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Slower Cooker Pulled Pork (Carnitas)(Paleo, Primal, Gluten-Free)

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My family didn’t eat a lot of pork when I was growing up.  We stuck mainly with chicken, beef, and seafood.   We occasionally ate bacon when traveling on family vacations, but it wasn’t a part of our daily diet.

Once free of my parent’s clutches ;), and free of my fear of fat after embarking on health and lifestyle change upon learning about the Paleo diet, I got the green light to dive into bacon!

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Just kidding.  While I love bacon, I use it primarily as a flavor enhancer for roasted vegetables (check out my recipe here for roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes with bacon).  I’m sure, based on the name of my blog, you may imagine me sitting down with plates piled high with bacon.  Only in my dreams………..

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Sorry, I got distracted talking about bacon.  Where was I again?  Right, not having a lot of experience with cooking pork.  Well, I decided to get out of my comfort zone, and figured carnitas were the way to go!

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It was a good decision.  These carnitas are full of flavor, seasoned with bold Mexican spices like oregano, cumin and garlic.  In addition, the acidity from the orange juice and the lime juice along with the low and slow heating process using a slow cooker transform the pork into tender and delicious chunks of meat!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (Carnitas)

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

3 ½ – 4 pounds’ boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch chunks (visible fat trimmed)

2 large oranges, juiced (approximately 1 cup) (keep spent halves of one orange)

Zest from one orange

1 lime, juiced (approximately 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon pepper

t teaspoon paprika

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into quarters

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

Directions:

  1. Combine the oregano, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic and orange zest in a small bowl, stirring to combine.
  2. Coat the pork with the seasoning, and then place the pork in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
  3. Add the orange halves, the onion quarters and the two bay leaves to the slow cooker.
  4. Pour the orange juice, lime juice and water into the slow cooker.
  5. Cover the slower cooker, and cook the pork on low for approximately 8-10 hours (low and slow is the way to go!).
  6. Once the pork is cooked (you’ll know the pork is done when it shreds easily with a fork), turn the slow cooker off and remove the pork from the liquid, placing the pork into a large bowl.
  7. Shredded the pork into smaller pieces with two forks, and then its ready to serve.
  8. Use the pulled pork in your favorite taco shells, and top with your favorite toppings (e.g., pico, salsa, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, pico de gallo, etc.).

Inspired by Cook’s Illustrated Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas 

 


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Zucchini Noodles In a Thick and Creamy Peanut Sauce

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A couple of months ago some of the ladies from my gym got together for a potluck.  One of my friends brought shrimp and pork spring rolls with a peanut dipping sauce.  I’d never tasted peanut sauce before, and was pleasantly surprised by both the taste and texture of the sauce.  The dipping sauce gave me the inspiration for this dish, a creamy peanut sauce that’s both sweet and savory, tossed with steamed zucchini noodles and diced chicken sauteed in sesame oil.

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You’ll need to plan ahead when making this recipe.  The zucchini will need to be sliced into noodles.  I have one of the more popular vegetable slicers, the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer.  I used the blade of  the Paderno Vegetable Slicer with with 1/4-inch spacing to create the zucchini noodles for this recipe.  If you don’t have access to a vegetable spiralizer, you can use a julienne peeler to cut the noodles into strips, or try substituting the zucchini noodles with spaghetti squash, chopped cabbage (I know cabbage sounds weird, but it’s actually pretty tasty with this dish) or your other favorite noodle substitute.
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If you’ve ever cooked zucchini noodles and then added them to a dish, you’ve more than likely discovered that zucchini releases a lot of water when cooked, and the water causes any sauces that are a part of the dish to become watery.  One trick I’ve learned to reduce the amount of moisture involves tossing the (raw) zucchini noodles in salt, and then letting the excess moisture drain from the noodles for 35-45 minutes before cooking the noodles.  This initial step will allow you to experience the thick and creamy peanut sauce, as opposed to the peanut soup I ended up with several times while developing this recipe.
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Zucchini Noodles with diced Chicken in a Thick and Creamy Peanut Sauce

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

4 large zucchini, sliced using a 1/4 inch blade

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound chicken, diced into 1 inch chunks

¾ cup chopped cilantro (tightly packed)

4-6 scallions, thinly sliced

 

 

For the Peanut Sauce:

½ cup coconut aminos

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

juice of 1 small lime (approximately 3 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons chili paste

1 teaspoon minced ginger

 

Directions:

  1. Place the zucchini noodles in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the sea salt over the noodles and toss to coat.  Then pour the zucchini noodles into a large colander to drain.  Allow the excess liquid to drain from the zucchini noodles for 35-45 minutes (zucchini retains a large amount of moisture, and the salt helps release the moisture from the zucchini.  Skipping this step will result in the sauce becoming watery from the excess moisture in the zucchini noodles).
  2. While the zucchini noodles are draining, add all of the peanut sauce ingredients into a small sauce pan.
  3. Heat the sauce pan over medium-high heat, stirring the sauce occasionally, until the peanut sauce thickens (approximately 4-5 minutes), then remove the sauce pan from heat.
  4. Pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet.
  6. Add the diced chicken to the skillet and saute until the chicken is cooked  through (approximately 10-12 minutes).
  7. Once the zucchini noodles have finished draining, boil 1-2 inches of water in a large stock pot.
  8. Once the water has reached boiling, add a vegetable steamer basket to the stock pot, and then place the zucchini noodles in the steamer basket.  Cover the stock pot, and allow the zucchini noodles to cook for approximately 3 minutes.
  9. After three minutes, remove the large pot from heat and pour the zucchini noodles into a large colander to drain.
  10. Add the zucchini noodles, diced chicken, peanut sauce, cilantro and scallions into a large mixing bowl and toss to coat evenly.


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Creamy Chicken Fajita Spaghetti Squash Casserole (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Primal, Low-Carb)

Food critics rave over this dish, giving it two thumbs up!

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And by “food critics”, I mean a five year old boy.

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Food critic in action!

And by “two thumbs up”, I mean I think he thought it was okay.

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Mother and son working it out!

I invited some new members at my CrossFit gym over to dinner at my home a couple of weeks ago to test out a variation of this recipe.  They brought along their five year old son.  At first he refused to even taste the dish.  After some encouragement from his mom, he agreed to try a small serving.  I braced myself for his reaction.

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After a couple of bites, he looked at me and said, “I like macaroni and cheese.  This tastes kinda like macaroni and cheese.”  To seal the deal, he asked for a second helping.

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Since it’s received a 5 year old’s blessing, you know it has to be good.  Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Fajita Spaghetti Squash Casserole (Paleo-Friendly option below)

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

  • large spaghetti squash (1 1/4 to 1 3/4 lbs)
  • 2 pounds chicken tenders
  • 16 ounces chunky salsa
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking (can substitute butter, avocado oil or other preferred cooking oil)

