Paleo Two-Meat Chili

Paleo Two Meat Chili
Recipe from my friend Monica; adapted from Everyday Paleo

2 tbsp olive oil
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pounds of grass fed ground beef
½ pound spicy italian pork sausage
1 pinches sea salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large can of diced tomatoes w/ juice
16 ounces chicken broth
Optional topping: avocado slices or chunks

Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add meat and brown.  Season with spices; stir. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer for 35 minutes (or longer if desired). Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

Recipe: This has become another staple here. I make at least one chili a week and we eat off of it all week. This one is great and I have made it for non-paleo friends and they love it, too. You just don't miss the beans. It tastes GREAT topped with avocado! I often puree the celery and onion - I'm just not a big fan of bites of this but love the flavor it brings.

Paleo Chicken Salad with Grapes & Almonds

one serving on a bed of lettuce

Paleo Chicken Salad with Grapes & Almonds
Adapted from Amee’s Savory Dish
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, raw
1 cup seedless grapes
1/2 cup chopped raw slivered almonds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 stalks celery
¼ of sweet onion
1/2 cup Paleo mayo recipe below

Boil water. Add raw chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. In the meantime, cut grapes in half. Add grapes, almonds, sea salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to a large bowl. Add celery and sweet onion to processor. Pulse until very finely chopped. Add to large bowl with grapes and spices. Rinse processor and add now cooked/drained chicken and pulse until lightly shredded. Add to bowl. Now, if mayonnaise isn’t made already, rinse processor and follow recipe below. Add half of the recipe below (1/2 cup total) mayonnaise to large bowl and mix everything together. Serve over fresh greens or wrapped in lettuce.

Nutritional Information per serving: 480 calories, 9 carbs, 37 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Amazing! We had this for dinner last night and it is just packed with flavor. I rolled mine up in lettuce leaves, and ate some of it 'straight' with a fork. It is a large serving for sure. I was especially happy with this mayo - it looks like real mayo, not a runny, oily mess I have found some of the Paleo mayos give me. This is more than likely going to be a staple on our weekly menus. If you're freaked by the fat grams, know that the vast majority of fat grams (and calories really) comes from the olive oil and almonds. I don't recommend using less mayo - it seemed like just the right amount - now swimming but not dry.

Paleo Mayo
Found on Amee’s Savory Dish
Makes 1 cup

1 large egg, room temperature not cold (very important!)
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon yields)
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper if you don’t mind black flecks)
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup extra light olive oil

Combine egg, lemon juice, mustard powder, pepper and salt in food processor and blend until frothy. Using drip hole in the top, drizzle oil in a few drops at a time. DO NOT rush this; drizzle oil down the tube little by little until all is mixed in and mixture is creamy.

Shrimp Etoufee

NO! this is not paleo... but i'm still finding some recipes I never posted pre-paleo!

Shrimp Etoufee 
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 cup onion, diced 
½ cup green pepper diced 
1 cup celery, finely diced 
2 tbsp mincd garlic 
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
2 tsp Cajun seasoning 
1 pound shrimp, peeled/tail-off 
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 
1 cup Jasmine rice (dry) 
1 lemon, cut into wedges 


 In a large pot, whisk together flour and oil until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes until reddish-brown in color. Add onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato sauce, 1 cup water, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning; simmer 15 minutes until celery is soft. Cook longer if it’s still ‘crunchy.’ Add shrimp and simmer 4 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve shrimp over rice. Squeeze lemon wedges over each plate. 


Nutritional Information: 407 calories, 53 carbs, 9 fat grams and 28 protein grams. 


Review: Powerful dish! It had so much flavor and everything mingled together great! We used fresh shrimp and it was excellent. Shrimp dishes typically don't reheat well, but the heavy sauce made this one do well, just heat at 50% so that the shrimp doesn't become rubbery. I thought this dish was easy to put together, although my processor made it easy to dice up all of the veggies. Make SURE you dice the celery well - no one wants a crunchy bite in the etoufee! I still can't get over the calorie counts - it tastes much more calorific.

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta

Hot Chicken Salad Pasta
Adapted from a Fabulessly Frugal recipe
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
½ cup celery, finely diced
1 can fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ tsp minced onion, dried
28 grams Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1 oz. potato chips, crumbled
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all the ingredients except cheese, potato chips and chicken. Add chicken and stir well. Place mixture in baking dish and add cheese then chips to the top of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 446 calories, 57 carbs, 8 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: So I had originally made this recipe but without pasta - instead it was in a wrap. I liked it, but wanted to try it with pasta - it just sounded good! So I tweaked the recipe a bit and here goes! It was super creamy, and I liked the little bites of celery - gave it some flavor but make SURE to dice the celery very finely so it adds flavor without too much crunch/vegetable awkwardness. I think what I liked best about this one was that it was really creamy. I think if you wanted to avoid potato chips, you could easily put panko bread crumbs on top, or even crushed reduced fat ritz crackers! I like it and will make it again!

