Queen Of Left Overs Goes Lenticular Lovin'

 

 

 

Our beautiful daughter graduates from high school this spring, and we couldn't be happier!

This coming fall we will be empty nesters, scary but quite exciting.

So when a child graduates in our house we take them on a family vacation of their choice, we took our son to Hawaii for his senior trip. 

Our daughter wasn't sure where she wanted to go, I quickly suggested Bermuda, Barbados...you get the drift. In the end she chose Washington State.

Really?

At first I wasn't impressed. It's still chilly up there even in the summer...right?

I started a Pinterest board and began pinning everything that looked exciting to do in the state.

I am now an official Lenticular Cloud junkie.

It is my greatest wish to see a UFO looking cloud parked right over Mt.Rainier.

Everyone else has an equally interesting thing they want to see or do out of the trip, my daughter wants to go to a huge music festival called The Sasquatch Festival, my husband wants to whale watch, and our son is hoping to be back from his internship in Brussels in time to make the trip.

I have really kicked up my walking and treadmill time so that I can haul my booty around Washington's mountains and forests without puking and slowing everyone down.

We are now on super budget crunch down trying to save for this trip.

No more eating out and I am making sure that we eat everything in our fridge, with next to no waste at all. No one is happy about this arrangement, none of us are fans of leftovers, but with some creativity I have been making it work.

 

 

 

One of our staples every week is pureed cauliflower. We eat it as a side dish, like mashed potatoes.

When it is the next day I like to bake it on parchment paper by spoonful's, it reminds me of tater tots. When my cauliflower is thin I reminds me more of little potato pancakes, a perfect side dish for any meat. This night I wanted to use it completely different. I scraped the container of leftover cauliflower into a sauce pan, put about a cup and a half of water in the container and shook it around to loosen the puree and poured that in the pan too. I added a 1/4 cup of heavy cream, salted and peppered it. Once it was warm I poured it in our bowls and generously doused it with bacon and a bit of cheese.

Awesome.

Best thing I have had in a while.

 

 

 

This lunch is all left overs. If you take a closer peek at my blueberries, they are a tad sketchy. But if there isn't mold on something I'm going to eat it. No waste!

My hard cooked eggs were a day away from being trash so I mixed them with carrot shreds (which we add to everything) celery, a small amount of Caesar dressing, pistachios, a little cheddar, and lots of spices.

My cookies are made from a boat load of leftovers and are perfectly Paleo/Primal.

I had made some medjool date paste (soak the dates in water, remove seed, and whiz in the food processor-it is almost like carmel and is a natural sugar source) that I needed to use so I decided on these cookies.

 

 

After I blended the almonds down to flour, I threw everything else in the food processor and whizzed it together.

 

 

 

Ready in two seconds!

 

 

 

Dropped by spoonful onto parchment paper.

 

 

 

Baked for twelve minutes and they were ready to enjoy with breakfast lunch or dinner.

 

Gluten Free Paleo / Primal Anytime Cookies:

 

1/4 cup mejoohl date paste

2 tbsp. of honey

1-2 ripe bananas (depends if yours are small or big)

1/2 cup almond flour (grind my own)

1/2 almond butter (grind my own)

1 egg

1 tsp. of vanilla

1tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice (optional)

1/2 tsp. of baking powder

dash of salt

 

 

I mixed everything together in the food processor till blended and creamy.

Dropped by spoonful onto parchment paper (I did like them better smoothed out into cookie shape)

Baked in a 350 degree oven for 10/12 minutes.

Enjoy anytime of the day!

 

 

  

 

In the mean time I am going to keep planning our trip and hoping to see a sight like this!



Snow Snow Go Away Don't Come Again Another Day

It's been snowing in Ohio...since November.
The year I started my blog it was the mildest winter we had had in decades, this year has been the coldest and most snow filled we have had in years. Ugh!
That my friends makes me a tiny bit crazier than I am during the spring, summer, and fall. It also makes me want to curl up in a ball under mounds of blankets and hibernate.
I have not gotten off my rather big butt in almost a month.
Every day I say to myself that I will hop on the treadmill or pop in a DVD. Does it happen? 
No.
I find another excuse to sit in my chair or snuggle with my little dog Jackie in my bed.  I still eat very well, but my weight never budges. I might have even gained a few pounds.
Sigh...I must make myself move more!

