Kale Stuffed Chicken wrapped in Bacon

Kale Stuffed Chicken wrapped in Bacon

I've been enjoying bacon lately!! I saw this recipe from Paleomg.com and had to make this! The recipe calls for spinach instead of kale, but I had a bunch of kale to use up.  I also added red pepper flakes to the kale mixture so it had a little bit of a kick.  Plus, instead of chopping the bacon and stuffing it with the kale, I wrapped the chicken with bacon.

It was so good!!! :) Here's the recipe!

Paleo Apple Fritters- OMG so Yummy!

Paleo Apple Fritters- OMG so Yummy!!!!

My man has been in the mood for apple fritters so I looked up how to make Paleo friendly apple fritters.  

My FAVE paleo website (www.paleomg.com) had a recipe for them and I simply HAD to make them!!

Doesn't this look yummy?!?!

I went ahead and prepped all the ingredients and put them in different bowls before cooking the apples since this was my first time making this.  

Ground Cashews

Dates, honey, applesauce and coconut oil; Eggs and vanilla extract; Coconut flour, baking soda & powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Add each bowl and puree then add the next bowl and etc.

All pureed!

Cooked two apples in coconut oil and covered it until soft.

While the apples were cooking, I combined coconut milk, almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a bit of salt

Mixed the apples with the cinnamon sauce.  This is so DELISH!! My favorite part!

Next, I put the batter halfway up and then put a couple TBSP of apple topping on top of the batter.

Fresh out of the oven!

Added more of the apple cinnamon mixture on top! I would recommend making a double batch of the apple mixture!

This is a must! :)  My man ended up eating 3 1/2 in one sitting!!! That's how yummy it is! :-D

Sausage Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Peppers

Sausage Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Peppers

Instagram is a wonderful site to get ideas for cooking! I follow a few Paleo people and one posted a recipe of this and it became dinner one night! :) It is a very simple recipe and I used Anaheim peppers.  

Here's what I did! I cut the Anaheim peppers in half and stuffed it with raw spicy italian chicken sausage.

Then I wrapped it with bacon and stuck toothpicks at each end to keep the bacon from unraveling.  

I cooked it on 400 degrees for 45 minutes.  It takes longer with a big pepper (if you do this with jalapeno peppers, check it at around 25-30 minutes).

Voila! You got yourself a yummy dinner! :)

Mark Sisson is a great person to follow if you are on the Paleo Lifestyle and he has some yummy recipes!  Here's the link to his recipe.

Take pictures of your dish if you make this! :)

Paleo Donuts!

Sunday Morning Paleo Donuts!!

I made yummy Paleo donuts!! :) Check out my videos below and the recipe at the end.

Video 1- Putting Together the Donuts

Video 2- Maple Frosting

Video 3- Results

The one on the left is with chocolate and the one on the right is with the maple frosting.

Thumbs Up!!

Here's the recipe.  Let me know if you have any other Paleo friendly donut recipes that you like!

Primal Cauliflower Pizza with Raw Cheese!

Hey there!!

I recently made Primal Cauliflower Pizza which was interesting!! I can't have flour as I'm on Paleo.  One of my favorite foods is pizza.  I found a recipe for Cauliflower Pizza and ended up trying it.

The crust was very flavorful, but soggy! :-( I'm on the hunt for the perfect paleo crispy pizza crust.  If you know of one, please SHARE! :)

I used one of my favorite sausages that I bought from Whole Foods.  It's called Mulay Killer Hot Italian Sausage.  I buy it from Whole Foods- it's a lil pricey, but it doesn't have any added sugar (Dextrose) and it is so yummy!

I also used raw cheese from Whole Foods.  This fits with more of the Primal Lifestyle.  I have decided that I will add cheese to my diet every now and then as a treat, but it has to be raw cheese and from grassfed cows.  Again, it's more pricey, but if it is gunna be my treat every now and then, it's worth it. :)   Trader Joe's also sells raw cheese- I've found three different kinds.  It's yummy! :-D

So, those that are waiting in anticipation for the picture of my pizza, here it is! :)  

Here's the website for the recipe.

Immune Boosting Foods

Germs! You don't stand a chance! 

http://ndhealth.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/immune-system.jpg

Last week, I administered finals at my high school.  Half my students were sick- they were coughing during the entire final and kept blowing their nose.  Plus, my roommate was also sick!!! I thought to myself, time to eat immune boosting foods!

Here are some of my top favorite immune boosting foods.  I've tried to keep this as less science-y as possible!

This week, I will be posting recipes that contain the following food to help you from getting sick!

My Favorites:

http://healthy4u.org/foods4u/foodfights4u

Kale & Spinach: high in vitamin C, helps fight off infection and regenerates other antioxidants.

http://gardening.sheknows.com/2011/
10/05/broccoli-vs-cauliflower/

Broccoli and Cauliflower:  They contain high antioxidants and choline.  Choline keeps cells functioning properly and promotes a healthy gastrointestinal barrier meaning that it keeps bacteria safely in the gut.     

Cauliflower contains a powerful antioxidant called glutathione which helps fight off infection.

http://www.wishfulchef.com/2011/10/
carrot-sweet-potato-fries/

Carrots and Sweet Potatoes: They contain beta carotene which gives it its color.  Beta Carotene supports the body's mucus membrane (lines the respiratory and intestinal tracts) which makes it difficult for bacteria to enter the bloodstream.  Plus, it also increases the percentage of immune defending cells in the body.

http://blogs.kcrw.com/goodfood/
2012/10/recipe-stuffed-mushrooms/

Mushrooms:  Mushrooms contain zinc which is an immune boosting mineral.

http://thehealthyapron.com/2013/01/06/garlic-5-reasons-why-you-need-it-in-your-diet/

Garlic: Garlic has allicin which is a powerful antibiotic and potent agent that helps the body stop germs from reproducing.

http://jeacline.blogspot.com/2010/07/egg-yolk-uses.html

Egg Yolks: The yolk in the egg contains zinc and selenium which two of the most important nutrients for strengthening the immune system.  The reasons are science-y so I'm just going to leave it at that!
 ;-)

http://www.meyerlemontree.com/
lemontree/ruby-red-grapefruit-tree.html

Grapefruit: High in Vitamin C- 'nuff said!

http://www.organicauthority.com/health/
11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

Cinnamon: It has antiviral, anti fungal and antibacterial properties which helps fights the pathogens that cause illness.

Sprinkle some on your grapefruit today!

Eat healthy and stay tuned for immune boosting recipes!

Sweet Potato Waffles with Apple Butter (Whole30 Friendly)

Yummy Waffles without Sugar or Flour!! 

I'm on Day 21 of the Whole 30 detox program! I'm feeling great! :) It sure has been fun looking for healthy and different things to cook that fit with this program- a bit of a challenge that's for sure!

This morning, I made Sweet Potato Waffles with Apple Butter.  It sure was good!  I did double the spice for the waffles, but next time I will triple it! I like cinnamon. ;-)

When you open the waffle maker it looks kind of weird, but if you flip over the waffles it actually does look like a waffle! :)  My roomies wolfed them down! 

Instead of using just plain applesauce, I used apple butter which fit PERFECT with this recipe!  I made the apple butter a couple days ago and thought it would go well with this and it did!

I'm thinking about adding blueberries to the waffles next time! If you do something different, please let me know! :)

Waffles

Yummy Apple Butter! 

    

Throw out your pasta!!!!!

Spaghetti Squash

I remember last year someone telling me that they made spaghetti squash for dinner instead of pasta. At the time, I was like ew! I can't imagine eating that instead of my beloved pasta!!

Well, since I've jumped on the Paleo bandwagon, I can't eat pasta anymore.  I LOVE spaghetti and meatballs! I've been seeing a lot of recipes lately for spaghetti squash during my hunt for yummy paleo friendly recipes.

Last night, I decided to muster up the courage to make it.  To my surprise, it was DELISH! I'm now fine with throwing out my pasta and eating my now beloved spaghetti squash! It's EASY to make!

Basically, chop the squash in half (length wise).  Put both facedown in a pyrex dish and add water halfway to the top.  Bake it on 350 for about an hour.  Dump the water out and flip the squash over to let it cool for 5-10 minutes.  Take a fork and shred it from the sides.  Voila! You got "pasta"! :) 

Share some of your squash pasta recipes!! :) 

Avocado- Healthy Fat

Eat healthy fat!

As I'm diving in the Paleo world, I'm eating more healthy fats.  I LOVE avocado and I used to limit my avocados because of the fat content.  Now that I'm doing the Paleo diet, I'm enjoying my daily avocado intake! With Paleo, your energy comes from fat.  Basically, I'm eating a diet of meat, veggies, fruit and healthy fat.  Avocado is a good source of fat. 

Here are some nutritional benefits of avocados:

Now, if you don't like avocados or can't eat them, here are other sources of good fats: coconut oil, animal fats, butter/ghee, olive oil, nuts and olives.  Click here for more information on good fats and bad fats.

Apple Cider Vinegar

What are some of the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar?

   

Apparently it's good for avoiding workout exhaustion as it has potassium and enzymes that help with fatigue from working out hard.  It also increases your metabolism so you're burning more fat.  There's a lot more that ACV can do for you.  BUT one thing that caught my eye is that it's supposed to also help with allergies! Those that are close to me know that I suffer from allergies.

It's worth a try! I just tried it with a TBSP (you can certainly taste it with 2!!) in my smoothie along with some honey & cinnamon to mask the acidic taste and I don't really taste it!  Will keep you posted about how ACV benefits me! May clear up my skin too! :-D Here's hoping!!

Here's a link to some of the benefits of ACV: Benefits of ACV

Chia Seeds

Trader Joe's now has Chia Seeds!!!! This week, I've been using Chia instead of Flax seeds.  With one TBSP, Chia provides 6g of fiber, 3g of protein, and 2.9g (this is pretty precise- not 3.0?!) of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Even better, the Chia Seeds from Trader Joes are sustainably grown and free of chemical pesticides!

I use it in my smoothie, but you could also add it to yogurt, salads, baked goods, and it goes on!

Try it and let me know what you think about Chia Seeds!

Healthy Snacks

To speed up your metabolism, you need to eat small meals every 2-3 hours.  Here are some healthy snack ideas:  Healthy Snacks

What are some healthy snacks that you like to snack on?! I love hard boiled eggs, nuts, Lara bars, sliced apples, Mary Gone Crackers with hummus, and the list goes on!!

Bob Harper: The Skinny Rules

Here's a great book to get you back on track and refresh your memory or learn new things (available at Costco).

Bob has 20 very simple rules to losing/maintaining weight.  I'm going to try a rule that I've never done before!! I've done it for a week and I've lost three pounds!!

Sunday Food Prep!

Hi fellow readers!! :)

I've spent not even an hour in the kitchen cleaning and prepping all my veggies and stuff for the week.  During the week, I don't like spending a lot of time in the kitchen cutting up stuff for dinner.  I just simply like to throw things together.

Plus, I've made all my portions for my snacks.  I've put in handfuls of almonds in tupperware containers.  I've also measured out hummus and peanut butter servings and put them in individual containers.  Hummus is great with veggies and makes them more interesting.  A TBSP of peanut butter dresses up an apple.  I've boiled 6 eggs for a great quick morning snack.

All this makes eating healthy during the work week so much easier!! :) Have you done your Sunday Food Prep for the week?!

Interesting link: Could chicken be making us fat?

Take a quick look at this!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/fat-chickens_b_1497856.html

Getting kids to eat healthy!

Last week, I saw quite a few articles about getting children to eat healthy.  So many kids in this country are overweight and will be prone to many health problems in the future.  As you all know, Michelle Obama has launched Let's Move to reduce obesity in this country.

The hardest part is all the temptations with ice cream, fast food, soda and children want these things as well as us adults!!! I see parents complaining on how to get their kids to eat healthy, hence the reason why I'm writing this.

Michelle Obama has kid friendly healthy recipes on her website: http://www.letsmove.gov/.  Take a look and let me know if you like any of the recipes!

I follow Natalie Jill on Facebook.  She is a nutritionist and she has some good stuff.  She recently posted this article today which prompted me to write this blog.  Check it out: http://nataliejillfitness.com/10-tips-kids-eat-healthy/.

What works for you to get yourself and/or your children to eat healthy??

Breakfast!!

My new fave thing for breakfast!!! This is soo yummy and so healthy!! It's a lil pricier than your average cereal but it's SUPER healthy!! Follow the serving size! I eat this with unsweetened almond milk.  I try to avoid dairy and soy milk.  Women, if you drink soy milk- be careful of all the estrogen in soy milk as this can affect your hormones! Dairy also affects your skin and allergies, believe it or not.

Monday- what should I make for lunch??!

Hi all!!

Monday- bleh!!! This morning, I woke up not wanting to get out of bed and I had to go to work! You know how that goes on a typical Monday morning! I finally got myself out of bed and had to make a quick lunch to bring to work, but I didn't have any time since most of it was spent on Facebook- again, you know how that goes!! :) hahaha

My super easy lunch today and it was healthy too!!! Packed with protein to build muscle!!!! :-D

How often do you eat?!

Hi all!!!

I'm back!!! I was hit hard with a terrible cold.  It's been more than a week since I've worked out!! I'm soooo anxious to get back to the gym!! You know where I will be tomorrow morning!! :-D I'll have to be careful to pace myself instead of hitting it like a rabid pit bull!

I wanna discuss eating here.  I LOVE eating!!! I've noticed a big difference in my body especially my energy level when I eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 big meals.  By eating smaller and more frequently revs up the metabolism.  The metabolism will keep going all day.  After 3-4 hours, the metabolism slows down and goes into fat storage mode.  By eating 5-6 times prevents this from happening. Also, you want to eat within the first hour of waking up which starts up the metabolism.

You want to be wise what you're eating.  I always make sure that I have a protein in each meal plus good carbs and veggies/fruit.  Jamie Eason has a great list of healthy foods (including carbs).  Here's the link: Jame Eason's Food List 

Plus, don't eat 2-3 hours before bedtime!!!! A couple small pieces of dark chocolate won't hurt. ;-)

Abs are made in the kitchen!!!

Believe it or not, Abs are made 80% in the kitchen and 20% with exercise!!

Many people do spot reduction exercises such as sit-ups to get a flatter stomach.  Doing 500 sit-ups everyday will not reduce belly fat!

You need to lose your overall body fat.  Doing core exercises will strengthen your core, but what you need to do is combine a proper nutrition plan (remember it’s 80% in the kitchen) and do a full body workout program then do core strengthening. 

Some exercises like squats and deadlifts, which you do for your legs also utilize the core.  So you may be working out your core without even knowing it! Isn’t that great?! J

Aside from exercise, you need to eat whole and unrefined foods, meaning foods with only ONE ingredient.  Get rid of the processed junk!!  Eat more protein as it builds muscle, which muscle increases your metabolism, thus it burns fat. 

Your body needs carbs!!!! Eat carbs high in fiber (veggies, fruits, unrefined sprouted whole grains).  Eat carbs that have more than 5g in fiber and less than 5g in sugar.  Get rid of the white stuff!! White bread, pasta, rice—chuck ‘em out!

Eat good fats! Yes! They help you fight fat!  They help maintain your hormone levels, which reduces cravings.  Eat your avocados, nuts, olive oil, eggs, fish and meat!  I like having a handful of nuts in the afternoon for a quick snack!

Hang in there, it takes about 90 days of clean eating to see results!! Keep up the discipline!!! If you have a day of bad eating, so what, you can get back on your feet the next day, it’s not an excuse to keep eating bad!

Happy good eating!! J