Cabbage Rolls with Pomegranate Reduction (AIP)

We've been overdoing the sugars and fats, so we're trying to get back on the healthy path. Since we have an abundance of sausage, I'm now always looking for healthier dishes particular to pork. This recipe suggests lamb but German Sausage worked just as well. Also, I didn't want to mess with cutting up pomegranate, so I left out the seed in the stuffing and used pomegranate juice for the reduction. It tasted very asian with the ginger and cabbage. The sauce was a "sweet and sour" flavor that we absolutely loved. I would definitely make this one again for guests.

http://www.beyondthebite4life.com/2014/11/paleo-stuffed-cabbage-with-pomegranate-reduction-aip-friendly.html

Paleo Ice Cream (Dairy-Free)

This is dessert #1 of my AIP dinner from last week. It was pretty good, but I've since found other similar recipes that include coconut milk and vanilla. But, for being a 3 ingredient dessert, the guests really enjoyed the combination of bananas, cocoa and almond butter. :)

https://thebigmansworld.com/2017/05/01/healthy-3-ingredient-no-churn-blender-chocolate-ice-cream-paleo-vegan-dairy-free/

Indian-Spiced Eggplant and Cauliflower Stew and Bacon-Wrapped Avacados

The hubby has been wanting to increase his turmeric intake which means, I get to explore the many wonderful flavors of Indian cuisine. I just happened to have all the ingredients for last nights meal. I paired it with a butternut squash (mashed) and "To-Die-For" bacon-wrapped avacodos (which were so good, I'm almost speechless). I didn't have garam masala, but looked it up and found out it's a combination of spices that I already had so I made my own mixture and added it to the stew. I can't have anything too spicy so I used regular curry and the hubby added sriracha. :) Very easy to make and worth the experience.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/recipes/indianspiced-eggplant--cauliflower-stew/

No recipe needed....but if you want a reference....

http://paleoleap.com/bacon-wrapped-avocado/

AIP Beef and Broccoli

We had bought a roast for this week, but since we just had pot roast (in the slow cooker) last week, I wasn't feeling it. So, I cut it in half and then sliced each half into thin pieces. Tonight is the second half and, in keeping with the fun of autoimmune paleo, I found this wonderful recipe for Beef and Broccoli. I actually skipped the marinade, let the beef simmer for a while, then added the sauce and finally throwing in the broccoli at the last minute, it turned out perfect! This was my first time with using arrowroot, but it was an amazing substitute for cornstarch or flower for thickening. I also didn't have coconut soy sauce, but I did have balsamic soy, so I combined it with regular soy. Because the teenager raises an eyebrow when I mention AIP, I added rice for his youthful pleasure. :)

http://gutsybynature.com/2014/01/26/paleo-beef-with-broccoli/

Paleo Lemon Chicken Kale Soup

End of the week food inventory....Chicken breast, lemons, kale....Pinterest....Aha! I found (on my own board labeled "Bucket List:SOUP" this recipe. For more bulk (and goodness), I added some frozen zucchini and yellow squash (from our garden). The recipe actually says it's creamy because they use a food processor for the onion w/olive oil. I skipped that step because I like chunks of onion in my soup. I also only put in 2 cups of broth and the frozen veggies, chicken and salt help liquify for just the right amount of juices. It's sometimes hard to judge because the hubby doesn't like his soup too "soupy". Since we're not strict paleo'ers, I probably would have added cornstarch to thicken if need be but it turned out great! I purposefully chose a night when the teenager wasn't home because this dish IS earthy (and delicious to us old folks). :D  Bon appetit!

http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-recipe/autoimmune-paleo-creamy-lemon-chicken-kale-soup/

Paleo Chicken Fingers

We love going to our local chain grocer "Sprouts". They have a monthly magazine with 4 recipes that I enjoy trying. Here's another one that was good, but not sure the teenager was quite sold. I had fun looking for almond meal (in the pay-by-the pound bins). It goes really well with baked potato wedges (seasoned with Shake-N-Bake), which of course keeps the meal from being paleo. Our household is not so much focused on strict this-or-that diet but the overall goal to eat healthier. Paleo gets us on that track. The food combinations and store ingredients tend to be ones that I would have never thought of or tried. 

1lb chicken tenders

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground coriander seed

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Combine almond meal with spices on a plate or shallow dish. Place beaten egg in a separate shallow dish. 

3. Dry chicken with paper towel. Dip in egg then dip in almond meal mixture, coating all sides. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken tenders are coated.

4. Bake for 16-18 minutes, turning once in the middle of baking, until completely cooked (interior temperature should read 180 deg F)

Paleo Chicken Pad Thai

We love going to our local chain grocer "Sprouts". They have a monthly magazine with 4 recipes that I enjoy trying. This one was very fun and easy. It was paleo for me, but the boys insisted on having rice (or noodles) to go with it. :) Cooking the chicken in the coconut oil was so delicious! I opted to sprinkle on the chopped cashews, cilantro and sriracha-so good. :)

1 1/2 lb chicken cut into 1" chunks

4-5 Tbsp coconut oil

5 cloves garlic chopped

3 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp aminos (soy sauce)

4 Tbsp lime juice

1/2 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar

5 Tbsp cilantro

4-5 green onions

1 12 oz pkg broccoli slaw

2 medium carrots julienned

2 Tbsp chopped cashews

Sriracha to taste

1. Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, cook for about 1 minute.
2. Add chicken and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned.
3. Add fish sauce, aminos, lime juice and vinegar. Cook at a rapid simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add broccoli slaw and julienned carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft but still firm, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Toss or garnish with green onion, cilantro, cashews and sriracha.

Wild Salmon with Naval Orange-Cucumber Salsa

Trying to increase our frequency of meals from the Auto-Immune Paleo cookbook, I found this one in which the salsa tasted a lot like Ceviche. So we topped our salmon with it and then the next night added shrimp to the leftover salsa. The original recipe called for nectarine, but the naval orange was just as delicious. Might have to try it again when nectarines are in season.

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/wild-salmon-with-nectarine-cucumber-salsa/

Cranberry-Glazed Chicken

Another wonderful recipe from the Autoimmune Paleo website. The turmeric was the winning ingredient. I served with with mashed cauliflower and salad. Another successful night to our good health. :)

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/cranberry-glazed-chicken/

Cream of Avocado Soup with Crab Meat

So the hubby is wanting to eat healthier--targeting his immune system. When we were shopping in the grocery store, I found a cookbook which is at this website:  www.autoimmune-paleo.com . After reading about it's purpose and recipes, I'm discovering that they are fun (and sometimes weird), healthy recipes even if you don't follow the plan. However, it's also a great way to find out if you have food allergies and health problems related to food over a 30-60 day period. We're not disciplined enough to go that far, but I am already finding I love these recipes, especially involving salmon or avocado since that's what my husband buys a lot of at the store.

For this recipe I actually served it hot by heating up the chicken broth before putting it in the blender. I served 2, maybe 3 people and I would recommend doubling the crab meat. The hubby was still raving about it today and even suggested freezing up batches of it, particularly when there's an avocado sale. :)

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/cream-of-avocado-soup-with-crab-meat/