Paleo Eats

Cody and I have been eating pretty strict Paleo since November now.  There were still a few grains and pastas that I had to use up when we decided to start making the transistion to Paleo back in August.  I just couldn't bear to waste the food...so I randomly used it here and there until it was all gone.  Once those were finally all out of the pantry, it was right around November when we fully adopted the Paleo lifestyle.  I talked in another post about a few things that I probably won't give up even though they aren't Paleo...three of them being oatmeal, peanut butter, and coffee creamer.  I still eat those things on a daily basis.  The oatmeal is what I eat for breakfast with two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter and then I use the creamer in my coffee.  I absolutely love oatmeal and it is the only thing that I've found (for me personally) that keeps me full for a good 2-3 hours in the mornings.  I still eat a mid-morning snack, which is usually almonds, a piece of fruit, some sort of raw veggies, or a muscle gain shake from Advocare.  When I make my oatmeal, I buy raw, gluten free oats (Bob's Red Mill brand)...none of that packaged nonsense!  I mix one serving of the oats (1/2 cup) with 1 1/2 cup of water and one whole apple chopped up into little pieces with a tablespoon of chopped walnuts...and maybe a few sprinkle of raisins if I have any on hand!  I add some cinnamon and a squirt of honey or maple syrup for a touch of sweetness, then top the entire thing with low sodium peanut butter.  It's a yummy, filling, big breakfast and I look forward to it every morning!  So, I figure if I love it and I'm eating heart healthy grains in the morning, I have plenty of time to burn it off and it helps me get my day started right!  Don't get me wrong.  I've made Paleo muffins and breads, Paleo "oatmeal", and even eaten bacon, eggs, sausage, omelets, etc.  They are all yummy and delicious...but nothing like my old faithful...oatmeal!  Other than that, I eat everything else according to the Paleo lifestyle...and I have never felt better!  At first, it was kinda hard thinking about having to add one more veggie or salad to a meal instead of using brown rice, pasta, or another type of complex carb or grain.  But now, it's so easy and really is a lot more simple.

I didn't realize how bloated and lethargic I felt when I was eating carbs day in and day out.  It was just part of my normal, everyday routine and had been my entire life.  Now that I'm eating lean protein and loads of veggies, I have SO much more energy and I have noticed a huge difference in my CrossFit workouts.  I've gotten new 1 rep max's, PR's, and have gotten way better in my skill work.  I know a lot of that is because I've been focusing on those things.  But a lot of it comes from the food I'm putting in my body...it's truly fuel for my workouts as well as fuel for normal everyday life.  Since Cody and I have been eating pretty strict Paleo...probably about 90% Paleo 10% not Paleo, I thought I would share some of the recipes that I've been making.  You can truly see that once you embark on this lifestyle, you don't have to miss out on anything!  I make Paleo sweets on occasion...but the awesome thing is is that I really don't crave sweets anymore because I'm nourishing my body with food that fills more than just a craving.  Here are the recipes with links if you want to give them a whirl!  Enjoy!!!

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara from PaleOMG - I used and 8oz. container of fresh mushrooms instead of artichokes.  I made this for my lunch throughout the week...delish!

Paleasagna from What Runs Lori - We typically don't do dairy, but I did in this recipe!  I used cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt and feta goat cheese that I found at Natural Grocers.  I also used an 8oz. container of fresh mushrooms instead of the broccoli.  This recipe was THE BOMB!  I will be making this as one of our rotating meals!

Breakfast Bacon and Maple Sausage Balls from PaleOMG - I didn't change a single thing on this recipe...and they were a yummy addition to our Christmas morning breakfast!

Taco Pie from Paleo Diet Lifestyle - I stuck to the recipe to a T...it's awesome!  I've made it twice and it gets gobbled up with no leftovers!  I didn't use homemade BBQ sauce...I did use the Annie's Organic BBQ sauce...which is not exactly Paleo because of the sugar.  But, because it's organic...I don't really mind it since we don't eat it very often.  I got the sauce at Natural Grocers.

Sausage and Peppers from The Clothes Make the Girl - I've made this using red wine, white wine, and chicken broth...all three times it's been super yummy and just a tad bit of difference due to the different types of liquid.  I buy the Applegate Farms Organic sausage...I've bought the chipotle kind and the sweet Italian kind.  Both are amazing!  I've made it three times and have plans to make it again this week.

