Super Food Kale Salad

This salad was amazing!  The dressing was delicious.  For those of you who think that a main meal needs meat or if you think that you can't get full from a salad, this salad will show you otherwise.  You can make this salad for 2 as a main meal or you can make it for 4-6 as a side dish.  I started adding cabbage to salads because Atzin really likes the crunchiness of cabbage in his salads.  Cabbage is also a great anti-inflammatory, has protective properties against dementia, has cancer preventative compounds, etc. etc.

I used this salad as a main meal for us yesterday for lunch.  It was also great pre workout.

Ingredients:

6 cups chopped kale
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/2 dried non-sweetened cherries (or other types of berries like blue, cran, or goji)
1/4 raw pumpkin seeds
2 TBS hemp seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 apple cider vinegar
2 TBS maple syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
sea salt and pepper to taste.

1.  In a large bowl combine kale, cabbage, cherries, and seeds.
2. In a smaller bowl, make the dressing with the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and spices.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and add the sea salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Tandoori Chicken

This was soooo easy - so easy that  I almost feel guilty actually calling it Tandoori chicken.  I'm not using a tandoori oven, didn't put together my own blend of tandoori spices, and these are skinless chicken breasts! Nevertheless, Atzin loved these.

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breasts
sea salt
pepper
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 TBS tandoori seasoning (I used the one they have at Whole Foods --- but I'm thinking about making my own blend because it was not spicy enough for me - but I wanted something easy and didn't want all those added ingredients in tandoori seasoning you might get some place else).
Juice from 1 lime

1.  Mix the tandoori seasoning, coconut milk, and lime juice.
2.  Salt and pepper the chicken breasts.
3. Add the marinade and let it marinade for about 8 hours in the fridge.  I prepared this the evening before, then had it ready to go in the fridge for the next day's dinner.
4. Grease the wire oven rack and place chicken breasts on the rack. Bake the chicken for abut 40 minutes, turning it over half way through.

Broccoli Sausage Bake

I love any type of breakfast/brunch "bake," pie, frittata, or quiche type thing.  Why? Because these make great left-overs.  This is the type of thing that I put in Atzin's lunch.  It's great eaten cold, if you don't have access to a microwave or a way to heat it.  You can get creative, adding the veggies you want to add (I had to hold back from adding kale or other greens to this because I add kale to almost everything!  Atzin has even said, "mom, what's with you and the kale?") and also the type of pan you want -- for example, I tend to make this type of thing in muffin tins, particularly if it is something I'm going to pack for lunch.  This is also a great pre and post workout type of meal, with the carbs from the butternut squash and the protein sources.  Plus, yes it has green veggies -- the broccoli!

You will see here that my second obsession lately, in addition to the leeks, is using all types of squash, partly because they are dense sources of carbs in a Paleo diet and good for Atzin's and my workout.  In addition to the "good carbs" butternut squash is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C.

So here is the recipe.....

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
(I use the pre-cut that I buy at Coscto - 2 lbs in a container because I had peeling and seeding hard squash.  If you do cut it yourself, I recommend microwaving it for about 2-3 minutes so it's a bit softer.  Cut the ends off, then use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off.  Then, but into chunks.)
1 TBS olive oil or coconut oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 lb turkey or chicken sausage
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
11 large eggs
2 TBS almond milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Toss the squash with your preferred oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, crumbling it up, add the onion, and then the broccoli.
4. Spray or oil the bottom of the pan you are going to use for baking and arrange the roasted squash in the bottom.  I used an 8 x 11 baking pan.
5.  Add the sausage and broccoli mixture and even spread in the pan.
6. Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the almond milk.  Pour it over the squash, broccoli, sausage mixture in the baking pan, also evenly spreading it.  Add more salt and pepper to taste. ( I also added about 1/2 tsp of New Mexico green chile powder because I add that to almost everything when I have it!)
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

We had this for another "brunch" - late breakfast with a side of blackberries in a small bowl.

Sweet Potato Pecan Muffins

Ahhh.  I am about to sit down for a muffin and some freshly brewed tea.  This muffin recipe was a very successful experiment on Christmas day.  I am posting this before I forget the recipe.  These were inspired by the common sweet potato pies and such that are made during the holiday season.  It was also inspired by the ingredients I had available to me between the ingredients I took to my sister's house and what she had available at her place.

