Monthly Archives: April 2015

Paleo Chicken Salad

Paleo Chicken Salad:

(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

*This chicken salad is DELICIOUS, healthy, and is wonderful served chilled as a spread on my plantain bagels, salted plantain chips, or on top of romaine salad. It is also egg free, which means there is no mayo (however it tastes like it has mayo)! Therefore no worry of getting salmonella using raw eggs (required for most paleo mayo recipes). The recipe also uses STEAMED chicken, which makes the chicken moist and tender rather than dry. This chicken salad can also be frozen for a month in the freezer for later and will stay fresh in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. This is great to make ahead of time for a quick lunch to grab during the week, or even for a picnic! Enjoy!

Ingredients for Chicken Salad:

-3 cups steamed shredded chicken strips

-3/4 cups chopped celery

-3 hard-boiled eggs chopped

-3/4 cup of my Asian Peach Vinaigrette (See recipe on website)

-1 ½ Tbsp. black pepper

-Garlic powder to taste

-Onion power to taste

-Salt to taste

-Pepper to taste

-2 tsp. celery seed

-Dash of paprika for garnish (optional)

-Roasted, salted, sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)

Extra Ingredients for Steamed Chicken:

-Large steamer pot with steamer basket/pot inside.

-1 lemon sliced

-1 Tbsp. dried Rosemary

-1 Tbsp. dried parsley

-1 Tbsp. cumin seeds

-1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

Method:

To Steam Chicken:

  1. Thaw your chicken strips (about 3 cups worth) overnight in the fridge if frozen or thaw running under cold water.
  2. Fill your pot with water to just below the base of your steamer basket. Remove your steamer basket. Wash and slice one organic lemon and add to the water with your rosemary, parsley, cumin seeds, and garlic powder.
  3. Bring the water to a boil. Place your thawed chicken strips in the base of your steamer basket and place in your pot with the boiling water. Cover tightly with a lid and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes until all pieces are completely cooked through.

For Chicken Salad:

  1. Boil 3 eggs in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
  2. Place your steamed chicken in a large bowl and pull apart into small pieces.
  3. Chop your celery into small pieces and add to your chicken.
  4. Chop your hard-boiled eggs into small pieces and add to your chicken as well.
  5. Add my Peach Asian Vinaigrette (if not already made and in fridge see my recipes!) and celery seed and stir to mix well.
  6. Mix in your salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder (be generous with the onion and garlic powder) to taste.
  7. Serve chilled with a dusting of paprika (optional) and a sprinkle of salted sunflower seeds on top (optional) for garnish.

Paleo Cashew CHEESE!

Paleo Cashew Cheese:

(Makes…a lot! Enough to freeze a large amount for later)

*For the record…this recipe is dedicated to my MAMMA WHO LOOOOOVVVESSS CHEESE:).

*This recipe is an amazing substitute for cheese. For all of my fellow lactose-intolerant friends, and those who just want a HEALTHY version of cheese, this is great. If can be grated into shredded cheese, sliced into slices, subbed for cheese in ANY recipe, and is an excellent cheese topping for bagels, pizzas, casseroles, lasagnas, pastas, and more. It can also be frozen and kept for months in the freezer. Because this recipe takes a little lime, I always make a TON of it in bulk, put a smaller amount in the fridge to use for cheese use from day-to-day, and then put the rest in small Tupperware containers to take out as needed from the freezer. This cheese has no gross fillers, casein, soy, or chemicals and is lactose free and all natural! It also contains grass-fed gelatin, which is PACKED with protein.

*Tip-One of my favorite ways to serve this cheese is to place 3 or 4 slices on top of a halved bagel, sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt and dried, chopped chives, and bake at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted. Then let the bagel sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Excellent on top of my amazing plantain bagels. Yes, they are bagels made from plantains, not flour…recipe will be posted soon!

*Tip-Another interesting way to use this cheese is in the form of a very thin wafer. Simply place about ¼ cup of the cheese on a microwave –safe plate and microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes (or until a crisp wafer forms). This is an excellent soup or salad topper crumbled on top or added as a beautiful garnish!

