Homemade Lara Bars

Enjoying the new Ninja and had to try these with the processing attachments.  You could really add/omit anything here using basic mixture of 1/2 cup pitted dates/raisins and 1 cup dry nuts/seeds/granola/oats, 1 Tbsp water and any other add ins...here is what I used!

1/2 cup Medijol Dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/3 cup 70% dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp water (more or less to consistency)

Blend until the consistency you would like then mash into a parchment paper lines dish (mine is about 4 x 8 inches).  Later, I will cut and place in single serve baggies for easy snacks on the go!  Yum!

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

I found this recipe, tweaked it a bit and these are a delicious "treat" and easy to snack on at home or on the go!

1-3/4 cups Organic Oats (gluten-free if needed or I used an oats/quinoa blend)
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar
3/4-1 cup Organic Brown Rice Flour (original recipe called for whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup Raw Organic Honey
2 Tbsp. Melted coconut oil
1/4 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
1/4 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 cup enjoy life chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (I did the wet first), then press into a greased pan (mine was 8 x 11)-dough will be a bit crumbly but presses in well.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes (pulling it out after 20 minutes to sprinkle the chocolate chips on the top so they do not fully melt-or you could drizzle melted chocolate on top afterwards).  Take out and let cool entirely before cutting into rectangles and place in snack size baggies (if they can last that long, my family devoured these)!

Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette

Chipotle Mexican Grill is one of our favorite places to eat out!  I typically get the salads and love the dressing so I found and tweaked a recipe for that dressing and we made homemade salads of our own!  They were awesome!  I made the adobe dry rub first, used part for the dressing and used the rest as a dry rub on my chicken (steak would have been great too) before grilling it.

Adobe Seasoning:
1 Tbsp. Sea Salt
1/2 Tbsp. Chipotle Powder
1 tsp ground pepper
3/4 tsp Onion Powder
3/4 tsp Dried Oregano
3/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Chili Powder

Dressing:
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
less than 1/4 cup raw honey (I used just under and mine was almost too sweet so use sparingly)
1 Tbsp. Adobe Mix (from above)
1 Tbsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano (or a sprinkle of dried)
3/4 Cup Olive Oil (more or less to taste)

Mix together in a blender, food processor, or shaker bottle.  This made a full bottle of dressing and tasted great that night and even better left over the next day! 

21 Day Paleo Challenge

My husband and I decided to follow up a rough eating month (January holds both our daughters birthdays, plus we had guests visit and several big Football celebrations) with a 30 day Paleo Challenge.  We are trying to make it a positive change, so not being extremely legalistic, just no grains, no refined sugar (we will allow small bit of honey or maple syrup to sweeten but try not to do much), and no desserts (even healthy ones, haha).  I am typically a person who will work out 6 days/week but then enjoys some treats throughout the week but I am going to try to continue my workouts but skip those treats for a month!  So, I plan to blog the journey and keep updating this post every few days with what we ate each day plus what my workout was.  Keep in mind, we are very busy so some of the meals might seem a bit 'repetitive' but here we go!  PS-our daughters (3 and 6) will eat mostly paleo as well but I will let them eat occasional brown rice pasta (they both dislike spaghetti squash that I love), crackers/pretzels, or a treat if they earn something special but overall they will also participate!

Day 1:

Bfast-Smoothie
Lunch-Grilled chicken with side salad made with mixed greens, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers (balsamic/olive oil dressing)
Dinner-Stuffed Peppers and Squash and Mushrooms
Snacks-Carrots, Apple, Cucumber slices
Workout-3.5 mile run with puppy

Day 2:

Bfast-Protein Shake
Lunch-Sliced Chicken roll ups (chicken with lettuce and avocado rolled up), carrot sticks
Dinner-Roasted Chicken, Coconut Flour Biscuits, Green Beans, Sauteed Carrots with basil
Snacks-Carrots, Apple with peanut butter, Organic Fruit Strip, Homemade latte with coconut milk, espresso and a touch of raw honey
Workout-5.5 mile run with jog stroller while my older daughter biked

