Recent Recipes

I've never been consistent with belly pictures!  This was a couple weeks ago (around 20 weeks).  Things are definitely different with #3!

For those following our eating journey, here's an update.  We are finding a better balance in eating.  I am finding myself much more comfortable with a whole, natural food approach instead of extreme low/no carb. This blog has been the biggest inspiration for me - http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

I have mentioned this blog before.  It feel realistic for me and at this point, that is what I need.  

It is amazing to see how far we have come in just six months though.  Sure, we have our moments - like bread and apple crisp on Valentines Day, but we need those moments for our sanity.  But we have definitely achieved a new normal of a less carbs, very little sugar and very few processed foods.  

Here are a few of the recipes from the past few weeks:

Just in case you think things always go well in my kitchen...they definitely don't!

This was supposed to be blueberry protein pancakes:

Total fail!

If you want to know why you should cut down the gluten in your diet, read the book Wheat Belly.  While I am not willing to go to his extreme, I do believe that gluten is way too prominent in most people's diet. The Wheat Belly cookbook has been a new resource I have been using and so far it seems pretty good.  

Peanut Butter Pie for Super Sunday

My absolute new favorite thing is granola!  I have never eaten granola before, but Chad likes to eat it with yogurt, so I thought I would try to make it.  I used the 100 days of food recipe and tweaked it a little.  I eat it with plain greek yogurt and berries and eat it as cereal with dried strawberries.  Eating a bowl of cereal is absolutely amazing.  Its the little things in life. :)  So good!

• 3½ cups rolled oats (if you want bars use steel cut oats so it will stick together better)
• 1 cup raw sliced almonds
• 1 cup raw cashew pieces (or walnuts or pecans)
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
• ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (I didn't use these)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger (I did not add this or nutmeg to my second batch and I like it better with less spice.)
• ½ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup honey (I cut the honey by almost half and added a little more butter.)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Also need – parchment paper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry oats, almonds, cashews, coconut, seeds and spices together in a large mixing bowl.
3. Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts stir in the vanilla and salt.
4. Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
5. Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer. Bake for 75 minutes.
6. The granola will become crisp as it cools at which point you can break into pieces (if making bars) or break it up into small chunks by pounding it in a zip lock bag (if making cereal). Store in air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

For almost 6 months I have been eating eggs every morning for breakfast.  I love eggs, but it can get a little old.  These flax muffins are a good way to change things up!  (I will share the recipe!)

They were part of a massive cooking day - muffins, granola, salsa and bread.  I am such a messy cook!  Don't judge my honey...I know, I know.  I was out of raw honey.  

Another new favorite meal for us is MEATBALLS!  I did not grow up eating meatballs and would never have thought to eat them without pasta.  They are so versatile!  Our girls love them too!!

Two of our favorite recipes are:

Parmesan Meatballs (You can add 1/2 cup Pesto to make Pesto Meatballs!)

1 1/4 pounds ground chicken (I normally use turkey)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use almond flour)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup Pecorino (or Parm)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 egg, whisked
zest of half a lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 14-ounce can storebought pizza sauce (such as Don Pepino’s)  (I make my own - so much better than jarred!)  
about 4 ounces fresh mozzarella (a dozen thin slices; to pile on the cheese would be to cancel out the fact that you were virtuous enough to replace fatty beef with lean chicken)

Preheat oven to 400°F, setting rack to upper third part of oven. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently mix together first 11 ingredients. Shape into lacrosse-ball size balls (that would be somewhere between golf and tennis) and place a few inches from each other on a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix one spoonful of your pizza sauce with olive oil. Brush this mixture on top of each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven, spoon some sauce on top of each meatball, and cover each with a slice of cheese. Broil another 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.  Heat remaining sauce in a small saucepan. Serve meatballs with a dollop of sauce and a raw Tuscan kale salad that has been shredded and tossed with shallots, Pecornio, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

From http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com

Buffalo Meatballs

Ingredients

For the Meatballs
• 1lb ground chicken or turkey
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbl chopped celery (I normally leave this out b/c I don't have any.)
• 3 Tbl crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Sauce
• 1/2 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot

Instructions

• Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. DO NOT ADD SALT!!! The Frank’s is super salty as is the blue cheese so trust me you don’t need to add more. The mix will be sticky and gooey but that’s normal. Form into about 1 inch balls – remember these are cocktail/bite sized so don’t make them too big. Place them on a greased cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 350 degrees (F) for 10 minutes.
• To make the sauce, combine the Frank’s and butter in a small saucepan on medium heat, or place in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on high.
• After 10 minutes, remove balls from oven and dunk carefully (they are tender from the cream cheese and could fall apart if you are too rough) in the buffalo sauce. Put back onto the cookie sheet and bake for another 12 minutes. If you have leftover sauce you could pour it over the meatballs and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes if you want them really saucy. These have a subtle blue cheese flavor but I love the dressing so I added more and it was awesome! And of course, you must serve with celery sticks to be authentic!

Last favorite thing - Cabbage!  Plain old chopped green cabbage sauteed with butter and topped with a little gluten free soy sauce or amino acids at the end.  Yum!