Ingredients:

-6 cups raw cashews

-8 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk

-Just less than 3/4 cups lemon juice

-6 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

-1 cup grass-fed gelatin

-1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil

-5 tsp. Himalayan sea salt

-3 tsp. dried basil

-1 tsp. black pepper

-3 tsp. dried oregano

-6 dashes of organic garlic powder

Method:

  1. Place your cashews in a large soup pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. As soon as you reach boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes until your nuts are soft.
  2. Drain your nuts in a strainer and place in your Vitamix or food processor. Add to your salt, basil, pepper, and oregano, and garlic powder to your Vitamix or food processor. Blend until thick, smooth, paste forms.
  3. Put your almond milk, vinegar, gelatin lemon juice, and olive oil into the same pot used to boil your cashew nuts, and bring to a boil, stirring throughout. AS SOON AS you reach a boil, reduce the heat to medium and lightly boil for 5 minutes, stirring every one-minute.
  4. Let the liquid cool slightly and then add to your cashew paste in your Vitamix or food processor and blend until smooth.
  5. Then wipe the inside of your Tupperware with olive oil on a paper towel (to keep the cheese from sticking to the sides) and pour the liquid into each. Then place your filled Tupperware in the fridge for at least 2 hours until firm. Then keep one Tupperware in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer to store for later. To thaw the cheese, simply place you tupperware back in the fridge over night.

Paleo Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Tenderloin with Fig, Cranberry, Pistachio, Cashew Cheese and Portobello Stuffing

Paleo Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Tenderloin with Fig, Cranberry, Pistachio, Cashew Cheese and Portobello Stuffing:

*This recipe is sure to impress and is most importantly healthy, quick, and easy! Serve as a holiday dish or anytime of the year for company, or just to indulge yourself! Serves 5 easily!

Ingredients:

-One 1.5 pound turkey tenderloin (Plainville Farms brand used here)

-Prosciutto slices (ask butcher to shave enough to wrap your entire turkey tenderloin)

Stuffing:

-1/3 cup diced yellow onion

-3/4 cup diced Portobello mushrooms (sautéed in 1 to 2 Tbsp. Low Sodium Worcestershire sauce)

-5 organic fresh sage leaves chopped

-1/3 cup dried cranberries

-1/3 cup pistachios

-1/2 cup almond flour

-3 to 4 Tbsp. chopped or dried parsley

-1Tbsp. Rosemary

-4 Tbsp. USDA organic fig preserves

-1/2 cup melted cashew cheese (optional but highly recommended-see cashew cheese recipe post to make..if not up yet, it will be posted soon!!!)

-1 egg

-1/2 tsp sea salt (to add to stuffing) and 1 to 2 tsp to sprinkle on top of prepared and wrapped tenderloin)

-Black Pepper

-2 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick olive oil cooking spray.
  2. Sautee your onions with your sage one Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add your Portobello mushrooms and your Worcestershire sauce and sauté for another 2 minutes stirring throughout. Dump onto a plate to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl add your almond flour, pistachios, cranberries, parsley, rosemary, and sea salt and mix well. Then add in your fig preserves, melted cashew cheese (melt in microwave about 45 seconds), sautéed onions and mushrooms and egg. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Then place plastic wrap on a clean cutting board. Wrap loosely around your turkey tenderloin (to avoid making a mess when you hammer it down flat). Then pound your turkey tenderloin into a long oblong flat shape. Remove your plastic wrap and place your tenderloin on your baking sheet.
  5. Spoon your stuffing onto your turkey tenderloin spreading out evenly. Then roll your tenderloin and wrap the outside with your slices of prosciutto.
  6. Drizzle your rolled and wrapped tenderloin with a little olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and rosemary and place on the bottom rack of your pre-heated oven. Let bake for 20 minutes.
  7. Turn down heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 30 minutes until the top is golden and the meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees F.
  8. Let cool for 10 minutes and slice.

*In this picture I have served it with my baked sweet potato maple bacon side and left-over all natural fig preserves. See recipe post on the website (if not there yet…will be soon!!!).

Honey Mustard and Herb Baked Turkey Tenderloin

Honey Mustard and Herb Baked Turkey Tenderloin:

*This recipe is SO easy to make and requires few ingredients. Great to prepare ahead on Sunday for protein addition to dinner during the week!

Ingredients:

-1 ¼ pound turkey tenderloin (boneless and skinless)

-6 Tbsp. honey

-4 Tbsp. yellow mustard

-1 Tbsp. lemon zest (use a washed organic lemon!!!)

-1 to 2 Tbsp. dried rosemary

-1 to 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

-Sea salt and pepper to dust tenderloins

-Olive Oil nonstick cooking spray (Really like Pam’s All Natural Nonstick olive oil cooking spray…found at Publix)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 F and line a large baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then spray the surface of your foil with the nonstick spray.
  2. Place your tenderloin(s) on your aluminum foil lined baking pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. In a small bowl stir your mustard and honey until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl zest your lemon and combine with your rosemary.
  5. After zesting your lemon, squeeze 1 to 2 Tbsp. of the juice onto your tenderloin.
  6. Then pour your honey mustard mixture covering the surface of your tenderloins.
  7. Finally, cover your tenderloins in your rosemary and lemon zest mixture.
  8. Pop in your preheated oven for 40 minutes and keep your oven fan on! I say this because your honey mustard that runs off the tenderloin will become charred. Don’t worry, your tenderloin won’t! It will remain tender and amazingly moist on the inside.
  9. Let cool and slice into ½ inch medallions. An electric knife makes this really easy…hint, hint. Enjoy!

