Chicken Pot Pie

crust:
3 cups almond flour
1.5tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1/2cup melted butter or coconut oil
2tbsp cold water
-----
1 egg, whisked

Stir together almond flour, salt and baking soda.  Using a food processor or hand blender, mix in butter/oil.  Add a little bit of cold water slowly while mixing until it becomes dough consistency.  Roll into a ball and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.  Save the egg for later.

filling: 
1lb chicken breasts or thighs, roasted
1lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2lb peas
1 yellow onion, chopped
a little bit of almond flour
olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
half a can of coconut milk
salt
pepper

In a large pot, saute onions in olive oil until caramelized.  Add a little bit of almond flour to thicken.  Add chicken broth and coconut milk, stirring until it's all mixed in.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add (cooked) chicken, carrots and peas and let it all simmer for a few minutes.

Transfer filling to oven-safe dish.  Remove crust dough from refrigerator and roll out using parchment paper.  Cut crust to the size of the dish and place on top.  Using a brush, paint the top of the crust generously with the whisked egg.  Slice a few air vents in the top and bake at 375 for 1 hour.  Makes 4-6 servings.

This was a little more involved than what I'm used to making, but it turned out SO FREAKING AMAZING.

Adapted from: http://fedandfit.com/2012/12/01/paleo-chicken-pot-pie/

Mango Shrimp and Avocado Salad

ingredients:
1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 ripe avocados
equal amount of diced mango as avocado
cilantro
green onion
fresh lime juice
olive oil
cayenne
salt
pepper

Season raw shrimp with cayenne and salt.  Grill.  Combine cooked shrimp with avocado, mango, cilantro and green onion.  In a separate bowl, make vinagrette by combining lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss everything together and chill.

Adapted from: http://paleodietlifestyle.com/shrimp-mango-salad/

Chicken Tikka Masala

adapted from: Mark's Daily Apple

Chicken Ingredients:


2-3lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped (bottom stems cut off)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 can coconut milk
6 cloves finely chopped garlic
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine all the ingredients in a large baking dish and bake the chicken, covered with foil, for 45-60 minutes.  While the chicken is baking, make the sauce:

Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or olive oil or coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 can coconut milk
28 ounces crushed tomatoes in their juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

In a large pot, sauté the onions in the oil until golden brown, about ten minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring often.  When the chicken has finished baking, add it to the sauce on the stovetop. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

Serve over basmati rice. Makes 6 servings.

Holy cow, this is delicious.

Sweet potato soup

ingredients:
2 small sweet potatoes, diced
2 small acorn squash, diced
2 small yellow onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
butter
2lbs chicken thighs, cooked
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
breakfast sausage seasoning
salt
pepper

Saute garlic and onions in butter.  Add vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, acorn squash and coconut milk.  Season with breakfast sausage seasoning, salt and pepper.  Simmer until sweet potatoes and squash are falling apart.  Puree with an immersion blender.  Add cooked chicken, simmer for a while longer.  Makes 4 servings.

Sonoma-style chicken salad

ingredients: 
cooked, cubed chicken (I had 2 breasts and 4 thighs)
walnuts
4 stalks celery, sliced
grapes, halved
poppy seeds
mayo

Combine all ingredients.  Let chill.  Eat as is, or on top of a bed of spinach.  Enjoy!

mayonnaise

ingredients:
1 large egg, room temp
2T lemon juice
1 1/4 cups olive oil
1/2t dry mustard
1/2t salt

Crack egg into blender; add lemon juice; let them combine for about an hour.  Add mustard, salt and 1/4cup olive oil; blend on low until frothy.  While blender is running, slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil (should take 2-3 minutes).  Refrigerate for at least one hour.

This is so easy to do!  Why on earth did I wait so long to try this?

Thanks, theclothesmakethegirl!

Pumpkin Cookies

ingredients: 
3/4 cup coconut flour
2T almond butter
1/2 can pumpkin
3 small ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
1T vanilla extract
1T honey
1/2t salt
1/2t baking soda
2T pumpkin pie spice
handful of walnuts
handful of dark chocolate chips

Mash bananas.  Add pumpkin, almond butter, honey, vanilla and eggs; mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add slowly to batter, mixing well.  Stir in nuts and chocolate.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.  This makes 12-15 large, cakey, delicious cookies.

Guacamole

ingredients:
4 ripe avocados, mashed
1/4 red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, copped
1 lime, juiced
cumin, cayenne, chili powder and salt to taste

Mix everything together.  Eat with a spoon.

Salsa

ingredients:
4 large tomatoes, seeds removed
1/4 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, chopped
small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt to taste

Chop all ingredients and mix together to make pico de gallo; for salsa, use a food processor.  Makes a ton of salsa.

