Tag Archives: Paleo

Oven Chuck Roast with Vegetables

Hungry for a delicious pot of tender chuck roast with loads of warming vegetables? I have a recipe that will warm you up body and soul. 🙂 There is plenty of juices and tender loads of nutritious vegetables.

Oven Chuck Roast with Vegetables

This was perfect last night after spending a few hours outside stringing holiday lights. I love being outdoors in the winter months in the brisk air. Most of the time I am moving my body a little more than I was yesterday. Yes, there were lights that didn’t work, and lights where half the string worked. Thankfully we had plenty to spare, and had strings that were working well! What happens, I wonder, to the lights that were working fine when you put them in the box and the next year are not functioning? It has been an ongoing mystery that people write about and include in movies, because many can relate.

Oven Chuck Roast with Vegetables

I have included Fennel, Onions, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Zucchini and Yellow Beans in this Roast along with a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice and savory Rosemary and Thyme. I think you will love it! No dried out roast here!

Oven Chuck Roast with Vegetables in Pot from the Oven

Oven Chuck Roast with Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 Three Pound Chuck Roast

1 Fennel Bulb (diced)

1 Yellow Onion (diced) (substitute green scallions if Low FodMap)

5 Carrots (peeled and coarsely chopped)

1 Bunch of Swiss Chard (stems stripped and coarsely chopped)

3 Zucchini (about 2 cups halved lengthwise and sliced)

2 Cups of Fresh Yellow or Green Beans

6 Cups of Broth (this is approximate depending on your pot)

1/2 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil (you may substitute 3 cloves of fresh garlic)

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Teaspoons of Crushed Rosemary

1 Teaspoon of Thyme

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. You will use a large dutch oven with a lid. Salt your chuck roast all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt. In your pan, heat the garlic olive oil over medium high heat just until warm. Add the chuck roast and brown 5 minutes each side. Remove the chuck roast from the pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and add the diced fennel and onion, and sautee for 5 minutes. Stir in Carrots, Green Beans, Orange Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, Rosemary and Thyme. Add the chuck roast to the top and pour over broth until it reaches the top of the roast. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then cover the pan with a lid and place into your preheated oven for 3 hours. At the end of three hours, remove the pan from the oven and add the Zucchini and Chard, tucking it down around the roast. Lift the roast out of the pan if needed and set it back on top of the vegetables. Bake another hour. Then remove it from the oven and it is ready!

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Paleo Mandarin Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Stir-Fry is great, because it is a one dish meal full of vegetables (my favorite) and a savory sauce!

mandarin-orange-chicken-stir-fry

Here is my Paleo version of a Mandarin Chicken Stir-Fry that is super delicious! The chicken is very juicy and tender, because I used my favorite part of the bird, thighs! I had mine as is, no rice needed, but feel free to add some hot jasmine rice if you like. I added a leafy green salad on the side, because I am a leafy greens gal! 🙂

Grab your wok! A large shallow pan will do if you don’t have a wok!

mandarin-orange-chicken

Paleo Mandarin Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds of Boneless Chicken Thighs (cut into bite size pieces)

10 oz. of Frozen Baby Asparagus Spears (I used Woodstock brand)

1 Organic Red Bell Pepper (Diced)

5 Green Scallions (green tops only if Low Fodmap) (Thinly sliced)

1 10 oz. Can of Mandarin Oranges (I use Native Forest Here)

1/2 Cup of Coconut Aminos (Here is the brand I use)

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil (feel free to use 2 cloves of garlic and regular olive oil)

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Plain Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Ginger Juice (I use this kind)

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Prepping Mandarin Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the coconut aminos, honey and ginger juice. Drain the oranges and set aside.

Heat your wok over high heat. Add two tablespoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil. Add the chicken thighs, and 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Stir-fry until the chicken is almost done. Put the chicken in a bowl, and set aside.

Add one tablespoon of regular olive oil to the wok. Then add the asparagus. Stir-fry for two minutes. Add the red peppers and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Stir-fry two more minutes, then add in the scallions.

Asparagus and Red Peppers

Add the chicken back to the pan, and pour over the sauce. Gently stir in the mandarin oranges. Cover and simmer for five minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.

Mandarin Orange Chicken Stir Fry Gluten Free, Paleo

mandarin-orange-chicken-paleo

Serve it up! Yum!

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Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

For all those of you who have been missing Rum Raisin Ice Cream, here is a clean ingredient recipe! Rum Raisin Ice Cream was one of my favorites when I was a teenager. It is a classic flavor and perfect anytime of year, but I really like it in the Autumn. The rum flavor and raisins remind me of my Grandmother’s Plum Pudding with Hard Sauce she always made for the holidays with her recipe from “the old country”, as she used to say. She meant England. She had a very old recipe from my Great, Great, Great Grandmother that I want to try and revamp into a gluten free version. But for now, ice cream!

