just because we’ve gone paleo doesn’t mean we’ve given up delicious treats. in fact, we still have plenty of them, and are always rather happy that they’re not only damn good, but are also made from whole foods with no processed sugars. you can chow down on a few of these banana bread muffins and not get hit with the carb nap attacks. these aren’t overly banana flavored – they actually taste more like a bran muffin, and the walnuts add the perfect amount of nuttiness without taking over. enjoy!

ingredients

1.5 cups almond flour
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, + more for topping

directions

preheat oven to 375˚ F.

in a large bowl, sift together almond flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. combine well.

in a separate medium bowl, add the mashed bananas, eggs, honey, vanilla, and oil – mix well.

make a slight well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. add in the majority of the chopped walnuts and stir until combined.

fill the baking cups in your muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full. sprinkle a few chopped walnuts over each cupcake. bake muffins for 21-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. let cool before serving.

(original recipe from With Style & Grace)

i love brussels sprouts, but the mountain man doesn’t exactly claim to be there number one fan. or their millionth. finding ways to serve them is always a challenge, especially as i don’t like to completely mask their flavor since i happen to love them. this dish thankfully makes both of us happy – the brussels sprouts rendered in the bacon fat are delectable, and the potatoes are the perfect balance to it all.

a trick with this dish is to cover it with foil for 1/2 the time it cooks (either at the beginning or the end is fine). it can dry out quickly, charring the bacon and shallots in the process. definitely use a deep dish container, versus a baking pan, to ensure it doesn’t dry out completely. if you’re using larger, dense potatoes, let them get a head start cooking before adding the brussels sprouts. enjoy!

ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil or fat of choice
2 tbsp gluten free whole grain mustard
2-3 cups new potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2-3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced (the smaller the crispier)
1/2 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
salt + pepper

directions

preheat the oven to 425˚ F.

in your baking dish, whisk together the coconut oil and mustard. toss the potatoes, brussels sprouts, shallot, and bacon in the bowl until evenly coated with the mustard and oil. sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

spread the mixture so it’s even throughout the dish, then place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. if you see it’s starting to dry out, cover with foil to help trap the moisture in the dish.

once the potatoes are cooked through and the bacon is crispy, stir once more, allowing it to bake for additional 3-4 minutes. remove and serve hot.

this recipe has been in my collection for years and is insanely easy to make. most people like to serve this in lettuce cups, but i find them to be too annoying to eat that way. half the head of lettuce inevitably can’t be used because of tears, and the pieces you can use just fall apart while you’re eating it. so i keep it easy and serve this over a bed of lettuce.

this dish also commonly has a lot of rice as part of the “filling” which we obviously don’t include. if you want a little more substance, mix in a cup of cauliflower rice just before serving. enjoy!

ingredients

1 lb ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp tamari
1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp chopped green onions
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

directions

in a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground turkey in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, stirring often. once browned, add the onion, stirring frequently. add the garlic, tamari,  vinegar, and carrots to the mixture, and stir. as the liquids begin to boil down, add the green onions, sesame oil, and bean sprouts; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

spoon mixture over bowls of lettuce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. serve with a side of hot sauce for those who enjoy a little kick to their thai food.

is it weird that i’ve never had a sheperd’s pie? well, not until i made this dish of amazingness that i devoured in one sitting. i pretty much loved it, and especially loved that my variation is free of carbs. rather than loading on the mashed potatoes, i opted for mashed cauliflower, and since i have no idea how the “original” version tastes, i thought it was rather fantastic with cauliflower mash. i added a bit of raw cheddar to my mash (less than 1/4 cup), but you can definitely omit it if you avoid dairy. enjoy!

ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil
6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered, and thinly sliced
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 lb ground buffalo
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
salt & pepper

directions

heat oven to 450˚ F.

start by prepping the cauliflower mash: in a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. add cauliflower florets, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. drain water, reserving approximately 1/4 cup. transfer cauliflower to food processor and puree until smooth, adding the reserved water until a smooth consistency. season with additional salt if necessary.

heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add coconut oil. add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. add the almond flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add buffalo and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. add 1 cup water, bringing it to a boil, then simmer for about one minute.

pour meat and vegetable filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. spread cauliflower mash across top with a spatula, and if you’re feeling creative, use a fork to make decorative peaks. if using cheese, sprinkle on top of the mash before placing in oven. bake until topping is lightly browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes .

i am so in love with the branding for these cookies and am dying to try them. totally “caveman” friendly, i’m crazy excited that there are more and more paleo options making their way onto shelves. have you ever tried these? want to send a bag my way?

order your caveman cookies today here.

i’m always looking for new ways to serve up brussel sprouts, especially as most people loathe them and i insist they eat them. i blame this on my forceful german lineage. “eat this because i said so.” it’s my families tagline.

this stew is pretty surprising, and in a good way. at first glance, it looks heavy and meaty and like something that will make you fall asleep after you eat it. the old-school, non-paleo version of this stew is exactly that, but this version is light, refreshing, and most importantly, delicious. the mint and lemon keep this feeling authentically mediterranean, and some classic paleo substitutes keep the starch out of this scrumptious dish. enjoy!

ingredients

1 lb pearl onions
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground buffalo
2/3 cup grated cauliflower, lightly cooked
3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed
salt + pepper

directions

begin by peeling the pearl onions (soak in boiling water for 3 minutes, rinse in cold water, trim and peel). set aside.

in a large bowl, combine the yellow onion, cauliflower, buffalo, mint, and 1/4 tsp pepper, mixing well, then form into small, oblong meatballs. heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. add the meatballs and brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes. transfer the meatballs to a plate and wipe the dutch oven clean.

in the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. whisk in the almond flour and cook, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t clump and brown. slowly pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, while continuing to stir. cook until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.

add the brussels sprouts, pearl onions, and meatballs to the pot. return the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer until vegetables and meatballs are cooked through, 15-20 minutes. season to taste, then serve hot.

i had a good laugh when i opened our latest carton of eggs and out slipped a little sheet of paper about the lovely chickens that laid our eggs. i suddenly felt like i was in an episode of portlandia. here’s the happy farm where happy chickens roam to provide you happy eggs. has any of your farm raised food ever come with information about the farm they’re from?

one of my favorite things about this dish is that it’s ready in under 20 minutes. the brown butter and almond sauce is great for those people who aren’t very fond of fish, like the mountain man at our house. the capers in the recipe eliminate the need for lemon, and green beans help keep the dish light. if you don’t consume butter, use the fat of your choice. enjoy!

ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or fat of your choice
1.25 pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 piecessalt + pepper
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons capers

directions

heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. season the salmon with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. transfer to individual plates and cover with foil.

fill a second skillet with ½ inch of water, bring to a boil, and add ¼ teaspoon salt. add the green beans, cover, and steam until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. drain and transfer to plates, then re-cover.

wipe out the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds and butter are golden brown (but not burned), 2 to 3 minutes. stir in the capers. spoon over fish and serve hot.

(original recipe via real simple)

i love french onion soup, especially if it has a little bourbon in it. it’s one of those things you kiss good-bye when you go paleo since it’s now missing bread, and in most cases, the cheese too. and who really just wants a bowl of caramelized onions?

i’d been craving this soup for a few weeks now and decided it was time to figure out how to make a paleo version. i use cauliflower to replace just about everything, so i figured it would make a great substitute for the bread. gruyere is a raw cheese, as is emmentaler, so you can still have the cheesy gooey mess of this soup, assuming you still consume raw dairy.  avoid putting too much liquid in each serving, or it will create a cauliflower and cheese island, instead of a solid coating across the surface of the soup. enjoy!

ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter, or fat of choice
4 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine (optional)
8 cups beef stock
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
salt + pepper
1 cup cooked and pureed cauliflower
2 .5 cups shredded gruyere cheese

directions

in a large, heavy saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. add the onions, stir well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.

gradually stir in the wine, then the stock. add the thyme and bay leaf. bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.

preheat your broiler on high. ladle the hot soup into the crocks. sprinkle the cauliflower evenly on top of the soup and sprinkle each crock evenly with about 1/3 cup of the gruyere. broil until the cheese is bubbling, about 2 minutes. serve hot.

am i the only person who couldn’t figure out how to poach an egg? i tried every contraption on the planet before finally resigning to the fact that i just had to learn how to do it the hard way, which of course, turned out to be the easiest way ever. i felt pretty damn stupid to tell you the truth.

i actually never really liked eggs. in fact, i still don’t really like eggs, but eat them because they’re a great source of protein, cook up quick, and are crazy filling. i discovered i liked my eggs poached a couple years ago, and have spent the last couple years trying to figure out how to make a good poached egg. unlike any sane person, i never bothered to check the internet, and well, once i did, it didn’t help a whole lot. everyone has different theories, things they swear by, things they swear off, a little voodoo, and more. if you’re poached egg incompetent like i was, here are the key steps i’ve learned.

1. use a pot or a really deep pan
2. heat your water till it has all those little bubbles on the bottom that rise to the surface occasionally, but not so hot that it boils.
3. break the egg open into a small container so you can pour it into the water without it separating
4. leave it alone. i know, you see it go in there and the egg white is floating all haphazardly everywhere and you just want to reign it in. let it start to firm before gently pushing it about.
5. 3-4 minutes is all you need. the bubbles should be rising just enough to keep the egg from staying at the bottom of the pan/pot. if the yolk rests on the bottom, you’ll likely have a little solid chunk of yolk, which people will frown upon.

i like my poached egg on a bed of hash with a side of bacon. it’s a little morning bliss to get your day started right. give it a shot and if you have any suggestions on how to make a perfect poached egg, share it here!