Paleo Apple and Banana Bread Pecan Muffins

 

Banana bread is so comforting, but can be filled with tons of sugar. I found a recipe for paleo banana bread but halfway through tossed the recipe and started throwing in some of my own stuff. I loved how it turned out!

Makes: 24 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. almond flour
• 1 1/2 c. coconut flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
• 9 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. applesauce
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine both flours, baking soda, and salt
3. In a separate bowl, combine coconut oil, whisked eggs, and applesauce
4. Mix flour into eggs
5. Add mashed bananas, vanilla, and cinnamon and mix well
6. Fold in pecans 
   
7. Add muffin liners to muffin pan and pour in batter 
   
8. Cook for about 20-25 minutes

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Paleo Apple Crisp

 

I was so excited when I found this recipe because my husband LOVES everything apple. This looked so amazing, and I can't believe there's no sugar or flour. It did not disappoint! We had a friend over for dinner and the three of us ate the whole thing!

Ingredients:

• 3 apples
• 3 tsp. cinnamon (2/1 separate)
• 1 c. unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. melted coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar
• 3 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices. Put into bowl
2. Pour cinnamon on top of apples and mix. Place everything in a pie plate 
   
3. Pour apple sauce on top and spread evenly
4. Combine almond flour, 1 tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
5. In another bowl, combine coconut oil, agave nectar, and vanilla extract
6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well
7. Crumble over apple sauce 
   
8. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes
9. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes
10. Let cool a few minutes before eating

We ate this as is, but next time I'm eating with whipped coconut milk! The crumble itself would be a delicious topping on a muffin...

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken and Gravy

 

Every recipe I have ever tried from Nom Nom Paleo has not disappointed. I made a roast chicken a few weeks ago and while it was so delicious, it was a lot of work (I was trying to combine 3 recipes... still working on refining it). When I found this recipe for Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Gravy, I wanted to try it immediately. I don't agree that this should be called "roast" chicken as it doesn't have the crisp skin like you would expect from a roasted chicken, but everything cooks great, and the gravy is so delicious. I ate this with Garlic Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"(which are SO garlicky - my warning) and roasted broccoli.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb. organic kosher chicken
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 4 Tbsp. seasoning (I used a roast chicken seasoning from Williams Sonoma)
•  S&P

Directions:

1. Melt ghee in large cast iron skillet over medium heat
2. Saute onions and garlic
3. Add tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes 
   
4. Put onions in slow cooker
5. Add chicken stock to pan, make sure to scrap off anything off the pan into the stock, and pour over onions in slow cooker
6. Dry off the bird
7. Season well with seasoning and S&P, both inside and outside
8. Place breast side down 
   
9. Cook 4-6 hours (1 hour per pound of weight)
10. When done, remove and let sit for 20 minutes
11. Meanwhile, take an immersion blender and blend everything in slow cooker to make the gravy

Enjoy! Thanks Nom Nom Paleo!

Kelsey

Vegan Carrot Almond Butter Soup

 

I can't remember where I found this recipe by Vegan Richa, but I'm so glad that I did! I subbed almond butter for peanut butter to make this Whole30 friendly, and it looked very strange, but I thought it was so delicious! Probably not something I'll make every week, but definitely a recipe to keep in my back pocket.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. avocado oil or coconut oil
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch of ginger, grated
• 1/2 c. chopped carrots
• 1/2 c. almond butter
• 1/2 c. tomato sauce
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 1/2 c. water or broth (veggie if you want vegan, or chicken/beef)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. Frank's hot sauce
• Dash of apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a skillet
2. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook for 5 minutes
3. Add carrots and cook for 1 minute
4. Add tomato sauce and almond butter and cook for 4 minutes
5. Add coconut milk, milk or broth, salt, red hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar
6. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes
7. Cool slightly
8. Blend with an immersion blender

I added roasted sweet potato and sausage (omit if you're keeping vegan).

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Garlic and Herb Roasted Shrimp

 

We have nine weddings upcoming this year (WHOA) so my parents will be taking care of our dog quite a lot. As a thank you, I like to cook them dinners. This dinner was special because the recipe comes from Ina Garten's book "Make it Ahead", which my Mom bought for me for Christmas. I made a few changes to make this Paleo and Whole30 friendly, but you can easily make adjustments to go the other way!

Ingredients:

•  1/2 c. ghee butter
• 2 tbsp. EVOO
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 lb. shrimp, wild caught, tail and shell removed and cleaned
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Melt butter over low heat in a medium saute pan
3. Add EVOO, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute
4. Turn the heat off
5. Zest half a lemon over butter
6. Put shrimp on a baking sheet
7. Pour butter over shrimp
8. Cut the half of lemon into 5 slices and tuck into shrimp
9. Roast for about 14 minutes
10. Juice the other half of the lemon over

I ate this over zoodles but my parents ate over noodles with Parmesan cheese.  

Enjoy! Thanks Ina!

Kelsey

Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

 

I found this recipe through the Whole30 page, which directed me to a page called Pretty in Paleo. This was so amazing! What I love about dishes like this is you can add anything you want, so it can be different every week. I also doubled this and made

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. mushrooms
• 2 links of sausage, pre-cooked
• 1 small onion, chopped
•  2 loose handfuls of spinach
• 1 large sweet potato
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. basil
• 1/2 tbsp. adobo seasoning
• S&P

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Heat coconut oil in skillet over medium heat until oil melts
3. Saute mushrooms, sausage, and onion until translucent
4. Add spinach and cook until wilted down
   
5. Grease a 9 inch pie platter
6. Layer with sweet potato slices (don't stress about these being perfect. I just used a really sharp knife to make even, thin layers)
7. Add the spinach mixture on top
   
8. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and top with basil and adobo seasoning
9. Pour on top
10. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
11. Bake for 20 minutes 
    

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Easiest Guacamole You'll Ever Make

 

Good guacamole is one of my favorite things to eat; however, bad guacamole is always so disgusting and disappointing. I also feel like it's stressful to make: constantly tasting and checking. Here is the best way I've found to make guac:

Ingredients:

• Fresh avocado
• Trader Joe's hot salsa (or a salsa you like)
• Fresh cilantro
• Salt

Directions:

1. Cut avocado open and cut flesh into cubes
2. Mash with salsa one spoonful at a time until you get the mix you want
3. Top with fresh cilantro and salt

No brainer right?! Enjoy!

Kelsey