#1,079: Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Chop

It is absolutely amazing to me that I would be the one in our family that enjoyed this meal the most!  I loved this.  Brian said he liked it but didn't love the sauce...that would be because it's a homemade sauce.  So if you aren't doing/following Paleo, feel free to use your favorite BBQ sauce.  I however, thought this sauce was very good. 


6 oz tomato paste
1 -1 1/2 cups beef stock
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. apple cidar vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp. chili powder
4-6 thin cut pork chops Combine all of the above ingredients, EXCEPT pork chops in a sauce pan.  Bring sauce to heat on stove with a low setting.  Cover and simmer, stirring frequently and taste regularly.  The longer you simmer, the more consistent your flavor will be.  (Approx 20-30 min).

Place pork chops in slow cooker and cover with paleo bbq sauce. Cook on high for 4 hours. It stays tender and falls apart.

#1,078: Goulash

This recipe has been sitting on one of my pinterest boards for over a year now.  It was about time to make it and get it off my boards!! :)  I did not actually eat this.  Since I'm doing Paleo, I have to let my family review this instead.  I made the meat/filling ahead of time and froze.  Then I let this defrost in the fridge overnight.  I added the noodles before I cooked it and then popped it in the oven to finish cooking and warm up.  The night we ate it, my family liked it, but wasn't in love with it.  My husband said the flavors really melded overnight and he really enjoyed it more reheated.  Everyone thought it needed more seasoning and sauce though.

1lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (more to taste)
1 can (15oz) corn, drained
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1-2 cups shredded cheese (depending on your “cheesiness” preference)

Brown Ground beef with onion powder and garlic powder.  Drain.  Cook noodles according to package, drain.  In a large bowl, combine soup, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, noodles and ground beef.  Stir in corn.

Transfer to an ungreased 8X8 freezer baking dish and top with cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until heated through and melted cheese.

 

#1,077: Mexican Spaghetti Squash Bake

I am NOT a lover of spaghetti squash.  Normally, I'll eat a little bit and then end up tossing the rest.  The idea that it replaces actual spaghetti just doesn't do it for me.  This recipe however, made me a spaghetti squash converter.  Holy cow did I LOVE this recipe.  It was so good I ate it for dinner one night and then again the next day for lunch, and I may or may not have bought another one to eat again this week.  :)

I made the recipe below even easier by cooking my spaghetti squash (cut in half) in the microwave for about 5 minutes.  Then I topped it with taco meat and salsa.  I never had to bake it...it was so good just like that!  Next time I will be adding some chopped onion, cilantro and avocado as well.  Delicious and paleo!!

4 cups spaghetti squash (about 1 whole squash, baked and prepared)
2 eggs
½ cup spaghetti or tomato sauce
¼ cup water
1 cup spiced hamburger
1/2 cup green pepper
1/4 cup red onion
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

toppings:
shredded cheddar
sour cream
fresh shredded lettuce
sliced black olives
salsa
guacamole
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a casserole, mix all ingredients except cheese. Top with cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Add toppings, either to the dish, or on the side.

#1,076: Crockpot Paleo Minestrone Soup

This soup is wonderful!  I loved it and ate it almost every day for lunch and maybe once or twice for breakfast too.  It's super easy to put together and cooks really well in the crockpot.  This is a great make ahead meal!  This may even be on my menu again this week for lunches too!

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Yellow Sweet Potato, diced
1 cup Carrots, diced
2 Celery Stalks, diced
2 Zucchini Squash, diced
2 Shallots, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
28 oz Chicken or Vegetable Broth
28 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/ Juice
½ cup Frozen Spinach -or- 1 cup packed Fresh Spinach, chopped
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp Parsley
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
¼ tsp Sea Salt
1-1/2 lb Ground Pork Sausage

Place the olive oil in the bottom of the crock pot.  Add the prepared sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, shallots, and garlic to the crock pot. Pour in the chicken (or vegetable) broth. Add the entire can (including juice) of diced tomatoes. Add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw and drain, just add it frozen). Add in the oregano, basil, parsley, cayenne, and salt.

