More Treats

Paleo “Reese’s Cups” (Makes 24 cups/servings) 

This dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free snack is proof that when there’s a will, there’s a way. If you’re in need of an indulgence or want to bring a conversation-starter to your next potluck, whip up these heavenly bites of chocolate and almond butter. Better yet, store a bunch in your freezer so that you can pop one to kick that next dessert temptation. And you thought Paleo was no fun! 

Ingredients: 

1 bag Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate mega chunks 

½ tbsp coconut ghee or coconut oil 

1-2 tbsp or ¾ cup almond butter (crunchy or smooth) 

Instructions: 

Place a mini-muffin foil in each of 24 cups of a mini muffin baking pan. Place the pan somewhere near the stove-top so that it is convenient to transfer ingredients into the cups. Fill a small saucepan a little less than halfway with water and place on stove-top over high heat until it reaches a boil. Place a metal bowl on top of the sauce pan containing the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Add chocolate and coconut ghee to the metal bowl, stirring constantly while the ingredients melt together. Once melted and thoroughly mixed, carefully transfer 1 tsp chocolate to each mini muffin tin so that it fully covers the bottom. Making sure to continue mixing the chocolate often enough so that it doesn’t burn, transfer ½ tbsp almond butter to each mini muffin tin, on top of the chocolate layer. Lastly, add another tsp of the melted chocolate on top of the almond butter. Split up any remaining chocolate among the cups. Using a toothpick or your finger, gently swirl the tops of the cups so that the chocolate covers the almond butter entirely. Place the entire mini muffin pan into the freezer. The cups will be ready to eat after about 20 minutes or can be stored longer-term in the freezer.

An Easy Appitizer

 Remove the pits from Medjool Dates

 Slice them in partially in half...stuff with goat cheese

and top with a pecan...sure to be a crowd pleaser, 

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients: 

1 tsp Baking Soda 

1 tsp Salt 

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract 

1 1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips 

1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil, unrefined 

1/2 cup Grade B Maple Syrup 

2 whole Pastured Eggs 

3 cup Blanched Almond Flour  

Process:

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl beat eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer. Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat with hand mixer until combined. Melt coconut oil, pour into batter, and continue to blend until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop balls of cookie dough, about a tablespoon in size. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool and serve with coconut milk.

Sticky Apple Bars

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 medjool dates, pits removed
• 1 cup almond butter
• ¼ cup Raw Honey
• ¼ cup Unsweetended Shredded Coconut
• ½ cup Coconut Cream Concentrate
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

For the toppings

• 3 apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
• ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup Raw Honey
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Cream Concentrate
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. First make your crust. Add all ingredients for the crust to a food processor. (you may need to heat up your coconut cream concentrate aka coconut butter)
2. Put crust ingredients in an 8×8 or 9×9 glass baking dish, press down until evenly distributed.
3. Now heat up a large skillet under medium heat. Add your coconut oil then your sliced apples.
4. Once apples begin to become soft, add your walnuts. Be sure to continuously stir so the apples and walnuts do not burns.
5. Once apples are wilted, add your honey and coconut cream concentrate along with cinnamon and salt.
6. When all ingredients are incorporated, pour mixture on top of crust and press flat. Put in the fridge to harden for 30-45 minutes.
7. Cut into squares and serve!!

Paleo Tex-Mex Hash

Paleo Tex-Mex Hash

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon coconut ghee/or oil

1 sweet onion chopped

1 pound grass fed beef

1 ½ teaspoons Himalayan pink sea salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ jalepeno

1 -4 oz can  green chilies (drained)

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Shred potatoes into noodle like strips with a grater, Julienne peeler or “Zoodler”.

Add coconut ghee or oil (and possibly olive oil) to a large sauté pan over medium heat and once melted add the chopped onion. Once the onions become translucent add the ground beef and ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook until most of the meat is no longer pink. (It’s important not to overcook the meat because it will be overdone but the time the entire dish is finished cooking)

Add Garlic, chopped jalapenos, chilies and spices (including the remaining salt) to the pan.

Mix all ingredients into the pan, stirring in a handful of the sweet potatoes at a time.