So here it is!

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato (a regular sized one, not one of those giant ones).
1/4 cup of full fat coconut milk
1 banana
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 TBS vanilla
8 drops of vanilla stevia
1 TBS raw organic honey
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup almond flour
2 TBS coconut flour
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans

Instructions:
1. Bake the sweet potato (it takes about an hour-  you can cheat and microwave, but I prefer baking even if it takes long).
2. Mash the sweet potato.
3.  Add the coconut milk, mashed banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, stevia, honey, salt, baking soda, and eggs.  Use an immersion blender to get a fluffy and really smooth mix.
4.  Add the coconut oil, almond flour, and coconut flour and mix.
5. Place in muffin cups or tins and bake for about 20 minutes.

Mango Cilantro Chicken

Hi!  I just wanted to share another tip to lessen the amount of cooking ad prepping during the week.  I love Mexican type flavors and try to add them to a lot of things - in this case the mango cilantro reminds me of a good salsa.

So, whenever I make a marinade, I double the recipe, use the fresh marinade for that day's cooking.  I put the other half in a ball jar, freeze it, and I have a ready made marinade for another dinner.

Ingredients for the marinade:
1 cup of mango cubed (I use the frozen mango because I don't want to take the time to cut up a fresh mango - but you can certainly do that - it would about 1 mango).
1/2 cup cilantro
1 shallot
tsp ginger
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 TBS lime juice
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp of hot sauce (in this one I used a salsa using chile piquin) - but use a pre-purchased hot sauce or make your own with the chiles you like).
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1. Place ingredients in food processor. Pulse.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken with 1/2 the sauce in a freezer bag or a bowl and let it marinade.
4. When ready to cook, place in a baking dish and bake the chicken for about 30-35 minutes
5. Heat the remaining sauce when ready to serve and spoon over the chicken and serve.

Leek and Broccoli Soup

I have recently discovered Leeks.  I had never cooked with them before, but now I'm obsessed using them in almost every soup I make.  This week I bought 7 leeks to use in different meals.  This picture is of the broccoli soup I made yesterday.  I wanted to show you the ball jar because I filled about 5 of these jars with soup and they are going to go into the freezer to use as single servings, maybe for Atzin's lunch, or for us to have with another meal when I'm too busy to prepare something.  I have been using ball jars a lot lately for storing and freezing food - trying to use more glass and less plastic.  So, just another tip so you see that I am not cooking all the time.  This week in fact, was the first week I had to cook again.  Last week, I used a variation of leftovers every day and only had to make breakfast.

So anyway, here is the recipe....

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli
3-4 leeks (I used 3 this time around because they seemed really large - the last time, I used 4 because they were much smaller leeks).
1 medium onion
3 medium shallots
1/2 medium apple (I used fuji)
2 TBS coconut oil
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp New Mexico green chili powder (optional - but I recently was re-supplied and put it in everything I can!)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 can coconut milk (I used the lite version this time around, but you can certainly use full fat if you want).

Directions:
1.  Prepare veggies: Chop broccoli, onions, leeks, and apple.  Thinly slice leeks.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a large stock pot you will use for the soup.
3. Add leeks, onion, shallots and curry powder and chili.  Sauté until softened.
4.  Throw in broccoli and apple.
5.  Add chicken broth and coconut milk, top off with more broth or water until vegetables are fully covered in liquid
6. Bring the soup to a boil
7.  Add more curry powder if you want it spicier, add salt and pepper to taste. (I probably added about 1/2 tsp more curry powder and about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper).
8. Use your immersion blender once the broccoli is softened.
9. Serve!

Leticia's Machacado con Huevo

So, traditionally Machacado con Huevo is fairly simple, made with only the eggs and the carne seca. The carne seca already is salted, so you don't have to add any salt.   I always like to add color and more flavor so, I do add tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers. Of course, I also use coconut oil instead of the typical canola or corn oil.  It's funny how this has appeared lately on Paleo websites, but heck, my family has been eating Machacado con Huevo for generations! (Except of course, my family eats it with tortillas de harina).

This type of carne seca is dry and shredded - much softer than typical beef jerky and not as moist as the machaca de comes from el D.F.  This truly is a cuisine of El Norte--- the woman that is credited for inventing machacado was a woman named Tía Chencha (or Lencha, not sure which) from Cienega de Flores, Nuevo Leon.  I don't know how true this is, but that's how the story goes.  Maybe my family from Nuevo Leon can weigh in on this and tell me what they know to be the history of machacado con huevo.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 cup carne seca
5 eggs
1/4 cup cilantro
1 small tomato
1 small jalapeño (I keep the seeds, but you can de-seed if you don't want it to be that hot).
1 TBS coconut oil

Directions:
Heat the oil in a skillet, add the cilantro, tomato, and jalapeño
Add the carne seca (it will seem like it will absorb all the oil, that's why the oil should be hot before you add and also don't worry, it will be fine once you add the eggs).
Add the eggs and mix like scrambled eggs.

Mexicanified Kale

Kale is considered a superfood because it is so nutrient packed!

The Benefits of Kale

At just 33 calories, one cup of raw kale has:

• Nearly 3 grams of protein
• 2.5 grams of fiber (which helps manage blood sugar and makes you feel full)
• Vitamins A, C, and K
• Folate, a B vitamin that’s key for brain development
• Alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. (While kale has far less omega-3 than fish, it is another way to get some of this healthy fat into your diet. 
• Lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that give kale its deep, dark green coloring and protect against macular degeneration and cataracts.  
• Kale contains minerals including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and zinc. 

I love Kale, and because we don't use a lot of dairy, I try to make sure we have our greens every day for the calcium.  So, this morning for brunch (Atzin woke up late and I was out running errands early this morning so breakfast was late), we had my "paleoified" machacado con huevos and the Mexicanified kale.  I like everything spicy, so this was hot to the taste.  Obviously, if you don't like chile, you would reduce the spicing.  You can sauté Kale any way you want - even as basic as garlic, salt, and pepper.  It's a quick and delicious side or meal. I did measure my spices for you!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale (chopped) or bag from TJ's already chopped.
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 small jalapeño (minced - deseeded if you don't want it to be that hot - I use the seeds because my boy likes it really spicy and for his taste, I never make it hot enough).
1/4 cup cilantro (minced)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp New Mexico green chile powder (I used mild)
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS Coconut oil (you can adjust this of course and add another TBS, but I try to be really cautious about the amount of fat, even if it's good fat that I use and try to get most of my good fats from foods that have naturally occurring fats like avocado or eggs rather than added fats).  Others may be able to be more generous with their serving of fat.  When I know I can splurge more, I add more good fat to my diet.

Directions
1. Prepare your ingredients that need mincing, chopping or dicing.
2. In a nonstick pan or a cast iron skillet, heat the oil.  Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder.  Sauté a few minutes until onions are translucent.
3.  Add the kale (you may need to add it slowly if it doesn't fit at first depending on the size of your pan - adding more as what you have in the pan wilts -- I use the large skillet I purchased at Costco - it's a great size and all of the kale fits at once before wilted). Sauté until wilted.
4.  Salt and peper to taste.

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

I have been making soups a lot lately.  I forgot how easy they are to make and how wonderful it is to have something warm like this on a cold day.  I have to admit, since I have been eating grain free, I am still a bit confused about what to do about dense carbs.  So what I have been reading suggests that regulation of blood sugar or reducing inflammation by eating "good" carbs is appropriate depending on your level of activity.  On a grain free diet, there are still dense sources of carbohydrates that can be a part of your diet.  Here are some of those carbs: Cassava, Taro, Plantain, Yams, Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, Lotus Roots, Winter Squash, Onions, Beets, Carrots, Butternut Squash, Rutabaga, Jicama, Kohlrabi, Spaghetti Squash, and Turnips.  Wow!  Who would have thought that list would be so long!   And this does not even include the list of fruits and nuts that are also high in carbohydrates.  If you are moderately active, you can eat about 75 to 150 mgs. of carbs a day.

So in the spirit being more conscious about my foods in general and thinking about what kinds of dense carbs I can eat given my activity level and the activity level of my family, I have been incorporating more of these foods in our diet.

I also want to give you a caveat, that I often don't share recipes because I don't measure things.  I throw a little bit of this spice and that spice in there and then I end up with this wonderful meal I want to share, but can't tell people exactly how to reproduce it.  So I'm going to be more mindful about measuring so I can share with others exactly what I did.  In this case, I tried to be fairly aware of what I did so that I can share it with you!

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato
1 medium sized butternut squash
2-3 cups of chicken broth
1 can of coconut milk
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Avocado for the top as a garnish

Directions:

1.  Poke holes in the sweet potato and bake it for about 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees
2.  Cut the butternut squash in half and place it with the open side down in a baking dish with some water in the bottom.  About 1/2 and inch.  Bake it for about 45 minutes.
3.  When the sweet potato and butternut squash are ready and have cooled, 1) peel the skin off the sweet potato and place it in your vitamix or other high power blender.  2) Scoop the seeds out of the squash and discard, then scoop the "meat" out of the squash (As much as fits in your vitamix.  You might have to do some of it, then take some out, and then add the rest) and place it in your vitamix or blender as well. In my case, I was able to place the sweet potato and half of the squash.
4.  Place the first cup of chicken broth in the vitamix (and add more if needed for the blender to run).
5.  Add the chipotle chiles, coconut milk, spices and blend.
6.  Remove some from the blender and add the remaining squash and remaining chicken broth.  (You decide how thick you want it so you can do 2-3 depending).
7.  Transfer it to a pot and heat up.

I know if I wanted to professionalize this whole thing, I would make the recipe over and over again and have people try it before I posted --- So, I would love to know how it worked and what you did differently if you tried it.  Thanks!

Just switch the chicken broth for vegetable broth if you want a vegan option!

Muffin Frittata

Source: Recipe adapted from Nom Nom Paleo.
Muffins are a great lunch item.  Lately I have been experimented with many different types of muffins to put in Atzin's lunch.  These are really great lunch item.  I make a batch and put them in the fridge or freezer for later. They are great eaten cold or can be reheated to be eaten warm.

Ingredients:
2 TBS coconut oil
Coconut oil spray
1/2 medium yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
sea salt
black pepper
8 eggs
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
2 TBS coconut flour
1/2 lb frozen greens (I use the mixed greens from Costco - I use what I can fresh, then freeze the rest for smoothies and this type of recipe).
5 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Heat 2 TBS of coconut oil in a skillet and sauté onions with a pinch of salt until they are translucent.
3.  Add the garlic, mushrooms, and greens and cook until moisture evaporates from the mushrooms.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the coconut flour and coconut milk.  Whisk until batter is fully mixed.
6.  Stir the sautéed vegetable mix into the batter.
7. Spray the coconut oil into the muffin tin. (or brush melted coconut oil in the tin to oil it)
8. Line each muffin cup with the prosciutto. Cover the bottom and sides completely.
9. Spoon the batter into each cup and top with the cherry tomatoes.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes.  The muffins are done when the toothpick or other such thing is inserted into the middle and comes out clean.

Apple Cinnamon Cookies

These cookies are very easy to make and low sugar.  I'm sorry I don't have a story to tell you about these.  I had intended to make them for Thanksgiving, but didn't have time.  I finally got around to it! This is the first batch of cookies I make using the almonds directly rather than almond flour.  These are perfect for someone trying to avoid too much sweetener of any kind.  This is just sweetened with apples.

Ingredients:

2 cups red apple skin on
2 cups raw almonds (I soaked mine overnight, but not necessary)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 TBS cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp coconut oil
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients in food processor except eggs (split up ingredients if they don't all fit in your food processor).
3. Pulse them until they are small, but chunky
4. Combine the ingredients with the eggs in a bowl and mix well
5. Make patties with your hands and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (Mine were about two inches across).
6.  Bake for about 30 minutes until done.

Gluten Free Bento Lunch 1

What's in this lunch?This is a gluten free lunch.  Some items are grain free, some items are dairy free, some items are vegan.  This is a whole mestizaje of types of diets.

1. Raw Candied Nuts

2. Dried Apricots

3. Flax Muffins

4. Carrots and Hummus

5. Rochel's Cashew Bread

6. Low Fat Chicken Salad

7. Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 lb asparagus (about 10-12 stalks)
2 bell peppers
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup red onion
2 TBS parsley
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coconut sugar

1. Rinse quinoa very well and put in the saucepan. Add the water to the quinoa in a large saucepan.  2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until tender about 15 minutes.
3. Cut the asparagus.  Roast the asparagus in the oven with a little bit of olive oil sprayed on the asparagus or brushed on the asparagus.
4. Combine the asparagus, bell pepper, sunflower seeds, spring onions and parsley with the quinoa.
5. Whisk the lemon juice, sugar, oil, and paprika until well combined and add the mixture.
6.  Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste.

