Chocolate Granola

Basement flooded in last week's storm, roof leaked, dealing with insurance... blah. Ugh.

The previous two granola recipes were a big success and fullfilled that void in my life that used to be cereal... so I decided to take it to the next level and use chocolate. If you want it sweeter reduce the cocoa powder. I had mine with some bulletproof coffee (Strong coffee, MCT Oil, Grass-fed Butter) and I have to say I think it helped my workout that morning... ??... :)

Chocolate Granola

- 1 Cup Walnuts, chopped

- 1 Cup Pecans, chopped

- 1/2 Cup Almonds (whole), chopped

- 1 Cup Slivered Almonds

- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

- 1 Cup Enjoy Life Mega Chunks (dairy free chocolate- half of a bag)

- 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

1. Chop all the nuts. You need 3 cups of nuts so use whatever you have or like, just make sure they are raw. I also used a knife to chop because Charlie was sleeping but you could pulse them in a food processor. Put them in a large bowl with the shredded coconut and salt.

2. Melt the chocolate with the vanilla and coconut oil over a double boiler. When it is melted add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.

3. Pour the chocolate over the nuts and mix to combine. Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring half way... be careful after 15 minutes it will burn quickly. The granola will harden as it cools. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 

Paleo Pizza Dough

 I have been craving pizza for a while and with a competition coming up I have been resisting the urge. I realize one bad meal won't kill me, but this competition is my first individual one in a while and I have a guilt complex. One of the box "moms" made a really good pizza dough recipe with yucca root that was the most like "real" pizza I have ever tasted so I wanted to take a spin off of that. That recipe was in grams, I don't have a scale and I wouldn't want to copy a recipe anyway so I decided to use sweet potato... another paleo friendly starchy root vegetable...and make up my own. It is a little time consuming but the results will make you glad you didn't succumb the take-out. (My favorite quick pizza dough recipe is from the book "Primal Cravings")

 I made this twice- neither were technically paleo because I used raw cheese, but both really hit the spot. The cheese I found was at a grocery chain by the specialty cheese- I tend to pick either raw parmesan or cheddar because of the sharp flavor I can use less.

The first time I made a BBQ chicken pizza... I shredded a rotisserie chicken, tossed it lightly in the best Paleo-friendly BBQ I could find, used more BBQ for the sauce and topped it with the chicken, red onion, and raw cheese.

 

The second time I made it with pizza sauce I found at Whole Foods with no added sugar, Applegate Salami (I didn't have pepperoni) and raw cheese. Charlie was a BIG fan of this one. And guess what? I was getting veggies in her also... sweet potato and yucca are better than a no-veggie dinner!

Paleo Pizza Dough

(Printable Version)

 - 1 Yucca Root
- 1 Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Tapioca Flour
- 1/2 Cup Potato Starch
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil

1. Peel and dice the yucca and sweet potato. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the yucca, cover, and cook 10 minutes- you may want to reduce the heat since you are covering the pot. Add the sweet potato and cook another 5-10 minutes until both vegetables are fork tender.

2. Drain and mash the vegetables.
Preheat the Oven to 430 degrees
3. In a separate bowl, mix everything except the oil. Add the root vegetables, this should be about 3 cups, and mix with your hands, kneading as necessary. Add the oil. The dough should not be sticky and the flour should be all combined when you are finished. If it is too dry add more oil, if it is too wet add a touch more flour.***

4. Press the dough onto a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Thinner for crispier crust.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are browning.
6. Add your toppings and bake another 5-10 minutes until your toppings are done.

*** At this point you are freeze or refrigerate the dough until you want to use it.

Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

I love when Charlie grabs my hand and pulls me off the deck to do handstands with her... we spend a lot of our yard time doing some fitness and I enjoy that she thinks it is fun and I hope it stays that way. There are days when I can't make it to the box or feel like I need a rest day but still want to do something active. These are some things I do with her and you could do with any toddler or baby to get a mini workout in at home while involving them: I put her on my shoulders and do walking lunges around the yard (she yells at me to go faster and do it again), I put her in her winter sled and run laps of the grass (talk about a thigh burner) and we practice our strict hand stand push-ups against the garage. This is her doing them with me... so freaking cute. 

Peppers are in season so I have a few bell pepper recipes coming up. A lot of Paleo stuffed pepper recipes I was perusing involved cauliflower rice-- I hate making that I really do. My food processor sucks and it makes a huge mess. I went with mushrooms to give another texture and Charlie LOVES olives so I had some around the house. Using spinach or other veggies would be tasty too! This recipe idea came from a Betty Crocker Crockpot recipe I decided to make paleo and revamp. Just a word on the tomato/pizza sauces.... Read the cans- I went with a no salt added one that didn't have anything I deem not good to eat in it- Mario Batali's. Chorizo is another one that can be tricky as far as preservatives and whatnot depending on where you shop- I found mine at Whole Foods. 

