It’s hard to get vegetables into this body of mine. I do my best, but a disguised vegetable is my favorite vegetable. That’s why I drink Shakeology religiously, and that’s also why I was super intrigued by this recipe from my favorite blogger, Juli Bauer at PaleOMG. The recipe for Juli’s PaleOMG’s Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup  caught my attention because I love any and everything “buffalo,” but the soup base consisted of nearly all vegetables pureed into a smooth, velvety soup. To make it even better, it came with Instant Pot directions.  After a long drive back from a very short trip to Charleston this weekend, this easy soup fit the bill. Stay tuned for a post on what to do with one day in Charleston. I was in foodie heaven in that gorgeous town!

Check out the ingredients below direct from Juli’s recipe and head over to her blog for the full recipe and instructions. Juli also has three incredible cookbooks with tasty Paleo recipes.

• 2 tablespoons ghee (I used butter)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• ½ white onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 32 ounces chicken bone broth
• ⅔ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or less, to taste)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 rotisserie chicken, pulled and shredded
• fresh cilantro, for garnish
• chopped green onions, for garnish
• Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Ranch, for garnish

I counted this as 1.5 green and 1/2 red per serving. Great way to get those green containers in!

Happy food prepping!

xo Jaime

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I have been obsessively watching cooking YouTube videos lately. It’s amazing how engaging some of these people are and you can easily see why they have so many followers. Chef Buck is one that I really enjoyed. This guy is no-frills, sounds like he comes from NOLA, and used to be overweight and unkempt in his videos. That last detail made the videos even more engaging because it just seemed so backwards that this guy would be making cooking videos. The recipes he was dishing out, however, were top notch and his following grew over time. More recently, Chef Buck found a razor and found a new interest in cleaner cooking.  He clearly got healthier, lost weight and worked on his image, but he kept his same down-home charm.

One of his most popular recipes is his Best Brussel Sprouts. I just happened to have a bag in my fridge that I needed to use. He wasn’t lying when he said these would be these best Brussel Sprouts I’d ever put in my mouth. They were! I’ll be making them again and again.

Check out this video here and subscribe to his channel:

And here is how mine turned out!

Kale is not my favorite. I’m not gonna lie. However, bacon is my favorite. Bacon makes just about anything taste better.  Dare I say it even made the kale taste good. Dang good, actually! Have you tried making kale in your instant pot? It’s easy and rather quick. If you care to season it up with bacon, you can do that in your pot too!

I served this kale with one of my very favorite Instant Pot chicken and rice recipes that I’ve found online. The Budget Bytes blog featured this recipe and it was winner with all three of the men in my household! Even my 3 year old ate it, and lately that has been a challenge. (That’s a subject for another blog, maybe Scary Mommy!) The best part was that I was able to use the chicken quarters from our Kroger store that are always on sale for .99/lb. The whole meal cost me less than $8, start to finish and I fed 4 people plus had leftovers for lunch!

I’m not reinventing the wheel with this kale recipe. I’m sure you can find similar ones across the web.  This is the way I do it, and there is room for interpretation. Add onions, garlic, and additional seasonings if that’s your thing.

INSTANT POT BACON SAUTEED KALE

INGREDIENTS:

1.5lb Raw Chopped Kale (about 3/4 of the 2lb bag you find at most grocery stores)

1 cup water

1 TBSP cooking oil

3 slices uncured, nitrate-free bacon (you can use whatever bacon you like, but that’s what we use)

Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse your kale if it is not already pre-washed. Put into your Instant Pot stainless steel pot. It should fill your pot about 3/4 of the way. Please do not fill past that point. Add one cup water. Set your pot on Steam for 12 minutes. Allow a natural release.

Drain water from kale. Place in a bowl and set it to the side. Put the stainless steel pot back in your Instant Pot.

Set pot to Saute setting on your Instant Pot and heat the cooking oil of your choice. Chop uncooked bacon and add to the heated pot. Cook thoroughly. You may also opt to add diced onion and chopped garlic at this point. I like to keep it simple, so I didn’t do that this time. When the bacon is completely cooked, add your kale back in. Season well with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot!

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Happy Sunday, all! This weekend I am full of mixed emotions – happy and sad at the same time. Why is so hard to let go of “stuff?” The husband and I are on a mission to plow through a list of things we want to do to our house. On that list, I begrudgingly agreed to sell my bedroom suite that we have been keeping in our guest room. We decided to sell it for $500 which was ridiculously cheap for such high quality furniture, but we needed it gone fast to get started on projects in that space. I put a post on Facebook and it was sold in less than two hours, and picked up and gone in less than 24 hours.