Low Fat Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb cooked skinless boneless chicken breasts.  This is one of my time saving tricks - I always have a stash of this precooked chicken breast strips in the freezer.
1/2 cup celery chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup pickles minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use the reduced calorie version from Trader Joe's, but if you want a paleo mayonnaise, there are plenty of recipes --- here's one: Paleo Mayonnaise
1/4 cup non fat sour cream (maybe you can adjust this and add more as needed).
2 TBS parsley
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until blended.  This is a great quick lunch.

Flax Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown flax meal
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 TBS coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
3 large eggs
2 TBS coconut oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line approximately 8 muffin liners with paper lines
3. In a food processor, pulse together the flax meal, pumpkin seeds, coconut flour, making soda, and salt until the mixture is grainy.
4. Add the dates and pulse until the dates are well chopped.
5. Pulse in the eggs and coconut oil until combined.
6. Remove the blade and fold in the raisins, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
7. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the batter into each muffin cup.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Raw Candied Nuts

1. Use any combination of soaked nuts of seeds with a liquid sweetener such as agave or maple syrup.  Use a 1 cup nuts to 1/4 cup sweetener as the ratio. 
2. Add spices and flavorings. 
3. Stir the nuts until evenly coated.  
4. Spread on a lined dehydrator for 24 hours at 118 degrees.  
5. Store in a glass, air tight container.  

In this combination I used:

1 cup soaked almonds

1 cup soaked walnuts

(I threw in a few cashews because I had some leftover from something else)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

Raw Vegan Breakfast Bars

These require no baking or cooking - just soaking of almonds and using a food processor.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup almonds, soaked
1 1/2 cups dates (dried, pitted)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried mango
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
3 TBS cacao nibs.

Note: I dried my own cherries and mango.  It took about a cup and a half to get 1/2 cup dried.  However, you don't have to do this of course.  Just buy them already dried if you want to avoid this step.  Unfortunately you can't skip the soaking of the almonds.  They are so much better tasting, they work better when you blend them, and you get the full nutritional benefits of the almond when you soak.

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and the dates until they are well chopped and stick together. 
2. Add the cherries and mango and pulse to incorporate. 
3. Add the sunflower seeds, pepitas, and cacao nibs and pulse until combined.  
4. Press the mixture into an 8x8 container.  Place the in the freezer so they are easier to get out from the container, turn out onto a board, and cut into squares.  
5. Wrap them and store them in the fridge or freezer.  

You can play with this recipe by substituting the nuts or different dried fruits.  I was thinking about using dried apricots instead of dates because Atzin is not crazy about dates and I was thinking about trying cocao powder instead of the nibs.  So go ahead and experiment with this one.  The basic idea is using nuts as the base, something like the dates as a sweetener and to hold it together, then the other seeds and fruits as additional flavor and texture. I do love the look of the cherries and the pumpkin seeds.  

Orange Greensicle Smoothie

I just made this today because I had coconut milk and greens that I had to use up, but I had forgotten that when I made this a few weeks ago, I said to myself, "This is my new favorite smoothie!"  Then, I didn't make it again.  Well, when I drank this, I immediately remembered that and said, "I have to post this one so I don't forget!"

Make it! Make it! Make it!  This is the best green smoothie I have ever had!!!  Really, I'm not lying.

Okay, so here are the ingredients - I doubled it this morning and it made 4 small cups - enough so I could drink one and then put the other three in the freezable ball jars so that I can put them in my lunch and Atzin's lunch.  This method with the ball jars works really well.  I tried it out a couple weeks ago and I had a smoothie that was just right for my afternoon workout, I had a smoothie for lunch, etc.  By mid day or early afternoon, this is melted and ready to shake and drink! (I digress ... back to the ingredients....)

(This is the doubled version I made this morning which makes the 4 small cups or 2 large ones)

2 medium frozen bananas
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 cups mixed greens or kale (I know, this sounds like a lot, but it really works! And it's okay.)
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 medium oranges
1/4 to 1/2 cup almond milk (Depends on the consistency that you want).