Cover the pan let cook for 5 minute, repeat the process as needed until the sweet potatoes are the desired softness.

Topping suggestions:

Eggs, Avocado, guacamole, chopped tomatoes or salsa. (Cheese if you like dairy-not Paleo)

Nutrition facts (per serving) 335 Calories, 22g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 18 g fat

10 Ways to Make Eating Gluten-Free Easy: written by Jennifer Fugo

One of the biggest hurdles to making any diet change is actually doing it. Whether it's finding a new job, trying a new movement at the gym or deciding to clean up your diet, the act of DOING IT is typically where people either get stuck.  That problem is no different for those who decide to give a gluten-free diet a try.

When I was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2008, I was given 3 websites to help me and wished good luck. I went from a fairly traditional Italian diet of pasta and bread to one that slowly evolved into something much healthier today.  The point is that my transition didn't happen overnight, but is the culmination of many baby steps taken each day... which mirrors the phrase I always tell clients -- "Rome wasn't built in a day". 

If you're really serious about eating better (and reducing or entirely removing gluten), start by learning the basics of what gluten is and where it hides out.  Talk to others who've done it and see what two or three steps really helped them make a change and see if your significant other or a friend will do this with you.  Remember that taking stock of the new landscape to which you're headed will make the transition easier.

Here's a few points that I find often help people make eating gluten-free easier:

1) Know the basics about where gluten hides. Typically gluten exists in foods that contain any part or derivative of barley, rye, oats (which aren't automatically gluten-free), wheat and spelt. To remember this, use the acronym BROWS.  Granted the list of grain and cousins of wheat is longer than this, but these are the most typical problem areas you'll encounter and can make explaining to people where gluten comes from a lot easier.  Also, be aware that the label "wheat free" does not mean "gluten free" since gluten is found in more than just wheat.

2) Focus on foods that are naturally gluten-free.  Most everything in the produce aisle is gluten-free.  Meats, fish, nuts, seeds... all are as well.  Unless you've got celiac disease or you know you're gluten sensitive, then looking for a gluten-free label isn't as important and can often lead to having blinders on to the food that just happens to be gluten-free.

3) Plan your meals. I know... it's not sexy.  Meal planning isn't something that will make you jump up and down with joy, but it is a life skill that will not just ensure you'll have food on hand for your week, but can also save you a ton of money since on average people throw out about 25 to 40% of the food they buy.  That waste is literally throwing money in the trash, my friends.  If you want to see what a meal plan looks like, you can download this free resource or my book that guides people step-by-step through the process. 

4) Make the recipes come to you! Sign up for newsletters or updates from sites you love so that new recipes are sent to you rather than having to search for them. Create a folder in your inbox just for them and drop in those that sound good to make later.  Before you know it, you won't need to search for them when you're meal planning, except when you don't have one, you can...

5) Ask Google questions about food. If you don't have a recipe in your inbox or bookmarked on your computer, use Google to search for something. I'd recommend adding the word "paleo" to the search because most "gluten-free" recipes are loaded with so many weird and unnecessary ingredients that your head will spin.  If you want to make chili, type in "paleo beef chili recipe" and plenty of options will come up.  To make it gluten-free (which is less restrictive than paleo), add in rice and beans.

6) Enjoy your social life and dine out easily! Use apps like "Find Me Gluten-Free" and search for restaurants no matter where you are that cater to gluten-free diners like yourself. Depending on how strict you need to be will determine how much research you may want to do about a restaurant before eating there.  An easy go-to-option is typically a salad with grilled, baked or broiled protein on top.  Beware of anything fried because unless a restaurant has a dedicated fryer (which most do not), whatever comes out of it is contaminated with gluten even though something like tortilla chips (made from corn) or real potato french fries inherently don't contain gluten.

7) Replace the gluten intelligently. If you love bread, try making your own paleo bread instead. Elana's Pantry has some great (and easy) recipes. Use lettuce or collard greens to create a wrap. You can also try rice wraps, large nori sheets, or even paleo wraps made from coconut.  Pasta can be replaced with gluten-free versions (there are plenty on the market), but consider buying a spiralizer and making your own pasta from sweet potatoes or zucchini which cooks in minutes.  Try making pizza crust from cauliflower and substitute flour with more nutrient dense options like coconut or almond.

8) Get (and use) the appliances that actually save you time. Start using a crockpot to cook food overnight or while you're at work. (No, it won't burn your house down)  A rice cooker is great (which can be purchased for about $17 from Target) and can cook rice and other gluten-free grains without much attention required of you. High-speed blenders, though expensive, are well worth their weight in gold because of how much they can do so quickly.  You can make soft serve ice cream, non-dairy milks, coconut milk, flours, soups, smoothies, etc. in these incredibly powerful machines.

9) Beware of anything that ends up on your mouth. That means you should check your lipsticks, glosses and balms. Gluten is a common ingredient in these products because it helps provide the consistency we as consumers are used to.  Even though these items are applied to the outside of your mouth, you will end up eating it. Also swap out your dental products such as toothpaste, mouthwash and floss for those without gluten.  Again... if it goes in your mouth, you will end up ingesting gluten if it's present in the product.

10) Have fun! Make dinner dates with friends who are interested in or on board with your new way of eating. Cooking with others is a great way to learn and enjoy new dishes. Buy one new spice each week, google how to use it (or get The Spice Bible and learn how to pair spices properly), and start making flavorful dishes that you and your family love. Eat foods that you actually like and slowly build upon them giving yourself permission to try new ones with an open mind. 

About Jennifer:
She is the founder of Gluten Free School and teaches gluten-sensitive individuals simple, savvy and empowering steps to get healthy. Living gluten-free since early 2008 after a gluten sensitivity diagnosis, she knows what it's like to feel overwhelmed by the cost and seemingly complicated aspects of going gluten-free. A sought-after expert, advocate & speaker about healthy, gluten-free living, Jennifer has been featured on Dr. Oz, Yahoo! News, eHow, CNN, and Philadelphia Magazine and is the author behind the ground-breaking book "The Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper: How to Eat Healthy without Breaking the Bank".

Two Ingredient Pancakes…Gluten Free, Flourless, & Full of Protein

Directions:
Mash 1 ripe banana well, add in 1 egg  

Warm non stick or cast iron pan to medium, use coconut oil or butter or non-stick spray of choice. Cook silver dollar size pancakes 30 seconds on each side and serve.

Serve with fresh berries, this was easy and delicious!

Antioxidant-Related Health Benefits

Like most of its fellow cruciferous vegetables, kale has been studied more extensively in relationship to cancer than any other health condition. This research focus makes perfect sense. Kale’s nutrient richness stands out in three particular areas: (1) antioxidant nutrients, (2) anti-inflammatory nutrients, and (3) anti-cancer nutrients in the form of glucosinolates. Without sufficient intake of antioxidants, our oxygen metabolism can become compromised, and we can experience a metabolic problem called “oxidative stress.” Without sufficient intake of anti-inflammatory nutrients, regulation of our inflammatory system can become compromised, and we can experience the problem of chronic inflammation. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation — and the combination of these metabolic problems — are risk factors for development of cancer. We’ve seen research studies on 5 specific types of cancer — including bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer — and intake of cruciferous vegetables (specifically including kale). As a group, these studies definitely show cancer preventive benefits from kale intake, and in some cases, treatment benefits as well.
Kale’s cancer preventive benefits have been clearly linked to its unusual concentration of two types of antioxidants, namely, carotenoids and flavonoids. Within the carotenoids, lutein and beta-carotene are standout antioxidants in kale. Researchers have actually followed the passage of these two carotenoids in kale from the human digestive tract up into the blood stream, and they have demonstrated the ability of kale to raise blood levels of these carotenoid nutrients. That finding is important because lutein and beta-carotene are key nutrients in the protection of our body from oxidative stress and health problems related to oxidative stress. Increased risk of cataracts, atherosclerosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are three such problems. Also among these chronic health problems is cancer since our overall risk of cells becoming cancerous is partly related to oxidative stress.
Within the flavonoids, kaempferol is a spotlight antioxidant in kale, followed by a flavonoid called quercitin. But recent research has also made it clear that at least 45 different antioxidant flavonoids are provided in measurable amounts by kale. This broad spectrum of flavonoid antioxidants is likely to be a key to kale’s cancer-preventive benefits and benefits that we expect to be documented for other health problems stemming from oxidative stress.

