Eating Seasonaly

Eating what's in season means your eating produce at the peak of freshness.  It's nutrient dense and has undeniably better flavor. You're also probably supporting a local farmer, or at least a U.S. farmer. So what's it season now you ask?  I found this quick reference over on Style Me Green. Print it out and hang it on the fridge.  Use it as you're meal planning or making your grocery list for the week.  

To get you started, try this yummy recipe as a side with dinner next week. Use beets, sweet potato & parsnips. Click image for recipe.

Simply Recipes

Paleo Pumpkin Pie

Truth be told I love Thanksgiving because of the pie.  Specifically, pumpkin pie.  It's what I look forward to eating the most.  In the past I've enjoyed traditional pie crust (full of gluten) and traditional filling (way too much refined sugar) but not anymore.  Now with our almost all Paleo lifestyle (yes, we cheat a little) I had to find a recipe for Pumpkin Pie because NOT having it was NOT an option.  The Pumpkin Pie I made was adapted from recipes found here & here.  The pie was super simple to make and tasted delicious.

For the crust:

Pre-heat oven to 350 & get out your food processor.

Ingredients:

2 cups Almond Meal/Flour
1/4 t sea salt
2T Coconut Oil
1T Ghee
1 egg

In the food processor pulse almond flour and sea salt.  Add coconut oil, ghee & egg until mixture forms a ball. Press into 9" pie pan.  Bake for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

1 14oz. can Organic pureed pumpkin

2 eggs

1/2 cup Coconut milk (the fatty kind from a can)

1/2 cup Organic Maple syrup

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t cloves

1/4 t ginger

combine all ingredients and blend for 2 minutes.

Pour filling into pie crust and bake for an additional 60-65 minutes.  I didn't cover my crust with foil because I don't mind a crispy crust. If that's not your cup of tea then cover the edges with foil now before putting back into the oven.

Looks just like good ole' Pumpkin Pie, right?  Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

{R}ecipe Thursday

If you read my last post then you know we've adopted a Paleo diet.  What is the one thing I still want?  A sweet treat!  Why?  Because sugar is addicting.  Disgusting, right?  Well this Paleo approved recipe does the trick for my sweet tooth with only 3 simple ingredients.  Ready for this?

Carrots, coconut oil & cinnamon.  That's it!!  Can you believe it?  This is the simplest, quickest, treat I've ever made.  What's better?  It tastes great hot or cold!

Here ya go.  Whipped carrots with coconut oil & cinnamon.  You can probably figure it out just by looking at the pictures but in case not, I've included the recipe at the bottom

Ingredients:
8 Whole carrots - peeled {cut in 1/2 if necessary to fit in pot}
3 Tablespoons of Organic Coconut Oil
1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon powder {extra to garnish}
Optional - save 2 Tablespoons of the water carrots were simmered in and add with coconut oil

Steam or simmer carrots until soft in about 3/4 cup of water.  Place cooked carrots and coconut oil in food processor.  Blend until well combined.  You may want to stop it, scrape the sides to get all the carrot chunks in and briefly blend again.  Add cinnamon and whip a little more. Done and delicious.  Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Recipe from Digestive Health with REAL Food

{R}ecipe Thursday

Here's another delicious recipe from the kitchen of Brittany Poe.  Follow her on Instagram @primalpoe for more yummy food pics!

{R}ecipe Thursday

Brittany is my sister and she is a true inspiration when it comes to eating well.  Not eating to lose weight, although you probably will, but eating to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  A lifestyle that is free of chemicals and processed foods which is important to me and my family.  Most of her recipes are Paleo so they are appealing to a variety of dietary needs, whether you're gluten free, dairy free ect.  She makes some pretty tasty things that will satisfy any appetite.   

Here are her first two recipes in this exciting new series {to be posted every other Thursday, just in time for the weekend}!  Eat up!

Welcome summer!  ‘Tis the season of BBQ’s, social gatherings, and fun in the sun!  Looking for a recipe that will satisfy both bathing suit season and your neighbor’s outdoor potluck?  Try one of these quick side dishes that are both healthy and delicious!

Spicy Cilantro Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Extra virgin coconut oil
• Cayenne
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Wash and cut sweet potatoes into desired fry thickness.  In large skillet, heat coconut oil on medium heat.  Once hot, place sweet potato slices into pan.  Add cayenne, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper to desired flavor and degree of spice.  If a sweeter taste is desired, add some ground cinnamon.  Turn and flip fries occasionally to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.  Cook fries until soft and slightly browned, but not burned.  Remove fries from pan with spatula and spread out in a single layer over paper towels.  Immediately sprinkle hot fries with fresh cilantro and let fries sit to cool and become crispy.  Then serve!

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, cooked
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 large gala apple
• 1 small red onion
• 1 large avocado
• 2T fresh basil, chopped
• 1T dried rosemary
• 1T local honey
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2T white wine vinegar
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt (to taste)
• Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Directions

Cook and set bacon aside to cool.  Chop the next 4 ingredients (cucumber, apple, onion and avocado) into ½ inch sized chunks, combine in a large bowl and set aside.  In a smaller bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix until an even dressing is formed.  Pour dressing over salad mixture and mix until salad is evenly coated.  Crumble cooked bacon over salad.  Serve as is or over a bed of fresh, peppery arugula for some added flavor!  Enjoy.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is!

Chocolate chip cookies {gluten free}

Whether you need to eat gluten free or not, these are some of the best chocolate chip cookies!  

This is my favorite pantry must have for gluten free baking.  I use it as a base for pretty much everything, cookies, muffins, pie crust, breads ect.

Chocolate Chip {flax seed} cookies:

Start by pre-heating the oven to 350

Here's what you'll need:

8 Tablespoons of butter softened {yes, a whole stick}

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1/3 cup honey

2 cups Pamela's baking mix

2 Tablespoons ground flax seed

1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together.  Add vanilla, eggs and honey, mix.  Add Pamela's mix and flax seed, mix.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop scoops of dough on greased cookie sheet and bake about 15 minutes.

Add flax seed whenever you can to recipes.  I put it in the boys pancakes, waffles, muffins, cookies and bread.  It does not alter the taste at all and its so good for you.  

Check out these nutrition facts.  Who doesn't need a little bit of this in their life?

Enjoy!!

Pinned it and tried it {avocado salads}

Another reason I love summer is because I can always find ripe avocados.  I'm always pinning recipes that involve avocado and this weekend I had the chance to try out two different avocado salads.  They were both amazingly easy, light and fresh.  Check out these tasty recipes

Avocado, tomato, mozzarella salad found here

Quinoa, avocado, blt salad found here

* I added grilled corn to this recipe for some extra crunch!

Deliciousness

I have one heck of a sweet tooth and for some reason nursing a little one only makes it worse.  Last weekend I made a super yummy, super easy frozen treat; Graham Cracker Ice Cream Sandwiches.  I am the first to admit that I am not the chef of the house, I leave that to Ben, but this looked simple enough.  

What you need!

1 pkg of Jell-O instant pudding (I used chocolate)

1 cup cold milk (I used skim)

1-1/2 cups Cool Whip topping

16 Graham Crackers broken in half (32 squares)

Make it!

Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk, 2 mins. Pudding will be thick. Stir in Cool Whip.

Spoon onto 16 graham cracker squares. Top each with second square to make a sandwich & press together gently.  Place in shallow pan and cover

Freeze 2 hours or until frozen.

110 Calories per serving.