Tuesday, January 22, 2013

As Promised... Paleo Recipes

This week is going to be an extra busy one around the Rush house.  I've been doing some heavy duty cleaning in preparation for a house guest. 

Now, the identity of the guest is a secret but if you follow me on Instagram, there'll be some hints popping up there in the next few days.

And Friday, here on the blog, you'll get a sneak peek at yet another adventure for the Rush family.

For now, let's talk food.  Paleo recipes, to be specific.

  Since eating Paleo is still new-ish for our family, whenever I try anything new, I take a poll:  "Thumbs up? Thumbs down?  Do you want to eat it again or not?"  Based on the response, the recipe either becomes a part of the menu rotation or gets pitched.

These foods are all dishes that got a thumbs up and I've now prepared several times.  I think you just might like them, too.

I've categorized the recipes by meal to make things just a bit easier for you, but we eat many of the egg dishes for any of the standard three meals.

One more thing - the leftovers heat up beautifully!

So.  Let's get to it, shall we? 

Breakfast & Lunch:


Broiled Grapefruit Recipe

Simply use a little honey and palm sugar to make this Paleo.

*Having wrestled a grapefruit twice now, I highly recommend purchasing a couple of serrated edge grapefruit spoons.  It'll make your breakfast a little less stressful.



We especially love our eggs with tomato and fresh basil or salsa and avocado.



The original recipe calls for butternut squash but I felt like my crew would be more accepting of sweet potato.  Want to add a little perfection to an already perfect recipe?  Top each serving with a nice, slightly runny fried egg.  Oh. My. Stars.



This one is not only yummy, but really pretty on the plate, too.  Salsa is a must.  Adding sliced avocado or guacamole just might make you cry from sheer joy. 


Asparagus and Herb Frittata

There are really no wrong ways to make a frittata so feel free to experiment with all kinds of veggies, meats, and seasonings.  Because Lily is dairy free, I omit any cheese the recipe calls for and my big girls, who really love cheese, melt some over their individual slices once the frittata is cooked.

Supper:


Paleo Minestrone Soup

This one was a definite winner.  And it just gets better the longer it sits.  So be sure to save some for lunch the next day.  You'll be so happy you did.



This is a good soup to fix on those days when you've just don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  It tastes great and you can still pat yourself on the back for feeding your family well even if all you really did was open a bunch of cans.



Quick and easy to make.  Super tasty to eat.  A winner in every way.



I usually sear my roasts on the stove before I put them in the crock-pot.  I didn't with this one and it was still really good.  But I'll probably try searing it next time, just to see if it makes a difference.  The onions take the place of the big ol' white potatoes that I used to put in there with the carrots. 


One of my favorites didn't make the list so here it is - burger patty, grilled with a little Montreal Steak Seasoning, sitting on a bed of spring mix, topped with guacamole, salsa, and sliced cherry tomatoes, then sprinkled with salt and pepper.



This recipe right here made me give up my status as a cabbage hater.

Sweets/Snacks:

Quick note here:  Even though these are Paleo and don't contain white flour and refined sugars, they're still treats and should be looked at as such.  I usually bake something once a week, then try to make it last all week long.  While some Paleo purists would probably think that was still too often, I assure you, 1 or 2 cookies every few days is much less sugar than I was consuming pre-Paleo.



The Bird's favorite.



I like these but if you're expecting Toll House, they may take a little getting used to.


Paleo Chocolate Macaroons - from Against All Grain

The combination of chocolate, coconut, and mint will make you very happy.



When you really have a craving for chocolate, these will do the trick.  And then some.  Bake them the shorter amount of time for tiny little bites of fudgy goodness, a bit longer if you want them to be more cake-like.  In case you're curious, the Rush family goes for fudgy.


DSC_0082

Perfect for those times when you need something a bit salty.  

 Make Your Own Trail Mix

A great snack idea in which you can create your own "recipe combination" to suit your fancy.  Choose from any of the following unsweetened and unsulfured ingredients:

sunflower seeds
macadmaia nuts
coconut flakes
almonds
dried cranberries
banana chips
pistachios
walnuts
cashews
dried apricots
dried cherries
dried pineapple bits
chopped dried dates
raisins
dried apple rings

Don't feel like making a snack?  Try Lara Bars.  There are lots of flavors to choose from but Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Coconut Chew are two of my favorites.

Alright my friends, that's it for now.  

If you try any of these, let me know what you think! 

 Got any recipes of your own to share?  Then by all means, leave a comment.  

See you Friday!


10 comments:

  1. Awesome story and great site. Much love and many blessings to you and sweet Lily Bird. Thank you for the feature :) - Cassandra

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    1. You're quite welcome - and thank you for the comment. I'll be exploring your site in the next few weeks looking for more recipes. :)

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  2. Rats... I just drooled on my keyboard. Again. Lana, girlfriend... if I keep reading your blog, you are GOING to have to buy me a new keyboard!

    P.S. Really looking forward to trying that sweet potato hash with the Little Miss!

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    1. You can send me an IOU for the keyboard. :) Hope you like the hash!

      Also - I sent you a message on Instagram about the erin condren planners. And you know our little "inner OCD" bond we share? I just got a Roomba. Swoon..... :)

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  3. If I want to cook a quick meal, we buy a bag of broccoli slaw and boil it like you would spaghetti noodles. If you top it with sauce it's a pretty good substitute!

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    1. Oh - can't wait to try that! I do something similar with julienned zucchini but no sauce - just olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Very yummy! Thanks for the idea - and comment.

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  4. How's your fam responding to the paleo diet? I think perhaps it's going to be our new diet for Sadie. You make it look so yummy! I'm just struggling getting Hubby on board with the idea. Do you have any tricks for that problem?;)

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    1. My middle daughter is not a huge fan (though I finally got lucky last week and made 2 suppers that she really liked) and since she is 16, I'm not forcing her to eat what I make. If she doesn't like what I'm serving, she's welcome to make something for herself. And she's taken me up on that a few times! :) I figure she's still eating better than she was before we started this.

      As for the hubby, here's what helps mine stay on board: Not only does he feel better, he's lost quite a bit of weight (around 35 pounds!). I got him 2 suits for Christmas and they are the more modern cut with the flat front pants and slim fit dress shirts. He looks awesome in them! That makes him pretty happy.

      Then also, he's a former college basketball player who still plays once a week with a group of men at our church. He had quit playing because he was so frustrated that he couldn't play as well as he wanted to. Well, dropping 35 pounds has made a big difference in his playing and he hasn't missed a week since he lost the weight. Which also makes him very happy.

      Last, he's a snacker. So I make sure that there are always a couple of good tasting paleo appropriate snacks for him to have whenever the urge hits. Nuts, granolas, cookies, brownies, fruit... He also has a cheat every couple of weeks - like today, he had 2 donuts. That's enough to satisfy him and keep him doing paleo for the long haul.

      It takes a little while to get the hang of it but it becomes much easier after a couple of weeks. I would suggest just seeing if your husband might give it a try for a month, see how he feels, and let him decide if he's on board to keep going. I bet he's going to feel better!

      I think I'm going to try and do a post on a Paleo menu for a week - all 3 meals plus a snack a day along with a compatible grocery list. I've had several people ask for more help in the getting started part. Think that might make it easier?

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  5. Impressive! I couldn't give it up for that Paleo diet though. Me and the WW - we're married for life. But it is a lot of good stuff I can definitely work into the mix! Thanks for sharing my friend!

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  6. Beautiful photos, they all look amazing. I have been Paleo for a year now and definitely had to give up some tasty treats!

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