 

My breakfasts are always Primal and include spinach.

My lunch / dinner always includes protein, spinach, and fruit.

 

I'm lazy right now so there is not much cooking going on, but when I do it is usually already something that I am good at making.

Spaghetti squash along with cauliflower are my go to side dishes. 

This week it was squashes turn, and I made a chicken, artichoke, and spaghetti squash casserole along with a pesto parmesan side dish. These are perfect to make and freeze ahead of time.

I do need a treat, almost everyday.

I have been trying to make something that uses whole ingredients, and not just pure sugar.

I went back to an old favorite, Primal Protein Bars.

I have blogged about them before, and these are a favorite of even my picky daughter.

They are quick and easy to whip up with a heavy duty food processor (since they are super sticky) and curb even the worst sweet cravings.

1 pound of whole pitted prunes

1 cup of raw almond meal (I pulse the almonds down until I have a cup of meal, not flour)

1/2 cup of flax seed meal (I buy mine at Costco)

1/2 cup of cocoa powder (I use dark)

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp of chunky almond butter or peanut butter

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I used mini since they disperse nicely through each bar)

I pulse everything together in the food processor, press into a wax paper covered brownie pan (with a piece of wax paper under my hand-these are sticky!) and set in the fridge (covered with wax paper) for one to two hours until chilled throughout. I use a very long serrated knife to cut into bar shapes, wrap in smaller pieces of wax paper, and keep in a Tupperware container in the fridge. 

They really help when your mind says cookies, brownies, and ice cream!! You can grab one of these and stay healthier.

Jack and I are going to stay warm for now and maybe exercise (crossing my fingers).

Next time, I have a recipe for blueberry maple breakfast sausage. They are super tasty and perfect with any meal.

Getting Ready for Primal Thanksgiving With Primal Apple Crisp

It's Thanksgiving this week and I have spent some time getting the place all dolled up for the big day. Our son will be home from college and I wanted the house to look especially pretty and warm to welcome him back. Here are a few pictures to show you what it looks like here this year.

The buffet will be filled with Primal yummies on Thursday

I spent too much time on Pinterest trying to figure out how to update the look of our bookcases for fall

I have Pinterest to thank for the ideas on putting together the Thanksgiving mantle

It is also our first Primal Thanksgiving, so I have had to remove some old carb filled recipes and replace them with our new favorites.
I am exchanging the flour made Parker House Rolls for Herb and Cheddar Coconut Flour Biscuits.
We are giving up the white mashed potatoes for just having sweet potato casserole (who needs two kinds of potatoes in one meal anyway?)
My mom is making the pumpkin and pecan pies with crusts made with almond meal and coconut flour.
I tried out a new recipe this weekend to see if it might be good to have on the big day.
Primal Apple Crisp was amazing! Warm and filled with fall spices, it is gluten free and will be perfect to serve on Thursday along with the pies.

I cut four very large honey crisp apples up into small pieces and sauteed them in butter and a bit of raw sugar.

I added in some lemon juice and a load of cinnamon.

I then mixed the almond flour, coconut flour, spices, salt, brown sugar, and soft butter together in a separate bowl to make a crumb.

I placed the warm apples in a coconut oil rubbed baking dish.

I covered the apples with all of the crumb mix and baked for 35 minutes until warm and bubbly.

I served ours in a pretty martini glass.
It was a wonderful treat! We don't eat much sugar now days and this was almost too sweet to me, but my husband thought it was perfect!

Primal Apple Crisp:

4 large apples cut into pieces
1.5 sticks of butter (grassfed is best)
1/4 cup raw sugar (I use raw organic fair trade)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
3 tablespoons of cinnamon
(I also used cake spice, apple pie spice, and pumpkin pie spices in mine)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour

• Cut the apples into the shape and size you enjoy
• simmer the apples on the stove top in 1/2 stick of butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon,and the raw sugar until they loose their crispness
• In a separate bowl mix the almond and coconut flours with the brown sugar, 1 stick of softened butter, salt, and any extra spices you enjoy
• In a baking dish rub generously with coconut oil to coat and add the apples, cover evenly with the crumb mixture
• Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and warm

I hope you try this apple dish and enjoy your Holiday with the ones you love!

