Photo by: Mary Helmes

Mary’s Beets and Bacon, Baby!!

From the menu at the Paleo BBQ 10/22/11
adapted from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo, Pg. 124

Gives new meaning to B&B!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Beets, I used Red… but I think Yellow would be Beeter (haha!!)
• 4 slices of Bacon, cooked and cubed
• ½ Red Onion, diced
• Pepper

 Directions:

1. I doubled the recipe and boiled the beets with the lid on for 45 min (until you can pierce through with a fork).
2. Chop the stems from the beet and toss, save the leaves – wash and chop, set aside.
3. Cook bacon, set aside.
4. Sauté Red Onion in Bacon Juice ( I think it’s called Bacon Fat, but that sounds disgusting!!) for 3 min.
5. Add chopped Beat Leaves and sauté for 4 min.
6. Peel beets and chop – add to bowl with chopped bacon and the Red Onion, Beat Leaf, Bacon Juice yumminess …. And pepper and Whala!!  You have one kick-a** beet salad!!

A snapshot of greatness in the making

Photo by: Madison James

MMM mm Meatloaf
from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo

• 1 diced Red Onion
• 2 lbs of Grass Fed Ground Beef
• 1 cup Almond Meal
• 2 Eggs
• 1 can Tomato Paste
• 1 tbsp crushed Garlic
• 1/2 tbsp Sea Salt
• 2 tbsp dried Basil
• 1 tsp Marjoram
• Cracked Black Pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients by hand in a large mixing bowl.
2. Place meat mixture into a large glass baking pan and form into a loaf.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink in the middle.

Let sit for 30-60 minutes before consuming.

It isn't exactly the prettiest meal, but it sure is DELICIOUS!

Photo by: Madison James

As your body is adjusting to this new lifestyle and routine, make sure that you are treating it nicely! Reward yourself through modes other then blissful salty or sugary snacks. Discipline those brain signals and start to find reward in activities, conversations, and incredible massages at Stillpoint Massage!

After a successful first week of eating more primal and mindful, treat yourself; you deserve it! Working out can be a treat, spending time with the family, disconnecting from all the technological distractions, going to the beach; we are training our brains to connect pleasure and solace with activities rather than food! One of my favorite ways to treat myself is getting spoiled by a massage or spa visit to look after muscle recovery from hitting the WOD’s hard.

Remember, if you are participating in Mission: Primal Lifestyle, you receive 50% off massages for the duration of this challenge! That’s a steal, and I’m incredibley thankful Diana’s giving us her healing services for such an affordable price. To schedule your massage for the upcoming week—and keep yourself on track with a soothing incentive to keep on keepin’ on—call Diana at: (360)635-1894.

Final, Unrelated Note:

Please don’t forget our Paleo Party this Saturday (that’s tomorrow!) at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome, it will be kid friendly! You are more then welcome to bring a Paleo side to share, we’ll provide the meat! If you need directions or an address, e-mail me at akamadij@gmail.com or call, text, FB, tweet… the options are endless.

Photo By: Mary Helmes

This was delish and fun to make – Jude helped with the sauce.  (I made extra chicken breast for sandwiches the next day – pounded out chicken breast is the best for a sandwich, nice and thin!!)  Enjoy!! ~Mary Helmes

“Chicken Piccata is simple and succulent but typically this dish calls for the chicken to be dredged in flour before being tossed into the frying pan.  I decided to try to make this dish without, of course, the usual flour dredging and I dressed it up with some savory garlic and green onions in addition to the traditional capers.  Here is my take on piccata – paleo style!” –Sarah Fragoso

