Finally a crispy chewy paleo cookie

I have made numerous attempts at cookies. They have come out mushy, cakey, and just bleh. These cookies finally embrace the crispy and chewy texture that is reminiscent of the old Nestle Tollhouse recipe. The cookie base here can be made into just about any kind of cookie you want. If chocolate chip is what you want, then chop up some really dark chocolate and add it to the dough. If you want oatmeal raisin-esque, then add some sliced almonds (give them a decent chop), raisins and cinnamon. If you want ginger snap cookies, then add plenty of ginger. When you are making this I recommend doing a test run of cookies. Bake a small amount of the dough to make sure they come out appropriately. If they just fall apart add some more almond flour. It will help hold them together.

Do not be surprised if I eventually further tweak this recipe, but I finally feel like I am on the right track. :)



Paleo Cookie Recipe

2/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup agave (or honey)
1/4 cup yacon syrup (or maple syrup)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-1.5 cup mix ins of your choice

Preheat oven to 350. Mix coconut oil, agave and yacon until light and fluffy (it is recommended to use an electric mixer). Add egg and mix well. In small bowl mix together almond flour, coconut flour and baking soda. Add dry ingredients in 3-4 batches to the wet ingredients. Stir in mix ins. Scoop scant tablespoonfuls of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cook for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Then transfer to a cooling rack. Pour yourself a big cup of almond or coconut milk and enjoy!

Cookie Cutter Eggs...a kids favorite breakfast

One morning, I had some leftover biscuits. In an attempt at making bacon and egg biscuits, I used the biscuit cutter to cut the eggs into round circles. My 3 year old loved the eggs! He ate them like finger foods and requested more and more. Thus cookie cutter eggs were born. You can be as boring as you like, just eggs and salt cut into rounds. Or you can be exciting and add crumbled bacon, veggies and use cool cookie cutter shapes. Your best bet is to use the metal cookie cutters since they have nice sharp edges.






Paleo Cookie Cutter Eggs

4 eggs
olive oil
sea salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Heat a skillet over low heat (I usually use a 10 or 12 inch). Swirl with olive oil and use a spatula to evenly spread out the oil. Scramble the eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs into the skillet and cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until egg is cooked. Use two spatulas to flip the egg and cook for 1-2 minutes until fully cooked. Place egg on a cutting board and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Serve and enjoy!

Sauteed Cabbage

Cabbage has never been a front running vegetable for me. While I never completely ignored it (Coleslaw), I never sought it out. Well after this recipe, my opinion of cabbage has changed. This was so yummy, almost sweet and slightly buttery. I have eaten it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mmm, I think I may go have some right now...



Paleo Sauteed Cabbage

1 head of cabbage (cut into approximately 1 inch pieces)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups broth (veggie or chicken)
2-3 tbsp dry white wine

Heat oils in large pan over medium low heat. Add cabbage, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Add broth and wine. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Stir often. Remove cover and raise heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is about 1/2 gone. Serve and enjoy!!

Paleo Honey Mustard Dressing

My friend Shayna asked me to help her come up with a Paleo honey mustard. I sat down in my kitchen and thought about the flavors, then developed this dressing. I think it came out pretty darn tasty. Hubby also really enjoyed it, so I would love to hear what everyone else thinks about it. Its a sweet honey mustard, but if you like it spicy then feel free to add some horseradish or some extra black pepper.

Paleo Honey Mustard

3-4 Tbsp of honey
1.5 tsp mustard powder
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper to taste
1/4 cup oil (best to use a blend of different nut oils and olive so there is not overwhelming flavor)

Put honey, mustart, vinegar, salt and pepper in blender or food processor. When well combined, keep the blade running and slowly drizzle oil in. Blend for 10 seconds after oil is fully combined. Taste test and adjust flavor as needed.

Paleo Salad Dressing Mix

I used to love Good Seasons italian dressing mix. The ease of making my own dressing with the oils and vinegars of my choice. The unfortunate part is the preservatives, salts and sugars they put in. I found a recipe for a copycat, so I modified it to better suit paleo living. This is the formula I came up with. Store this in a ziploc bag or airtight container and just mix it up whenever you need a delicious salad dressing. (You can always use your protein shake mixer or your old Good Season dressing cruet to make this)

Paleo Italian Dressing Mix

1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp dried parsley
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp maple sugar (optional)

Mix together all ingredients and store in airtight container.

To make dressing mix together 1/4 cup vinegar (cider or balsamic), 2 tbsp water, and 2 tbsp dressing mix. Add 2/3 cup oil (mix together a variety of oils so there is no overwhelming flavor of almonds, olives of coconuts). Mix well to combine.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Kalamatas

We had some leftover chicken thighs from a meal we had last night. I decided to make something with a Greek flair to it. The result is a delicious meal with moist chicken and a fabulous sauce. The only fault my husband found was that there were not enough olives in the dish. So if you are an olive person please feel free to double up the olives.



Paleo Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Kalamatas

2-3 lbs of chicken thighs
olive oil
sea salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
zest of 1 lemon
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp parsley
2-3 pinches of dried mint
1 bay leaf
2.25 oz can slixed kalamata olives

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in olive oil. Add chicken thighs, sear each side for about 3-4 minutes a piece. Add lemon zest and juice, broth, wine, and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add oregano, parsley, mint and bay leaf. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, be sure to adjust the temperature so its a light simmer. Remove cover. Add olives. Continue cooking uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve along side your favorite veggie and enjoy!

Amazing Paleo Biscuits!

So a while back I tried my hand at paleo biscuits. They were okay, but definitely left me wanting better. I have since developed a better biscuit recipe. Serve these along a fantastic egg breakfast or along with your favorite soup. They are just yummy!



Amazing Paleo Biscuits

2.5 cups almond flour (I used a blend of blanched and not blanched)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grass-fed butter (or another fat of choice)
1 tbsp honey
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. In small bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll or pat out to 1-1.5 inch thick (these do not rise much so whatever thickness you roll them out to, is what they will be). Cut into rounds using cookie cutter or biscuit cutter. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

Italian Turkey Meatball Soup

I love a good soup during the winter. This one is so yummy and warming! You can feel free to switch up the veggies, I think that if you threw in some spinach or other green it would also be really yummy. The zucchini and squash made almost noodles in the soup. Also, this soup takes about 2 hours to simmer and really come together. You could also make the meatballs ahead of time (try baking or frying them to cook them). Then throw everything in the morning into the crockpot and allow it to sit all day. I am sure the aromas from your house will make your mouth water. Serve this alone or with the fabulous paleo biscuits (recipe to follow). This recipe makes a giant portion of soup. Feel free to cut it in half or just make the full batch and freeze portions for another day.



Paleo Italian Turkey Meatball Soup

Meatballs
3 lbs ground turkey (the kind that has 7% fat, not the white meat)
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp italian herbs
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup almond flour

Soup
10 cups broth (veggie or chicken watch for gluten free or make your own)
2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 bag baby carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp italian herbs
1/4 lbs sausage or pepperoni, diced
1 bay leaf
1 onion, minced
6-8 clove garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, shredded
1 yellow squash, shredded

Heat the broth and tomato sauce in large stock pot over medium heat until simmering. Mix together the meatball ingredients. Drop small meatballs into simmering broth. Add carrots, celery, garlic powder, herbs, sausage, bay leaf, onion and garlic. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours, stir occasionally. Add zucchini and squash. Stir to combine and simmer for another 1/2 hour to 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!