Tradition breakfast

Sunday morning I woke up ready to go! I made a very traditional breakfast of eggs, sausage, and hash browns.... Well sweet potatoes! Good thing my day started out on the right foot, because after spending the rest of the at my mom's non-paleo house. I munched on some summer sausage and broccoli for lunch then had chili for dinner.  Not terrible, except the 2 fun sized snickers!

Teriyaki chicken

This weekend has been kind of hectic, like every weekend when you're a single mom, or a mom in general I'd imagine. So this was actually saturdays's dinner (it is now Monday morning). This is a meal that I mix up in bulk and freeze. I keeps really well, all I have to do I toss it in the refrigerator before I go to work and it's ready to cook when I get home, marinaded to perfection. This started out as Friday's dinner, but took too long to bake. So this time it was baked whole for 30 minutes. Then cubed, added a 1/4 cup water to the marinade and baked for another 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 clove garlic
1/2 Cup honey
1 Cup tamari
1/4 Cup water
1/4 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 Cup white wine

Directions:
In a bowl combine all ingredients except chicken
Place chicken and marinade in freezer bag
Seal bag
Let marinade for 8 hours or freeze
Bake covered for 20-30 minutes
Brush with marinade (this is when I added more water and cut chicken)
Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes

I served it with steamed broccoli, I have also served it with cauliflower rice in the past, I was just feeling lazy today!

Big no no

Today I wanted to make sure I wasn't late to work, so I pulled a big no no, I didn't pack anything to eat! While waiting for someone to open with me I ate a banana that had gotten left in my car after grocery shopping yesterday. When i got inside i had a cappccino. I worked until 1:30 so I was at my desk with clients when I should have been eating some lunch. So I munched on some almonds. And then had some summer sausage in the car on the way home. Aside form the cappccino I stayed very paleo despite not planning meals! Planning = success!

Steak!

An all time summer favorite for me is streak. Unfortunately I can only make a good steak on the grill, so I was excited when I went to my parents and they had steak for dinner because the last thing I wanted to do when I got off work at 7:30 was make dinner!!! They served it with potatoes and corn which aren't the best paleo sides, but ill take it! It's definitely WAY better than stopping somewhere and picking up dinner!

B.A.S.

I had my 'usual' breakfast this morning. Then before work I ran to Walmart and picked up a little of every vegetable that was on sale (and by on sale I mean anywhere since they price match!) then when lunch rolled around a made a b.a.s. otherwise known as a big ass salad! I got compliments on it from all of my coworkers. Of course the vegetables, meat, cheese, etc, that you use are completely up to you, but here was my Friday lunch!

Ingredients:
Lettuce
Tomato
Avocado
Red onion
Mushrooms
Cucumber
Hard boiled egg
Like juice for flavor

Directions:
Chop up all ingredients
Mix together in a big bowl

Quickie

I got home late tonight, and got very impatient waiting for my chicken to bake, so i whipped up this little quickie

Ingredients
1/2 pound shrimp
1 Cup broccoli crowns
1/3 Cup shredded cauliflower

Directions
Cook shrimp and broccoli for 3 minutes in a steam bag
Cook cauliflower for 3 minutes on a plate.
Top cauliflower with broccoli and shrimp.
I added a splash on coconut amino a for flavor

Delicious and dinner in under 10 minutes!

Steak stir fry

Trying to be healthier I took my lunch to work today and had left over stir fry. It was just as good left over as it was originally!

Ingredients
1 steak Steak (cut into strips)
1 medium Onions (cut into chunks)
1/2 Green bell pepper (sliced)
1 Cup Baby carrots (cut in half)
2 stalks celery (sliced)
1/2 Cup tamari

Directions
Cook all ingredients in a large saucepan frequently stirring until meat is fully cooked and vegetables are cooked but crisp.

Breakfast bowl

This morning I went with an easy to eat on the go breakfast that has been very popular for me lately.  Scrambled egg, cheese, sausage, onion and avocado mixed together in a bowl. It's easy, fast and best of all very filling!

Philly Cheese Steak

Thank Nicole for the recipe and the picture :) You're right, this WAS so delicious, and surprisingly fillin!

