Smashed Spicy Sweet Potato

I don't know what qualifies as a lot of sweet potatoes in one's diet, but I think we eat them a lot. A LOT.  Baked sweet potatoes are so easy, filling & nutritious.  Sweet potato fries create a bit more work, but are delicious.  But I love a twist in the recipe every now and again. Spicy Smashed Sweet Potatoes from Paleo Cupbard are delicious little bites mouthfuls of nutrition that I throw into the mix every once in a while. 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes

SPICE MIXTURE

•  1/2 tsp. chili powder
•  1/2 tsp. cumin
•  1/2 tsp. garlic powder
•  1/2 tsp. onion powder
•  1/2 tsp. paprika
•  1/2 tsp. sea salt
•  1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

SAUCE

•  1 Tbsp. raw honey
•  2 Tbsp. olive oil

Method: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees & mix together spice mixture & grease a cookie sheet for later use.
• Poke a few holes into the sweet potato and bake for 40 minutes until potatoes are almost cooked all the way through.
• Remove potatoes & turn oven on broil. Peel skin from potato & slice potato 1-1.5 inches thick. Place potato slices on greased cookie sheet.
• Use a cup bottom or something with a similar diameter to smash each of the potato slices until the sides crack a bit.
• Mix together honey and olive oil. Drizzle half over the potatoes and sprinkle half of the spice mixture onto potatoes.
• Place cookie sheet under broiler for 3-4 minutes & remove once potatoes caramelize and turn a nice brown color (careful not to burn!).
• Carefully flip potatoes and drizzle remaining honey and olive oil mixture, and sprinkle with remaining spice mix. Place under broiler another 3-4 minutes. 
• Remove, serve & enjoy!!!

Paleo Granola

I feel terribly about this, but I have lost the original source for this recipe.  I have made this granola by the buckets since stumbling on to this recipe.  Depending on your taste or what you may be up for, I have included variations of things I have tried.  

Ingredients 

• 5 cups nuts and seeds (Slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pecans, and sunflower seeds; you can use whatever you want, but make sure you use at least 2 – 3 cups slivered almonds, as these take the place of what is normally oats)
• 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup or any other Paleo-approved sweetener)
• 1/3 cup Paleo-friendly oil (I always use coconut and highly recommend it)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Method

• Mix honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Let it cool. Spread the nuts and seeds out on a  baking sheet covered with parchment paper and pour the cooled honey mixture over the top. 
• Mix it around to get everything covered, and bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. 
• Allow the pan to cool slightly and then put the mixture into a bowl. Mix in raisins and coconut.
• This makes a substantial amount.  Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.  

Variations

• If I happen to be out of slivered almonds, I use shredded coconut and whole almonds. 
• I have used every nut imaginable.  I like to add pistachios for that little bit of salt.  
• I have tried every imaginable dried fruit with this.  Be careful about adding sugar though.  Most packaged dried fruit adds sugar.  If you have some bananas or pineapples about to go bad, try drying in a food dehydrator or in the oven.  
• Try using almond butter to thicken and make into granola bars.  I usually find these have to be refrigerated.  
• Go ahead, use some dark chocolate...  I am not judging.  

Pan Fried Chicken Thighs

If I never eat another boneless, skinless, chicken breast again in my life I would die satisfied.  I have grown more than weary of this particular cut of meat and find them tasteless and too processed for my liking.  I have joined the chicken thigh party.  I may be late, but I have arrived.  I substitute these little numbers whenever and wherever the recipe calls for breasts.  

These pan-fried breasts are so simple it is sinful.  I love leaving the skins on as the skin ends up crispy and adds flavor.  

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs - skin on
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, or palm oil (I don't use olive oil as the high heat can turn the olive oil rancid) 
• Spices of your choosing - salt, pepper, thyme, sage, garlic powder 

Method

• Heat oils in a cast iron skillet on medium high
• Combine spices together and sprinkle on skin side first and place the chicken thighs in the heated oil skin side down
• Sprinkle spices on opposite of thighs once in skillet
• Cook on medium high and keep turning and rearranging chicken thighs until the skin sides are crispy - approximately 10 minutes
• Flip chicken thighs and continue to turn and rearrange pieces and cook for an additional 10 minutes

I tend to want to overcook chicken, but there isn't anything more disgusting than under cooked chicken.  I will either turn the heat down once the thighs are crispy on both sides, or I will place in the oven to continue cooking until done.  

German Apple Pancakes

I am posting this under breakfast simply because of the word 'pancake'.  These are amaaaazzzing!!!!  

I am feeling under the weather today due to allergies and mad at the world because I need to stay inside to keep them from getting worse.  So my 'angry fat kid' is out in full force.  