Fajita Seasoning:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds from the center of each half of the spaghetti squash.*
  4. Place the spaghetti squash cut side down on the lined baking sheet, and bake in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes until tender (you’ll know the squash is done if you can pierce the spaghetti squash noodles easily with a fork).
  5. Once the spaghetti squash has cooked, take it out of the oven, flip the halves over and let the squash cool.
  6. Once the spaghetti squash has cooled enough to handle, use a fork to scrap the squash noodles into a large mixing bowl.
  7. While the spaghetti squash is cooling, mix together the fajita seasoning.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning mix.
  8. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive to the skillet.
  9. Add the chicken tenders to the heated skillet, then add the fajita seasoning mix (reserve 1 tablespoon of the fajita seasoning mix for later use).
  10. Sauté the chicken in the large skillet over medium high heat until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.  Once the chicken has cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside, allowing the chicken to cool slightly.  Once the chicken has cooled, chop the chicken tenders into 1/2 – 1 inches pieces.
  11. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once the skillet is heated through, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  12. Add the sliced peppers and onions to the heated skillet, then add the remaining tablespoon of fajita seasoning mix.
  13. Sauté the vegetables over medium high heat until softened, 10 to 12 minutes.  Once the veggies are done, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to allow the veggies to cool slightly.
  14. Preheat the oven to 350.
  15. While the oven is preheating, in a medium size bowl, mix together the cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, salsa and sour cream.
  16. Add the chicken and veggies to the spaghetti squash in the large mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Then add the sour cream, cheese and salsa mixture and stir to combine.
  17. pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan.
  18. Place the baking pan in the middle of the oven, and bake until heated through, approximately 40-45 minutes.
  19. Once the casserole is done, take out of the oven, serve and enjoy!

Notes:

  •  Quick tip, to make the spaghetti squash easier to cut, microwave for 1-2 minutes to soften the shell before attempting to slice.
  • To make the recipe Paleo friendly, omit the dairy (the cheese and sour cream). Starting at Step 16, once you have mixed the chicken, veggies, spaghetti squash and salsa together, add in 4 large eggs (beaten) and stir until combined.  Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Place the baking pan in the middle of the oven, and bake until heated through and the egg is no longer runny, 65-75 minutes.  Once the casserole is done, take out of the oven, serve and enjoy!


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Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Roasted Sweet Potato Frittata with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Gruyere Cheese (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo Friendly)

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I made the BEST QUICHE EVER.  The flavor profile included a combination of sweetness from maple vinegar (that I purchased from a local olive oil specialty store), along with the salty deliciousness that only bacon can provide.  The addition of an onion caramelized in butter and maple vinegar along with copious amounts of Gruyere cheese took the quiche to the next level.  The first bite of quiche was a taste explosion in my mouth.  I was in heaven.  I made the quiche for a monthly potluck with the women from my CrossFit gym.  The ladies loved it, and one of my friend’s Becky texted me later on that night after I got home to  tell me it was hands down the  best quiche she had ever tasted.

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I should be happy about this, right?  I make an amazing quiche that everyone loves.  What could be wrong?  Well, I didn’t write down the modifications I made to the original quiche recipe I adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen, and therefore couldn’t remember the exact steps I made to create the quiche.  I went to recreate the quiche the next week, but after the first bite I noticed that it didn’t have the same flavor.  I MADE THE PERFECT QUICHE AND COULDN’T REMEMBER HOW TO RECREATE IT.  I was absolutely horrified.  What had I done?  After I finished my dramatic hysterics, I calmed down and got to work attempting to recreate the quiche recipe.  The result is this recipe, which I am happy to share with you below.

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Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Roasted Sweet Potato Frittata with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Gruyere Cheese

Recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

  • one medium purple sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/4 inch cubes
  • one medium regular sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 6-9 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large-sized bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, two tablespoons balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, Italian seasoning and toss to coat.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Pour the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet into a single layer, and place in the oven.  Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, removing the sweet potatoes half way through to stir.
  5. Once the sweet potatoes have finished roasting, remove them from the oven and set aside.
  6. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-heat.  Add the onions to the preheated skillet, and stir until the slices are evenly coated with the butter.  Continue to stir regularly for 5 to 10 minutes until the onion slices begin to soften.
  7. Once the onion slices have softened, turn the heat to low, and continue to cook the onions, stirring every few minutes.  The onions will begin to brown and caramelize in about 35 to 45 minutes.
  8. After the onions have finished caramelizing, stir in 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and continue cooking the onions for 3-5 more minutes before removing the skillet from the heat.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  10. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  11. Mix together the roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and bacon crumbles.
  12. In a 9 inch pie dish, layer half the sweet potato/onion/bacon mixture.  Then layer on 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
  13. Repeat the layer with the remaining half of the sweet potato/onion/bacon mixture and then the remaining 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
  14. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pie pan over the pie filling.
  15. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper, and place the pie dish on the lined baking sheet.
  16. Place the dish in the middle of the oven, and bake until set, approximately 45-50 minutes.
  17. Once the frittata it is done, take out of the oven and let set for 15-20 minutes before slicing .


