Yes, it’s a big name but way easier than it sounds and holy cow; so darn delicious I’m making this dish twice in one week!!!  I made this for lunch yesterday and although I haven’t yet tried the following option; I’m confident that the Salsa and the Cilantro Sauce would also be just as good over other seafood options besides halibut or served on top of chicken!

As summer approaches, I find my taste buds longing for light and fresh meals versus the heartier stews and roasted meats that sustained us through winter.

I hope you all enjoy!!

Pan Seared Halibut with Ginger Mango Salsa and Cilantro Sauce

Ginger Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced

½ small red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

Juice from ½ a lime

1/2 a bunch of cilantro, diced

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the above ingredients and set aside.

Cilantro Sauce

½ cup home made mayo

½ cup cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons lime juice

Hot sauce to taste (I used Tapatio)

In a food processor or blender add all of the above ingredients and blend together until smooth.

The Fish 

1 pound halibut (Or however much you want to make!  One pound served two adults.)

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Season both sides of the fish filets with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium to medium high heat.

3. Once the oil in the pan is nice and hot, place the fish filets in the hot coconut oil in and cook for 3-4 minutes per side

4. Serve the fish topped with the Mango Ginger Salsa and drizzled with the Cilantro Sauce.

As always, Enjoy!!

Pan Seared Halibut with Ginger Mango Salsa and Cilantro Sauce is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

So maybe it will take you a little bit longer than two minutes; but this salad was crazy fast to make and crazy good to eat!  If you already have eggs hardboiled, and your chopping skills are refined, this might just be the fastest meal you’ve ever made – and tasty too!!

This salad fed three hungry adults.

Two Minute Tuna Salad

4 – 6oz cans tuna, drained and crumbled (I use Wild Planet Brand which I happily found at Costco!! Also feel free to use canned or fresh wild caught salmon)

4 hardboiled eggs, diced

1 large head red leaf lettuce (or other lettuce of your choice), torn into small pieces

2 big handfuls of spinach

5 celery stalks, diced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2-3 garlic cloves minced

3 tablespoons capers

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large salad bowl add your torn lettuce, spinach, and celery.

2. To the salad bowl, top the lettuce with the crumbled tuna and diced eggs.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the the olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, pepper, and minced garlic.

4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add the capers, toss together and serve!!

Enjoy!

Two Minute Tuna Salad is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

At Costco yesterday John found some wild caught sea scallops at a pretty darn good price and I found some decent prosciutto; and a delicious partnership was born.  Here’s how we prepared the scallops with a twist on the basic pork wrapped gems from the sea.

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops

Scallops

Prosciutto (look for a brand that only has pork & salt like Citterio)

Italian Seasoning

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Cut the prosciutto in half lengthwise so you have enough strips of prosciutto for each scallop.

3. Take each scallop and sprinkle lightly with the Italian seasoning and wrap a piece of prosciutto around the outside of the scallop like this:

4. Place each seasoned and wrapped scallop on the foil lined baking sheet, making sure to leave space in between the scallops so that they cook evenly.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, turning the scallops over when there is 5 minutes left in the cooking time.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

Enjoy!!

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I feel like I just posted last year’s Easter Menu and I’m not sure what happened; but here we are again!!

My favorite things about this time of year is seeing the almond orchards in bloom and the foothills turning green and knowing that my kids are in the home stretch towards summer vacation.  I also love having holiday conversations with my kids; for example, our 4 year old Rowan asked me yesterday, “Mom, why does the Easter Bunny go “boing, boing, boing,” and my lame reply, “Well, because he’s a bunny??” Rowan pondered this for a minute, looked up at me with wide eyes and said brightly, “Oh, ok!!”  Sweet sweet innocence.

Now on to the eats! I think I’ll be making several things from last years menu but I wanted to share with you a delicious Tri-Tip Roast recipe that would be perfect for a Sunday dinner (if you want to avoid the traditional ham, or even in addition to) and also I’ll share a recipe for what you can make with the leftover ham and all those hardboiled eggs!

I hope whatever you decide to do or eat this weekend; Easter related or not, that it involves family, fun, friends, and delicious food!!

Tri-Tip Roast

1 (3 lb) tri-tip roast

1 onion, thinly sliced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup coconut milk

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Coconut oil

1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the pan is nice and hot, place the roast in the hot oil and sear on all sides until browned all over.

3. Transfer the seared roast into a slow cooker and pour the vinegar over the roast.

4. Drizzle the top of the roast with the honey, sprinkle with the minced garlic, and top with the sliced onions.

5. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or until the meat is tender and shreds easily.

6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and use a fork to shred the meat.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the juices in the slow cooker and spread evenly over the top of the shredded roast.

7. Pour the juices from the slow cooker into a medium saute pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

8. Add the coconut milk to the pan and whisk together.  Bring back to a simmer and reduce the liquid down by half, whisking occasionally.

9. Pour the sauce over the roast and the onions and serve!

Sweet Potato and Egg Salad

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small 1/2″ pieces

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced

1 cup leftover diced ham

2 tablespoons diced chives

2 tablespoons home made mayo

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the cut up sweet potatoes and saute until the the potatoes are browned and fork tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl add the diced eggs, ham, and chives.

3.  Add the cooked sweet potatoes, mayo, salt and pepper and mix well.

4. EAT!!!  YUM!!! GOOD!!!

Have a happy, wonderful, fun-filled weekend and as always, enjoy!

Easter 2012: Tri-Tip Roast & Sweet Potato Salad is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

When we first started eating paleo, what I found most challenging was simply figuring out what would work as a lunch box for fresh foods!!  Years ago I discovered Planet Box and we love this container!!!

Jaden has had the same lunch box for almost 3 years and it’s still just as good as new.  The only thing we have had to replace is the actual carrying case and magnets (only because we lost one!) but otherwise the actual lunch box is in excellent shape and has more than paid for itself in both quality and money saved NOT buying school lunches!

I also love insulated thermoses to keep stews and soups warm for school lunches and we use one made by Citizen Pip which is pictured below but now  I can’t seem to find them anymore but I recently picked up an amazing insulated thermos from Klean Kantean that both Coby and Jaden love.  It keeps hot food or drinks hot for hours!

Now, what to pack INTO these cool containers?  I have documented Jaden’s last several school lunches that I will share with you now.

Applegate Farms ham slices wrapped around avocado, celery with Ammin Nut almond butter and raisins, dried apple rings, carrot sticks.

Cucumber “sandwiches” (ham in between 2 cucumber slices), cherry tomatoes, pickles, apple slices, almond butter.

Turkey, avocado, cucumbers and tomatoes wrapped in a Improv’eat Pure Warp (we just discovered these and they are pretty darn awesome!  Made with just coconut meat, coconut water, and Himalayan sea salt), pear slices, celery with almond butter and raisins, carrots, and garlic stuffed green olives from Trader Joes.

Turkey slices wrapped around cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrots and banana slices.

Leftover beef stew and sweet potatoes, mandarins.

Salmon salad “cucumber sandwiches” made with homemade mayo and dill pickles, banana chips, black olives, kiwi slices.

Ham and turkey slices, guacamole, carrots and cucumbers, apple slices.

Last but not least, we often will pack beef jerky from Steve’s Originals and that’s what Coby, my 16 year old will bring with him for his lunch!

What works for your family?  What are you packing in your school lunches?  The more ideas the better!!

School Lunch Ideas is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

On Monday I went shopping at one of our local health food stores and found some beautiful parsnips (if you can call parsnips beautiful) and Rowan picked out a few Bosc pears and for lunch we made what I’m now calling:

Pan-Seared Chicken and Curried Parsnips

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts – each breast cut into 2 or 3 long “tenders” or strips

2 parsnips, cut into even bite sized pieces

½ medium yellow onion, diced

1 Bosc pear, pealed and diced

1 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 – 1 tablespoon curry powder (start with 1/2 a tablespoon and add more if desired)

½ cup chicken broth

1/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk (You can sub with coconut cream concentrate from Tropical Traditions if you do not tolerate canned coconut milk)

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

2-3 Tablespoons coconut oil

1. In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium to medium high heat.

2. Season both sides of the chicken tenders with salt and pepper and sear in the hot coconut oil for 3-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is browned.

3. Removed the chicken from the ban and set aside.

4. Add more coconut oil to the same pan if needed and add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the parsnips and saute until the parsnips start to brown.

6. Add the garlic and pears and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

7. Sprinkle the curry powder all over the veggie mixture, pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, and mix well.  Bring to a simmer and continue stirring until the parsnips are tender all the way through and the sauce starts to thicken.  Taste and season with salt and pepper and more curry powder if desired. (I used 1 full tablespoon and loved it but you might be good with 1/2 a tablespoon depending on your taste)

8. Top the parsnip mixture with the chicken tender, cover, turn to low and cook for another 5 minutes.

Eat and enjoy!  We ate our chicken with some asparagus sauteed in coconut oil. YUM!

Pan-Seared Chicken and Curried Parsnips is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

The kids are on spring break this week and it’s been nice to avoid the usual hectic morning rush and sleep in a little bit! This morning, after John left for work, it was only Jaden and I who were awake so he created this frittata to share with his brothers and with all of you!

Jaden’s Frittata Creation

1 cup diced ham

1 small yellow summer squash, diced

1 cup finely diced broccoli florets

1/2 cup finely diced sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

7 eggs, whisked

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. In the bottom of an oven proof 10 inch skillet, melt a big spoonful of coconut oil over medium heat.

3. Add the onions and broccoli and saute until the onions are translucent.

4. Add the squash, ham, and sun dried tomatoes and saute together for another 4-5 minutes or until the squash is tender. Evenly spread the mixture over the bottom of the skillet.

5. Whisk together the eggs and pour them over the veggie/ham mixture in the skillet, turn down to medium low and cook until you see the edges firming up around the frittata.

6. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the frittata is set all the way through. You can finish it under the broiler on low for a minute or two if you like.

7. Slice like a pizza and enjoy! Serves 3-4

Jaden’s Frittata Creation! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

* Here’s another budget friendly recipe by Erika, our college student contributor to Everyday Paleo!  

Note from Sarah: The cost per person for this meal is based on folks who would have to purchase an entire bottle of olive oil, vinegar, and mustard and also if they purchased the more expensive brands available.  Furthermore, this meal although MADE for 2 people would most likely produce leftovers or feed at least 3. Erika has posted budget friendly recipes in the past and has left OUT the cost of staple ingredients and has been given grief for leaving those items out. Also, these reflect HER costs.  I’m sure that many of you will be able to find better deals.  I also am assuming that she bought an entire package of zucchini from Trader Joe’s and only 3 zucchinis would probably only cost around $1 or $2.  If you have on hand olive oil, vinegar, and mustard and you spend the SAME amount as Erika did on her other items, the actual cost of this meal per person for the Chicken and the Vegetables together would be around $8.50 plus leftovers, or a meal for another person.  Also, think about all the money that Erika is SAVING by walking home on her break and cooking rather then driving to an eating establishment and spending way more than the cost of this meal and not having any leftovers for later and also eating less healthy options. The cost at the bottom of this post reflects the cost of ALL ingredients, including oil, vinegar, and mustard.

Thank you so much Erika for taking time out of your busy college schedule to show us how this can be done!!

