MEATSAUCE

Many of you may recognize this picture. After all, spaghetti squash "pasta" is a staple! Not only is it easy, it's low-carb and delicious! The first time I made this I told my dad, "Here, try this." He didn't even know it wasn't spaghetti! He loved it.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with spaghetti squash, it's easy to prepare. Take your squash and cut it in half, longways. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Put your oven on 350 or 375 and cook for about 30 minutes or until at least semi-soft (this is not a science) in a pie pan or on a cookie sheet. Let it cool so you won't burn yourself. Sometimes I just throw mine in the fridge overnight. When you're ready, take a fork and rake the squash top to bottom. Your "noodles" will just fall right out! The squash has a natural buttery flavor, I don't feel the need to add any extra. Use these noodles in any dish you might normally make with pasta! It's great for serving family style dishes, too.

THE MEATSAUCE:

One thing I love about making "pasta" sauce is the great opportunity to use up all of those veggie odds and ends you have in your fridge. As you can see I had two different kinds of onion, two different kinds of bell pepper, and mushrooms. You can even use things like zucchini or spinach (cook and drain it first!) left-overs in your sauce.

First I browned a pound of grass-fed beef. Then I tossed in my veggies after I drained the excess fat off of the meat.

I decided to add a few extra spices. This is some dried thyme, oregano, and basil. Remember: when using dried herbs, you want to allow them to cook longer to get the full effect of their flavor.

You can make your own sauce from scratch or you can cheat like I did and use a jar of sauce. The jar I used had all organic ingredients (all of which were Paleo approved). **Keep an eye out for sneaky ingredients like SUGAR!** You don't want that.

Here it is, all cooking together.

After your sauce is done, I recommend covering it and lowering the heat for an extra ten minutes or so to give all of the ingredients time to come together. Pasta sauce, like many soups, is often better on the second day because of this. The flavor just get better and better. 

This made about five servings of sauce for me so what I didn't plan on using right away I just tossed in the freezer. Easy!

Superfood

A superfood is nothing more than a nutrient-dense food. No magic, no bells and whistles. Simple.

"Superfoods" have gotten a lot of press this last year. From talk shows to magazines, it's the "latest" thing everyone is talking about it the food world. Until a year ago, most of the American population had never heard of chia seeds or goji berries, but now they are must-haves and their cost has skyrocketed! Not all superfoods come from secret plants scattered across the deep recesses of the Earth, though...

Today I want to share with you about some of the "superfoods" you may already have laying around the house or are easily available at your local grocery store.

#1: Hot peppers
Hot peppers come in all varieties. From banana peppers, to jalapenos, to habeneros, peppers contain the important ingredient, capsaicin. Capsaicin can reduce inflammation in the body (this may confuse your tongue, but not your brain!) as well as boost your metabolism. They are high in vitamins A and C which can also help boost your immune system! As always, the fresher the better! If you don't like spicy food, feel free to lean towards more mild varieties such as poblanos, banana peppers, and bell peppers.

#2: Salmon
First and foremost, always know where your seafood comes from. You want wild caught fish, not farm raised fish. Farm raised fish will be lighter in color and often higher in fat. If you put two pieces of salmon side by side, the natural fish will be more orange-red and less orange-pink, and the white bands (fat) will be thinner in the fish which was caught in its natural environment. Salmon is high in over a dozen vitamins and minerals and is a great source of protein. It is high in Omega 3's which has been known to be beneficial in the fight against heart disease and depression.

**IMPORTANT** You want to look for ALASKAN salmon. Alaskan salmon is wild-caught. Atlantic salmon is just a spiffy way of saying "farm raised". Go Alaskan. It's worth it.

#3: Cinnamon
This is one of my favorite superfoods because it can be found in almost every kitchen and can be put in so many things! Add a dash to your coffee or morning protein shake. Add it to your paleo desserts or just sprinkle it on slices of apples, pears, peaches, ect. for a snack! It can be sweet or savory (think butternut or acorn squash). Cinnamon may help lower your cholesterol and help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Talk to your doctor before increasing your daily intake of this food if you are on blood thinners as it has been known to prevent clotting with long-term use.

There are many varieties of cinnamon world-wide, so if you come across different kinds, try them out!

