Day 4 - My Whole30 November

Hello Paleo Friends.

Day 4 already, where are the days going?

Another fairly good day today. I am very sick of being sick though I must admit! Although I think I might FINALLY have turned a corner! I am nearly over the cough and sniffles but I just had zero energy again today. Maybe it was a combination of cold and strict Paleo-ness though!

Anyway a pretty uneventful day besides. Tidied my house from top to bottom (that counts as exercise right!?) and went to the cinema this evening with my fiance. The smell of popcorn tempted me for a few minutes but once I got into the dark and could no longer see my fiance eating his I was happy enough with my water and almonds!

Had a disagreement with a certain someone about not loosing any more weight. He does have a point I suppose, while I am not VERY thin by Hollywood standards I am only a few pounds off the lower end of my ideal weight for height so I am concerned I will loose too much. I have been told I will level off at my ideal level so hopefully that will happen soon.

Anyway here's my daily consuming outlined:

Breakfast: None (I slept in today)
Lunch: Leftover soup

Dinner: Butter Chicken Curry with Cauliflower Rice (pictured)
Snack: Beef burger with salad

Hope your day has gone well too and remember - One Day At A Time!

Day 3 Whole30 & Still Mucus Ridden :(

Hi Paleo friends!

Hope your Day 3 has gone/is going well for you! (depending on what time zone you are in!)

Mine has gone pretty good. I feel a lot better today creak wise but I am still mucus-y and apparently I still look rough (in the words of my lovely, over honest fiancé!) But I did manage to get out for a 2 mile walk between the rain showers which was nice for me (and my dog!)

I even done OK visiting the mother in law this evening. Usually trips to other people's house spurs a barrage of questions when I turn down treats with my tea, or as today when I took my tea black, but no one asked a thing! Maybe they all think I am crazy already!

Food wise was also good -

Breakfast - A 2 egg omelette with red pepper, spring onion, spinach, and tomato
Lunch - I made Chicken & Veg soup which contained kale, carrots, leek, celery, broccoli and fresh thyme.
Dinner - Tenderloin of pork, steamed sweet potato, broccoli and carrots.
Snack - leftover pork

A great day all round! I hope your Whole30 is going to plan.

:)

P.S - I took pictures but I don't have my phone right now. I will upload tomorrow.

Day 2 Whole30 November

Hi all!

I hope your Day 2s have gone well!

I am thankfully feeling a lot better today. My cold is a lot better so hopefully I will be able for a walk tomorrow.

Diet wise my day went well too, I did not find it too challenging and I am growing a taste for black tea.

If you are experiencing a lot of hunger throughout the day, chances are you are not eating enough fats, so do not be afraid to add some good fats to every meal. This can be done by adding avocados to meals, cooking using coconut or olive oil and adding clarified butter to meals. Nuts are also nice to add to salads.

I remember when I first started eating Paleo I had been so brain washed by low fat dieting that I was AFRAID of good fat! And it took me a while to realise I could eat it without worrying. So EMBRACE the fat - trust me it works!

The sluggish feeling you are maybe experiencing at this point is caused by your body switching from using carbohydrates as its main energy source to using fat. The sluggish feeling is completely normal and lasts from 4-7 days, after that you will start to notice you have more energy and feel better. It will be worth it, so stick at it.

It is important not to allow yourself to get too hungry though so eat often if you need it. Between meals try a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit or even just a snack of leftover meats etc. As the days go on your appetite will become less and less so don't be afraid of overeating at this point.

Just try not to overdo it on the nuts and fruit - it isn't an excuse to eat a kilo of almonds either! Just eat until you are satisfied.

Today I didn't really feel challenged by anything. It went fairly smoothly thank God.

My day 2 Menu

BF: 2 x Scrambled Eggs (in clarified butter) with crunchy Kale
Black Tea

Lunch: 1 x Pork chop with leftover veg

Dinner: Lamb Mince Stew with mashed cauliflower and green beans.

Snacks: Banana, almonds, apple, black tea.

I hope you had as good a day and remember - 1 day at a time and before you know it you will be at 30 days and somehow NOT craving bad food!

