Paleo Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

I was messing around with my microwave chocolate cake recipe, and came up with this version. You could use the microwave mug recipe and add a 1/3rd of a ripe banana if you didn't want to make a full batch, but this version is an oven-baked goody to share with the family.

Paleo Chocolate Banana Cupcakes


4 TBSP butter, softened
6 TBSP honey  (I eye-balled this)
1 ripe banana
5 TBSP coconut milk
3 eggs
3 TBSP coconut flour
1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP almond flour (this equals 6 TBSP, if you just want to use your TBSP measurement)
1/2 cup plus 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa  (this equals 9 TBSP)

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine butter and honey with a mixer until smooth.  Smash in your banana, mix again.  Add coconut milk and eggs, mixing until the eggs are fully incorporated.  Add the dry ingredients, and mix well until there are no lumps.

Let me state that I don't really do exact measurements. I don't level my measuring spoons, nor do I measure out liquids.  But this is pretty darn close to what I did.  It should make a fairly thick batter, not a runny batter. If the batter is too runny, you may want to add a tablespoon of coconut flour. If you think it is far too thick, add a bit more liquid.  ALWAYS taste the batter when you are done to see if you need to add more sweetener.

Poor into silicone cups and bake at 350F for approximately 15 minutes.  (I use silicone cupcake liners which I set on a flat pan.  Silicone cupcake liners are THE BOMB, y'all.)

Isn't that a beautiful texture? It's like a cross between cake and pudding.

Yum, y'all. Yum.

Note: Yes, you can mess around with your coconut to almond flour ratio, but remember, coconut flour requires more moisture, so keep that in mind!  You could also do half coconut flour and half arrowroot, but I haven't tried that on this particular creation so... I can't guarantee anything.

Paleo Microwave Chocolate Cake with almond and coconut flours

It's a good thing I don't follow the Paleo mindset of "eat only what the caveman eat" because, 1, I don't believe in the whole Paleolithic era stuff (You know, I'm one of those weird people that believes in a Divine Creator, and I don't believe the earth is millions of years old), and um, I do believe that some advances in the kitchen are a good thing (like the invention of the blender).

And while I'm not a huge fan of microwaves, I do have one that we use now and then, mostly for those spontaneous moments when I have just got to have a personal-sized chocolate cake.

Before we became grain-free-freaks, I made many microwave cakes and had it all down to perfection.  After our Whole30 challenge, I decided I should try a Paleo version. Let me just say that I do not care for the texture of coconut flour in baked goods when it is not mixed with other Paleo flours, but I do love the texture of coconut flour in combination with another "flours" like arrowroot or almond meal.

The first Paleo microwave cake I made (with just coconut flour) proved that point once again. Ick. What a way to ruin chocolate.  So the next time I made it, I decided to mix it with almond flour, and I loooved it.

Here's what you'll need:

1 and 1/2 TBSP Coconut flour (I just eye-balled the half using the TBSP measuring spoon)

1 and 1/2 TBSP Almond flour

3 TBSP Cocoa (unsweetened)

1-2 TBSP honey (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 TBSP butter (melted)

1-2 TBSP coconut milk (or whatever you want to use, sometimes I use coffee)

1 egg

There are various ways you can mix this altogether. I usually start with the melted butter and honey, mixing it up well with a fork before I add the coconut milk and egg.  Then I mix in the flours and cocoa little by little so that it gets totally mixed in. (I do it this way so that 1- the melted butter doesn't start to harden back when you add cold milk and a cold egg to it if you mix it with the honey first, and 2- I don't have to use a mixer if I add the dry ingredients slowly rather than dumping them in.)

Taste the batter to see if you should add a bit more honey.  If it seems very, very thick, add a little more coconut milk.  Different coconut flour brands react differently, and some soak up more liquid than others.

Now, you could put this all in a mug and microwave it for about 45-60 seconds OR you could scoop it out into silicone cupcake liners.  I actually tripled this recipe and it made about 8 cupcakes. (I microwaved the cupcakes one by one, FYI.)  If you are making cupcakes, it only takes about 25 seconds in the microwave, at most 30 seconds. (I like mine a little moist, so 30 seconds is too long for me.)

I drizzled some organic chocolate sauce over mine.  Not paleo (sugar!) but... tasty.

What do we eat?

Kristianna wrote in asking what our normal menu looks like. While we are no longer officially on the Whole30, we usually still eat like it.  After being on the Whole30, sweet treats like Paleo Berry Breakfast Cake seem very rich, even with the minimal amount of honey or maple syrup.  I made them last night (as muffins) for breakfast this morning, and I just couldn't stand to eat one, but the kids really loved them.

I do think that treats like that make the big lifestyle change of going Paleo much easier on children.  (Especially if you bring it to a potluck where you know there will be a lot of desserts they can't have or to a birthday party where the sugary icing, dyes, and chemical-cake will make them extremely sick.)

I made a double recipe of the breakfast cake which made about two dozen muffins (could have made about 30 if I would have made them a tad smaller).

These treats are well-loved by all five of kiddos from youngest [Molly Jo] and oldest [Merikalyn]. (One batch I made with strawberries, another I made with Enjoy Life chocolate chips.)

