Italian Beef Ragu over Kale

Italian food has amazing flavor, however, the use of pasta as the main ingredient prevents it from being on a Paleo menu. Don't give up on Italian just yet. You can still recreate the delicious tastes of  Italian without pasta in a variety of Paleo dishes. Sliced grass fed beef simmered in sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian spices served over Kale is enough to make you forget about the dough shaped bow ties of previous Italian fare.

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds grass feed beef (London broil) cut into cubes
1 (14.5 oz) can all natural petite diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can no salt added all natural tomato sauce
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes not in oil or preservatives (Trader Joe's brand)
1 sweet onion diced
2 large cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 cup dry white wine
Dash of KAME fish sauce

Method:
1.) Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in large Dutch oven.  Add onions, mushrooms, can of diced tomatoes and sundried tomatoes. Saute over medium heat.
2.) Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in large cast iron skillet. Working in small batches, sear beef until brown on all sides or no longer sticks to bottom of pan. Add to Dutch oven.
3.) Once all of beef is browned and placed in Dutch oven, add garlic to cast iron and saute for 1-2 minutes or until lighly brown.  Add in 1/2 cup of wine, bring to a simmer and scrape up brown bits from skillet. Add wine and garlic sauce to Dutch oven.
4.) Add can of tomatoe sauce, oregano, basil, KAME, and remaining wine. Sea salt and black pepper to taste.
5.) Cover with lid and place in oven for 1 hour or until beef is desired tenderness and sauce in thickened. Serve over Kale.

Garlic Kale

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh Kale
1 clove fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon EVOO
Dry white wine

Method:
1.) Soak Kale in cold water, rinsing until water is clear and Kale is clean.
2.) Cut leaves from salk and veins. Roll Kale leaves up and slice into pieces. (Or tear apart into small chunks).
3.) Heat EVOO in a large skillet.  Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add in Kale and sea salt and pepper to taste. Carefully stir Kale over medium heat until leaves start to wilt.  Add in a splash of dry white wine. Continue cooking for 7 more minutes or until Kale is desired tenderness. Serve Italian beef over Kale.
*Kale is best cooked "al dente"

Chicken Fajitas

The best part about tacos or fajitas isn't the doughy flour tortilla, but the savory spiced meat and refreshing toppings! Nothing beats cumin, garlic, and chili spiced chicken with fresh guacamole. With the addition of crisp iceberg and fresh diced tomatoes, you get all the flavors of a Mexican dish without the unnecessary grain or gluten filler. Served in iceberg lettuce wraps or as a salad, these chicken fajitas will completely satisfy your Mexican craving.

Ingredients:
1.5-2 pounds of free range chicken breast diced
1 package of organic gluten free fajita mix (Simply Organic brand is great)
1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes no salt added
1/2 onion diced
2 clove of fresh garlic minced
1 cup of water

Method:
1.) Saute onions in large pot (or Dutch oven). Meanwhile, add 1/2 tablespoon EV coconut oil to cast iron skillet. When hot, add in chicken, working in batches, and cook until browned.
2.) Add tomatoes with juice to pot. Bring to a simmer.  Add in water, fajita mix and chicken. Stir, turn heat to low and cover.
3.) Continue simmering chicken for 30-45 minutes until sauce is thick and chicken is tender.
4.) Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Serve over iceberg and add fresh tomatoes, guacamole, black olives or any other topping you prefer.

*Make it Primal with all natural sour cream (Daisy brand).

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 large ripe avocados
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 fresh lime juiced
Sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh diced tomatoes (optional)

Method:
1.) Scoop out avocado and place in medium bowl. Add garlic powder, lime juice and sea salt. Mash mixture together until creamy smooth. Fold in diced tomatoes and serve.

*Carrot chips, celery sticks and fried plantain chips are great "chips" for this dip.

Hawaiian Frittata

Eggs are not just for breakfast. A frittata is a great way to use eggs as an evening meal since you can spice it up in so many ways. My favorite omelet at a local cafe is the Hawaiian omelet with ham, pineapple and bacon. These ingredients are also delicious in a frittata, but be warned there just might not be any left for breakfast the next day!

Ingredients:
4-6 pieces nitrate free bacon
12 Cage Free Omega-3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of diced nitrate free ham
1 pound fresh pineapple diced (or 1/2 pound to your liking)
1/2 sweet onion diced
3 small sweet peppers diced
1 clove fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Method:
1.) In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crisp then remove. While bacon is cooking, whisk eggs together with oregano, sea salt and black pepper in a large bowl.
2.) Add onions to bacon fat and saute until tender. Add in garlic and sweet peppers. Saute an additional 3-4 minutes. Add in ham and pineapple.  Cook 3 more minutes or until veggies are tender.
3.) Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Turn up the heat until layer is sizzling hot. Add in chopped up bacon, or serve whole on the side. Pour eggs evenly over the mixture and turn down the heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes. Make sure the heat is not too high or the bottom will burn.
4.) Place skillet under broiler and cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the eggs are cooked through. Be careful not to burn top of eggs.
5.) Remove from heat and slice into pie shaped wedges.

*For Primal option, melt grass fed cheese on top of frittata and or serve with all natural sour cream.

Bunless Burgers with Cole Slaw & Sweet Potato Fries

Burgers, cole slaw and fries are the perfect comfort food combination any time of the year. Burgers are especially great in the summer when the weather is hot and grilling season is in full swing. Paired with creamy cole slaw and sweet potatoes fries, this is the perfect summer entertaining meal. Experiment with different toppings and flavor combinations. BBQ burgers with caramelized onions are my personal favorite!

BBQ Bunless Burgers

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds grass fed ground beef
4 pieces of nitrate free bacon
1/2 sweet onion sliced
Seasoning: garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper
1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 sliced Roma tomato
All natural gluten/preservative free BBQ sauce

Method:
1.) Pre-heat grill.  Season ground beef and form into hamburger patties.  Lay patties on plate at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
2.) Add bacon to cast iron skillet and cook until crisp. Remove and add onions to bacon fat.  Cook over medium to medium high heat until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat.
3.) Grill burgers for 5 minutes per side or until desired temperature is reached.
4.) Serve burger on iceberg lettuce "bun" and top with BBQ sauce, tomato, onions and bacon or any condiment you prefer.
*Try a fried egg on top for a 2 a.m. burger. Amazing!

Paleo Cole Slaw

Ingredients:
1 bag cole slaw mix
1 cup Paleo mayo
1/2 tablespoon organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:
1.) Add cole slaw to large glass bowl. Season with vinegar, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper.
2.) Fold in Paleo mayo until completely mixed. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato or 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into fries.
1 tablespoon EV coconut oil
Garlic powder
Sea salt

Method:
1.) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat sweet potato fries in melted coconut oil and spread out on baking sheet. Season with garlic powder and sea salt to taste.
2.) Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping half way, until fries are golden brown and slightly crisp.  Be careful not to burn fries.

Turkey Pear and Bacon Salad

Forget your traditional Thanksgiving turkey and say hello to a fresh, delicious and oh so tasty way to make a bistro turkey salad. Turkey is a versatile protein that can be fixed in so many ways and its perfect pair is what else, BACON! This turkey pear and bacon salad is sweet, savory, and filling.  Perfect for a family get together or weekend lunch!

Ingredients:
1 pound turkey tenderloin cutlets
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon organic mustard
1/4 cup fresh walnuts chopped
3 pieces of nitrate free bacon
2 cloves fresh garlic minced
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 fresh pears (D' Anjou pear) thinly sliced
1 bag fresh baby greens salad with arugula
Dry white wine

Method:
1.) Season turkey with sea salt and pepper to taste.  Brush turkey with half of honey and mustard.
2.) Dressing: Cook bacon in cast iron skillet until crisp and remove. Add in garlic and walnuts and saute until lightly brown.  Whisk in remaining mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and a splash of white wine.  Cook for 30 seconds then remove to serving cup.
3.) Add 1/2 tablespoon of EV coconut oil to cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  Cook turkey in even layer for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked throughout. Remove from heat.
4.) Top salad with turkey, fresh pears, crumbled bacon and drizzle with dressing.  Serve with a dry sweet white wine.