Low Carb Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pudding in Chocolate cups

I wanted to make a WOW dessert for our dinner party this last Saturday night, but being Primal we don't eat very much sugar or carbs, which is the basis of all good desserts.
I had been looking through Pinterest for something visually pretty, and fell in love with the idea of making chocolate cups to hold something peanut buttery.
I had grandiose plans to make my own puddings and the chocolate cups, but as my day ran away from me, I sent the husband down to the grocery for sugar free Jello puddings and made some improvements to their boxed treat.

First I blew up six balloons and covered their bottoms with coconut oil.
This did not help them to not stick, I have no idea why, but maybe I will try Crisco the next time I make these.

I heated up simple chocolate almond bark in the microwave until it melted, and then waited for it to get cool to the touch.
It has to be completely cool or your balloon will burst and you will be cleaning bits of chocolate out of the cat's ears...the electric plugs...the light fixtures...you get the drift!
Dip them in the bowl coating the bottoms and up the sides well.
I had to take my spoon and add some chocolate in thinner places.
Let them sit for an hour to be completely set.
Take a needle and holding the neck of the balloon between your fingers prick it, only leave a tiny hole for the air to begin releasing.
If you pop the balloon too quickly the air will rush out and collapse the bowl in on itself.

Here the balloons are slowly leaking air and beginning to pull away.
You can tell that I had some breakage and even some holes in the bottom of the cups.

This was a fail...I just gave that one to me when I served dessert!

They were still pretty to look at, even if not perfect.

Peanut Butter Pudding:

2 packages of cook and stir sugar free vanilla pudding
3 cups of organic heavy cream
3 cups water
1 cup of smooth peanut butter

Mix the pudding, cream, and water in a medium sauce pan.
Stir continuously over a medium heat until thickened.
Add the peanut butter in and stir till it begins to slow boil.
Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl, cover, and store in the fridge till set.

Chocolate Mousse Pudding:

2 packages of instant sugar free chocolate pudding
3 cups of organic heavy cream
3 cups of ice cold water

Mix the pudding, cream, and cold water in a large bowl with a hand mixer until thick and fluffy.
It will look light colored while it sets, but turn a rich dark chocolate color upon setting.
Put in the fridge for several hours to set.

I put two large spoonfuls in each chocolate cup to serve.
The mixture of the peanut butter and chocolate flavors was delightful, and very rich.
My guests really enjoyed this yummy treat and I hope you try your hand at it and enjoy it too!

Primal Chocolate Cheesecake To Sooth My Millionaire Dreams

I'm a little put out this morning.
I've had to cancel my bid on the 600 acres of land in Hawaii I was hoping to buy.
We didn't win the lottery...this time!
It was a fun week envisioning all of the travel we would do, college tuitions covered, and new cars...oh boy...would I love a new car!
I also envisioned all the people we would help...secretly...you do not want anyone to know you won half of a billion dollars.
Those dreams are put on hold until the next big lottery I guess.
Then I will pull them out, dust them off, and get geeked all over again.
I have a confession to make.
I cheated last night.
Carbs.
It was so beautiful outside and with my husband acting in an Easter play at church, I dragged my daughter out of  the hidey hole in her room to a restaurant that has outdoor tables.
A Mexican restaurant.
Sigh...
I had chips and salsa plus my old standard favorite...chicken chimichunga...with beans.
Sigh...
It did taste wonderful going down, and my daughter was lovely company.
The three tiny birds we threw chip crumbs to were entertaining, the sunset colorful, and the weather was perfect.
That being said...
I had a horrible nights sleep. My hips ached, my ankles and feet hurt, I could not get comfortable, and there were some other side affects which NO ONE wants to know.
Was it worth it? Yes and no.
The time spent with my teenage daughter...priceless.
The terrible night and health repercussions? No.
I am sure there were better choices on that menu, I chose not to look for them, charging straight into an old habit.
Sigh...
It has been easier to resist the foods that I know will make me feel bad.
I enjoy each day more because I feel so good, that aches and pains are almost non existent, and the fact that my day is full of energy!
I regret eating like that mostly because I was too bloated and full to eat the dessert I had made for my husband and kids.
Primal Chocolate Cheesecake!
It looked yummy and my husband said it tasted great...but man!
It is going to be a while before I can look at anything but a protein and a big plate of spinach salad.
Mmmmm...spinach salad...stomach quieting goodness...

Primal Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients
Cheesecake base:

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 Tbsp cocoa
• 1 Tbsp sugar or sugar substitute of your choice
• Dash of salt (if almonds and butter are unsalted)

Cheesecake filling:

• 8 ounces of very dark or even unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 16 ounces of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon cocoa, dissolved in 1 Tbsp hot water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix the almond meal, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
3. Cream the cream cheese.
4. Mix in the honey, chocolate, cocoa, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 60 minutes, with a pan of water for moisture.
7. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
8. Let it cool completely.
9. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

I hope you try this Primal recipe and enjoy it too.

Gluten Free Primal Pizzels And A Talk With The Primal Doc

Yesterday was a work day for me, and so fortuitous that I was there.
Our doctor is a patient and had come in for his check up and teeth cleaning.
He walked up to the desk and my chin hit the floor.
He had lost so much weight! His face looked like a teenagers!
Our doctor is the one who had given us Mark Sisson's book and suggested that we try living Primal in the first place.
Wow! There was such a change in him.
He looked fit, healthy, and very happy.
I was envious...I want to be in that place already.
The waiting gets very long and I want so badly to be done.
But as the saying goes...the weight didn't come on in a day, so it's not coming off that way either.
All things happen for a reason and I felt the reason he was in on this day was so I could ask him about my fasting.
He was happy to answer my questions, and quickly put me at ease that I was not harming myself or my metabolism by eating this way.
Whew!
I knew it felt right, but hey...it felt right to eat two twixt bars in a row back in the old days.
At least my body is feeling better today.
I haven't changed my pillow in years and recently my shoulder has been sore, along with my neck and back.
I did some research on a bunch of different pillows, went to Bed Bath and Beyond, Macy's, and a few other places, and finally settled on My Pillow.
They had a 60 day money back guarantee and an A+ Better Business Bureau rating.
That pillow is amazing.
I was very sceptical when it came shrink wrapped into a cylinder and needed to be fluffed in the dryer first to get it's shape back.
Oh man! This morning I woke up from a very deep sleep and could not remember tossing and turning at all!
My neck has not hurt a bit, my shoulder is still sore, but nothing like yesterday morning.
Heaven!
I will let you know if things change or it squishes flat on me, but for now...happiness!
My children are now happy too.
Yesterday they were both displeased that there was nothing to munch on after school.
Displeased is not a strong enough word...really.
So I got out my old pizzel iron and heated it up. I found a recipe for regular pizzels and set out to recreate it for our Primal palate.
They turned out sweet and pretty, and are already gone!

Primal Pizzel Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/3 Cup Honey
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Directions

• Beat the eggs until smooth. 
• Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan on low heat. 
• Allow the butter to cool while you blend the honey and vanilla into the egg. 
• Then add the melted butter into the mix and blend. 
• Add in the dry ingredients, stirring until all the lumps are mixed out.
• Take a small spoon and put a ball of batter in the center of each grid of the iron.
• Close the lid and lock it, wait about 45 seconds to 1 minute and lift the lid, the pizzels should be ready to come out. 
• They should be golden in color. Lift out of iron with a thin spatula and cool on a rack or the counter.
• This recipe made 10-12 pizzels.

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we did.