Rum Raisin Bowl of Dairy Free Ice Cream

This is a simple and delicious recipe of this classic that is dairy and egg free! If you are low fodmap, you can substitute currants for the raisins, and it will be simply delicious!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Now for the recipe!

Rum Raisin Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Coconut Milk (Full Fat)

1/2 Cup of Honey (use Clover Honey if Low FodMap)

1/2 Cup of Raisins (substitute currants if making Low FodMap)

1/4 Cup of Gelatin (Collagen not the Thickening Kind Here great for your hair, skin, nails and tummy)

2 Tablespoons of White Rum

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/8 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Whisk all the ingredients together except the raisins. Stir in the raisins. Refrigerate for 4 hours to let the raisins plump and absorb some of the flavors and get the mixture chilled. Churn in an ice cream maker. Serve!

One of the things I like about adding rum to a non-dairy ice cream is, if you have leftovers and freeze them, the ice cream is easy to scoop right from the freezer.

8 Servings

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Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

What kids doesn’t like a cute jackolantern pumpkin cookie this time of year! Especially if it is frosted! This honey of a cookie is thick and soft with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor.

Gluten Free/Grain Free Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

You will need a handmixer and a cookie scoop for this easy recipe……no rolling involved.

Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookies

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F.

Lay out a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree, SCD Legal

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons Clear Honey

1 Teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the first five dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, with a hand held electric mixer, mix the wet ingredients together….the pumpkin puree, egg, honey and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until fully incorporated. With a 1/2 cup ice cream or cookie scoop, scoop the cookies onto your prepared cookie sheet. There should be six even sized scoops. Now, flatten into 3/4 inch thick circles with your hand, and then pinch the tops, patting and pinching to make the stem.

Bake in your preheated oven for 16 – 20 minutes, rotating the pan end to end after ten minutes. Keep an eye on them the last five minutes. The edges should be starting to brown, but not the centers.

Remove from the oven and cool completely while you make the frosting.

For the frosting:

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons of Organic Shortening

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Cacao Powder

In a small bowl with a hand held electric mixer, blend the shortening and honey together until it is whipped nicely.

Take a plastic sandwich bag and snip off one end. Insert a metal round piping tip into the snipped end. Scoop out two tablespoons of the white frosting from your bowl, and place it in the snipped bag. Twist the top moving the icing toward the piping tip. Set aside.

To the remaining frosting still in the bowl, add one tablespoon of cocao powder. Blend with your electric mixer.

Spread the chocolate frosting onto each cookie evenly, except the stems. Pipe the frosting on for the eyes and mouth.

It makes six large cookies. Yes, I know the picture shows five cookies. That’s because I ate one! 🙂

Happy Halloween! Boo!

Frosted Jackolantern Pumpkin Cookie – Grain Free

Hearty Baked Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

hearty-chicken-and-sausage

A Hearty Chicken and Sausage bake is a real crowd pleaser! We recently had the family doing some hard work here around the house, and they have been coming in at dinnertime ravenous! I have been calling them “a bunch of cavemen” 🙂 because they have been devouring the protein part of the meal. Have you every had cravings for protein?

chicken-and-sausages

Well, I’m a firm believer in listening to your body, so I made this Hearty Chicken and Sausage Bake for dinner, because all that use of muscle was creating a serious craving around here.

hearty-chicken-and-sasage-dinner

Hearty Chicken and Sausage with Mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 375º degrees.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds of Bone In ChickenThighs

12 oz. of Fully Cooked Sausage Cut in Half on a Diagonal (I used gluten free Applegate Chicken and Apple)

1 Can of White Button Mushrooms

1 Large Yellow Onion, quartered and sliced

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced (or substitute 1 Garlic Olive Oil for the Olive Oil above)

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Sauce:

1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Basil

1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme

1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Rosemary

1/4 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

2 Tablespoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Whisk the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.

In a large dutch oven, or an oven safe saute pan that you can cover with foil, pour the olive oil and garlic if using. Season the chicken with salt and pepper while warming the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, and brown on both sides for about 5 minutes each side. Add the sausages, tucking them in around the chicken. Sprinkle the mushrooms and onion on top.

Drizzle with the previously prepared sauce. Cover and bake in your preheated oven for 40 minutes.

This can be served with hot jasmine white rice and vegetables.

