paleo

Paleo Recipe: Spicy, Nutty Kale Chips!

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Regardless of what diet or health plan you’re currently on, chances are you’ve been hearing a lot about kale recently. Kale seems to be the new “superfood” of the month, the absolute miracle cure to all things that ail you. I would try to convince you that I’ve always liked kale – long before the hype – but I realize that makes me sound like a food hipster.

The bad thing about the rising popularity of kale is the rising cost of kale-based snacks. I was at Whole Foods last night and a bag of seasoned baked kale was $5.99! Seriously, $5.99 for 1 oz of food? Really? I can get a pound of organic chicken for $5.99 or a pound of seasoned kale for $96. Does that even make sense? Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

I decided to pay a visit to my favorite Sunday morning stop: the Lake Eola Farmer’s Market. A little pricier than other local markets, but the scenery and selection make it worth the extra cost. For $5, I got two HUUUUGE bundles of fresh, organic kale – over two pounds, easily. I decided to test my hand at making my own homemade kale chips and concocted the following recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 bundle fresh kale, washed, chopped, and dried. (approx one pound)
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil.
  • 2 tbsp chili powder.
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder.
  • 2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds, crushed.
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper – seeded – diced very small.

Put the oven on BROIL (500 degrees F) to preheat.

In a large plastic bag, combine all ingredients and shake well to coat. You can add a tiny bit more oil if it doesn’t seem well covered, but 2 tbsp worked well for me.

On an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet (for ease of cleaning – I’m lazy), spread out the kale evenly. Place the cookie sheet on the SECOND shelf – not directly against the broiler – and allow to cook for approximately ten minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, flip the kale over (spatula is easiest), and cook another five to seven minutes.

PLEASE NOTE: If you put the cookie sheet on the TOP shelf, the kale will get super crunchy on one side, half raw and green on the other – no bueno. So make sure to use the second shelf to ensure an evenly-cooked finished product. I learned this the hard way!

Once cool, store in an air tight container at room temperature. It can probably last a few days, but if yours tastes half as good as mine came out, you’ll be lucky if it lasts an hour or two.

This is only half of the batch! Seriously, making your own kale chips is far more cost effective.

This is only half of the batch! Seriously, making your own kale chips is far more cost effective.

I want to experiment with different flavors this week (I have a lot of kale to cook). I have an idea for dessert chips (think: coconut oil, shredded coconut, agave syrup, cinnamon, and pecans!) and I’d like to attempt a ranch/cheese flavor to really knock out my potato chip cravings. So many options, so few calories!

More recipes to come!

In the meantime, bon appetit my friends!

~ Tori

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Paleo Mexican Casserole!

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I had a hardcore craving for Mexican food last night. I mean HARDCORE. I was salivating at the thought of refried beans, queso, and crunchy tacos.

Unfortunately, we’re just a week or so into the New Year and I am NOT going to give in that easily. Feeling creative, I decided to experiment in the kitchen and concoct my own Paleo Mexican Casserole with the ingredients I had on hand.

I’m telling you… this baby tasted even better than it looked. Holy cow. It was spicy and decadent and 100% grain free. And, amazingly, it was simple to make. Grab your grocery list, baby, I’m about to lay it all out for you!

Fake-Polenta Crust:

  • 1 cup coarse almond flour.
  • 2 whole eggs.
  • 2 tbsp dried onion flakes.
  • 1/4 cup water.
  • 1 tbsp chili powder.
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro.
  • 1 tbsp baking powder.
  • Dash of sea salt.

Mexican Veggies:

  • 1 large zucchini, chopped.
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced small.
  • 1 container of mushrooms, chopped.
  • 1 whole yellow pepper, thinly sliced.
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
  • 4 tbsp chili powder.
  • 1/4 cup water.

Taco Meeeeeaaaaaat:

  • 1 pound lean (93/7) ground beef.
  • 1 cup spicy salsa (or mild, if you’re wimpy).
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder.
  • 2 tbsp chili powder (noticing a trend here, I bet).

Optional Ingredients (you’ll see when to use these):

  • 1 cup Daiya cheddar cheese alternative. (Or real cheese if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)
  • 1 cup Daiya mozzarella cheese alternative. (Or real cheese if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)
  • 2 cups salsa.
  • Fresh cilantro (for garnish).
  • Fresh jalapeno (for garnish).
  • Fresh sliced avocado (for all humans, everywhere, to be eaten in copious amounts with all meals).
  • 1/2 cup So Delicious Plain Coconut yogurt. (Or sour cream, if you’re a Dairy-Paleo person)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While it’s heating, combine ingredients for the fake polenta crust. I know some people recommend sifting, combining dry then wet, etc. Look, I’m a simple girl who likes to eat. I just throw things into a bowl and mix. I made this recipe up on a whim and it worked. Trust me. Just combine the flour, water, eggs, baking powder, and seasoning into a bowl and mix thoroughly. It should look like thick pancake batter.

On a greased casserole dish (I used those disposable 9″ x 13″ cake pans because I hate clean up), pour the batter evenly to coat the surface of the pan. It should make a thin layer, but there should be enough to fully cover the bottom.

Place in oven (while still preheating) so it starts to cook. You’ll want to precook this a bit so it gets nice and crunchy. The preheating time is perfect!

Meanwhile, I used two pans to individually cook the veggies and meat. To be honest, you could likely saute all of the ingredients together, but I had this craving for layers (think the layered tostada dish at your favorite Mexican restaurant – yum!), so I cooked the veggies and meat separately. Plus, this allowed me cook off the excess moisture from the veggies (onions get moist, friends!) and keep the meat saucy.

Whatever you decide to do, cook the ground beef all the way through (no pink left) and make sure your veggies are nice and tender. Should be roughly 6-8 minutes on medium-high heat.

When the oven BEEEEEEEPS to let you know it’s preheated (should be about 7-10 minutes, depending on how fancy schmancy your kitchen appliances are), pull the “polenta” crust out of the oven for layering. It should look like half-cooked cookie dough: safe to eat but still squishy. If it’s a little closer to done, don’t stress – the moisture from the ingredients will keep it from overcooking.

I layered the VEGGIES first, creating an even (but thick) layer across the crust. Since the crust was still slightly undercooked, the veggies sank into it – perfect visual effect! I then tossed a light layer of Daiya (non-dairy, non-soy cheese) on top, followed by a thin layer of spicy salsa. On top of the salsa, I layered the cooked ground beef, followed by another layer of salsa and then more cheese.

I popped the dish into the oven for about 15 minutes (at 400) and was thrilled by the finished product. The crust puffed up and fully encased the casserole and it was easy to slice and serve.

Per my calculations, the entire dish (which was pretty huge) was between 2,800-3,000 calories (based on my ingredients; subject to change if you use higher fat meat or real dairy cheese) and made EIGHT generous servings at roughly 360-380 calories each. I topped each slice of the casserole with a few slices of avocado (30-45 calories), fresh sliced jalapenos (negligible calories), green onions (about 5 calories), and a single dollop of plain coconut yogurt (about 25 calories).

So, for about 450 calories, I had a gigantic, Paleo-friendly Mexican casserole that even my husband, Carlos (yes, he’s Mexican!), found delicious.

There you have it, my friends.

Bon appetit!

~ Tori

Quick and Easy Crockpot Paleo Chicken

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A quick and easy recipe for Paleo-on-the-run!

Ingredients:

  • One pound organic, farm-raised chicken breasts.
  • One jar (16 oz) organic salsa. (I do the SPICY kind!)
  • One large yellow onion, chopped.
  • One large green bell pepper, chopped.
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions.
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
  • 1/4 cup chili powder.
  • The juice of two limes.
That is one of the biggest onions I've ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

That is one of the biggest onions I’ve ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. If the salsa doesn’t fully cover the meat, add a cup of water and an additional tablespoon of chili powder to ensure the meat and veggies are submerged.

I put my crockpot on high and let it cook for about three hours. The other option is to put it on low and let it cook all day, but I’ve discovered it has a tendency to get saltier that way (cooks down all of the water). If you need to cook it all day, consider adding extra water and use a low-sodium/no salt added salsa & spice mix.

Chili Powder

Chili Powder (Photo credit: artizone)

Serve with Paleo wraps (Julian Bakery makes them – a bit expensive, but convenient!) or over cauliflower rice!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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A New Feature to the Blog: Weigh-In Wednesdays

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As I mentioned this weekend, I’ve really been bad lately with my diet and, as a result, my weight is up. I went from 130.6 just three weeks ago to a whopping 138 on Sunday morning when I stumbled onto the scale (after a weekend of gorging and excess). Since Halloween, I’ve really been letting myself just eat whatever I want (while still exercising 4-5 days per week) and I’ve learned that I just can’t get away with that with my body.

Unlike the rest of the world, I cannot exercise and eat what I want.

I will gain weight. FAST.

It’s unfair, but it’s the body I was given. I have to make the best of it. Awareness is the answer.

As part of an effort to hold myself more accountable, I’m going to publicly post my stats every Wednesday as well as a new (quasi-revealing) picture to show the progression of my body.