#4 Seaweed
Did you know that seaweed contains 10 times as much calcium as milk? Seaweed is high in chlorophyll which is good at drawing waste products out of the blood stream. It can help maintain a healthy metabolism and contains all eight essential amino acids (protein building blocks). Enjoy seaweed by wrapping your favorite fish or vegetables in nori, or add bits of nori to broth or soup. Sometimes, I just eat it right out of the package!

#5 Red Grapes
The skin of red grapes are full of the antioxidant resveratrol which can fight inflammation and doctors are currently doing studies to see how resveratrol can help prevent cancer. They contain B and C vitamins and can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease. Next time your servant who is fanning you under your royal canopy offers to peel your grapes, just tell them you'd prefer the peel to be left on.

Iron Chef: Home Edition

Using the dragon fruit, I wanted to show you a few appetizer ideas I thought were neat. I went ahead and cut into my dragon fruit to experiment with it and I have mixed emotions. As far as dealing with the fruit itself (i.e. cutting, shaping, texture), I was pretty pleased. It does have a similar texture to a kiwi and I can see how someone could liken the flavor to that of a pear. If the pear had hardly any flavor. Still, it was attractive and that's most of the battle, I think, when dealing with "exotic" ingredients.

I used part of it to make a fruit salad: I used the dragon fruit with a bit of diced orange, red pear, and a sprinkle of lime juice to add flavor to the dragon fruit. This worked out well and I used the lovely pink skin as a bowl!

The lighting was poor so I had to use the flash on my phone which kind of makes the oranges look radioactive.

Then I got to the creative part! I wanted to experiment with flavors and textures and lately I have been wanting to design little "pick-up's" for my next brunch or dinner party. I had limited ingredients on hand (I love a challenge), I'm sure you could do better with some planning, but what I ended up with made me happy.

Left: Layered dragon fruit, pickled ginger, raspberry, garnished with a twist of orange peel.

Center: Zucchini wrapped with nori, filled with carrot, red bell pepper, dragon fruit, and bacon.

Right: Hollowed out tomato, filled with balsamic reduction, bacon, and sriracha pepper, topped with dragon fruit.

What the heck is that?

I'm just got back from Sprouts, my local whole-foods store, and I found several things I didn't expect to see!

In case you're not familiar with these, this is a Kiwano (horned melon), a dragonfruit, and dried goji berries. 

What do all of these have in common? They are all extremely high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Make yourself an expert on these and impress your friends.

The Kiwano fruit, also known as a horned melon (cucumis metuliferus, if you want to be fancy), is grown on a vine, is indigenous to Africa, and is part of the cucumber family. 

The inside of this fruit is green, gelatinous (think Ghostbusters) and contains semi-soft seeds. The taste if under-ripe is close to a cucumber, as it ripens it gets closer in flavor similar to that of a kiwi, and as it begins to over-ripen it can take on a taste similar to a banana. How crazy is that? This fruit is traditionally eaten by being cut and half and you literally suck the gel-like fruit out of the middle. Very strange, but come on, it's pretty cool too! The seeds are semi-soft and can be eaten (they have no flavor) or spit out. The fruit contains iron and potassium as well as other vitamins. The entire fruit is edible if desired, the thick skin is high in Vitamin C. On occasion the fruit is cooked and used as part of a meal. Maybe I'll even do that. We'll see!

Dragon Fruit is found in Asia, Israel, and from Mexico to South America. It is part of the cactus family. It is both sweet and crunchy and according to about.com it also tastes like a blend between a kiwi and a pear. It can have either red or white flesh inside with lots of tiny black seeds (like a kiwi). Again there are many ways to eat this fruit, but most commonly it is cut in half (longways) and then the fruit is scooped out of the skin. THE SKIN IS NOT EDIBLE, but can be a pretty nifty bowl if you're serving it to guests. Make sure all of the pink stuff is off of your fruit, its not edible and is likely to make you an unhappy camper if you eat it. 

Goji Berries are something you probably have heard about over the last few months. They have gotten a lot of mainstream attention as a "superfood". I found these dried goji berries at Sprouts in a bin. I don't know why I bought some, but I did. I'm curious about food? I ate a few, they were chewy and kind of bland but they did have a vague berry taste. This could be why they frequently come covered in chocolate. They are native to China and can be eaten almost any which-way. Dried, cooked, tea, juice, you name it. They are high in vitamin A and research is being done to see if they help neutralize free-radicals. In my research I also came across a warning that said do not take with blood thinners. So if you are on any medications or have and blood or bleeding disorders, please talk to your doctor first!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Alright, I have tasted my horny fruit! Er, horned fruit. It was weird but not unpleasant. It tasted like a slightly sweet cucumber. What did I do with it? Well, my family has a motto, namely: Needs More Booze.