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Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Crunchy, Salty, Sweet and Healthy. Those words don’t go together very often when you are talking snacks. But these Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts do!

They are fun to make, and a great choice for a snack. A serving size of nuts is smaller, but they are totally satisfying!……..AND they can be eaten with other things. They are really good sprinkled on salad, over yogurt if you tolerate it, and used as a muffin or quick bread topping. They are really pretty to put out in a bowl for pre-dinner or party munchies for guests too. I like to throw a bag of them in my purse for when I get hungry when away from home.

Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Spiced nuts are so easy to make, and they fill the house with a warm spice smell that is better than potpourri! I used Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews and Pumpkin Seeds in this recipe.

Honey Sweetened Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Sweet and Salty Spiced Nuts

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Lay out two parchment lined cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Raw Pecans

2 Cups of Raw Walnuts

1 Cup of Raw Cashews

1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds

2 Egg Whites

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Crushed Rosemary

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cardamom

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Allspice

1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Cloves

In a large bowl, add the Walnuts, Pecans, Cashews and Pumpkin Seeds. Mix your spices, rosemary and salt In a small bowl, and set aside. Whisk together the egg whites and honey until frothy. Pour over the nuts and toss thoroughly. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the nuts and seeds, and toss well! Do it again with the remaining spice mixture, coating the mixture evenly.

Spread onto your two prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes in your preheated oven. Toss them with a spatula, and bake another 7 to ten minutes until dry and golden brown. Watch them carefully, so they don’t get too dark at the end of the baking time!

Cool Completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for everyone to enjoy. I put them on the counter in a petty jar so the kids and hubby grab them as a snack! The power of visual suggestion! 🙂

Delicious Spiced Nuts

Baked Spiced Nuts – Paleo

Enjoy your day!!!

Eat Your Nutrients!

20 Warming Paleo Soups for Autumn!

20-paleo-soups-to-make-for-autumn

School is in full swing! It’s going to be October this weekend………….what? The sniffles are already going around at school. So, I am giving you a roundup of delicious, nourishing soups full of broth and vegetables that you can enjoy all winter! Grandma was right about soup! Not only is it comforting, but it is healthy, warming and nourishing! Eat up! 🙂

Beef and Cabbage Soup from My Big Fat Grain Free Life

Beef Shank Vegetable Soup from Eat Heal Thrive

Chicken “Zoodle” Soup from The Tasty Alternative

Chinese Meatball Soup from Paleo Flourish Magazine

Cioppino Redux from Rem Cooks

Crock Pot Chicken and Vegetable Soup from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Crock Pot Cream of Tomato Basil Soup (Dairy Free) from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup from Nom Nom Paleo

Delicata Squash Soup from A Girl Worth Saving

Fennel and Spinach Soup from Healing Family Eats

Hearty and Nourishing Vegetable Bison Soup from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Jalapeno and Bacon Cream of Mushroom Soup from Naked Cuisine

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup with Pomegranate and Curried Kale Chips from Reclaiming Yesterday

New England Clam Chowder (Dairy Free) from Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Paleo Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo from Foraged Dish

Paleo Cream of Pumpkin Soup from Oh Snap! Let’s Eat!

Paleo Egg Drop Soup for One from Wicked Spatula

Roasted Pumpkin Soup from Against All Grain

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup from Paleo Grubs

Spicy Asian Chicken, Veggie and “Noodle” Soup from Every Last Bite

Enjoy your day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Today is the first day of Autumn, and to celebrate I am baking this Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake! Enjoy this cake after a beautiful afternoon of raking leaves with someone you love! Or, sit outside on a cool sweatshirt morning with a piece of this cake and a warm cup of coffee! It is pure heaven!!!

grain-free-pumpkin-coffee-cake-for-autumn

When you hear coffee cake, don’t just think of breakfast. This is a great snack cake. I have drizzled the top while it is still warm with a glaze that soaks in and makes the cake super moist! So grab your Bundt pan!

pumpkin-coffee-cake-grain-free

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Now, lets get our ingredients out.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Canned Pumpkin (I use this brand)

3 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Honey

1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil

1 1/2 Cups of Superfine Almond Flour (I like this brand)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour (I use this brand)

1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon of Allspice

1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 Cup of Coarsely Chopped Raw Pecans

Glaze:

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil (melted)

2 Teaspoons of Honey

1/8 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

a pinch of sea salt

Directions: Grease a Bundt pan with organic shortening or coconut oil and set it aside. In a large bowl with a hand held mixer, blend the pumpkin, eggs, honey, and coconut oil for two minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix with your hand held mixer until thoroughly incorporated. Add the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and blend again for 30 seconds.

