The BEST meatballs EVER. It's just extra super awesome they are Paleo. {Chicken & Spinach Meatballs and some Paleo Treats}

Chicken & Spinach Paleo Meatballs

Happy Wednesday!  Well, down another 3 as of Monday's weigh in.... that's 11 total.  Not too shabby.  Better than a poke in the eye.  Not sure where I'll head after Thursday when the 18 Day Challenge is up but whatever we do I've made some delicious discoveries that I'm not giving up....



Paleo Krunch
by Steve's Paleo

Grainless Granola
by Steve's Paleo. 
OMG delicious and Paleo!
That with a little almond milk
and I'm good for the morning. 

 

Rao's Homemade....

this is the best

jarred marinara

I've ever had

and yup.

All natural.

All Paleo.

Dates rolled in Coconut.  It's a flippin' Paleo candy bar.  I bought in the bulk section of my health food store.  YUM.



Chicken & Spinach Meatballs

But the BESTEST discovery is these meatballs.  Thanks to my PPC [Paleo Partner in Crime] Debra for developing these..... huge hit and I live amongst some serious spinach haters.

CHICKEN & SPINACH MEATBALLS

what you need:
3 slices of Paleo coconut bread
3 pounds ground chicken
2 eggs
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well
1 TBSP worcestershire
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano 

what you do:
Process the coconut bread in the food processor to create bread crumbs instead of using regular bread crumbs; then mix everything together in a bowl [use your hands there's no other way. 
I formed into 30 healthy sized meatballs and put on a jelly roll tray covered in parchment. 
Once they were done I generously sprinkled them with Dancer Dust, which is a spice mix I get from a local restaurant but you could sprinkle with whatever taste you are in LOVE with.
Then bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350 F.

I served over Rao's Marinara and a pinch of Parmesan.... SO. GOOD. 

NOTE: I made lots so as to have some left over for lunch [3 or 4 was a nice serving] and boy was I glad.

Last weigh in Friday a.m. I'll let you know [I'd say cross your fingers but there is no luck involved I've decided]!

Let's Celebrate with some Brisket!

Comic from Menopause Maniac

NO CRYING AT CHEZ WEBB!

8.... yes, EIGHT. Ocho. Huit. Acht. Otto. 形. Pounds LOST!

WOOT WOOT!

Not sure if it's the 100% no cheat Paleo week or the 31 miles I walked over the last 7 days but I'll take it! 

David too and he's Crossfitting so the 8 is really huge because the muscle developement always slows the weightloss.... best part is he stopped sniveling for a cheat day :) He likes the number 8!

13 days left in our committment to 100% Paleo.... can't wait to see what the end game is now that we've purged the top layer of sludge from our bodies.

Braised Beef Brisket with
Czar Heidi Salad

Let's Celebrate Paleo Style.

Want some Brisket?  Super Yummy.  Super Simple.  Even a Caveman could do it.... LOL.  Sorry.

What you need:
1 large flat beef brisket
2 tbsp kosher salt,
2 tbsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp onion powder
3 tbsp olive oil
1 & 1/2 cups beef stock
1 & 1/2 beer of your choice [whatever you like because you need to drink the other half!]****





Braised Beef Brisket

What you do:
Remove the brisket from the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking and rub it down with the Salt, garlic & onion powder.

Ready to cook? preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat your pan [I used my large Le Creuset Enamel Dutch Oven] with olive oil and wait a minute. Place seasoned brisket, fat side down, in pan and sear on both sides until deep brown, approximately 10 minutes total.

Add beer and beef stock and bring to a boil over high heat [liquid should come just to the top of brisket; add more stock if needed]. Cover pan tightly and braise in oven for 4 hours.

It will be fall apart fabulous.  ENJOY!

****NOTE:  We ALL know that beer is so NOT Paleo.... use all stock if you don't want that minor infraction I was willing to live with it although I did not drink and donated that other half of a beer to the pot :)


 

Crap What's for Dinner? {Kitchen Sink Chicken Soup Paleo Style}

Bike Week at Iron Horse

It's been one of those weeks.

It's Bike Week here in Daytona/Ormond and that means everything is a chore, the congestion is just crazy.  Add a half a Million bikers to a relatively small town and BOOM!  We all try to put our best smiles on and deal but 10 days is a long time to have a big party happening in your world.... a world that still has work, soccer practice, basketball practice, dentist appointments..... you get the idea. 

But the reason we smile is it is a huge influx into our local economy on all levels.... even our little scouts make a piece of that pie.  Yup, my eleven year old gets an eyeful every night I'm sure as his Troop runs a bike parking lot next to the world famous Iron Horse Saloon. 
Sounds like a weird thing for them to do but they make enough money to support every scout going to summer camp[s] and then some.  It's a very generous thing that the Kangaroo Gas Station allows them to use their property.  And so my little man is a bike parking lot attendant.  Which means his Dad is with him.  Which means our entire house is upside down trying to stay on a diet, get everyone where they need to be....

I know, I know, SUCK IT UP.



Kitchen Sink Chicken Soup Paleo Style

& I generally do....
because from chaos
comes great things....
like this recipe for Paleo
Kitchen Sink Chicken Soup...

Note: this recipe made a vat... dinner for 6, plus a bowl delivered to a sick friend Plus leftovers for lunch for at least 5 servings.  Cut in half for a family of 4.