Obviously the kids can't have these every morning.  After all, we don't want to replace old bad habits with new slightly healthier bad habits, but treats are nice now and then.

Here's what we might have for breakfast any given week.  We tend to eat a lot of eggs because it's kind of one of those no-brainer things, but after a month or two you will find yourself growing very weary of eggs so you'll likely want to try different things. Remember, you don't have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast. You could have a hamburger patty and a sweet potato instead!

Breakfasts:

• Paleo Banana Bread
• Paleo Granola with Almond or Coconut milk (add in bananas and other fruit to really amp up the flavor)
• Frittata loaded with veggies (like tomatoes and zucchini) and meats like smoked sausage or breakfast sausage (Look for ones with no nitrates and no MSG).
• Baked Cinnamon Banana boats with a side of eggs
• Eggs and bacon (It is incredibly difficult to find sugar-free bacon, so we have just bought the brands that have no nitrates and the least amount of sugar and not worried about it. Buy the best quality you can afford, organic if possible.  Some people buy sugar-free bacon online but I would not spend that much money on bacon! No thanks!)
• Eggs and breakfast sausage (No Nitrates and no MSG)
• Egg Muffins (Basically egg and whatever else you want baked in a muffin cup. Be sure to really grease the muffin cup or line it with bacon so that it doesn't stick. I like silicone cups as there is no sticking.)
• Fried egg with avocado on top
• Breakfast hash (we like to use roasted butternut squash, ground breakfast sausage, and eggs).
• Or something like this, below, which is a fried egg (yolk firm) with green onions "wrapped" in (no nitrate) ham.  Also known as hubby's breakfast this morning.

Lunches:

Sometimes I just lay out a big platter of cucumbers, carrots, celery, chicken or ham, and some bananas for the kid to attack for lunch, but that doesn't usually work for me.  Those typical sandwiches are out, so I now think of lunch as I would supper.  If I need something light, a salad will work.

• Grilled chicken on romaine with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, and alfalfa sprouts
• Hamburger stew (there are a variety of recipes out there for hamburger stew, but for us, it's basically ground beef, carrots, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, potato bites, and peas, which some Paleo folks do not eat.)
• Stuffed Bellpeppers (no rice, of course, but you could use "riced" cauliflower)
• Sausage and stewed cabbage
• Paleo chili and hot dogs (no nitrates, no msg)
• Shrimp salad
• Hamburger patty with avocado, lettuce, onions, pickles, bacon, and whatever else you like on top. (This is a great "out to eat" meal, since there inevitably comes a time when you have to Whole30 out on the town.  We like to eat at Five Guys and Fries and Smash Burger.  And, since we allow ourselves to break some rules, we sometimes have their fries as well.)
• Baked chicken breasts with zucchini (layer sliced zucchini under the chicken before you bake, and add in a little bit of water. Season the water/zucchini well before placing the chicken (which you also should season well) on top. Viola, one dish wonder!)
• Grilled sausages (we like pork and green onion- you can buy them fresh from the butcher department at the grocery store) with grilled squash or asparagus
• Tuna salad (Note: It is pretty much impossible to find Paleo Mayo, so you can try making it yourself. If that is not an option for you, or you have tried many times and failed, and you must, must, must have mayo, go for best option available, which will NOT be among the major brands.  For those days when the kids are begging for tuna salad [I personally hate fish, but love shrimp], we go for The Ojai Cook Lemonaise which is made with Pure Expeller Pressed Canola Oil (which is NOT paleo), Water, Cage Free Whole Eggs, Creole Mustard, Lemon, Juice Concentrate, Cage Free Egg Yolks, Salt, Distilled Vinegar and Garlic.  It's is VERY flavorful and makes super yummy tuna, I hear.  Our goal is not really to fit all the guidelines so we can call ourselves Paleo, but to make as many changes as we can to have a healthy lifestyle, so not everything we eat is Paleo.)

Snacks:

We cut out most snacking when we were on the Whole30, but I found the kids typically needed a snack between lunch and supper, especially if supper wouldn't be until six or seven.  

• A palm full of nuts (no peanuts!)
• Homemade trail mix (nuts, seeds, and raisins or craisins- be aware that most brands of craisins have added sugar).
• A banana, apple, or orange
• Carrots
• Lara bar  (make sure you don't get the peanut ones).
• Grape tomatoes
• Apple sauce (no sugar added)
• A few slices of bacon (if you bake a bunch ahead of time [lay out on a pan in a single layer, bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes depending on thickness] and put it in the fridge, it's super tasty to have for snacks, especially dipped in guacamole)
• A box of raisins
• Sweet potato chips (You could make these yourself, but every now and then I come across some at Sprouts or Whole Foods which is Whole30 compliant.  Sometimes I will buy some that are not Paleo, because they are made with Sunflower oil, though.)

Supper

• Apple and Cabbage Baked Chicken Casserole (we also add in sausage to it feeds our whole family, and I use as many chicken breasts as I can fit. 
• Crockpot roast with garlic, onions, carrots and potatoes (you can use white if you're okay with white potatoes, or sweet potatoes)
• Oven barbecue ribs with cole slaw mixed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (I love this recipe from Cook Like Your Grandmother, which is not Paleo/Whole30 because of the brown sugar but I'm going to attempt my own version this week. My husband smokes ribs like a pro because, um, he is a pro, but sometimes it's just not feasible for him to do any grilling or smoking, so it's nice to have a back up recipe I can use to do it in the oven rather than try my hand at burning the house down smoking meat. Do some web searching and I am sure you can find a Whole30 rib recipe. )
• Chicken thighs (with skin and bones) and brussel sprouts (I heavily season the thighs on both sides and brown them in some coconut oil in a big pot while I cut up some onions, celery, and garlic.  Then I toss in those veggies, and when they've softened I deglaze the pan with two or so cups of water. I season the water with salt and such, then let it all simmer, covered, for a while as I cut the brussel sprouts in half.  When the chicken is almost done, I toss in the brussel sprouts, cover, and allow to simmer 10 or so more minutes. And then, there it is, another one pot meal!)
• Grilled chicken with a side salad
• Juicy grilled steak with a sweet potato and green beans
• Cubed Steak, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers (another one-dish-wonder)
• Meatballs and spaghetti squash with marinara sauce
• Crockpot (whole) chicken with whatever I have left over to throw together as a side.

Note: We do eat white potatoes in our family. We are a large family, and while most Paleo folks do not consume white potatoes, well, we do.  We loved loaded baked potatoes (a variety of meats, olives, onions, and such with lots of butter) and we sometimes use them in breakfast hash.  This also means we enjoy fries now and then (but not from McDonald's- believe me, after being on the Whole30 and eating real food, McD's fries, which used to be so yummy and appealing, will taste like chemical garbage).

If you get in a rut, check out pinterest or do some searching on the web.  I really love one-dish dinners and crockpot meals, especially in the summer or when our schedule gets pretty busy and I don't have a lot of time to think about meals. That way I only have to think about meals in the morning...

For example:

As I'm preparing a frittata I cut up extra tomatoes to use in the hamburger stew I'm making for lunch.  While the frittata is baking, I brown up a bunch of ground beef- some for the hamburger stew, some for the chili I am making tomorrow. I also chop up celery, onions, and potatoes for both the hamburger stew and the crockpot roast I'm preparing for dinner.  By the time breakfast is done, the crockpot is simmering for dinner's meal and the pot on top of the stove is simmering with a soup for lunch.  There you go, all my meal work is done in the morning, and I don't have anything to do but serve it when lunch and supper roll around!

Don't be fooled though, it doesn't always work this way.  I am still trying to get into a steady routine!  Sometimes I wake up and tell the kids to dig into the emergency gluten-free cereal (which is not grain-free) before I fall back into bed.

Okay, so, that should give you an idea of what we do.  I apologize that it's not better organized, and there are probably loads of typos, but I have to get the crockpot started, so.. I'm out.

Apple and Cabbage Baked Chicken Casserole

I love one-dish-wonders. It's less clean-up and doesn't require a lot of work.

I meant to take an after photo, but I got so caught up in eating it, that, well, I didn't.  So, you can have the before photos.

I first came across this recipe on The Healthy Foodie. It was such a hit with my family that my husband demanded we make it a regular feature.  I do mine a bit different, so here are my directions, but I assure you, THF deserves all the credit.


YOU WILL NEED: 
1 head of cabbage
2-3 apples
1 onion

1/2 unsweetened apple juice,
1-2 teaspoons mustard
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar.

Seasonings (I used salt, a Cajun blend, and garlic powder).
1/2 unsweetened apple juice,
1-2 teaspoons mustard
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar.
Sausage (I used several links of green onion deer/pork blend)

2-4 chicken breasts

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F.

1. Use a mandolin to thinly slice apples and onions. You could do this with a knife but it is more uniform and quicker with the handy gadget! Thinly slice cabbage as well. I did this with a knife.  Slice up the sausage as well. (I added in the sausage because I needed more meat to feed my family, and I couldn't fit any more chicken into the dish.)

2. Put 1/2 of the cabbage into a large casserole dish (8x10 or bigger). Season with salt and cajun seasoning. Add in all the sausage. Layer in 1/2 onions and 1/2 of the apples. Layer in the remaining cabbage (pause to season again here), onions, and apples.

3. In a small bowl, mix together apple juice, mustard, and apple cider vinegar & pour over the top of the apples/onion/cabbage.

4. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt, a bit of Cajun seasoning, and a generous amount of garlic powder. Place on top of the last layer of apples. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour!

Note: You could change this up and use chicken or veggie broth! I sometimes throw in minced garlic as well.

One Dish Wonder: Tenderized Steak

One of our favorite dishes involves tenderized steak. Before we took on the Whole30 challenge, we typically cut these tenderized steaks into strips, coated them in flour, and tossed them in the skillet with.... margarine (because butter burns at such a high heat).

Now, our new approach is just as tasty and much healthier.

You can buy thin cut tenderized steak at your local grocery store.  They look like this and are often called "cube steak".

So, here's what you do.

Get enough cubed steak for your family. One steak per person should work, but it never hurts to have some extra.  Put a couple tablespoons of coconut oil into a large skillet and turn heat to just a touch over medium.