*using the roasted chicken to make chicken stock for soup this weekend

Day 3:

Bfast-Scrambled Eggs, diced avocado
Lunch-Chicken Salad with cucumbers, carrots, and mixed greens topped with avocado dressing (using leftover chicken from roasting last night)
Dinner-Chicken Basil Curry, Roasted Mixed Potatoes and Carrots (the curry was a new try from another healthy site-I might make again and tweak a few things but overall tasty)
Snacks-Organic Fruit Strip
Workout-T25 Speed 1.0

Day 4:

Bfast-Smoothie
Lunch-Salad Bar from Whole Foods (read ingredients)
Dinner-Spaghetti Squash with meat sauce (sugar free) and eggplant lasagna for my hubby
Snacks-1/2 apple, Homemade latte with coconut milk
Workout-T25 Cardio

Day 5:

Bfast-Smoothie
Lunch-Grilled Chicken Sausages, roasted mixed veggies
Dinner-Homemade Grilled Chicken (Chipotle style) Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots and homemade chipotle vinaigrette and topped with diced avocado
Snacks-1 piece sliced turkey wrapping lettuce, homemade latte with coconut milk
Workout-T25 Upper Body Circuit

Day 6:

Bfast-Smoothie, rest of family had scrambled eggs
Lunch-Grilled chicken with steamed broccoli, with a side salad (olive oil/vinegar dressing)-ate out and just read ingredients and specified order
Dinner-Leftover spaghetti squash with meat sauce from day 4
Snacks-Organic Fruit Strip, ½ apple
Workout-day off

Day 7:

Bfast-Smoothie, rest of family had eggs
Lunch-Beef Little Smokies with non-sugar made BBQ sauce, Kale Salad (added cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and red peppers)
 Dinner-Zucchini Boat Enchiladas, with homemade guacamole
Snacks-Apple with peanut butter
Workout-T25 Speed 2.0

Day 8:

Bfast-Shake
Lunch-Turkey Roll Ups, Cherry tomatoes, Sugar Snap Pea Pods
Dinner-Tacos with lettuce for shells
Snacks-Hard boiled egg, organic fruit strip
Workout-T25 Rip’t Circuit

Day 9:

Bfast-Smoothie
Lunch-Salad with Grilled Chicken, tomatoes, and cucumbers
Dinner-Fajitas (with chicken, onions, red peppers, and mushrooms) served with Romaine lettuce shells
Snacks-Apple with peanut butter
Workout-T25 Ab Intervals

Day 10:

Bfast-Smoothie
Lunch-Grilled chicken sausages, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes on side
Dinner-Bunless burger with sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers
Snacks-Hard Boiled Egg
Workout-T25 Upper Body

Day 11:

Bfast-Smoothie, my family all had eggs
Lunch-Grilled chicken salad
Dinner-Taco Salads with tomatoes, mixed greens, olives, and homemade guacamole
Snacks-Cheat Alert:  I cheated and bought some Organic Corn Chips and had Chips/Guac
Workout-3 Mile Run

Day 12:

Bfast-Hard boiled egg with strawberries
Lunch-Leftover taco salad
Dinner-Banana Coconut flour pancakes with chicken breakfast sausage (Heart shaped pancakes)
Snacks-Homemade coconut milk latte
Workout-T25 Core Cardio

They are not allowing me to add/edit this post but I will keep trying.  Until them, check out the new recipes!

Sauteed Carrots with Basil

This is not much of a recipe, but sure was tasty.  Very quick and simple!

Butter or Coconut Oil
Sliced Carrots
Sea Salt
Diced Fresh Basil

Simple melt the butter or oil in a skillet and saute' the carrots with sea salt until browning and starting to soften.  Then as you serve, toss some of the diced basil on top for garnish and sweetness!  Yum, they looked pretty and taste great!

Coconut Flour Cheddar Biscuits

Okay, so they are not Red Lobster quality but they were tasty and filling!