Stir everything together, add the bay leaved, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 2 hours before the soup is done, brown the ground pork sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Once the pork is cooked through (no pink), add it to the crock pot and mix it all together. Cover and continue cooking until the 6-8 hours is up (I prefer 8 hours). Remove bay leaves before serving.

#1,075: Bacon Broccoli Salad

This is NOT my photo.  I'm not taking any credit for it, but I have been so busy with school starting, that I keep forgetting to take pictures of the foods/recipes I try.  This recipe is from Just Paleo, as is the photo above.  Go to their website and check out all the great recipes they have!

This recipe was so easy to throw together and I'm eating it often since it's a quick addition to my lunch or dinners.  The recipe below makes A LOT of salad, so pare it down accordingly to your needs.

10 strips of quality thick cut bacon
1 bag of broccoli or 3 heads (12 cups cut up)
1 cup mayo (I used homemade paleo mayo)
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup sliced almonds

Bake the bacon in the oven at 385 until crispy.  While bacon is cooking, start dicing up the broccoli into 1/2″ pieces or run it through a food processor.  Mix the mayo, vinegar and honey together in a bowl to make a dressing.  Mix the dressing, raisins and almonds into the broccoli.  Once bacon is done, throw it in the fridge to cool it down. Once cool, cut it up into small pieces and mix into the salad.

#1, 074: “Baked” Cinnamon Apples

Oh I hate writing this...sorry no photo for this one.  :(  I've made this so many times and I don't know why or how I keep forgetting to take a photo.  My kids actually do not enjoy these, but I LOVE them.  This is such an easy, quick, healthy addition to any breakfast, lunch or snack.  It's super easy to make and is great hot or reheated.  Make this!

1 Sweet Apple
½ Tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Dash of Ground Nutmeg
Small Glass Bowl
Plastic Wrap or Lid for the Bowl

Peel the apple and cut into wedges. Put the coconut oil in the small, microwave safe bowl and microwave it for about 15-20 seconds until it’s melted.

Place apples and all other ingredients into the glass bowl. Mix it around to get the oil and spices on all the apples. Place the lid or plastic wrap on the top of the bowl. Leave a small vent open for steam to escape. Microwave on HIGH for 2:15.

Be very careful removing the bowl from the microwave. It will be extremely hot and there will be steam.

#1,073: Chicken Burrito Bowls

I was pretty sure I was not going to like this recipe as is.  I don't love chicken enough to usually eat it as the main part of my meal.  But this recipe was SO good.  I did end up adding a little bit of cabbage to it to make it more of a chicken "salad" but not much.  It was delicious.  I will definitely be making this again!

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 limes, freshly squeezed
1/2 tbsp. cumin
salt to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained (I omitted)
1 ½ cups pre made pico de gallo
Jalapenos, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Serve in a lettuce cup if desired.

#1,072: Apple Coleslaw

This was a really, easy, quick, yummy coleslaw.  I like non-mayo based coleslaws though.  It wasn't my favorite coleslaw, but once I added some bacon it got a lot better.  I'll definitely be eating this again.

1/2 small red or green cabbage, chopped
1 tart apple, grated or chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 medium bell pepper (any color), chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs raw honey
1 tsp celery seed
dash sea salt

Toss the cabbage, apple, celery, and bell pepper together in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl, whisk remaining ingredients.  Drizzle over coleslaw and toss to coat.

