Monday, April 28, 2014

Protein Wrap

"I'll take a cobb salad, hold the greens!"  That's basically what this delicious wrap tastes like :)  Super easy, super filling and super good for you!  We made them for an outdoor family dinner and served along with fresh strawberries. My fav kind of meal - simple and delicious! 

There are all kinds of paleo wrap/tortilla recipes, but I used basic lavash from the store, since it is yeast free and the kids have trouble with lettuce wraps. It was wonderfully filling but not too heavy - perfect for spring and summer :) 

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Paleo Apple Pie Smoothie

Give me an apple flavored anything and I will be happy ;)  But this is even better!  I made these amazing apple pie smoothies as an after school snack for the kiddos and a pick me up for myself.  Super yummy!  And it helped my kids get enough nutrients they weren't bouncing off the walls or fighting with each other while I made dinner. Score!

It's is a great boost to have inbetween meals, after a workout, or with an omlet for a protein-packed breakfast.  I may have even served these along with a simple veggie meal for dinner ;)

Note: If you are making the almond butter yourself, make sure the consistancy is creamy like peanut butter or it will be kinda lumpy and hard to get through your straw!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

My favorite salmon recipe!

I'm back from Easter break with a kick!  Oh my tastebuds!  This has got to be hands-down the best salmon recipe I own, and I don't normally even like teriyaki!  The sriracha cream sauce is so simple and flavorful, you will never buy that prepackaged stuff again.

It is another simple recipe that is impressive, restraunt quality even ;)  Great for company, or just a quick healthy meal in between evening activites.  Grilling this would be a nice summer alternative to baking it.  Serve over rice with broccoli, asparigus or wilted spinach.  Top an asian salad with it, or just drown it in sriracha cream sauce the next day for a lunch on the run :)

My kids beg for this meal daily, and even Hubby, the Salmon Master himself, has officially turned over fish cooking honors to me after I made this ;)  Add it to your summer repertoire; you won't be disappointed! :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Naan

Ok, this is definitely not paleo, but it is so delicious, that it is worth adding to our Indian dinners :)  Naan is easy peasy to make, and definitely cost efficient.

I used vanilla yogurt, and it didn't make any difference in flavor :) 

We ate them with a sweet potato soup, but they go with everything!  Curries, stews, mexican, chinese, you name it :)  Just a word of caution, I would absolutely double the recipe as these will go FAST! :)

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Bang Bang Cauliflower

I give this 6/5 stars!!! Yes, that's one more than my rating system, it's THAT good :) 

Fashioned after Bone Fish Grill's famous "bang bang shrimp," this cauliflower recipe is time consuming but totally worth it with amazing taste and yeild.  I ended up asking James to help in order to expedite the process (he handled the skillet), so I recommend this as a two person recipe (you could even have a child helper do the dipping and coating while you fry :) 

My 4yr old was skeptical at first, but he fell in love at first bite.  There was only a tiny bit leftover, which I ate for lunch the next day :) 

I used our spicy japanese sauce from this recipe because it was simpler and we had some on hand. (If you use 2tbs of sriacha instead of 3, it will have more of a sweet than spicy flavor for kids :)  We will absolutely be making this again!

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Spiced Carrot Cake Cookies

Carrot cake is the male birthday cake of choice in our home.  And who could blame them?  Homemade carrot cake is full of moist, spicy goodness and those box cakes can't hold a candle to them.  So when I found a recipe for carrot cake cookies, I had to make them for my menfolk (who currently outnumber us girls ;)

These cookies were delicious!  The kids ate them for dessert, snack and even as a quick breakfast one morning (they have carrots and oats, ok!? ;)  Hubby, liked them, but prefers a crunchier cookie.  These did need to bake a little longer in our oven than the recipe called for, since they would break apart otherwise when trying to get them off the baking tray.  (Could be just our old oven not getting hot enough.

I loved everything about this recipe - the smells as I prepped and mixed ingredients, the complexity of flavors, the gooey butterscotch chips, the happiness and excitement my kids had in eating them....  ahem.  Excuse me, I think I have some baking to do ;)

Friday, April 11, 2014

Smothered Chicken

Some days, you just need a pick-me-up from the mundane drudgery and grey skies.  Yesterday was that day for us - tons of outdoor playtime in the warm spring sunshine, and a scrumptious meal just to celebrate life :)  I went with an Italian theme, and picked a couple new recipes to try out - Smothered Chicken and Italian cream sodas.

