A few recipes we are liking...

Warning: Some are Whole30 compliant, Paleo compliant, or kind of Paleo-like, but ALL are awesome!!

Fruit Smoothie

4-5 strawberries sliced

1 banana

1/3 cup fresh cut pineapple

1/4 cup blueberries

5-7 blackberries

1/2 cup crushed ice

1/2 cup almond milk or water or coconut milk

**make sure coconut or almond milk is unsweetened**

**optional: 2 scoops protein powder (no soy or whey though)

Mix with hand blender or standard blender and presto! Awesome and incredibly filling!

Guacamole 

(From http://whole9life.com/2010/01/mexi-­‐salad/)     

Ingredients:

4 fresh avocado, pitted and mashed

1-2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 limes, squeezed for juice 

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 rsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

A dash of black pepper for taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped for taste

**we added a tablespoon cilantro and 1 fresh tomato, diced**

Directions:

Mash the avocado in a glass or ceramic bowl to the desired consistency. (DO NOT USE A METAL MIXING BOWL OR SPOON.  The acid in lime juice is reactive to metal.)  To prevent browning of the avocado immediately pour in the lime juice.  Use a wooden spoon to mix in the other ingredients.  Serve with veggies, on a salad, with fish, etc..

     

Squash Chili  

(From Cooking for Health and Performance, Vol. 1)     

 Time: 15 minutes prep, approx 2 hr cooking, serves 2-­4     

 Ingredients:     

1  lb  ground  beef,  turkey  or  chicken   

1  Tbsp cooking fat (Olive Oil/Coconut Oil/etc...) of your choice   

1 cup diced acorn squash   

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms  

1/2 cup chopped onion   

1 clove chopped  garlic   

 1 Tbsp chili powder   

1/4 tsp cumin 

   Directions:  

 In a medium to large pot, brown the meat in the cooking fat.  Break the meat up as you stir.   Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well.  Reduce the heat, and simmer for two hours or more.  

Continue to stir periodically.  You may need to add water occasionally as the chili simmers, but keep in mind that you want it to be somewhat thick.  This is a great recipe to double or quadruple and have a batch of leftovers on hand. 

Yummy Chocolate Chewy Cookies

I have taken a favorite cookie recipe of mine and removed gluten, dairy, and reduced the sugar while adding a few new ingredients...SO GOOD!)

Ingredients:

1&1/3 cups almond flour

2 cups Splenda/sugar blend

1 egg with yolk

2 egg whites

1 Tbsp almond butter

4 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce (or 2 Tbsp applesauce & 2 tsp olive oil)

3/4 cup coconut oil, softened

3/4 cup cocoa

1tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

**optional 1 cup finely chopped nuts**

Directions:

Combine butter, oils, applesauce, & Splenda/sugar blend together and cream with mixer.  Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.  Blend well.  Fold in pepper, baking soda, salt, and cocoa to the batter & mix well.  Stir in nuts if using.  Drop teaspoon size amounts of batter on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 7-9 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool for only one minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack, paper towel, or wax paper to cool completely. 

DO NOT OVER COOK.  COOKIES NEED TO BE CHEWY!