I got that furniture when I moved back to Nashville after a rough patch in my life in ’05. It went with me from my downtown Nashville apartment to crashing in a basement belonging to my late friend, Gary. From there, it went to a house that my best friend, Ted, let me pick out for him sight unseen in the Germantown district of Nashville (he was living in Africa). After three years there, it went to my future husband’s house. Finally, it ended up in the house I now call home with FotoJo and our two boys. Throughout a lot of changes in my life, that bedroom set was the one thing I “owned.” I knew I had a bed wherever I would land. It was kind of like the “everything’s gonna be alright” furniture. High quality and familiar no matter where it was. After settling in our new home, it was replaced by a bigger and better set and and sat pretty much unused for that three years except for the occasional house guest. We now have big plans for that guest room – a Murphy bed so we can utilize the room more efficiently and a place for a massage chair that we have always wanted to buy. In order to make room for change, I had to say goodbye to something I loved. Isn’t it that way with so many things in life? It’s hard to explain to other people why you hold so tightly to material things, but it shouldn’t make you feel bad to have those feelings. Only you understand why your “stuff” means so much. At the same time, you have to allow yourself to grow and change, and that means sometimes letting go and moving on. The lady that bought the furniture just bought a house in Nashville and I know she will take good care of the set. I hope it becomes her “everything’s gonna be alright” furniture too.

Geez, who knew I could get so deep about furniture? How about we lighten this post up with some yummy pancakes? I’ve been experimenting with these ‘cakes for quite a while and I think I’m pretty close with this recipe. Before you make these, however, I need to give you fair warning. If you are expecting these to be the same texture as your Cracker Barrel pancakes, don’t even bother. They are more egg-y than fluffy, but they are tasty and very moist. Best of all, they soak up your maple syrup in the most perfect way. I have even eaten them topped with some savory meats like Beef Barbacoa to add a unique twist to dinner.

Important note: Because these are heavy in the egg department, you absolutely must cook these at a medium temperature or they will burn.

Modern Day Fox Paleo Sweet ‘Tater Cakes

(Makes 10 – 3″ pancakes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 mashed sweet potato (about one large potato)

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBSP Tapioca Flour

2 TBSP Coconut Flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

Big pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

First, cook your sweet potato until soft and peel skin. I used my Instant Pot and put my potato in my steamer basket. I added one cup of water to the stainless steel liner pot, and set the pot to 25 min HP with QR. The peel slid off easily. Mash the potato until smooth and let cool.  When cooled, mix in eggs and vanilla extract in a medium size bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the remainder of the ingredients. Then, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Preheat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle forming 3.5″ pancakes, and cook until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes per side), turning once with a spatula. It is important to cook over medium heat so that pancakes do not burn. Recipe yields about 10 3.5″ pancakes.

If you like some crunch in your cakes, add pecans in the batter or on top! I love to top these with Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips for a breakfast dessert!

21 DAY FIX counts – 2 pancakes equal 1 YELLOW, 1/2 Red

This has nothing to do with stir fry, but don’t you agree that Trolls is the cutest movie ever? I’ve watched it at least 20 times with my boys and I’m still not sick of it. I love the cloud character that makes a cameo! “Little slappy, make Daddy happy?” Laughter across the household ensues every time we see that part. That movie just makes me feel good, and we have the best dance parties every time we watch it.

This post isn’t about the Trolls. This post is about stir-fry. Not the kind with loads of rice though! In fact, there are no grains in this recipe at all. Just tasty vegetables and chicken, and one unexpected ingredient that takes the flavor over the top! This is a perfect meal to prep on Sunday and portion out between four containers for lunches all week long!

PALEO STIR-FRY

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

1 Riced Cauliflower Head or (2) bags Steamed Riced Cauliflower bags

1 TBSP Coconut Oil (or cooking oil of your choice)

2 cups cooked and chopped chicken (great use for your rotisserie chicken)

1/2 cup Shredded Carrots

1 Red Bell Pepper, julienned

1 Green Bell Pepper, julienned

2 cups Frozen Broccoli

1 8oz can of Water Chestnuts

1/2 cup Sliced Mild Pepperoncinis

1-2 TBSP Modern Day Fox Kitchen Sink Seasoning, or the seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder are a great start!), season to your own taste preferences

DIRECTIONS:

If you are using the frozen steam bags of cauliflower, follow the directions to steam in the microwave. Open the bag and drain the water. If you are using raw cauliflower, here is a great link from the Minimalist Baker with concise instructions. Prepare and set to the side. NOTE: It’s important to try to get all the water out of the cooked cauliflower rice before adding to your stir-fry.

Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Add julienned peppers and carrots to hot oil and saute until softened.

Add frozen broccoli and saute until defrosted and warmed. You may need to put a lid of your pan to help the frozen broccoli cook. (NOTE: When I am preparing this dish for a weekly food prep, I don’t worry about cooking the broccoli all the way through. When I reheat later in the week, it will cook in the microwave.)

Add water chestnuts and saute until warmed.

Add in cooked chicken and seasoning. Mix well until chicken is hot.

The steamed cauliflower only needs a minute or two of saute since it is already cooked. Add the steamed cauliflower after the other vegetables are cooked as shown in my photos below. The raw riced cauliflower will need a bit more time to saute and cook.

Finally, add in the pepperoncinis. This ingredient adds a lot of flavor and zest to this dish.

Serve immediately, or portion out in four meal prep containers to reheat and enjoy throughout the week.

OPTIONAL – Add Soy Sauce (not Paleo) or Coconut Aminos if you wish. If you do not have allergies to nuts, this stir fry is off the hook topped with roasted cashew pieces on top.

Enjoy!

xo Jaime

You know those women who go loco for all things pumpkin? Yeah, that’s not me. Pretty much the only dessert I will turn away in a heartbeat is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin?? In a pie?? Who’s idea was that? Pies are meant for three things: fudge, cherry, and lemon meringue. Not oversized gourds. Anyway, you get it. I’m not a “pumpkin person.” I am, however a “muffin person.” Muffins bring me lots of joy. When I saw the post for PaleOMG’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, I was very hesitant. Two out of three things in the recipe title made my heart fill with glee. Chocolate chips and muffins? Yes, please. But, pumpkin? Aw, come on!! After following a strict Paleo diet for a couple weeks, I was Jonesin’ for a treat so badly that I probably would have happily eaten pumpkin pie. I gave it a shot, and the results were oh-so-delicious. The pumpkin is an afterthought, in my opinion, while the chocolate chips and beautiful texture take center stage.

Here is what you need for this recipe:

• ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon powdered ginger
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips

And then you need to hop on over to Juli Bauer’s incredible blog, and find out to make them! Here is the link right to her recipe. Warning! You might get distracted and end up reading her posts for hours. She is quite funny and engaging! I have all three of Juli’s cookbooks and they are well-loved. Check out her latest cookbook here!

Enjoy!

xo Jaime

(This post contains affiliate Amazon links for products I use and love. I am not sponsored and my opinions are my own! If you use my links, you support this blog!)

Oh boy. The hardest part for me about adopting a grain-free diet is the feeling I’m missing out on sweets. My mom doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but I’m pretty sure she gave me hers plus mine when she created me. Since I’ve also been trying to commit to a Paleo way of life this month and not just “grain-free,” refined sugar is off limits too.  I am always up for a challenge, so I have had a blast trying to create desserts and treats without using any refined sugar.

I recently had some neighbors over who both strictly follow gluten-free diets, so I needed to come up with something to accommodate all of our dietary restrictions. I was dreaming about Black and White cookies – you know, the delicious, flour-y kind you get in NYC – so I decided to make some Black and White Macaroons instead! These turned out perfectly with just the right amount of sweetness from maple syrup. When you haven’t eaten sugar in weeks, maple syrup can be pretty powerful to the taste buds. Although my neighbors enjoyed them, one said she felt like they could have been a touch sweeter for her taste. If you feel the same, you have options! If refined sugar isn’t a concern, use sweetened coconut flakes. You can also mix in a bit more maple or honey. If you love almond joys, stick an almond in the middle! Just remember when are adding to this recipe, these are supposed to be “clean treats,” and you want to train your taste buds to appreciate foods without added sugar.

Take these to your next party and indulge right along with your friends! Or better yet, make them at home tonight and guiltlessly munch while you watch TV!

