Paleo Chicken Salad with Bacon & Onions

Paleo Chicken Salad with Bacon & Onions
Recipe adapted from a non-paleo Food.com recipe

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, raw
3 slices Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon, cooked and diced
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4  tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup pureed 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, cook bacon in the microwave or stovetop per package instructions. Add lemon juice, cumin, onion powder, worcestershire sauce, sea salt, pepper and mayo to a large bowl. Add onions to processor. Pulse until pureed. Add to large bowl with  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) to large bowl and mix everything together. Serve over fresh greens or wrapped in lettuce.

Review: Wonderful! We LOVED this - the bacon really gives it a smoky flavor, great combined with the onion. This particular bacon tastes a lot like ham or Canadian bacon. We may actually like this better than the grape/almond chicken salad... or maybe we're just sick of that one as we've been eating on it for a few months now! Either way - this is our new favorite. I have even served it to non-paleo peeps and they love it!

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.

Paleo Drumsticks Two Ways

The lemon pepper version with green beans and cauliflower mash

Paleo Drumsticks Two Ways
Batch #2 adapted from a Health-Bent recipe

4 pounds drumsticks
Batch #1: juice and zest from 1 lemon; 1 tbsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt
Batch #2: 2 tsp each garlic powder, chili powder & paprika; 1 ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Coat large, 1” deep baking sheet in a tsp of olive oil – use fingers to spread it around and ensure whole pan is covered in oil. Add half of drumsticks to a large bowl. Mix 1 tbsp of olive oil in with hands. Toss Batch #1 Mixture on and mix further with hands. Lay on pan. Rinse bowl and hands. Add rest of drumsticks to bowl. Mix 1 tbsp of olive oil in with hands and toss Batch #2 Mixture on. Lay on other half of pan. Broil for 10 minutes skin side down. Turn each over and broil for another 20 minutes.

Review: Love these! We like Batch #1 with cauliflower mashed potatoes and green beans. Batch #2 is great with mash and beans, too, but it's also great with guacamole as it has a bit of Mexican taste to it.

Paleo Beef & Mushroom Chili

Paleo Beef & Mushroom Chili
From my friend Monica who adapted it from Food Blogger Jenna Weber's recipe

1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1.5 pounds ground beef, 85%
1 tsp minced garlic
10 oz. portabella mushrooms
1 15-oz. tomato sauce
1 10-oz. can rotel
½ cup brewed coffee
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When hot, add oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and garlic and cook until browned. Once meat has browned, add mushrooms and stir well, cooking for 5 more minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, rotel and coffee. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne. Simmer on low for 45 minutes (or longer!), stirring often.

Review: This is definitely the chili for mushroom lovers. It's excellent and so filling. I like that it's thicker too - very hearty and you just don't miss the beans. The coffee gives it a nice flavor, but really, to me, the mushrooms are the star of this recipe. This is a staple at our house; I alternate each week making this chili and this one.

Paleo Vegetable Beef Curry

Paleo Vegetable Beef Curry
Adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 pound steak, diced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp green curry paste
2 cups broccoli florets, fresh/raw
¼ cup basil, diced
1 cup beef broth
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups cauliflower rice (cauliflower shredded through processor)
¼ cup water

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. When oil begins to smoke, add meat and brown on all sides, 3 minutes. Add onions, peppers and curry paste; saute for 3 minutes. Add broccoli and basil; saute for 2 minutes. Add broth, milk, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes covered; stir; cook 10 more minutes uncovered. When curry is almost done, add cauliflower rice and water in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes to steam. Plate rice and serve curry over top. Add red pepper flakes and salt to taste.

Review: We really enjoyed the flavors, but had to add a lot of red pepper flakes to give it some kick, so I added this to the recipe. Also, it was more soupy than we like, so I reduced the beef broth a bit and think that will make it even better next time. It was more like a soup than a curry to me and very thin, so know that going in! All in all, we did really enjoy this and I loved how packed it was with  yummy veggies.

Paleo Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

Huge pot of Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

Alongside my two-scrambled-egg breakfast

Paleo Rosemary Sweet Potatoes 
Recipe adapted from my friend Chanel's

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp dried rosemary
2 tbsp grass-fed butter, melted
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size bag and shake until well mixed. Coat baking sheet with 1 tsp olive oil - use hands to spread it on pan. Carefully pour mixture onto pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour until sweet potatoes are crispy. Stir every 20 minutes.

Review: Loved! Served a spoonful alongside two eggs for breakfast and it was wonderful. Will definitely be making this again. It makes a ton, too, so I won't be making it for a while! Could see myself making this once a week and serving alongside eggs or any protein/meat - great side!

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 and Broccoli Casserole

Paleo Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Recipe adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

2 tbsp olive oil
1 pound chicken breasts, skinless boneless diced
1 pound chicken thighs, skinless boneless diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
6 cups broccoli florets, fresh
5 cups cauliflower florets, fresh
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 425. Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown and cook chicken for 5 minutes until no longer pink. drain and add to a rectangular baking dish. In same skillet, add onions and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 inch water. Cook broccoli 5 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, in a large pan, add cauliflower, coconut milk and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and cover for 10 minutes until fork tender. Add drained broccoli mixture to dish with chicken. Transfer cauliflower mixture in batches to food processor; add spices to processor and pulse until no lumps remain. Pour over chicken and broccoli in batches. Top with paprika and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned and bubbling.

Review: So creamy and fabulous! Tasted like a Thanksgiving creamy "bad" casserole. The curry spices definitely made the cauliflower taste especially like mashed potatoes. Next time I'm going to consider adding mushrooms - I believe the author of the recipe suggested spinach, too, but I don't love spinach so I probably won't try this. I haven't freezed it, but this is the recommendation for freezing: do not bake; instead, layer plastic over top then foil. Place in refrigerator to cool then move to freezer. When ready, thaw in refrigerator for 2 days, then bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes until heated through.

Paleo Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”
Adapted from Quick & Easy Paleo Comfort Foods

without curry powder , which makes it yellow!

5 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup organic chicken broth
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp curry powder* (remove for a different non curried flavor)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, add cauliflower, coconut milk and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium and cover for 10 minutes until fork tender. Transfer cauliflower mixture in batches to food processor; add spices to processor and pulse until no lumps remain.

Review: I just love this. I make a batch almost every week and serve it alongside drumsticks, steak, etc. It's a great addition and really makes me feel like I'm having potatoes! I often double it to make sure I always have it on hand. Sometimes I'll do a version of 'regular/garlic' and then the one with 'curry' - they taste very different!

Paleo Zoodles & Meatballs

Paleo Zoodles & Meatballs
Makes 4 Servings
Idea from my friend Josie; Adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

6 Zucchini
8 oz. ground beef
8 oz. Hot Italian Sausage
1 egg
1 cup diced fresh basil, divided
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups organic/gluten-free spaghetti sauce

In a large mixing bowl, add beef, sausage, egg and half of the basil. Mix together, then roll into meatballs 1” in diameter. Heat large pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic, then meatballs. Brown, turning often until all are browned and cooked through, 7 – 8 minutes. Top with spaghetti sauce and put lid on for 10 minutes over simmer. While simmering, use julienne peeler to make “zoodles.” Add all to a large, microwave-safe bowl and cover with wet paper towels. Microwave for two minutes and set aside. Remove meatballs from heat and add remaining fresh basil on top. Serve over zoodles.

Review: Love. We have made this for non-paleo guests too and you truly don't miss the pasta. Honestly! The meat has so much flavor and the zucchini is a great sub. Winning recipe and a weekly staple that helps us stay on the whole foods, gluten-free track around here!

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.

Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage

Pecan Pesto Shells with Sausage
Recipe inspired by Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

12 oz. dry pasta, small shape
3 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup pecan halves
16 tsp grated Parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
1 pound Hot Italian Turkey Sausage

Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot. In the meantime, pulse parsley, pecans, parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in food processor. With machine running, add olive oil to the top and process until smooth. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add pesto, sausage, and 1/4 cup of cooking water to pasta. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan as garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information: 511 calories, 48 carbs, 26 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Such a rich, creamy dish! Very filling between the sausage, nutty sauce and pasta. The original recipe called for regular sausage, but I thought the turkey sausage was great. It is definitely a higher calorie meal for me, but well worth it for a hearty, homemade pesto with our homegrown basil! I will definitely make this again, especially in the fall for a nice, heavy pasta dinner!

Soy Glazed Salmon

Soy Glazed Salmon
Makes 2 Servings
Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (juice from ½ lemon)
½ tbsp dry white wine (or water)
8 oz. salmon, skin removed
½ cup basmati rice, dry
optional topping: sesame seeds

Cook rice per package instructions on stove. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, stir sugar, oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and wine until sugar has dissolved. Spray nonstick cooking spray in square baking dish. Add fish in a single layer. Pour glaze over fish and turn to coat evenly. Bake until fish is opaque, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over basmati, spooning remaining glaze on top as a sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Nutritional Information: 401 calories, 43 carbs, 14 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: The glaze was very tasty, and it made plenty to allow for the sauce to give the rice flavor. I liked how easy this was, too – I had all of the ingredients on hand! I did use wine, only because I happened to have a bottle open already, but I feel certain it would be fine with water instead like the recipe suggested as an alternative. I will definitely have this again, and think it would be great with other grains, too, like couscous or quinoa, or with an Asian-inspired salad!

Sweet Chili Fish Tacos

Sweet Chili Fish Tacos
Inspired by a taco I had at Cheeky Taqueria; help with the tilapia from a Food Network recipe
Makes 2 Servings

2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp spike seasoning (or a seafood seasoning)
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
½ pound tilapia fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic
4 small flour tortillas (about 80 calories each)
Toppings:
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided
1 cup romaine, shredded, divided
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, divided (we use Frank's brand)
2 tsp sesame seeds, divided

 In a shallow dish, combine flour, seasoning, salt and pepper. Add tilapia and coat on each side, flipping six times. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan and stir 10 seconds until fragrant. Place tilapia in skillet. Brown for 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, heat tortillas and get toppings ready (I heat tortillas by flipping them one at a time directly on the stove eye grate, then stack them up and microwave for 10 – 15 seconds just before prepping.) For each tortilla, spread ½ tbsp sour cream, then top with one quarter of the fish and lettuce, ½ tbsp sauce and ½ tsp seeds.

Nutritional Information: 412 calories, 48 carbs, 12 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Loved! The sweet chili sauce definitely made them - a great, jelly-like Asian-inspired topping. The tacos were very tasty and had a lot of flavor, and best of all - they were QUICK! From start to finish, I'd say maybe 15 minutes. I'll definitely be making these again, especially since I picked up the tilapia today for only $2.50 - woo! To make this 4 servings, simply double it. And note, I included all of the flour in the nutritional information, but at least 1 tbsp was left in the pan/not eaten. To make the recipe more filling, I'd just add more fish! We will absolutely be having these again!

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara

Ricotta Shells with Homemade Marinara
Recipe inspired by Real Simple recipe
Makes 4 Servings

8 oz. jumbo pasta shells (28 shells)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
6 tbsp fresh basil leaves, diced; divided
4 tsp reduced fat grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions (make an extra shell or two in case they stick!). Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Crush tomatoes in hands (be careful - wear an apron!) and ad them and their juices to the pan. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 minutes. Mix together ricotta with 4 tbsp basil.. Stuff each shell with about 1 tbsp ricotta mixture. Place 7 stuffed shells on each plate/bowl/etc.. Top with 1/4 of the tomato sauce, 1 tsp of the parmesan cheese and a portion of the remaining basil. Top with additional salt or pepper as needed/to taste.

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 56 carbs, 16 fat grams and 17 protein grams.

Review: We just loved this. I was at first very nervous about using so much olive oil, but it really made the sauce, which is the star of this recipe, as is the fresh basil. This was wonderful and reheated very well. For those who want less fat grams:  I feel certain that 3 tbsp would taste the same! For those who want to sub those fat grams out for something else: If you took out the tbsp of olive oil, I feel like you could replace it with light ricotta cheese (vs. fat-free) and that would be great.For those who hate stuffing shells: You can use a short pasta  (like rotini or farfalle) and just drop in balls of ricotta/basil vs. stuffing the shells - would be quicker!

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff

Shitake & Sirloin Stroganoff
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

6 oz. wide egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound sirloin, diced
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 cup thinly sliced leek
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp minced garlic
1 5-oz. package presliced shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, diced

Cook noodles according to package instructions (approx. 9 minutes). Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Swirl to coat. Add beef; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until all sides are browned. Remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add leek, thyme, garlic and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour and paprika on top and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and sour cream. Stir in beef. Serve over noodles and sprinkle parsley on top.

Nutritional Information: 489 calories, 44 carbs, 15 fat grams and 42 protein grams.

Review: Excellent, hearty recipe! The mushrooms added a lot to this recipe - definitely don't do the white ones. If you want to, sub 'hot paprika' for the paprika - the recipe called for it but I didn't have it - an extra kick would be fine but it was great as was. This was my first time cooking with a leek and it added a lot of flavor, too. I am very happy with this recipe and will definitely make it again. I also liked that it only took 20 minutes from start to finish - always a plus for us!