Philly Cheese Steak

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Green Peppers
• 4 Provolone/Mozzarella cheese 
• 1 sweet onions
• Meat: thinly sliced roast beef, but I went with thin cut top sirloin. 

Directions:

• Cut your onions and saute until caramelized. 
• Preheat oven to 400. 
• If you choose to do the top sirloin, cut your meat into strips and halve those. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  Add meat to onions and cook for another 5 minutes.
  Cut peppers lengthwise. Clean out ribs, seeds, etc.
  Lay a slice of cheese in the bottom of the peppers.
• Heap meat & onion mix on top of cheese. Be generous.
  Lay another piece of cheese on top of the mixture.
  Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, unless cheese is melty and a little brown on top. 

I ended up going with another piece of cheese on top, and stuck it back in the over just long enough to melt. I really LOVE cheese.
Enjoy!

Egg Salad

I wanted a more traditional lunch today. Like a sandwich. With a fresh batch of hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator I decided what's better than an egg salad sandwich.. ugh... wrap.

Egg Salad

Ingredients:
2 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 avocado, cubed
2 Tablespoons paleo mayo
2 slices crispy bacon
1 lettuce leaf

Directions:
Mix egg, avocado, mayo and bacon together
Put mixture on a lettuce leaf
Roll up and enjoy!

Good day!

After such a "bad" day yesterday, and Christmas right around the corner, I need to have a REALLY good day today! I started out on the right foot with a bowl of oatmeal and sausage.

Fail.

My day started out on the right foot. My vacation is over and I worked for a whole four hours today, over lunch time of course. I had a yummy breakfast of a lemon poppy seed muffin and a banana. It was quick and easy for a hectic Saturday morning. I even packed my lunch so I'd have something to munch on at work; summer sausage & goat cheese,baby carrots, and 2 deviled eggs. Then I got to work, got candy for a Christmas gift and forgot all about my lunch in the fridge. It was replaced with 4 mini Reese's. I left work, and my lunch in the fridge, and over to my mom's house where my nutritious day continued with 2 coconut macaroons. We went shopping and I ended up staying for dinner, which was less than healthy. Roast chicken, macaroni salad, potato salad and baked beans. My sister made fun of me, but I was proud that I limited myself to small, and i mean SMALL portions! The next few days will be tricky like today, and even though I strayed, I know my limits!

Honey Chicken

I've had a headache for two days and the last thing I wanted to do what cook dinner, so I did what I do when I work late, (yesterday) I pulled already marinated chicken out of the freezer. I cooked the chicken on the stove, steamed broccoli and added a salad for flair.

Honey Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup tamari
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1″ cubes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 small onions, cut into 2″ pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2″ pieces

Directions: 

• In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, tamari and black pepper.  Add chicken, garlic, onions and peppers into the bowl, cover and marinade in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
• Toss it all in a pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear.

Freezing Directions:

• In a large freezer bag whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce and black pepper.  Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers into the bag, remove as much air as possible, seal and freeze.

Thanks to Orleatha!

Paleo Oatmeal

I woke up to snow for the first time all year! And what's better on a snowy winter morning than a big bowl of oatmeal. Well truth be told I'm not a fan of oatmeal, but I find myself craving it on days like today. I found a "recipe" online that was basically smashed banana with butter. Well if I wanted a banana I'd have a banana! I had previously read about using coconut flakes as cereal. Then I knew I had it...!!!

Paleo Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 Cup coconut milk
• 1 ripe banana

Directions:

• Wisk together coconut flakes and milk in small sauceman
• Smash banana into the sauce man
• mix together until hot

I topped mine off with some honey and cinnamon, but of course this can be flavored in the same way as any oatmeal! Consensus WAY better than regular oatmeal! I loved the texture, and my two year old gobbled it up. She had to go potty during breakfast and insisted on taking it with! 

Shrimp Avocado Salad

For lunch today I had planned to have THIS meal, but my shrimp didn't thaw in time, so I decided to have it tomorrow. Confused? Well apparently meat not thawing in time is my thing and the chicken I wanted to have for dinner didn't thaw in time so shrimp was up! Chicken will probably just be tomorrow dinner. This. Was. Amazing.