Starting tonight, I will post the following every Wednesday:

  • My weight (as taken in the morning)
  • My waist circumference
  • Left & right thigh circumference
  • A full body photo (shorts/sports bra)

I’ve been very regimented this week so far – a big thanks to MyFitnessPal & GymPact for keeping me honest with myself – and I went into the week with far more meal-planning than I had previously, so I’ve managed to keep my food intake in check and the scale is slowly creeping down.

Tonight, after work, I’ll be posting my first “Weigh-In Wednesday” and I hope that all of you can help to keep me encouraged, motivated, and accountable to my goals.

On that note, please watch for a post later this evening and, as always, bon appetit!

~ Tori

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Paleo Italiano Chicken Burgers!

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Today’s lunch!

As I mentioned yesterday, I did quite a bit of prep-cooking for the week to help me get back on track. One of the meals I made ahead of time were these Paleo Italiano Chicken Burgers! Super simple and perfect for reheating during the week.

Super Simple Ingredients:

  • 1 lb organic ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup diced, sun dried tomatoes
  • 5 button mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped, fresh basil (dried basil works, as well, but the flavor isn’t as intense)
  • 1/3 cup of Daiya mozzarella cheese alternative
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 1 raw egg
  • 2-4 tbsp tapioca flour

Easy-Peasy Prep:

  • Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and kneed together. The egg and flour will help the chicken, which is always more moist than beef, stick together and form patties. I start with 2 tbsp of flour and increase, as necessary, if my patties aren’t holding together.
  • This makes four generous patties, which you can keep thick (juicier!) or flatten out for quick cooking.

My husband threw these on the grill (medium heat) for about five minutes each side. They came out PERFECT!

I’m having one of these patties (roughly 275 calories) along with leftover boiled Brussels Sprouts for lunch today at work!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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TexMex Paleo Burger Recipe

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I’ve been awful with my diet recently, mainly because I haven’t been prepping and planning my meals the way I normally do. As a result, my weight has crept up a bit and I’ve decided to host an intervention for myself – I’m planning out recipes for the week.

Since I always have a craving for greasy Mexican food, I decided to create a simple recipe that includes all of the flavors I love but is quick to throw together and doesn’t require cooking effort beyond throwing it on the grill.

I introduce – the TexMex Paleo Burger!

They even look beautiful raw!

They even look beautiful raw!

Super Simple Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef. (Grass-fed, if you’re strict Paleo)
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 tbsp chili powder (less if you don’t like it spicy)
  • 6 button mushrooms, chopped small
  • 4 tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 1 raw egg
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour (coconut flour works, as well, but you may need to add a tiny bit of water)
  • 1/3 cup of Daiya (non-dairy, non-soy) cheese alternative. I used sharp cheddar, but they have a Pepper Jack version that would be great, too!

Simple Preparation:

In a giant mixing bowl, start with your ground beef. In my case, I add all of the spices and mushrooms first, then hand mix by folding it together on itself a few times. Once that’s formed into a very thick mix, I add the cheese, raw egg, and tapioca flour. This helps it all to stick together and form solid patties.

As you can see, I form very generous-sized patties – each is probably 7-8 ounces.

The BEST WAY to cook a burger is always going to be on the grill: about 5 minutes on each side with this thickness if you’re cooking it on a medium heat. If you must pan fry, keep the temperature low so that they cook all the way through.

Personally, I like making my burgers at least 4-6 hours before I plan to cook them, as I think the flavor intensifies as they sit in the fridge. Also, letting them chill in the fridge seems to help them hold when cooked. If they hit the grill at room temperature, they seem more likely to break apart.

The finished product!

The finished product!

I’ll be posting more recipes this week, as I’m spending my Sunday prepping for a week of healthy, clean, Paleo eating!

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Paleo Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Icing

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Last night, I decided to conduct an experiment in baking.

After a great workout at the gym, I was in the mood to indulge my pumpkin craving without blowing my diet. I started to look up Paleo recipes involving pumpkin and came across DOZENS that sounded amazing and easy to make.

The catch?

I didn’t have all of the ingredients.

Rather than trying to find a 24 hour Whole Foods (do those exist?) to stock up on Paleo staples, I decided to modify a recipe I found using what I had on hand. With this recipe as my inspiration, I came up with the following recipe:

Paleo Muffin Recipe

Ingredients –

  • 1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup Truvia granules (technically, this isn’t Paleo, but I didn’t have any more raw honey in the house and wanted to shave off a few calories.)
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup So Delicious French Vanilla Creamer
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp allspice
  • 2 tbsp baking powder

Cooking Instructions –

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the oven warms up, combine ALL ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I’m not good at the precision and artistry of baking, so I rarely “combine dry then wet ingredients” nor do I sift my flours. Somehow, it always comes out fine, even when I just mash it all together willy-nilly. Either I’ve just gotten lucky or all of those extra steps are a load of bullocky.
  • In a lined cupcake pan, spoon batter until each is about three-quarters full. I had enough batter to make exactly 24 cupcakes (regular size, not minis) without issue.
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until desired doneness. I’m bad and prefer the center of my cupcakes a little gooey, so I pulled mine out at 22 minutes and they were perfect for my taste. If you like yours fully cooked, definitely err closer to 30 minutes.