*For variations add pears to turkey for last few minutes of cooking time.  For dressing, try a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Have fun with your food!

*For Primal option, add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Bone-in Pork Chops with Bacon Apple Walnut Relish

Bone-in pork chops have an extraordinary flavor that can not be matched by boneless chops.  With the additional topping of onions and garlic caramelized in bacon fat with apples, walnuts and celery, this is not your average shake and bake pork chop recipe.  This dish is not only simple to master, but amazing in presentation and taste!

Ingredients:
4 bone-in 1 in thick pork chops
3-4 pieces of nitrate free bacon
3 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
1/4 cup organic walnuts chopped
1 large or 2 small stalks of celery diced
1 large apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp)

Method:
1.) Season both sides of pork chops with sweet Spanish paprika, sea salt, garlic powder and fresh coarse ground black pepper.  Leave on plate for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
2.) In the mean time, cook bacon in cast iron until crisp and remove from skillet.  Add onions to bacon fat and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add in celery and cook 3 minutes.
3.) Add garlic and walnuts to skillet and cook 4 more minutes or until onions start to caramelize.  Be careful not to burn garlic or walnuts.  Add apple to skillet, toss and remove from heat.
4.) Remove onion apple mixture from cast iron and wipe out skillet.
5.) Add 1 teaspoon EV coconut oil to skillet on med-high heat.  Once hot, add pork chops.  Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until chops life easily from skillet.
6.) Add onion apple relish on top of pork chops and place under broiler (500 degrees).
7.) Broil 2 minutes then rotate skillet and broil 2 more minutes or until pork chops are done.  Be careful not to burn relish or over cook pork chops. (There should be a nice golden brown crust over the pork chops and relish).
8.) Remove from broiler and let rest 5-8 minutes.  Serve with a salad, sweet potatoes, or pureed winter squash (recipe to come).

Thai Chicken Salad Over Spring Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette

As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, you might just find yourself craving a cold savory refreshing dish that doesn't take much time in a hot kitchen.  Chicken salad is great for the warm weather seasons and is also perfect for entertaining.  Thai spices, fruit, and fresh Paleo mayo pull this salad together to create a flavor combination that is sure to surprise.  Serve over spring greens and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette to add some zest to this great salad.

Thai Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 lbs of fresh free range all natural chicken breast
4-5 cloves fresh garlic (peeled and whole)
2-3 stalks of celery diced
2 cups Paleo Mayo (*see tuna salad recipe)
1 cup fresh grapes halved
All natural Thai Spice (paprika, coriander, garlic, onion, cilantro, basil, red pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon oil, lime zest)
2 bags of organic spring baby green salad mix

Method:
1.) Place chicken and garlic in large pot and bring to boil.  Shimmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.  Be careful not to over cook chicken.
2.) Remove cooked chicken and garlic cloves to cutting board to cool. Once cooled, dice chicken and place in large bowl.  Finely chop cooked garlic and place in bowl with chicken.
3.) Season chicken with Thai spice, stirring and coating all of chicken. (5-7 tablespoons or to taste).  Add sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
4.) Mix in celery and grapes.  Fold in Paleo mayo until all of chicken is coated.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
5.) Serve chicken salad over fresh baby green salad and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Coconut oil fried sweet potatoes go great on the side!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of EVOO or Extra Light EVOO
1 tablespoon of organic Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon of raw organic honey
Garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper

Method:
1.) Place EVOO in small bowl.  Whisk in balsamic vinegar.
2.) Whisk in honey and dash of garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper.
3.) *Oil and vinegar will separate.  Whisk right before serving over chicken salad.