I made a wine cooler.

I cut my fruit in half and used a spoon to clean the flesh out of the exterior. Then I used that spoon to mash the juice through a fine strainer/colander. It wasn't a whole lot but it was a neat green color. In fact, now that I think about it, it almost tastes like that "cucumber melon" stuff smelled like. I used the empty shell of the fruit to make a cup by cutting the spines on the bottom end off until it could stand and not wobble. 

Kiwano wine cooler:

Juice from 1/2 Kiwano
Juice from 1/2 lime
3-4 oz dry white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
2 oz club soda
Ice

Place your ice in a martini shaker with both juices and the wine. Shake well. Pour into a cocktail glass (wine glass, martini glass, whatever you like or have on hand), top with club soda and garnish with Kiwano fruit or lime. You can also pour it into your Kiwano cup! Definitely an umbrella worthy drink.

TRADITIONAL VEAL STEW

So I promised three soups, so here is the third! It is a classic Italian veal stew. This is a very simple dish easily paired with almost anything you would desire or enjoyed by itself. I paired mine with a glass of red wine. Wine, by many, is considered pseudo-Paleo. Would our ancient ancestors have grown grapes, harvested them, juiced them and then placed their juice in barrels to ferment? No. But has wine been around for thousands of years? Yes. Red and white wine, sparkling wine, brandy and cognac are all distilled from grapes using various processes and do not contain any grain.

I like stews because the first thing that comes to my mind is "one-pot" which then my brain interprets as "less dishes"! This is nearly a throw everything into the pot and cook until done meal. 

*GFNP* (Gluten-Free Not Paleo) If you are someone who is not Paleo but perhaps has Celiac, a great pairing with this stew would be brown rice or a hearty gluten-free bread *GFNP*

This recipe did not come entirely out of my head like many others. I simply had veal stew meat and so I looked at probably a dozen different veal stew recipes, found the common denominators and then swapped some things out to make it Paleo. The result is a very tasty and tender stew.

So why veal? Veal has a more mild flavor than it's beef counterpart. It is also lower in fat and lower in saturated fat, percentage wise. It's a win-win. 

Another thing this stew has is turnips instead of white potatoes. Turnips have a third of the carbs compared to white potatoes. By themselves they can have a strong flavor, but cooked with meats or in a flavorful broth they can become almost as mundane as a potato. 

What you will need: Cutting board, large pan, sharp knife

Ingredients:
1 lb. veal stew meat
1/2 large white onion, coarse chopped into large pieces
1 medium or large turnip, peeled, diced
1 c medium diced (or sliced) carrots
1 zucchini, diced (I like to be different so I used a Calabaza squash)
1 piece of celery, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 pieces fresh rosemary, chopped
1 cup quartered mushrooms (I recommend Cremini or Baby Bella) 
2 cups homemade or gluten-free beef or vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry red wine (if desired)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

#1- Heat your pan with a little olive oil in the bottom and toss in your veal stew meat to cook. After cooking my meat I realized my pieces were quite large so I cut them in half. You may wish to do this before or after.

#2- When your veal is done, transfer it to a bowl, drizzle a little more olive oil into the pan and toss in everything but the broth, wine, and mushrooms while the pan is still over the heat. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

#3- Now add back in your veal with your broth, wine, and mushrooms. Cover and cook until carrots and turnips are tender. Season with additional salt, pepper, and rosemary as desired.

Tips on eating less

I have to admit that I used to be a compulsive eater. I wanted food all day long and I wanted to taste everything (such is my love for new foods and flavors). Switching to Paleo and eating whole foods has helped considerably. I find myself thinking and wanting food less frequently. Still, there are days of high stress or absolute chaos where I feel like I'm snacking all day long!

Have you every had one of those days, maybe several of them, where you can't even remember: "What did I have for breakfast?" or "What was the last thing I ate?" This is something that really plagues the up and coming generations and do you know why? Distractions! That's right! We are so immensely distracted that we forget that we have eaten! 

