lemon tart

Who says you can’t bake paleo and make something to die for delicious. Yes, it is that good!

Preheat oven 375 degrees

For the crust:

1 c raw almonds

3/4 c almond flour/meal

lemon zest of one lemon

3 tbsp honey

2 eggs whisked

1/4 c coconut oil (plus greasing)

1/4 c coconut butter

In a food processor combine almond flour/meal and almonds until course meal is formed. Add honey, lemon zest, eggs, oil, and butter and pulse until thoroughly mixed.

Grease a tart pan with coconut oil and press crust mixture into pan.  Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browed.

For lemon curd

3 lemons

5 eggs

1/3 c honey

zest of 1 lemon

3/4 c of fresh lemon juice

1/2 c coconut oil

In a sauce pan combine eggs,  honey, lemon zest and whisk. Add coconut oil and turn on stove to medium. Add lemon juice a little at a time whisking until mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and strain mixture through a sieve. Refrigerate until cooled completely.

Once crust and lemon have cooled completely (refrigerate to speed up cooling). Spread lemon curd over crust and place in oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until custard looks translucent. Cool completely before serving. Top with fresh raspberries or not and enjoy!

Bora Bora Fireballs (pork meatballs)

 

 

This recipe is a little time consuming but SO yummy, especially when served with cauliflower rice and a drizzle of raw coconut aminos  on top.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded coconut

2 pounds ground pork

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, sugar-free, packed in it’s own juice
2 eggs lightly beaten
3-4 scallions, white and green, very thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1 1/2 teaspoons dried ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
3/4 teaspoon, plus 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the coconut. Toast, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Set aside to cool.

2. Drain the can of pineapple in a sieve placed over a bowl to catch the juice. Press the pineapple pulp against the sieve with a wooden spoon to extract the excess moisture. Place the pineapple in a large mixing bowl and save the juice for later.

3. To the pineapple add 1/2 teaspoon salt, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, scallions, jalapeño and eggs. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined. With your hands, crumble the pork into the bowl and knead until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

4. Arrange the bowls of pineapple juice, spiced coconut, and seasoned pork for easy access. Measure a level tablespoon of pork to make a meatball. Lightly douse it in the pineapple juice, then roll it in the coconut, pressing the coconut shreds into the meat by lightly rolling the ball between your palms. Don’t go crazy with the coconut because you’ll run out before all the balls can be rolled! Line up the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart.

5. Slide the meatballs in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until sizzling and golden brown. As good as they are right out of the oven, these taste even better the second day.

This recipe is from Well Fed via Natalie Gussin, CrossFit Ready athlete.

Chicken with butternut squash

This is a great one pot meal.  Use a medium to large dutch oven or heavy pot.  I like to find recipes that are not paleo and make them paleo. This recipe was easy to make and by replacing wheat flour with coconut flour and olive oil with grape seed oil, I turned the recipe into one of our favorite paleo dishes.

Ingredients:

1/2 large butternut squash (1 1/2 pounds), peeled, halved, and seeded and cubed
2 tbsp grape seed oil OR olive oil ( I used grape seed oil)

3-4 medium chicken breasts (cubed)

Sea salt and ground pepper

1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges OR yellow onion will work

2 tbsp  sage

4 tsp of coconut flour

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 cups organic chicken broth

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Cut the squash into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil, cubed squash, and onion to pot and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sage, flour, coriander, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broth and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. Nestle chicken, in squash mixture, add cranberries, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.A Delicious meal in one pot. Serves 4 people.

Black forest bites

Ingredients

1/2 c walnuts

1/2 c pecans

1/2 c dried cherries

1/4 cocoa nibs

1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

72% dark chocolate chips or bar for topping

crystallized ginger chopped for topping OR  dried cherries chopped

Makes 15 to 20 bites. No baking. This treat tastes like you got it at a confection shop. It is rich, flavorful, and satisfying.

Put the walnuts, pecans, and cherries in a food processor and blend until moist. Add vanilla, honey and cocoa nibs and blend well.

You can put the mixture in molds, roll out (between two sheets of parchment paper) and cut into shapes, or roll a flattened tbsp size ball. Melt 72% dark chocolate in double boiler and drizzle on top of bites and put a small chunk of ginger on top.

sweet potato fries

Ingredients:

3-4 medium sweet potatoes peeled OR not peeled and cut.

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp paprika (smoked paprika is great!)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 to 1  tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you want them)

1 tsp chipotle powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees. Put all ingredients in a bag, shake to mix well and put on a baking sheet OR put sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and coat with the rest of the spices mixing well. Cook 20-25 minutes or until tender.

Chocolate pudding

The easiest pudding recipe I have found. No cooking, blend the ingredients, and refrigerate. I found it best if you let it set 4 – 6 hours.

Ingredients

1 can whole fat coconut milk 13.5 oz

3-4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (depends on taste)

2 tbsp chia seeds (an excellent source of Omega vitamins. I found them at Whole Foods)

2 tbsp maple syrup OR 3  dates pitted, soaked in water, and mashed.

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Put all ingredients in a blender and let it fly. Take your time blending and check to make sure you can’t see big chia seeds. The chia seeds, when mixed with liquid, expand and help bind the pudding much like gelatin but a healthier alternative.

Place in fridge to set for 4 to 6 hours. This pudding “melts” if you leave it out so serve right from fridge. Add berries, bananas, chocolate shavings, or nothing at all.

honey roasted chicken

I started roasting more whole chickens this year. Partly because of my new paleo lifestyle, but mostly, because it is easy,  inexpensive, and a great alternative to the BBQ.  This recipe is so good! You will want to make it every week.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken washed

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

6 cloves garlic

5 whole cloves

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Wash chicken in cool water and pull out all the giblets. Pat dry and place 1 whole clove and 1/2 garlic clove under the skin of each breast.  Put the rest of the garlic  and whole cloves inside the chicken and button it up like the picture below. Now pour the honey over the chicken. Mix the spices and salt in a small bowl and rub that over the honey.

Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for 45 minutes. You can leave it alone or baste the chicken with the juices a couple of times. The chicken will look burnt but under that burnt skin is delicious juicy chicken!.

paleo pancakes

Tired of eggs every morning? Here is a very simple recipe to satisfy that pancake craving. Great on the weekends with the kids.

Ingredients:

3 bananas mashed

1/4c Almond butter (crunchy is best but smooth will work)

3 eggs

1 to 2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk all ingredients together

Heat skillet and oil with coconut oil. Cook and serve with fruit, agave, honey, or homemade preserves. Yum!

Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Surprise your friends and family with these delicious PALEO cupcakes.

Ingredients for cupcake:

1/2 c coconut flour

6 eggs

1/2 palm shortening

1/2 c pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 c frozen raspberries

1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350

Blend coconut flour, eggs, palm shortening, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and baking soda with a hand mixer.

Stir in raspberries and chocolate chips.

Place muffin papers into the mini muffin tray.

Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Makes 18-20 mini muffins. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients for chocolate frosting:

1 c organic dark chocolate

1/4 c coconut butter

1/4 c walnut oil (or neutral tasting oil)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate with oil until smooth. Take off the heat right before fully melted and add vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

Put in freezer until cooled and a thin hard shell has formed on top.  About 15 minutes. Do not forget about the chocolate or you will have to heat it again.

Use a hand blender to whip the chocolate until it is fluffy. Spread on cupcakes or apply with a pastry bag.

Recipe from:  Make it Paleo by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason