Feelin' Saucy??

     Aioli is a "mayo-like" sauce hailing from the Provence region in the south of France. Traditionally, Ailoi was made with just Garlic and Olive Oil. Egg yolk was then added to create a thicker, creamier consistency. The beauty of this Naked Aioli lies in its flexibility. Use it as a blank canvas! The flavor combinations reach as far as you allow your imagination to go!! Have fun and experiment with your favorite flavors! Here are a few of mine....


Naked Homemade Aioli
Makes 3/4 cup
Ingredients

• 1 Large Egg Yolk*
• 2 tsp (or to taste) fresh Lemon Juice
• Sea Salt  to taste
• 1 small Garlic Clove, minced
• 3/4 cup Olive Oil, divided (Aioli can have a very rich flavor depending on the grade of Olive Oil used. For a lighter taste go for an oil lighter in color)

Preparation

• Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt in medium bowl. Whisk quickly until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds.
• Using 1/4 teaspoon measure and whisking constantly, add 1/4 cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8 minutes (Aioli will be lighter in color). 
• Cover and store refrigerated for up to 3 days.                                                                            

* Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. To avoid the risk of salmonella infection, you can use pasteurized egg yolk instead

Lime Tarragon Ailoi

• 3/4 cup Naked Ailoi
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp Tarragon, minced

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Incredible paired with any fish or chicken dish and amazing on Asparagus!

Basil Lemon Aioli

• 3/4 cup Naked Aioli
• 1/2 oz fresh Basil Leaves, minced
• zest of 1 Lemon

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Incredible paired with any fish, chicken or veggie dish.

Chipotle Lime Aioli

• 3/4 cup Naked Ailoi
• 1 tsp Chipotle Hot Sauce (or to desired heat)
• zest of 1 lime

Combine ingredients, mix well and enjoy with any
Pork or Beef dish. Amazing on eggs too :)

Got The Munchies??

    Since transitioning to Paleo my snack cravings have done a complete 360 back flip! Pre-Paleo era I would crave crunchy, savory salty snacks; not so much the case now! For some strange reason, I'm all about the chocolaty snacks these days. Rich, dark, bittersweet CHOCOLATE. Could it be I'm attracted to its mystery and intrigue? Perhaps it pulls me in with its seductive, intoxicating nature? Or....Maybe the attraction is more pure. Could it be my bodies' inate sensibility begging for the healing properties of chocolate?

    For thousands of years Cocoa has been used by ancient civilizations such as the Aztec and Mayan peoples for it's healing properties. Dark Cocoa contains a high quantity of flavinoids which have been shown to lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension. Raw Cocoa is also a powerful anti-oxidant. One cup of Cocoa contains more anti-oxidant properties than one cup of Green Tea.

Here is one of my favorite Paleo sweet, chocolaty treats.

Cocoa Coconut Macaroons

• 3 Egg Whites
• 1/3 Cup of Raw Honey
• 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder, unsweetened & dark
• 3/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped
• 11/2 Cups Shredded Coconut, unsweetened

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C
2. Prechill a large stainless bowl in the freezer for 20 mins
3. Whip egg whites in chilled bowl until firm peaks form.
4. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl
5. Fold half of the dry ingredients into the egg whites with half of the honey. Be gentle and fold in the remaining ingredients.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & form 2 tsp of mixture into small balls, place on the sheet.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
8. Let cool on sheet, and store in covered container for up to a week....that is if they last that long!!

Please make sure the Cocoa you buy is Organic and Fair Trade. It's all about quality of food rather than quantity. Become aware of how your food comes to your table. First grow and raise what food you can, second support your local farmers by shopping at the Farmers Markets nearby and lastly, whatever you must buy from the grocery stores; look for Organic and Fair Trade products. Food is much more nourishing when you feel good about where it came from. Realize the food choices we make have a huge impact others.

Hope you enjoy these little bites of heaven as much as we do!

All Dressed Up!

     Learning to be creative with condiments and dressings is essential to keeping garden salads, slaws and meat/egg salads interesting. Stock your fridge with a few different homemade dressings, and the flavor combinations for salads are endless! Making dressing from scratch sounds like a lot of work at first, but it just takes a few minutes; once you try it you'll never go back to the pre-packaged junk!

 The basic foundation for any great homemade dressing begins with a few simple ingredients, EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and Lemon Juice or Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Although the use of Vinegar and Unpasteurized Honey are to be limited on the Paleo plan, I think the health benefits of the two far outweigh the consequences of their use. In my opinion, the small amounts of each are acceptable in moderation.
These are just a few of my favorites:

Creamy Basil Dressing  

• 3 Tbsp. Leeks, chopped (just the white part)
• 3 Tbsp. Sesame Tahini (ground sesame seeds)
• 1 Cup EVOO
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar or 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp. Raw Unpasturized Honey
• 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1/2 to 1 Cup Water
• Salt-Free Lemon Pepper Spice mix

Tomato Chili Vinaigrette

• 1 Cup EVOO
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar or 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp.Dried Dillweed
• 1/2 tsp. Celery Seed
• 2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper
• 1-5.5oz tin Tomato Paste (find the one that is just tomato no additives)
• 1-1 1/2 Cup Water 

Anyberry Vinaigrette

• 1 Cup fresh or frozen berries of your choice
• 1/2 Cup EVOO
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp. Leeks, chopped (just the white part)
• 1/2-3/4 tsp. Mustard Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Basil, dried & 1/2 tsp. Dillweed, dried
• Pinch of Rosemary, dried

Procedure is the same for all 3:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender, puree until smooth
2. Add water to achieve desired thickness
3. Keep in a sealed container for up to 1 week in the fridge
4. Creamy dressings may thicken when chilled, just add a bit of water or Lemon Juice to loosen them up!

These dressings also make great sauces for grilled fish and chicken!

HAPPY BLENDING!

Breakie Got You Stumped???

Southwest Steak, Peppers & Eggs

     So we're one day into the 60 Day Paleo Challenge and the most common question so far has been....
"What am I supposed to eat for breakfast?" Followed by..."What do you mean I can't have my oatmeal?" and "You mean I have to drink my coffee black?"

    When I first embarked on my Paleo journey I had the exact same questions. I thought, "There's just no way in hell I'm going to drink black coffee!!" Before converting, I thought only long distance truckers ate steak and eggs for breakfast! Turns out, black coffee has a completely different intrigue than it's creamy, sweet counterpart; and steak and eggs IS actually the breakfast of champions!

A few tips to make Paleo breakfast time a little easier:

1. If we learned to prefer coffee with cream and sugar, surely we can also learn to enjoy it without! Be a bad-ass and have it black!
2. If you really can't let go of the creamy flavor, coconut milk works well. Watch out for the canned stuff though, it has a tendency to curdle. I love this Coconut Milk Powder it's great to have on hand for all sorts of recipes!
3. Learn to like "supper foods" for breakfast
4. I always make sure I have leftover protein from supper to add to my morning omelette. Its super quick to toss some eggs, and chopped up veggies in a pan and voila!!! A perfect start to your day!
5. If you're in a rush, some apple slices with organic almond butter is amazing too.
6. Smoothies are also great in a rush. Often my day at the gym starts at 5 am, way to early to even contemplate cooking!! For those early mornings I will make a smoothie the night before and keep it in the fridge until morning. Smoothie and a few almonds and I'm off to a great start!

     The dish above was this mornings breakfast.

What better way to kick off the Challenge than a hearty breakfast! 

Southwest Steak, Peppers & Eggs 

• 1/3 cup leftover Roast Beef, chopped
• 2 Whole Eggs & 2 Egg Whites
• 1/2 Orange Pepper, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
• Mrs.Dash Southwest Salt-Free Seasoning

1. Saute peppers and onions in a little EVOO with the southwest seasoning
2. Once peppers and onions are brown in color, add the beef. Saute until meat is warm
3. Add eggs, cook and serve topped with a bit of tomato or avocado

This recipe is totally versatile! Use any meat you have leftover in the fridge. Experiment with veggie and spice combinations.

Arm your kitchen with a variety of Salt-free seasonings and herbs and you'll never have a boring breakie!

Happy cooking people!!

Berry Hydration Sensation Smoothie

     There has been a heap of fuss over the Coconut lately!! Rightly so, turns out it's a serious miracle food!! I find the Coconut in all forms an incredibly useful addition to the Primal athletes kitchen. Coconut Water is the clear juice found in young green coconuts.

A few fun facts about Coconut Water.....

• Contains 5 essential electrolytes needed to stay hydrated before, during & after exercise
• Has more Potassium than a banana. Helps prevent cramping, regulates blood pressure & heart function
• 100% Natural. No added sugar, fat, cholesterol or preservatives

More Info...

Getting off on the right foot!!....or should I say thigh.....

     So I was thinking....what better way to celebrate my very first blog post (and my new Chrissy PR) than with a super Paleo-licious meal! This chicken was a flavor explosion! NOT KIDDING. Chicken thighs are a bit of an underdog in the chicken world. After years of living in fear of consuming the dreaded "fattier" bits of  the bird, sacrificing flavor and texture for the leaner "over glorified" breast meat, I'm converted. I'm totally a thigh girl now, and you will be too when you try these bad boys!!

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