whole dish

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls
Makes 4 Servings (of 2 egg rolls each)
Recipe adapted from Annie’s Eats

2 celery stalks
½ head cabbage, shredded/diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
½ cup onion, diced
1 pound purdue 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
5 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp red chili pepper flakes
1 tsp siracha
8 egg roll wraps

Chop celery into small chunks in food processor. Combine in a microwave safe bowl with cabbage and microwave, covered for 5 minutes. Add onion to food processor and chop until slushy. Add garlic and ginger until all are blended. Heat large pan over medium heat with oil. Spoon mixture into skillet and sauté in oil for 2-3 minutes. Add ground turkey and 3 tbsp soy sauce; cook until no longer pink, breaking up turkey further as you cook it. Drain any excess liquid and return to skillet. Add cooked cabbage and celery, remaining soy sauce and red chili pepper flakes. Stir until combined, remove from heat and allow to cool for 4-5 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees, spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and get out a small cup of water. Lay 8 egg roll wrappers on a big sheet of wax paper. Spoon mixture onto each, ensuring they have the same amount of filling. Roll each and seal with water. Bake for 10 minutes, turn and bake for 5 minutes or until browned.

Nutritional Information: 354 calories, 42 carbs, 5 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: The outside was really crispy and they had a nice spicy taste. I thought the turkey added an interesting twist - I liked how much it broke up - the pieces were tiny and so every bite tasted meaty rather than cabbagey if you know what I mean! The ginger/garlic/onion mixture was a great add too, and made the turkey taste extra juicy. I also liked that the meal was two packed egg rolls, very filling and a good, light eat. I worried it wouldn't reheat well, but we tested it with a George Foreman and it crisped right up! So good to reheat at home, but not at work (unless you can bring a panini maker to work!).

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Vegetable Tortellini Soup
Recipe Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
4 7” carrots, diced
2 10” celery stocks, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
6 cups of chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese tortellini
3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
2 oz. Cabot cheese, shredded, divided
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add seasonings and garlic, then stir constantly for 60 seconds before adding tomatoes and broth. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, then add the tortellini, zucchini and squash. Cook for 10 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in spinach and simmer until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information: 372 calories, 47 carbs, 12 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: I liked it a lot! The tortellini bites were my favorites, and all of the veggies really meshed well - almost like vegetable soup but SO fresh with big bites. I'm not a huge carrot person, so my first thought was to reduce the amount, but Austin said leave as is - he loved it! So maybe i'll just scoop more carrots into his bowl next time. :) I'd also like to try vegetable broth instead of chicken broth - I had purchased for the recipe but accidentally used the wrong one. oops! Either way, a success, and you guys - the servings are HUGE and filling.

in the pan!

Hot Chicken Salad

Hot Chicken Salad
Adapted from a Fabulessly Frugal recipe

Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, cooked and cubed
1 tbsp lemon juice
15 grams slivered almonds (2 tbsp)
½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
½ cup celery, finely diced
½ cup fat-free cream of chicken soup
½ tsp minced onion, dried
28 grams Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
1 oz. potato chips, crumbled
4 Mission tortillas, burrito size

Toast almonds on cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes. While toasting, mix all the ingredients except cheese and potato chips. Remove almonds and add to mixture, then turn the oven to 400 degrees. Place mixture in baking dish and add cheese then chips to the top of mixture. Bake for 20 minutes Serve with wraps.

After baking - could easily spoon over noodles or rice instead! I wouldn't recommend lettuce though - I think it would make it welt. The recipe suggested croissants.

Nutritional Information: 451 calories, 48 carbs, 13 fat grams and 37 protein grams.

Review: Loved! These were insanely filling, which was awesome. The casserole could easily be put on rice or noodles, but we liked them in wraps. They were warm and gooey - the mayonnaise, cream of chicken, cheese mix really tasted like it was so bad for you, but 450 is great! Next time I may even try BBQ chips for a little kick!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 stalks celery, diced
½ large red pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 ½ tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
½ tbsp paprika
¼ cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream
Jalapeno, sliced thinly

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Divide into four servings and serve with fat-free sour cream and jalapeno slices.

Nutritional Information (including sour cream): 417 calories, 55 carbs, 3 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: It DID NOT disappoint – OMG. So good. Spicy but cool, flavorful, filling and I really felt like I was eating something really bad for me – but it’s not! I used all of Biz’s stuff – just cut it in half and decided to use the slow cooker...and was lazy and didn't puree the celery, garlic and red pepper!

spoonful

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Swanson website (Stacy sent it)

Makes 2 Servings

1 can (9.75 oz.) Swanson Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
2 tbsp chopped celery (didn’t include; didn't have any!)
½ tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tbsp nonfat mayonnaise
1 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices Whole Wheat Bread
2 tomato slices
2 lettuce leaves

Mix chicken, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt and pepper. Divide chicken mixture among 2 bread slices. Top with tomato, lettuce and remaining bread slices.

