Monthly Archives: February 2015

The Paleo Mocktail and February Clean up

Beverages, ,
Paleo Mocktail
Paleo Mocktail

The new thing for me this February is doing a 2 week reset (actually it is really five weeks, but you really eat strictly 2 weeks).  I signed up for Chris Kresser’s 14four program, and am now into to my second week of rebooting and resetting.  The program addresses the four big factors of life: Diet, Stress, Exercise and Sleep. I did a bit of indulging over the holidays,  as we can all tend to do, so I am taking this time to focus on my health inside and out.

Not that I booze it up every night, but I’ve been known to enjoy the cocktail hour every now and then.  Sometimes you just need to tweak reality a little, to fool your brain into thinking it is NOT getting deprived.  So in the evenings right about cocktail hour, my girls and I have been concocting the mocktail.  We drink them in fancy wineglasses, and I have to say I don’t miss the alcohol…… (dark chocolate is another story).

I really recommend a reset it feels really good! It is fun to try some new recipes and to focus on the other important areas of our lives we tend to dismiss .  I can’t speak well enough of Chris Kresser and his work, he is a functional medicine practitioner in California, and he is spot on in my book with his approach to wellness and healing.  Check him out HERE you’ll be glad you did!

Not that the mocktail really warrants a recipe, but here is our take on it!!

Mocktail

1 Tbl. Freshly squeezed Lemon or Lime Juice

1 TBL. Sour Cherry juice Concentrate

Sparkling Water

  1. Pour the Lemon or Lime and Cherry Concentrate into a fancy wineglass
  2. Add Sparkling Water and Stir
  3. Enjoy this refreshing Beverage
  4. Make any combo you’d like with fresh juices and some ginger or herbs as well!
  5. Serves 1

 

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Paleo Pancakes For Valentines Day

Breakfast, , , ,
Photo by Lynn Donaldson
Photo by Lynn Donaldson
Photo by Lynn Donaldson
Photo by Lynn Donaldson

Happy belated Valentine’s Day!  I don’t feel too bad for the tardy post as I think we should celebrate love (and chocolate) everyday!!

I got to go to my daughter’s class last Friday, and cook a Valentine’s breakfast for her and her classmates.  Of course,  I highly suggested doing a grain free pancake, and was met with eagerness from her teacher and Lynn (my co-cook and friend and the photographer who took these awesome photos).

On a side note Lynn has a BEAUTIFUL blog featuring all things Montana with a heavy emphasis on food,  you NEED to check it out HERE.  She is a very talented photo-journalist as you will plainly see when you go to her blog!!

Okay if I haven’t lost you to Lynn’s blog, onto the paleo pancakes.  I love these as they are so easy and fast to make and taste delicious.  I watched as the kids threw away their plates and 90% of them were empty,  I think they enjoyed the pancakes!

Paleo Pancakes or Banana Plantain Pancakes

1 Medium sized Green Plantain Peeled and cut into chunks

 or use 2 Bananas if you don’t have a green plantain*

1 Medium Sized Banana

*(the green Plantain with its starch gives these pancakes more substance and makes them less delicate to work with)

2 Eggs (if you like a dense pancake) 3 Eggs (if you like them a little fluffier)

1 TBL Vanilla

2 TBL Coconut Oil or Butter

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Baking Soda

  1. Throw all the ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor and mix until smooth. If the batter seems thick add another egg this will depend on the size of your banana and plantain. 
  2. Heat up a skillet to med-high and add your preferred fat ie. butter, ghee, coconut oil
  3. Pour the batter onto the skillet in the desired pancake size.
  4. Make sure to let the pancakes cook well on the first side (don’t flip until you see some bubbles), especially if they are all banana, as they will be a bit delicate to flip.
  5. When done plate them and serve with maple syrup, fruit syrup or whipped cream or all three!  Serves- 2 hungry adults- makes about 8 normal sized cakes

Paleo Pasta or OOdles of Zoodles

Savory, ,
Paleo Pasta or Zoodles
Paleo Pasta or Zoodles

UPDATE:  I have fixed all the links in my previous posts so you can now get to them!!

Being someone who doesn’t eat grains and wheat or wheat based products anymore, I sometimes get nostalgic for pasta type dishes.  I have found the answer,  it’s really nothing new or earthshaking, but I have been eating them a lot of late and thought I’d share them with you.

You guessed it Zoodles or noodles made from zucchini.  I purchased a vegetable spiralizer like this ONE and am very pleased with the results.  I can make a fresh healthy “pasta” dish in minutes.  These noodles don’t weigh you down like real pasta, and are fun to make and eat.  Not only can you use zucchini, you can use yellow summer squash, carrots, beets, cucumbers etc…. think of all the colorful combinations!!!

Paleo Pasta or Zoodles

2 smaller sized zucchini (or yellow squash or a combo)

1 TBL Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

  1. Heat a skillet on the stove to medium hot.
  2. Pour in Olive Oil
  3. Add the Zoodles and toss
  4. Salt and Pepper to Taste
  5. Add Marinara, Pesto, Alfredo, Fresh Olive Oil, chicken, meatballs, clams, shrimp etc. you get the idea.  Enjoy!