Fish Tacos from Paleo Diet Lifestyle - I made this one night for Britt and I.  Our boys were out of town hunting...so we had a girls night of cooking!  Cody's not too keen on fish...so I wanted to make this when I knew he wouldn't be eating it!  Britt and I LOVED it!!!  I will be making this again for sure!  Since tacos usually come with beans and rice...which are no no's for Paleo!  But...I wanted rice with these fish tacos.  So, I found a recipe for Mexican cauliflower rice from PaleOMG and it was awesome!!!

Stuffed Pork Chops from Paleo Pot - I made this one Sunday for lunch after church.  It was a little time consuming because of all the steps...but so worth it!  I got up an hour early so I could chop everything, saute the onions and bacon, and stuff the pork chops.  But once it was all done, all I had to do was turn on the crock pot, walk away, and come home from church with lunch ready to go!  I made this with roasted carrot and zucchini fries and sweet potato wedges.  When I use oil for anything, I use coconut oil!  It's so much better!!!

Smoky Bacon Chili from PaleOMG - This is to die for!!!  I have made this multiple times and it is always a crowd pleaser!  Have you noticed that I love me some PaleOMG?!?!?  Juli is my favorite...and she has a cookbook coming out!!!  If you pre-order it now, you get it for $19.99 and free shipping...and you get it before everyone else!  Otherwise it's $24.95 and you have to wait.  It will be here in April...I'm pumped for that package to arrive on my doorstep!!!

Paleo Crockpot Pork Green Chile from PaleOMG - I used 2 pounds of chicken breast and 1 pound of roasted green chiles.  I also used fire roasted tomatoes.  This was SPICY!  I needed to use up the green chiles, so I didn't even bother using anything but what I had and using all of them so they wouldn't go bad.  I should have stuck more to the recipe or only used half of the chiles I had.  I wound up taking the leftovers to school until it was gone because no one else would eat it!  I did make some Paleo cornbread...so that helped to soak up some of the heat!  Next time...I will listen to Juli and make the recipe just like she wrote it!

Pot Roast from Martha Stewart - Obviously Martha is not following the Paleo lifestyle.  But...she knows how to put together a mean pot roast!  This was another recipe I made on a Sunday...and it was the perfect comfort food meal!  I did add an 8oz. container of mushrooms to the mix.  The wonderful thing about this recipe...I didn't make any extra sides!  It was truly a one pot, throw it in and forget about it meal.  Love these for busy nights!

Paleo Pepperoni Pizza Casserole from Tessa the Domestic Diva - I am so happy to say that this recipe was amazing...even Cody said so!  I have made spaghetti squash and meatballs a few times and he finally told me that he was not a fan of spaghetti squash.  He said that he doesn't like being tricked into thinking that spaghetti squash is actually regular noodles.  So, I make it for my myself when I want spaghetti squash...usually in my lunches.  I haven't bought regular spaghetti in months.  When I came across this recipe, I told him about it and he said he'd be willing to give it another try.  I'm not sure if it was different because this was baked or because he knew going into it that this was, in fact, a type of squash and not another type of regular pasta.  I will definitely be making this again!

Honey Glazed Balsamic Roasted Carrots from Marci Coombs- We both really love carrots, but I always like finding new ways to incorporate them into a meal, other than putting them in a salad or having them stuck inside the crock pot with other veggies and meat.  This recipe is really easy and super yummy.  I buy a small bag of the organic baby carrots and just toss them with the rest of the ingredients.  The carrots are just slightly sweet, super soft, and oh so delicious!
Balsamic Roasted Vegetables from Emily Bites - These are a staple in our house when it comes to side dishes.  Cody and I both really love vegetables...and balsamic vinegar.  No...seriously...I use it as my salad dressing by itself...I could drink the stuff!  These veggies are absolutely delicious.  I've made the recipe exactly like it's written and I've also mixed up the different kinds of veggies so it's different.  Our favorite combo is zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms...I just get enough of these three veggies so that it's about the same as the original recipe calls for with all the other various kinds of veggies!