Balsamic Mustard Chicken and Oven Roasted Veggies

Here is another quick and easy meal for two on a budget! Talk about simple and yummy I put this meal together in 20 minutes while I was in between my classes. Luckily I live close enough to school that I can walk home during my inconvenient hour long breaks. I used simple ingredients that I always have stocked up in my pantry and put them together with the fresh veggies and meat I had in my refrigerator from my Sunday stock up shopping trip. Today’s ingredients included: chicken breast, bacon, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, balsamic (I find I love to cook with balsamic I love the tangy flavor it adds) spicy brown mustard, extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper!

Balsamic Mustard Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breast (each cut in half long way) (5.97)

1/4 cup Balsamic (3.89)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (3.99)

3 cloves of minced (or chopped) garlic (.50)

2 1/2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard (2.59)

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse off your chicken breast and place them on a cutting board season both sides with salt and pepper to your liking. Place them in a ziplock bag add the balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, spicy brown mustard and garlic. Zip up the bag and massage the chicken in the bag to ensure it all gets coated nicely! place in the refrigerator and let marinade for as long as you want (mine marinated for about 3 hours, the longer the better).

Cooking the chicken:

I like to use a medium size sauce pan; place it on medium high heat and let the pan get nice and hot! Put just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, place your chicken breast in the pan  and brown on both sides. Once you have browned both sides you can turn your heat down just a little to about medium and add in some of the marinade juices cover with a lid and let the juices reduce down in the pan with the chicken. Occasionally checking on the chicken and stirring around the sauce to make sure to pick up all the yummy chicken bits on the bottom of the pan until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink on the inside (you can flip the chicken one more time if you would like).

Oven Roasted Bacon Veggies 

11 strips of your favorite bacon (one package) (5.49)

3 zucchini’s (4 if they are smaller) (3.68)

1/2 lb of Brussels sprouts (1.49)

extra virgin olive oil (not included in cost because you needed it for the chicken)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut your bacon into bit size pieces and fry them up till they are nice and crispy.  When they are done cooking set the bacon pieces on a paper towel lined plate to soak up the left over bacon grease and set them aside.

Next, wash and dry your veggies. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half place on a cookie sheet  that is already covered in foil (easy clean up!!).  Next cut the end of of your zucchini’s cut them in half length wise then cut them into half circle shapes and place them on your cookie sheet with your Brussels sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven at 350 for about 20-30 minutes or until they are starting to get a little golden brown color to them and the Brussels sprouts are tender. For the last 5 minutes you can add your bacon on top of your veggies just to rewarm your bacon. When the veggies are done take them out and sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste.

Total Cost of both Chicken and Veggies: 27.60 

serves 2-3: 13.80 

(These prices will vary dependent on where you shop and whether or not you already have some of the staple items already in your pantry. I included the prices for all ingredients, as if no one had  any of the ingredients on hand except for salt and pepper)

Happy Cooking

Erika

Budget Friendly Balsamic Mustard Chicken and Oven Roasted Veggies is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

So life in general is pretty crazy, right?  We are all busy beyond belief, pulled in a million directions, overwhelmed, overworked, and the list goes on and on.  Currently, my family is on a mission to figure out how to slow down a bit.  We have done some serious rearranging of our lives to hopefully conquer this goal.  One big change we made recently; we got rid of the television.  Not just canceled the cable, not just unplugged it, but it’s gone, adios, sayonara, out of here.  I will admit, Rowan facilitated the lingering idea by breaking our flat screen during a passionate imaginary sword fight, but it was meant to be and a sign to go ahead with what we had been discussing. We didn’t watch a lot of tv before we tossed the box, but it was enough to kind of nag at me that there were other more productive or connective things we all could be doing besides being inundated with cereal commercials or reality shows.  Was our decision extreme?  Maybe, but I don’t care.  It’s been almost two weeks with no TV and I LOVE IT.  I can’t quite explain exactly what I love about it, but I love it.  As far as the other changes we are making? Let’s just say that downsizing is a good thing.  Our house is much smaller but our dining table is larger which means it’s less space to clean and more room at the table for the ones that I love.

Now, here’s a recipe to share with you all.  I made this a couple of days ago when I knew my evening would not allow for any time to cook so in the morning, I went to my trusty slow cooker for some help and came up with what I’m sure will now be a staple at our house!

Cumin Spiced Slow Cooked Pork

2 lbs of Pork Loin (I used 2 – 1 pound loins)

Cumin, Sea Salt, Pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

Sauce

1 1/2 cups green or red salsa (I used the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s)

1 1/2 cups strained tomatoes

1 tablespoon Cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium to medium high heat.  Sprinkle the pork on all sides generously with salt and pepper and then with the cumin powder.  Use your fingers to rub the cumin into the pork loin.  Sear the cumin spiced pork in the hot coconut oil for about 3 minutes per side or until the pork is nice and brown all the way around.  Move the pork from the skillet to the slow cooker and top with the sliced onions and mushrooms.  In the same pan that you seared the pork in, add the salsa, strained tomatoes, the 1 tablespoon of cumin, and garlic, and whisk together until bubbly.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.  Pour the sauce over the pork, onions, and mushrooms in the slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Enjoy!

Cumin Spiced Slow Cooked Pork is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

We are in the middle of packing up and moving.  Not out of Chico, just across town; but holy cow it’s a lot of work.  I’ve been trying not to buy a lot of food this week and just eat what we have so that I don’t have to pack and move an entire fridge of food and this morning we were down to the bare bones but somehow I made a breakfast worth sharing with all of you!!

I hope you enjoy!

Southwestern Frittata

1tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and grated

1 pound grass fed ground beef (check out the grass fed beef from Tropical Traditions, just tried it for the first time and YUM!!)