Shrimp Avocado Salad

 Ingredients:

• Dressing
• 1 Tablespoon of juice from thawing shrimp
• 1/2 Cup mayo
• 1 12 oz bag of frozen cooked shrimp
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1/4 Cup chopped red onion

Directions:

• Thaw shrimp in a strainer over a bowl
• Wisk Dressing ingredients together
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl, until covered in dressing
• Serve as a side or a meal!

I was actually running late to go couponing with my mom so I ate a bowl of this, and just this and it was completely satisfying! Covered my major food groups; fats, meat, and veggies! :)

Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

I had been reminiscing about a particular pasta salad that I loved, and I thought I could make something like that... no not just like it... BETTER!!! It was much better, just amazingness on my tongue! This is good by itself or as a side dish.

Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad

(2 servings) 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado cubed
• to keep from browning toss with a teaspoon of lemon juice
• 5 cherry tomatoes quartered
• 1/2 cucumber cubed
• 1/5 red onion chopped
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinergerette
• 1 Teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

I had this, 2 deviled eggs and a golden delicious apple for lunch, I realized when I looked down I had NO meat on my plate! So I took two slices for ham and ate them too! I think an good addition to this would be some cubed mozzarella, if only i had some!

Pan fried eggs and bacon

This morning I went for the basic eggs and bacon from breakfast, I just added a bit of sliced avocado because I'm not really a huge fan of the taste of fried eggs (even when I cook them in bacon grease). Well actually it may be the texture that I don't like because I LOVE eggs. While I made breakfast I boiled a dozen eggs. I see hard-boiled eggs showing up here soon!

 Eggs and Bacon

 

Ingredients

• 3 eggs (I shared with Delilah)
• 4 slices of bacon
• 1/4 acocado sliced

Directions

• Fry bacon in a pan (I like mine super crispy!)
• Remove bacon from pan and fry eggs in bacon grease

I also ended up having a banana too. I love having fruit with my breakfast, but nothing too high in sugar!

Taco Salad

I STILL had some ground beef in the fridge, so I figured it was use it TONIGHT or lose it. I went for option number one with quick and easy taco salad. It was less than 10 minutes from the time I walked into the kitchen until I was sitting down to eat dinner. I did already have the taco seasoning mixed so that saved me a few minutes. I made just one serving tonight

Taco Salad

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound ground beef
• 5 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/4 avocado sliced
• 1/4 Cup shredded cheese
• Taco seasoning 
• 2 cups lettuce
• sour cream

Directions:

• Brown ground beef
• add seasoning after draining meat
• make your salad :)

I would have also put some salsa on this, but I am fresh out :( It was still so yummy!

Summer Sausage Sandwiches

After having such a large breakfast, when lunch time rolled around I wasn't really all that hungry.  But in an effort to keep my daughter on her schedule I made a light lunch and what's better than a sandwich and chips, paleo style of course! When I was in school there was this terrible "Mexican food" place that I loved going to that had nachos with goat cheese. So when I found some garlic herb goat cheese yesterday when I went grocery shopping I couldn't pass it up... for old times sake...

Summer Sausage Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• summer sausage sliced
• garlic herb goat cheese slice

Directions:

• Spread goat cheese slices on summer sausage 
• top with another slice of summer sausage 

Okay, so that one didn't really need directions, but I like consistency! They were delicious! Even Delilah ate the summer sausage and goat cheese! I guess the love of all cheeses has been passed down!  I added a slide of sliced apple and some carrot slices, it hit the spot perfectly!

Omelet

I woke up STARVING this morning and much earlier than necessary thanks to my garbage pick up being at 6 am. Nothing like a garbage truck outside to wake you up! So I decided to actually cook this morning. I had a ham and cheese omelet, sausage patties, a cutie, some avocado and sweet potato hash browns! Even though I made one plate and then split it with my daughter it was still way too much food we couldn't finish it! Guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach! It was an awesome way to start my day!