#1,071: Mango Salad

Oooh, this is such a great salad.  It's healthy, light and refreshing.  I loved it.  I'm planning on eating it for breakfast tomorrow too.  I'm sure my coworkers will give me a hard time, but that's okay!  :)
2 mangoes, peeled and julienned
1/2 medium red onion, julienned
1 red pepper, seeded and julienned
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/4 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
3 sprigs mint, rough chopped
1 lime, squeezed
1 tsp fish sauce, optional (I omitted)
1/4 cup cashews, rough chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine mango, onion, red pepper, lime, salt and pepper, fish sauce and jalapeno.  Garnish with cashews, cilantro and mint.

#1,070: Savory Coconut Flakes

My house smells so good after making these super easy coconut flakes.  Yum.  This was so simple to make and is a great way to get some crunch and sweetness at the end of a meal or for a snack. OR topped on fruit.  1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp Coconut Oil, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the coconut flakes in a Ziploc bag and pour the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt on top of it. Give it a quick shake. Pour the coconut oil in the bag and shake it again, coating all the flakes.

Pour the coconut on the parchment lined baking sheet and put in the oven on the center rack. Bake for 3-5 minutes, watching carefully the whole time to make sure they don’t over-brown or burn. Remove from oven and pan quickly to prevent extra browning.

#1,069: Paleo Carrot & Sweet Potato Pudding

Photo courtesy of The Preppy Paleo.  I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of this!

 

This is a super easy, healthy, filling breakfast.  I will warn you though, it isn't pretty.  It looks quite gross actually.  But as far as taste, it's good.  I will definitely be making this again to eat for breakfasts during the school week because it reheats well.  Actually, I ate it cold most of the time and I quite enjoyed it that way. 



3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
6 large carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 can coconut milk (you might not use the whole can)
3-4 tbs. coconut oil or butter (for Whole30, use coconut oil or ghee)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
3 tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cloves, allspice or nutmeg (if using cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350. Toss sweet potato and carrot chunks in a large greased baking dish. Drop dollops of butter or coconut oil on top, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Allow to cool.

Put cooled sweet potatoes and carrots in a high-powered blender or (working in batches) into a food processor. Gradually add coconut milk until the mixture comes together smoothly. I wound up using just short of a whole can of coconut milk to accomplish this.

Once your mixture is smooth, add eggs and seasoning. Mix again until well-blended. Pour mixture back into the baking pan you first used, and top or mix in nuts, raisins, coconut etc. as desired. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center to the pudding is somewhat firm.

#1,068: Paleo Chili Soup

This is a wonderful recipe that you can make to use up small amounts of leftover chili.  Or large amounts if you want to make a big batch of soup.  :)  The coconut milk in this recipe reminded me of a curry, which I don't typically love, but as far as a soup goes, it was really good.  I will definitely make this again.

1 cup leftover chili
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup of any chopped vegetables (zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc.)
salt and pepper, if necessary
garnishes of choice (avocado, onion, cilantro, etc.)

Heat vegetables in a medium saucepan with a little olive oil, over medium heat until the vegetables are fork-tender.

Add chili and coconut milk and cook for another few minutes or until the mixture is uniformly warm. Taste for seasoning and serve with choice of garnishes.

#1,067: Paleo Chocolate Chili

Doesn't that chili look wonderful?!  It was!!  It was SO good.  So good.  I can't wait to make this again.  I didn't think I was going to simmer the chili because two hours seems quite excessive, but it really does give it a great flavor.  I shared this with my co-workers at lunch and we all loved it.  A lot!  Yum, yum, yum!!

Oh, and if you are wondering...no you can't really taste the chocolate in this, but it does give it nice flavoring.

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
2 pounds ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes (I used petite diced instead)
1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth
1 cup water

Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add onions, stir with a wooden spoon and cook until they’re translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and as soon as it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds, crumble the ground meat into the pan with your hands, mixing with the wooden spoon to combine. Continue to cook the meat, stirring often, until it’s no longer pink.

In a small bowl, crush the oregano between your palms to release its flavor, then add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, allspice, and salt. Combine with a fork, then add to the pot, stirring like you mean it. Add tomato paste and stir until combined, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the chili enjoys a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours. Do not skimp on the simmer! Serve in deep bowls with big spoons.