Now, lay out the steaks so you can season them.  Salt, pepper, garlic power, onion powder.  Pat it in. Or, if you don't like touching the meat, don't pat it in. Whatever. Just season them well. Be generous with the onion and garlic powder.  The steaks should look off-white because of how much you put on them. Season both sides. Be careful with the salt, and DO NOT use garlic salt because you will surely over-salt the steaks and that would be sad.  In my opinion, you can't over garlic/onion them. Ha!

Now place them in the pan. You probably won't be able to fit them all in the skillet unless you have a really small family (which, we don't), so you might have to do several batches. Let them sizzle for a few minutes until they are crispy brown on that side. You may need to turn the heat down a little bit if the pan starts smoking. Just keep an eye on it.  When the underside is browned and crispy (not just slightly brown, but crispy and delicious looking), flip them over and start cooking the other side.  There's no specific timing on this because some cubed steaks are thicker than others.  It's not terribly difficult to tell when they are done. They will be crispy. They will look delicious. You will just know. (And they actually taste good even when slightly burnt.) When both sides are done, remove and set on a plate. Cover the plate so they stay warm.  Now you're going to toss some veggies in the pan, so do not turn the heat off!

First you need to deglaze the pan because there's all that yumminess stuck to the pan.  So take about a half cup of water and pour it in the pan. Watch it steam and sizzle as you stir it around, picking up all those delicious bits of goodness from the bottom of the skillet.

Now toss in some veggies. Maybe you have a bag of frozen green beans*.  Or maybe you sliced up some mushrooms, bellpeppers, and onions to toss in (do this while the steaks are sizzling away on the stovetop).  Maybe you want to toss in some fresh spinach or cabbage. Whatever. It's your meal. You do what you want to.  Toss in the vegetables you want to use, season them with a little salt and whatever else you want, and stir it around.  Now you can put the steaks back in after the veggies are sufficiently cooked and you don't have a ton of dishes to wash. 

*Note- peas, green beans, and sugar snap peas are allowed on the Whole30 even though they are legumes. Many Paleo folks still consume these things because they are easier to digest than other legumes. It's up to you whether you want to continue eating them or not.

So, for those of you who need an ingredient list, here you go:

- cubed steak (enough for your whole family)

- coconut oil (We have used bacon grease too. Sometimes we will cook a bunch of bacon in the skillet first, and then set aside for another meal, or to toss in with green beans later.)

- salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder (or Tony Chachere's!)

- vegetable of your choice

Paleo Berry Breakfast Cake

Today is our oldest's 10th birthday.  We can't believe the's that old. I mean, who said she could hit double digits? Not us, that's for sure.

Here's Mandy's dad, experiencing grandparenthood for the first time!

Mandy with Merikalyn (M + Erika = Lyn)

To celebrate her birthday, I (Mandy) decided to throw together a quick recipe that could very well be a breakfast treat (treat, not daily thing) or a dessert.  I altered a coffee cake recipe and came up with this.

What you need:

1/2 cup to 2/3 cup honey (depending on how sweet you want it. I used 1/2 cup.)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup coconut cream*  (You want to make sure there is plenty of moisture because coconut flour really soaks it up and it can be too dry if there is not enough liquid. I used 3/4 cup one time because I was a bit too liberal with the coconut flour, and the next time I used 1/2.)1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup arrowroot flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5-8 strawberries, sliced  or a cup or two of blueberries (fresh or frozen)

* You could use almond or coconut milk, and it will be good, but the richness of the cream makes it all the more better. I used almond milk for the strawberry cake and coconut cream for the blueberry, and the blueberry was SO MUCH TASTIER.  If you don't have coconut cream on hand, you could also use So Delicious Coconut Creamer (even the flavored ones), or.. add regular dairy creamer if milk isn't an issue for you).

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or butter an 8×8 baking pan.

2. Combine honey, butter, eggs and cream/milk in a bowl until well combined. My honey is thick, so I melted the butter just a tad, added the honey to it, and then melted them together a little bit longer.

3. Combine arrowroot flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir well. (I used my mixer to make sure there were no lumps.

5. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread out evenly.  Then place a layer of sliced strawberries down on top of the batter before adding the other half of cake batter.  If you are using blueberries, pour in ALL of the batter and put the blueberries on top (they will likely start sinking to the bottom anyway).

Bake at 350*F for 25-30 minutes, until nicely browned and no longer jiggly in the middle.

ENJOY!

Happy Birthday Merikalyn!

*Note: This recipe was a HUGE hit at our church potluck brunch this morning.  Even people who are not gluten-free or Paleo asked for the recipe. It really tastes like it's made of wheat flour. It's so delicious! 

How to season meat so it blows your face off with flavor.

If you've been around us for even a small amount of time, you know we like to grill. Brandon is the undefeated grill master, mainly because he grew up in the grilling/smoking business. In case you forgot, Brandon's family owned a barbecue restaurant which we eventually took over before we moved to Houston.

Some men dream of having a man cave. I (Brandon) dream of having a brick lined pit with a real chimney.  My grill would be big enough to fit three or four briskets on it.  It would all be built into a pit house featuring a prep table, sink, and a big stack of woods like oak, mesquite, and pecan ready and waiting for use... plus a smoke room at the end for hanging sausages and meats.

One key to having the tastiest grilled and smoked meats is learning to season your meat well. The average person loves flavorful food but does not know how to properly season.  I get it, you're scared of over-salting, and it probably feels like you're really putting it on thick.

Put it on thicker.

Here's a starter recipe for those of you looking to jazz up your burger recipe. This is just a basic burger recipe. We add various other seasonings, and you can too, but first you need to grow accustomed to pouring on the seasoning.

Mandy doesn't like digging her hands in the meat, so the job of seasoning the ground beef usually falls to me. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, but if the thought of getting them all beefy grosses you out, find a big spoon to mash it around and mix it up with. But really, it's best done by hand.

What you'll need:

• 1 pounds ground beef
• 1/8 cup of garlic powder (Really. If you can't stand to put that much in, put half of that. Make sure it is NOT garlic salt or this will be really salty and gross.)
• 1/8 cup onion powder
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 TBSP hot sauce (They won't be too spicy. It's a small amount, relatively speaking.)
• 1 TBSP mustard
• 1/2 tsp to 1 teaspoon salt.  You don't want to over salt, so you might want to start with 1/2 teaspoon. Everyone has a different amount of salt they prefer.
• 1/8 tsp cayenne for a spicy kick, which, obviously is optional.

So, dump it all in a bowl in the order listed, and start mushing it around with your hands.  Once it's all mixed in, form patties, and put them on the grill. Then chase your wife around with your gross meaty hands.

Make extra hamburger patties so you can throw one in your lunch of have one for breakfast with an egg on top.

How to season chicken breast:

I wish I could just give you a simple specific recipe, but that wouldn't work because the size of chicken differs. So, I'm going to tell you how to really season a chicken breast so it's super flavorful.

First of all, we want this chicken breast to really stretch because we're frugal. Take each breast and lay it down.  Starting at the fattest side of the chicken, butterfly the chicken from one end to the other.  You are basically making two really thin chicken breasts out of one piece.  The video below shows you how to butterfly a chicken.  Technically, you don't cut it all the way through, but in our house, we do.  This means each person gets half of the breast, and it usually fills them up, allowing the chicken to go further. (Remember, we have a family of seven, so making food stretch is important.)

Another thing we do, which you could take or leave, is pound each of the butterflied pieces with a meat tenderizing "hammer".  If there are uneven thicknesses, this will even them out.

Now it's time to season.  People typically lightly sprinkle seasoning on, and then they feel like it's just not very flavorful after it's cooked. My technique is pretty much to crust the chicken with seasoning.  We call it "seasoning-crusted chicken". Actually, we just call it chicken.

One of the reasons people over-salt meat is because they have various seasonings that are loaded with salt.  Tony Chachere's and various other seasoning already have a good bit of salt, so you may want to buy salt-free seasonings so you can control the amount of salt.  Liberally sprinkle on garlic and onion powders. Make sure you are not using garlic salt. DO NOT BUY GARLIC SALT. It is the devil. Not really, but, we've ruined some good dishes because someone bought garlic salt without realizing it and... anyway. No blame. I'm not bitter about it. Really. I've moved on.

When I say liberally season, I mean DUMP THAT STUFF ON THERE. Cover every millimeter of that chicken with it, both sides.  Buy a good steak seasoning that doesn't have salt (or only has a small amount of salt) and really go to town with it.  Our favorite steak seasoning is from Saltgrass Steakhouse, but, unless you're from Texas, you may not have heard of this place, even though they do have a few locations in Nevada, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Colorado. But, hey, you're in luck because TexJoy sells it on their website. (Yeeeehaw, y'all!)

Saltgrass' 7 Steak Spice has the perfect amount of salt. You can really season up the food, every millimeter of it, without over salting.  We're working on replicating this spice recipe ourselves, but you can't use cheap seasonings. It's got to be good quality stuff.  The only downside to this seasoning is that it's probably made with table salt, which is why we're working on a mixture that caters to our favorite flavors and is made with sea salt. And, that's yet another reason why it's best to buy salt-free seasonings!

Since you made the chicken thinner, it's going to grill quicker.  So, watch the pit closely.  You won't have to worry about part of it being under cooked since it's all the same thickness.

Grilled meat is a must when you're on the Whole30, and grilling up a bunch of extra food to have later will provide you with "fast food" without running through a drive-through. Today, my wife and I prepared about 20 pounds of meat to eat throughout the week.  Chicken, fresh sausage, hamburger patties, and breakfast sausage.... it's all ready and waiting, which means meals won't be frustrating and time-consuming because the hard work is already done! Plus, tomorrow she'll throw some things in the crockpot so we have shredded chicken or pulled pork on hand.  You could also use this time to make some hard boiled eggs. Always nice to be prepared and having something to grab on your way out the door in the morning.

Paleo Chocolate Cake

Our oldest has a birthday coming up.  Instead of taking a break from Paleo to allow a store-bought, chemical-laden cake, I'm working on several Paleo desserts to make sure her birthday is a happy one for her  whole body, gut included.  I mean, really, no one wants the nasty rash that accompanies her wheat-feasting. That's not the sort of birthday gift she's looking forward to.

I had intended this dish to be brownies, but they really weren't brownie-like in my opinion. Maybe that's because I'm used to the gooey, fudgy kind that come from box mixes (why do those things have to be so good?).