I had a little extra filling so I had it with my eggs and avocado for breakfast!

Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

- 1 lb Ground Chorizo (or italian sausage if you don't like heat)

- 5ish White button mushrooms, diced

- 10-15 Black Olives, sliced

- 2 Cups Tomato Sauce (or Marinara or Pizza Sauce)  

- 1/2 Sweet Onion, finely diced

- 1 Garlic clove, minced

- 4 Bell Peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a skilled over medium heat, add about 1 Tbsp of Oil and saute the onions and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the chorizo and break it up as it is cooking. When it is almost cooked through, add the mushrooms and olives and cook another minute or two. 

3. Add the tomato sauce and cook an additional 3-5 minutes or so until the mixture is bubbling and starts to thicken. 

4. Stand the peppers up in a baking dish and fill them with the meat mixture. I put the tops back on for fun but you don't have to. Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

Homemade Maple Turkey Sausage and Zucchini Cake Stacks

This week reminded me of the The Shirelles song, "Momma Said" not because of a romantic relationship, but one with my two-year-old. Two days in a row I swear I didn't know my child. She was crying at every little thing, clinging to me, making a mess every time I turned around, not listening, not staying in time out, taking her clothes off, going to the bathroom in the house, etc. Sigh. These were also the two days I chose not to work out so that didn't help...there was no releif. There is no one that comes home and helps me at any point, there is no adult to talk to at the end of the day, just her and me. Yesterday I was so much at my breaking point I told her I needed time (not that she gets it) put on Mickey Mouse and locked myself in the bathroom to just re-group. I was truly convinced that this weekend when she was with her dad I honestly would welcome the break, but when I went to drop her off with her dad she wouldn't let go of me, didn't want to go to him, and cried real tears as they drove away... just like that I was back... the second they drove out of sight that empty void was back and I missed her. No matter what tough days we have she's so much of my heart I would rather have her little devil version of herself around then not having her at all. 

This is her in her diaper at the zoo because she didn't want to wear clothes and she was about to be fed to the lions so I let her play in public like that... people are lucky no one said anything because they would have regretted it the mood we were both in. :)

I am guilty of buying foods because they are convenient, but when I compare my turkey sausage I made with the purchased turkey sausage I just want to gag... ew... what was I thinking? The one on the left is purchased, the one on the right is mine... if you couldn't tell. Not only can I name every ingredient in the sausage I made, but I know the quality of meat and it tastes so much better in general. 

There is also way too much zucchini happening right now- in a good way. From my friends' posts with their gardens and some very inappropriate appropriate vegetable pictures I know a lot of people have a lot of large zucchinis to use up. These zucchini cakes are a nice texture component and added vegetable serving to breakfast. 

Homemade Maple Turkey Sausage and Zucchini Cake Stacks 

(Printable Version)

The recipes are below. I stacked a zucchini cake with a piece of turkey sausage and poached an egg to go on top. Cook you egg however you want- add hot sauce, slice some avocado...yum!

Maple Turkey Sausage

- 1 lb Ground Turkey

- 1 tsp Garlic Powder

- 1 tsp Paprika

- 3/4 tsp Black Pepper

- 1/2 tsp Thyme 

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

- 1 1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Combine all of the ingredients and mix until spices are evenly distributed.

2. Form the meat into about 10 thin patties... I do this as I add them to the pan, starting with roughly a golf-ball sized scoop of meat per patty. 

3. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tbsp of oil/fat. Cook each patty about 3-5 minutes per side. Since it is turkey make sure they are cooked thoroughly. 

Zucchini Cakes

- 1 Large Zucchini

- 1 Egg

- 1 Tbsp Coconut Flour

- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1. Shred the zucchini and ring it out in paper towel. The drier the better. 

2. Combine the zucchini and the remaining ingredients. Form the mixture into 4 thin patties- I press mine into the pan as I add them.

3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat or spray some oil and cook each zucchini cake 3-5 minutes on each side until golden. 

Banana Streusel Muffins

Three more weeks and I go back to work...boo! I am lesson planning while Charlie naps these days and I am at the point where I need to make lists of what I need to do because I am already getting overwhelmed. Today I tried out one of my new muffin recipes with some much needed coffee after my morning workout and got to work. 100 burpees is always a good way to start the day, right?

These are Paleo, nut-free, dairy-free and very moist and tasty. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container and they should be good for a week. If you don't like or can't have flaxseed just omit it.

Banana Streusel Muffins

(Printable Version)

 (makes 12 muffins)
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
- 1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
- 2 Very Ripe Bananas
- 3 Eggs
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk (or water)
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 Cup Enjoy Life (dairy free) mini Chocolate Chips

Topping
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Mash the bananas and whisk the eggs, banana, oil, honey, and vanilla together.
2. You could use a separate bowl to whisk the remaining dry ingredients together (except chocolate chips) ---or don't use a separate bowl and just throw everything in which is what I do because I am lazy and don't want more dishes- and add the dry ingredients to the wet. Whisk until really well combined.
3. Add the chocolate chips and mix.
4. Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin, filling each about 1/2-2/3 full. Top with a very small amount of the streusel topping.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Oven Chicken Fajitas

I spent the past weekend with my cousin Emily and her two boys visiting from Texas. Emily and I have grown up together and we are only 8 months apart- and now her son Charlie (Charles) and my daughter Charlie (Charlotte) are only 10 months apart. It was fun to catch up since Emily is married to an officer in the army and has been in Germany for two years. I also got to meet her newest little one, Henry. He is the cutest little chunk! I love the kind of friends that even if you haven't seen each other in a while, when you get back together it is like you were never apart.

I realize it is summer and I could easily grill some peppers and chicken for this recipe, or make a quick stirfry, but I didn't want to be standing over a grill or a stove... I wanted to throw something in the oven, play with my daughter and come back a half hour later and dinner is ready. Easy as chopping and throwing everything in a pan!

This recipe is a little spicy, so if you don't want the heat either omit the jalapeno, seed it, or reduce the cayenne pepper. It's pepper season in Michigan so grab those seasonal veggies out of your garden or at the local farmer's market and enjoy!

Oven Chicken Fajitas

- 1 lb Chicken (about 2 breasts), cut into thin strips and then in half

- 3 Bell Peppers, cut into thin strips

- 1 Sweet Onion, cut into thin strips

- 1 Jalapeno, finely chopped

- 2 Tbsp Oil

- 1 Tbsp Chili Powder

- 1/2 tsp Paprika

- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

- 1/2 tsp Cumin

- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1 tsp Arrowroot Powder

- 1 Lime

- Cilantro (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. Add all of the spices and arrowroot powder to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk.

2. Add the vegetables, chicken, and oil. Mix with your hands until everything is coated evenly. 

3. Cut the lime in half and squeeze half over the dish. Nestle the other half in with the vegetables.

4. Bake for 30-35 minutes stirring once half way through. When you pull the dish out of the oven, squeeze the other half of the lime over the mixture and toss. Sprinkle with cilantro (optional).

Serve immediately with whatever fixing you normally would have- or eat it plain with some guacamole like I did. :)

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 316
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	15 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 120 mg	40 %
Sodium 1082 mg	45 %
Potassium 265 mg	8 %
Total Carbohydrate 11 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	13 %
Sugars 7 g
Protein 48 g	95 %
Vitamin A	47 %
Vitamin C	118 %
Calcium	5 %
Iron	6 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Chicken and Avocado Salad

There are many differing opinions on baby monitors.... use them, don't use them, have the camera kind, don't have the camera, have the app so you can see them on your phone when you are out, etc. I started with the just sound kind but when I moved into my own house and am now sleeping on a different level then Charlie I wanted to be able to see her. It is reassuring to wake up in the night and just see that she is still there (I know, why wouldn't she be?) My parents made fun of me for getting one with a video but now when they babysit at night they are glued to it. Too cute. I also enjoy seeing the funny ways she sleeps...

This week I picked up a rotisserie chicken because they are cheap (~$5) and yield a lot of meat without me having to do anything besides pull it apart. The picture below is dark because I was prepping food after she went to bed... sorry! But I used the chicken, some avocado, a jalapeno from my garden and I didn't have a fresh lime so I used bottled juice (naughty) and after sitting over night this was a really tasty salad. I served it over cucumber and tomato just to give a different texture and because it is tomato season in Michigan so they are cheap and so flavorful right now.

Chicken and Avocado Salad

- 1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded

- 1-2 Avocados, cut into bite sized pieces

- Juice of 1 Lime (~1/4 cup)

- Siracha (optional)

- 1/2 tsp Salt

- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

- 1 Jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)

1. Add everything to a bowl and mix. Taste for seasoning... a little coconut aminos (or gluten free soy sauce) would also be tasty if you think it needs salt :) I added some siracha to give it some spice but feel free to omit it. Let it chill over night or for a few hours.