1/4 coconut oil or butter, melted (I think butter is better for this one)
1/3 coconut flour
4 organic eggs
Sea Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Baking Powder
1/3 cup shredded organic raw cheese

1.  Combine Eggs, melted oil, sea salt, onion and garlic in a bowl and whisk together well.
2.  Add in the coconut flour and baking powder and whisk until combined and not lumpy.
3.  Fold in the cheese until combined.
4.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes (makes about 8 biscuits).

I served these with chicken and veggies for dinner but they might be good with eggs for breakfast!  Also, you could skip the spices and sweeten with raw honey for a sweeter biscuit.

Teriyaki Spring Rolls

I am not much of a photographer, nor am I neat and clean about my cooking but they sure tasted great!  My husband and I loved them, my daughters did not enjoy the rice wrapper and just liked the teriyaki meat/veggies mixture plain!

Teriyaki Sauce:
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 cup raw honey (more or less to sweetness)

Blend together in a blender until well combined.  Then use as a sauce or marinade.

Spring Rolls:
Spring Roll Wrappers (I found these are whole foods, ingredients were eggs and rice and water)
1/4 head lettuce, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded
2-3 chicken breasts, grilled or baked with teriyaki marinade for flavor then diced

Combine all ingredients and add extra sauce to you liking.  Then, follow spring roll wrap instructions (mine said to place until water for 10-20 seconds then place on a towel and fill with ingredients).  I filled the spring rolls and wrapped them tightly.  Mine ended up making 6 and we wished for more so maybe double this for a larger family or a more filling meal!  Next time, I may add some different veggies/herbs (I am thinking pea pods, cilantro, tomatoes even).

Veggie Crumble

I found a similar version of this as I searched for some different side dish ideas and this fit the bill!  We actually had it for lunch today with some grilled tilapia, which made a light and tasty combo.  I also think this would be awesome by precooking and adding some sliced chicken breast to make a full meal!

Veggie mixture:
3 medium zucchinis, wash and chopped
2 cups mushrooms, diced-I used a mixture of regular and portabello
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Thyme
Sage
Sea Salt
Pepper
-all to taste
(you could add or omit any of these veggie ideas)

1.  Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan then add the onions and saute' for about 5 minutes or until beginning to soften.
2.  Then, add the zucchini and all seasonings and continue to saute' until flavors blend.
3.  Add the mushrooms and mix together well.  Then, cover and cook on medium low for 5-10 minutes or until veggies soften and become a bit juicy.
4.  Pour prepped veggies in a baking dish (I used a 8 x 11) and prep the topping.

Topping:
1 cup almond flour (I used trader joe's brand)
1/4 cup diced almonds
2 Tbsp. cold diced butter
Sea Salt
1/4 cup organic parmesan cheese shreds

1.  I used my hands to mash it all together until combined and crumbly, almost like a breadcrumb mixture.
2.  Spread with hands or a spoon onto the vegetable mixture.
3.  Bake at 325-250 for about 30 minutes or until the crumble on top is browning and a bit crispy.

*I think you could really do this in a lot of ways, different veggies, adding chicken or fish, more or less cheese, etc.  I also think you could add a bit of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugars, xylitol) to make this a crumble for a sweet, fruity dish!  Enjoy!

Turkey Stuffed Squash and Peppers

I am not a big squash fan or a pepper fan but I do love to try new things and eating grain-free is always a healthy option so here's a new one.  My daughters and I liked it a lot, but my husband LOVED it and said I can make it every week!  I actually think next time I might try peppers for hubby and buy some giant mushrooms to stuff for me!