I have modified the original recipe from Civilized Caveman because I had three apples that were on the verge of needing to be thrown out; and no one ever said there is too much apple in this recipe.  Also the Civilized Caveman recipe divides the ingredients into 8 portions.  I only had 6 small Pyrex bowls, not ramekins, so I made hearty portions.  Lastly, my dirty little secret is that I have a bit of Paula Deen in me when I bake.  I love the richness butter brings to almost any dish.  I don't use a stick of butter, at most a tablespoon, but I do love the taste.  I was introduced to Irish butter, specifically Kerrygold, sold at Baesler's.  It is outrageously expensive so I use it sparingly.  It is the product of grass fed cows in Ireland.  I have rationalized the use of the butter since it is from grass fed cows.  Don't judge me...

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 apples, cored and diced
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, or lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• handful of toasted pecan halves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees 
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup
• In a small bowl, stir coconut flour, nutmeg, and baking soda
• Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients and beat well to combine, set aside while you prepare the apples
• In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil,honey, and butter
• Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg and juice of 1/2 lemon and cook for 1 minute
• Add apples and saute until apples are nicely coated & softened
• Evenly divide your apple mixture between 6 ramekins or small oven proof bowls, greased with coconut oil and then evenly divide your egg mixture on top of the apples 
• Place your ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 425 and then reduce heat to 375 and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes
• Sprinkle with pecans when removed from the oven

Sweet Potato Bowl

Last week, I followed PaleoOMG's recipe for her Easy Bacon Chicken Bowl and it was very hearty and delicious.  Today for lunch, I mimicked the recipe and added a few touches to give it a bit of a southwestern flavor.  Here is what I did to make lunch for two:

Ingredients:

• 1 Sweet Potato, cut in half
• 2 chicken thighs-diced (baked from last night)
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 cups of bell peppers sliced
• 1/2 of a purple onion, sliced
• salsa 
• avocado
• taco seasoning 

Method: 

• Preheat oven to 400.  Place sweet potatoes, cut side down, on a greased baking sheet.  Cook for 25 min.  
• Meanwhile, cook bacon.  Use a bit of the leftover grease to sautee the peppers and onions adding a bit of taco seasoning to the veggies to taste.
• Add sweet potato to bowl and top with cut up bacon, diced chicken, veggies, salsa & avocado.  
• ENJOY!

Prepping

I joke that I am a generator away from being a prepper, but that isn't too far from the truth.  I thought I would pass along this activity.  So many people have expressed to me that it costs so much more to eat healthy.  I couldn't disagree more.  If you plan and take care, you will have little waste and won't spend more than you need.  

This activity may be a bit cumbersome at first, but once you get the routine down, you will find the convenience to be well worth the short time it takes and better yet it extends the life of your produce.  

On a weekly basis I buy vegetables and fruit and place in pint size mason jars.  When I am pulling my meals together for the day, I grab a jar of both the vegetables and fruits.  I make enough of these jars for my husband and I for the week.  

My Process

• Rinse all vegetables and fruit thoroughly; allow to drain.  I find this easiest before putting them in the refrigerator, as soon as I get home from the grocery store I start this process.  
• Once the produce has drained, and is reasonably dry, I pack it up.  No need to add anything besides the produce, and you can reuse the lids since you are not processing them; they will continue to seal just from tightening the rings.  (Throw the lids away when you notice they aren't sealing any longer and buy new)  

Fruits

• I trim the strawberries and remove grapes from the stems.  
• I have tried ALL of the following:
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Grapes
• Raspberries & blackberries (careful these won't last as long as the other berries)
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Clementines 
• I DO NOT recommend kiwi fruit 

Vegetables

• Cut celery
• I have tried ALL of the following:
• Carrots
• Peppers (these may not last as long as the other vegetables)
• Celery
• Snap peas - not Paleo 
• Soy beans - not Paleo
• I DO NOT recommend cucumber 

Pumpkin - Banana Bread

Everyone in this household is a pumpkin lover. From pumpkin spice latte's (totally not paleo-approved) to pumpkin pie (ok... not much love for pumpkin is paleo approved) we devour this time of year.  Earlier this week, I made a LOT of PaleoOMG's Pumpkin Pie Granola Parfait's and those were eaten up in just a few days.  So today, I began experimenting with adding pumpkin to other things.  Today I made some of Power Hungry's Paleo Almond Flour Muffins and a few changes to Health Bent's Paleo Banana Bread to include our fall favorite pumpkin.  Here is how I changed the recipe:

• Used 2 bananas instead of 3
• added 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp of raw honey
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• sprinkle of chopped almonds on top before baking

Delicious!