paleolithic

Return to Basics

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I feel like I’ve turned into a recorded message on here:

“Sorry for the long silence.”

“Sorry for not posting.”

“Sorry for falling off the wagon.”

First and foremost, who am I apologizing to? You, the readers? Myself? The skinny woman I wish to be? I’m not 100% sure. I don’t think it’s healthy that I’m feeling so much guilt, sadness, and depression over it, though, so I’m going to work on that moving forward.

The last few weeks have been challenging, as I’m working 30-35 hours per week as a Producer (promotion – woohoo!), 40-45 hours at my full time job (recently promoted there, too!), and attending graduate courses two nights per week.

I’ve been sleeping on average of 2-2.5 hours per night, catching up on sleep on Friday and Saturday nights.

I’ve eaten healthy (for the most part), but the long hours and high stress have resulted in a slight weight gain. Here’s the kicker: I’m not actually weighing myself. Instead, I’m going off of how my clothing fits. I’ve really tried to break my addiction to the scale, and I’m proud to admit I’ve only weighed myself three times in the last five weeks. I can tell I’ve gained a little weight because my jeans are a bit more snug, but the size fours still fit – for now.

Before things DO get out of control, I’ve decided to pick back up on my strict Paleo diet. It always worked very well for me, wasn’t restrictive, and left me full and satisfied. I only slacked on it because it required advanced planning and, well, I’m admittedly lazy. However, I spent my Sunday morning grocery shopping and stocking my pantry, fridge, and snack drawer with caveman-friendly foods, so I officially have no excuse.

When I did strict Paleo before, I never counted calories …in fact, I probably ate double the calories on Paleo, but I dropped weight like it was a secret talent. When I first tried the Paleo diet in August 2012, I dropped 22 lbs in three months and actually exercised less: and I was constantly eating. While I definitely don’t have 20 lbs to lose, I wouldn’t mind shedding these 10 lbs – the 5 I put on over the holidays, and the 5 I couldn’t get off before (when I was constantly eating junk).

I won’t make promises about posting here daily, but I’ll try to check in 2-3 times per week. And if I don’t? Well, I won’t be sorry about it.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Monday Manifesto

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As of today, I’m officially 54 days from my birthday.

This is the big one, the birthday I’ve been dreading for years: THIRTY.

This is the birthday that officially says goodbye to the naivete and excuses of youth and slams me smack-dab into the center of adulthood. I’m old enough to know better and yet young enough (at heart) to recognize what I’m missing out on.

I envisioned my life to be very different by 30. When I was a teenager, I imagined that with my 30th birthday came children, a minivan stocked with soccer equipment, and the body of a fitness model.

(For some reason, I always thought a minivan was cool – perhaps because I was the only one of my friends that didn’t have siblings and I found the conveniences of a minivan to be luxurious beyond measure. Broaching 30, I’m kind of excited I don’t have a minivan.)

While 54 days isn’t enough time to pop out a football team (hallelujah!), it is enough time to recommit to my fitness goals and see tangible results. Since my fitness/nutrition/health is the one thing I am in control of in this crazy, hectic world, I’m dedicating myself to it for the next two months.

Today’s starting weight: 131.2

Goal weight (by July 11th): 119 or less.

Current jean size: 26/27 (between sizes 4-6, depending on brand)

Goal jean size: 24/25 (size 2)

Diet plan: Mostly Paleo, but allowing dairy.

Calorie goal: Under 1,300/daily.

Fitness plan: 60 minutes elliptical/5 days per week. Walk 60 minutes per day. Strength training 3/week.

Accountability plan: doubling my bets on GymPact and taking weekly measurements/photos/weigh-in to post here.
(Look for the infamous “Weigh-in Wednesday” posts to return!)

So, there it is. Here’s my Monday Manifesto, my public declaration of goals in the hopes that all of you can help me stay focused, stay centered, and stay motivated.

On that note… bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Almond Flour Waffles: Paleo!

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I woke up this morning with a severe hankering for a soul food breakfast. I wanted waffles. I wanted maple syrup. I wanted doughy, fluffy goodness. I wanted to cheat on my diet with everyone bone in my body and taste bud on my tongue.

I was given a waffle maker nearly seven years ago, which I have probably used twice, maybe three times in my life. Since switching to the Paleo diet in 2012, I’ve never even opened the cabinet in which it has been stored, patiently waiting to be put to its purpose.

