One of my blog readers, Jennifer Irwin of Columbus, OH, sent me this amazing recipe that I am happy to feature on the blog. Do YOU have an awesome recipe worthy of sharing with Everyday Paleo readers? If so, email me your dish along with a photo of the food and who knows, your recipe might be the next one featured on the blog!  Thanks Jennifer for sharing your paleo culinary masterpiece.

Grilled Pork Chops With Tomato Peach Relish  

3 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 fresh lime, juiced.  (Set aside 3 tablespoons for marinade)
4 (3/4- to 1-inch-thick) bone-in rib pork chops (2 1/4 pound)
1 large peach or nectarine
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (10 ounces), quartered
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons red-wine or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)

MARINADE:
1. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil and 3 tablespoons lime juice.
3.  Pour marinade over chops in a glass or ceramic shallow baking dish, then turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature, turning over once, 20 minutes to 1 hour.

RELISH/SALSA:
Chop peach, then toss with remaining lime juice in a medium bowl and let stand 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, scallions, chile, herbs, and vinegar. Let stand while grilling pork.

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).

Meanwhile, remove chops from marinade and pat dry, leaving any bits of garlic. Sprinkle chops on both sides with chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).

Oil grill rack, then grill chops, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once and moving to area with no coals underneath if flare-ups occur, until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve chops with relish. Accept compliments.

And as always, enjoy!

Guest Recipe Contributor – Grilled Pork Chops With Tomato Peach Relish is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Fast forward three years and I now realize that eating paleo has changed way more then just my physical appearance.  Eating paleo has taught me the importance of knowing where my food comes from, it has brought me closer to my family because we now make cooking and eating together a priority, I have a better relationship with my husband because I feel good about myself and have lost the insecurities that used to shamefully plague me, I feel more connected to our planet and realize the responsibilities that we all have to live sustainably, most importantly I know how much more I have to learn about life, wellness, fitness and health as living a paleo lifestyle continues to bring the most amazing, smart, and fascinating people into my life to teach me.  I am more humble, focused, and relaxed and I simply enjoy life more because focusing on eating healthy has made me lose focus of other unhealthy habits that used to hold me back.

And yes, I am proud to be a mom of three who can rock that bikini…  BUT – the look better naked factor is just a bonus…

Here’s a recipe for Chimichurri sauce that we poured over roast chicken and paired with pureed turnips.  This sauce would make an old shoe taste good – so go wild!  Today I’m going to cook some thinly sliced sirloin over cubed butternut squash, topped with the Chimichurri sauce on low in my slow cooker for 6 hours.  I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Chimichurri Sauce

½ red onion

4 garlic cloves

1 ½ cups chopped cilantro

1 cup chopped parsley

juice from 1 lime

¾ cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process on low until the mixture is almost smooth but still a bit chunky.  Serve on everything!!

Pureed Turnips

4 turnips

3 tbsp organic butter

Quarter the turnips and cook in a pressure cooker for 8 minutes.  Toss the cooked turnips in a food processor along with the butter and puree until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy!!

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The Naked Factor is just a bonus… And a recipe (of course)! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Leftover dinner!!  This one is my personal favorite.  I love having leftovers for breakfast because this means breakfast is done!  Just the other morning I had leftover lamb chops for breakfast with some kale, and squash.  Another morning after the mad of rush of getting kids out the door was over, I found myself alone in the kitchen with leftover chicken sausages from the previous days lunch, also with kale and some bell peppers and onions.

One of my kids favorite breakfasts is:

Sweet Potato Hash

1 lb ground pork sausage

3 sweet potatoes grated

3 tbsp coconut oil

cinnamon

Brown the sausage in a large soup pan.  Add the coconut oil and shredded sweet potatoes to the cooked sausage (sometimes I’ll also add about 3 tbsp of organic butter as well). Stirring often, let the potatoes cook until they are soft, about 7 minutes.  Add a TON of cinnamon and serve.  This is a bit too much of a carb load for me in the morning but it’s great to get the kids going!  I do love eating a little bit of it with, uh oh, a poached egg.

Some morning we’ll have just bacon, ham, or sausage with coconut milk smoothies for the kids and a handful of nuts and maybe a few blueberries for Mom and Dad. I make the smoothies with either 3-5 cups of unsweetened So Delicious coconut milk or 1 can of coconut milk + 1 cup water, along with with frozen strawberries, mango, blueberries, and a banana – or any other fruit combo that sounds good!  Of course the smoothie I have pictured is accompanied by some EGGS and sausage scrambled together (another favorite breakfast option for Rowan – the 2 year old).

My breakfast advice for those of you who are darn tired of eggs or want a change in your morning routine is to look outside the “breakfast box”.  No matter what time of day it may be, as long as you have a hunk of protein, some sort of veggie, and some good fat – you are dialed!!

Disclaimer: if you are trying to lean out, I do not suggest eating a ton of sweet potato hash or fruit in the morning.  These foods, although great, are best reserved for post workout enjoyment.  Even for folks who might be healthy and lean, this kind of carb intake in the am might send them crashing a few hours later.  I personally do better if I skip the fruit at breakfast and maybe enjoy a little bit at lunch with a lot of protein.  Kids on the other hand are good to go with this stuff!!  Lucky kids…

Enjoy!

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

Amazing Arugula Chicken Salad

4 cooked chicken breast diced

2 cups shredded green cabbage

6 cups fresh arugula

1 organic apple diced

6 strips of nitrate free bacon diced

3 tbsp dried rosemary

4 1/2 oz julienned sun dried tomatoes with olive oil

3 green onions diced

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Small handful of sliced almonds

Olive oil and black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl toss in the arugula, cabbage, apple, and onion.  While the chicken and bacon are still warm, add these items to the bowl as well.  Top with the sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, rosemary, and any additional olive oil and black pepper to taste.  Toss the ingredients all together and serve immediately topped with a small handful of sliced almonds.

Enjoy!

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My Arugula Obsession… is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Roast Chicken

1 free range/farm raised 4-5 lb chicken

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 450. Wash chicken and thoroughly dry the chicken inside the cavity and out with paper towels.  Place the chicken in a roasting pan and generously sprinkle the entire chicken with sea salt (inside the cavity as well).  The recipe on epicurious said to “rain” the salt down on the chicken, maybe that’s the secret…. I did not tress it, add any butter, thyme, or even pepper, just the salt, and after about an hour in the oven, the chicken was crispy golden brown on the outside and incredibly tender, juicy, flavorful and delicious on the inside!  The best parts of the chicken is what we could pick right off the bones – my two year old ate most of his dinner before we even got the chicken to the table…

I served the chicken with mashed cauliflower that I seasoned with garlic powder and black pepper as well as a fresh arugula and spring mix salad with diced apples, olive oil, and lemon juice. 

Enjoy!!

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Easy and Amazing Roast Chicken is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Sirloin Dijon

1 1/2 lbs thinly sliced sirloin (I used the pre-sliced sirloin from TJ’s)

1 red onion diced

3 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste – sprinkle meat in pan while cooking

2/3 cup heavy cream

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp dried tarragon

1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard

Saute diced onion in olive oil until tender, add sirloin and brown.  While sirloin is browning, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  In a separate bowl, mix together heavy whipping cream, garlic, tarragon and mustard.  Pour mixture over the sirloin and bring to a simmer.  Serve immediately.

Brussel Sprouts

Approx 1/2 lb brussel sprouts

1 tbsp dried dill

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt and pepper to taste

Quarter brussel sprouts and steam for 3-5 minutes.  Saute the steamed sprouts in olive oil until a little crispy and add remaining ingredients, stir and serve.  Yummy!!

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Sirloin Dijon and Brussel Sprouts is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License