Image source (fats) - Paleospirit.com

Day 1 - My November Whole 30 Challenge

So, my long awaited Whole30 challenge began today and unfortunately my body decided to conk and I am suffering from a really crappy cold today.

I  have not allowed it to ruin my Day 1diet wise however, but it is sapping my energy all the same and the lack of appetite has meant I have not really eaten much. I suppose it has meant I have not been craving anything bad.

The first day of a Whole30 is always challenging - especially if you are giving up refined carbs and sugars for the first time. It is completely normal to experience a small crash during the afternoon if you have not added enough fats to your meals. It is important to add this so you feel satisfied until dinner time.

I suppose the biggest challenge for me today was not having milk in my tea. Although I am a fairly strict Paleo most of the time, I do allow myself milk in tea only and white potatoes from time to time. I got through it though and I think I will be drinking more black coffee this month rather than tea.

Remember apart from tea and coffee you can only drink water. Drink as much as you can as it will help flush out bad toxins.

My Day 1 Menu


Breakfast: 2 pieces of bacon, 4 cherry tomatoes and 2 eggs scrambled in the bacon fat.
Cup of black coffee

Snack: Orange

Dinner: Baked buttered salmon with coconut oil roasted vegetables
Water

Snack: Banana

As I said, my appetite has been poor today and I had to go to bed mid day so I ate less than usual.
Hopefully things go better for me tomorrow!

How did your day go guys?!!

Clarifying Butter; Making Ghee

Clarifying butter removes the mild solids from the butter, leaving behind just the fat. This beautiful golden bounty is also knowen as ghee.

It is essential to remove the dairy components and the water from the butter and make it Paleo friendly.You will be left with the pure butter fat. This also raises the smoke point of the fat substantially, making it less likely to burn and turn rancid.

And it is a lot easier than you think!




Ingredients:


1 block of Kerrygold Butter

Method:

Cut butter into pieces and melt in a pot over a low heat.
Do not stir.
Once the butter is melted and golden you will see a skim on the top of the liquid and solids at the bottom. This is the part you want to get rid of.

Line a sieve with some muslin (a baby muslin works great here or even a clean cloth) in it and place over a bowl.
Gently pour the butter mixture into the lined sieve and allow the liquid to go through.
This will happen quite slowly, do not be impatient and squeeze or you might push through the milk solids.
The lovely golden mixture in the bowl is the clarified butter/ghee and can be placed in a tub and refrigerated for up to one month.

It has a higher smoke point now too making it great for cooking at higher temperatures.

Chocolate & Coconut Cake

So, my oven has been broken for a couple of weeks which has meant no baking and zero Paleo treats for me. Which is no bad thing as I don't like eating too many treats, Paleo or not.

However, as I am starting my Whole30 challenge soon and because I have been doing good with my results I decided to have my parents over for dinner today and to treat them to a Paleo chocolate cake.

This cake is perfect for a celebration or large family gathering as I figure it could easily feed 15 - 18 people! I had 8 for dinner and I only used about 2/3 of it and the portions were too big as the cake is quite luscious.

I know the chocolate is not 100% Paleo but the rest of it definitely fits the brief and a chocolate treat, as long as it is good quality is OK sometimes.

I was delighted with the results, and I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients:
For the cake:

3/4 cup good quality chocolate at least 72% Cocoa solids and soya free
1 cup of coconut oil
1 cup Almond Flour
3/4 cup of cocoa powder
1 cup honey
10 free range eggs
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
2 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
For the filling: 
(you could also just use some whipped coconut cream if desired)
2 avocados
1.5 tsp of cocoa powder
tbsp of honey
1 small ripe banana (optional, I just felt it needed a little more sweetness. This is up to you)
For the frosting:
(It is really lovely and can be used as a cake frosting or for cupcakes.)
1 cup of good quality chocolate
1/2 cup of coconut oil
3 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt


Directions:
Melt the chocolate and the oil over a water bath and allow to cool (this is important as we don't want the eggs to scramble when we add later.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Mix the eggs, honey, vanilla and cooled chocolate and oil in a bowl, beating well until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet gradually combining well.

