Paleo “Man” Casserole

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First, I should say, don’t let the steps turn you away – it is easy and totally worth it!

I call this “Man” Casserole because it’s beastly! It’s so filling and full of manly things like bacon, lean ground turkey, and sweet potatoes. Most casseroles are full of…well, crap…but not this one – it is as clean as a whistle! You will need a large, deep skillet/pan to brown the meat and a deep casserole dish to bake it all. It was originally adapted from Paleo Pot Paleo Hungry Man Sweet Potato Casserole, but I put my own spin on it to make it adaptable to us.

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Paleo “Man” Casserole

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground meat of choice (I used ground turkey)
1/2 lb bacon
8 eggs
3 large sweet potatoes
1 white onion, diced into large pieces
1 red onion, diced into large pieces
1 – 2 tbsp each: paprika, garlic powder, oregano, sage
handful of spinach
salt & pepper to taste
Coconut Oil (or butter/ghee)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Peel your sweet potatoes and microwave them for 4 minutes to soften them. Then slice the sweet potatoes into thin slices.
Dice your bacon into small pieces then brown in a skillet. Drain and set aside for later.
Add beef, onions, and spices to the skillet and brown the meat. Drain and return to pan. (Be sure your meat is done and the onions are tender)
While beef is browning, whisk the eggs in a large bowl (I added some onion salt to my eggs). Add spinach to egg mixture and whisk again.
Assemble to casserole as follows:
1) Grease casserole dish with coconut oil.
2) Line the bottom of the dish with sweet potatoes, then spoon a layer of beef, then sprinkle bacon pieces. Repeat. Keep doing this until you’re done with the sweet potatoes, beef, and bacon.
3) Pour the eggs on top. They will fall into place while cooking.

Now, back for 35-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy! (We added some hot sauce and ketchup, of course!)

Mung Bean Fettuccine w/Pesto Alfredo

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Mmmm….Alfredo. It is so good and comforting. It is also heavy and carbo laden. Working for a healthy supermarket, I’ve been able to discover some really unique and awesome alternatives to traditional comfort foods. Recently, I stumbled upon this Organic Mung Bean Fettuccine that has almost 22 grams of protein per serving and tastes pretty dag on close to the real thing. Now that is worth $3.49 a pack!

mung bean2

Mung Bean Fettuccine w/Pesto Alfredo Mung Bean1
Sunflower Seed Pesto
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 cups almond milk (or any milk)
1 tbsp organic butter
Garlic (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Boil 8 cups of water, add fettuccine and simmer. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Rinse under cold water.

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter then remove from heat. Add flour slowly and stir until smooth. Slowly add milk and continue to stir. Return the sauce pan to LOW heat and continue to mix until thick. Once it is thick, add the pesto, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Add fettuccine and toss until all is mixed well. Enjoy!

Paleo Banana Muffins

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Bad bananas? Instead of whipping up my old recipe of banana bread, I decided to do a healthier version of banana muffins for a grab-n-go breakfast. Success! However, we ended up eating them for dessert a couple of nights.

Paleo Banana Muffinsbanana muffins

2 ripe, mashed bananas
1/3 cup coconut oil
3 eggs
2-4 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the first 4 ingredients until smooth, then add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Grease muffin cups with coconut oil or line with muffin papers. Pour the batter into the holes evenly.

Bake for 23-25 minutes.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

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Do you love eggs? I do…from my head down to my legs! Over the years, eggs have gotten a bad wrap. But lets look at why eggs are eggs-ceptionally nutritious!  Think about it – one egg contains all the nutrients and building blocks needed to grow an entire baby chicken! They’re loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, good fats and trace nutrients. I love eggs because they’re cheap, clean protein source and can be easily adaptable. Eggs are great scrambled with lots of veggies, added in stir-fry, or in a quiche (like this one…)!

You’ll notice I leave out cheese like in most quiches and just sprinkle it with some Goat Cheese.

Crustless Spinach QuicheQuiche

5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 clove)
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Whisk eggs and coconut milk in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and whisk well.
3) Grease a 9″ pie dish (or other glass baking dish) with coconut oil and pour everything in.
4) Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through in the center.