Carnitas

ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins
1 cup bacon grease
4 limes, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1T cumin
1/2T salt
1t coriander
1t black pepper
1t cayenne
1/2t cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 bay leaves

1. Sear pork in a little bacon grease.
2. Layer garlic and onion on the bottom of a crock pot.
3. Place meat and all the bacon grease on top of the onions.
4. Mix together all other ingredients; pour on top of the meat.
5. Cook 6+ hours on low.
6. Transfer meat to baking dish; broil for 5-10 minutes to crisp up the edges.
7. Serve with salsa and guacamole. (Makes a ton of leftovers!)

June recap

For the month of June, I wanted to see what would happen if I didn't write down everything I was eating.  And you know what?  I made really good choices, food-wise.  I didn't feel so restricted, and yet this was my cleanest-eating month yet.  Except for the wine.  And cider.  And sangria.  That was really a problem, mostly because I feel like I've been on summer vacation for the entire month.  While I'm in CA I know I will drink a lot, but starting July 24, this has to stop.  Social occasions? Fine.  Every day?  Not okay.  Back to tracking?  Probably cheats and alcohol only.

Also, I haven't weighed or measured myself since May, and I don't want to.  That's how I know I've been making bad decisions with respect to alcohol.

binges/cheats: 2

rest days: 4

grocery cost: $576.65 (with at least $150 of that on wine...good lord)

spring chicken

ingredients: 
chicken breasts or thighs
cheap white wine
garlic scapes, green beans, or other veg
green onions
olive oil
salt and pepper

Marinate chicken and greens in white wine overnight.  Heat olive oil in a pan; dump all contents into pan to cook.  Season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

leafy greens sauteed with bacon

ingredients: 
2 strips bacon
1 shallot
large handful of chard, kale or spinach

Fry bacon in pan; set aside to drain.  Add chopped shallot to bacon grease.  Add greens to pan, sauteeing until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Yum!

Marinated Skirt Steak

ingredients: 
1 pound skirt or flank steak
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves
3 sprig rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


Whisk together everything but the rosemary.  Place steak in a large ziplock bag; cover with marinade.  Add rosemary sprigs to the bag.  Shake or flip occasionally, and marinate overnight.  Grill.  Eat.  Yum.

adapted from: http://rikishore.com/2012/05/grilled-skirt-steak-in-red-wine-vinegar-marinade/#

Chicken with pine nuts and sundried tomatoes

ingredients: 
boneless chicken thighs
sundried tomatoes
pine nuts
olive oil
garlic
dried basil
salt
onion powder
red pepper flakes
pepper
egg

Mix spices on a plate.  Coat one side of the chicken thighs with egg and dip in spices.  Place spiced side of chicken down on a baking sheet.  Mix garlic, tomatoes and pine nuts in a bowl.  Toss with olive oil.  Spread on top of chicken thighs.  Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350.  YUM!

Mango-avocado salsa

1 jalapeno, diced
1/6 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1 avocado
half of a mango
half of a lime
salt
cumin

Chop everything.  Mix together.  Serve atop fish or chicken, or eat with a spoon.  Or use bacon as a chip.

Thanksgiving-style stuffed turkey tenderloin

ingredients: 
turkey tenderloin, pounded thin
small handful unsweetened dried cranberries
handful chopped pecans
rosemary
thyme
salt
butter

Soften butter.  Add all ingredients to butter and mix.  Roll turkey around the stuffing, using toothpicks to secure.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350.  Serves 1 for dinner.

Braised Short Ribs

ingredients:

6 beef short ribs (bone-in)

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

6 carrots

butter

1 carton vegetable broth (TJ's)

borsari seasoned salt

Pre-heat oven to 275F. In a skillet, saute vegetables until tender. Transfer to an oven-safe dutch oven. Sear ribs in skillet; transfer to dutch oven. Season with borsari. Add some broth to the skillet and add to the dutch oven. Add the remainder of the broth to the dutch oven; bring to a boil then turn off. Cover the pot with and transfer to the oven for 3-4 hours. Makes 3-6 servings for dinner and work lunches (depending on the size of the ribs).

These are very good!

Green Smoothie

4 frozen strawberries

handful frozen mixed berries

1/2 banana

handful spinach

2 eggs

Add enough water to enable the function of the blender. Ignore puke color. Enjoy!

Taco Soup

ingredients:

2/3lb chorizo

leftover roast chicken (two breasts, plus a little thigh)

1lb ground beef

red onion

butter

garlic

coconut milk

canned tomatoes

about 2 cups vegetable broth

bell pepper (yellow, for color)

5 jalapenos

salt, cumin, cayenne, chili powder

Brown beef and chorizo; season and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in butter. Add canned tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable broth. Let simmer a few minutes, then puree with an immersion blender. Add meat, bell pepper and jalapenos. Simmer for 2-6 hours. Makes 6 servings for dinner and work lunches.

*This soup is missing something... it's not fantastic.