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup salsa verde (I used Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde)

12 eggs

Sea Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a large saute pan, saute the onions and minced jalapeno in the coconut oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent.  Add the ground beef and cook just until it starts to brown and add the grated sweet potato and garlic.  Cook until the beef is completely browned and the sweet potato is soft.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and salsa, stir and cook until heated through.  Taste and season with a little sea salt if desired.  Transfer the meat mixture to a 11×7 glass baking dish and spread the meat mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the 12 eggs add pour over the meat mixture in the baking dish.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle when you jiggle the pan.

Enjoy!

Southwestern Frittata is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

My family and I are spending the weekend with our good friends in beautiful Southern California, soaking up some sunshine, and tomorrow I’ll be at CrossFit Anaerobic, holding a very special half day Everyday Paleo Workshop with special guest Jason Seib!

For lunch today, I made my friends and family a quick and delicious go to meal that my family often enjoys. For some reason, I have never blogged this recipe so I guess that means that today is the day!!

Here is my quick and easy version of Beef Bulgogi.  I hope you enjoy!

Beef Bulgogi

Marinade

¼ cup braggs liquid aminos or wheat free tamari

3-4 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons sesame oil

½ cup pineapple juice

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

A few shakes of black pepper

3 green onions, sliced

Meat and Veggies

2 pounds tri tip or rib eye, sliced into very thin strips

1 head of green cabbage, shredded

3 tablespoons coconut oil

In a large mixing bowl, whisk all marinade ingredients together.  Thinly slice the ribeye or tri-tip and place into the bowl of marinade. Using your hands rub the marinade into the meat. Marinate for at least 15-30 minutes in the fridge.  While the beef is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet and saute the shredded cabbages over medium heat until the cabbage is  soft, remove from heat and set aside. Add the beef and all of the marinade into another large skillet and cook over medium to medium high heat just until the thin slices of meat are browned.

Serve the Bulgogi over a scoop of cooked shredded cabbage topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a few more diced green onions if desired.  Also good with a few drops of Sriracha!!

Beef Bulgogi is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Today is the official release date of Paleo Pals, Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship!  Although Paleo Pals is a storybook for kids, I also threw in a small handful of recipes at the back of the book so that the kiddos can get right into the kitchen after reading the story!  If you haven’t seen the reviews that have been popping up yet for Paleo Pals, there are plenty here on Amazon and several bloggers who received advanced copies have shared their thoughts on the book as well.  Here’s the list of folks who have reviewed the book on their websites; all with interesting things to say regarding their personal reactions to Paleo Pals.

Robb Wolf.com by Amy Kubal

Nom Nom Paleo  (And while you are at Nom Nom Paleo’s amazing site, check out her awesome socks - yes SOCKS – I have a pair and I love them….)

Jimmy Moore

The Clothes Makes the Girl

The Primal Parent

Wellness Mama

Following My Nose

The Paleo Project

Free the Animal 

I’m so sorry if I missed anyone, if you have also reviewed Paleo Pals on your website or blog and I missed you, chime into comments!

I’m so proud of this book and I truly hope your little ones enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.  Now, here’s one my our families favorite recipes that you will find in the back of Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship!

Champion Chicken Skewers Recipe and The Paleo Pals Have Arrived!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I hope that all of you football fans out there enjoy the big day, eat a lot of great paleo food, and spend time with friends and family.

I’m spending the day working hard on my next big project so please send positive thoughts my way!

Here’s a quick snack idea just for fun – and it’s a recipe you’ll find in my next cookbook…..

Tuna Stuffed Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs

2 tablespoons homemade mayo  

1 green onion, diced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons dijon or yellow mustard

1 5oz can of tuna

Chopped pickles (optional)

Peel the eggs and slice them in half length wise from. Take the yolks out of each half and put them in a small bowl. Add mayo, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chopped green onion, and mustard to the yolks. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl well. Stir in a can of tuna. Spoon this mixture into the hollowed out egg halves and enjoy.

Now, let the cooking begin!!

Tuna Stuffed Eggs is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I happen to receive about 10 million emails a day and I really do try to get through all of them but honestly it would be impossible for me to reply personally to each one, otherwise emailing people would be all that I do.  However, from time to time, people are persistent or the timing is right and I read an email that grabs me, yanks me in, and doesn’t let me go.  That was the case with a recent email sent to me by Travis Martinez, owner of TX Bar Organics.

When I first saw the email from Travis with the subject line, “TX Bar Organics,” I thought it was someone trying to sell me a protein bar, so that first email went ignored, but something about the second email made me open it.  I was so wrong with my first impression; this was not a protein bar salesperson but a local gentleman who raises 100% grass fed beef and not only that, but he is giving back to our local families in need.

Travis also runs a program called, “Food for a Cause.”

With Food for a Cause, for every 20 lbs of product sold, TX Bar Organics will give one pound of ground beef to a needy family that has recently lost their jobs due to hardships in our economy. Through this cause TX Bar Organics hopes to feed families starting in the local surrounding areas and at some point, and with your support, they are hoping to go nationwide and even hope to help feed starving families around the world.

So, let’s get this thing started!  Place an order today with TX Bar Organics and use the promo code “everydaypaleo” to receive a 15% discount on your first order!! Spread the word, and trust me, you will love the quality and taste of the meat from TX Bar Organics.  Also, one lucky winner will receive a sampler package of grass fed beef!  To enter to win, please send an email to contests@everydaypaleo.com with your order number or proof of purchase for pre-ordering Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship from either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  You can also enter to win by emailing me a link to where you have tweeted, Facebooked, or blogged about Paleo Pals.  Thank you so much for your support!  Winners will be picked by random drawing and announced on my Facebook page and on the blog, so hurry and enter for your chance to win! Winner to be announced on Wednesday, February 1st!