Spoon the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with your coarsely chopped pecans. Place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes to bake. The top should spring back slightly when ready. Remove the pan from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. While it is cooling, prepare the glaze above.

After five minutes, turn the Bundt pan over with a wire rack on top of it to catch the cake. When it is out of the pan it will be upside down. Turn the cake right side up by using another wire rack sandwiching the cake between the two, or carefully use your hands to turn the cake right side up with the pecans on top. Drizzle the glaze onto the cake and cool.

pumpkin-coffee-cake

Happy Autumn! Although it’s still hotter than average for September, there are signs of Fall outside. The pumpkins are ripening for one, and before you know it, it will be time for cozy sweatshirts and jeans, and leaf raking!

Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

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Grain Free No Bake Healthy Energy Bars

This recipe came about because my daughter, Danielle, asked me to try and replicate her beloved bar she orders online. She recently had a baby, and needed some handy, nutritious, energy-rich snacks on hand.

Make Your Own Bronco Energy Bars

She is breastfeeding, and her baby boy has a voracious appetite. He is adorable and growing fast at one month old. She regularly orders these bars to have on hand for her and her husband for packing in their work lunches and for snacks. She is a nurse, and he is a teacher. She is home on an extended maternity leave and is pinching pennies to stay home as long as possible, so she wondered if it was doable to make them herself at home. So I said I would give it a whirl.

I am happy to report that she thought they were “Amazing”! 🙂

These bars are chocked full of goodness! They have almond butter, healthy coconut oil, unsweetened coconut, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, honey, almond flour, sea salt and vanilla. They are a symphony in your mouth. There is no baking involved! Make Your Own Mustang Bars on a Tray.JPG

Bronco Energy Bars

Lay out a small cookie sheet and cut parchment paper to fit the pan. Set aside.

You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Almond Butter

1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil

1/2 Cup of Raw Honey

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Mix all the above ingredients together with a mixer until well blended.

Add in:

1 Cup of Roughly Chopped Raw Walnuts

1 Cup of Sliced Almonds

1 Cup of Almond Flour

1/2 Cup of Raisins

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Pour the nuts, raisins, almond flour, pumpkin seeds and coconut into the bowl of the mixed ingredients. Blend in all with your mixer, or hand stir with a wooden spoon. Pour onto the cookie sheet and pat out with some coconut oil on your fingertips to keep them from sticking to your hands. Pat them to your desired thickness. You don’t have to fill up the whole cookie sheet if you have a larger one. Just pat an edge. Freeze for 30 minutes before cutting them into bars.

Store them in the refrigerator or freezer. If you will be packing them in a lunch, make sure you have an ice pack in your bag as they get soft a room temperature. 🙂

Paleo Energy Bars

Eat Your Nutrients!

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

These drumsticks are the perfect party food, kid friendly, and you can also substitute wings for Super Bowl Sunday!

We are cooking more Asian food the past couple weeks here at home with the Autumn Moon Festival coming up September 15th. Last year after having a fun dinner at our house, we lit Sky Lanterns outside, and it was a lot of fun!

If you are new to the blog, I have two Chinese daughters, and we have had so much fun celebrating their heritage with some of the special occasions celebrated in China since they were babies.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

Today, I have a recipe for you for Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks! They are kid friendly, as all finger foods tend to be! 🙂 I found the inspiration for these in my many Asian cookbooks I have collected. We served them recently with Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews, Hot Jasmine Rice, and for the rest of the family who can have them, some gluten free egg rolls from Feel Good Foods that I buy at the market for in the freezer section.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

One of the nice things about this recipe, is the marinade! You make it and add the drumsticks. Then you let it refrigerate at least two hours and up to 24 hours. You have flexibility!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds Chicken Drumsticks (This was 10)

Marinade

1/2 Cup of Green Scallions (sliced)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil (or 2 more of Olive Oil and 2 Cloves of Minced Garlic)

1/4 Cup Honey (the sticky part)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos (this is a soy sauce substitute)

1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon of Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Coriander

1/4 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

1/8 Teaspoon of Ground White Pepper

Zest of 2 Limes

Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the drumsticks to a baking pan, and coat them all over with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

When ready to cook the drumsticks, Preheat the oven to 350º degrees. Then, heat a large oven safe pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, then the drumsticks taken from the marinade. Brown on each side for approximately 3 minutes. Pour the marinade from the chicken over the chicken you browned, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Bake until the center of the drumsticks reach 165º degrees.

Plate the drumsticks, and drizzle additional sauce from the pan over them at your discretion. 🙂

Eat Your Nutrients!