Pour batter into greased 9" tins which you have lined the bottom of.
Cook at 175C for 35 - 40 minutes until lightly browned and when a skewer comes out clean.
Remove from tins and take of baking paper. Cool on a wire tray.

You can bake the cakes the day before your party to save time and decorate on the day. Just wrap it in foil and keep.

To make the filling - Combine all the ingredients and blitz with a hand blender until smooth.
Spoon over the bottom cake and sandwich together.

To make the frosting:
Melt the chocolate and oil over a water bath
Add honey, vanilla and salt and stir well

Allow to cool in the fridge until thick.
Blitz with a hand blender until smooth.
If it is a little thick place over the water again until ready to spread. (or put in microwave for 10 seconds)
Smooth over the cake and garnish with dessicated coconut and strawberries.
The frosting will set a little again but is delicious!

What To Know When Embarking on Whole30 this November!

Do you want to look and feel great this Christmas? Why not take on a new lifestyle that will help you not only feel better and healthier, but will help you loose weight and improve your body image at the same time?

But before you consider this, please consider this -what I speak of  is NOT a diet! It is not a 6 week detox after which you binge on all the bad foods again, because obviously doing so will undo all that good work!

The Paleo Diet is a lifestyle that mimics the eating habits and hunter gather ways of our ancestors -
it is a commitment to a new healthier lifestyle and way of life where grains, dairy, legumes, sugar and processed foods are restricted, and real, whole foods are eaten in abundance.

Now, before you loose your head and think "WTF WILL I eat"? The answer is unlimited amounts of beautiful healthy foods like red meat, fish and chicken ,veggies, fruit, nuts and good fats is what!

If you are new to Paleo it CAN be overwhelming and confusing. I myself am reasonably new to it too, having only started my new way of eating in July - but I already feel brilliant, have lost 12lbs, almost 6 inches from my waist and a better outlook on diet and nutrition. And I truly believe YOU can do it too!

The best way to start Paleo is to do as much research as possible for a couple of weeks prior to starting and then do a Whole30 challenge - Whole9's original program designed to change your life in 30 days.

Check out their website on www.whole9life.com where they describe their plan as ;

"Think of it as a short-term nutritional reset, designed to help you restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, calm systemic inflammation and put an end to unhealthy cravings, habits, and relationships with food and eating".

The plan is a strict 30 day kick start to Paleo and helps prepare your gut for longterm Paleo ways. 

So the basic fundamentals of the diet are to NOT eat the following foods: 

• Grains; including wheat, rye, spelt, corn, millet, rice and quinoa
• Dairy: including cows, goats or milk's milk, cheese, cream, yogurts or sour cream
• No sugars, processed or otherwise including honey, maple syrup or stevia. (once the Whole30 is over you may use these in moderation, but for this challenge they are not allowed)
• No legumes including beans of all types (black, baked, kidney) or peas, lentils and peanuts.  No peanut butter either or soy sauce and products.
• No alcohol (you may decide to reintroduce this after the Whole30) 
• No White Potatoes. 

Also two other points:

1. Do not try to create Paleoised versions of your old favourites. Many people make Paleo pizza, paleo bread etc, and these are all fine in moderation after the Whole30, but not during. They are seen as a bad replacement, and not real foods in the grand scheme of things. 

2. No stepping on the scales - AT ALL for the 30 days!! 

So, are you ready to try this 30 day challenge and stepping stone towards a new outlook on food and life?

Join me from 1st to 30th November and do one thing to finish 2011 feeling and looking great while eating delicious foods! 

Email me if you think you might want to join in or contact me on facebook! 

I am by no means an expert but I will help in any way I can! 

www.facebook.com/irishpaleogirl

irishpaleogirl@gmail.com 

Coconut & Lemon Salmon

I love salmon but sometimes I get sick of eating it the same old way and I miss sauces. So I decided to try this recipe and see how it went. And I really enjoyed it! Another successful Paleo recipe.

