Laura's Paleo Hotcakes

Put on your prettiest apron and whip up something incredible!

I know it seems a little silly to reinvent the wheel. There are a million Paleo pancake recipes out there, and I won't pretend that these are going to be your favorite, but they are mine!

These are basic, low carb, unsweetened (as pancakes should be in my not-so-humble opinion), sturdy and thick! Use them for a savory breakfast sandwich or top with your favorite fruit, raw honey or pure maple syrup for a treat!

The hotcakes are 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly, also!

I hope you enjoy these hotcakes as much as my family does!

Laura's Paleo Hotcakes (makes 12 cakes)

Ingredients:

5 eggs
1/4 c + 1 Tbs (or 5 Tbs) coconut flour
1/4 c + 1 Tbs (or 5 Tbs) almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 liquid cup almond milk
Ghee or coconut oil for cooking (I love OMghee)

Directions:

In large bowl, whisk eggs. Add dry ingredients mixing well. Slowly add milk, mixing well. I like to add the milk slowly so that I can add a little less or a little more depending on the consistency of the batter. It may vary depending on the brand of flours you use.

In a pan over medium-low heat (I set mine just below medium), melt some fat-- a little goes a long way. You can also use an electric skillet (I set mine at 375*F). Pour three Tbs of batter per cake into the pan. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes until sturdy and ready to flip. Flip carefully! I like to re-grease the pan after each batch of cakes to make flipping easier.

Top with your favorite things & ENJOY!

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dip (dairy free)

Zesty & creamy, this is the perfect dip for the warmer months ahead!

Things are starting to feel a little bit more like Spring each day here in South Carolina, and after this year's Polar Vortex winter, I couldn't be more relieved! With warmer weather comes colder, lighter food. Don't get me wrong, I will still be smashing down some ribeye & cauli mash, but when you've been out in the heat working out or gardening, sometimes it's nice to sit on the porch with a tall glass of kombucha and a cold snack.

This dip will be PERFECT for the warmer days & nights ahead. Creamy & zesty, it pairs perfectly with fresh raw veggies. It would even be delicious over a taco salad! My naughty husband, of course, went straight for the chips after eating 2 or 3 obligatory sticks of carrot-- so, if you're feeling naughty, grab some clean gluten free non-GMO chips, or some Paleo almond flour chips & dip away!

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dip

Ingredients:

1 avocado
4 Tbs full fat coconut milk
Juice of 2 limes
3  heaping Tbs fresh coarsely chopped cilantro (1 Tbs dried)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste

Directions:

In a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender, blend all ingredients together until creamy. Start slowly with the salt-- you can always add, but you can't take away!

It's that simple!

Creamy Chicken & Kale Soup (dairy free)

Dairy free creamy soup...Yes, please!!

I'm not much for soup, unless it's creamy soup. Cream of broccoli, cream of mushroom, creamy potato, clam chowder, shrimp bisque. Creamy soup = Laura's undying love and devotion.

Enter problems with dairy. I actually ate cheese & heavy cream in moderation for a long time after going Paleo. I started having pains in my stomach to the point that I was getting tested for gall bladder problems. When multiple tests came up normal, I decided to see if cutting dairy would help. Fortunately (and unfortunately) the problem was solved. Dangit. Milk I can take or leave, but heavy cream & cheese-- that was hard.

Thankfully, there's an easy way to get creamy soups while being dairy free. The base is simple-- purée cauliflower with broth and full fat coconut milk. You can make it as thick or thin as you want-- simply add more or less broth. I do this all the time, and it completely satisfies my craving for cream based soup, and I get more veggies in the mix. Score!!

For this soup I boiled a whole chicken to get both meat & broth. You could say that I KILLED TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. Ahahaha! Punny! It's easy, and the soup is still a one pot meal. I give instructions below, but you could also just use some broth you already have & any chicken meat-- baked or roasted.

This is an easy, rich and delicious soup that I'm sure your family will love!

Creamy Chicken and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 whole uncooked chicken
Water (amount depends on size of chicken & pot)
2 heads cauliflower chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
8 cloves garlic
1 can full fat coconut milk
3 cups chopped kale
2 tsp ground thyme
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

For Broth & Meat...

Place whole chicken into a large deep pot. Add water to cover. Sprinkle in a little salt. Bring water to a boil. Cover and let boil for anywhere from 1.5 hours to 4 hours. The chicken will be cooked after about 45 minutes, but the longer it boils, the more flavorful the broth. When done, remove chicken from broth and set aside. It will fall apart as you remove it, so have a strainer handy to remove any bones or cartilage from the broth. If you want a thicker soup, set aside some of the broth. The less broth, the thicker the soup.

For the Soup...

To the broth, add cauliflower, onion, & garlic. Allow to boil until cauliflower is soft & falls apart easily. While the vegetables are cooking in the broth, use two forks to remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred.

Once the cauliflower has cooked, remove from heat. Add the can of coconut milk. Using either a submersion blender (easiest option) or a regular blender, purée the vegetables, broth & coconut milk until smooth and creamy. Add the shredded chicken, thyme, and more salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the kale. Return to heat and simmer until the kale is wilted.

Pour yourself a hearty bowl and garnish however you wish-- hello crispy bacon!! ENJOY!

Bacon Wrapped Venison Back Strap

These tender flavorful venison back straps are sure to please!

When my husband's uncle brought us some venison back strap, I was thrilled! What's so special about back strap? It. Is. So. Tender. Especially when prepared properly! Back straps are best cooked at high & fast, and served rare to medium rare. Grilling them is one of the best ways to prepare them, but unfortunately we live in an apartment and cannot grill, and I do not own an indoor grill or grill pan. The next best option is to broil, which was my chosen method.

"Properly prepared"also includes prep. So, let's get right down to the nitty gritty of venison prep.

Prepping Your Venison Back Straps

As with any cut of venison, you will want to trim off any white portions-- including fat. Venison fat doesn't taste good at all. Some deer that have lived in agricultural areas feeding on corn and soy crops can have good fat, but it's hit or or miss and you do not want to risk it! After you've trimmed the meat, soak it in salt water overnight. This draws out the blood from the meat. Place the meat in a large bowl. Fill with water to cover the meat and add 2 tablespoons of salt. After you've soaked the meat overnight, remove it from the salt water, rinse and pat it dry.

Marinading is a great way to tenderize your venison. This will make the back straps even more flavorful and tender. For these back straps I used a red wine based marinade. I always use wine when cooking venison. Not only does it add to the flavor, but the wine also acts as a tenderizer. You will want your meat to marinade for a minimum of 3 hours, but closer to 6 hours is better.

Back Strap Marinade (for 8 pieces)

Ingredients:

1 liquid cup red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon are best)
1 liquid cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Place your back straps in a large bowl or casserole dish. Pour marinade over the meat. Cover the dish well and place in the refrigerator. Allow to marinade for 3-6 hours. The longer the better.

Once your back straps have marinaded you're ready to get cooking!

Cooking Your Venison Back Strap

Ingredients:

8 pieces of marinaded venison back strap
8 pieces of high quality bacon
Parsley (dried or fresh) for sprinkling

Directions:

Turn oven broiler on high, make sure oven rack is in the middle. Wrap each piece of venison back strap in a piece of bacon. Sprinkle both sides with some parsley. Place in a pan and put into the hot oven. Broil on high for 5-7 minutes on each side until the internal temp reaches 125-135*F. Once finished, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The meat will continue to cook up another 5*F as it sits.

Serve with your favorite Paleo sides and ENJOY!

Hot Beet Noodle Salad

Looking for a way to add a variety of vegetables to your plate? Look no further!

As most of you know, I'm currently obsessed with my spiralizer. My newest obsession are beet noodles. I mean, seriously. I loved beets before, but in noodle form they are so much better. I know it's all psychological, but still-- so much fun.

Fun, delicious and so so so good for you, beets really are a super vegetable to have as part of your regular diet. In this dish I paired them with everything but the kitchen sink-- beet greens (waste not want not), brussels sprouts, onions, mushrooms, & garlic. That's why I'm calling it a salad! This dish is a fantastic way to get a variety of vegetables (and a fungus, too) on one plate-- and it's a one pan dish, not including the reduction, which is optional. You can simply serve this as a side, or you can top it with some grilled or sautéed chicken to make it a meal!

Don't have a spiralizer? Sad face, but never fear! Simply slice your beets thinly & then quarter the slices. This will help them cook up quickly in the pan.

In the directions, I have cooked up the other vegetables first & then removed them from the pan to cook the noodles. You can just throw the noodles into the pan with everything else to cooke them, but keep in mind they will turn everything pink! So if you are going for something aesthetically pleasing, I recommend cooking the beet noodles on their own.  If you wish to just throw it all in the pan, go ahead and add the beet noodles at the same time you add the greens & garlic for an al dente noodle. Add them earlier if you want your noodles softer.

Hope you enjoy!

Hot Beet Noodle Salad (serves 2 heartily)

Ingredients:

3 medium beets with greens
4 slices of raw bacon chopped
1.5 cups brussels sprouts quartered
1.5 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 small yellow onion sliced (1/2 if large)
6 cloves garlic crushed
Salt & pepper to taste
1 liquid cup balsamic vinegar (for reduction, optional)

Directions: 

First, remove the greens from the beets. Break off the thick portion of the red stem. Rinse the greens and tear or chop into smaller pieces. Cut the ends off the beet root, and peel the beet root. At this point you can either spiralizer your beet roots as I have, or you can slice them thinly & then cut the slices into quarters. Set aside.

If making the balsamic reduction, pour balsamic vinegar into a pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a bubble and allow to cook until the liquid is reduced by half. You can let the liquid reduce while you are cooking the veggies.

In a pan over medium heat, combine chopped bacon, brussels, onion and mushrooms. Cook until almost done. When almost completely cooked, add the greens and crushed garlic. Add some salt and pepper to taste, and cook down the greens. Remove the vegetable mix from the pan.

To the same pan, if necessary, add a little more fat (I used additional bacon grease, but any Paleo friendly oil or fat will work). Toss in the beet noodles and season with a little salt and pepper. I like to use tongs to toss them while cooking. Cook to desired softness.