Rosemary Garlic Baked Chicken Fingers

Rosemary Garlic Baked Chicken Fingers:

Ingredients:
-Free range raw chicken tenderloin strips

-Rosemary

-Garlic powder

-Himalayan sea salt

-Black pepper

-Organic extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Then line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray (I prefer Kelapo’s Coconut Oil Nonstick Spray).
  2. Evenly space and place your chicken tenderloin strips on the baking sheets making sure they do not touch. I totally didn’t mean to rhyme there but it sounded great. How funny would it be to hear a rap song telling you how to make a recipeJ! Just a random thought.
  3. Drizzle the top of each tenderloin with your olive oil and then sprinkle each with your rosemary, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
  4. Place your chicken strips in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (check on them after 20 minutes). Remove when the chicken strips are cooked through and slightly golden on top. Allow to cool and enjoy!

*These can be stored in the fridge in Tupperware for a week and are a great snack, salad topper, grab and go lunch, and easy protein to add to dinner. Yum!

Paleo French Vanilla-Banana Ice Cream

Paleo French Vanilla-Banana Ice Cream:

(Makes about 4 cups)

*This is the easiest ice cream you will ever make! And so healthy and good for you!

I used my Vitamix 7500 to make this recipe, but it can also be made in a regular blender. It just comes out a bit creamier and freezes a little better than when using a regular blender. Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

-6 frozen peeled bananas

-1 cup of ice

-1 tsp. Himalayan sea salt (or other sea salt)

-1/3 cup light coconut milk (Trader Joes Brand is HIGHLY preferred because it is only coconut milk and water…no gross guar gum or other additives)

-2 cups vanilla or regular almond milk (I really like it with Almond Breeze’s new almond milk with a hint of honey)…even better for you if you make your own almond milk!

-3 Tbsp. organic liquid Stevia (Trader Joes brand preferred again!)

-2 Tbsp. organic vanilla extract (or1 Tbsp. scraped vanilla bean)

-*Optional but highly recommended…Add 1 cup of sliced, frozen peaches. I’m not sure why, but the peaches makes the ices cream taste even more like french vanilla!

Method:

  1. Peel and freeze your bananas in a Ziploc freezer bag overnight.
  2. Combine all your ingredients in your blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth. If using a Vitamix stay at level 3 or 4 and below so it stays cold.
  3. Enjoy! And if you freeze the rest for later, let it thaw for about 10 minutes out of the freezer before scooping it out.

Watermelon Mint Sorbet

Watermelon Mint Sorbet: (*Picture will be added this summer when I make it again. Sorry about that!)

*This is the most REFRESHING treat you will ever taste on a hot summer’s day! I can be served as a sorbet in bowls garnished with a mint leaf or 2 or can be frozen into popsicles using popsicle molds! I discovered this recipe when I bought a HUGE watermelon last summer. I had so much watermelon left over I knew I would never eat it all before it spoiled. I hate wasting food…and thus the watermelon mint sorbet was born…

Ingredients:

-1quart of watermelon

-juice of 2 limes

-5 fresh mint leaves

-2 Tbsp. honey

-1/4 cup stevia

Method:

  1. Chop up your watermelon and place in a blender with your other ingredients.
  2. Blend until smooth and place the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour (you want it to be really cold so it will create a true sorbet consistency when you add it to your ice cream maker).
  3. Add your cold mixture to your ice cream maker (I use the ice cream maker attachment I have for my Kitchen Aid, but any ice cream maker will do the trick). Let the ice cream maker run for at least 20 minutes until the consistency of sorbet. You can also use a Vitamix, and if so, add 2 cups of ice before blending!
  4. Enjoy and store the extra (if you have any left is you have company) in the freezer in ice cream molds for popsicles later (makes a great refreshing treat on the go or relaxing by the pool in the hot summer months).