Serves 4

4 Salmon Fillets
1 small can coconut milk  (160ml)
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
Rind of 1 lemon
Salt & Pepper
Juice of half a lemon

Place salmon fillets in an oven proof dish and season with salt, pepper and dill.
Grate the lemon rind over the fish.
In a bowl mix the lemon juice and coconut milk together and pour over salmon.
Place under a preheated grill for about 30 minutes until the fish is almost cooked through and the sauce is bubbling.
Let rest for 2/3 minutes before serving with or without the sauce.

Lamb Meatballs and Paleo "Pasta"

Autumn is most definitely here and the windy cool weather and shorter evenings are beginning to advance.

Autumn for me means hot soups, casseroles and stews. Ultimate comfort foods! 

I can't wait to get stuck into some new recipes and I think I deserve some baked good next week as I refrained from baking this week. 

Anyway, this recipe is very easy and nothing fancy, but it proves that even good family favourites can be Paleo-ised to keep the whole family happy! 

Ingredients: 

For the Meatballs: 

To make 8 large meatballs (to serve 3/4 people) 

1lb of minced lamb (or other meat)

1 large egg

Sat & pepper

1tbs fresh rosemary

1 tbs fresh thyme

1 tbs dried garlic

3 tbs olive oil

For Meat Pasta Sauce:

2 tbs olive oil 

250g plum tomatoes, chopped

100ml of water 

3 tbs tomato puree

1/2 red pepper, chopped. 

1 onion, chopped

4 x garlic, chopped

2 tbsp dried Italian Herbs

2 tbsp fresh basil 

Salt/Pepper

Directions: 
To Make The Meatballs: 

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl (except oil) and form into meatballs. 

Place in the fridge until needed.
To Make The Sauce: 

Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic and onions, stir for 3-4 minutes until just translucent. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers and water and bring to simmer.
Simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down. 

Add the puree, herbs, salt and pepper and sugar.
Bring to simmer and reduce heat.
Cook for 25-30 minutes on a low-medium heat until the tomatoes have broken down.
Check for seasoning. 

In the meantime add remaining oil in another large pan and add the meatballs. Brown on all sides. 

Add the tomato sauce to the pan with the meatball, bring to the boil, reduce to simmer and cover. 

Cook for 25 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Check regularly and add more water if needed. 

Serve with courgette pasta (shred 1-2 courgettes and steam for 2 minutes before serving) 

And that is it! A guaranteed family favourite! 

The Breakfast Baffle

From my experience, when trying to convince friends and families of the merits of the Paleo Lifestyle, the one area many struggle with is breakfast.

Breakfast to most non Paleo people is made up of oats, processed, sugary cereal, toast and juice. Sounds healthy right? WRONG! Unfortunately all of these foods are a recipe for raised blood sugar as they convert to sugar, and quickly. Long term this can lead to insulin resistance and fat storage.

I understand this is quite hard to swallow, mainly because we have been taught that cereals like Special K are power food and the best thing you can eat for breakfast. But its true, we have been lied to!

Instead of eating this processed crap, you need to change your attitude to breakfasting and think differently about your first meal of the day. Most people choose to break their fast immediately on waking, while others decide to wait until later on to do so. Either is fine, unless you have endocrine issues and you should avoid skipping breakfast in order to help balance blood sugar levels. Don't just skip breakfast to save time. If you are not hungry on waking that is fine, wait up to an hour, but do not allow yourself to get ravenous.


Now its time to speak FOOD! There are a number of options open to you. Many people love to have eggs and bacon, in their many forms, and I admit, on more chilled out mornings when I have time, I love to cook up a storm for breakfast. Eggs - fried, boiled, poached or an omelette are so convenient and delicious! And don't forget the bacon as a treat! I usually add an avocado and some veg like tomatoes, asparagus or mushrooms. Fried breakfasts without the guilt?! Where could you go wrong?! Add a grain free sausage for a treat or a slice of Paleo Bread!

But what about the days when you are fed up of eggs and bacon?! (Yes it does and will happen!) Dont despair, there are other options! How about making a batch of Paleo muffins like these ones for days you are rushing or wanting something sweet? They freeze very well and can be thawed as needed. Or how about cooking up some "egg muffins" - mix together 6 eggs, red pepper, spring onions, salt, pepper and chopped bacon and pouring into muffin tins? Cook until set and you have handy egg breakfasts in a jiffy with just the need to reheat.

Still miss your oats? Mark's Daily Apple has a now infamous No Oats Oatmeal which might just hit the spot! I have never tried it but it appears to be very popular! If you try it let me know what you think!

Of course if you think of breakfast in the same way a Caveman would, you wouldn't have any hangups about the type of food you ate! Cavemen by their very nature ate what was available to them. This meant eating meat, fruit, root vegetables or whatever they had leftover from their latest kill. To replicate this you could eat whatever you have leftover from dinner the night before. Leftover salmon, steak or chicken with leftover veggies is as Paleo as you get and pretty delicious! The protein and nutrients will more than keep you feeling full and ready for the day!

Smoothies are another great way to eat on the go while filling up on nutrients! Make a smoothie from fruit, berries, banana, almond or coconut milk and veggies such as spinach. Add fats/ protein like flaxseed, avocado or nuts to slow down absorption of those fruit sugars.

I hope I have given you some ideas on what to eat for the most important meal of the day. Breakfast should be delicious, nutritious and easy. But don't forget it doesnt have to take on the usual form! Be imaginative and creative and enjoy!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These are divine! I found a recipe on Paleo Parents for Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies but on reflection they had Cherry Preserve in it (and it had quite a bit of sugar in it so I refrained, and anyway I don't really like Cherries so doh, it wasn't a great choice!) So I decided to wing it and try my own concoction. These were the result, and damn yummy!

This recipe made 8 large cookies, but you could of course make 16 smaller ones!

1 cup of Almond Flour
1/4 cup of Coconut Oil (Liquid)
1/4 cup of apple sauce (3 x eating apples cooked in a little water until soft and pureed. Unsweetened)
1/4 cup of cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp of baking powder
4 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of flax seed
100g of  Good Quality 75% Cocoa Chocolate cut into chunks

Place all the ingredients in a bowl except the chocolate and blend well using a hand blender.
The mixture should be quite thick. Add a little more almond flour if needed.
Form into cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Push a chunk of the chocolate into each cookie and cover over gently with mixture to hide.
Place in an oven at 180C for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
Remove gently from tray and place on a wire tray to cool, they will crunch up slightly.
Store in an airtight container and ENJOY!!

Coconut, Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

This is a perfect warmer for the upcoming Autumn. I really love soup during the chilly weather and this will definitely be on my favourites list. Its got a distinctive coconut flavour, so if you like coconut you will love this I think. The coconut comes through and then the hint of roasted garlic. Really filling and satisfying!

Serves 4

1 large sweet potato
1 medium Butternut squash
5 x cloves of garlic
4 tbsp coconut oil
Litre of chicken stock
2 tbsp Italian Herbs
1/2 tin of coconut milk

Preheat oven to 200C
Chop the sweet potato and butternut squash into cubes and place on a baking sheet with the garlic cloves
Coat with the coconut oil and herbs and mix well.
Place in the oven until almost tender, remove and place them in a saucepan, removing the garlic cloves.
Squeeze the garlic from the cloves into the saucepan too and add the chicken stock.
Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes and blend using a hand blender.
Add the coconut milk and check for seasoning. Simmer until heated through
Serve in heated bowls with bacon croutons and paleo bread (optional)

Pork Cutlet in a Almond Meal and Wholegrain Mustard Coating

I created these pork cutlets because pork chops are probably my least favourite cut of meat and I struggle to make them interesting. I actually pan fried these but the almond meal is quite delicate on them and can pull away. So I put one in the oven instead with olive oil and it browned nicely too. Just be careful handling them.
It is extremely easy to make and a quick family dinner for those rush days! Sweet potatoes go very well with pork and we had ours with some mashed.