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Chestnut Flour Tortillas (Paleo friendly, Gluten-free, Grain-free)

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This recipe involves chestnut flour, which isn’t commonly used, even in gluten-free baking.  Chestnut flour is made from chestnuts that have been dried, the outer peel removed and then ground.  The result is a very fine powder that looks gray-tan in color.  Chestnut flour is typically imported from France or Italy.  Chestnut flour has a sweet flavor, and is commonly used in a variety of Italian dessert recipes.  It’s also used to make pasta, breads, and other savory dishes.

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I first learned about chestnut flour when I saw a post for a Paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe from James Trenda on Instagram.  The cookies looked drool worthy, and I was excited to try out a new gluten-free chocolate chip recipe that had promising results.  I wasn’t able to locate chestnut flour in any local stores, but Amazon carries the flour online.  The cost for chestnut flour is somewhat pricey, but I decided to bite the bullet and get it.  Thankfully, the results were worth it.  The cookies were completely out of this world, and my friends (both Paleo and gluten-loving) gave them a big thumbs up!

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I had leftover chestnut flour after making the chocolate chip cookie recipe, and decided to experiment with the flour in other types of baking.  My first experiment involved making gluten-free tortillas, and now I get to share the results with you guys!

Enjoy and as always, please share your results in the comments below.

Chestnut Flour Tortillas

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats Flour Tortilla recipe.

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups chestnut flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 3/4 cup cold water
  • 1/4 cup organic vegetable shortening (can use butter or lard to make Paleo friendly )
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the chestnut flour, tapioca flour and salt.
  2. Add in vegetable shortening, and using a fork press the shortening into the flour (flour will be somewhat crumbly, make sure no large chunks of shortening remain).
  3. Add water to the bowl, and mix until the dough is smooth and sticks together (If the dough is too wet, add more chestnut flour.  If the dough is too dry, add water, one teaspoon at a time until the dough reaches the right consistency).
  4. Lightly sprinkle a clean surface with chestnut flour, and knead the dough for approximately 1 minute.
  5. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  6. After the dough has rested, shape the dough into 8-10 balls (depending on how big you want them), and place the balls back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel so that the dough retains its moisture.
  7. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat.
  8. While the skillet is heating up, flatten a ball of dough using a tortilla press (if you don’t have a tortilla press, place the dough in between two pieces of parchment paper and flatten using a rolling pin).
  9. Once the skillet is heated, place the flatten dough into the skillet until bubbles begin forming and bottom begins to slightly brown, approximately 45 to 60 seconds.
  10. Flip the tortilla over and cook an additional 30-45 seconds. Then remove the tortilla from the heat.
  11. Repeat steps 8 through 10 to cook the remaining tortillas.

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Apple Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Pecans

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This recipe for Apple Cinnamon Raisin bread is sooooooo flavorful and moist, packed full of cinnamon, vanilla, shredded apples, raisins and pecans!  With the change in season just around the corner, this would be a perfect treat on a fall day, especially with a cup of hot cocoa.

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I’ve got to give a big shout out to the ladies at my office, who made the ultimate sacrifice in testing each batch of this recipe as I worked on getting it just right before sharing with you guys!  It was a group effort as each version got closer and closer to the texture and flavor I wanted.  Thankfully, the ladies at my office were willing to step up to the plate and give their feedback on each batch of bread I brought for testing.  Oh the sacrifice! 😉  Version four of the recipe finally yielded the texture and flavor I was looking for, and now I get to share the recipe with all of you!

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I love reading your feedback about the recipes you try, so please leave me a comment below sharing your thoughts!

Apple Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Pecans*

Servings: 8-12

Ingredients:

  • 1 and 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 3/4 cup apple sauce
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 large apple, peeled and cored
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • butter or coconut oil to grease the baking pan

Streusel topping

  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch bread pan with butter or coconut oil.  Then, line the bottom of the greased pan with parchment paper.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine with almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce and vanilla extra.  Then add in the melted butter and stir to combine.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until the mixture is fully incorporated.
  6. Grate the apple using either a hand held grater or the grating attachment on a food processor.  Once the apple has been grated, squeeze out all excess moisture and add the grated apple to the bread batter.
  7. Add raisins and pecans to the bread batter and mix to fully combine.
  8. Pour the bread batter into the greased and lined bread pan and place in the preheated oven.  Bake the bread or 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
  9. Once the bread has finished baking, remove from the oven and set aside to cool on the counter for at least 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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*To make this bread into muffins, use a muffin pan and fill each well approximately half way.  Then sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter.  Bake for 25-30 minutes  until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.  The batter makes 14-16 muffins.


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Orange Honey “Soy” Chicken

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I love lifting heavy things.  Picking up a heavy dumbbell or barbell in the gym gives me a sense of accomplishment.  This love didn’t until later on in my life.  Before I started CrossFit, I was a gym bunny, taking 7-9 exercise classes a week including zumba, Krav Maga, body pump, spinning, kickboxing, step aerobics and boot camp classes.  I really enjoyed the body pump classes (an hour long strength training class focusing on different body parts for 2-3 minutes using light dumbbells and barbells), but never felt like I was getting any stronger.

I joined CrossFit back in 2011 after I moved to Oklahoma, nervous and excited but ready for a new challenge.  Fast forward over 3 years later, and know I can’t imagine a week without picking heavy things up and putting them back down.  Back squats are my all time favorite strength training movement, with front squats a close second (and dead lifts dead last on that list.  Get it?  Deadlifts?  dead last?  Okay, stop groaning, did you at least crack a smile?).

It’s also a sense of accomplishment when my strength gains at the gym show up in other areas of my life.  Telling the checkout lady at the grocery store that she can overload my bags, and then carrying all of my shopping bags from the car to the house in one trip?  Score!  Being able to move heavy objects in my house without having to call someone for help?  Yes thank you!  Lifting heavier than the guys at my gym?  Don’t mind if I do 😉

It’s also great to hang out with other women (and men) who are care about lifting heavy too!  The sense of camaraderie at gym is great, and sometimes I get just as excited about watching my friends reach their strength training goals as I do when I reach my own.

These same friends help me taste test recipes for the blog, and my taste testers have given these Orange Honey “Soy” Chicken thighs two thumbs up!

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The marinade for this chicken is a balance of sweetness from the honey and saltiness from the coconut aminos (the “soy” part of the recipe) and salt.  The addition of fresh grated ginger and minced garlic add a level of flavor that is sure to please your taste buds.

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Enjoy!  I love reading your reviews of the recipe after you’ve tried it.  Please leave a comment below sharing your results.

Orange Honey “Soy” Chicken

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 – 3 pounds of chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (approximately 4 large cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients except for the chicken in a medium size bowl, and stir to combine.
  2. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable bag.
  3. Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken thighs to coat and then seal the bag tightly (making sure to remove as much of the air from the bag as possible before sealing).
  4. Refrigerate the marinated chicken thighs for 4-6 hours (can refrigerate overnight).
  5. To cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  6. using a 9 x 13 baking dish, place the chicken thighs skin side down in the dish (make sure to remove excess marinade from the chicken thighs before placing in the baking dish).
  7. Bake the chicken thighs in the oven for 20 minutes.
  8. After 20 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, flip over so that the skin side is up, and place back in the oven.
  9. Continue cooking until chicken thighs are done, approximately 25-30 more minutes (bake until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is approximately 185 degrees).

Inspired by the Honey Soy Baked Chicken Thighs recipe from She Wears Many Hats


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Sweet Potato and Parsnips Fritters with Bacon and Green Onions

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I invited my friends Clint and Shay over to my house for dinner a couple of weeks ago.  I met them several months ago at my local CrossFit Gym, CrossFit 405. Shay is a regular at the gym and Clint is one of the coaches on staff.  They had never been to my house for a meal before, so my goal was to make a lasting first impression.   And I did make a lasting impression that evening, but not for the reason you may think……

As it turns out my A/C stopped working that weekend, leaving my house at a sweltering 90 degrees.  I had called the utility company earlier that weekend, and they walked me through adjusting my thermostat to the right setting.  Thinking I had fixed the problem, I eagerly waited for the house to become cooler.  As it turns out, the A/C wasn’t even hooked up to the thermostat, and the problem was still glaringly apparent as I meal prepped for the week and made dinner for my guests. With my kitchen blistering hot from my all day cooking fest, and no air circulation in my house, my house was like a sauna by the time my friends had arrived.

Clint and Shay were really good sports about the entire evening, and we made do with a picnic style meal in my living room (the coolest room in my house).

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Dinner was somewhat bearable thanks to the mini fan they brought with them, but suffice to say they didn’t stay to long 😉 Wanting to make it up to them, I invited them over the next week for another meal.  With the luxury of a working A/C, we were able to have a much better evening.  Even better, these sweet potato and parsnip fritters were the star of the show!

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Clint and Shay loved the taste and texture of these fritters, reminding them somewhat of hash browns.  Plus I added bacon and cheese (optional) to the recipe, so how could it be anything but amazing?

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I’ve been working several months to get this recipe just the way I want it, so I’m very excited that I have the opportunity to finally share it with you guys.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Parsnip Fritters with Bacon and Green Onions

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
  • 2 cups parsnips, peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 4 slices bacon, fried and broken into crumbs
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 4-6 tablespoons cooking fat for frying (i.e. bacon, lard, tallow, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter, etc.)
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (approximately 4 large cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl, and stir until fully incorporated.
  2. Line a large baking tray with paper towels.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons cooking fat to a large skillet and place the skillet over medium heat.
  4. Once the cooking fat has heated, place heaping scoops of the vegetable mixture (approximately 1/4 cup for each scoop) into the skillet.  Flatten the vegetable mixture down with a fork into rounds making sure that the ingredients are evenly distributed and that the fritters in the pan are not crowded.  Cook the fritters for 3 to 4 minutes on one side until browned.  Once browned, flip the fritters over and cook another 3-4 minutes.
  5. Once the fritters have cooked, remove them from the skillet and place on the paper towels to drain.  Repeat this process with the remaining vegetable mixture, using additional cooking fat as necessary to cook the fritters.


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Roasted Chicken in a Bundt Pan

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Have you ever decided to spend just a couple of minutes on instagram before bed, and then somehow you are led down a rabbit hole of pictures and then realized it’s been 45 minutes and you’re staring at some weird pictures from a friend of a friend, and wonder what in the heck your friends are into?  And it’s way past your bedtime?  And you can’t unseen what you’ve just seen?  Darn you instagram, darn you!  Okay, I digress.  Anyways, if you’ve never experienced that, you’ve got much more self-control than I, and I applaud you for your efforts.  By the way, I’m working on weaning myself off of social media, especially before I start winding down in the evening and getting ready to go to sleep.  However, as a blogger, amateur photographer and social media coordinator for my gym, it’s proving to be somewhat difficult.

In addition to following my friends, fellow food bloggers, CrossFit related pages, manbunmonday (just look it up, trust me ladies you’ll thank me), and fashion, I also follow some more mainstream instagram pages like Food and Wine.  I love their pictures and short cooking video tips.  One of their more recent videos was a tutorial on how to roast chicken in a bundt pan.  After watching the video, I wondered how I had never heard of this cooking technique before.  I immediately set out to try it, and discovered that it’s a total game changer.  Now I’m excited to share this method for roasting chicken with you.

I’m sure some of you are wondering what could possibly be a benefit to roasting chicken in a tool meant for baking angel food cake?  Well, I’m here to rock your world.  Okay, may not exactly rock your world, but at least offset your center of balance with a slight breeze.

Roasting chicken in a bundt pan allows the skin to get crispy on all sides, leaving you with a crispy flaky skin on the outside and moist and tender meat on the inside.  Adding vegetables to the bundt pan makes this a one pot meal that’s easy to prep and cook.

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This chicken has gotten rave reviews, and people are pleasantly surprised by the text and flavor.  I’d love for you guys to try it out.  It may be become your new favorite way of roasting chicken.  I’d love to hear your experience in using this technique.  Please leave your results in the comments below!

Roasted Chicken in a Bundt Pan

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 – 4 pound whole chicken, neck and giblets removed
  • 1 – 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons cooking fat (i.e., olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (approximately 5 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place the chicken on a paper lined plate and allow the chicken to come to room temperature, approximately 1 hour (this helps the chicken to cook evenly, and also helps the skin get even more crispy).
  3. 15 minutes before the chicken is ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the thyme, oregano, basil, black pepper, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (reserving 1/2 teaspoon salt), 3/4 teaspoon black pepper (reserving 1/4 teaspoon black pepper) minced garlic and cooking fat to form a smooth paste.
  5. In a medium size bowl add the quartered new potatoes and the roughly chopped onion.  Add 1 tablespoon of cooking fat, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the bowl and toss the vegetables to coat.
  6. Rub the spice paste all over the front and back of the chicken and underneath the skin as well, making sure that the entire chicken is fully coated.
  7. Cut the lemon in half and place the halves into the bird cavity.
  8. Place a bundt pan next to the chicken.  Take a sheet of foil, fold it in half, and cover the hole in the center of the bundt pan with the foil so that the juices from the bird don’t drip through the hole while the chicken is roasting in the oven.
  9. Here is where you have two options.  If you have a larger bundt pan, evenly distribute the vegetables in the bottom of the bundt pan.  Then place the chicken on top in the center of the bundt pan, making sure that the foil covering the center stays in place.  If you have a smaller bundt pan, place the chicken over the center of the bundt pan, with the chicken cavity over the middle piece so that the chicken is anchored.  Then evenly distribute the potatoes and onions around the bird.  Since a smaller bundt pan means a shorter center, you’ll need to place the chicken in the bundt pan before the vegetables or you may have difficulty keeping the bird upright.
  10. Place the bundt pan with the chicken in the oven, and roast for 75-90 minutes until the chicken is done (the chicken is done when the breast reaches and internal temperature of about 165 degrees  and the thighs reach an internal temperature of about 180 degrees).
  11. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for several minutes before cutting into it.  Serve the roasted chicken with the potatoes and onions.


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Paleo f(x) 2015 – recap

I had a blast at Paleo f(x) 2015, held this year in Austin at the Palmer Events Center April 24-26.  This was my third year attending the conference, and every year the conference keeps getting bigger and better.  I was excited to see what new events and talks they would be offering the attendees. This year, the conference actually tripled in size from the previous year, and took up the entire building.  There were tons of who’s who in the Paleo/Primal world.  Big names attending the conference included Mark Sisson, Robb Wolf, Nora Gedgaudas, Kris Kresser and Diane Sanfilippo.

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Me and Mark Sisson!

 I was able to attend a panel with Abel James, Mark Sisson and Robb Wolf, and they talked about some of the things we’ve gotten wrong and some of the things we’ve gotten right within the Paleo/Primal/clean eating movement over the past several years.

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It was refreshing to hear them talk candidly about their thoughts and experiences, and hearing how these Paleo/Primal leaders believe this lifestyle will progress over the next several years. In additions to panel discussions, there were also several cooking demonstrations.  I watched a bone broth soup demonstration with Stacy Toth and Matthew McCarry, the blogging power couple behind Paleo Parents.

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I follow Stacy’s instagram feed, and she regularly posts about the bone broth soup her husband makes her for breakfast.  It was fun and eye opening to hear the behind scenes of how the soup is  made, along with tips and advice more making great broth.

There were several vendors at the conference offering products I hadn’t tried yet.  I feel in love with the almond flour tortillas from Must B Nutty, but by the time I swung by their booth on Sunday, they had completely sold out of their tortillas!  Thankfully you can order them online, but I was disappointed they didn’t have any more available at the conference.

I also purchased several flavors of almond coconut butter from Yo Fresh Naturals.  These coconut/nut butters are out of this world delicious, and I can’t wait to try them with fruit or on pancakes or waffles (I purchased the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cashew/Coconut Butter and the White Chocolate Cashew/Coconut Butter).

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One of my favorite Kombucha makers, Kosmic Kombucha, also had a vendor booth at Paleo f(x).  They are a company based out of Austin, and unfortunately their Kombucha hasn’t reached the Oklahoma market quite yet (crossing my fingers it happens soon!).

For those of you who don’t know what Kombucha is, it’s a fermented tea drink with a variety of health benefits.  It’s got a sweet and tangy taste, which flavor and sweetness varies greatly depending on the brand.  Many brands of Kombucha have a somewhat sour and unpleasant aftertaste.  While I may not care about swilling a bottle of medicine with an unpleasant taste, since store bought Kombucha isn’t exactly cheap, I want to enjoy the flavor of my drink while reaping the health benefits. Thankfully, Kosmic Kombucha does not disappoint!

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I purchased several bottles from the vendor at the conference, and also swung by multiple Whole Foods stores in Austin several times for a quick Kosmic Kombucha fix.  On the last day of the conference, I managed to snag a huge bottle of Kombucha, floating away from the conference on a Kosmic Kombucha high!

While waiting to register for the first day of Paleo f(x) 2015, I meet Jess Millsap, the blogger behind Crunchy Hot Mama. We introduced ourselves, struck up a conversation while waiting in line, and ended up hanging out several times throughout the weekend.  She was great to hang out with, with a relaxed and easy going personality, and I think she was (and is) pretty awesome to handle my brand of crazy.  Jess introduced me to two more bloggers,  Emily Butler, an Australian native now living in New York and blogging at the Lazy Paleo and Katy, the blogger behind Katy Health Coach.

Austin has a great food scene, and I was able to check out some really great places.  I had lunch with Jess, Emily and another conference attendee Elida at 24 Dinner:

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A trip to Austin isn’t complete without a trip to Lick, a South Austin ice cream shop that sells amazing ice cream made from local grass-fed dairy and local ingredients.  The ice cream is out of this world, and the long line is totally worth it.

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I also swung by Picnik, Austin’s first Paleo Cafe!  They sell goodies like butter coffees, bone broth, grab-and-go healthy lunches, and gluten-free and grain-free Paleo friendly treats.

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I lived in Austin while attending grad school several years ago, and stayed with several friends who still live there.  I even managed to cook one meal during that weekend for my friend Allen, smashed baby new potatoes, bacon and eggs scrambled with zucchini and onion and topped with Manchego cheese.

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Allen gave the meal raved reviews, and swore up and down he liked his bacon crispy and burnt (I think Allen was pretty hungry, since he hadn’t eaten all morning, but I’m going to take his word on that 😉 ).

I had so much fun at this year’s Paleo f(x), that I have already signed up for Paleo f(x) 2016.  I know it’s going to be bigger and better, and I can’t wait to see what the organizers have in store for attendees.