Category Archives: Paleo

Healthier Hello Dolly Bars

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I haven’t had much time to bake lately, much less take pictures and blog about it!  BUT…I had a client reschedule this past weekend, and I knew it would make Maya super happy if we made something together, so…we did!

I’d been dying to try Feasting on Fruits “Vegan Magic Cookie Bars” recipe ever since I saw her post it on Instagram.  The originals are my husband’s all time favorite bar cookie, so I couldn’t wait to try a healthier version.

While they are not as ooey gooey and decadent as the original version, they are really good!  I got a thumbs up from all the taste testers, including grandparents, teenage stepson, Maya, AND the Huz!

What you need…

ALMOND CRUST OPTION (she posts an oat crust option too)

What to do…

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and grab a cute assistant 😉

  • For the almond crust, combine the almond flour and maple syrup in a bowl. Mix to create a sticky and clumpy dough that holds together when pressed. Add 1 tbsp water if it seems too dry.

  • Press the crust into an 8x8baking dish  lined with parchment paper (I didn’t have any, so I just greased the pan). Bake for 10 minutes at 350F. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes.

  • While the crust is cooling, blend the bananas until smooth.

  • Pour the banana puree on top of the crust.

  • Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut. Gently press down until the banana puree rises up covering everything.

  • Bake for 35 minutes at 350F.

  • Cool then chill (she said to do it overnight, but we ate them later that evening!)

    Enjoy!

    dit-elle-Lauren

 

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup (Crockpot | Paleo | Whole 30 )

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I’m sure most of the world is feeling the warmth of spring and summer, but…in Seattle, we are NOT-UGH!!  But…while I’m sick of wearing layers upon layers, I never get tired of yummy soups!  Especially easy ones that are practically cooked without me!

This is a recipe that I’ve now done twice because after the first attempt was so well received, I obviously did it again!!  And it was all a fluke of things I just happened to have in my cupboard and fridge-WHOOP!

Ingredients (feeds 4 with leftovers)

  • 4-5 frozen chicken breasts (I’m ALWAYS on the fly.  If yours aren’t frozen, the timing should still work.  It might just mean the meat will be more tender)
  • 1 Can Full Fat Coconut Cream (check labels if you are on Whole30, I used Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 Can Chicken Broth (check labels if you are on Whole30)
  • 1 Tablespoon crushed ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon crushed lemongrass
  • 1 Teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1 Medium to Large Onion Diced
  • 1/2 Cup Diced Carrots (I used organic Rainbow Carrots, because…duh FUN COLORS! :))
  • If you aren’t on a dietary restriction you could add 1/2 a box of Pasta (again, I go light on this end and used veggie pasta.  You could use gluten free OR 2 cups zoodles or sweet potato noodles etc if you are Whole30!)

Directions

  • Place everything in the crockpot, and you’re DONE!!!I  I always wonder if things look the way they should when I’m throwing things together, so…yes, it should look like this 🙂And then….after you take the chicken out and fork shred it (it will be SO tender!!)

THIS!

  • Unless, you want to add a noodle variation.  When you are about 10-15 minutes out, you can add the pasta or zoodles etc and they will cook to being tender.  I think they’d be mushy if you added them in at the beginning, but let me know if you try!  I even added them after the cook time when it was in “warm” mode, and it worked!

Another Recipe you might enjoy…

I posted one of my latest crock pot easy healthy dinners last week.

Crockpot Veggie Pasta and Turkey Meat Sauce

Honestly, I was on a crock pot roll lately.  Too much to do, no time to cook, yet I wanted yummy healthy food.  I didn’t have a recipe for either of these meals and both were DELICIOUS!  I’m saying this because a lot of times I see recipes that I like, but I don’t have the time or the ingredients.  THAT is the best part of the slow cooker.  I have taken tried and true recipes that involved multiple pots and hours of time of me in front of the stove, and rolled the dice throwing everything into the slow cooker in the morning.  Guess what?  They’ve all turned out fine!  Are they as amazing as the original?  Sometimes maybe not QUITE as much, but honestly…

It’s pretty darn good!

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Crockpot Veggie Pasta and Turkey Meat Sauce

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I’ve been on a total crockpot kick lately.  That seems to happen every winter, and before the urge kicks in, I always think…

“Why don’t I use my crock pot more??!!”

Then, I do, and I think…

“Why don’t I use my crock pot more??!!”!!!

Every post I do on my crockpot meals, I wax poetic on the fabulousness of it, but then the spring and summer roll around and I forget about it.  I’m determined to make things all year round!  It’s SO easy, and the smell walking into your home after not being home all day/or even if you ARE home all day…YUM!!!

And I don’t know about where you live, but here in Seattle…spring has NOT sprung, and warm yummy dinners still sound amazing!