Instead of going to iHop or Mimi’s Cafe and completely ruining my diet on this foggy, Sunday morning, I decided to get creative and construct a Paleo alternative that would satisfy the fiercest of cravings.

The following recipe makes three full-sized waffles.

Basic Ingredients List:

  • 1 3/4 cups almond flour.
  • 3 whole eggs.
  • 3/4-1 cup of So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (I used just a little over 3/4 cup, but you can water it down to a full cup and the texture is the same).
  • 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder.
  • 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract.

Mix-In Ideas:

  • 6 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes.
  • 4 tbsp Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.
  • 1/4 cup blueberries.
  • 1/4 cup diced banana.
  • 1/4 cup diced pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
  • Get creative! You can stir in just about everything as long as it’s not liquidy. If you do add fruit (such as the blueberries), so with just 3/4 cup of coconut milk in the recipe above.

Instructions:

Spray your waffle-maker with a non-stick spray. If you’re a true Paleo-follower, avoid canola or soy-based sprays, which are the most common on the market. I actually found a coconut oil spray at Whole Foods a few weeks ago, so it’s been my standard for cooking everything lately! You can also just dip a paper towel in cooking oil and rub the waffle-maker if you don’t have any sprays.

While the waffle-maker preheats, combine all ingredients from the waffle-base ingredients list. Stir until well-mixed. It should be a little thicker than normal pancake batter but thinner than a brownie batter. Once fully combined, stir in any mix-in ideas from above. I added coconut flakes and the Enjoy Life chocolate chips – I was going all out! I also added a tbsp of cinnamon, a personal favorite. I think cinnamon accentuates the flavors in chocolate and the homeopathic benefits make it a win-win!

A huge bowl of batter.

A huge bowl of batter.

Once the waffle-maker is warmed up, spoon batter into each of the four compartments. DO NOT OVERFILL. I used about 1/4 cup batter per section, which covered the bottom but did NOT fully hide the metal indentations. The waffles will fluff up, so you need to leave room for them to grow without overflowing the machine. My waffle-maker has preset timers on it, so I didn’t have to pay attention to cook times, but I would say it was roughly two minutes per side.

This sucker is HUUUUGE.

This sucker is HUUUUGE.

I will admit, these waffles pack a substantial caloric punch: for my recipe (with coconut flakes and chocolate chips), each waffle was about 700 calories with roughly 29 grams of carbs, 58 grams of fat, and 26 grams of protein. Fortunately, I found it to be sweet enough without any syrup and it was EXTREMELY filling. I’m STUFFED.

I’m going to try to modify the recipe to bring it down under 600 calories – perhaps a blend of coconut flour and egg whites will help. I’ll have to play around with it! In the meantime, this recipe satisfied every craving and paired perfectly with a hot cup of coffee this morning.

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

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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Benefits to Illness?

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While no one looks forward to being ill, I’ve learned over the past three days of sneezing, coughing, and intense sinus pressure (seriously, think elephant-squatting-on-your-head type pressure, folks) that there are some benefits to being ill:

  • I’ve finally stopped cheating on the Paleo diet. I’d been inhaling Chobani Greek yogurts for the past two weeks, a big no-no on the Caveman Diet, and I finally broke my addiction on Friday. I was eating 2-3 cups of the white toxin per day and it wasn’t until my sinus/respiratory infection settled in that I realized the dairy was a HUGE contributor to mucous-production. I’d always known dairy and colds don’t mix but GOOD GOD, I became a snot-factory after I ate my yogurt on Friday. I had a sore throat and thought it wouldn’t hurt but the subsequent muculence leaking from my face assured me that milk was a very, very bad idea.

 

  • When food has no taste, it has no power over me. Anyone that has followed this blog for more than a few weeks understands that I have a tendency to binge, especially on sweets, so the fact that I have VERY little olfactory capacities right now means that my taste buds are practically paralyzed. I can taste spicy and sour – and that’s about it. So, that being said, I’ve just eaten enough to take my medicine (like a good girl) and that’s about it.

 

  • Your body burns HOT when you’re ill. I’ve been rocking a fever between 99.1 and 100.6 for three days, which means my body is fighting this infection like a champ. Another benefit to kicking some bacterial asses is that you burn more calories with a higher core temperature. I’ve been guzzling Gatorade like it’s my job and yet my weight on the scale – fully dressed and with shoes – was just 135 at the doctor’s office. Yeah. That’s kind of nice.

