Cold Broccoli Salad

While the idea of cold broccoli may seem unappealing to some, I can tell you it is such a treat. The trick is to cook the broccoli before hand so that it is softened, then coat it in the homemade vinaigrette. This vinaigrette also works wonderfully on salads. I had some left over and happily ate a pile of lettuce covered in it. :) Hope you enjoy this simple, yet fabulous alternative to "steamed broccoli again".

Cold Broccoli Salad

1 big bunch broccoli, just the florets (or a bag of it)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Place broccoli on a cookie sheet (lightly grease with oil of choice). Roast in oven for 8-10 minutes or until broccoli just becomes fork tender. Remove from oven, place in a bowl and into the refrigerator. In separate bowl, mix together vinegar, salt, onion powder, mustard, and water. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Pour dressing over the broccoli. Be sure to cover the broccoli to your own taste. If you like dressing, feel free to go heavy, if you just want a hint, then keep it light. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Balsamic Pork Roast

Pork is definitely our least favorite meat, but I have made it my goal to make it absolutely delicious each and every time we eat it. This dish hits the mark. The pork marinates first, then roasts in the delicious sauce, then the sauce is served over the pork. Simply yum.






Paleo Balsamic, Garlic and Rosemary Pork Roast

2-3 lbs pork loin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp crushed dried rosemary
2 tbsp paleo ketchup (here is the recipe I use http://paleoperfectly.blogspot.com/2010/10/paleo-ketchup.html)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil (I used avocado)

Place pork in a large zip lock bag. Mix all remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over the pork. Press air out of bag and seal. Place and refrigerator and leave for 2-4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork and marinade in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting with liquid every 10-15 minutes. Check internal temperature and ensure it is at least 145 degrees. Remove roast from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the sauce poured on top. Enjoy!

Paleo Tagine Chicken

My experience with Middle Eastern cuisine is limited at best, so whether this dish is authentic or not I cannot say. However, I can say it was delicious and has plenty of meat and veggies to satisfy any cave family. I left the spices mild in my recipe, so that its flavorful without being spicy. However, if you like heat...be sure to add more paprika, a healthy dose of pepper and you can even up the tumeric and cumin.



Paleo Tagine Chicken with Carrots

coconut oil
2.5-3 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in cubes
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 tsp cumin
1 1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp paprika
sea salt (to taste)
5 carrots, shredded
10-12 apricots, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins

Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken. Saute and cook until chicken is about 3/4 of the way cooked. Add onion and garlic. Saute until onions soften and start to turn translucent. Add broth and seasoning. Stir to combine. Add carrots. Saute and cook until carrots are soft and cooked through. Add apricots and raisins, toss to combine and allow to warm. Serve and enjoy!

Warm pears with cinnamon

So I am sorry for my blogging hiatus. A long trip, plus two sick kids, plus sick me equals not much cooking. I figured I would post up one of my all time favorite quick and easy paleo desserts, since I have to type this on my phone. This recipe is kind of like a nice warm slice of pie. :). I promise, more tasty recipes coming soon.

Warm pear with cinnamon

1 pear, cored and cut into chunks
Cinnamon to taste

Place pear in microwave safe dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon (I pretty much coat everything in it, I love cinnamon). Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Test to ensure pear is soft, cook for additional minute if needed. Cool slightly and enjoy!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Chicken Faux Mein!

So I have been on a bit of a Chinese food kick lately. I decided to make something that resembled lo mein, but was a heck of a lot healthier for us. The cabbage in this dish really resembled curly noodles and my 2 year old ate them without even questioning their vegetable status. It also provided a nice sweetness to the meal, without adding any kind of sugars. The sauce on lo mein is typically soy sauce based, so use whatever substitute here that you would like.



Paleo Chicken Lo Mein

Coconut oil (for greasing the skillet)
2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 onions, minced
1-2 heads of cabbage, cut into noodle type shapes
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup coconut aminos
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp arrowroot powder


Heat a very large skillet over medium heat. Melt coconut oil, then cook chicken until almost cooked through. Add onion. Cook until onion is translucent. Add cabbage. Toss to combine. Add vinegar, aminos, oil, ginger and garlic. Saute until cabbage is soft and tender. Add arrowroot and simmer for 2-4 minutes more. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Macadamia crusted chicken with pineapple coconut sauce and ginger carrots

So tonight I am posting the recipe to a full meal. This dinner was so yummy. The chicken had a yummy slightly salty and crunchy crust, the sauce with sweet and tangy, and the carrots were almost creamy with a little hint of spice. Everything just flowed together perfectly. I think that this dish would likely also work well with a simple white fish instead of chicken. Also, the sauce contains coconut butter, if you do not have coconut butter, I recommend trying a mix of coconut milk and coconut oil. However, I highly recommend getting your hands on coconut butter. Its decadent and very healthful at the same time.






Paleo Macadamia and Coconut Crusted Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
5-6 oz roasted salted macadamia nuts, chopped finely
3 tbsp unsweetened coconut, fine shred
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil and enough to grease the pan

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a pan with coconut oil. Pour coconut oil into pie dish (or some sore of plate), mix coconut and macadamias and place in a separate pie pan (or plate). Dip the chicken breast into the coconut milk and turn to coat. Then move the chicken into the macadamia mixture, and toss to coat. Place chicken in the pan. Repeat until all chicken is coated. Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Serve with the Pineapple Coconut Sauce or your other favorite sauce.

Paleo Pineapple Coconut Sauce

1 8oz can pineapple rings, in juice
3 tbsp coconut butter
1 lime juiced
2 tsp honey
1 6 oz can pineapple juice
2 tsp arrowroot

Add juice from pineapple rings, coconut butter, lime, pineapple juice and honey to small sauce pan. Heat over medium low heat. Add arrowroot and stir until well mixed. Heat until sauce thickens to desired consistency. Dice pineapple and mix to combine. Serve with macadamia crusted chicken or other favorite meal.

Paleo Coconut Ginger Carrots

1 bag of baby carrots
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp coconut milk
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
sea salt

In large skillet melt coconut oil, ensure it coats the pan, over medium heat. Add coconut milk, carrots, ginger and salt. Stir to combine, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. If the liquid steams off, then add a few tablespoons of water to continue allowing the carrots to steam. Stir every 5-7 minutes to ensure even cooking. Serve and enjoy!

Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

So you may catch on to a theme today...garlic and bacon. These two items make so many dishes wonderful that I figured why not give them a go on one of my favorite vegetables...Brussel Sprouts! These came out beautifully, lots of flavor and perfectly tender.



Paleo Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2 lbs brussel sprouts, quartered
2 pieces of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
oil of choice (I used avocado)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in roasting pan and toss to combine. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir. Roast for another 15-20 minutes, be sure to stir every 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!