#1,066: Grilled Rosemary Garlic Porkchops

This recipe was quite good, but the pork chops were a little dried out...probably to griller's error.  :)  They didn't have a ton of flavor, so I don't know if I'd be running to make these again, but they were good.

1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
2 pounds bone-in or boneless pork loin chops


Combine all ingredients except pork in a large plastic re-sealable bag. Add pork, seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate, flipping bag to re-coat meat with marinade every 15 minutes.

Preheat grill to High and lightly oil grate.  Place meat on grill. Cook for about 7 minutes, then flip and continue to cook for 5 or 6 minutes more. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

#1,065: Grilled Chicken w/Rosemary and Bacon

This was another recipe I hoped I would like, but wasn't sure I was actually going to.  Thankfully, I was very wrong.  It was very, very good.  I tried to pound the chicken to make it a little thinner, but next time I'm going to pound it even more.  It was definitely moist, but it was a little too thick for my liking.  The girls didn't love the bacon with the chicken, but they were happy to pull it off an eat it separately.  This caused A LOT of flames on my grill so please be warned and be careful.  I had to move the chicken to the top rack and turn down the heat so it wouldn't burn completely.  Great recipe!

4 tsp garlic powder
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 thick slices bacon

Preheat outdoor grill for medium-high and oil grates (or use a heavy bottomed skillet
over medium heat on the stove or oven).

Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay one rosemary sprig on top of each chicken breast and wrap a slice of bacon around to hold the rosemary in place. Secure each piece of bacon with a toothpick or another rosemary sprig.

Cook the breasts about 8 minutes per side on the grill, or until juices run clear and there is no pink in the middle.

Note: If you are cooking chicken in a pan on the stove, more time is needed per side. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165° F. If you are roasting chicken in the oven, place chicken on baking tray at 350F for 40 minutes, or until fully cooked.

#1.064: Crockpot Pork Loin

You were supposed to make this pork loin with zucchini and cauliflower, but I decided to omit both and make a side of mashed bacon cauliflower instead.  (By the way, the mashed cauliflower with bacon was wonderful!  My kids didn't like it at all, but I ate the whole bowl).

As far as the pork loin goes, it sure was easy.  It smelled really good too.  But Brian was the only one who liked this meal.  The kids are I were not fans.  Not that it was bad, I've just had a lot of other great meals and this didn't cut it. 

1-1/2 lb pork loin
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
2 medium (6"-8") zucchini, sliced
1 head cauliflower, separated into medium florets
1-2 Tbs dried basil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)

Add all of the ingredients to a large crock pot.  Cook on high for 6-7 hours.

#1,063: Green Bean Olive and Sundried Tomato Salad

I don't love fresh cooked traditional green beans, but I do love hericots verts!  So I used them in place of the green beans for this recipe and it was such a wonderful salad.  I've made it twice already.  (Don't know what hericots verts are?  They are just thinner French green beans.) 

You will notice that the ingredients are in grams.  I didn’t measure anything out because I was too lazy to try and figure out the conversions.  It was still delicious.  So either convert the measurements or eye-ball it all!  It’s up to you.

600g fresh green beans, ends removed

10 large green olives, pitted and sliced
10 large kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
50g sundried tomatoes, chopped
75g sliced almonds, toasted
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp Himalayan or unrefined sea salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring about an inch of salted water to a boil. Place the beans in a steaming basket and set over the boiling water. Cover and steam until tender to the bite, 3 to 5 minutes (depending on how crisp or tender you like them)

As soon as beans are ready, plunge them in a bowl of icy cold water to stop the cooking
and preserve their lovely bright green color, then drain and pat dry.