So, I decided to try spaghetti and meat sauce.  Total classic.  Total crowd pleaser when you have kids.  Pretty cheap too!  And…it can be healthy and easy!

blog-crockpot-slow-cooker-gluten-free-paleo-whole-30-pasta-and-turkey-meat-sauce-1 blog-crockpot-slow-cooker-gluten-free-paleo-whole-30-pasta-and-turkey-meat-sauce-2 blog-crockpot-slow-cooker-gluten-free-paleo-whole-30-pasta-and-turkey-meat-sauce-3 blog-crockpot-slow-cooker-gluten-free-paleo-whole-30-pasta-and-turkey-meat-sauce-4

Ingredients (feeds 4 with leftovers)

  • 2 lbs ground turkey. I like to make it heavy on the protein!
  • 1 Can of pasta sauce.  I used a 32 oz jar (check labels if you are on Whole30)
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
  • 1/2 Teaspoon crushed garlic
  • 1 Medium to Large Onion
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning.
  • 1/2 a box of Pasta (again, I go light on this end and used veggie pasta.  You could use gluten free OR 2 cups zoodles or sweet potato noodles etc if you are Whole30!)

Directions

  • Place Diced Onion, Crushed Ginger, and Crushed Garlic, Ground Turkey (Yes, I put mine in mostly frozen because…no time to dethaw, and it still worked out great!), Jar of Pasta sauce and Italian seasonings in the crockpot, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5.
  • When you are about 10-15 minutes out, you can add the pasta or zoodles etc and they will cook to being tender.  I think they’d be mushy if you added them in at the beginning, but let me know if you try!  I even added them after the cook time when it was in “warm” mode, and it worked!

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Paleo Apple Muffins with Steusel Topping

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blog-paleo-apple-streusel-gluten-free-muffins-1Maya had a play date the other day, and I promised them we could make something.  I’ve been wanting to try a healthier apple muffin, and these turned out so good!!  You could leave out the walnuts for a nut free option for school!blog-paleo-apple-streusel-gluten-free-muffins-2 blog-paleo-apple-streusel-gluten-free-muffins-3
blog-paleo-apple-streusel-gluten-free-muffins-4 So moist and yummy!!blog-paleo-apple-streusel-gluten-free-muffins-5

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins or 24 minis)

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice or 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 4 medjul dates pitted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 2 small apples, diced or about 1 1/2 cups

For the streusel-

  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp coconut flour
  • 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Line muffin cups with muffin liners.
  • First, prepare the streusel topping by mixing everything together, except for the pecans, in a small bowl. Add the pecans and stir until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the dry muffins ingredients (almond flour through nutmeg).
  • In a large bowl, mix together the wet muffins ingredients (eggs through Almond Milk).
  • Add the dry mix to the wet and stir just until combined!  Fold in the apples.
  • Pour 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle the streusel on top.
  • Bake at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F  and for another 8 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Mini muffins only needed 8 more minutes but larger muffins may need up to 15.
  • Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • These are super moist and need to be kept refrigerated in an airtight container after the first 24 hours.

Recipe adapted from Texanerin Baking.

Enjoy!

dit-elle-Lauren

Paleo Cherry Coconut Flour Muffins with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

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Every year thus far for Maya’s birthday I’ve made some kind of pumpkin cake or pumpkin muffin, since her birthday is in October.  This year, I finally gave her a choice.

SO not like me haha.  And then…she picked my favorite birthday dessert-CHERRY!

Ok, for me, I picked Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake with Cherry Frosting every year growing up.  OMG, sugar BOMB!!!  And truth be told…I LOVED IT!!!!

BUT…I’m determined for Maya to love healthier althernatives, and so far, it’s working!  What she doesn’t know, she doesn’t know.  And natually sweetened treats, are treats!

I’m sure that’s going to bite me in the ass, but…until then….

I mainly used Coconut Mama’s recipe, but just added diced up frozen organic cherries and then drizzled some dark chocolate on them to make sure the kids in Maya’s class were more apt to eat them!
blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-1 blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-2 Using cocunut flour can be challenging, so I love to see what the consistency looks like!  In my opinion, it’s more cookie dough like than muffin, but it all works out in the end!blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-3The original recipe called for only filling it to 3/4th full batter, but mine never raise that much, so…I filled them up!
blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-4 And Maya drizzled dark chocolate on them once they came out of the oven…blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-5 blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-6 YUM!blog-paleo-cherry-gluten-free-muffins-with-dark-chocolate-drizzle-7

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins or 24 minis)

  • 3/4 cup of coconut flour
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of sea salt
  • 6 organic eggs
  • 1/2 Cup of coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 Cup of pure maple syrup
  • 1 Teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 Cup frozen cherries diced

For the drizzle

  • 1 Cup Dark Chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, beat eggs and mix in melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and diced cherries.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Let sit for 3-5 minutes or until coconut flour has absorbed the liquid.
  • Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan.
  • Fill each muffin tin ¾ full of batter.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Let muffins cool.
  • Microwave chocolate and coconut oil in 20 second increments until smooth.
  • Drizzle over muffins and enjoy!
  • Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

dit-elle-Lauren

Grilled Orange Chicken with Onions and Quinoa

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Last week I posted a recipe for a easy, refreshing, delicious Clementine Goat Cheese Salad.  I mentioned in that post, that I made this dish to go with it, and here it is!

I rarely use recipes (ironic, no?!), but one thing I love doing, is repeating flavors in the different dishes of the meal.  I used the same flavors in the chicken, the quinoa, and also the salad.  It cuts down on needing a bunch of different ingredients, and makes everything go so well together!

blog-orange-onion-chicken-and-quinioa-1This tastes great on it’s own, but even better when paired with the salad… blog-orange-onion-chicken-and-quinioa-2

What You Need… (feeds 4)

  • 4  Chicken Breasts
  • 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Sprig of Rosemary or 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 Medium sized Orange
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 Cup uncooked Quinoa (Omit or sub out with cauliflower rice for Paleo/Whole 30 option)
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste.

What You Do…

  • Pour Olive Oil, Garlic, Rosemary, and juice from half the orange, into a small bowl and stir.
  • Take 2/3rds of the liquid and pour over chicken breasts in a large bowl or zip lock bag.  Slice the other half of the orange and place inside bag/in bowl.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Let that all marinate for 30+ minutes.  If you want to do this in the morning and let it marinate in the refrigerator all day…even better!
  • Slice Onion in 1/2 inch slices and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Light your grill to medium heat and let it get hot.
  • Take quinoa and either place in a rice cooker (what I did) and add left over 1/3rd mixture from above and cook.  It’s usually done in 20 minutes.
  • Or, if you don’t have a rice cooker, cook on stove top with 2 cups water plus added 1/3rd left over mixture.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and let it cook covered for another 15 minutes.  Let it sit for another 5 minutes covered but with the heat turned off.  Fluff it up.
  • While Quinoa is cooking place chicken, onions, and orange slices on the grill.  Cook on each side for 7-8 minutes (depending on breast size).
  • Layer quinoa in a serving dish (I drizzled a little of the salad dressing over the top, but you could just drizzle with a little olive oil), then top with chicken, onions, and oranges.

Enjoy!!

dit-elle-Lauren

Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Red Onions

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This is a great raw broccoli salad recipe!

broccoli-bacon-red-onion-salad

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 lbs broccoli
  • 10 strips crisp bacon
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1/3 c raisins
  • 2 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 c toasted sunflower seeds

Directions

  • Cut broccoli and stems into bit sized pieces
  • Fry bacon until crisp and set aside. Crumble.
  • In large bowl, combine broccoli, onion, raisins and bacon
  • Add vinegar pepper and sunflower seeds and toss well to combine

The original recipe which I got from my Grandma, included a 1/4 cup sugar (most recipes from the 50’s era seem to have a lot of sugar :)). I omitted all sugar to make this a paleo salad, and it tasted great!

Enjoy! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

Clementine Goat Cheese Salad

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Every night I try and make a big salad to go with dinner.  I like to throw in a lot of good veggies and or fruits to pack in the nutrients and vitamins in one yummy bowl.

Lately, I’ve been making my own dressing too.  I keep it pretty simple, but throw in fun things that compliment what’s in the salad every once in a while.

All in all it takes only a few minutes to throw this together, and it tastes light and delicious, yet packs in the flavor!

Next week I’ll post the Orange Chicken with Grilled Onions and Quinoa that I made to go along with this.  It all went so well together-YUM!

Blog Clementine Goat Cheese Salad-1 Blog Clementine Goat Cheese Salad2(I’ll be honest, I don’t measure, so the below are approximates to feed 3-4 people)

Dressing

  •  2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Juice from one crushed clementine
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Pure Maple Syrup
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Drizzle all over the salad with Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze

Salad

  • One large handful of greens per person that you want to feed
  • 1-2 clementines quartered and sliced in half
  • 1 oz goat cheese crumbled (omit for Paleo or Whole 30 option)
  • Additional toppings that I frequently use (crushed almonds, or walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds)

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

Watermelon Granita

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This is quite the simple summer treat! Love watermelon? You’ll love watermelon granita!

watermelon granita blog (2)watermelon granita blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups roughly chopped watermelon
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 6-8 mint leaves and more for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp honey

Directions

  • Freeze a glass baking dish for an hour
  • In a blender, puree watermelon, lime juice, mint leaves and honey until smooth
  • Pour through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids
  • Pour juice into chilled baking dish and freeze until slushy, ~45 minutes
  • Rake surface with a fork to break up ice crystals
  • Freeze 30 minutes
  • Repeat until frozen
  • Scoop into bowls, garnish with mint and serve

dit-elle-Esther

Balsamic Strawberries

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I discovered strawberries with balsamic recently – wow – yum! Strawberry goodness with a pop from the vinegar and pepper. Try it!

balsamic strawberries blog

Ingredients

  • 2 cups strawberries, rinsed and sliced
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar (optional, omit for paleo version)
  • Pepper to taste
  • Mint for garnish

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients and let marinade for at least an hour or up to four
  • Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther