Paleo Carnitas

This is my Recipe of the week.  I am making these tomorrow of course with a few Amanda tweaks as usual because I hate following recipes.  I got the recipe from http://www.paleoforfoodies.com/2010/11/carnitas-mexican-pulled-pork.html.  Let's see how it turns out!!

Carnitas: Mexican Pulled Pork

The great thing about this recipe is that it uses the Crockpot to soften the tougher, inexpensive pork butt (aka pork shoulder--"butt" is the upper portion of the shoulder) so all you have to do is drop it in the pot with some seasonings, set the timer on low for 9 hours and walk away! To make the meat even moister, take the leftover sauce from the crockpot (after 9hrs) and cook it down in a sauce pan until thickened, then toss with the meat and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 6-8lb pork butt (shoulder)

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp ground black pepper (more if you like pepper)

1 tbsp dried oregano

2-3 tsp dried cinnamon

1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like spicy, add more)

8 garlic cloves, minced

4 dried chipotle peppers (chipotle peppers are more spicy than hot but if you really are sensitive to spice...just put 1 or 2)

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup orange juice



Trim as much fat from the pork as possible. I find that kitchen shears work best when trimming the fat (and sometimes skin) from the pork--just cut it like you would a piece of paper! Place pork in Crockpot and then cover with wet and dry ingredients. Place cover on your pot, set the timer, and come back in 9hrs!

When you take your pork out of the pot, debone it and then place the rest of the meat in a large bowl. Shred with two forks. Meanwhile, place all the liquid from the pan into a large saucepan and simmer down over med high heat until thickened (15-20mins).

Seperated meat and juice

Simmering the sauce

"Pulling" the pork

Carnitas Salad

Carnitas with Roasted Vegetables and Fried Plantains

Once a Villain, Coconut Oil Charms the Health Food World

By MELISSA CLARK
Read the whole article
A FEW years ago I noticed something odd at the health food store. There, rubbing elbows with the extra-virgin olive oil and cold-pressed canola oil was virtually the last fat I expected to see in such esteemed company: coconut oil.
The last time I checked, coconut oil was supposed to be the devil himself in liquid form, with more poisonous artery-clogging, cholesterol-raising, heart-attack-causing saturated fat than butter, lard or beef tallow.
Its bad reputation caused a panic at the concession stands back in 1994, when the Center for Science in the Public Interest put out a study claiming that a large movie-theater popcorn, hold the butter, delivered as much saturated fat as six Big Macs. “Theater popcorn ought to be the Snow White of snack foods, but it’s been turned into Godzilla by being popped in highly saturated coconut oil,” Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the center, a consumer group that focuses on food and nutrition, said at the time.
So given all this greasy baggage, what was coconut oil doing in a health food store? In fact, it has recently become the darling of the natural-foods world. Annual sales growth at Whole Foods “has been in the high double digits for the last five years,” said Errol Schweizer, the chain’s global senior grocery coordinator.
Two groups have helped give coconut oil its sparkly new makeover. One is made up of scientists, many of whom are backtracking on the worst accusations against coconut oil. And the other is the growing number of vegans, who rely on it as a sweet vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature and can create flaky pie crusts, crumbly scones and fluffy cupcake icings, all without butter.
My curiosity stirred, I brought some home and experimented. I quickly learned that virgin coconut oil has a haunting, nutty, vanilla flavor. It’s even milder and richer tasting than butter, sweeter and lighter textured than lard, and without any of the bitterness you sometimes get in olive oil. Read more...

Paleo Meatballs

  I bought some Spicy Marinara sauce from Henry's that is Organic, Gluten free, and all natural paleo ingredients.  I bought it wanting to put it spaghetti squash.  So I decided why not make spaghetti squash and meatballs.  I have been searching for a good recipe all week and I noticed that I had none of the ingredients that I needed.  So I decided to make up my own version.  I was worried that they would turn out too plain but they had a lot of flavor.

Ingredients
1 package of extra lean ground turkey
4 large leaves of fresh basil
2 garlic gloves chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions (packaged Trader Joes)
1/2 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
small amount of sea salt to taste
2 tbs olive oil

In a large bowl combine ground turkey and use hands to combine all ingredients together.  Roll into meat balls.  I made mine about medium size and put in a oven safe dish with olive oil on bottom.  Cooked in oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 mins.  Time will be determined by size of meat ball. 
when fully cooked place in the sauce and cook on low heat for another 10 mins.  Great served over spaghetti squash or alone. 

Coconut Curry Chicken

So as always I will find a recipe and then modify it to my liking or whatever is in my kitchen.  This is one of the recipes I decided to make for the week.  I made enough that I cooked in two different ways.  Bear with me a lot of times if it is something I make it I do not make exact measurements.  I will try and be as accurate as possible.

Ingredients
Chicken 4-6 pieces
1 can Coconut milk
1 large tbs Curry Powder
1 teaspoon Ginger Powder
1 teaspoon Garam Marsala spice
1 teaspoon Cayenne Red Pepper
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped onions (from Trader Joe's no tears)
1 large tablespoon crushed ginger
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbs coconut oil

Directions
Marinate the chicken over night in coconut milk and all spices and onions in a zip lock bag.  Mix the coconut flour and unsweetened shredded coconut in a bowl.  Bread the outside of the chicken with the coconut mixture.  At this point you can place in a frying pan with coconut oil and cook or you can place in oven at 400 degrees for about 20-22 minutes until fully cooked.  I have had both ways and both are really good.  I have been putting on top of salads and with veggies all week!  I will be working on a Paleo cashew coconut sauce much like a peanut sauce to to go with this.  Stay tuned!  Enjoy

Orange Honey Marinated Pork Chop from the Cavegirl Dish

 This is what I am making tonight!  Looks really good so I thought I would share.
 http://www.thecavegirldish.com/2011/01/pork-its-whats-for-dinner.html

Orange Honey Marinated Pork Chop with Apple Chutney


Marinated pork:
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 orange
1 tbsp raw organic honey
1 tbsp tamari sauce (not strict paleo, but small amount)
1 tsp crushed garlic
4 oz pork chop
1 tbsp coconut oil

Mix all ingredients, except coconut oil, in a non-reactive bowl. (Glass or ceramic) Pour into ziplock bag with pork chop, let out all the air and secure shut. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.


Apple Chutney
1 small apple (I used a baby jazz apple - it's firm and stands up to cooking)
1 tbsp raw organic honey
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 orange
1/4 onion
1 tsp pumpkin spice

Dice the small apple into small squares. Squeeze the orange juice into a sauce pan, and toss in apple, honey, pumpkin spice and onion. Keep the 1/4 onion whole - you'll be removing it when the chutney is done.

Bring it all to a boil, and stirring frequently, simmer until the apple is tender and the juice has reduced to a sauce. Do not let it reduce completely. About 10-15 minutes. Take the onion out of and throw away. Let the chutney sit to cool until the pork chop is done.

Preheat the oven to 400º. Heat an oven-safe fry pan over medium high heat for a few minutes with coconut oil, until the oil has almost reached its smoking point. Bring heat down to medium. Place marinated pork chop on the pan, in the oil and let cook for 3 min or until it has formed a nicely browned crust. Flip, and cook for another minute. Take the pan and put it in the preheated oven and let it roast until it's firm, or reached an internal temperature of 160º F. (5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cut.) Safely remove the pan out of the oven and let sit for 5 minutes for the juices to redistribute. If you do not have an oven-safe pan, use a glass baking dish, let it preheat with the oven, and transfer the chop to the dish when ready.

Paleo Dessert Cinnimon Apple Scone from the CaveGirl dish

 I found this recipe on the Cavegirl dish.  This is one of my favorite sites for recipes!!!!

 http://www.thecavegirldish.com/

 

Cinnamon Apple Scones 

Cinnamon Apple Scones
3 small apples (peeled and pureed) or 2.5-3 cups apple sauce

1/2 cup and 1 tbsp coconut flour

4 heaping tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
Sprinkle of nutmeg 

Pre-bake

Preheat the oven to 350F and let your coconut oil soften. In a large bowl, mix the flour, apple puree, eggs, and baking soda. Add the softened coconut oil and remaining ingredients. Form balls or shapes of your choice and lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 min (or longer if you want a drier texture). If you are looking for a sweeter bite, drizzle honey over your baked scones and let them soak up the natural sweetener. Add chopped walnuts to the mix or use a ripe banana instead of the apple. Top with some more cinnamon.

Sun-dried tomato Basil Frittata

So I heard someone talking about a Frittata at the gym the other day.  I thought it sounded really good, so today I looked at what I had in my kitchen and again threw it all together to make a really good dish.  I am very random I will see a recipe and always put my own spin on it to make it my own.  This is a definite must make again.  I cut into fourths and now have breakfast for a few days.

Ingredients

8 Eggs
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes from Trader Joes
1/4 cup mushrooms chopped in smaller pieces
optional can add chopped spinach
2 Gluten free chicken sausage minus casing (I like tomato basil/ or spicy Italian what I actually used)
handful of Pine nuts
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 small garlic clove minced
sea salt/ pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
4 large basil leaves


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Put olive oil in bottom of a pie plate and add mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and crumbled sausage.  In a separate bowl beat eggs basil and spices together.  Pour egg mixture over the ingredients in pie plate.  Bake for 20-25 mins.  Enjoy!!