So, even though I’m hacking up a lung and feel like death warmed over, there are a few benefits to this whole “being sick” thing.

Bon appetit, friends! Or, in my case, NyQuil dreams!

~ Tori

Paleo Coconut Fried Tilapia

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My husband and I both like fish, but we find tilapia to be a rather dull-flavor and spend most of our dinners choking it down or smothering it in unhealthy sauce.

Last night, I decided to experiment and attempt to recreate coconut breading and “fake fry” some tilapia filets. The dish came out so good, we inhaled it before I could take a photo! Now I have to pass on the recipe to you.

Preset oven to 300 degrees.

Breading Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup finely ground tapioca flour
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

(I totally made that up on the fly. I had the ingredients laying around and hoped for the best. It worked.)

“Wet Wash” Ingredients:

  • 1 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (just 45 calories!)
  • 1 tbsp raw agave syrup
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

I rinsed and patted dry six tilapia filets, which was roughly 1.5 pounds. I then laid them in the milk bath for about 10 minutes, letting them soak up the flavors and sweetness from the wet wash.

Taking one piece at a time, I tossed them in a small dish with the flour mixture until they were LIGHTLY COATED, then shook off the excess. On a very lightly greased (I use PAM olive oil spray) cookie sheet, I spread the filets out so there was about 1/2 an inch between them.

Bake at 300 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and flip the tilapia over. (Mine were about 80% cooked; still a little soft in the center.)

Raise the temperature to 500 (BROIL) and replace the tray of fish into the oven. Allow to cook about 5-6 minutes.

They should get nice and browned, crunchy and delicious. They had a natural sweetness to them from the coconut and agave syrup, so neither my husband nor I needed a sauce. They stayed moist because of the fast cook time, but I will admit that deep-frying them would have likely made them even better!

I served them alongside Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and steamed broccoli. A very healthy, Paleo-friendly meal to start the work week!

Bon appetit, my friends!

Tori

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Dining Out on Paleo

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So for the past four days, I’ve been sticking religiously to the Paleo diet.

No dairy. No wheat. No soy. No corn. No soda.

Basically, I’ve only been eating things that came straight out of the earth or had been consuming the earth just a few days prior.

I still can never understand why I strayed from this diet in the first place. When I was first introduced to it in August 2012, I immediately picked it up and lost almost 25 lbs with little to no effort. I exercised less, ate MORE food [both volume and in quality], and never felt deprived.

With the holidays came laziness, pecan pie, ripe cheeses, and lots of bad decisions. Yeahhhh. I had been on a downward spiral in my dietary habits pretty much from December until this past weekend. It was bad.

Needless to say, after four days of eating clean, I’m feeling much better.

Each morning my weight has gone down on the scale. Monday morning I was 143.2 [ouch!] and this morning I was back down to 140.2. Not back to the 134.4 I was last October/November, but I’m steadily working my way back to it.

Every day I’ve eaten until I was full with no feelings of regret, deprivation, or otherwise dissatisfaction.

Here’s the kicker —

Every day I’ve prepared all of my own food. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ve made sure to  follow the Paleo diet to the T. Today was the first major challenge which involved eating out.

Could I do it?

OHHHH YEAAAAAAH.

Baja Burrito Kitchen = Paleo Heaven on Earth

Baja Burrito Kitchen = Paleo Heaven on Earth

You know, most people think that dining out is challenging, but the Paleo diet is easy. Keep it fresh, keep it clean, and don’t eat anything that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. As you can see in the above picture, that’s not hard to do at most restaurants.

At Baja Burrito Kitchen, I just ordered the “Baja Burrito Kitchen Combo” and asked them to sub the rice and beans for onions and peppers and to double my guacamole instead of the sour cream and cheese. It was DELICIOUS. A few squeezes of lime, some fresh salsa, and lots of cilantro. LOVED IT.

So, this proved that dining out on Paleo is not only possible, it’s EASY. And I don’t see this being hard at pretty much all restaurants: seafood, steakhouse, Mexican. Really, the only challenge would be Italian [no noodles? sauce over veggies? hmmm] or Chinese [um, steamed veggies and seafood, no soy sauce?]

So, theoretically, I have no reason to cheat on Paleo. I can cook for myself or pick food up. I have a collection of healthy snack food options and I also know what I can safely pick up at a gas station if I’m in a rut.