The Shunning Of A Loved One...It Must Be Done

This has been an important person in our lives.
He provided us with a topping to our toast, a yummy appeal to cookies, and wow...with chocolate...he can't be beat!
But with that said...we are trying to let him go.
I have read study after study, and article after article about the health issues surrounding peanuts.
They are legumes rather than nuts, and carry potentially dangerous, “anti-nutrient” lectins in them.
Peanuts, along with a couple other crops I avoid, like corn and cereals, are especially susceptible to a mold that produces a mycotoxin called aflatoxin.
A few major sources of aflatoxins are peanuts, peanut oil, and corn.
What aflatoxins can do inside your body is frightening.
Also the peanut butter we have been eating is highly processed with sugars and other crazy preservatives.
Instead we are eating more almond butter and even some cashew butter.
It's not the same.
Nothing is the same as that super creamy...over processed crap.
It's like I keep trying to tell my mom, nothing tastes the same as the processed poo we were eating.
She will complain to me that when she makes the crackers or the biscuits from the recipes I gave her that they don't taste like what she's used to.
Ummm...yeah...I know...they are not what we are used to.
But our palettes change, and as our health keeps improving, my energy increases, and my weight drops even more...oh man...do those crackers taste good!
Even if you decide that you will continue to eat peanuts and peanut butter, it's good to know what is being said about those foods.
As for our home...I am trying to cut our use of them down.
I made some great flour free cookies that use either peanut butter or almond butter and are a huge hit for the kids to take in their lunches.
Here's the recipe.

• 1 cup of almond butter or peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• dash of salt
• optional~I add in 1/4 cup of dark chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat all the ingredients with a spoon until they become smooth.
Fold in the chopped dark chocolate.
Drop by spoonful onto a greased cookie tray.

Bake for 8-10 Minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet.

I hope you try these cookies and enjoy them as much as we do.

CooCoo For Coconuts...So Much Health In One Tough Nut

When I finished reading The Primal Blueprint the first time, I was floored.
All the things I had been doing for years was wrong.
I can remember being completely confused in the past about what to eat to be healthy.
Weight Watcher's stance is that you can eat whatever you want...within limits.
But when your hungry those limits are tossed out the window with your first hunger pain.
Nutra System and Jenny Craig want you to eat their processed food filth.
Those food packs were gag-worthy.
What happens to you when you go back to real food?
You got it, real weight gain.
Then I read Mark Sisson's book.
This wonderful man was saying I could eat steak and chicken breasts cooked in butter...mmm...butter...
I could eat butter!
Was encouraged to eat it, as long as it was the full fat, grass fed stuff.
OK!
Sign me up!!
Another new thing we were allowed to eat was coconut oil, and anything from the coconut itself, be it milk, flour, or water, was supposed to be great for you and your health.
I was worried about the coconut oil.
I had read a study a long time ago that the oil was bad...that they stopped using it in movie theatre popcorn because of its health risks.
So I started reading everything I could about coconut oil.
I read what Mark's Daily Apple had to say, I read several different books (Eat Fat Lose Fat, The Coconut Cure, and The Coconut Miracle), and I listened to Pod casts by other bloggers.
It was enough good information to give it a try.

Almost immediately I felt better.
My chest pains and anxious feelings were dissipating, I had more energy, I was sleeping better, and I was not as hungry. I can't say with certainty that it was mainly the oil, because my diet has completely changed, but I'm hooked.

The coconut flour that we changed to instead of white or wheat flour is amazing.
Where my son could eat a sleeve of oreos or six large white flour rolls, now he can only finish two cookies or two rolls.
It fills you up, and is satisfying.

I use coconut milk in my recipes and smoothies.
The best thing I made recently for the kids is Chocolate Coconut Flour Donuts.

These were awesome.
My daughter complains endlessly that she doesn't want another egg for breakfast.
So I surprised them one morning with these babies.
I made them in my mini donut maker (which I thought would never get used again).
Here is the recipe.

Mini Chocolate Coconut Flour Donuts:

• 1/2 cup of coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 4 tablespoons of coco powder
• 5 tablespoons of butter or ghee melted
• 1/4 cup of almond milk
• 1/4 cup of organic heavy cream (you can use 1/2 cup of either if you want)

Preheat a mini donut maker. Here is mine.

1. In a small bowl whisk together coconut flour, baking soda, coco powder, and salt.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla, almond milk, cream, and honey.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
4. I sprayed the pan with coconut oil I keep in a glass spray jar (heat it in hot water to liquefy)
5. Scoop the donut batter into the preheated donut maker. A cookie scooper makes it easy. (About 1 1/2 tablespoons for each donut)
6. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Carefully remove cooked donuts from the pan.
8. I put a tiny bit of icing on them (4tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tbsp coco powder, 1tbsp cream)

My husband and I liked the ones without icing better (my palette has changed).
This new way of living has never felt like a burden and I never feel deprived.
Plus I am getting close to 35 pounds lost!

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do.