Add the cooked beans, as well as the rest of the ingredients, to a large mixing bowl and toss delicately until well combined

This salad can be served immediately but will keep well for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

#1,062: Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter

For our 9th Anniversary, I decided to make some form of "steak" on the grill since I know my husband enjoys them (and we rarely eat them).  Unfortunately it was in the middle of a HUGE thunderstorm so he got soaked cooking it.  :)  Not the best day to choose to grill, but regardless, this was still very, very good.  The garlic butter sauce was a wonderful addition to this steak.

1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 pounds beef top sirloin steaks
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat with garlic powder and minced garlic. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of each steak with salt and pepper.  Grill steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. When done, transfer to warmed plates.

Brush tops liberally with garlic butter, and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

#1,061: Chicken Broccoli Bake

Here is a super easy, paleo recipe.  Like super, super easy.  Most families will probably make this and mix everything together.  I would have had to pick out/around different items for various family members so I felt it was easiest to just leave everything separated.  I also used chicken thighs, which were much cheaper and everyone really enjoyed it.  Surprised me!

2 heads Broccoli, cut into florets

1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes

6 Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)

½ cup Olive Oil

1-1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

½ tsp Oregano

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Place chicken, broccolli, and sweet potato cubes in a 9×13 glas baking dish.

Drizzle olive oil over them and stir to evenly coat.

 

Spread out the chicken evenly in the dish and spread the veggies around and on top of the chicken evenly.  Sprinkle the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper on top. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, uncovered.

 

Remove from oven and let chicken rest a few minutes before serving to keep the juices inside.

#1,060: Sweet Potato Cups filled with Eggs and Bacon

Doesn't the name of this recipe just sound yummy.  I had very low hopes and expectations for this recipe, and although I made it WRONG, it still came out quite good. 

It's a little time consuming as you have to make the sweet potato cups, and then fill with your egg/bacon mixture and then bake again.  It took almost an hour to make, but it is so worth the effort. 
I doubt I will ever make these again though because the muffin tins and liners are just a pain to clean out, but I am seriously contemplating making this in an 8x8 pan instead....

First you need to make the sweet potato cups:
1 Tablespoon oil of choice (coconut, ghee, red palm oil)
1 medium onion, sliced into thin strips
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon salt ground pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon coconut flour (I used almond flour)
3 small eggs (or 2 normal ones)

Melt your oil over medium high heat. Add in the onions and cook until they caramelize. Grate your sweet potatoes. Pat them dry with a paper towel if they seem wet. Put the grated potatoes, cooked onions and the rest of your ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. If it seems too soupy, drain some of the liquid off. 

Grease a muffin pan or silicon baking cups and spoon mixture into each cup.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and dump the cups upside down on a baking sheet. Return to the oven and brown for an additional 10 minutes. You may not need to do this if you are not using silicon cups. They are great in terms of preventing sticking, but things don’t always brown well in them.


Now for the egg/bacon filling!
Whisk together a few eggs with some salt and pepper.  Pour them into the sweet potato cups, sprinkle some bacon over the top and pop them in a 400 F oven for about 15 minutes (or until the egg is set).

Summer Bucket List Complete...sort of!

This summer we had so many things on our family bucket list.  Sadly, as we get ready to go back to school this week (Brian tomorrow, me on Thursday, and the kids next Monday) that means our bucket list is officially over.  We were able to complete everything except 2 items on our list!  One thing we were unable to do (Madison's Physics Musuem) wasn't open on our way through Madison so it was impossible to do.  The other probably shouldn't have been put on our bucket list.  I assumed we would go to a baseball game (I was right) so I put "Go to a Non-baseball sporting event" on our list.  We were never able to find an event/sport to go to.  :(  Oh well, 39 our of 41 things is not bad! 

I look forward to making our family bucket list again next summer and have even started coming up with some ideas for us.  Until next summer.....

Summer Family Bucket List: Camping at Grandma and Grandpa's

 

 Well sadly I have pretty much no pictures of this because my camera chip was full!!  But the girls went "camping" at their grandparents house with their cousin Timothy.  By "camping" we mean sitting by the fire, roasting marshmallows and sleeping in their camper in the backyard while mommy slept inside with Matthew!  Perfect camping for me!!