For all my ladies.....Article about how Paleo Zone diet helps PMS

This article was interesting to read.  I thought that I would share this link with all of you.  I was curious because I have heard many women discuss this at the gym.  I thought about it and noticed that when I follow a very strict diet meaning no dairy grains or sugar my period has become much more bearable.  Even the chocolate craving seems to subside a bit. It may be worth it to change your diet!

http://paleozonenutrition.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/pre-menstrual-syndrome-and-menstrual-cramps-how-i-eliminated-them-completely/

Fast Shrimp from Everyday Paleo

 I love anything with coconut in it.  So I decided to share this recipe that I am going to try with shrimp this week.  I found this on the Everyday Paleo website.  

http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/03/05/fast-shrimp/

Fast Shrimp
1 lb Wild Caught Argentinian Red Shrimp or other shrimp of your choice (I found mine at Trader Joe’s in the freezer section, raw, tails removed and de-veined)
1 bag frozen roasted red bell peppers and onions from Trader Joes (or 1 bell pepper diced and 1/2 yellow onion diced)
4 big hand fulls of baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon curry powder (or more to taste)
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and bell peppers and cook until defrosted and sizzling if using the frozen or until the veggies become tender if using fresh.  Add the shrimp and the spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp curls up and is no longer opaque in the middle.  Add the coconut milk and spices, mix well and serve!  Serves 3-4. Delicious, fast, no fuss.

Awesome Spicy Stuffed Red Peppers

 I found this recipe on Everyday Paleo which is one of my favorite places to get new ideas.  Not only was this easy these tasted awesome and made alot for me to have during the week.  It is a definie remake.  I have included the link below. 

http://everydaypaleo.com/2010/03/27/spicy-speedy-stuffed-peppers-and-pressure-cooked-artichokes/

Spicy Speedy Stuffed Peppers
1 container of mirepoix mix from trader Joe’s or 1 diced yellow onion, 5-6 diced carrots, and 6-8 diced celery stalks
1 lb of italian gluten free chicken sausage removed from their casing
1-2 lbs of grass fed ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
5-6 bell peppers (I like the red and yellow ones the best for these but green is good too)
dried oregano, big bunch of chopped fresh basil or dried basil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper to taste
One or two big squirts of Siracha hot sauce (if you want to have them not spicy, these are great without the hot sauce)
A lot of olive oil
Preheat oven to 350. Place one big soup pot filled with water and turn on high to bring to a boil.  While you are waiting for the water to boil, cover the bottom of another big soup pot with a lot of olive oil and over medium heat toss in the the onion, celery, and carrots.  Crumble in the sausage and ground beef and add the dried seasonings to the meat BEFORE it’s entirely cooked.  Mix well and let the meat and veggies cook over medium low heat stirring occasionally.  In the meantime, remove just the tops of the bell peppers, and rinse well to remove all the seeds.  By now your water should be boiling.  Place the bell peppers gently in the boiling water and submerge them for 5-6 minutes or until the bell peppers are just a little soft but NOT falling apart.  While the bell peppers are boiling, add the can of tomatoes to the meat mixture and bring to a simmer.  Pull the bell peppers out of the water with tongs and arrange in a large baking dish.  Fill each bell pepper with the meat mixture (don’t be shy, stuff em’ good!) and bake in your pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

To cheat or not to cheat that is the question?

 I found this article as I already knew the answer to this question.  I thought I would share because life is too short to not enjoy food here and there.  And honestly when you eat clean 98% of the time when you actually cheat it makes you realize why you do not do it all the time.  I really love eating Paleo!  I love the way my body feels and the performance that I get. I have come to really appreciate cooking and finding ways to be creative and still be eating super clean.  When I started Paleo 2 years ago I was very plain and always felt like I ate the same thing.  At least now I have expanded my palate and tried things I thought I never would. 
Enough of my rambling,  take but my advice now is to take a scheduled cheat day once a week so at least you don't feel deprived or limited.  I find that some weeks I don't even need a cheat meal because nothing bad sounds good!  lol :)


http://www.livestrong.com/article/282152-do-cheat-days-work-for-a-diet/

Dairy and the Paleo Diet

I get so many questions about Dairy.  It is the one thing that people cannot seem to give up.  The biggest thing I hear is how it is impossible to give up Greek Yogurt.  When I ask why,  I hear because it tastes good its easy, and is so high in protein. Well so are eggs and bacon!!! How can you not like that.  There are so many different ways to make eggs to keep things interesting.  The key thing is variety.   Let me just say that the small things like heavy cream in your coffee or small amount of cheese, and yogurt do make a difference in weightloss.  From personal experience when I cut all dairy from my diet I noticed that my skin got better, I had less bloating, and stomach issues and lost more body fat.  Not too mention I do not really even miss it anymore.  I thought I would share this link with you.  It also has some good recipes on it as well.  Enjoy!!

http://paleodietlifestyle.com/place-of-dairy-on-paleo-diet/