Now for a teaser! Here is one thing that I made with the meat that I have tried from TX Bar Organics, a simple top sirloin steak on top of grilled veggies – easy and delicious.  This meat is so good that not a lot needs to be done to make the flavors come through.  Another recipe I made with the beef kabob meat actually made it into my next cookbook, so you’ll have to wait anxiously for that one…  In the meantime, enjoy!

Grilled Top Sirloin

Season both sides of your steak with a little salt and pepper.  Grill the steak on a lightly  oiled hot grill for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Let the steak rest at least 5 minutes before you slice it!  Serve on grilled veggies.  No need for ANYTHING else!!

Introducing TX Bar Organics Grass Fed Beef and a Giveaway!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

“Creamy” Chicken Tomato Soup
4 frozen skinless boneless chicken breast
Garlic salt to taste
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 clove garlic
1 14 oz. can of coconut milk (full fat)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes and juice
1 cup of chicken broth (I used homemade chicken broth but you can use store bought)
Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Put all the above ingredients into the crock-pot, cook for 9 hours on low. After 9 hours take two forks and shred the chicken, set the crock-pot on warm till ready to serve (making sure to taste it before serving to make sure there is enough salt and pepper)

Served: 6 (with left over’s for lunch the next day)

Total cost: 17.48 (this is the price if you had to go buy all the ingredients; chicken, chicken broth, spices, coconut milk and diced tomatoes.. if you are buying spices at Safeway they always have a buy two get one free deal going on if you buy their brand)

Total cost per person: 2.91

hope you all enjoy my pocket friendly college budget paleo meal

Another Budget Friendly Paleo Meal by Erika: “Creamy” Chicken Tomato Crockpot Soup is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Readers often send me recipes that they have created, and this one looked so good I had to give it a try! Thank you Staci for sharing such a delicious dish with us, our whole family loved it!  Now, I’ll pass it on to all of you.

Yummy Greek Meatballs

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons minced chives

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 egg, room temp

1 tablespoon dried mint (I used fresh)

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 tespoons cumin

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8-10 dried apricots, chopped

8 (or a many as you want) kalamata olives, chopped

Mix all the above ingredients and form into meatballs (I made about 1-2in meatballs).  Place on a cooling rack which is on a baking sheet so that they brown all the way around.  Bake at 450 about 15 mins, depending on size.

Makes approximately 15 meatballs.  Serves 3-4.

Enjoy!

Yummy Greek Meatballs is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Someone asked me on my Facebook page to post more slow cooker recipes which was quite coincidental because yesterday, as I was reading that particular post, I was unpacking a giant pork roast that I intended to make into pulled pork.  This is about the easiest meal a person could make and so versatile.  This morning we ate the pulled pork with eggs and tonight I’ll make some Purple Cabbage Slaw to eat along with the pork and I’ll maybe even make a salad out of it for lunch tomorrow; if there is any left (which I doubt there will be….)

Beyond Easy Pulled Pork

4-5 lb pork butt roast

2 yellow onions, sliced

Dry Rub

3 tbsps chili powder

1 tsp coriander

2 tsps cumin

2 tsps onion powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

¼ teaspoon chipotle powder

2 tsps sea salt

Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Rub the entire roast with the dry rub (you should use it all.)  Place a layer of onions on the bottom of your slow cooker.  Place the roast on top.  Put the rest of the sliced onions on top of the slow cooker.  NO LIQUID NECESSARY!  Cook the roast on high for 5-6 hours and then turn down to low for another 3-4 hours or until the roast is literally falling apart and easy to shred.

Enjoy!

Beyond Easy Pulled Pork is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

My boys love Sweet Potato Hash for breakfast but frankly, I’m kind of tired of it, so last weekend I decided to make my pile of freshly grated potatoes into sweet potato pancakes, or latkes if you will. We topped the savory sweet cakes with bacon and fried eggs.  Yum.

If you are looking for a way to fill up your kids in the morning, or if your trying to get them excited about eating paleo, there’s nothing like a sweet potato based breakfast fried in coconut oil to delight their taste buds.

Sweet Potato Latkes

5 cups grated sweet potato

2 eggs

2 tablespoons onions, minced

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and melt a spoonful of coconut oil.  Take small handfulls of the potato mixture and drop onto the hot griddle or skillet and press down gently into little “cakes”.  Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy and the potatoes are done all the wat through. Top with fried eggs and bacon if you so desire. Makes 12 latkes.

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Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Latkes is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Wow, I can’t believe it’s almost here.  Christmas again.  I really do love the holidays but  I always find myself feeling nostalgic and a bit emotional as we head towards the 25th of December.  I miss the simplicity of how it used to be when I was little; when my mom was still with us and the innocence of not knowing that someday we would have to face Christmas without her. I miss when my grandma’s house in Huntington Beach, CA would be our warm winter escape from our old and drafty farmhouse in cold Northern California.  I miss the wonderful feeling of when the two week break from school would seem to last forever. And finally, I miss being really super extremely excited about everything in the entire world and how great it feels to wake up on Christmas morning knowing that it was a SPECIAL DAY!

Although these memories make my heart ache for the familiar, I am also grateful for the new memories that we are creating.  I can’t wait to cook a giant paleo feast to share with my family who will soon be spilling into our house, making the kids laugh and scream and the dogs bark and spin in circles. I am beyond excited to spoil my precious little niece who is such a bright light in my life. I love it that we will hold true to our goofy family tradition of singing our favorite Christmas carols at the top of our lungs.  I can’t wait to hug close my dear brother and sweet sister.  I know I can count on my dad and uncle to tell us hilarious stories in extremely loud voices, and that my boys will stay up way too late and run around and drive me crazy while I try to cook for 15 people. More than anything else, I know that at the end of the day on Christmas, I’ll snuggle up with John and soak up the warmth and love that comes along with the holiday season, and once again I will realize that what I have right now is amazing and beautiful. Although things will never be like they used to, I don’t want to live in the past because it’s up to me to make the most of right now, this moment, this second…

With that being said, my hope to all of you is to have the Happiest, Healthiest, and most peaceful of Holidays and I send you my deepest appreciation for your continued support of this little blog along with our warmest wishes from my family to yours.  Hold your loved ones close, honor those who are no longer with us, give gratitude to the brave men and women who are protecting us from harm, and revel in the beauty of what we have in each other.

Here is what I plan to make for Christmas dinner.

Prime Rib,  Everyday Paleo Stuffing, Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Pear Salad, and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, with Pumpkin Pie for dessert.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is super easy.  Wrap your raw asparagus tightly with a piece of bacon, sprinkle with some black pepper and grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the bacon is crispy, turning once half way through the cooking time.

On Christmas Eve I’m making a giant pot of Albondigas Soup.

My Holiday Ramblings and Our Christmas Menu is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I am not a blogger who typically blogs about products because otherwise, products would end up being the only thing I ever blogged about, BUT holy cow, Steve’s Original is not just another paleo product, it’s a phenomenal company making incredibly tasty food and giving back to children who need help, guidance, and hope for a solid future.

I was lucky enough to receive a sample pack of Steve’s Original goodies and we were not disappointed with any of their yummy offerings.  People are always asking me where to find jerky and paleo snacks that are not filled with gluten, sugar, or other unhealthy fillers and Steve’s Original Paleo Kits, dried fruits, Just Jerky, and Krunch Bars (to name just a few of their offerings) all fit the bill.

My kids LOVED everything we tried and Coby, my high school student, has made me promise to keep on ordering so that he can easily bring the Paleo Kits to school with him for lunch. He loved how convenient it was to drop a Paleo Kit into his already stuffed back pack and have a portable lunch ready to go that required no thought to prepare.

If you would like to give some of Steve’s Original food a try, Steve has been kind enough to offer a 10% discount on your first order by using discount code, “everydaypaleo” and Steve will have this discount available to you up until Tuesday, December 20th.

Here’s Rowan and Jaden enjoying the Paleo Krunch Cereal with coconut milk!

Steve was kind enough to send me samples of his products, however, I did not promise anything in return and I was not bribed, begged, or coerced into promoting Steve’s Original. I am happy to tell you all to check out this amazing companies products because we really love their food and what they are doing to help kiddos.  I hope you enjoy!

Steve’s Original is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

*Another post to enjoy from Katie of Wellness Mama!

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has been around for centuries. The high concentration of b-vitamins, digestive enzymes and glucaric acid in kombucha are credited with a variety of health effects, including detoxification, improved digestion, increased liver function and more.

Many Kombucha drinkers also report increased energy from regular consumption. Some studies have even shown that compounds like glucaric acid can help prevent cancer, though the evidence on this is limited. Interestingly, President Reagan reportedly drank kombucha daily as part of his regimen to battle stomach cancer when he was diagnosed in 1987 (He died in 2004 of old age).

Countries around the world, from China to Russia, value Kombucha for its health benefits, though few scientific studies have been done in the US. Despite this, Kombucha has gained popularity, especially in some parts of the country.

Kombucha is now available commercially, though prices range from $3-5 per bottle or more.

Making Kombucha at home is another option, as a gallon of Kombucha can be made at home for a dollar or less and the process is really rather simple.

The culture that creates Kombucha is referred to as a “Mother” or a “SCOBY,” which stands for “Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast.” If you are interested in brewing your own Kombucha, there are several ways to obtain a SCOBY.

How To Find a SCOBY to Brew Kombucha

• If you know someone who already brews Kombucha, ask them if they have an extra you could have. A SCOBY reproduces itself and has a “baby” every batch or two, so often someone who brews Kombucha will have one to pass on.
• You can order a SCOBY from a reputable online source. It will come in a dehydrated state with instructions for how to brew. I’ve gotten one from Cultures for Health, and they also have great tutorial videos on brewing Kombucha.
• Grow your own. I haven’t personally had great success with trying to grow my own, but this tutorial explains the process. You will just need a bottle of organic, unflavored Kombucha.

Finding a SCOBY is often the most difficult part, as the actual making of Kombucha is pretty easy…

How To Brew Kombucha:

You will need:

• A gallon size glass jar
• 1 gallon (or a little less) of brewed sweetened tea, with a ratio of 1 cup organic sugar to 1 gallon of tea – must be cooled t room temperature!
• 1 Kombucha SCOBY or dehydrated SCOBY
• a kitchen towel or coffee filter and a rubber band

Instructions:

[Note: It is very important that all materials and surfaces are very clean and that your hands have been washed before starting this process!]

1. Prepare the tea (1 cup organic sugar in 1 gallon of brewed regular tea- decaf is ok too!) Use 3-4 family size tea bags or 8-10 regular size ones.
2. Let the tea cool and remove tea bags. Make sure that tea is completely cool before going on to next step.
3. Pour the tea into a gallon size glass jar, leaving at least an inch of room at the top.
4. Add 1 cup  of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha or from a store bought bottle of plain organic Kombucha.
5. Gently place the Kombucha SCOBY at the top of the liquid. It should float, but don’t worry if it doesn’t. Once you have put it in, don’t stick your hands into the tea to get it to float!
6. Cover the jar with a coffee filter or towel and secure with a rubber band.
7. Place in a warm location (around 70-75 degrees) and let sit from 5-30 days depending on your preference (it will be less sweet and more potent the longer you leave it).
8. When it is finished brewing you can store in smaller jars or in another big jar with a lid and repeat the brewing process with the SCOBY to make more batches. Every 1-2 batches, the SCOBY will have a baby that can be used to make other batches or given away.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of making Kombucha, you can do a secondary ferment with grape or apple juice to make a carbonated Kombucha soda that has very little trace sugar left but is carbonated. 