 

Camping at Grandma and Grandpa's

Summer Family Bucket List: Illinois State Fair

When we put this on our summer bucket list, we (okay I) hoped we would use this opportunity to go on a little road trip to go to a state fair in another state.  Well that wasn't possible/didn't happen, but we still had a ton of fun anyways and it didn't matter to us or the kids.  The kids love going through the little farmer's village and although we usually don't let them ride many rides, we decided to let them get wristbands and go on as many rides as they could this time.  They loved it.  They also loved spending the afternoon with their grandma, grandpa and cousin Timothy!

 

State Fair (Hopefully in another state) 

 

Summer Family Bucket List: Peoria Riverfront Museum

Near us we had a new museum open last year.  Honestly, I didn't know much about it except that it was a museum.  And this family loves museums. 

So we threw it on our bucket list and prayed it would be something the kids enjoyed.  Although we will probably not go back often (it was $30 for our family to go and I think we did pretty much everything the kids would enjoy), they had fun while we were there.  There is a little play area, a basketball game that Matthew loved playing, tables to bring in your lunch/food, and the kids even sat through a Sesame Street Planetarium show. 

We had a wonderful time!

Peoria Riverfront Museum

#1.059: Watermelon Salsa

This recipe is supposed to be a salsa.  However, the original recipe author suggested eating it like a salad.  So I did.  I really, really, really enjoyed this "salad."  But it sure would be great as a salsa too!!  I might make this for book club next week and let everyone else eat it with chips, while I eat it with a fork!  :)

1/2 whole Small Seedless Watermelon, Diced

2 Jalapeños, Seeded and Diced

1/2 Red Onion, Diced

1 Red Bell Pepper, Diced (I omitted since it was making it just for myself for lunch)

1 Orange Bell Pepper, Diced

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, Diced  (I omitted since it was making it just for myself for lunch)

1 Bunch Cilantro, Chopped (sadly, I had to omit since my cilantro was wilted)

Juice Of 1 To 2 Limes

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt; more if necessary to taste

 

Mix everything together in one large bowl; season with salt as needed. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

 

#1,058: Coconut Coleslaw

Coleslaw seems to be one of my favorite salads this summer.  I think it's because the coleslaw mix I buy is ready to eat and lasts for several days without wilting. 

I will admit, I prefer a vinegar based coleslaw over a mayo based one.  If you like mayo-based coleslaws, then you should definitely try this.  I liked it, I didn't love it, but mayo lovers, you might really, really love this. 

4 cups green cabbage, shredded--about 1/2 head medium cabbage
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup mayonnaise (paleo-friendly)
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2 Tbs dijon mustard
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice (about 1 lime's worth)
1/2 tsp sea salt--or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper

Spread coconut out in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 3-5 minutes until lightly toasted and beginning to brown slightly...watch it carefully, that stuff will burn before you know it! Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, coconut milk, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add in the prepped vegetables and toasted coconut. Mix well to combine, until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to use.

#1, 057: Homemade Paleo Ranch Dressing

Now that my paleo mayo was a success, I was ready to use it to make ranch dressing.  I do love ranch, and I am looking forward to having something other than oil and vinegar dressing on my salads and to dip veggies in.  This recipe was SO easy....as long as you have paleo mayo to start with.

PS...I liked this, my kids did not.  :(

½ cup Paleo Mayo

½ cup canned Full-Fat Coconut Milk

½ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 large clove Garlic

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp Fresh Dill

Combine the mayo and coconut milk, whisk together. Add apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine.

Crush the garlic clove with a little bit of salt to form a paste. Add to the mayo mixture with some pepper and whisk to combine. Add in the dill and stir to combine.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before using to let thicken up and allow flavors to meld.