with s&p.<br />
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms get crisp. Turn the oven to broil and broil your rutabaga for about 1-2 minutes or until the tops get crisp.Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-39075024571843666432013-02-16T22:06:00.004-08:002013-02-18T20:39:40.625-08:00Chicken Fra DiavoloEver make a dish for the first time and you're like "da*n, I'm good!" ?? Oh, you do that every time you cook, eh? Way to show me up.<br />
<br />
It's been a grueling week here with the dissertation plus week 3 of the Whole60/sugar detox... when things gets hard to stay on track. I just keep reminding myself of why I'm doing it and what my goals are, but I'm not gonna lie- grilled cheese & ice cream sound really amazing right about now!!! Resuming CrossFit after a few days off due to back pain (which is back to normal now - no pun intended) helped to motivate me to eat better. There's nothing like 50 box jumps, 50 wall balls to the high/men's target, and 50 burpees with sandbag cleans for time to get your nutrition in check. Hot yoga also helped to negate cravings... pizza, wings & cupcakes just don't sound appealing after sweating like a dog for 90 minutes straight. But, 2 hours and a shower later, that's a different story. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I had a spaghetti squash to use and some random ingredients lying around so I decided to throw em all in a pot and see what came of it. I was smacking my lips after tasting this baby! Paleo chicken fra diavolo, I will be making you often! <br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chicken Fra Diavolo </b></span><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 medium-small spaghetti squash<br />
1 lb chicken breast or tenders, diced<br />
1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies (I used Trader Joe's
brand), drained<br />
Poultry seasoning (or salt, pepper, & paprika)<br />
Basil<br />
Italian seasoning<br />
Parsley<br />
Oregano<br />
4 strips of bacon, diced (optional... adds a nice extra flavor that compliments the rest of the dish)<br />
<br />
DIRECTIONS<br />
1. Preheat oven to 425. Cut spaghetti squash in half length-wise,
remove roots & seeds. Place cut-side down on cookie sheet and bake until soft, about 30-35 minutes.<br />
2. While spaghetti squash is baking, dice up your chicken and sprinkle
with poultry seasoning. Heat a pan with oil and add chicken until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook and dice
bacon at this point if you are going to use it.<br />
3. When spaghetti squash is done, use a fork to "shred" the squash
into noodles. Heat a pan on medium-low heat and add noodles. Add drained tomatoes/chilies and stir to combine. Add chicken, bacon,
basil, oregano, italian seasoning & parsley. Toss everything together to combine into one delicious meal.<br />
4. Eat up!!! Mmmm!<br />
<br />
NOTE: you could add a diced onion or garlic to the mix, but I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet and didn't have any on hand. I was very satisfied with how this meal turned out :)Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6687720570029189598.post-25434326225474907732013-02-09T17:05:00.001-08:002013-02-12T16:56:15.177-08:00Paleo Soul FoodEver feel like you reached your breaking point? That you just can't take any more of life's beatings? I reached mine on Thursday after 6 long, cold weeks of running around the city from dawn til dusk on public transit to meet with research participants (including weekends), barely sleeping, and the straw that broke the camel's back was an injury during my last CrossFit workout. Not sure what happened- we were doing overhead squats and box jumps, which was fine. Then I got to the locker room and my lower right back had a shooting pain. I could walk just fine, but standing from sitting and bending over was painful. Then I was walking to the lab and my left knee started aching badly. WTF. I was exhausted (physically/mentally) and realized that in my haste to catch the morning bus, I left my paleo/whole30/sugar detox lunch in the fridge. Plus my jeans & socks were soaked (in a wet, cold kind of way) from all the snow/rain and slushy sidewalks. Just felt like giving up and giving in... but sucked it up, popped some pain killers, stopped by the cafeteria for an unsatisfying lunch, and got back to work as best I could. When you feel like you reached the end of your rope, you find the strength to dig just a little bit deeper...<br />
<br />
Today I got 8 hours of sleep and felt better. Still stressed, still anxious, back still hurts, but it's feeling better. So, things are starting to look up... but some comfort food like paleo chicken tenders and paleo mac n cheese were definitely in order!! Plus, Week 2 of the Whole60/sugar detox is about up and this is when continuing gets hard. The chicken tenders came out amazing, I may or may not have eaten the whole batch in one sitting... and while the mac n cheese didn't taste nearly as good as the Kraft artificial everything, anti-paleo, blue box mac n cheese, it got the comfort food job done. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Paleo Chicken Tenders</b></span></div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
1 lb chicken tenders<br />
1/4 c coconut flour<br />
1/4 c almond flour<br />
3 tsp garlic powder <br />
3 tsp onion powder<br />
1 tsp basil<br />
1 tsp italian seasoning<br />
1/2 tsp paprika<br />
1 egg white<br />
Coconut oil <br />
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DIRECTIONS <br />
1. Heat frying pan to medium-high heat. On a sheet of wax paper, mix all the dry ingredients together. Crack the egg white in a small bowl.<br />
2. Melt coconut oil in pan, enough to cover the bottom. Oil is hot when a flick of water is dropped into the pan and it sizzles.<br />
3. Dredge chicken in egg white then through dry ingredients. Place in oiled pan and fry until the bottom side is cooked (the edge will turn white), about 4 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Add more coconut oil as necessary throughout the cooking process. <br />
4. Dig in!! Tasted great by itself, but can also be paired with paleo ketchup or <a href="http://pensivepaleo.blogspot.com/2013/02/game-day-noshes-with-recipes.html">sugar detox BBQ sauce</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Paleo Mac n Cheese </b></span></div>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
1 small spaghetti squash<br />
2 tbsp coconut oil<br />
2 tbsp arrowroot<br />
1/2-3/4 can coconut milk<br />
1 tbsp sunbutter<br />
2 tbsp nutritional yeast<br />
2 tsp ground mustard<br />
1 tbsp rice vinegar<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tsp onion powder<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg<br />
1 tbsp white wine<br />
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DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the roots/seeds. Place face-down on a cookie sheet and bake until soft, about 30-35 minutes.<br />
2. While spaghetti squash is baking, melt coconut oil in a small pot. Add arrowroot and stir to combine into a paste.<br />
3. Add coconut milk and bring to a low boil, then to a simmer.<br />
4. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine everything, and let it cool slightly.<br />
5. When spaghetti squash is done, use a fork to "shred" the squash into "noodles". Pour the 'cheese' mixture over the squash and use a fork to combine all that goodness. <br />
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Pensive Paleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03758973796786259913noreply@blogger.com1