For those chronic over-eaters, over-snackers, make this your mantra:

I will not multi-task while eating.

You CAN put that phone down for half an hour while you eat your meal. No Facebook, no texting, no CANDY CRUSH. I've never played the game, but I'm convinced everyone else on the planet does. Here is the more difficult part: No television while you're eating. You want your brain to stay engaged on the task at hand which is eating. I would also recommend putting down the magazines and books while you eat ,but now we are getting into personal territory, because I take a book with me everywhere I go. I will say that it is easier to take a break from a book than it is from social media, timed games, and never ending television.

Tip #1: Stop multi-tasking while eating.

The next one is my favorite because it's so simple and tends to stick in my mind longer. It is also something I can refer to a week later.

Tip #2: Write what you eat.

Write it down. On a post-it note, in a notebook, maybe you have a food journal. Write each of your meals, snacks, and beverages down. This will reinforce in your brain what you have eaten and when. It's also a good way to track your water intake if you're bad about that. It has been proven that writing and seeing what you eat will result in a lower food intake in the long run.

#3: Drink more water.

"I know, everybody says that but I hate water." Too bad. Drink it. If you have a compulsive hand to mouth problem, replace those pick up snacks with a bottle of water or unsweet tea. Just note that tea does NOT count as water. Tea is a diuretic! It's better than grazing on high calorie snacks all day, but it does not count as water.

#4: Eat lower carb snacks.

This one is not for everyone. I'm not saying fruit is bad by any means, but if you're eating half a dozen pieces of fruit a day, or Paleo versions of desserts (which are okay in moderation), then it is likely you are having insulin spikes during the day which may be increasing your hunger. 

Remember: when your blood sugar increases your body releases insulin. This in turn can cause a "crash" or low blood sugar. 

Just think about little kids who eat a bag of candy and then an hour later they are passed out in the back seat of the car. It's just like that. Though keep in mind when our blood sugar gets too low (or drops quickly) our body will send a signal to the brain to request more food (i.e. carbs and energy). So if you eat too many high carb snacks in a day you may be making yourself hungrier by playing hormone-ping pong (yes guys, you too). 

It drives me crazy when I see people who tell me they are "Paleo" and then proceed to eat an entire cantaloupe in a sitting as a snack. If you are one of these people, I'm looking for that 13.1 or a 26.2 sticker on the back of your car. 

ROASTED TOMATO AND RED CURRY SOUP

This soup is very elegant and probably not for small children as it is a little on the spicy side. It is also a fairly rich soup which makes it ideal for a first course.

You will need: A pot, a blender or food processor, a cutting board and knife.

The good news is this is a straight forward soup with nothing too tricky. After all, I don't believe soup should be complicated. It just needs to look that way by the time my guests arrive!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cooked, seeded, and drained tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled
1/4 c carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 c chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp red curry (I used McCormick in the jar)
3-4 oz coconut milk (start with less, add to taste)
2 Tbsp grass-fed butter 
1/2 clove garlic
1 tsp raw honey
1/4 lemon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

If you are unsure how to roast a pepper and peel it, just take a look at my roasted poblano and papaya pico recipe to see how it is done. It's an easy thing to do while you prep for the rest of the soup.

#1- Place your cooked tomatoes and roasted pepper in your pot along with everything else except the lemon and let it simmer until the carrots are a little over cooked. This will make it easier to puree them. (Yes, you can use canned tomatoes. Just read the ingredients listed on the can first.)  

#2- Being careful not to burn yourself, pour the contents of the pot into your blender or food processor. You may want to do this over the sink!

#3- Blend together for a least a full minute or until smooth. This would be a great time to rinse your pot out with water so there are no ugly bits transferred to your soup.

#4- Pour your soup back into your pot. Use the 1/4 lemon to squeeze the juice into the soup for flavor. Beware of seeds. You may wish to add more or less lemon and you can add additional salt if desired. This soup can be served hot or cold!

~You can always use less red-curry if you wish for a more mild soup.~

**PARTY IDEA**

Because this soup is so rich, it is a great addition to a party with pick up food. You can pour this soup into small tea cups or demitasse cups for a flare to your buffet! Resale and antique shops are great places to scout out an eclectic assortment of small dishes for less money. 