Dynamite Chewy Chocolate Cookies

3 beaten to a peak egg whites...Then fold in:
1 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
dash sea salt, 1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. maple syrup
Bake 350 @ 8 minutes

Almond Butter Balls

Servings: 20 pieces
Preparation Time: 1 hour total

For Almond Butter filling:

* 3/4 cup natural crunchy almond butter
* 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
* pinch of sea salt
* 1/2 cup coconut flour

For chocolate coating:

* 4 oz. dark chocolate, melted
* 1 teaspoon coconut oil

In a medium bowl, mix together the almond butter, honey and a pinch of sea salt. Add in the coconut flour gradually– starting first with a 1/4 cup, then adding it in a tablespoon at a time until a "dough" forms. I ended up using a 1/2 cup of coconut flour, but it may vary depending on the texture of your almond butter.

Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a pan lined with parchment paper. (Roll with your hands to make them smooth, if you like.) Place them in the freezer to set for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, melt the chocolate together with the coconut oil. (I used an oven-safe bowl– 5 minutes at 400F– but any method works!)

Remove the almond butter balls from the freezer, and dip each one into the melted chocolate mixture, coating each one thoroughly. Return the chocolate-covered balls to the parchment paper to set. There will inevitably be some areas that won't get covered (where your fingers touched), so feel free to spoon some extra chocolate over the tops when they've all been dipped!

Return the balls to the freezer to set for another 30 minutes, then serve. They are delicious when served cold, or at room temperature!

I recommend storing them in the fridge or freezer for longer shelf-life.

Butternut Squash "paleo" Lasagna

coat bottom of pan with tomato sauce
slice up 1 butternut squash and layer "like pasta"
layer on basil

saute sausage (I used 1/2 spicy 1/2 mild) 6 links with 1/2 onion, one pepper, 1 garlic clove, olive oil and basil

layer until you have used all of your ingredients bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes

...enjoy

Chloe's Coconut Christmas Cookies

Donkey Mousse

Ingredients:
3 Avocados
1/2 c Cocoa
1/2 c or less Maple Syrup
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Dump into food processor, blend and serve. Can be served cold or semi frozen.

Green Pea & Mint Pesto

-A great compliment with grilled salmon and other summer dishes!

10 oz frozen peas
1/2 c pine nuts
1/2 c mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
*1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (not necessary for the dairy free crowd)

Place peas, pine nuts, mint & garlic in the food processor. Pulse to a rough chop. With the machine running add the olive oil in a steady stream and process a smooth paste. Remove from food processor add *cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

The Philly Cow Share

Following closely after our Primal/Paleo Challenge I received an email from Jessica Moore from the PhillyCow Share. Asking if we had interest in a Cow Share. You might wonder what it is...well, it's similar to a crop share. You go in with others to buy high quality, local, grass-fed beef in bulk by splitting the purchase of a cow with other people. We at CrossFit believe in the Paleo-lifestyle and low and behold, Jessica had them fresh as can be...Yes, they just stepped off the farm. This Cow, grass fed since it came off it's mothers milk came from a family owned farm, straight to a family owned butcher and then delivered directly to our door at CrossFit KoP! I posted a blurb on the blog to get a gauge of interest shortly after hearing about the prospect, it was ON! We had enough interest to buy a cow and a half. Click here to see the pricing.

It was delivered looking like this - Yep, that's JB getting his 2 shares.

Cate and I helped carry in the extra shares for the CrossFitters to arrive at 4:30PM.

An 1/8 of a share was two boxes measuring 13" x 13" x 8" and enough to fit in an empty standard size freezer.

And the meat, well it speaks for itself, it was AMAZING!

The London Broil above

and

The T-Bone and Delmonico below

Here are few tips on cooking Grass Fed Beef:
Grass Fed Beef has less fat and less water so cook at lower temps, you can use regular beef recipes but cut the heat back by 25 degrees F. They defrost faster and when seasoning make sure to use less salt.

Thank you Philly Cow Share!

We will hopefully be making another delivery soon, to contact Jessica her email is info@phillycowshare.com

2nd Annual Paleo Party

Click here to get all the recipes

Paleo Coconut Truffles

2 cups walnuts (soaked for 3 hours and drained)

1 cup pitted medjool dates

1 tablespoon raw almond butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Shredded coconut (garnish)

What You Do:

1. In a food processor, blend walnuts until finely chopped.

2. While food processor is running, add dates one at a time until a sticky ball forms.

3. Open lid of food processor and add almond butter and cinnamon. Process until mixed. Form into small balls and roll in shredded coconut.

4 Tips to transition from a Modern Diet to a Paleo Diet

If you are just starting out down the path of paleo, then making the transition to a paleo diet from the diet you have been accustomed to for so many years might seem like a difficult step, but in actual fact, once you start, nothing will seem more natural than eating like your caveman ancestors.

Here are 4 essential bits of advice to help you make the transition to the paleo diet.

1. Remember Why You're Doing It
Keep reading about paleo and reminding yourself why you want to live this way. Knowing the terrific improvement you are making to your well being and the years by which you are extending your life will make the transition easier and more exciting.

2. Don't Worry About Getting Your Carbs
We simply aren't built to process grains, dairy and other processed foods healthfully, and the fact is that we don't need these things. On the paleo diet you'll be increasing your protein and fat consumption whilst naturally lowering your carb intake. Your carbs will come from fruits and vegetables providing you with a wealth of healthy micronutrients and plenty of energy stores.

3. Increasing Your Protein Intake
Many of your calories will come from protein, and you will be naturally eating more protein than with a modern day diet. The best protein comes from lean meats such as organic chicken and turkey and grass-fed lean beef. Lean organic meat has low levels of saturated fats, and fish - also a great protein source - will also provide you with high levels of Omega-3.

4. Make Sure You Have a Plethora of Choice
The paleo diet is effortless once you know how. The body will adapt very well to the transition and the food it is biologically engineered to consume.

The one aspect of paleo people tend to struggle with though, is knowing what to eat, when to eat it and how to cook it.

So arm yourself with enough recipes to be able to draw inspiration at any time, don't go back to anti-nutrients and fake foods, eat well and hear your body hum like the well-oiled machine it's meant to be.

To give you a helping hand in clearing out your cupboards of non-paleo friendly foods for the new year, here is a quick 6-point list of things you don't want to find in your kitchen.

Once you have expelled these demons from your kitchen be sure no-one tries to sneak them back in!

1. Corn-Fed Beef - Cattle evolved to eat grass, not corn. This is no secret, but something that is generally hidden and not spoken about by government health agencies. Many farmers feed animals corn, grains and soya beans to fatten them up faster for slaughter, all at the detriment of our nutrition. Grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, Omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; and lower in saturated fats.

2. Milk (Dairy) - Milk is not part of the paleo diet, simply because the human body isn't biologically designed to consume dairy. Dairy cattle are treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) to boost milk production. Milk also contains IGF-1, which contributes to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

3. Farmed Salmon - Salmon are not meant to live on a diet of grains and soy, neither are they supposed to be crammed into pens. Farmed salmon is nutritionally weak and contains carcinogens, PCBs and pesticides. For safe and healthy salmon switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon.

4. Sweets - Refined sugar causes a plethora of health problems, not limited to causing a spike in insulin and playing havoc with your hormones and energy levels (causing unnatural peaks and lows).

5. Grains - Our ancestors thought of grains as starvation food, only to be considered where death by starvation loomed. Historically grains were near impossible to eat because it takes a ton of manual work just to make them edible. Then there is the gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. This is causing 1% of the population celiac disease and a further 40% problems with bloating and digestion.

6. Snacks - Be careful of snacks that appear paleo friendly on the surface but underneath are coated with corn syrup or added preservatives. Beware of banana chips dipped in vegetable oil or dried fruit with added sugar. If you are unsure about which snacks to buy then why not make them yourself?

Go for nut bars and other healthy on-the-move paleo friendly snacks such as those found in the Simple Paleo Recipes cookbook.

Here's the link:
Paleo Recipes