To Plate:

Place some noodles onto the plate. Top with the vegetable mixture. Drizzle it all with some balsamic reduction and ENJOY!

Pulled Pork & Apple Breakfast Casserole

Who says breakfast at home can't be fancy?

Meal prep.

It is necessary on some level for anyone who lives the Paleo lifestyle. I don't meal prep lunch or dinner, but I do meal prep breakfast as often as possible. Since I strive to keep my family on the straight and narrow when it comes to food, breakfast is the biggest challenge. So much of a challenge that breakfast was the last meal we transitioned into Paleo. When you're used to just giving your kids a bowl of cereal for breakfast (it was at least gluten free), adjusting to having to prepare a full meal can be so challenging!

I know challenges like this keep many people from going full Paleo-- either for themselves or their family. I try to make most of my posts family friendly-- because my family eats them!

This recipe is actually a meal prep within a meal prep. Uh, how cool is that?? This casserole calls for pulled pork. Pulled pork is something I always recommend people cook for their meal prep. It's totally hands-off to cook, and a large hunk of shoulder or butt will yield a lot of meat you can eat on all week long-- it also freezes well! I personally love my own recipe for pulled pork-- it's the only one I use. You can find it here.

I love using pulled pork throughout the week, because when the seasonings are neutral enough, you can use it to make ANYTHING. I love putting it in hashes, and scrambles. One of my favorite pulled pork meals was this BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza.

I had some leftover pulled pork this week, but not enough to serve everyone for one meal, so I thought I'd get creative with it. Making breakfast casseroles is an easy concept really-- meat, veggies, eggs, bake. It's basically a frittata in casserole form, and it is fantastic for breakfast meal prep! Make a dish, cut it in desired sizes and throw it in a ziploc baggie on the go, or warm up a piece in the toaster oven while you get ready for work. Quick, convenient, and loaded with fat, veggies, & protein! If you'd like another breakfast casserole recipe, check out this Spicy Thai Breakfast Casserole I made a while ago. It's another favorite!

This recipe is for a smaller 8x8 casserole dish, but you can simply double the recipe for a full sized casserole dish. I paired it with some of my But Smackin' Good BBQ Sauce for added kick, and of course I included a little bit of bacon. Wink, wink. A little bit sweet, spicy, and salty this casserole is sure to please your belly & your meal prep needs!

Pulled Pork & Apple Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 cup prepared pulled pork
4 slices bacon chopped
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 small granny smith apples chopped (you can use any apple, but granny smith will yield the most flavor)
7 eggs
Dash salt & pepper
Fat to grease pan

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375*F. In a pan over medium heat begin to cook bacon and chopped onion. Once the bacon and onion have cooked down significantly, add the apple and cook down a bit. If your pulled pork is cold, add it to the pan when you add the apples. If it is already warm, you don't need to add it to the pan at all.

In a bowl, whisk eggs well with a bit of salt and pepper. Add the cooked bacon, onions, apples & pork and mix everything well. Pour into an 8x8 greased casserole dish. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 25 minutes, until middle is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Slice it up and serve it right away with a little BBQ sauce, or separate it into individual portions and refrigerate for breakfasts throughout the week!

Enjoy!

Laura's Pulled Pork

Not the prettiest picture, but this pulled pork is AMAZING

I'm sorry that I don't have a fantastic picture for this recipe, but this recipe was previously sharing a post with my Pulled Pork Apple Sliders and I wanted to let it have it's own post. I use this recipe every time I make pulled pork, and I use the leftovers for all kinds of dishes. I get SO MANY compliments on this when I make it. It's incredibly juicy and tender. It's flavorful, but neutral enough that the leftovers can be used for anything; and to top it all off, it's so easy-- especially when you make it in your slow-cooker or crock-pot! This is a fantastic recipe to make for meal-prep, and it's a favorite of mine for large crowds because even non-Paleoites love pulled pork!

I hope this becomes a regular recipe on your menu, as it is on our's!

Laura's Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

4-5lb pastured pork shoulder/butt (depends on what your butcher likes to call it)

2 Tbs garlic powder

2 Tbs onion powder

1 Tbs ground coriander

1/2 Tbs ground allspice

1/2 Tbs turmeric

1/2 Tbs chili powder

1 Tbs sea salt

Dash or two of pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250*F (not necessary if using a slow-cooker/crock-pot). Mix all spices in a bowl (I have used only a Tbs for measuring so you only need one measuring spoon--less clean up & convenient). Place pork shoulder in a deep roasting pan. Spread dry rub over on pork, covering all sides with a thick coating. Cover with foil. Place in oven and let it cook low and slow for up to 8 hours. 5lbs usually takes a full 8. If you get two smaller cuts (i.e. 2, 2lb cuts) it will only take about 5-6 hrs. The meat should fall easily away from the bone, and the pan should be full of juices. You can also cook this in a crock-pot/slow-cooker on the low setting. Remove bone from meat. Shred meat by pulling it apart using two forks. Mix it in with the juice to allow the meat to soak up all that flavor! 

ENJOY!