Garnish with cilantro, lemon zest, or a twist of lemon peel!

Soup Week

It's official! It's soup week. We can call it: Practicing for Fall! If you're lucky, like my sister in New Mexico who lives near the mountains, it's already in the 60's and maybe even cooler at night! Perfect weather for grabbing that giant pot and exploring the depths of flavor, don't you think? 

So last night we made the Chicken "Tortilla" Soup. My dad will usually smile and nod and be pleasant about my cooking, he tends to eat more of it before I tell him it's Paleo, which means it's all in his head which is amusing considering he's a shrink. Yep. Crazy dad. Last night the chicken soup was a home run. I told him upfront it was Paleo, he tried it and loved it. Tonight for dinner he ate a mixing bowl full of it. Qapla'! Winner, winner...

Up next we will have a beautiful first course worthy tomato soup and later on we will have a Paleo take on a traditional Italian veal stew!

CHICKEN "TORTILLA" SOUP

This soup is phenomenal and can easily work as an appetizer or a meal! It will definitely please any of your non-Paleo friends and family!

While the soup recipe is mine, I came across an ingenious plan to use thin sliced plantain chips in place of tortillas as a garnish! The crunch and the flavor blended so well, I was very happy with it. The plantain chips were seasoned with onion, salt, paprika and cayenne. It was hard to not eat them on the way to the soup bowl!

You will need: A cutting board, sharp knife, a fork (maybe two), a can opener (I know! I feel just terrible!), a large pot.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
4 cups vegetable Stock (again I used Pacific brand Vegetable Stock - available at Sprouts)
2 14oz. cans of diced tomatoes (make sure there are no strange additives!)
1/2 onion, julienned 
1/2 each red and green bell pepper, diced small
1 zucchini diced, small
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lime
3 Tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 1/2 tsp salt
cilantro, chopped for garnish if desired

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP:

#1- Put your vegetable stock and diced tomatoes in your pot and bring up to a simmer.

#2- Place your raw chicken breasts in the pot to cook (make sure you have removed all of the fat from the chicken). Cover your pot and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is completely done.

#3- Remove your chicken and place in a bowl to cool. (I expedited this process by placing the cooked chicken in the freezer for about 15 minutes.)

#4- Shred your chicken in the bowl by either raking it with your fork(s) or you can shred it by hand, just do not burn yourself, please.

#5- Toss shredded chicken back in the pot along with your onions, bell peppers and butter.

#6- Add in all of your dry spices, garlic, and squeeze in the juice from one lime.

#7- Let this simmer for about 8-10 minutes to bring all of those flavors together.

#8- Add the zucchini and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Season with additional salt if desired.

I garnished this dish with plantain chips, sliced avocado and cilantro! 

This soup will be even better the next day after the flavors have all sat together overnight. You know, if there's any left.

A few of my recipes include garlic, but for those who know me, I don't use it when I cook for myself. I am allergic to garlic! Yeah, yeah, I wear my sunglasses at night too, me and Corey Hart.

Followers

I just wanted to encourage everyone to comment on my blog at any time. I welcome feedback! On any of these posts feel free to ask questions. If you want me to prepare something, let me know and I will do my best to design a recipe for you!

I do design my own recipes, at least around ninety percent of them. I will always tell you if I got the recipe from somewhere else, such as the pumpkin pancakes which I altered last month. My resources are your resources, and my brain is your brain! I have been immensely blessed with a gift for food. When I see a picture of food (most of the time) I immediately taste it and know how to prepare it. I suppose some of it is a gift, the rest is having cooked such a variety in the past. Just like with anything else, you only get better by doing! The more you cook, the more intuitive you will be in the kitchen which is a great skill to have and can save you valuable time.

I'm trying to get my blog out to more people because I want people on the Paleo diet, or those with food restrictions, to have access to nutritional information and great food! If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

CRISPY PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

Honestly I was going to write this tomorrow, but it was just too good to wait! 

This is a gorgeous appetizer that can be served before dinner or at a party on a table full of gnosh! 

Prosciutto is thinly sliced pork that has been cured with salt, and frequently other spices, over the course of several months. It does not need to be cooked but it is frequently cooked very lightly to release some of its flavor into a dish.

You will need: A small baking sheet, cutting board, sharp knife.

Preheat your oven to 400.