Plantain Pita Bites

Plantain Pita Bites:

(Makes one cookie sheet worth of pita bites)

*These are amazing!!! They are my on the go snack on a daily basis. They may be used as pita bites for dipping or simply enjoying by themselves (place them in a paper towel and microwave them for 20 seconds…trust me it brings out a slight sweetness in the flavor and gives them a wonderful soft doughy texture). The plantains also provide complex carbs that are digested more efficiently and are more readily used by the body. They also do not cause insulin spikes and will keep you feeling satisfied. They stay fresh for a week in a cookie jar or a cookie tin lined with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

-6 ripe plantains peeled and chopped

-2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil melted (microwave for 30 seconds in a microwave-safe dish)

-1/4 cup honey

-2 tsp. salt (plus additional for sprinkling on top before baking)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Then line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with nonstick coconut oil spray (Kelapo brand makes a great all natural coconut oils spray you can buy at Publix).
  2. Place all your ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix and blend until smooth.
  3. Then pour over the entire base of your parchment lined baking sheets so the dough is about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Spread evenly over the base of your baking sheets with a spatula or large spoon until smooth and level.
  4. Place your baking sheets in the oven for 10 minutes to bake on the middle rack. After 10 minutes remove them form the oven and cut the dough with a pizza cutter into the desired shape and size of your pita chips. I like to cut mine in horizontal parallel lines length wise, width wise, and then diagonally to make lots of little triangles. Trust me…you will want to do this after 10 minutes and no more because it is much easier than trying to cut them after they are completely baked. Then pop them back in the oven to bake for another 7 to 10 minutes (check the bottom of a chip after 5 minutes to make sure the bottom is golden and not too burnt looking).
  5. Remove from the oven and tear your pita bites apart, placing them in a cookie jar or cookie tin lined with parchment paper (optional for easy clean up). They will stay fresh for weeks!!! To eat leftovers just wrap them in a semi-wet paper towel and microwave them for about 15 to 20 seconds. If you want crisper pita chips, pop them in the oven again at 400 for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Healing Paleo Crockpot Sweet Potato, Bacon, and Chicken Leek Stew

Healing Paleo Crockpot Sweet Potato, Bacon, and Chicken Leek Stew:

(Serves 4 to 5 large bowls)

Ingredients:

-16 oz. low sodium chicken broth (I prefer the Organic Pacific brand)

-1 15 oz. box of chicken bone stock (Again…Organic Pacific)

*Note that bone broth/stock is amazing for the gut and the immune system, not to mention it is packed with protein!

-1/2 cup water

-6 organic leeks (6 individual shoots…not 6 whole leeks) washed and chopped

*Again, leeks are great for the gut and aids in digestion!

-1 cup frozen pearl onions

-Two 15 oz. cans organic sweet potato puree

*Adds extra antioxidants and body to your soup!

-1/4 cup honey

-2 rounded Tbsp. Arrowroot flour (helps to thicken the soup base)

-3 ½ cups (1 bag) organic frozen sliced tricolor carrots (I prefer Stalbush Island Farms brand…found these at Earthfare)

-4 cups pulled rosemary chicken tenders (see my quick simple recipe on my site)

-1 Tbsp. extra virgin organic olive oil

-8 strips of cooked turkey bacon (to crumble on top of each bowl at the very end-1 strip per bowl served) (I prefer Lou’s Garrett Valley Naturals All Natural Uncured Peppered Turkey Bacon…found at Earthfare)

Method:

-Place all ingredients (except the bacon) in a crockpot and stir.

*Make sure you have at least 2 inches of free space from the soup of the soup to the top of the crockpot because the soup will expand during the cooking process. I forgot about this while making this recipe and wound up with a wonderful mess on my countertop I had to clean up! Oopsies.

-Cook your soup on high for 3 hours in your crockpot and cook your bacon until crisp.

-After 3 hours, spoon your soup into your serving bowls and top with the crumbled crisp bacon.

*In the picture I have served my soup with a delicious toasted and halved poppy seed plantain bagel topped with cashew cheese. See the recipes for both on the website! If not there yet I will have them up soon so keep checking!

*Also note that this soup will thicken overnight stored in the fridge in a covered container. That’s why I call this a stew!

Ginger, Turmeric, and Mango Paleo Ice Cream

Ginger, Turmeric, and Mango Ice Cream:

(Makes 4 large servings)

*This is the most velvety, creamy, ice cream you would swear is made with fattening ingredients and heavy cream, but of course it has nothing of the sort! With the vitamin C punch of the mango, and the countless anti-inflammatory and numerous health benefits of turmeric and ginger root, this ice cream is the healthiest it can possibly be! Not to mention DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

-4 cups frozen mango

-One 3 inch piece organic turmeric root cubed (with the outer part removed with a peeler)

-Four to five 1 inch cubes organic ginger root (with the outer part removed with a peeler)

-1 cup almond milk (I prefer unsweetened Califa Farms brand in particular-it is wonderfully creamy)

-2 Tbsp. Stevia(*optional if you want it extra sweet)

Method:

-Combine your ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve immediately. Enjoy!