Ham and Cheese Omelet

 

Ingredients: 

• 3 eggs
• 1 thick slice of ham (chopped)
• cheese
• Splash of milk

Directions:

• beat the eggs and milk in a medium size bowl
• pour into a greased pan, cover, and cook until eggs are done
• heat up ham
• add cheese and ham to one half of cooked egg
• fold egg in half

I added some avocado to the top of my omelet because I love the flavor avocado adds!

Sushi

So sushi probably isn't the MOST paleo thing to eat. However, I finally made it to the grocery store tonight (and my 2 year old stayed dry!) and planned to go straight out for my weekly coffee date. I knew that I was going to have to eat dinner on the fly. Whole foods has sushi in their deli case and it is definitely healthier than stopping for fast food!! I ate my sushi in the car (classy!), had an iced black coffee, and since I had plenty of fresh goodies I had a snack of almonds and summer sausage when I got home! I was proud of myself for not taking the "easy way out" and getting fast food!

Tuna Avocado cucumber sandwhiches

Continuing with my lazy vacation theme I've had going, for lunch I made some quick "sandwiches". These were surprisingly filling! I have a love affair with bacon and couldn't help but to think that next time I will definitely add some to the mix. These were full of flavors and so yummy! I can't get my picture to upload :(

Tuna Avocado Cucumber Sandwiches

 Ingredients:

• 6 cucumber slices
• 1 can of tuna
• 2 Tablespoons paleo mayo
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 slice red onion
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together (minus cucumber)
• Top each cucumber slice with a tablespoon of mixture
• Enjoy!

This was so easy, quick, and surprisingly filling! I also split a banana with Delilah because her two year old taste buds didn't enjoy the tuna or cucumbers!

banana walnut chocolate chip muffin

I was feeling pretty lazy this morning, and hey I'm on vacation so it's allowed! We didn't get out of bed until 9:30! I figured by the time I actually got moving and cooked something it would be almost lunch time. So I had a banana walnut chocolate chip muffin and a cutie!

Paleo Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 Cups almond meal
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3 eggs
• 4 Tablespoon coconut oil (softened or melted)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Cup 80% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 Cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat over to 325
• Grease cupcake pan with coconut oil
• In a large mixing bowl smash bananas (I like to use my potato masher)
• Add eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt, and baking soda
• Add almond meal 1/2 cup at a time 
• Once all ingredients are mixed together add the chocolate chips and walnuts
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean
• Let cool on a rack before eating them all at once!! 
• only kidding, I only ate 2!

making my list, and checking it twice

Today I am going to the grocery store. Woke up to a broken window in my car, so it threw a wrench, or rather a brick!, in my plans. So for lunch I had a variation of last nights dinner. I still have little food, and ground beef that needs to be cooked, so I made mini bacon avacado cheeseburgers! I haven't had a burger in the longest and now two in two days! They were so good!! Now that I've got my list, and I've checked it twice I'm finally heading out to whole food this afternoon so dinner will be someone new!

Mini Quiche

A week ago I went grocery shopping and picked up two dozen eggs. My sister was with me and said REALLY? Why so many? Well it turned out that I didn't have enough!! Now that I have mayonnaise I want to make so Deviled eggs, but I don't have any eggs left over to boil. Between baking and making these amazing mini quiche I used up almost all 24 eggs in a matter of 3 days. These are perfect. I tossed them in the fridge and throughout the week tossed two or three on a plate, in the microwave for 2 minutes and breakfast was served!

 Mini Breakfast Quiche

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs
• coconut oil (or other grease)
• bacon
• broccoli
• cheese
• onion
• Of course you can put whatever ingredients in your quiche that you want. I'm going to make some mushroom, spinach, and bacon   later today!

Directions:

• Preheat over to 325
• grease cupcake tin with coconut oil   
• cook meat (bacon, sausage, whatever you want!)
• mix veggies and meat together
• divide the mixture evenly into greased tin
• add cheese
• beat 12 eggs until frothy, then pour over veggies
• Bake for 20-25 minutes

Breakfast is served! Complete with protein and vegetables!