Serves 4

Ingredients: 
4 x Pork Chops
1 cup of Almond Flour
2 tbsp of Whole Grain Mustard
Pepper
1/2 tbsp Garlic Salt
2 tbsp Parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg (beaten)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Wrap each chop in cling film and bash with a heavy object until flattened. This will tenderise the meat and make it thinner so it cooks quicker.
Unwrap the pork and spread the wholegrain mustard on one side of the chop. Add to both sides if you like loads of mustard!
Place beaten egg on a plate.
Place almond flour on a plate and add garlic powder, pepper, and parsley.
Dip the chop carefully into the egg mixture and then into the almond mixture to coat well.
Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and put in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through and browning on the outside.
They wont become overly crispy but they will still be yummy! :)

Paleo Bread

I am one happy bunny after successfully making this bread! I am definitely going to treat myself to a loaf of this every now and then.

I got inspiration from Elana's Pantry and decided to make my own changes and here is the result!

I am super chuffed and its delicious with melted butter. Food heaven!

1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/4 cup milled organic flax seed
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds (hold some back for the top)
1 tbsp of honey
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
5 eggs beaten

Add flour, baking soda, salt and flax seed to a bowl and mix well
Slowly add the eggs to the mixture stirring well.
Add olive oil (you could use coconut oil either)
Add honey and mix.
Add the pumpkin seeds
Pour mixture into a bread tin and sprinkle with the seeds.
Place in a preheated oven at 175C for 30 - 35 minutes until cooked through.
Cool in the tin and serve with butter and fruit preserve.

Thanks Elana for the inspiration :)

Slow Roast Italian Chicken

I fancied Italian for lunch so I whipped together this dish. I made it using Chicken Drumsticks so it is a really cheap and easy meal. You can use any cut you have though.

Serves 4

4 x Chicken Drumsticks, with skins on.
3 x tbsp olive oil
4 x garlic cloves
2 x tins of plum tomatoes
2 tbsp of Italian Herbs
Glass of white wine (optional)
1 x onion, chopped
Handful of fresh basil, torn

Heat oil in bottom of Crock pot (I use a ceramic one in the oven)
Fry the chicken until skin is browned (do in batches if necessary) and set aside
Fry off garlic and onion until soft.
Add herbs and wine and fry off until the alcohol has burned off (about 3/4 mins)
Add tinned tomatoes, return the onion, basil and garlic and bring to simmer.
Add chicken and cover with lid.
Place in the oven at 160C for at least 2 hours, until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Serve with spinach or other green veg and garnish with basil.

Carbohydrates - The non essential nutrients

Carbohydrates are a complex set of foods that come in three forms:

Monosaccharides (Glucose), Disaccharides (Cane Sugar) and Polysaccharides (breads). All carbohydrates can be broken down in the body into sugars.

It doesn't make a lot of difference to your body in which form you consume these carbohydrates. 

The total calorific value is the same and all carbohydrates affect your blood sugar levels in a negative way.

Therefore the "healthy" grains like bread, pasta and rice we are all encouraged to eat actually eventually affect our blood sugars in a similar way to sweets and sugar - all the time contributing to diabetes, obesity and possibly even cancer. 

Contrary to what we are taught in nutrition or by our doctors, refined carbohydrates are not an essential part of our nutrition. The only carbs we need to eat are vegetables and fruit. 

They are not necessary "building blocks" and the body can survive very well on just protein and fats and these types of carbohydrates - even athletes! 

By limiting your carb intake to your fruit and vegetables means you get the minimum carbohydrate intake but with the maximum input of the important minerals and nutrients. 

Pork Tenderloin with Roast Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato.

Serves 2 - 3 people 


Ingredients: 
For Pork Marinade:
4 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp of Herbs De Province
Pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbs Whole Grain Mustard
For Roasted Squash & Sweet Potato:
1 x medium squash
1 x medium sweet potato

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Cut shallow cuts in pork loin and pour marinade over. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight if possible.
Heat crockpot and add pork loin. Fry all sides.
Place in the oven at 180C for approx 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For Vegetables:
Peel and chop both veg into bite size cubes
Place in a dish and coat with coconut oil
Roast for 30 - 40 minutes until cooked through.