I think I’ve got this.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Paleo Pasta

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Last night, after a two hour cardio session at the gym, I was craving COMFORT food. Fattening, carb-rich, and delicious – I felt I deserved it.

Of course, it takes almost two hours to burn off 1,200 calories but about 5 minutes to eat it, so I opted to still prepare a healthy dinner so as not to negate my efforts.

Exhausted as I was, I threw together a fast, healthy, Paleo-friendly dish in about 10 minutes and it turned out to be a winner. Basically, I modified your “typical” Italian dinner – mounds of pasta with rich, creamy sauce and hunks of sausage – into a lighter, leaner version.

The Meat Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup red onions, diced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, washed and chopped
  • 5 Jennie-O Sweet Italian Sausages, slice about an inch thick
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 jar of Organic Basil Marinara
  • 4 tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder

In a large sauce pan, start by sauteing the onions and mushrooms until tender, or about 5 mins at medium heat. At this point, add the slices sausages and the dried seasonings increase the heat slightly, so as to sear it evenly. Once the sausages are cooked through [really, just 2-3 mins], add the red wine, the jar of sauce, and the water, as well as the onion flakes. Simmer for about 8 mins, or until your whole kitchen smells like a pizzeria.

The Noodles:

Here’s where you have options. Personally, I am OBSESSED with Shirataki noodles, such as Miracle Noodles or NoOodle, but you’re also welcome to use thinly sliced zucchini or even spaghetti squash [steamed, for both] as your base. In the case of the Shirataki noodles, just drain the noodles well in a colander, then dry-saute them in a wok or large pot in order to cook off the excess water. I drizzle them with a tiny bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking.

Putting it Together:

Once both the noodles and the sauce are finished, I prefer to toss it all together for even coating of the sauce and then sprinkle with just a DASH of Parmesan cheese. Depending on if you’re a hardcore Caveman, you may not have cheese. I try to avoid dairy, but permit myself the occasional sprinkle of Parmesan on my dishes, because it just adds so much flavor for very little caloric punch.

And there you have it! Paleo pasta that doesn’t negate your workout! Even non-Paleo dieters will approve, as the sauce is surprisingly flavorful and the sausage adds a distinct richness, despite the turkey-base. Yum yum!

 

Bon Appetit, my friends!

~Tori

 

Spicy and Savory Brussels Sprouts – Paleo Recipe!

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Last year, my husband and I vacationed with some friends at a hotel down in Miami. I cannot remember the name of the restaurant, but the hotel featured a steakhouse that served the most delicious, most decadent side dish I’d ever had: Roasted Mustard Brussels Sprouts.

I know, I know. How can I use “delicious” and “Brussels Sprouts” in the same sentence? I’m one of those weird people that has ALWAYS loved them, but even my husband, an avid veggie hater, couldn’t stop enjoying these suckers. We personally ate two orders of them ourselves and shared a third order as an appetizer with the table.

I’ve tried to mimic the recipe and never gotten it perfect… until tonight. And, amazingly, I made my version in the lightest way possible AND kept it Paleo-friendly.

Here’s the recipe I concocted this evening:

INGREDIENTS:

  • One pound Brussels Sprouts, raw.
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup onion flakes
  • 1/2 horseradish mustard
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup Daiya “mozzarella” cheese
  • 1 tsp yellow curry powder

 

PREPARATION:

  • Boil the Brussels Sprouts in salted water [salt to your preference] with 1/2 of the garlic powder mixed into the water. I boiled mine for about 15 mins, until the Brussels Sprouts were bright green and still a little firm.
  • Drain the sprouts and then put them in an oven-safe baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, mix the almond milk, cheese, mustard, onion flakes, garlic powder, and remaining garlic powder into a thick sauce. Pour over the Brussels Sprouts, stir to coat, and pop into the oven on BROIL [500 degrees] until you see them getting nice and browned, approx 5-7 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for a moment or two, then stir to redistribute sauce and serve.

 

Seriously, even veggie-haters will enjoy this dish – it’s surprisingly low in calories and BIG on taste! The original we had at the restaurant in Eden Roc was made with lots of butter and probably other loaded ingredients, but this version came amazingly close to the same flavor for far less damage.

Enjoy and feel free to give feedback on any substitutions you try out!

Bon Appetit,

~ Tori