This video from Cultures for Health is helpful when first starting off brewing Kombucha.

Ever brewed Kombucha? Grossed out by the SCOBY? What do you think?

How to Make Kombucha by Katie of Wellness Mama is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I have several holiday recipes on the blog that you can find here, here, and here; but what’s wrong with a couple more!  My family and I will be traveling to visit my wonderful in-laws for Thanksgiving, so I thought I would come up with two fun side dishes that I can make and share while we are there.  Both are scrumptious and I’m looking forward to making both again in just a few days!

Holiday Brussels Sprouts

3 tablespoons grass fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved and then cut into strips

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup dried unsweetened cherries, chopped

2 teaspoons raw organic honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet saute the onions in the the butter, ghee or coconut oil until they start to brown and carmelize.  Add the sliced Brussels sprouts and cook until the just become tender.  Add the diced walnuts and cherries and cook for another minute or two and remove from heat.  In a small saucepan melt the honey, add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and whisk together. Pour the dressing over the Brussels Sprouts and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 5-6.

Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes

5 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

12 -15 whole cloves of garlic, peeled (cut the bigger ones in half lengthwise)

3 tablespoons coconut oil or bacon grease

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweet potatoes and garlic with the oil, cinnamon, thyme, salt and pepper.  Spread the potatoes evenly in a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time. Serves 5-6.

Holiday Brussels Sprouts and Garlic Roasted Sweet Potatoes is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

*Another budget friendly post by Erika Schuler!!

Thanksgiving it a time to celebrate all that we are thankful for: family, friends, good health and good old fashion paleo food! Last weekend I celebrated my first Thanksgiving of the year with my amazing college family…. potluck style. I roasted my first turkey ever and managed to stay away from burning it… it’s a MIRACLE!!! I am the only one of my friends who lives, eats, and breathes paleo, so when I sent out the invite for a Thanksgiving potluck party I wasn’t expecting it to be all paleo. With the amazing group of friends I have made at school they all respected my way of life and all cooked paleo dishes. With the exception of mashed potatoes, gravy and rolls

I was in charge of the turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. All my recipes came from Sarah’s Thanksgiving blog last year, with a few of my own twists thrown in here and there.

My posts are all about getting the best deal for your paleo meal, so even though these recipe’s are not my own, I can tell you how much it costs to cook a Thanksgiving meal for 15 hungry college students while not breaking the bank!

Turkey

12 lb turkey

Day before brine your turkey in:

2 cup water

2 cups kosher salt,

2 cups good whisky (optional)

¾ cup organic raw honey

Mix all the ingredients together. Make sure your turkey it defrosted and that you remove the giblets and rinse your bird. Put the turkey in a large pot and pour your brine over your turkey. Put a lid on it and keep refrigerated for at least 24 hours. Making sure to take your bird out of the refrigerator at least an hour before the cooking process so it is at room temperature when you cook it the next day.

Prep your turkey:

4 tbls grass fed butter at room temp

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and Thyme (I personally used dried thyme because I couldn’t find fresh thyme)

Juice from 1 orange

Mix all the ingredients together.

Preheat oven to 400.  Wash and dry the turkey with paper towels.  Place the turkey in your roaster breast side up.  Pull back the skin from the breast and in between the skin and the meat, place the butter, rosemary, thyme and orange juice mixture. Save some of the butter mixture to rub on the top of the bird too. Sprinkle the entire bird with sea salt and pepper.  Cover and roast for 20 minutes.  Lower the heat to 350 and cook for an additional 20 minutes per pound, uncovering the bird for the last 30 minutes to brown the turkey.  Remove and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.  Make sure you use a meat thermometer to ensure that your turkey is done!

Total cost: $16

Cost per-person: $1.07

Appetizer

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Persimmons- made by Matthew Schupp

4 fuyu persimmons

8 pieces on bacon

5 skewers sticks

Cut persimmons into 8ths; cut pieces of bacon in half, wrap around persimmon slices and skewer (fit as many as you can on one stick). Put foil down on the BBQ so the bacon grease doesn’t catch on fire (learned that the hard way). Once the bacon is fully cooked take off the BBQ let them cool a little and remove from the sticks and put on your serving platter.

Total cost: $7

Cost per person: $ 0.48

Side Dishes

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 bag of small yams from Trader Joe’s (about 4 large yams from the grocery store if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s where you live)

2 tbls grassfed butter

1 tbls raw organic honey

1 tbls cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350 line a cookie sheet with foil. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cubes. Toss in melted grassfed butter honey and cinnamon. Spread them out evenly on the lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

Total cost: $5

Cost per person: $0.33

Green Beans – made by Alessandra Cappello

1 bag of French green beans (from Trader Joes, if buying then in bulk, about 1-2 pounds)

3 cloves of chopped garlic

½ cup extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Salt and pepper to taste

Break the ends of the green beans off and rinse them. Once cleaned put them in a large pot fill with water until the green beans are covered, add a pinch of salt for flavor. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, until al dente (firm, yet tender). Drain the water and toss the green beans in garlic, evoo, salt and pepper.