It could have been because the kids worked up an appetite playing outside, but they were so excited over this chicken, they asked if we could have it again tomorrow and the next day :)  I served asparagus & bread as sides.  Overall, the meal was just as wonderful and vibrant as the orange tulips on the table :) 

My mushrooms went bad, so I skipped them much to my 7yr old's chagrin.  (He discovered he actually liked mushrooms earlier in the day:)  I cooked the onions with a couple slices of bacon and baked the rest, because I prefer crispy bacon.  Because I started the recipe late, I didn't have time to marinate the chicken, so I cooked it in the sauce as well.  Also, I didn't add the topping or more sauce until I served them.   You cannot go wrong with this; any way you choose to prepare it, it's a party for your tastebuds!

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Crockpot Philly Cheese Steak Subs

The picture does not do this recipe justice.  This is juicy, hearty, and bursting with flavor :)  All day while cooking, the kids repeatedly commented on the amazing scent that filled our home.  Eventually, I told them the truth - that it was the onions and peppers cooking - in hopes they would at least try them at dinner.  And it worked!!!  Out of four kiddos, only one decided they didn't like them after a first taste.  The other three ate all of them up and had seconds!   Hubby loved this meal too.  His only complaint was that I should have doubled it!   Crack broccoli, homemade fries, or baked sweet potatoes go along nicely :)

Monday, April 7, 2014

THE Most Requested Recipe.... So Far!

When a recipe claims that children actually reached over bowls of candy for this veggie, you have to try it!  While I don't know that my kids would surpass candy for it, crack broccoli does get lots of cheers from the family and is one of the most coveted dishes I make.  (Meaning, if you are not fast, the others will have eaten all of your second helping up!)

As many chefs state, "color is flavour" and that is certainly true for this simple broccoli recipe.  This cooks up in a matter of minutes with almost zero prep time.  (I do not peel my broccoli, as the recipe calls for, since I cannot tell the difference and it saves time :)   The most important tip about making crack broccoli is to use at least one big broccoli head, if not two.  Otherwise, you will be wishing you had made more!

ShamROCKIN Paleo Shake

"Wow!!!"  was literally the first thing I said when I tried this shake.  It truly DOES taste just like a certain fast food chain's shamrock shake.  Hubby even finished drinking his before the kids!  And that says a lot!

Made with ice, coconut milk, peppermint extract (or certain brand of essential oil), honey and an avocado, it makes the perfect, exciting "side" to a nutritious meal.  The kids loved it so much, we had it again soon after as a post-school snack.  It's full of all those good fats and oils that actually help your body and boost your energy.

This paleo shamrock shake was the first recipe I did tell the kids what was in it because I want them to know that healthy can be delicious :)  If I teach them at home now, I believe it will help them make good food choices later!  See, I told you veggies are exciting! ;)

Thursday, April 3, 2014

BEST Breakfast Ever!

Steel cut oats are the bomb-diggity.  Seriously.  I can't believe it has taken me 31 years to realize their tasty goodness.

Because eating healthy requires so much more preparation and time, and because I cook for a small ever-growing hoard of children, I need recipes that are worth the time and effort it takes to make them.  Meaning, I must be able to get more than one meal out of them and they must keep us full until the next meal.  And this is one of them :)
 
These overnight steel cut oats can feed my family breakfast (and snack!) for a week.  Because they are so filling, you really don't need to eat huge portions.  (This particular recipe calls for milk, and oats are obviously a grain, so not paleo, but a healthy sub.)  These are just as quick and easy as instant oats, but way more healthy and honestly better tasting. 
 
I tweaked the recipe a bit to fit our family.  Instead of putting the oats into serving-sized mason jars, I used a 9x13 glass dish with a lid and just cut pieces as needed.  If you wanted to add something to the oats (peanut butter, almond slivers, chocolate chips, honey, cooked apples and cinnamon, vanilla, coconut, flax seed, etc), mix it in before putting in the pan.  Otherwise, add toppings before serving :) The best part is that if you use the large pan and already have added your toppings, you can BAKE IT and have your own to-go oatmeal bars!
 
Warning! This type of warm, yummy goodness is addicting!  I actually find myself craving a bowl with coconut, vanilla, almonds and a sprinkle of brown sugar :)