Nutritional Information (with bread, tomato & lettuce leaves): 223 calories, 30 carbs, 6 fat grams, 24 protein grams.

Review: This was GREAT for packing for lunch – just made a baggy for bread, a baggy for tomato/lettuce and a container for the salad. I REALLY liked the salad, yummy and filling – but I definitely want to put the celery in next time –I like a bit more crunch ya know? And to add calories I would just serve with kettle chips or hummus + pita crisps.

Hummus Chicken Salad Wraps

Hummus Chicken Salad Wraps
Recipe from Aggie's Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings

4 tbsp sabra hummus (classic flavor)
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt + some for cooking
dash of pepper
10 oz. chicken, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice, divided
2 handfuls of romaine lettuce
2 Mission Balance Sundried Tomato Tortillas for wrapping

Set a pan over medium heat. Add chicken, a sprinkle of salt and a ½ tbsp of lemon juice. Cook until no longer pink, then shred with two forks. While the chicken cooks, use a small bowl to combine and stir hummus, celery, green onions, bell pepper, 1/8 tsp of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Add chicken and the rest of the lemon juice. Divide into two servings (each serving 143 grams). Put each serving on a tortilla with a handful of lettuce. Wrap up and enjoy!

Nutritional Information: 442 calories, 40 carbs, 13 fat grams and 40 protein grams. For you low-carbers (i.e. nutritional information without wrap): 232 calories, 5 carbs, 9 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it. Like WOW. If anything we may add a bit more red pepper and celery for more crunch. Love, love, love. We think it looks super professional. Like something I would order at a deli!! YUMMY, thanks, Aggie!!

Curried Tuna Pitas

Curried Tuna Pitas
Recipe from Cooking Light
Makes 1 Serving

3 oz. drained water-packed chunk light tuna (1 can)
1.5 tbsp fat free mayonnaise
½ tsp curry powder
1 tbsp celery, finely diced
2 tbsp sliced almonds (14 grams), diced
1 pita pocket cut at top (removes ¼ of it)!

Combine mayonnaise and curry powder. Stir, then add celery and almonds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, then stuff into pita. Serve.

Nutritional Information: Each pita has 271 calories, 24 carbs, 9 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: You could easily cut this back by only using 7 grams almonds (what the recipe called for!), or you could beef it up some by adding more celery, lettuce, tomato, etc. I liked it how it was though – nom nom nom. I’ll be making it again – too easy not too! Oh – you should know that it called for ½ tsp of celery seed but I couldn’t find that spice to save my life (could have SWORN I had it).

Jambalaya

Jambalaya
Inspired by a Hungry Girl recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 links fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced into coins
6 oz. chicken cut in strips, not cooked
2 14.5-oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes (not drained)
½ cup onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce, or more to taste
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
6 oz. raw shrimp, tails removed, deveined, chopped
2 cups minute white rice, cooked
Optional: salt and black pepper

Add all ingredients except shrimp and rice to a large pot on the stove. Mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked, about 35 minutes. While it’s cooking, cook rice in microwave. Remove cover on pot, shred chicken, add shrimp and re-cover. Continue to cook until shrimp are tender and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and additional hot sauce. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 56 carbs, 4 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: Great jambayla! I enjoyed it! I do think that next time i'll add a pinch of cayenne pepper for some fire, and I also think i'll reduce or omit the celery - it's just not for me. I did love the mix of sausage, shrimp and chicken - lots of yummy meats! And the microwave rice tasted great - I just can't cook rice into recipes - it always comes out crunchy. Sad. So great - but needs some tweaks for me!

Pasta Fagioli Recipe

Recipe by Gina’s Weight Watchers Recipes
Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

I tweaked it a bit (removed carrots; added mozzarella; upped the noodles; made it 4 rather than 5 servings) but it’s very much her recipe and AMAZING!

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, small to medium size
½ tbsp minced garlic
1 celery stalk, diced
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 large bay leaf
1 tbsp basil, dried
1 tbsp parsley, dried
1 tsp oregano, dried
4 cups fat free chicken broth (or 2 cans)
2 cups water
Sea salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. small pasta (I used mini fusili)
8 tsp grated parmesan cheese
40 grams fresh mozzarella, grated

In a deep pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Blend can of beans with one cup water in electric blender until smooth. Add blended beans to pan then add the tomato sauce, celery, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, sea salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to slow boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions. Ladle soup into bowls, remove bay leaf, and top each serving with 2 tsp grated parmesan and 10 grams fat free mozzarella.

Nutritional Information: 418 calories, 70 carbs, 9 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: You guys! It was so creamy and fabulous like MELT in my mouth. I can’t wait to make this again and make more of it. Me and Austin are officially obsessed with this new, rich, filling recipe. Thanks, Gina!