After devouring a cupcake with my husband, we both agreed that they were delicious, but that they “tasted too healthy.” He was right – they were only about 80 calories each, which didn’t seem like much of a splurge.

Running on the adrenaline of one successful experiment, I decided to invent my own simple Paleo chocolate icing.

Paleo Chocolate Icing

Ingredients –

  • 6 tbsp Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • 2 tbsp So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Creamer
  • 1.5 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Cooking Instructions –

  • Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 10 seconds, then stir. Microwave another 10-15 seconds, then stir again. Microwave about 10 more seconds, then remove from the microwave and stir slowly until all chocolate chips have melted and the icing thickens.

This icing was DELICIOUS and so simple to make. I just threw it together and drizzled about 1 tbsp on each cupcake, adding just 25-30 calories each, and it added a richness that completely gave our sugar-cravings a one-two punch!

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. YUM!

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. YUM!

So, if you’re in a pinch and want to whip up a recipe that uses less hard-to-find Paleo ingredients, try out these cupcakes! Most avid primal dieters always have coconut milk and almond flour on hand, so as long as you’ve got those two, chances are you can whip together just about any baked treat you’re craving with a little experimentation!

Let me know if you try this recipe at home and how it comes out!

Bon appetit,

~ Tori

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NEW ADDICTION: Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer!

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NEW ADDICTION: Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer!

OK, OK. I know it’s not Paleo. The ingredients list contains more words I don’t recognize than I do, but this creamer is my new addiction.

While picking up my organic almond milk (good girl, I know), I spotted a display of this creamer from the corner of my eye.

As with nearly everyone in the U.S. this time of year, I’m obsessed with pumpkin. I find myself seduced by any dessert, beverage, spice, or condiment that claims to be infused with that beautiful orange squash that is rarely eaten in its natural form.

My weight has been hovering between 131.4 and 132.8 for the past week, a sustained all-time low.

Yeah, I know. I’m doing well right now!

I stood in the grocery store for several minutes, ogling this creamer, trying to determine if it was really a good choice to introduce yet another cheat into my Paleo-diet.

As you can tell, I succumbed to the peer pressure of my eyes, taste buds, and stomach – and I’m now sipping a steaming mug of French-pressed coffee with two tablespoons of this decadent creamer (just 15 calories per serving!), a splash of sugar free salted caramel syrup (also pure chemicals, I’m sure), and a sprinkling of organic pumpkin spice seasoning.

WORTH IT.

I’ll make sure to have a green smoothie to flush out as many chemicals as possible… after I have a second mug of this crack.

Bon appetit, my friends!

 

~ Tori

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Graduation Day: The Dream Dress!

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Graduation Day: The Dream Dress!

As promised to those who have followed the blog for several weeks, here is the photo of me in my size four graduation dress.

I worked hard to get into this sucker.

  • Hitting the gym 5-6 days per week,
  • Sticking to my Paleo diet, and
  • Not letting my stress trigger a binge as it so frequently can when it compounds.

When I started the program (my second Bachelors degree) in March 2011, I was a wearing a size ten.

In many ways, I am a completely transformed person as a result of my college experience. An instructor in my junior year encouraged me to start this blog and create my documentary (in which I  admitted to my bulimia) and that transparency with the world has helped me to gain better control of my eating disorder. Knowing that all of you, now thousands of readers, are sharing in my world and are aware of my struggles, I’ve found a greater strength inside me that helps me generate will power when I need it the most.

I am wiser, I am more passionate and creative, and I am physically half the woman I used to be.

I’ll take it.

Bon appetit, my friends!

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Sharing my Story: HuffPost!

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Back in July, I was reading through the stories on the Healthy Living section on the Huffington Post. If you’ve never visited the site, you really should – talk about motivation!

So many people who took control of their lives and transformed their bodies through diet, exercise, and healthy mindset – how can that not inspire you?

After reading stories of young men and women that had overcome eating disorders, I realized that I shared a similar journey. While my struggles may have been for different reasons, the core nature of our issues were the same.

I’ve been very transparent with sharing my story here, on my blog, which is visited by about 2,000 people.

Why not share my story with the world?

And so I did.

You can read the full article by clicking here.

Thank you for all of your love, support, and encouragement. Being “healthy” isn’t a destination – it’s a lifelong journey.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori