Paleo Tacos

These are a no brainer, but I'm posting them so I won't forget this easy, Paleo friendly recipe! Plus the picture from "The Paleo Mom" website helps me remember all the ingredients I will need.
Note to self: Double the amount of taco meat you would normally make for traditional tacos! Using the lettuce leaves is not as filling as a corn shell and using this as your "meal" with no beans or rice on the side, will make you consume more of the taco meat! :)

Ingredients:

2lbs ground beef (or turkey if you prefer)
taco seasoning
romaine lettuce leaves
avocados for guacamole
black olives
chopped tomatoes
salsa

Directions:

1. Cook up your taco meat how you normally would--remembering to make a little extra!
2. Wash & tear up your lettuce leaves into "shells" (they're kind of like a boat for the fillings)
3. Make guacamole
4. Set out your toppings:  black olives, tomato, onion, salsa, etc.
5. Place all ingredients inside the lettuce wrap (aka, taco shell).

Very Paleo friendly, unless you sprinkle the tiniest bit of shredded cheese on top! But who would ever do that!?! :}

Skinny Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

I made this tonight using spaghetti squash as the pasta (follow this link to see exactly how to make spaghetti squash). This recipe uses greek yogurt to make the creamy sauce. This is now on my make frequently list!!

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked (you can grill these or bake them in the oven, that's how I cooked mine-seasoning with sea salt, garlic & drizzled in a little olive oil)
2 C broccoli florets (you can roast these in advance, I chose to steam mine, then sautéed them in a little butter seasoning with s&p, garlic, etc)
Spaghetti Squash (or any pasta you prefer)
Olive oil
Minced garlic
2 TBS flour
1 C chicken broth
1/4 C milk
1/4 C plain Greek yogurt
3/4 C parmesan cheese
s&p

Directions:

1. Make sure that you've cooked your chicken & broccoli to your liking before tossing this all together
2. Cook up your pasta and set it aside (I highly recommend the spaghetti squash!! Tonight was the first time I've tried making it, and I will definitely be making it again, soo easy & super healthy)
3. In a skillet add a little olive oil & garlic sauteeing over medium heat--then whisk in the flour, and then gradually the chicken broth. Add in the greek yogurt, milk, a little s&p.
4. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer, stirring gently until the mixture thickens. Stir in the 3/4C parmesan cheese.
5. Toss your chicken & broccoli into the sauce mixture and serve it over your pasta. Top with more parmesan if desired.
Delish!!

P.S.  I am creating a Paleo label...I'm trying to find more recipes that fit this bill! I would classify this Paleo for sure if you make it with spaghetti squash...the only "cheat" would be the small amount of dairy product used! :}

Oven Baked Tacos

Found this recipe on pinterest and have made it several times--we really enjoy it, so thought I'd share it here!

Ingredients:
1lb ground Beef
1 can refried beans
8oz can tomato sauce
diced onion
diced green chiles
taco seasoning
shredded cheese
(sour cream, lettuce, tomato, etc. for optional toppings)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In large skillet brown ground beef and onion
3. Add refried beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, green chiles to the pan and mix together
4. Spoon taco meat mixture into taco shells and place in 9x13" baking dish standing up
5. Sprinkle cheese over top of taco meat in each shell and place in oven
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and tacos are heated through.

Savory Sandwich Ring

I had a pampered chef party the other night & this was one of the things we made--it was so great, I had to make it again for my family today. I think this is now an expired pampered chef recipe b/c you can't find it on their website.  So thought I'd share it here. We tweaked the recipe just slightly from the original one anyway; cook it on their round stone if you have one.

Ingredients:
2 pkgs of Pillsbury Crusty French Loaf (this is near the canned biscuits in a long skinny tube--you'll need two containers of it)
Any type of butter spray
Italian seasoning
Garlic salt
1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (I used purple onion)
1/2 sliced black olives
1/3 lb thin sliced turkey deli meat
1/3 lb thin sliced ham deli meat
8 thin slices of hard salami deli meat
thinly sliced cheese (American, provolone, colby jack, etc.)
Italian Salad dressing

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place dough, seam side down on large round stone. Join the ends of the dough together to form one large ring.
2. Spritz the top of the dough ring with butter spray--sprinkle italian seasoning all over top--sprinkle garlic salt over top. Bake bread in oven for 26-30 minutes until deep golden brown.
3. Remove bread to a cooling rack or plate--using a serrated knife slice horizontally around the bread, forming two halves. Remove the top half & set it aside.
4. Using a pastry brush, brush both halves of the bread with the italian dressing.
5. Working around the ring, layer it with the meats, cheeses & vegetables of your choice. Top with the other half of the ring & slice individual sandwiches servings when done.

(Side note:  you can use whatever meats, cheese, veggies you like. At the party we used tomato, bell pepper, romaine lettuce, etc. But this second time that I made it I omitted the tomatoes & used avocado, purple onion, spinach...the options are endless. It's the awesome bread that makes this sandwich so tasty & the fact that it's kind of a hot sandwich since the bread is still warm from the oven.)

No Bake Energy Bites

These are a tasty little healthy snack with no baking involved!

Ingredients:
1/2 C Peanut Butter
2/3 C shredded coconut
1/2C chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 C oatmeal
1/2C milled flaxseed
1/3C honey

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl--roll together into a small little ball. Roll in a little extra coconut to coat the outside.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours! Done!

Vegetarian Enchilada Bake

Found this recipe on Taste of Home website (via Pinterest :) I tweaked original recipe slightly). Made it tonight and wished I had doubled it! This was healthy, easy & we loved it--I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients:
1 C shredded zucchini
1 finely chopped red bell pepper
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp olive oil
minced garlic
3/4C frozen corn
3/4C black beans (rinsed & drained)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cumin
3/4C salsa
fresh chopped cilantro
corn tortillas
shredded cheddar
sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, saute zucchini, bell pepper, & onion until soft. Add garlic & seasonings (use more or less of those seasonings to your liking). Add corn, beans, salsa, cilantro & mix together.
2. Place corn tortillas on the bottom of your baking dish (coated with cooking spray). Spread 2/3C vegetable mixture; sprinkle with cheese, repeat layers twice.
3. Bake, uncovered @ 350degrees for 20-25minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Let stand for 10minutes before serving.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I made this while we have been stuck inside this week with the flu and broken arm!  It was yummy!  The frozen egg noodles were the secret ingredient for me.  I actually bought a rot chicken at costco and took the chicken off and just boiled the bone leftovers to make the broth instead of the way she did it.  A definite make again!

Recipe website

• 1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
• 2 whole Carrots, Diced
• 2 stalks Celery, Diced
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper (more To Taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
• 16 ounces, weight Frozen "homemade" Egg Noodles
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

Preparation Instructions

Cover chicken in 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With two forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can, slightly shredding meat in the process. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes.

Remove bones from broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached.

Add the carrots and celery (and onions, if using) to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine and simmer for ten minutes to meld flavors.

Increase heat and add frozen egg noodles and chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Mix flour and a little water. Stir until smooth. Pour into soup, stir to combine, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until broth thickens a bit. Test and adjust seasonings as needed.