Cilantro Lime Coleslaw with Fresh Dill

This was the perfect pairing for my Paleo Slow Cooker Pulled Pork!

In fact this coleslaw tasted great piled high right on top of the pulled pork between a grilled eggplant bun!

A little tangy, a little mexican, and a little sweet all at the same time! It tasted even better on day 2:)

My 6 year old requested it for lunch and dinner the next day.  Clearly I did not make enough to go around lol.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 green cabbage shredded

1 chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup chopped carrots

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 cup earths Island vegenaise or homemade paleo mayo

2 tbsp raw honey

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp lime Zest

1 Tbsp organic dijon  mustard

Sea salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS :

Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl, cabbage, carrots,  green peppers, red onions and fresh dill.

For the dressing:

Combine mayo, lime juice, dijon mustard, cilantro (reserve some of the cilantro if you like some whole pieces in the slaw), lime zest, sea salt and pepper and honey in a food processor or blender and puree.

Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss well to coat.  If you reserved some of the fresh cilantro add that in now.

This is when I sometimes add a little more honey or salt depending on my taste buds that day.  Everyones palate is a little different.

Paleo Garlic Cheesy Bread

Yep thats right! I have created a paleo version of garlic cheese bread!

This was a spin off from my cauliflower pizza crust.  I was tired of watching everyone else enjoy garlic bread with cheese with their pasta dishes. 

I tried this a few times before I finally figured out how to get the "bread" to stay together.

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 Head steamed cauliflower (do not overcook, should be firm) let this air dry for as long as possible

1 cup almond flour

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 egg

2 tbsp plain goat cheese

Daiyo pepperjack shredded cheese

INSTRUCTIONS :

You must place the steamed cauliflower between paper towel and squeeze it multiple times until all liquid is removed.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Place cauliflower into food processor

Add all other ingredients and pulse about 5 times

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

Using your hands, place the "dough" on the parchment paper and flatten until about 1 inch thick.

The dough should not reach all sides of the cookie sheet, if you spread it to thin it wont work. It can also be an irregular shape.

Sprinkle some extra sea salt, garlic powder and italian seasoning on top.

Bake at 300 degrees, middle rack, (I use convection bake) for a long time, until top is golden brown.  This took 1 hour for my oven.

Here is the secret......

lift the parchment paper with the bread on top carefully and remove from the baking sheet.   

Place on a cutting board or heat safe surface.

Line the same pan with another sheet of parchment paper.

Carefully flip the bread over onto the new parchment paper and remove the old parchment paper from the top of the bread.

Using a fork, press down firmly all over the top of the bread to again make it as dense as possible.

Bake again for another 20 minutes and then sprinkle with daiyo dairy free cheese.

I wasnt able to get the bread sticks to hold their form with out the egg and goat cheese. 

If you dont like goat cheese, you could put more daiyo dairy free cheese in the dough and see how that works.

Cut into strips and serve!

Recipe makes about 8  one inch x 3 inch bread sticks.

This is also great re-heated in the oven the next day. 

I reheated some bread sticks the following day to dip in my paleo celeriac leek soup!

Paleo Cilantro Lime Coconut Popcorn Chicken

I made this last night for our family's stay at home New Year's Eve Party! 

I have tried a few different methods but I didnt want to post the instructions until I was able to get the popcorn chicken to come out crispy.

It is very easy to make and doesnt have to look perfect.  In fact it looks great when all the pieces are different shapes and sizes. 

This would be a great recipe to have the kids assist with in the kitchen!

This dish has an amazing flavour that is tangy, tropical and a little bit spicy.

Texture and flavour was very important for me with this dish because my son with ASD is very picky about texture and if the coconut flavour was overpowering,  my husband wouldn't enjoy it.

I am proud to say it turned out perfect and everyone gobbled it up!

I served it as an appetizer while everyone was waiting on my chicken wings!