I served these with wilted spinach

Banana, Berry and Walnut Muffins

My son and I had a busy day today! He loves baking so, as the rain continues to fall (you have got to love Ireland!) we decided to bake these muffins.

They are a good source of Omega 3 with the walnuts and the flax seed and make a good snack of breakfast alternative.

Makes 24

325 g Almond flour
100 g Chopped Walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of milled flax seed
1 tsp of cinnamon (add more if you like it, I am not a huge fan)

5 ripe bananas
1 cup of strawberries or other seasonal berry, chopped
2 tbsp honey (less if your fruit is very ripe)
4 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 190C
Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl
Mash the banana well, use the most ripe bananas you have as they will help sweeten the overall mix.
Place all the remaining wet ingredients in with the bananas and mix well.
Next combine in the dry ingredients. Use a processer if you wish but ensure it is well mixed.
Pour into muffin moulds and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

So it has been a fairly hectic week around here as I was preparing to finish up my last job.

I had my first day at home and I am no trying to embrace domestic bliss!

It is different than I am used to but it will be nice for a while.

My Paleo lifestyle will have to be tweaked to suit my unemployment status, so I am a long way of being able to afford organic. Maybe some day.

Anyway myself and my son are bored this evening as its been raining ALL day so we decided to get in some baking. As my son is Diabetic Paleo friendly treats also suit him which is great. It is great but very rich recipe for brownies so we served Avocado Chocolate Mousse with ours to make it seem lighter. You need to be a true chocoholic (and not sweet made) for this one.

For the Brownies we used:

170grams of 70 % Cocoa Chocolate
220 grams Kerrygold Butter
1/2 cup of honey
5 egg yokes
1/2 cup of cocoa
2 tbs Vanilla extract (or mint)

Preheat the oven to 190C
Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over hot water until smooth
Add the honey and vanilla and stir.

Add beaten eggs yokes to the mixture gradually and whisk until well mixed
Add the cocoa powder gradually until well mixed
Stir batter into a greased tin and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes until cooked through
Cool in tin for a few minutes and then remove and serve arm with Avocado mousse

Moose:
1 x Avocado
1 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs honey

Blend with a handheld blender until smooth.
Check taste and add more honey or cocoa if required.
This tastes lovely and doesnt taste at all like avocado!

Enjoy

Irish Stew Crock Pot Styley!

This is a delicious dinner that I guarantee everyone will enjoy, Paleo or not!

Traditionally Irish stew includes potatoes but I left out this and had mine with mashed sweet potato instead.
It can be cooked in the stew either in chunks if desired.

This type of meal benefits from cooking for as long as possible to allow the meat to tenderise. This means you can use cheaper cuts of meat or even lamb chops and still get the same great result. I only had time to cook for 2hrs yesterday but it was till fine. You can also cook on the stove if you do not have a crockpot, but stir frequently. Please note: I am referring to what some may call a "dutch oven" rather than the crockpot many use. Likewise you can use a crockpot either - we just do things different here and I prefer the taste!

Ingredients
Feeds 2

300g lamb chopped into bite size pieces
3 x cloves garlic sliced
1 x medium onion chopped
3 x carrots sliced
Pepper
1 tbs Mixed dried herbs - Rosemary, basil, marjoram, thyme
1 tbs Dried Parsley
1 x litre chicken stock
2 x tbs olive oil

Preheat oven to 180C (reduce heat to about 140C if you are cooking slowly for more than 2hrs, you may need to add more stock intermittently)
Heat your crockpot on the stove and add 1tbs of the olive oil.
Add onions and garlic and cook until they start to colour, remove from pan and set aside.
Add remaining oil to pan and add the lamb. Brown well as this will help to add to colour of sauce.
Return onions and garlic to the pan and add the herbs and peppers.
Add hot stock and bring to the boil.
Add carrots, cover with lid and place in the oven.

Serve in bowls with mashed cauliflower or sweet potato.

Yummy and great for the incoming Autumn evenings.

If you have leftover stock keep it and drink it as a nourishing drink!