The only "required" ingredients:
3- 48 ounce Chicken Broth
1 & 1/2 TBSP Herbs de Provence
2 stalks of celery whole
1/2 medium onion chopped
kosher salt to taste [I used 1 tsp]

Add-ins:
4 chicken breasts
12 turkey mini-meatballs, quartered
4-5 mushrooms sliced
big handful green beans ends trimmed, cut in half
big handful wax beans ends trimmed, cut in half
3 carrots chopped
1 red pepper chopped
2 big handfuls spinach, stem and all
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

What you Do:
Bring broth to a boil with breasts in it and reduce to low and simmer 20 minutes.  Remove breasts to a cutting board to cool slightly. Skim the pot to remove the chicken gunk.... lol, not sure what the term is for that white stuff that remains once you boil chicken.  I actually use a mesh strainer to clear the broth instead of just a spoon.  Works really well.

Add everything else to the pot and resume a boil, boil for a couple minutes before returning to a simmer.  Cut chicken into bite size pieces and return to pot.  Allow to simmer while you take a 1.69 mile brisk walk or 45 minutes.... whichever you prefer :)

Remove the celery stalks and discard and enjoy!

Note:  I think the celery is very important to the chicken soup taste but my family doesn't really like to eat the cooked celery so leaving it whole makes it easy to fish out, we get the awesome sweet flavor it gives the broth without eating braised celery.... you could chop and leave in :)

Remember LOOK TWICE! [sorry, a  Bike Week thing]

 

Best Baked Chicken You Will Ever Have {Paleo Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs with Shallots & Garlic and a Lovely Czar Heidi Salad}

Baked Chicken Thighs with Shallots & Garlic

I found this simple dinner fix while scouring the net for Paleo recipes on a site called Food Lovers Kitchen.... it was so flavorful, best baked chicken I've ever had. Seriously. Even Evil-Chicken-Hater-Old-Guy had a second piece....


Baked Chicken Thighs with Shallots & Garlic

What you Need [serves 6]:
1  Shallot, peeled and sliced paper thin
3 clove Garlic, crushed into a paste
8 Chicken Thighs, bone-in, skin-on
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste

 
What You Do:
Preheat oven to bake at 425°F;
Rinse chicken thighs and place on a broiler pan;
Pat thighs dry with a paper towel;
Using your finger gently separate skin from thigh to create a pocket on top [be careful not to remove it completely from the corners];
Place shallots and garlic I used a butter knife to "spread" the garlic under the skin;
Sprinkle the skin with sea salt and fresh ground pepper;
Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until juices run clear.

I served with my version of a Caesar salad [sans croutons] which is at the bottom of THIS POST called the Czar Heidi Salad.

Bon Appetit!

 

Always Buy Weird Things.... You Just Never Know [Paleo Chayote and Beef Soup]

Chayote Squash

During last week's grocery shopping trip I saw these little squash called Chayote.... they were 2 for $1.49 so I decided to grab a couple.  I love doing that.  I then come home and google to find out what I have.  It's a fun little surprise! So, at Specialty Produce online found a bunch of nifty info about the Chayote and some links including one to Eating Out Loud which had a non-Paleo yummy looking soup..... I edited as necessary and came up with a most yummy Paleo Chayote and Beef soup.

What you need:

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 lb. cubed beef
2 medium tomatoes quartered
2 chayote, large dice - skin on
1 small onion, chopped

3-4 Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

handful of baby carrots chopped

handful of spinach, de-stemmed
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 tsp. ground pepper

 

Paleo Chayote & Beef Soup

 

What You Do:

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add oil.  

Sprinkle beef with ground black pepper. 

Place into pot and brown on all sides. 

While meat is cooking, add bay leaf and the whole tomatoes. 

Once meat browned, approximately 5 minutes

add everything else. 

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer

and cook at least 1 hour until veggies tender.

ENJOY!

p.s. This made a big pot..... l

unch for the week

a/k/a a good 6-8 servings.

You're Doing What??? The Paleo Grasshopper



This is Non-Paleo Heidi,
not necessarily an unhappy girl LOL

 

Hello and HAPPY MONDAY... and not so happy Daylight Savings time!  Just wanted to check in because even though I've not been sharing all the yummy food I've been eating I'm still here.  I think the problem is that I've eating too much and therefore have no time to post. sigh.

 

So what've I been doing of late?  Well, scroll back a bit and....  In September David & I started a weight loss journey, I was over 200 lbs!  EEK.  We decided enough was enough we were killing ourselves, so, no fancy diet just trying to clean up our act and get moving again.  We did great.  I lost 24 pounds in those first few months. 

 

Then the holidays hit..... put 9 back on.  sigh. But not all is lost, after the new year got back on it thanks to a Family Biggest Loser Challenge [which we did not "win"] I lost that 9 again and a few more.  But with the end of the challenge and Girl Scout Cookie Season..... well,  let's just say, it's not pretty.   We decided need something more defined to get us rolling again and a few years ago we had some success with the Paleo diet.  Fast Forward.... we are going Caveman.  My recall of our last Paleo Challenge is the biggest benefit was feeling better and stronger because it cleansed your body of all the "crap" we consume and after 2 weeks of binging on Girl Scout Cookies I need a little cleansing!

 

What is Paleo? I'm no expert but it's also called the Caveman Diet.... I always think to myself: "Did this exist for a caveman?" if not probably NOT OK to eat! This little chart sums it up best, I found it unattributed but I think it originated with Rob Wolff who is Mr. Paleo.   So, this is all fascinating I know but why am I here? Well, if I have great success you will surely want to know and I'm certain we will have great success so I'm looping you early.  Also, I'm hoping to share a few yummy recipes along the way too and didn't want you to be like WTF is Paleo and why is Young Grasshopper posting Paleo instead of yummy cocktails?!?!  That said, I also don't want to torture you all unnecessarily if you are not interested in this divergence of mine so  but have set up a group on Facebook:  The Paleo Grasshopper if you are wanting to see EVERYTHING we eat and what our successes are on the side street as they happen....

 

Now you are all caught up and we are all weighed in and ready to go, see you soon!