Notice there is no sweetener added to this smoothie - you don't need one.  The bananas and oranges are enough.  The frozen bananas and cashews help to give it a really creamy texture.  You won't be disappointed!  This is so good! And if you don't drink dairy, like I rarely do nowadays, this green smoothie can replace that milk in the morning so you make sure you get your calcium and many other added vitamins and minerals you get from the kale and other fruits.

Directions: Put it all in your blender, except the almond milk.  Blend it up, adding the almond milk as desired.

What are you waiting for?  Go...go make it!

Chicken Marbella

I absolutely love this dish.  It is so flavorful, with a hint of sweet, and the combination of the pitted prunes and green olives add some amazing flavor.  It's a slightly altered "healthified" version inspired by the Silver Palate recipe.  So here is what I do:

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup pitted prunes, halved
2 cups green olives
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup capers
2 TBS apple cider vinegar
2 TBS minced fresh garlic
2 TBS dried oregano
3 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley

1. Cube the chicken breast
2. In a separate bowl, mix all the other ingredients.
3. Add the chicken and let it marinade for a few hours in the fridge.
4. Place in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish
5. Cover and Bake for 40-50 minutes

What I would do with this dish to make it easier, you can prep it ahead of time.  Make your marinade and put the chicken with the marinade in a zip lock freezer bag.  You can leave it in the freezer until you are ready to use it.  I intended to do that this time, make it double and put half in the freezer for next time, but I didn't have enough capers and olives so I only made one batch to be used immediately.  This made a lot, we had enough for dinner and lunches the next day.  It goes fast because it is so yummy!

Almond Flour Muffins in a Che Mug

Of course, the key here is using an authentic Che mug from Cuba.  But if you don't have one, then any old mug will do.  Because I am going to shift to warm treats in the morning instead of smoothies, I wanted to experiment a bit with microwave muffins.  Here is another variation using almond flour.

1/4 cup almond flour

2 TBS flax seed meal

1 large egg

1/2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1. Use coconut oil spray in your mug. 

2. Add the melted coconut oil to your mug.

3. Mix in the egg and then remaining dry ingredients. 

4. Microwave for 30 seconds, let it rest for 5 seconds, then microwave another 30 seconds.  

I just tried this out this morning, but I'm going to have this after my workout today as well.  

Enjoy and stay posted for more muffins in a mug ideas! 

Muffin in a Mug - even more convenient

Now that it's getting cooler, smoothies don't feel as comforting.  On a rainy day like today, it was muffin in a mug time!  Say  you are rushing to get your child's lunch packed, drive him or her to school, get ready yourself, etc.  It may seem too difficult even to pull out the cinnamon, baking powder, etc.  to make this.  So, I decided I needed a dry version that I could put in a baggie and keep in the fridge until I was ready to make it.  Then, all I need to do is add the coconut oil or butter and the egg.  So here is that variation:

Ingredients:

Use coconut oil spray in the mug
1 tsp of coconut butter or oil (melted)
1 egg
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
1 tsp coconut sugar

So, what I did is put the ground flax meal, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla powder, and coconut sugar in a baggie.  When I was ready to make them, all I had to do was spray the coconut oil in the mug, add the little 1/2 tsp of coconut butter melted, and the egg.  Then mix it up.  No pulling out all the other ingredients - I had them all in the baggie.  It worked fine substituting the dry vanilla powder and the coconut sugar instead of the liquid sweetener.  Have fun!

Bare Kitchen Cookies

2 1/2 cups almond four
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup agave or honey

This was panic day!  I was visiting my dad and as soon as the car pulls up he says to my sister, "Hay viene Leti!  Ha de traer galletas!"  I didn't have any with me that day!  The kitchen was empty, there were no egg, vanilla, nuts, etc.  Luckily, my dad regularly uses coconut oil, so there was some on hand.  My nephew Luke had almond flour on hand because he has been making treats using nut flours lately, and of course there was some agave I left behind last time I was there.  So I was able to throw these very basic ingredients together and it worked!  They were very good, simple, but very good.  If you have almost nothing - and lack a bunch of fancy ingredients, this will do just fine!

It's funny, recently my son said, "Mom, if I was on deserted island and had to be there with only 1 person, I would want to be with you.  You would be able to turn anything in to a meal!  You would grab some leaves and say, 'These leaves can be used for a raw whatever type of diet!'"