Acorn Squash-halved and seeded
2 peppers (hubby said yellow was awesome)
1 lb ground turkey
3 large carrots, shredded in the food processor
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 apple, cored and diced in tiny pieces
1 egg
"breadcrumbs"
-1/2 cup almond meal
-1/4 cup golden flaxseed meal
-1 tsp. garlic (either fresh diced, powder, or I used dried)
-1/2 tsp. onion powder
-1/2 tsp. Thyme
-1/2 tsp. Oregano
-1 tsp. sea salt
-1/2 tsp. ground pepper
-1/2 tsp. ground sage
(all approximate)
optional: Parmesan (I did not use)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the cut, seeded squash face down in 1/4 inch water in large baking dish.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until slightly soft.
2.  While the squash is baking, brown ground turkey, mushrooms, and shredded carrots in a large saucepan until browned and veggies are well cooked.  You can season this if you like, but the breadcrumb mixture adds lots of flavors.
3.  When the meat/veggies are almost done, add the diced apples for the last 3-5 minutes.  When done, remove from heat.  Cut open the tops of 2 peppers during this time as well (they do not need to precook.
4.  Add the "breadcrumbs" mixture into the pan as well as 1 egg and mix thoroughly.
5.  Once the squash are done, flip right side up and dump water our of pan.  Fill center of each squash with meat/breadcrumbs mixture, then using leftover...
6.  Fill the two peppers with the mixture as well.  Place all face up in a baking dish and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until brown and slightly crispy on top.
Enjoy!

Another way to make this, same inside, stuffing portabella mushrooms and green peppers!

Avacado Herb Dressing

I am in the early phases of the Whole 30, which is 30 days of no grains, no dairy, no legumes, and no sugar (not sweetener whatsoever) so salads are a popular dish.  Here is a "creamy" dressing for you!

1 ripe avacado
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup fresh basil
4 Tbsp. olive oil (or more/less depending on thickness you like)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. mustard, dijon would be good
Sea Salt
Pepper
(any other herbs you like)

Blend in a food processor until creamy, if you added less olive oil it could be more of a veggie dip and more makes it a salad dressing!  Enjoy

Roasted Mushrooms with herbs

This is a yummy side dish (and could really be done with any vegetables)!

1 cup cremini mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/4 cup coconut oil/olive oil/grapeseed oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, anything you like

Mix and spread on a large cookie/baking sheet and roast at 350 for 20-30 minutes stirring once in the middle.

Our family loves mushrooms so this is a great one for us, we also like them grilled.  If you do not like mushrooms you could try cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, anything else!

Stuffed Mushrooms

I forgot to take a picture, but these were super yummy!  I made them tonight with some other appetizer-type foods (bbq meatballs, mexican layer dip) for Monday Night Football!  They were light and tasty!

Large Mushrooms (I made a dozen of them or so)
1 small carrot, shredded
1/2 cup spinach, diced
1/4 sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
Seasoning of choice (I used italian seasoning mix and sea salt)
coconut oil
Organic Parmesan, shredded
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs (I used ezekial bread broken up, just a bit)
Raw, Organic Cheddar (optional)

1.  Remove stems from mushrooms and dice.  Saute' diced mushroom stems, shredded carrots, onions, and garlic in the coconut oil for 4-5 minutes.
2.  Add Diced spinach and saute' until soft and cooked through.
3.  Remove from heat and mix well with Parmesan, seasonings, and bread crumbs.
4.  Use a small spoon to stuff each mushroom cap with mixture.
(Top with organic, raw cheddar if using)
5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until soft and cheese is melted!

Farmer's Market Special

We stopped by a new farmer's market (or new to us) a few weeks ago and they were making and sampling this yummy salad/bruschetta!  They called it beet bruschetta!

2-3 beets (shredded)
2 tomatoes, diced
Large bunch basil, diced
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

They had combined everything and placed it atop a fresh baked slice of bread but I think you could have it plain or atop a grilled chicken breast also.  It was colorful and fun, and I cannot wait to make it!  I also think you could shred carrots for more color!

Easy Fruit Salad

This is a simple fruit salad recipe that you can whip up in five minutes. It's perfect for a potluck, picnic, or just to have for a snack that is a little different than plain fruit. I have also done this as a fresh side item with a big Thanksgiving or Easter Dinner.

8 cups cup up fruit (I usually do granny smith apples, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, blueberries, and oranges, but you could do any fruit you like)

1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup water
2 drops of peppermint extract (just to make it a little different but you could omit)
Optional*Tbsp raw honey to sweeten*

1. Whisk together the juices and then add fresh fruit and mix well.
2. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Just writing this makes me think that maybe I should make some of this to snack on this weekend! Enjoy!