This recipe is pretty simple, and you could call them brownies or call them cake. You could top them with walnuts or a Paleo icing.  And yanno, your kids will still love them either way.

And they will still want to lick the bowl. They'll sneak into it when you're not looking, and instead of scolding them, you will probably grab your camera instead.

Paleo Chocolate Cake

What you'll need:

1/2 cup butter (that's one stick)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or agave (Depends on how sweet you prefer it. I used 1/2 cup. Also, I need to go grocery shopping so I used a combination of all three because I was running out of everything.)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips (optional)
Chopped raw walnuts (optional)



What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2.Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. I've been trying to avoid using the microwave, so I did it on the stovetop over low heat.

3. While you're doing that, get out a medium mixing bowl and beat eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, and vanilla together. (Save back the coconut flour. Don't add it yet!)

4.  Is the butter melted yet?  Great. Remove from heat and add cocoa powder to the melted butter, whisking in thoroughly with a fork.

5. Add cocoa and butter mixture into the medium bowl with the egg mixture and mix well.

6. Add coconut flour and mix together (an electric beater works best) until no longer lumpy.  I added in chocolate chips at this point for an extra bite of chocolate-y goodness. You could add walnuts in here, or you could save them and put them on the top for a pretty touch. Let it sit for a couple minutes to the coconut flour can soak up some of the moisture.

7. Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  There are several ways to do this. You can use spray or you could put a dollop of butter or coconut oil in the pan and put it in the oven for a couple minutes.  Once melted, remove the pan (with hot pads!) and tilt/rotate the pan until it's completely greased up. Pour in the batter and top with walnuts (if you want)!

8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  It depends on what pan you are using, so set your timer for 18 minutes and give it a check.  I used an 8x8 pan and it took about 22 minutes. (The middle was still very wet at 18 minutes. I probably could have pulled it out at 20, and let it sit for a bit, and because it retains heat, it would have finished baking and have been a bit more moist.)  Smaller pans will have longer baking time. The bigger the pan the quicker it will bake.  You can test it with a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle. If it's still really gooey and sticks to the knife, then it's not quite finished.

I'm thinking that, next time, I might add in a touch of coconut cream. I'll have to continue working on a brownie recipe I really like.  I'm pretty sure this recipe would make a great cupcake with chocolate avocado pudding for icing.  Also, I don't really MEASURE stuff, I eyeball it, to it's totally possible that I may have put a little too much cocoa, which could have accounted for it not being so fudgy. Either way, it was really tasty, especially since I haven't had a brownie, or chocolate cake, in a long time.

Gluten-free baking used to seem to daunting. I mean, most recipes called for a mixture of flours (rice flour, tapioca flour, sorghum, etc) plus add in other strange stuff I had never heard of.  It seemed like such a huge hassle, and not only that, it required me to have a zillion different kinds of flours on hand (most of which were pretty expensive) or buy that pricey gluten-free flour mixture.

Grain-free baking is such a breeze. Normally, there are not a lot more steps than what I was once accustomed to. And, if it's grain-free, then it's already gluten-free, so my gluten-free friends and family don't have to worry about the dishes we make. They can indulge!

Paleo Granola

So, you're tired of eating eggs for breakfast every morning (not that you have to, but that seems to be the rut you're in, right?) and you wish there was something else you could throw together.  Maybe you're starting to miss cereal, because, boy, is it easy to pour a bowl of cereal.

Ah, well, I've got just the thing for you, my dear.

Paleo Granola

What you'll need
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds (shell removed)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (or raw honey)
- 1 cup of your favorite dried fruit (raisins?) to add in afterward.

What to do:

1. First, preheat oven to 275F.  Toss the almonds, cashews, and pecans (along with the coconut flakes) in your food processor (if you have one) and give it a couple pulses to break them up into smaller chunks. If you don't have a food processor, place ingredients in a big plastic food bag and pound it a bit with... something. A rolling pin, a meat tenderizing hammer, or even the bottom of a heavy glass will do.  

2. Get out a small pot to heat up the coconut oil and maple syrup (or honey)so that it all melts together. You could do this in the microwave too if you prefer. Throw in seeds, nuts and coconut flakes and stir to coat.  (Remember, don't throw in the dried fruit!)

3. Now you're going to get out one of those handy-dandy silicone spatula thingies (more like a spoonula, as Rachel Ray calls it) and spread the delicious granola mixture onto a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, but even foil will work) in an even layer.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, mixing a couple times if you remember.  I'm sure your mouth will be watering when you smell the delicious scents wafting from your kitchen.  

4. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then add in dried fruit. I'm not that patient, and I really like it hot, so I typically eat half of the pan a little before it cools.

Eat plain, with a bunch of fruit, or in a bowl with some delicious almond or coconut milk. Mmmmmm.  This also makes a great dessert when you have guests over!

What's for breakfast?

Sunday mornings are a time of relaxation in our household.  At some point, we eventually get around to a filling breakfast, but no rush, y'all.

Today's breakfast featured a deliciously ripe cantaloupe, strawberries, and... (wait for it).... Paleo Donuts.  I realize there are probably a zillion Paleo Donut recipes out there, but I'm going to throw mine into the mix as well. I'm also including a super-simple "egg muffin" recipe that might become a breakfast staple in your home! It's so simple, and it's a great recipe for your kids to put together themselves.

We also have plans to whip up some Paleo mayo today to go in some dishes for our fellowship potluck this evening.  (Our church gathers in the afternoon, usually followed by a potluck meal.)  Have you checked out the ingredients in the many versions of mayo stacked on grocery store shelves? Yuck!  Since beginning the Whole30, we have tried our best to steer clear of unhealthy oils (canola, soy, vegetable, etc).  Unfortunately, those oils are in so many things, so we've learned to make our own dressings and dips.

We'll include our (read: Brandon's) paleo mayo recipe soon, but first we need to measure ingredients. We typically just throw things together, which has made putting together our (free) cookbook a little difficult!

Anyway, on with it! Paleo donuts coming up!

Once upon a time in Target land, I came across a donut maker on clearance.  So, believing it was meant just for me, I took this beautiful gadget home.  The nifty thing about this nifty thing is that it bakes up donuts in 5-6 minutes. Swift, I tell you.  But, since not everyone has these thing-a-ma-bobs, I'm also including directions on how to bake them in the oven.  Don't have a donut pan? Aw, well, that's alright. You can turn these things into muffins as well!

PALEO DONUTS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salted butter (that equals one stick), melted.
• 1 very ripe banana, smashed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup of coconut flour 
• 1/3 teaspoon of baking soda 
• 1/4th to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depends on how sweet you prefer it)
• Cinnamon, optional (add as much or little as you like).

Melt banana in a bowl and add smashed banana, apple sauce, and eggs.  Mix well. (I use an electric mixer.) Add in coconut flour and baking soda.  Mix for about a minute. Slowly add in maple syrup. I don't actually measure- I eyeball it. Pour in a little, mix, and taste.  We don't like ours super sweet, plus the banana and applesauce will add a little sweetness to it.  Let sit for several minutes to let the coconut flour soak up some of the moisture. (This is important!)

Spoon mixture into your donut maker (mine makes 5 mini-donuts at a time), close, and let bake for 5-6 minutes. (Or follow the instruction for baking that you normally use.)

WHOLE30 VARIATION: 

If you are on the Whole30 or the 21 Day Sugar Detox, leave off the maple syrup. These donuts are great as a paleo bread with an egg on top!  You can even put some crumbled bacon in the batter!


OVEN DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Fill donut cake pan rounds 2/3rd of the way full.  If you're using a muffin pan, use muffin liners (or silicone liners), and fill 2/3rd full as well.
• Bake 15-20 minutes.  Remember, mini muffins will only need about 8-10 minutes baking time.  Insert a toothpick or knife to see if it comes out clean.

OTHER VARIATIONS:

I added in some Enjoy Life chocolate chips to the kids' donuts, and even made a batch with chopped up strawberries mixed into the batter.  Try different things- sweet or savory- to change things up!

Note- I can't tell you how many these will make because, well, it depends.  My recipe made about 15 mini-donuts.  This should make a dozen muffins. I make no promises, though!

Now, on to the easy egg muffins. I started making these long before we took on the Whole30 challenge or even considered going Paleo.  Some of my Paleo pals on Instagram posted really yummy photos of their egg muffins which intrigued me and motivated me to give it a go.  Even if you aren't Paleo, you'll enjoy this recipe. You could add in all sorts of things- veggies, meats, cheeses. 

My oldest is a pro in the kitchen, but if you haven't been training your children to cook or bake, this is a great recipe to start with.  It's nearly fool proof.  Nearly.

The rule is simple. One egg makes one egg muffin.  What you choose to do with that egg makes all the difference.  Add in cooked bacon? Yes. Ground sausage? Yum.  Cajun andouilee? Sounds good to me! Season it how you like, add in some salsa, green onions, or even spinach, and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

The possibilities are endless! You can throw a few together and pop them in the oven while you're getting ready for the day, and they'll be ready when you emerge from your bedroom all clean, pretty, and put together.

Each one can be customized to each persons preference.  Does the hubs like jalapenos but the kids prefer a milder flavor?  Would you like an extra spoonful of bacon crumbles? These are like mini-quiches that everyone will love.

Paleo Desserts- take a page from Raw Vegans

Remember how I (Mandy) was once a raw vegan? Well, those old recipes I once loved sure come in handy now.  Here's a couple recipes from my personal blog, MandyMom.com.  First up is a raw cheesecake. It's really yummy and actually reminds me of real cheesecake! A friend of mine made something similar for her daughter's birthday party and brought the leftovers to our weekly fellowship potluck and, yum, it was so good plus it reminded me how this used to be one of my go-to recipes when I wanted to surprise the kids with a yummy but more nutritional dessert that wouldn't leave them with aching tummies!

Raw UnCheese Cake

Crust:
2 cups raw walnuts (you can use macadamia nuts if you prefer)
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1/2 tsp raw cacao powder (optional)

Process the nuts, dates, & cacao in food processor.  Press into bottom of a 8x8 dish or 8inch pie pan.  (You may want to line it with foil or parchment paper to keep it from sticking.)  Set aside.

