Chicken BLT Salad

Now that the weather is hotter than ever, nothing beats the heat like a cool summer salad. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato are the perfect combination for a satisfying summer dinner. Paired with garlic seared chicken breast and a rich bacon dressing, this is a restaurant quality salad you will want to serve again and again.

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh free range chicken breast
4 strips of nitrate free bacon
3 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon onion minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Fresh grape tomatoes sliced
Organic spring mix salad greens
Dry white wine
Seasoning (sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper)

Method:
1.) Dressing: In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and place on a paper towel. Add garlic and onions to bacon grease and cook 3-4 minutes or until garlic and onions are tender. Poor mixture into a glass dish. Whisk in red wine vinegar. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. *Add more or less red wine vinegar to your liking.
2.) Use a meat tenderizer on the chicken to slightly flatten and make the chicken even in shape. Season chicken generously with sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder. Add cayenne pepper to taste.
3.) In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO over medium high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through. Add a slash of dry white wine to the chicken during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove skillet from heat and let chicken rest 5 minutes.
4.) Slice chicken and serve over salad greens. Top with crumbled bacon, sliced tomatoes, and dressing.

Steak Salad with Roasted Garlic Red Wine Vinaigrette

Serving  grass fed sirloin steak over fresh salad greens is a great way to lighten up a beef dish and still retain that full rich flavor. A steak salad is also a great summer entertaining dish or quick week night meal. My roasted garlic red wine vinaigrette is the perfect complement to this Paleo salad.

Ingredients:
1.5-2 pound grass fed beef top sirloin steak
1 bag organic sweet butter lettuce mix
8 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons roasted garlic red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sea salt, black pepper,

Method:
1.) Take steak out of refrigerator and let rest at room temperature at least 30 minutes before cooking time. (You can grill the steak to your liking or sear in a cast iron skillet and finish off in the broiler).
2.) In a large cast iron skillet, sprinkle sea salt to lightly cover the bottom and turn heat to medium high. Season steak with fresh ground pepper. Once skillet is very hot, add steak to skillet. Cook for 4 minutes or until steak easily lifts from skillet.
3.) Flip steak and cook 4 more minutes. Drizzle a little EVOO over steak or add a spoonful of Kerry Gold grass fed butter. Place skillet under broiler for 2 minutes. Flip steak and broil 2 more minutes or until desired temperature is reached. (This method produced a medium to medium-well steak).
4.) Remove steak from skillet and let rest for 5-10 minutes on a serving plate. Finally slice steak into strips to serve on top of salad greens and drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. Serve with fried sweet potatoes and a glass of red wine!

Roasted Garlic Red Wine Vinaigrette

It a small bowl, whisk together EVOO (light tasting olive oil works well), roasted garlic red wine vinegar, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Herb Roasted Pork Loin with a Spring Kale Salad

Roasting a pork loin with herbs and onions is one of the easiest ways to create a delicious Paleo meal in no time! Served along side a refreshing kale salad, this is a perfect quick summer meal you will want to have again and again.

Pork Loin Roast

Ingredients:
1.5-2 pound center cut pork loin roast (light in color)
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 large sweet onion sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
1.) Pre heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EV coconut oil over medium high heat. Season roast with Herbes de Provence, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper.
2.) Place the roast in the hot skillet and cook on each side until lightly brown (about 4 minutes per side) and the roast lifts easily from the skillet.
3.) In a large Dutch oven, add in the sliced onions and lay seared roast on top of the onions.
4.) Add the minced garlic to the cast iron skillet and cook for 2 minutes or until garlic starts to brown. Add in wine and turn off heat. Continue cooking garlic and wine 1 more minute, scrapping brown bits from bottom of pan. Pour wine and garlic sauce over roast in Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
5.) Place roast in pre heated oven for 1 hour or until roast is desired tenderness.

Spring Kale Salad

Ingredients:
5 cups fresh Kale washed, chopped and stems removed
3 pieces of nitrate free bacon
1 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh sweet onion minced
1/2 cup fresh sliced strawberries
1/2 cup EVOO
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste
*For Primal recipe, add fresh shaved Parmesan cheese to salad.

Method:
1.) Cook bacon in cast iron skillet until crisp. Remove and place on a paper towel. Add the garlic and onion to the bacon fat and cook for 2-3 minutes until caramelized. Remove from heat.
2.) Place kale in a large bowl. Top with strawberries. In a separate dish, whisk together EVOO, red wine vinegar, sea salt, pepper and caramelized garlic and onions. Pour dressing oven kale and mix well.
3.) Cover salad and place in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. Before serving, stir in crumbled bacon.
*Add shaved Parmesan if desired.

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.

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.

Paleo Tuna Salad on Endive or Boston Lettuce

When you hear tuna salad, most people think of pre-made deli tuna on dry bread with little flavor.  Tuna salad doesn't receive the credit it deserves as an inexpensive, delicious, omega-3 filled meal.  When served on crunchy, peppery Endive or crisp, sweet Boston Lettuce, it is far from the typical deli tuna sandwich.  Try adding fresh tomatoes, capers, and roasted sweet peppers as a garnish for increased flavor excitement!

Ingredients:
5 cans of tuna in extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery diced
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup Paleo mayo
2-3 Belgium Endive or 2 heads of Boston Lettuce

Method:
1.) Empty cans of tuna into large glass bowl.  Add in diced celery and all seasonings. Mix together.
2.) Fold in 1 cup of Paleo mayo.
3.) Cover bowl and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Paleo Mayo

Ingredients:
1 cup of light olive oil
1 pasteurized egg
1 tablespoon unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Method:
1.) In a food processor, add egg and apple cider vinegar.  Blend for 5 seconds.
2.) Slowly drizzle in olive oil, with processor on low-medium speed, until oil and egg whip into a thick, creamed consistency.
3.) Add to recipes or store in air tight glass container for up to a week.