INGREDIENTS :

6 Boneless chicken thighs visible fat removed

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 can coconut milk

1 cup Unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

1 tbsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp cumin

1 tbsp onion powder

1.5 tsp smoked paprika

Sea salt to taste

1 egg

Juice of 1/2 lime

Zest of 1/2 lime

2 tbsp coconut oil divided (for frying)

INSTRUCTIONS :

Preheat oven to 375

Chop the Boneless chicken thighs into small pieces and add to the food processor

Add the diced sweet onion to the food processor

Add the cilantro to the food processor

Add all of the spices, chili sauce, egg, lime juice and zest and pulse until the mixture is liquidy but still chunky.

You want to be able to grab the mixture with your hands and roll into bite size balls

Put the coconut milk into a bowl

Put the shredded coconut into another bowl

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Place 1 tbsp of the coconut oil in a non stick skillet and heat to medium

The oils should be good and hot before adding the chicken

This is the tough part because you have to move fast!

Using your hands, take a small amount of the chicken mixture and roll into a ball (dont worry if it doesnt form a perfect ball).  I started with larger balls but then moved to smaller sized pieces as it was quicker to fry and turned out better.

Coat the ball in the coconut milk first and then roll in the shredded coconut

Add to the pan and fry each piece until golden brown on all sides (about 5 mins)

Place each piece on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper

I did about half the chicken mixture and then rinsed my pan and finished frying the other half.

Once all pieces are fried, bake in oven for 15-20 mins turning over once until cooked thoroughly and crispy. 

I served this with  Mr. Spice organic gluten free honey bbq sauce.

I do make my own bbq sauce and sometimes add raw honey to it but this sauce is great and easy!

MY RESOLUTION FOR 2014 IS NO!

In 2014 I will proudly continue to say NO.

No, to making an unrealistic New Year's resolution that falls by the way side.  

No to detoxing or 21 days this or that

No to cleanses

No to juices

No to diets

No to weighing

No to measuring

No to counting

No to protein powders

No to meal supplements

No to gimmicks

No to restricting

No to self criticism

I tried making "New Years Resolutions' every year for 7 years or more! And guess what? They dont work.

I realized that if I was still saying things like "as soon as Christmas is over, I will start".....I was not ready to change my life forever.

What defines me is not my body shape, my weight, or my hair colour....

What defines me is how my children view me as a mother, how my husband views me as a wife and how I view myself as a human being. 

Taking the first step towards self healing was difficult, emotional, trying and yet so rewarding!  

JOIN ME IN 2014 BY SAYING NO!

What I will continue to do, or do more often in 2014.......

Smile more often

Love myself

Wont sweat the small stuff

Be proud of my accomplishments

Appreciate the little things

Perform small random acts of kindness

Stop trying to please everyone

Be a supportive, loving wife

Spend more quality time with my kids

Be a good friend

My CrossFit and Paleo/Primal Cure

My Dad gave me the best advice just before he passed away from Cancer at the age of 51 in 2005.

He said each day was a gift and not a given right. Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind and take the path less traveled. 

 

These words would change my life forever. 

Getting married then divorced, owning a home and having a child all by the age of 20, while putting myself through post secondary education and working 2 minimum wage jobs,  set the standard for the level of work ethic that would be required of me if I had any hope of succeeding in life! 

I gained 100lbs when pregnant with my first child.  This was devastating and only added to the stress of being a single mom.  We were poor, up to my eye balls in student loan debt and even though my daughter never went without,  we lived off of soup, potatoes, pasta and bread.  Unfortunately all of the things we could easily afford only made me fatter.

It took me 5 years after giving birth to child number one to finally get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 130lbs.  

I have always taken the path less travelled, I think it has made me who I am today and perhaps it is why most people dont "get me".  

But looking back, every decision I have made has guided me to where I am today.  

A Paleo/Primal and Crossfit lifestyle has given me strength in so many aspects of my life!  

My Dad said "you always accomplish everything you set your mind to, school, career, family, sports".  But I didn't really see it until I started my new paleo lifestyle.  I would not have had the inner strength and confidence to undergo a bilateral mastectomy.   I would not have survived that ordeal with out the self confidence and strength from with in.  