Photo by: Mary Helmes

Chicken Paleo Piccata

from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 chicken breasts

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 3 green onions diced

• 6 garlic cloves minced

• 3 tbsp capers

• ¼ cup white wine

• ½ cup chicken stock

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• Juice from 1 lemon

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting in half lengthwise.
2. Place the butterflied chicken pieces in between two pieces of parchment paper and with the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken until it’s approximately ¼ inch in thickness.
3. Cut the pounded pieces of chicken in half and set aside.
4. In a large sauté pan heat the 2 tbsp of ghee over medium high heat.  Your pan should be really hot. While your pan is heating lightly sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the sea salt and black pepper.
5. Place the chicken into the hot skillet and cook on both sides for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle but still tender – do not overcook – nobody likes rubber chicken.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan and add to the same pan the olive oil, garlic, and onions.
7. Using a wooden spoon, quickly sauté the garlic and onions for 2 minutes, scraping any of the chicken drippings off the bottom of the pan.
8. Add the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice and capers and bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes.
9. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.  The end result is yummy, garlic, lemon, tender chicken goodness!

Photo by: Mary Helmes

Photo by: Madison James

Sweet Pear&Bacon Hash

Post WOD Meal or Breakfast

Serves 1

Cook&Prep Time: ~20 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of Pepper Bacon, cut in small pieces
• 1/3 of a Sweet Potato (about ½ Cup), cubed
• ¼ Cup of Yellow or Red onion
• ½ small Pear

Directions:

1. Cut Bacon into small pieces and cook in sauce pan on medium high heat until you reach desired crispiness.
2. Remove bacon from pan with tongs and dry on paper towel. Set aside (covered, so the cat is unable to reach it, if necessary).
3. Place sweet potato directly into pan with bacon grease and heat on medium heat for about 10 minutes until cooked fairly soft, and crispy on the outside.
4. About 5 minutes in, add onion.
5. With one minute remaining on the cook time, add pear just to heat up, but not get mushy.
6. Remove from heat, add bacon and ENJOY!!

Photo by: Aaron Mary* Helmes

This option showcases the ease and versatility that comes with Paleo-on-the-go meals! Great job, ! The Helmes Family hits a home run on the team-work this week utilizing left overs and planning ahead with boiled eggs at the ready! 

Easy Steak Salad

Created and Designed by Aaron “Slim” Mary* Helmes

Ingredients:

• Couple handfuls of Spinach
• Little bit of Green Onion
• 1 Hard Boiled Egg (I make a bunch at a time for easy grab & go)
• 1 Roma Tomato, handful of Shredded Carrot
• Handful of leftover Carne Asada (Beef seasoned w/ EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil-& Fajita Spice)
• A few slices of an Avocado
• topped w/ a splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette & EVOO and a dash of Salt & cracked Pepper for fun.

BANG!! Lunch is served in less than 3 minutes!!

Quick, Portable, and Painless: Aaron took this a similar shakedown* to work (made it himself!) & put the vinegar & oil in a side dish. Way to be, Aaron (and Mary!!*). Good to see the working man still makes time to hunt and forage his lunch in this day and age (with help from his lovely lady*)

Photo by: Mary Helmes

Thank you to Mary Helmes for submitting this delicious looking recipe. Can’t wait to try it!

Mary’s Lovely Lasagna

adapted from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo, Pg. 86

Ingredients:

2 lbs grass fed ground beef

1lb mild Italian sausage (I used Sicilian chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s)

1 red onion diced

4 cloves crushed garlic

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes drained

1 small can of tomato paste

1cup organic black olives sliced

6 zucchinis thinly sliced (I used my slicer blade in the food processor for thin, even zucchini rounds – for more “lasagna” like noodles slice lengthwise with a mandolin slicer).

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot saute onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and sausage and brown.  Season meat mixture with all dry ingredients and add drained diced tomatoes and tomato paste and mix well.
3. In a big lasagna baking dish place a layer of sliced zucchini and then ladle on a thick layer of the meat mixture and top with the sliced black olives.  Top meat and olive layer with another layer of sliced zucchini and top with a final layer of the remaining meat mixture.
4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and back at 350 for 30 min.
5. Let sit for 10 min before serving.

Dear Reader,

It’s day four, officially, and you have some ideas or opinions starting to formulate about this new journey you are on. You’ve started to rid your house of the goodies tempting you (I know WE sure did this weekend- hardly a drop of wine left in the house now. What work!! ; ) ). Maybe even completely thrown away or donated the grains, sugars, etc. that don’t belong in your system. If it isn’t within reach, it isn’t an option, right?

You may be inspired to continue trying the ample recipes available online or the recipes donated by the ingenious and diligent people right here on this blog. You may have had a couple of successes, a couple of weak moments (weak in the knees for cookies, anyone?). You are navigating this change and learning to adapt.

All in all, it’s an adjustment. Nothing is forever; this change we are partaking in isn’t a life sentence to deprive you of every goodie you’ve ever enjoyed in life, ever. It is a wake up call and an opportunity to “clean your house,” or rather temple, if you will. Your body, mind, and soul are the key things you’ve got to live with, so it’s up to you to keep them clean and healthy. After this challenge is over, it’ll be an opportunity to reflect back on the changes you’ve undergone and reassess where you’ll go from there.

Everyone’s journey is different, and everyone’s contributions are equally different. Today Mary kindly pointed out some people may not be able to host a gathering at their casa, but would still like to share what they are making. (I understand some places have “no animals on the premises rules.” Us CrossFitter’s/Paleo-ites can be a rowdy bunch!). For that reason, I’m adding an amendment to the hosting a potluck rule:

For five points, you may bring in a PRIMAL GOODIE that is legit, healthy, and preferably not too messy and challenging to consume, into the gym to share with the class. If you do that, please bring in napkins so the gym doesn’t turn into a cozy little rodent nest. : ) You are only eligible to get points for this ONCE, but you are welcome to share things as often as you’d like.

On to the Party side of business!! Jake and I will be hosting a Paleo BBQ at our place this Saturday, October 22^nd at 4 p.m. and everyone is invited. Bring your own side dish to share with the group, and get ready for some master grilling by Jake himself (self-proclaimed world renowned!) If you’d like to come (Please do, because we’d love to have you- AND eat your delicious concoctions!!) just RSVP by e-mailing me at akamadij@gmail.com and I can give you directions!

Thanks to everyone participating in the comments and please, keep the recipes coming! Totally digging all the fun you guys are having in the kitchen, and it’s helpful for the whole community!!

Laura shared with us her recipe that was a) fiancé approved, b) looks fabulous, and c) is very simple to make, but tastes fantastic! Thank you for contributing, Laura!! : ) 

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

adapted from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo

Ingredients:

1/2 C Spicy Brown Mustard

1 cup Crushed Pecans

4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

Directions: 

1.  Heat oven to 350′F.  Put mustard on dish.

2.  Chop pecans and put on plate.

3. Remove moisture from chicken with paper towel.

4. Roll each chicken breast in mustard, then pecans.

5.  Place chicken on a greased glass dish and top with sea salt if desired.

6.  Bake 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Photo by: Jacob May

B. ‘Sprouts n’ Bacon

adapted from Sebastien Noel’s Paleo Recipe Book

Side Dish

Serves: ~3-4

Prep&Cook Time: ~30 mins

Ingredients:

• 5 Slices of Bacon
• 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1 ½ lbs Brussel Sprouts
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock
• Freshly ground Black Pepper and Sea Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Cook chopped up Bacon in skillet, stirring when necessary until desired crispiness is reached (~10 minutes).
2. Pat bacon dry between paper towels and set aside.
3. Cook the chopped onion in the rendered bacon fat in same skilled about 5 minutes, until slightly browned.
4. Add whole Brussel Sprouts, stir well, and cook another 3 minutes to soften.
5. Add in Chicken Stock and bring to boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Drain the liquid, put in serving dish and sprinkle bacon on top as garnish.