Ingredients:
Prosciutto
Asparagus
Olive oil
Cracked black pepper

Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus:

#1- Wash and pat dry your asparagus. Cut off dry and discolored ends. Toss or rub asparagus with olive oil and cracked pepper. No salt! There is plenty in the prosciutto.

#2- Lay your prosciutto out on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife slice the cured meat long ways into strips. I cut each piece into four strips.

#3- Take a strip of the prosciutto and wrap it around the base of the asparagus, moving upwards. The tighter it is wrapped the better your presentation will be!

#4- Bake your wrapped asparagus for about 8 minutes and then roll it to the opposite side (turn it) and continue to cook for another 5-10 or until it is crispy. It will crisp up a little as it cools (but not much).

Now as you can see in my presentation at the base of the dish I wanted to add a little color. It is also something that guests could spoon onto Paleo crackers or sliced fruits and veggies.

I took about 5-6 Kalamata olives and halved them, and did the same to 5-6 cherry tomatoes. I also quartered a single, red peppadew pepper. I tossed these with a drizzle of olive oil and quickly sauteed them until the tomatoes were just softening. Then I threw in some chopped fresh herbs from the garden. That's it! Super simple and very elegant.

My garnish is a piece of toasted rosemary. Save some for everyone else!

PLANTAIN CHIPS

There are many ways to prepare plantains, but this is a simple way for those who crave a crunchy snack!

What makes a plantain not a banana?

Plantains are from the banana family and it is considered a savory, starchy fruit. In South America, the Caribbean and it West Africa it is used frequently in a way that Americans or Europeans might use a potato. 

Fun Fact: Plantains are originally from India.

This fruit is sturdier (less mushy) than a banana. A plantain can still be used (and frequently is) while the peel is green. As the peel goes from green to yellow to black it becomes more sweet and may begin to smell like a banana. It is almost always cooked because it has a slightly bitter taste before the cooking process released its natural sugars.

Notice the size and color difference between the plantains and the banana.

**The trick to plantain chips**
-Think THIN
No, really thin! If you cut the fruit too thick it may never crisp up before you burn it! If you have a sharp knife and you think you can cut a slice in half again, do it. Thin. Not falling apart paper slivers, but thin.

If the peel is still green it may be difficult to "peel". If the plantain does not want to peel easily, sometimes I will cut the fruit into halves or quarters, run a knife along the edge of the peel and then kind of roll it off of the fruit. You don't have to worry about smushing it, it's pretty firm.

Plantain Chips:

Preheat the oven to 350

You will need: A baking sheet

Ingredients:
A plantain 
sea salt 
coconut oil

#1: Peel your plantains and slice thin!

A few of these I had to go back and slice again because they were too thick

#2- Brush your sheet pan liberally with coconut oil, arrange your slices and sprinkle with sea salt. (The coconut oil will help keep them from sticking as well as give them a great golden color.

#3- Place in oven for 10 minutes

#4- After 10 minutes, take the pan out and reduce your oven to 325. Take this time to flip your chips over so that they can cook on the other side. You can sprinkle more salt on them at this time if you'd like. Cook for another 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

#5- Let cool. Serve!

After these chips are fully cooled they keep well for a couple of days in a zip-lock bag or other airtight container.

If they are not quite crisp enough it is okay to leave them in the oven a little longer, just watch them so they don't burn!

You can also try sprinkling them with garlic or onion salt, or my favorite: sea salt with a touch of cayenne!

Challenge

Alright, this last weekend was my mother's sixtieth birthday party and for the most part I did O.K. Day three I am very ashamed to say I kind of face-planted off the bandwagon. That is why I am doing this five day challenge for myself!

It wasn't really a three day party, but it did involve a visit to see my sister and her family which culminated at the New Mexico State Fair. (Oddly enough, this is not where I fell off the bandwagon). I loved the fair though, I got an amazing jar of raw local honey! It's about half as dark as molasses and has a very rich taste. Mmmm.

I have already begun today with my challenge of being 100% Paleo for the next five days to combat the weird cravings I'm having after more than a little cheating. I always strive for that but I have been about a month in the 85/15 maintenance program. I also need to be drinking more water. I'm usually someone who drinks lots of water all day long, but when you're stuck in a truck and you're not sure when your next bathroom break will be...

What is 85/15?