In 2010 I thought I was on the right track, my training regimen included loads of circuit training, a diet that was zero carbohydrates, minimal protein and no fat. I was constantly hurt, falling sick and had no energy most days. I kept telling myself I was getting fit and strong as I could run, bike and spend an hour in the gym on machines lifting weights. 

Then one of my friends and coworkers introduced me to Crossfit/paleo and the world I knew came crashing down. 

I barely survived my first Crossfit workout which was all of 10 minutes long. It included swinging a  kettlebell (russians), followed by dead lifts, burpees, pushups and lunges.  The WOD is always different and keeps pushing me to my limit.  I am still learning all the Crossfit Lingo, I must admit it was pretty intimidating at first but with a great coach who is patient and motivating anyone can learn what wallballs and double unders are!

Following my first TRX boot camp class, I laid down on the women's change room floor light headed and dizzy.  I loved it!  I loved the feeling that something was kicking my ass!

From that moment on, in the middle of every Crossfit or TRX boot camp class, I would run to the washroom, stick my fingers down my throat and puke.  This alleviated my nausea and dizziness!

When describing this scene to friends later, and trying to convince them to join me and how amazing this feeling was, the only constant seemed to be that I should quit and that it can't be good for me. 

However I was hooked and over the following months, I immersed myself into this new lifestyle despite all the doubters and haters. The more I got into Crossfit, the greater the changes I started to see in my body and my strength.  My quads had definition, my collar bones appeared, my biceps and abs began to show! Yes thats right Abs! After 3 babies, 1 c-section and a severe motor vehicle accident,  I still had abs.

I was fundamentally strong! I could do anything! 

After spending 8 months working a long side a coach/trainer,  I have most of the skills and equipment I need to perform the WOD from home.   A TRX strap can be hooked to any door jam, tree limb or even the backyard swingset!
Kettle balls, dumbells, mat, bar, weights, medicine ball, step, and TRX strap go a long way. 

The move towards a no weighing, no counting, and no measuring paleo/primal food lifestyle had cured me of all previous obsessions or biases I may have had with food. The list of doubters in my life doubled when I started my primal lifestyle and I am constantly attacked for my food choices. 

I’ve tuned out the negative people in my life, replacing them with only positive encouragers. Their support and encouragement is what has kept me going through the transition from a low carb, low fat diet to a Paleo/Primal lifestyle.

With the move to the Paleo/Primal diet and Crossfit/TRX style training, I’m no longer tired, my energy levels are constant all day long.  I no longer wake up every Monday wishing for Friday. I have not been sick in a very long time and my quality of life is much better.  My last course of antibiotics was prescribed for a UTI 2 years ago.  

 

My running performance has improved almost effortlessly dropping 10 minutes off my 5k time. I can lift heavier than I have in my entire life from dead lifts to heavy front squats.  I have even joined a team of fellow colleagues and will be entering Toronto's Tough Mudder race in 2014.  

Most importantly I can garden for hours, swim, cliff jump at the cottage, hike, stand up paddle board, wakeboard, ski, play lacrosse, and skate with my family.  I can carry multiple large loads of laundry up and down 13 stairs without even breathing heavily.

The proof is always in the blood work!  I had blood work done recently to compare with my pre-crossfit/paleo/primal days. 

The changes are dramatic –  resting heart rate reduced, lower BP eliminiating the need for prescription drugs, doubled my HDL’s, huge drop in LDL’s, Triglycerides and blood sugar levels at an all time low, body fat down to 23% from 51%

I have chosen not so much to follow an organic food regimen but to eliminate toxins and carcinogens whenever possible.  I have chosen to purchase and prepare foods without nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, sulphites, soy, safflower, canola, and sunflower oils. 

I hope the changes that I have made for myself and my family are not only improving our health and lifestyle,  but are setting an example that my kids will pass down to their own.

Still Maintaining 13 months after starting Paleo

 

Still maintaining 17 months later

BEFORE
 

 

AFTER

 

 

PALEO ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH SAUSAGE GRAVY

Remember biscuits'n gravy!  Yum! 

Okay well being Canadian....I only remember having biscuits'n gravy as a child on our long drive to Florida.   We used to stop at the Cracker Barrel in every State from Buffalo, NY to Jacksonville, FL for biscuits'n gravy:)

I have been desperately trying to coax my husband and kids over to the dark side lol The paleo side!  They are meat lovers, gravy lovers and biscuit lovers.  So I tried to win them over with a paleo version of traditional biscuits'n gravy!

I succeeded! Yep thats right, the big man himself ate a full helping of my paleo "biscuits" n gravy!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Sweet Potatoes washed but not peeled

3 cups natural almond milk

2 cups breakfast pasture pork sausage casings removed

2 tbsp dried sage

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 sweet onion diced

1 tbsp bacon fat

1tsp EVOO or coconut oil

1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms (discard stems)

1 cup organic beef broth

2 tbsp arrowroot pwd 

INSTRUCTIONS :

Wash 3 sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise

Brush sweet potatoes in olive oil (or coconut oil) and sprinkle with sea salt

Place potatoes flesh side down on cookie sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until potatoes can be poked cleanly with a toothpick

While potatoes are cooking.....

Melt bacon fat in saucepan

Add onions, saute on low until onions are carmelized

Add garlic, crumbled pasture pork sausage and simmer until pork os cooked thoroughly (about 10mins)

Add sea salt, sage, mushrooms, almond milk and beef broth and simmer about 15 minutes then reduce to minimum heat.  Stir occasionaly.

When potatoes are finished cooking, mix the 2 tbsp of arrowroot powder with 2 tbsp of hot water and add to the sausage gravy and stir well.  It will thicken nicely! 

Serve the sausage gravy over the roasted sweet potatoes! 

You could also serve this gravy over paleo biscuits or regular potatoes or even spagetti squash!  

PALEO CRANBERRY BACON APPLE CHUTNEY

I am not big on your typical canned cranberries for Christmas.  But when I was grocery shopping Christmas eve day,  I couldnt resist this fresh bag of cranberries!   

I knew I could put something together:)

It turned out amazing! A little tart, a little salty, and a little sweet in every bite! 

I intended to use it as a garnish but ot was so good we used it as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS :

1 bag fresh cranberries
3/4 cup raw honey (could use maple syrup)
6 slices cooked crispy bacon
Zest of one orange
1 cored diced medium size apple (I used royal gala)
1 1/2 tsp cinamon
1tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS :

Combine everything together in an oven safe dish preferably 8x8 and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 mins stiring once after 20 minutes.

Enjoy! 

PALEO SPICY MEATTY PUMPKIN CHILI

This hearty chili is so versatile that any type of meat or root vegetable could be used and it would taste great! 

I have been making a paleo version of regular beef chili for while now, sometimes using beef, sometimes using chicken and its always good but I wanted to do something a little different. 

This recipe uses rutabaga as well as pure organic pumpkin puree instead of tomato paste. 

Rutabaga is awesome because it absorbs all of the flavors and the spices in the dish.  You dont know how many people asked me what the white vegetable was in the chili, no one could figure it out because it doesnt taste like a rutabaga!

We like things HOT but you could definitely adjust the cayenne pepper and eliminate the red chilies if you like your chili less spicy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 small rutabaga about 2 1/2 cups diced
1 onion diced
1 cup organic pure pumpkin puree
2 cups organic tomato sauce, either canned or homemade
3 cups organic beef stock
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1lb grass fed ground beef
1/2 lb cooked pasture pork bacon or another type of clean bacon

3tbsp chili powder
2tbsp cayenne pepper
2 red or green chilies chopped
1tbsp garlic powder
1tbsp onion powder
1tbsp dried oregano
1tbsp dried cumin
1tbsp dried coriander
1tbsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS :

In a large sauce pan/pot cook the ground beef and drain/discard grease

Add the onions, diced rutabaga, beef stock and spices and cook on medium until rutabaga is just tender (about 15 minutes) stiring occasionally

Add the tomato sauce, pumpkin puree, chilies, mushrooms and bacon, stir well and simmer for 25 minutes

Add more sea salt if desired.  And if you find it to thick just add more beef stock.

Serve in a bowl garnished with cilantro, or avacodo or serve over nachos!

My photo is of the chili in a slow cooker simply because I took it to work for a potluck and I needed a way to keep it warm.  I am sure you could also make this chili using a slow cooker if desired.

PALEO OVERSTUFFED MUSHROOMS

Love mushrooms!  Love salmon! Put them together and.....delicious!

This is an easy recipe for salmon bacon spinach stuffed mushrooms.  They would make a great appetizer but I made them for breakfast!

They are grainfree, eggfree and can be dairyfree.
 

Three mushrooms were extremely filling and the left overs will heat up nicely for tomorrow's appetizer.

INGREDIENTS:

10 large white mushrooms stems removed and cleaned

2 cups fresh baby spinach

2 garlic cloves minced

1 diced shallot

6 slices bacon

Goat cheese (optional)

1 can of red sockeye salmon drained with bones and skin removed

Seasoning salt

1tsp dried dill

Course sea salt

Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook the 6 slices of bacon and reserve about 2tbsp of the grease

Add the diced shallot and cook on low in the bacon fat until carmelized

Add the minced garlic and cook about 5 more minutes

Add the dill, seasoning salt (to taste), salmon and cook for 5 minutes

Add the fresh spinach and cook until wilted

Stir in the crumbled bacon

Add the crumbled goat cheese if desired, I used about 2 tablespoons

Sprinkle with course sea salt, and some black pepper

Scoop a generous amount of salmon mixture into your mushrooms and bake for 15 minutes.

THE PROOF IS IN THE BLOOD WORK, PALEO WORKS

There are no rules when it comes to eating healthy.  Make decisions based on what your body needs or doesnt need instead of what the diet critics say.

In my line of work you cant imagine how many patients have asked me to recommend or show them supplements such as calcium, Magnesium, iron, folic acid, and Vitamin D. 

Further investigation often resulted in determining that they never had blood work done, stool or saliva samples taken to determine if there was a deficiency.  

They are simply following the advice of a friend or a current fad.  They had no idea how things like calcium, magnesium and potassium could affect cardiac physiology or how excess Vitamin D might dangerously affect their creatinine level.

It really is scary!

I chose a paleo lifestyle for health reasons and therefore made the decision to eliminate certain food groups from my diet. 

After dieting and restricting myself from certain food  groups for years as an attempt to lose weight and being unsuccessful, I learned that I was taking the wrong approach.

Once I started eliminiating trigger foods for health reasons, I realized that my ideal lifestyle was essentially paleo. 

This is why my meal ideas will often contain ingredients such as goat cheese.  

I eliminated dairy because of how sick it made me not because of whether or not it is considered paleo.  I am a cheese lover, I really do miss it.  Goat cheese and Daiyo cheese donot cause me any adverse effects and therefore I choose to include them often when I cook. 

I really enjoy a plate of antipasto with goat cheese, olives, salami, and pickled beets.  I have been successful because I have never felt deprived and I have never felt healthier than I do now.

I don't purchase all organic vegetables, and I dont always use all natural foods without preservatives.   This is because I have a family of 6 and this lifestyle needs to be sustainable.  Ingredients must be affordable and easily accessible.  I am confident that the choices I have made for myself and my family will continue to improve our lives.  Actually the proof is in the blood work! 

2 years ago my doctor was going to prescribe me statin drugs because my cholesterol was 5.5 and my heart health risk assessment was 5.  My blood pressure was 145/110, my resting heart rate was 82 and my body fat % was 51.

I am extremly against statin drugs and there was no way that I was going accept this as the only option!

Today.....my heart health risk assessment is -1 , my blood pressure is 110/70 consistently,  my resting heart rate is 55 and my body fat % is 24.

The "paleo police" may not agree but it is working for me!