Tropical Cookies

I am so behind on my posts.  This week I really wanted to share this recipe because I love it.  I have made it twice this week.  My dad is staying with me right now and he always asks for his "galletitas."  Rolando loves these as well.  They are delicious and simple.  The "hardest" thing is having to roast the cashews.  Other than that, you just throw everything in there and mix it up!

So here is the recipe:

2 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup agave
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/2 cup of Lily's Dark Chocolate Baking Chips
1/2 cup of cashews, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (I really love my air bake baking sheets)
3. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda
4. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil, agave, and vanilla. (I have to confess I sometimes skip this step and they still turn out fine - if I'm really rushed, I just mix it all in one bowl.  However, the batter is better if you time to mix dry and wet ingredients separately first). 
5. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and combine
6. Fold in the chocolate, cashews, and coconut.
7. Spoon the dough about 1 heaping TBS at a time onto the parchment lined sheet, pressing down with your hand to flatten
8. Bake for about 7-10 minutes. 

Yummy!  These are so good. My dad eats these and we still keep his blood sugar level way down! 

Lobster Enchiladas

Dad enjoying his lobster enchiladas.  I think this was a big hit.  He loved them and set the bar high!

Tortillas:
9-10 cabbage leaves

Chile Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
2 jalapeño peppers
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Filling:
1 1/2 lb. of cooked lobster
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup cauliflower
1 TBS butter

white cheddar cheese (optional)
avocado
salsa
limes

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the cabbage leaves for about 1 minute. Pull them out with tongs and set them on a towel to dry.  (This is also a do ahead thing you can do if you want to save time or prepare to make them another night).
3. Prepare the enchilada sauce.  Add chicken broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and mix in the coconut milk and chopped jalapeño peppers. Stir in salt and pepper and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
4.  Prepare the filling.
Sauté the lobster in butter.  Add the cilantro and cauliflower rice to a mixing bowl.  Add the lobster and use a fork to combine.


5. Pour half the enchilada sauce into a glass baking dish.
6.  Spoon the filling in the cabbage leaves and add to the baking dish.


7. Pour the remaining sauce and filling over the top.
8. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

9. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Serve with avocado, a salsa, and more cilantro and lime wedges.

Flu Fighter Smoothie

This is delicious and you can feel it combating that flu/cold virus immediately with the ginger and vitamin C.

2 oranges
1 small lemon (or lime) - either juice or whole - I just put it in whole (peeled of course)
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled
5-6 ice cubes
1-3 tsp of maple syrup depending on how sweet you like it - I used 1 tsp
a pinch of cayenne pepper

Muffins in a Mug

This week is so busy that I didn't have any time to bake.  I have been making smoothies in the morning, but wanted something a little different.

I decided I would try the idea of a muffin in a mug cooked in the microwave.  I had just been traveling and I rented a little house in New Mexico with a kitchen.

However, there was no oven!! Oh no!! There was, however, a microwave oven.  So, I thought, okay, when I travel, maybe I could still have some of my gluten free / paleo type goodies if I try to use a microwave.  So here it is....

Ingredients:

Use coconut oil spray in the mug
1 tsp of coconut butter or oil (melted)
1 egg
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp agave

"Bake" it in the microwave for 45 - 60 seconds.  This baked in 45 seconds in my microwave, but I'm guessing this will vary by microwave.  This is the first one that I made and it turned out really good.  However, I wanted something a bit sweeter, but I didn't want to add more sweetener - so I thought I would try it with a banana.

So here is the second variation:

Ingredients:

Coconut oil spray
1 tsp coconut butter or oil (melted)
1 egg
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/4 mashed banana
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS almond slices (optional)
1 tsp agave
1/4 tsp vanilla

This was really good too.  However, I had to microwave it for 60 full seconds - the first version was fully "baked" in 45 seconds.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I am very behind in posting recipes.  This is one that I made for my dad a few weeks ago.  It is another idea for what to do with all your zucchinis from your garden.

Source: Elana's Pantry

1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cacao powder
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
2 TBS coconut oil
1/4 cup honey (or another sweetener of your choice)
1/4 tsp vanilla stevia
3/4 cup grated zucchini

1. In a food processor, combine almond flour and cocoa powder
2. Pulse in salt and baking soda
3. Pulse in the remainder of the ingredients (eggs, oil, honey, stevia, zucchini).
4. Transfer to a greased and floured baby loaf pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

(Lately I have been lining the loaf pan with parchment paper.  I really like this as then I pull the paper right out with the bread - Just an FYI in case you would like to try this as an alternative to the greased and floured pan).

