Paleo Hummus

So excited to share this recipe.  It originates from Sarah Fargoso's book Everyday Paleo Family Cookbook.  I wish I could take credit for it because it is so awesome!!!

I have altered the recipe a bit to make it to where I can eat it (original recipe calls for almond butter). Use almond butter if you wish but I know it is super amazing with pecan butter!!!


Hummus

4 cups- cauliflower
2 T- pecan butter
1/4 cup - EVOO
1-2 garlic cloves
1 t- ground cumin
1/2 t- paprika
1/8 t- cayenne pepper
1/2 t- sea salt

4 cups is about the size of one medium cauliflower head.

Steam your cauliflower and garlic until cauliflower is tender ( 10 minutes for so). 

While your cauliflower is steaming toast your pecans (enough to fill a small pan) until fragrant 4-6 minutes.  Place your pecans in a food processor and blend until it starts to liquify.  

Place your cauliflower and garlic in a food processor or a nifty vitamix!  (My vitamix gets to make its debut today in this recipe!) 

Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth.  

Topping 

1 roasted bell pepper 

1/2 t- red pepper flakes 

1 t- EVOO

Blend in a food processor  and place on top of your hummus! 

Happy Wednesday :)

Chicken "tortilla" Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup 

3 T- EVOO 

6- garlic cloves minced 

2 T- fresh cilantro

1 cup fresh onion puree (1-2 peeled yellow onions pureed in blender) 

20 ounces canned tomato puree (2- 12 oz cans of diced tomatoes pureed in blender) 

1/4 cups of water 

1 T- cumin powder 

2 t- chili powder

2- bay leaves 

2 quarts of chicken broth (8 cups) 

1 t- of salt (do not add if using store-bought chicken broth)

1 1/2 T- raw sugar (optional)

1/2 t- cayenne pepper 

2 cooked shredded chicken breasts OR left over chicken from whole chicken

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. 

Toss in the minced garlic and cilantro for 1 minute.  

Add the onion puree and tomato puree. 

Cook for 5 more minutes.  Add cumin, chili powder, salt and bay leaves to the pot. 

Stir that in and bring to a simmer.  Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, raw sugar (optional), and cayenne.  Let it come to a simmer and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  

Remove the bay leaves and serve. 

I put mine in a crockpot so it would be warm when my husband came home from school! 

YUM!  We added some hot sauce in and of course my husband had to add some cooked corn tortillas in!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Chicken Broth

So easy!

Here is what you need-

Left over chicken juices, bones, and skin from your chicken the night before.
3 stalks of celery
3 bay leaves
Water to fill your pot
1 onion
3 carrots

Chop your ingredients (don't worry about pealing or anything) Just chop it all and throw it in.
Add all of your ingredients and fill your pot about an inch and a half from the top.  Do not cover.
Let simmer for 3-4 hours.

Add water if too much evaporates.

Don't have 3-4 hours for it to cook on the stove?! Throw it in the crockpot in the a.m. and it will be ready in 7-8 hours.  OR leave everything in the crockpot from your spiced chicken the night you make it and take out the good meat.  Throw in everything for your broth and let it cook that night.  (fill your crock pot about 1/2 inch to the top with water).

Once your timer goes off use a strainer and drain liquid into a big bowl.  Let your liquid cool and discard your solids.  Your broth should separate into 3 layers as it cools.  

Skim the top and carefully take your middle layer (the broth) out of your bowl and into other containers.  Let it cool and place in the fridge for further use OR keep it out and put into your chicken tortilla soup :) 

Spiced Crock Pot Chicken

I am posting this on Tuesday because my Monday was insane!
 Kids may have been in school but I had plenty to do! I ended up working late so I am really glad that I decided to do a crockpot chicken so my husband had food to eat when he came home from school finals!

Here is the recipe for the Spiced Crockpot Chicken

1- Whole Chicken
1- yellow onion chopped
1 T- EVOO
1 t- sea salt
1 t- paprika
1 t- pepper
1/2 t- chili powder
1/2 t- cayenne pepper
1/2 t- cumin
1/2 t- thyme
1/2 t- oregano
1 t- garlic powder

Chop your onion and place at the bottom of your crockpot.

Pat your chicken dry and take out giblets.  Keep giblets to make chicken broth.  

Combine spices and olive oil to make a paste.  Lather your chicken with the paste and then place on top of your onions in the crockpot breast side down.  I obviously did not put this chicken breast side down but I think it would stay juiciest with the breast down, backside up. 

Let cook for 5-6 hours.  Do not add any juices. 

When chicken is done it should just fall apart when you try and pick it up.  

Pair with Roasted Asparagus and Mashed Cauliflower :) 

If your chicken is cool enough and you have enough meat use this chicken for chicken tortilla soup.  

Using a whole chicken never goes to waste.  When I go to put my left overs in the fridge I go ahead and sort out the skin, bones and juice into one bowl and then the meat into another so I will be ready in the a.m. to make my broth for my chicken tortilla soup! 

Mashed Cauliflower- 

1 whole head of Cauliflower

1 clove of garlic

1 T- EVOO

Place a medium pot of water over medium high heat.  

Cut your cauliflower into florets and chop your garlic. 

Once your water is boiling add in florets and garlic to the water. 

Boil for 7-10 minutes or until Cauliflower is very tender. 

drain and put into a food processor, vitamix, or mixer

Add in olive oil slowly until consistency is like mashed potatoes. 

Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Asparagus- 

1 t- EVOO

sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Wash and cut your asparagus. I just snap the ends off where they break to ensure all of the tough bottoms are off. 

toss your asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper 

Place them on a baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are a bit browned. 

Enjoy!!

Weekly Meal Plan 8-19-2013

Happy Sunday Evening!!

I went to Title Boxing Club this afternoon with my friends Jennica and Micaela. I was not expecting to be sweating that much!! Great work out!

So I don't think I have mentioned that I nanny for the most incredible family in the world and their kids are going back to school tomorrow.  Honestly I think most people would be excited but I am so sad that I won't be able to spend all day with them anymore! I had such an amazing summer with them and they are such joys to be around.

Here is this weeks meal plan-

Monday- Spiced Crockpot chicken

Tuesday-  Chicken Tortilla Soup

Wednesday- Carne Asada 

Thursday- Seafood Chowder

Friday- Spicy Burgers

What about breakfast? Protein Shake 

Snacks? Salads, fruits and vegetables OR a protein shake :) 

Now, you would think that I would spend quite a bit of money at the grocery store gathering everything for this weeks meals. Wrong.  I spend $45 for this weeks meals.  Don't believe me? 

Here is the receipt-

 I did have to go to the oriental market to get coconut milk, muscles, and crab meat (added into the final total) but besides that Aldi was my best friend! If you need to pick up spices/herbs I would recommend online ordering or going to your local grocery store and stocking up on your spices! 

But come on, anyone can afford going to the grocery store for a weeks worth of food and spending $45. 

I felt accomplished. Aldi, I love you!  

Blackened Chicken

Happy Saturday everyone!

Helen... Oh Helen...What a killer WOD!

Here it is:

I finished mine in 15 minutes and 17 seconds. Ouch!
Did I forget to mention those were American Kettlebell swings?! I had to scale to 12k...

Micaela, who I work out with, came over and so kindly took one of my 3 dogs Sadie to spend the day with her.  I think she (Sadie) is enjoying it.

Here is what my lunch consisted of after my work out and protein shake. <-- These are a lot less expensive at Costco

Spicy Blackened Chicken-

4 Chicken Breast

2 t- EVOO

1 t -sea salt

3/4 t- paprika 

1/2 t- pepper

1/4 t -chili powder

1/4 t- cayenne pepper 

1/4 t- cumin

1/4 t- onion powder

1/4 t- thyme 

1/4 t- oregano

1 garlic clove, minced 

Make a paste with all of the ingredients.  Rub it into the chicken and put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or while you heat up your grill. You don't have to do this chicken on the grill.  I did mine inside in a pan and it turned out great too. 

Grill on both sides until the internal temp of the chicken reads 165 degrees or higher or what ever your meat thermometer suggests. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli 

1 T olive oil 

1 medium onion (optional but delicious)

1 t sea salt

pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees 

Cut your cauliflower and broccoli into small florets.  Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

Put onto a baking sheet and spread it out evening and try to make sure the vegetables aren't touching. 

This will ensure they roast instead of steaming.  

Roast them for 15 minutes or until they are tender and are dark on the ends. 

Maybe not the most eye watering meal but it definitely helps with all of your vitamins and protein and tastes uh-mazing! 

Salmon Saucers

It is Friday! This was this mornings work out for me. 

These are seriously a treat to have.  They are so delicious and so easy to make! 

Aldi (the best grocery store ever made) has raw salmon that I will buy and cook the day before that way it is nice and cold when I make the saucers! Feel free to buy a can of salmon or use a couple of cooked filets.  Obviously buying organic, free range, etc. is best but for this girl it isn't possible right now. When you are a nanny and your husband is studying to be a doctor you do with what you have and you are very thankful for it.

 In a bowl combine salmon, dried dill, olive oil, and lemon juice.  Mix together and taste and then add in Sea salt and black pepper if needed.

Wash and cut your cucumbers in slices (about 1/4 an inch thick) Mandolin slicers come in handy for this. 

Top cucumber with Salmon mixture and serve. 

You could make this a meal by pairing a salad and some yummy roasted Brussels Sprouts and bacon. 

If you have left over salmon mix make some salmon cakes with it! 

How do you do that you ask? Add an egg and red pepper to your left over mixture and fry it with coconut oil for a few minutes.