I woke up this morning CRAVING carbs.  I thought about another pancake recipe, then remembered I have cherries in my fridge from last week that needed to be eaten.  I decided to make muffins for the week.  I make my own almond meal, and like to add in a ¼ cup of flax to it for added healthy and tastey goodness.  You can use standard almond flour or meal of you choose.  (mealing it yourself with a professional grade blender does save money and takes no more time then pulling it out and cleaning up the residual fall of the flour).  This will be a favorite for your family and friends who question your paleo life.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups almond/flax meal
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground Himalayan sea salt (1-2 cranks on grinder at fine setting)
2 eggs room temperature
1 ripe banana
½ baked sweet potato
2.5 tbl coconut oil
2 tsp agave
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp organic cider vinegar
1 cup fresh cherries pitted and quartered
1 tbl fresh raw honey 

In large bowl, add first three ingredients, mix and create a basin in the center.  Puree in blender (I use my Ninja for all my food prep) sweet potato and banana.  You can mash these, I just like the ease of using the blender cup as it is already out from making almond meal.  In medium mixing bowl combine wet ingredients, eggs, fruit puree (banana and sweet potato), agave, vanilla, vinegar.  Mix together and pour at once into dry ingredient basin.  Push ingredients together until batter forms  Add honey to cherries and coat.  Fold in cherry mixture. Pour into greased muffin tins and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  My oven is convection and runs hot so I am at the lower end.  Adjust as needed.  Enjoy!

This was one of the more difficult but delicious recipes i have made! It is simple ingredients but i need to play with it a bit to make cooking easier. I cooked on a stovetop in bacon grease but i think placing it in the oven on sprayed parchment paper will work better. These are very delicate and delicious!

Ingredients

1/4 cup mixed flax meal and almond meal

2 bananas

2 tsp peanut or almond butter

1/2 tsp water (add more for consistency)
2 eggs

1/4 tsp cinamon

Add ingredients to food processor and mix thoroughly. Heat oven to 375 degrees place parchment paper on cookie sheet and sprayvwith olive or coconut oil. Make thin layer of mixture on pan and bake 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven plate and add sliced strawberries.

Eating healthy isn't always the easiest when your family isn't on board.  I find the best way to get your family to started on the healthy track is to slowly add in good-for-you ingredients. Tonight, I made a Mexican/Cuban base that my family could make their own rendition.  Although they still add fatty, processed additives, at least the main course is healthy- building a better palette. Although, I wouldn't recommend splitting the meat mixture, I just had a bad craving for Cuban (picadillo) so I added minced figs and capers to my mixture.  Choose whichever way to go.  Remember, always modify to meet your needs-  whether fresh tomatoes or diced canned, you will get a meal for your specific needs.


Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbl paprika
1/2 tbl cumin
1/2 tsp Cheyenne pepper
1 tsp ground mustard
1 cup minced tomatoes (in can or fresh- organic)

Brown meat in pan on med/high heat.  Add in onion and garlic,  cook until translucent then add in the remaining ingredients.  Stir and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 15 minutes.  If picadillo is what you are craving add minced dates, capers, and chopped olives.  Serve on lettuce for healthy dinner, or on wheat/spinach tortillas with plain greek yogurt for a healthy version of a classic favorite.  enjoy!

A surprising delicious treat!  I didn't really know where this was going, but glad I persevered. The consistency is runny, but it will stay in place to cook in the oven.  Be sure to use greased parchment paper or it will stick.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato chopped
1 cup eggplant chopped
2 cups flax and/or almond meal (I make my own for a combo)
1 egg
1 tbl avocado, coconut, or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
parchment paper

Mix sweet potato and eggplant, toss in oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 25 minutes or until browned.  Set aside to cool. 15 minutes. Add egg and meal, add meal slowly until consistency you like.  it will be runny- like pancake batter.  Mash down with potato masher (you can use a food processor, but leave it chunky)  spoon onto greased parchment paper.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until slightly browned.  Delicious!

I love flank steak, it has such delicious flavor and is so economical.  Decided to do my Asian/Mexican fusion marinade on this one and add in a fajita style with roasted onions and peppers.  The boys decided make it into a burrito, I was proud to resist temptation, this was so filling.  The veggie pattie it is on, gave it nice flavor but isn't necessary. It will be posted in a later blog.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
3 lb flank steak
1/3 cup dr. braggs aminos
onion powder, garlic powder, to coat
1 tbl Cheyenne powder
salt (light) and pepper to taste
2 cups peppers cut into strips
1 cup onion sliced
4 cloved garlic minced
3 cups kale
2 tbl avocado oil
1/2 avocado

Marinate steak 8-10 hours prior in first 5 ingredients (includes steak).  Remove and set aside 20 minutes prior to cooking.  In a cast iron pan, saute peppers in oil for a few minutes, then add onion and saute until just before clear.  Pull out and set aside. Coat steak in crushed pepper to create a crust. Add steak to skillet on medium heat and cook on each side for 10-15 minutes.  To know doneness, touch nose and then steak to feel when similar.  When it has same squeeshiness and firmness- ITs DONE!  Remove steak place on plate and cover with aluminum foil- sit for 15 minutes.  Add peppers, onions, and garlic mixture back to pan- increase to medium high heat.  Saute a bit add more oil if need to- saute kale in this mixture for a few minutes until just prior to being limp. Cut steak against the grain.  Plate kale, pepper mixture, avocado, then steak.  Enjoy!!!

I wanted to treat my husband for being so supportive and staying on track with out clean eating.  Unfortunately, like with any addiction, this snowballed into a lot of unhealthy choices and we had to really strive to get back on track.  I tried to be good by baking a paleo version of one of my favorite dishes.  I will admit I could not stave off that delicious treat.  This paleo version is delicious, but for a little more flavor and non-paleo fans- I would add the ricotta cheese mixture (16 oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, and 1/2 chopped fresh Italian herbs) to it.  Note: Eggplant will not cook long enough on its own so do NOT skip the sauteeing/roasting step- it will give you the consistency you want to really make this a delicious treat.


Ingredients:

1 whole eggplant sliced longways
1 tbl olive/avocado/coconut oil (use whichever you want-I went with avocado)
2 cups Italian meat mixture (see previous post)
1/2 cup onion sliced
2 cups spinach
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup carrots minced (I pureed in food processor)
1.5 cups fresh basil
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Saute or roast (I prefer roasting in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes) eggplant to get it slightly soften. In greased pan, add 1/2 cup Italian meat mixture and spread across bottom. Layer eggplant on top, then spinach, onions, mushrooms, carrots, and basil sprinkle balsamic over. Add eggplant and cover with remaining meat mixture. Bake in oven covered at 350 for 35-45 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer.  If adding the cheese and or ricotta add prior to the eggplant top and sprinkle some mozzarella on top of dish.  Enjoy!