*You can experiment using other veggies or bacon. This is essentially a basic recipe.

Fitness Friday: Shoulders

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My favorite day is Shoulder Day! I think it dates back to my days on swim team because it was crucial to have strong shoulders as a swimmer. Here is one of my favorite shoulder workouts. I typically do shoulders on Monday and pair it with a strong ab workout and high intensity cardio of course!

FitnessFriday

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

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There are so many ways you can jazz up a boneless, skinless chicken breast. It can be one of the leanest proteins out there, but it has a tendency to get old fast. This recipe is so easy, but makes it look like you spent hours in the kitchen. So, sike your husband out and make this tonight!

As a side note, this chicken calls for bread crumbs. When I pulled out my jar of store bought bread crumbs that I’ve had for quite awhile, I turned it over to read the ingredients. There was a long list of probably 100 ingredients, so I immediately said “NOPE!” to the bread crumb idea. I pulled out some organic, gluten-free crackers and crunched them up and they worked as a great alternative! Target has a new line of organic products called “Simply Balanced.” The products are affordable and tastey!

Parmesan Crusted Chickenchicken collage

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon crushed gluten-free crackers (or whatever alternative you choose)
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a baking pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper.

2) In a shallow bowl, whisk egg.

3) On a flat plat, mix spices, cheese, and crumbs.

4) Dip the chicken in the egg, then roll your chicken until well coated in the spice mixture, then place chicken on baking pan.

5) Bake chicken for 20-25 minutes.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Well, I can’t keep my hands out of the cookie jar. It’s a problem folks! These little guys are such a sweet treat and are super easy to make. I have been posting a lot of treats, but I need to remind you that just because it’s made with clean and healthy ingredients doesn’t mean it won’t pack on the pounds if you eat too much. Any kind of sugar, even pure and natural honey, should be eaten in moderation. So, don’t be like me, get your hand out of the cookie jar!

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies

almond butter cookies collage

(Makes about 16 cookies)

1 cup Almond Butter*, stirred well
½ cup honey
1 large egg
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons protein powder**
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 ounces (about ½ cup) dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine everything except the chocolate chips.

3. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop dough on to parchment lined baking sheet or non-stick pan.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.

5. Let cool on baking sheets for at least five minutes then remove and let cool on a wire rack or plate for 15 minutes. (Or eat right away if you’re like me!)

*Any creamy nut butter would work! 🙂

**(I use Shaklee Energizing Soy Chocolate Protein Powder)

 

Fitness Friday: 4-Day Gym Workout

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Here are my workouts for this week. I always start my workout with a high-intensity elliptical workout. You’ll notice that I don’t have abs listed on any of these workouts, but I usually try to add some planks every other day and change it up with different workouts. However, real abs are made in the kitchen!!

fitness friday

Roasted Cauliflower

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I always struggle with side dishes and get stuck in the same rut of sweet potatoes or broccoli. I always forget that some of the best side dishes are just roasted vegetables. Cauliflower is often overlooked by broccoli in the cruciferous section.  However, its delicious when roasted, steamed, or mashed and can be a great snack due to its crunchiness. It is high in Vitamin C (ranks up there with citrus fruits), an antioxidant that combats cancer and infections. Its also notable for fiber, folic acid, and potassium. Its phytochemicals make it a natural cancer fighter because they are said to stimulate enzymes that block cancer growth. Soooo, this recipe is a WIN!

cauliflower
Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Grated Parmesan Cheese*

Preheat oven to 425.

Add cauliflower to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to make sure all florets are covered and put florets on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and parmesan.

Bake for 20 minutes.

*This is optional, but you can use any seasoning or addition that you prefer.

Flourless Peanut Butter Blondies

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I love dessert of any kind, especially those made with peanut butter!

Flourless Peanut Butter Blondiesbrownies

1 cup natural or organic creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup honey
1 whole egg
¼ teaspoon sea salt (Omit if your peanut butter is already salted)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8″ square pan with coconut oil or use parchment paper.

In a small mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, egg, salt and baking soda until well combined, then add the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the greased pan, and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake at for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. Let cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!