Banana Bread Smoothie

Atzin named this smoothie.  I made it for him yesterday and he said, "Wow mom, this is like liquid banana bread!"  I said yeah, "you're right, this smoothie has all the ingredients I would use to make banana bread - except it uses almond milk instead of almond flour!"  So there you have it, "Banana Bread Smoothie".

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas (the frozen bananas make all the difference in the world! So, yes, make sure you freeze them the night before you are going to make this.)
1 Tablespoon almond butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 - 1 1/2 cup almond milk (depends if you want it more like a shake versus a smoothie).
3 medjool dates (pitted of course)

Put all the ingredients in your blender and make your smoothie.  This is so delicious.

Serving - 1 large glass (This is so rich, I sometimes split it into two smaller glasses - it is really filling).

Almond Butter Protein Shake

This drink was so filling and made a wonderful breakfast.  I was very ready for the weight room.

Ingredients:
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS almond butter
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder of you choice
stevia (you can change the sweetener and use a different one.  If you use the stevia, about 6 drops are good, but not more than 8)
1/2 cup to 1 cup of water
1/2 cup almond milk (optional)
About a cup of ice cubes

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in your blender.
2. Blend in your high power blender!
I'm not exact about the liquid  I start off with 1/2 cup of water and about 1 cup of ice cubes, then add almond milk and water until I get the consistency that I want.  I probably end up with about 1 cup of water and about 1/2 cup to a a cup of almond milk.

Carrot fries

Ingredients:

• About 6 large carrots
• 2 TBS olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional)

Instructions:

• Slice the carrots in fry size pieces as you see in the picture.
• In a bowl toss the carrots with the olive oil, sea salt, and chipotle powder
• Place the carrots on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Bake in the oven for about 15-22 minutes depending on how crispy or soft you like them.  I like them to still crunch so I go for less time. 

Chocolate Hemp Seed Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups almond milk
3 Medjool dates (pitted)
3 TBS unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
3 TBS hemp seeds
2 bananas
1/4 tsp cinnamon
About 6 ice cubes

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend it up!
Enjoy!
This makes two very generous servings

Source: Adapted from the "Oh She Glows" website

Chiles rellenos con picadillo dulce

Ingredients:
7-8 poblano peppers
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dry sherry, heated
1 1/2 - 2 lbs very lean ground beef
1 cup water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt to taste
1 cup slivered almonds
1 medium potato, cut into small pieces (In a Paleo diet, potatoes are controversial - some people using them and some not.  I recently read something that said that they are not less healthy than sweet potatoes and they are full of micronutrients.  However, you do want to avoid them if you have metabolic issues like diabetes, are trying to lose weight, or have a sensitivity to glycoalkaloids, that can cause a leaky gut in some people.  You will have to make a personal decision about potatoes depending on your own health issues.  Personally, I try to limit them, but I do eat them occasionally.  In a Mexican picadillo, how can you not have potatoes if they are not bad for your health. Okay, I've rambled on too much now).


1. Prepare the chiles.

• I like to roast them on a comal.  However, some people do this on an open flame on the stove and others in the broiler.  I haven't tried the broiler method because I like to watch them and turn them to make sure they are nice and black and charred evenly all around.  
• When they are ready, put them in a plastic bag or in a covered bowl to let them steam a few more minutes.  This makes them softer and easier to peel.  
• Peel the charred/black part of the skin off the chiles.  Open them carefully with a knife and cut the seeds out.  

2. Prepare the picadillo

• Soak the raisins in the hot sherry and soak for 20 minutes.
• In a large skillet over high heat, add the ground meat and water, simmer, and cook uncovered. breaking up the ground meat.  Add the potatoes cut into small pieces.  Continue to cook until the water begins to evaporate. 
• Add the garlic and onion and let simmer.
• Add the raisins and sherry together with the remaining ingredients, except slivered almonds. 
• Reduce heat and simmer until flavors are well melded and potatoes are fully cooked. 
• Add the almonds before serving. 

Serves 4-5