Massage Kale Salad

1 large bunch kale
1/4 cup red onion (I would omit next time or else chop large so it can be removed-the flavor was great but I don't care for raw onions)
Raw sunflower seeds
1 granny smith apple
Handful craisins
Sea Salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Massage the kale with sea salt until it wilts/shrivels-2-3 minutes (perfect job for my 4 year old)
2. Cut onions and apples and toss with sunflower seeds and craisins into the kale.
3. Add the vinegar and olive oil and mix together.

Really, you could add/omit any vegetables, nuts, or seeds to make this salad different. It was light and refreshing as an appetizer, but would be super tasty as a meal with a grilled chicken breast or grilled fish. Next time, I might also add some cucumbers and cherry tomatoes! My 4 year old gobbled up all but the onions of this yummy and super healthy salad!

Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Okay, well this isn't rocket science and it's nothing fancy, but it was a yummy way to make rice a bit tastier and more full of veggies!

1 cup organic brown rice
1-1.5 cup organic chicken stock (vegetable stock would also work)
3-4 large carrots, diced
2 stalks organic celery, diced
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced (I used a mixture of portabello and cremini but you could use any)
1/2 zucchini, diced
1-2 Tbsp. organic butter
Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic (whatever seasons you want)

1. Saute' vegetables and seasonings on medium heat in the butter until softened (maybe 10 minutes or so).
2. Add the chicken stock and rice and bring to a boil.
3. Stir carefully and reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until done!

We did this as a side dish with a roasted Chicken and even more steamed vegetables-it was yummy and filling!

Cucumber Salad!

I used to always LOVE cucumber salads, so when a friend of mine posted a recipe for it, I decided to make it healthy and enjoy it. I was really pleased-I loved it and my daughter liked it. My hubby hates cucumbers which is fine, more for me!

2 Tbsp. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (the recipe called for regular vinegar but this is what I had and it tasted great)
2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Vegenaise (instead of mayo or sour cream)
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Oregano (fresh from the csa)-I used this instead of dill since I didn't have any fresh dill
Dried Lemon Peel (fresh from the csa)

2 cucumbers sliced very thinly
1-2 red onions sliced thinly (I don't enjoy raw onions but I like the flavor they bring)

Whisk or shake together the sauce, add the veggies and refrigerate overnight! I enjoyed this for my lunch today, with a handful of raw nuts! Next time, I might add some green beans to it also!

Roasted Veggies

Through our csa (farmofplenty.com), we have gotten lots of fresh and new vegetables. I have been trying to figure out what to do with some of them, so I did some searching online and found a site that said 'you can roast any root vegetable'-so I tried it. I decided to roast a mixture of vegetables and we tried them out. Our 3 year-old liked all but one (not bad)!

2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (melted)
Sea Salt
Pepper
Any seasoning of your choice
Yukon Red potatoes
Kohlrabi
Radishes
Turnips
Sweet Potatoes

First, I peeled and cut the veggies, then tossed them in the oil and seasoning mixture. I then roasted at about 400 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes! They were nice and crispy and full of fun flavors!

Mashed "No-tatoes"

Don't get me wrong, I love mashed potatoes, but I save the real thing for holiday/vacation meals. Here is a yummy alternative to those to make your meal a bit healthier.

1 head cauliflower
Organic butter
Sea Salt
Almond Milk

Steam the cauliflower until soft. Mash with a potato masher, and season with butter, sea salt, and a splash of almond milk until somewhat creamy! Mmmm

Grilled Veggies

Sorry it's been so long, I 've been repeating a lot of recipes lately, but now that Summer is almost here it's time for some new favorites!

This isn't something new, but I made it last night for the first time in a while and it was a fresh, tasty treat!

1 Tbsp. Olive/Coconut Oil
Asparagus (snapped)
Carrots (thinly sliced)
Green Beans (snap ends off)
Lots of Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

Toss veggies into the oil, top with Sea Salt and Ground Pepper. Grill the veggies until slightly crispy and enjoy! We had these with bunless grass-fed hamburgers, and they were amazing! Next time, I might also add in some mushrooms to the mix (maybe portabello)!