For those who have gone through their initial Paleo phase, some elect to go to what many refer to as a "maintenance" phase which is 85% of the time they are Paleo and 15% of the time they can essentially cheat, though it is not recommended to do this with gluten unless you are a glutton for punishment. (The bloating, the cravings, so not worth it!) This 15% equates to 3 meals a week as "freebies".

This challenge is going to be a little tough on me because our call volume at work has sky-rocketed and we are currently working 16 hour shifts. In fact, this week I'm working four 16 hour shifts in a row! I want a nap! Time for those great Paleo-on-the-go snacks! (We also like to call these fruits and vegetables). Just kidding, I like to supplement these fruits and veggies with fun stuff too, like little sandwiches, plantain chips, or veggies wrapped in toasted seaweed. Actually, I haven't made kale chips in a while, I should do that!

Another Confession:
We did have a little time around supper-time when there was a lull here at work and I dragged my partner into World Market. The good news is she thought it was a pretty cool place, the better news is... I got more dishes! Is there a World Market addicts group?

While we were out my partner grabbed a jump rope from the local sports store (because sometimes that's all we have time for and we hate being idle!). Of course, she grabbed a jump rope and I snagged a cup of coffee and some prosciutto! (I did not buy the prosciutto at the sports store.) Recipe coming soon to a blog near you...

Bunny trail regroup.

Okay, so my challenge to myself is this. Five days of 100% Paleo. 5 days of at least a 30 minute workout of any kind. I just need to stay mobile! I know that exercise will help me feel less hungry and it will increase my energy as well as improving the quality of sleep I get, which is critical since it won't be very much the next several days.

Contentment

I just wanted to say that today I am very happy after re-realizing that I'm using my belt to hold my pants up, it's not just a decoration! Hooray!

SUGAR PLUM & BLACKBERRY COBBLER

I have a confession to make: There are two reasons why I created this dish. 

#1: When I saw "Sugar Plums" in the grocery store I immediately thought about the Nutcracker and how much I love Christmas! It really is my favorite time of the year.

#2: I knew I had to make a cobbler because I found an awesome little crock at World Market and was just dying to break it in!

"So, what exactly is a sugar plum?"

Well, if you're referring to the original Nutcracker, a sugarplum is actually a hard candy made by boiling sugar. But as you can see, I'm referring to the fruit. A sugar plum, like many other varieties of plums, is a soft, sweet and tart fruit. This particular variety looks like a gigantic grape as it is taller than it is wide, unlike other plum varieties. The inside of the fruit may appear light yellow or even slightly green in color. Sugar plums are typically in season from the end of July to the end of August, so I really lucked out when I found these!

The two biggest varieties of cobbler you will find in my family are peach and blackberry. That is why I chose blackberries to accompany this tart fruit. This cobbler doesn't include a stick of butter and a half pound of brown sugar like many cobblers in the south(west) do. Obviously that would be hugely unhealthy, but more importantly we wouldn't be able to taste our fresh fruit! Isn't that the point?

You will need: A pan, parchment paper, a small crock or medium-large ramekin (oven-safe)

Ingredients for the Cobbler:
5 sugar plums (each cut into 6-8 slices)
1 1/2 cups blackberries
1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
1 Tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

The Crust:
1/2 c almond meal
1/4 c pecans (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp grass-fed butter (softened)
2 tsp raw honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

I used a skillet to start this dish so you could see what was going on, but feel free to use a sauce pot or whatever you'd like.

Preheat your oven to 350.

#1- Place everything under the "cobbler" list in your pan over medium heat.

#2- Stir occasionally and cook until the fruit becomes softer and starts to break down, releasing the natural fruit juices.

#3- Transfer this mixture into your crock or ramekin.

#4- In a small bowl combine everything under the "crust" list. I found the best way to mix these ingredients was by hand (use clean hands!).

#5- Now turn this mixture out onto your parchment and mold into the shape of your dish. Then pick it up with the parchment and "flip" it over on top. The parchment should peel away easily.

#6- Bake 15-20 minutes or until your crust is golden brown!

Let this dish sit for a few minutes before serving. Without all of the flour, cornstarch, sugar, ect. of your more "traditional" (what do they know?) cobbler, the sauce will be thinner than what you might expect (but delicious!)

Yields: 2-3 servings