Paleo Black and White Macaroons

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg white, whisked well

2 TBSP maple syrup

1/2 tsp butter extract

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

Dash of salt

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

1 TBSP coconut oil

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Whisk eggs until they are light fluffy. Add in maple syrup and butter extract and whisk well.  To the wet ingredients, add the coconut and salt. Thoroughly combine. Use a tablespoon measuring cup to pack in coconut filling. Drop onto greased parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  (It is important to grease the parchment paper because they do stick.) Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown. Let cool and carefully loosen the cookies from the tray.

Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir well. Immediately dip one half of macaroon into chocolate and lay on parchment paper. Chill in fridge to set chocolate. Enjoy!

xo Jaime

Last week I voluntarily ate beets. The apocalypse must be coming. When you see a beet in the grocery store, they do not look appetizing. They look like they were literally pulled out of the ground and stuck on the produce shelf. My memories of beets are from when my parents would buy them in cans,  heat them up and throw them on my plate. I had no idea what they were or where they came from, and certainly no clue that they came out of the ground. I guess I just always thought they came out of a can!

My friend, Kelley, had been trying to convince me to incorporate them into my diet, but I told her I’d rather eat dirt. It was not until I found a recipe for Honeyed Beets in my new Paleo Cooking in the Instant Pot cookbook that I decided to give it a try. I was blown away. Yummy!!! This fresh salad was inspired by the recipe in the cookbook.  This would be wonderful with a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc and some candied pecans sprinkled on top! If you are dairy-free, skip the cheese!

Instant Pot Burgundy and Gold Candied Beet Salad
INGREDIENTS:

3 Burgundy Beets

3 Golden Beets

2 TBSP Honey

2 TBSP Maple Syrup

1.5 TBSP Avocado Oil (or oil of your choice)

Dash of Sea Salt

Crumbled Goat Cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Wash, peel, and chop beets. I would advise cooking each color beet separately to preserve the beautiful colors. The burgundy beets spread their color like crazy!

Place beets in the inner pot of the Instant Pot, add remaining ingredients, and stir well to coat beets.

Place lid on Instant Pot and set Manual HP for 5 minutes with a quick release.

Serve on a bed of greens like arugula, and sprinkle goat cheese over beets.

Stir and serve warm or chilled!

(This post may include affiliate Amazon links for products that I use and love! All opinions are 100% my own, and proceeds support this blog!)

I admit it. I have a bit of a girl crush on PaleOMG, blogger Juli Bauer. She is that girl you just want to hang out with because not only is she creative and quirky, she is also athletic, a great cook and not afraid to drop the F bomb at any given moment. Her engaging blog has definitely inspired me to pursue my own! She expanded from mainly Paleo recipes into celebrating many other topics about which she is passionate. And, you know I love that!

In addition to her booming blog, a fun social media presence, and a brand new podcast, Juli also has three cookbooks under her belt. And, I happily own all three! One of her recipes, Buffalo Chicken Casserole, was a lifesaver when I was eating Paleo and has become a staple in my house. (On and off, I will eat Paleo throughout the year. We can talk about that another time!) This recipe, along with many other delicious dishes, can be found in her latest cookbook, Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook. I made it last weekend and my husband said it should stay in rotation. Always a good sign! Fair warning, the buffalo sauce does make it pretty spicy. If you are sensitive to spice, I recommend starting with a half cup the first time you make it and then adding additional hot sauce in your single serving.  I have found that 3/4 cup of hot sauce is the right temperature for yours truly. I served this dish with some sprigs of cilantro and a drizzle of Greek Yogurt Dill Ranch Dressing. Delicious!

Here is the ingredient list as shown on Juli’s PaleOMG website:

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Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 21⁄2 pounds)

4 tablespoons butter, ghee, or coconut oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1⁄2 medium yellow onion, minced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 pound ground chicken

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup hot sauce

1⁄4 cup Super Simple Mayonnaise (page 274 in Juli’s book) or store bought mayo

3 large eggs, whisked chopped scallions, for garnish

sliced avocado, for garnish

Click here to get the instructions for this recipe from Juli’s blog!

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I tried to take some photos for you off my iPhone. This dish is not very photogenic so I didn’t bother with trying in vain to use my professional camera. The photos are crappy, but all you need to know is it tastes better than it looks! Juli’s photos in the cookbook and on the link back to this recipe on her blog are absolutely gorgeous, however. The photography work was another reason I bought the book.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try! And, more importantly,check out PaleOMG! Even if you don’t eat Paleo, you will make a new friend out of Juli Bauer!

xo Jaime