Paleo Pizza - I made this Paleo pizza crust on a Friday night...because Friday nights should be about relaxing, watching movies, eating pizza, and maybe have a glass of wine to wind down from the week!  However, a traditional pizza crust is NOT Paleo...wah, wah, wah :-(  So, I set out to find a Paleo pizza crust that would suffice my cravings and hopefully give Cody that "junk food" feel.  Well...the toppings were delish!  I topped it with about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of Newman's Own organic pasta sauce, then I sauteed an onion, 2 green peppers, an 8oz. container of sliced mushrooms, and 5 garlic cloves, then used Applegate Farms natural pepperoni as the meat topping.  Oh...I also bought some raw goat cheese from Natural Grocers and put just a touch on the top.  Cody was not a fan of this crust...honestly...it wasn't my favorite either.  The flavor was really good, but it was very dry.  I won't be making this crust again, but I'm definitely going to try out another recipe!  Pizza isn't something I will incorporate into our meals regularly, but it's nice to have it every once in awhile and I want a good crust recipe so that my pizza is as yummy as take out!

Balsamic Winter Throw Together Bake from PaleOMG - I made this for a Saturday lunch when my Mimi was in town and everyone loved it!  Well...Cody didn't exactly LOVE it...but he did like it!  He said he'd eat it again, but it wouldn't be one he would request.  But, everyone else really liked it...even Mimi took some home for leftovers.  This dish actually got better as the flavors all melded together.  I made this along with glazed carrots and roasted balsamic veggies.

Cauliflower Rice from PaleOMG - Here are several different cauliflower rice from PaleOMG.  She doesn't have any recipes that are strictly rice.  But these recipes all have rice in the dish or use it as a side.  I've used several of the rice recipes for a side dish or to add substance to a casserole or soup...all are delish!

Frozen Veggies - I buy frozen veggies every single time I go to the store.  HEB has a ton of different varieties to choose from and I usually go nuts when buying them.  They never go bad and they are quick and easy when I don't have time to chop and prepare the other veggies.  I don't put anything fancy on them, I just open the bag, dumb it in a glass bowl, sprinkle a little water on them, then put them in the microwave for 8-10 minutes and they are ready to be eaten.  PS...I only buy the veggies where that is the only ingredient.  So...make sure and check the ingredients list!

Sweet Potato Wedges and Sweet Potato Rounds - I linked a sweet potato wedge recipe that I use probably 3-5 times a week.  We love our sweet potatoes!  I also came across some purple Japanese sweet potatoes that you can get from Natural Grocers.  Thank you Brittany for introducing me to these...LOVE!!!  They are just slightly sweeter than the traditional orange sweet potatoes, but they have more of a texture like a regular white potato.  I make these into wedges also.  But sometimes, I want a little bit thinner cut for these bad boys.  It's easier if you just slice them into rounds, that way you aren't having to make multiple cuts to get them thin enough to cook but not burn.  I typically do 3-5 sweet potatoes at a time, no matter if I'm making wedges or rounds.  I cook them all the same...400 degrees for 20 minutes on each side tossed with about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and a pinch of salt.  Sometimes I like to get crazy with the traditional sweet potatoes.  I've put cinnamon, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder...not all at the same time of course!  They are delish...Cody always asks for them!!!

Our Paleo Christmas!!!  Below are the Paleo recipes I made for our family Christmas dinner with Cody's family...except for the pecan pie.  That's from The Pioneer Woman!  Hope you enjoy!!!

Autumn Spiced Pork Tenderloin - I doubled this recipe.

Stuffing - I used the whole loaf of coconut bread and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans instead of the crispy nuts the recipe calls for.  I also doubled the amount of spices that it calls for but left everything else the same!

Balsamic Green Beans - I tripled this recipe.

Slow Cooked Sweet Potatoes - I doubled this recipe and I nixed the balsamic vinegar and used coconut oil in its place...I also left off the parsley.  And I added cinnamon...maybe 2 teaspoons.

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

See...it's super easy...and absolutely yummy to eat Paleo!  I feel SO much better and WAY more energized throughout my day.  Cody says he feels better too...he's eating Paleo 80% of the time.  Now...go try these recipes and be amazed at how much you don't miss all that other junk that's filling your body with toxins!