Filling:
3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for an hour or longer
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup honey or agave or maple syrup
3/4 cup coconut oil (slightly warmed to melt it so it's fluid)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup water

Blend soaked (and drained) cashews, lemon, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt and water.  Blend until smooth.  Taste to see if you'd like to add more honey or salt.  Pour into crust and freeze until firm.  Keep frozen until you're ready to serve.

Tip: Try adding blended strawberries to the mix before freezing. Super tasty! Reserve half of the filling, blend in some sort of berry (blueberries? yum!).  Pour in the plain filling, freeze for 30 minutes, then smooth on the strawberry layer and freeze for an hour.  Viola! I delicious and fancy dessert that didn't take much work.  I've also made this without the crust and it turned out great!








Raw Brownies  (otherwise known as "Brawnies")

So, mine look a little crumbly, but I tell you, these were really good and very simple.

What you'll need:

1 cup walnuts
1 cup pitted medjool dates
1/4 cup cacao powder

There are various ways to do this, but they all begin with a food processor.  You can process the walnuts until they are like crumbs and then add in the rest of the ingredients, or you can throw it all together at the same time.   I liked the crunch of bigger chunks of walnuts, so I processed half of the walnuts to a powder and then added in the remaining ingredients and processed again.  It's been a while since I made this, so I definitely want to try it again and mix it up a bit.  These remind me a lot of Lara bars, except much cheaper.

You can make them as thick as you'd like.  Press them firmly into a small pan, then freeze for an hour so they get a bit firmer.  Remove and cut into bars.

Dairy-free Creamy Avocado Dressing and Dip

There's this little restaurant in Pearland, Texas called Gringo's TexMex that I have been totally addicted to since they opened in 1993.  This little restaurant grew into a bigger restaurant. They were constantly expanding their original building, even knocked it down and rebuilt a massive one, and eventually added eight more locations.  I believe their popularity comes from their delicious green sauce.  It's, well, it's really good. Words cannot explain the yumminess.  It's why one consumes four baskets of hot, crispy chips and goes through six or seven refills of the sauce bowl, and it's why I usually ask that they bring it in a cup with a straw.  It's my favorite, y'all.

Unfortunately, it contains dairy.  That's what makes it so creamy.  But, hey, no biggie, I can whip up my own Paleo friendly green sauce.  (But, really, if I'm at their restaurant, I'm totally treating myself to their sauce and the stomach ache that may follow. It's worth it.)

This recipe is just a base. You could add more or less of something, toss in jalapenos or add salsa. Make it your own!

Creamy Avocado Dressing and Dip

• 2 small avocados, peeled and core removed. 
• 1 & 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk* (the creamier kind in the can is best) 
• a handful of cilantro (I love cilantro, so I throw in two handfuls, stems too)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (depends on how much salt you like).
• 1/4 cup chopped green chilis or chopped tomatillos
• 1 heaping teaspoon or two minced garlic (You could sprinkle in garlic powder instead. I buy minced garlic in a jar) 
• Cayenne pepper, optional, however much you like.

Throw in the blender. Blend. Enjoy! 

*Note- to make it more fluid, add in more coconut milk or even chicken broth.  

(Don't you love how the sign above says self-control?  There's no self-control happening when this stuff is on the table.)

I actually like mine a bit spicy, so I add in all sorts of other seasonings, depending on what I'm making.  You may also want to add in a few squeezes of lemon so the color stays vibrant.  We use this drizzled over fajita salads, heaped into tacos, as vegetable dip, on sandwiches, and you could even serve it as a soup (mm, with crumbled bacon on top???) or freeze it into popsicles. Because, you know, I like strange stuff like that.  Bacon avocado popsicle probably only sounds appealing to me. (See what I did there? Added bacon to a popsicle? Yes. Yes.)

RECIPE: Carrot Fries

Here's a simple Paleo recipe that I love. One of my Instagram friends, Lael, introduced me to the awesomeness of carrot fries. They've become my favorite side when we eat those All-American staples like hamburgers (bunless, of course).

You can change up the seasoning for a different flavor, so don't be afraid to experiment!  This is such a simple recipe, even those who are challenged in the kitchen can whip up a batch with ease!

Here's what you'll need:

-Large Carrots (I think we used 8-10 carrots)
-Oil of your choice (we use olive oil or coconut oil)
-Seasonings:  This time we used Salt and Steak Seasoning, but I've also used Cinnamon and then lightly drizzled them honey or maple syrup.  If you're doing the Whole30, skip the sweet stuff!

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Wash and peel your carrots, then begin slicing them into fries.  The top of the carrots, which are wider, can normally be cut into forths. The bottoms I just cut into half.  It depends on the size of your carrots and how big you want your fries.
3.  Place your carrot fries into a bowl and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of oil.  Sprinkle with seasonings as well, and then toss the carrots so they are well coated.
4. Lay seasoned carrot fries onto a pan in a single layer.  Bake for 25-35 minutes.  (Time will depend on how fat your fries are.)  You may want to turn them halfway through.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Don't forget to check out Lael's blog.  I love this printable she shared on her blog last month which helps with metric conversions, shows you what cut of meat comes from where, suggests cooking times for foods, boasts of food storage tips, and looks super cute!