Total cost: $2

Cost per person: $0.13

Mix Green Salad- made by Nicole Fillinger

1 bag of mixed greens

1 apple

½ cup sliced almonds

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

Oil and balsamic dressing (as much as you see fit, salt and pepper to taste)

Rinse green, tomatoes and apple. Core and cut up apple. In a large bowl put the greens, tomatoes almonds, apples and toss in dressing.

Total cost: $7.39

Cost per person: $0.49

Cranberry Sauce-Sarah’s Everyday Paleo Recipe with a few twists, made by Evan Garfeild

1 lb Cranberries (about 4 cups)

1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

½ tbls cinnamon

1 tsp fresh ginger

2 tbls organic raw honey (if you like your sauce tangy and a little sour leave out, it is just as delicious!)

In a large soup pot add the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon, and ginger and bring to a slow boil.  Once all the cranberries have popped add in honey and simmer, stirring often until the sauce becomes thick, about 10-15 minutes. Pour your sauce into serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. (you can either serve warm or cold)

Total cost: $ 6.50

Cost per person: $ 0.43

Dessert

Everyday Paleo Pumpkin Pie

1 sugar pumpkin

1tbls pumpkin pie spice

Crust

½ cup hazelnuts

1 cup pecans

4 tablespoons melted organic grass fed butter

Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Place the nuts in a food processor and process until the nuts are flour like or almond meal like consistency. Pour into a small mixing bowl, add the butter and salt and mix into a thick dough. Using your hands, spread evenly into a pie pan and back for 10 minutes.

Note: buy your nuts in bulk it is cheaper this way!!!

Filling

1 – 14oz can of organic pumpkin puree (nothing added, just pumpkin) à [I made my own pumpkin puree by roasting 1 sugar pumpkin and adding in 1 tbls of pumpkin pie spice.. I will include the instruction below if you want to do it this way]

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 eggs

½ cup raw organic honey

½ cup coconut milk

While the crust is in the oven, whisk all of the pie filling ingredients together.  Pour into the curst that has been baked for 10 minutes, return to the oven and bake for and additional 45 minutes

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin: preheat oven to 350. Cut your sugar pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place the pumpkins in a glass baking dish cut side down and add about a cup of water bake for 45-60 minutes. Scoop out the inside of the pumpkin into a food processor and blend until smooth (add a tablespoon of warm water if it doesn’t smooth out) once pureed add in pumpkin pie spice mix well.

Total cost: $11

Cost per person: $0.73

The grand total for the whole thanksgiving meal is: $54.89

That’s a whopping $3.66 per person!!! Now that is a price we can all be thankful for this thanksgiving year  This price includes only the major item’s bought for the dinner, this doesn’t include items that I keep on hand at all times, such as grass fed butter, oil, spices and eggs.

I want to end my post with a BIG thank you to all my friends for sharing all their wonderful recipes. The paleo potluck thanksgiving party was a blast and wouldn’t have been possible without all of you I am thankful for having such amazing friends that I am proud to call family

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Paleo Thanksgiving Potluck Party For College Students! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Before you read any further, you must say Herbed Halved Chicken five times as fast as you can. It’s not a just a meal but a tongue twister too!

Last weekend we picked up a halved chicken from the farmers market and John and Jaden made a delicious herb butter rub for the bird.  They rubbed both halves with the delicious mixture and cooked the chicken low and slow on the grill until it became tender, savory perfection.  If you do not want to use butter you can sub clarified butter, ghee, lard, or another fat of your choice.  We served the chicken with roasted winter squash and I made a quick coleslaw with shredded green cabbage, diced apples, sliced almonds, with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar for the dressing

Here’s what John and Jaden created:

Herb Halved Chicken

2 chicken halves (or take one whole chicken and cut it in half)

6 tablespoons grass fed butter (we used Kerrygold) or other fat of your choice

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

Soften butter in the microwave.  Mix the herbs and spices into the softened butter or other fat choice.  Pat dry the chicken halves with paper towels.  Using a rubber spatula, generously rub the herb and spice mixture all over the chicken halves.  Cook on a covered grill skin side up on low to medium low heat for 45-60 minutes.

Herbed Halved Chicken is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Stuffed Pork and Salty Sweet Cravings

Time for another college budget friendly meal! On tonight’s menu; sun dried tomato stuffed pork, zucchini and for dessert salty sweet cravings.

I was feeling creative tonight and wanted to try something new and fun for dinner. I opened my freezer and refrigerator to find a pork tenderloin, sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic, and fresh basil.  The basil was home grown by yours truly (bonus point: free ingredient!). Put it all together and you get Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Pork.

Sundried Tomato Stuffed Pork

2 pound Pork Tenderloin

1 8.5 oz jar sundried tomato haves

1 T minced garlic

7 Fresh basil leaves

Butterfly pork tenderloin. On one side spread the sun dried tomato and garlic. Lay the basil leaves on top of the tomatoes fold over the other half of the pork over and tie the pork with 3-4 pieces of string so that the stuffing stays in while cooking. Sear the pork on a hot BBQ for 5 minutes on each side and finish in the oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Feeds: 8

Total Coast:  $10

Coast per person: $1.25

Here is another cheap and easy recipe for those who are battling mid-day, late night, or anytime cravings for something salty, sweet and still paleo. This snack won’t break the bank and chances are you already having the ingredients on hand.

Salty Sweet Cravings

1 ½ cups unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt

Melt coconut oil in a medium size microwave safe bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups coconut flakes and sea salt mix until all the flakes are evenly coated. Line a cookie sheet with foil and evenly spread out the coconut flakes. Bake at 350 for 4 1/2 minutes or until golden brown (make sure to watch them because they will go from golden brown to yucky burnt fast!)

Feeds: 12

Total cast:  $18

Coast per person: $1.50

Dinner and dessert together $2.75 a person!

Stuffed Pork and Salty Sweet Cravings is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License