My mom's meatloaf has always been my favorite dinner in the world! Bad news is, it contains of ton of breadcrumbs!! Good news is, almond flour is a helluva cooking aide! I prefer beef meatloaf, but for those of you who aren't red meat eaters (cough, cough, Lindsey), turkey meat will work just fine, and will be great too! We paired this dinner with grilled asparagus.
Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef or ground turkey (grass fed preferred)
1/2 cup of almond flour
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
black pepper to taste
Ketchup for dressing (we use Hunts because it doesn't have any high fructose corn syrup)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and knead all together with your hands. The meat should stick together for the most part. Once fully mixed, form a "loaf" with the meat and place in a baking dish or loaf pan. Drizzle some ketchup on top and bake for approximately 45 minutes.
Serve with asparagus, lightly drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, grilled. (if you don't have a grill you can stick them in your broiler while you're cooking the meatloaf)
As always,
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Bacon and Fig Burgers
Normally, I am not a fan of figs, but the slight sweetness with the amazing (as always) taste of bacon makes this burger awesome! We use 1.5 - 2 lbs of meat because 1 lb just isn't enough for 5 of us, but you can alter it as you see fit.
Ingredients:
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
5 pieces of preservative-free bacon (Applegate farms is a great one)
2-3 Turkish figs, finely chopped (more if you want a little more sweetness)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste
Dijon mustard as a dressing
Directions:
Using a medium - large pan, fry the chopped bacon until done. Put the bacon aside to cool.
Mix the ground beef, salt, pepper and chopped figs in a bowl. Once the bacon is cool enough, add to the mixture. Keep the bacon grease in the pan in order to cook the burgers in. The bacon fat acts as a natural non-stick agent. Once the beef mixture is mixed completely, form into burger patties (one pound of meat usually yields 4 burgers, but it is up to you whether you want larger patties or small).
Reheat the pan with the bacon fat over medium heat and add the patties when it's hot. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side (less if you want them rare to medium rare). Top with Dijon mustard and Bon Appetite!
We served the burger over a bed or lettuce and ate as a salad. Homemade sweet potato fries are another great veggie to serve with this meal. Just slice the potatoes, add a little olive oil and salt, and bake until crispy.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Ingredients:
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
5 pieces of preservative-free bacon (Applegate farms is a great one)
2-3 Turkish figs, finely chopped (more if you want a little more sweetness)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste
Dijon mustard as a dressing
Directions:
Using a medium - large pan, fry the chopped bacon until done. Put the bacon aside to cool.
Mix the ground beef, salt, pepper and chopped figs in a bowl. Once the bacon is cool enough, add to the mixture. Keep the bacon grease in the pan in order to cook the burgers in. The bacon fat acts as a natural non-stick agent. Once the beef mixture is mixed completely, form into burger patties (one pound of meat usually yields 4 burgers, but it is up to you whether you want larger patties or small).
Reheat the pan with the bacon fat over medium heat and add the patties when it's hot. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side (less if you want them rare to medium rare). Top with Dijon mustard and Bon Appetite!
We served the burger over a bed or lettuce and ate as a salad. Homemade sweet potato fries are another great veggie to serve with this meal. Just slice the potatoes, add a little olive oil and salt, and bake until crispy.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Paleo Taco Salad
This is another favorite of ours (really anything with beef is a favorite of mine!). Basically, it's a big mess of everything, just mixed together, and I couldn't be more happy to devour it like a gavone when we make it! We use about 2 lbs of meat, but we have a family that eats A LOT, and we also love leftovers. The recipe below is for 1 lb, so just double if you want more.
Taco Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salad ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb grass fed ground beef
3 peppers (I usually do one red, one green, one yellow - they sell packs of them)
1 large onion diced finely
2 large tomatoes - diced
1 bag of lettuce (whatever kind of lettuce you want to use, we usually use romaine)
1 container of quacamole (make sure the guacamole is Paleo compliant, but most is)
1-2 cans of organic/non preservative black olives
In a large Saute pan, saute olive oil, peppers and onions. when onions are clear-ish, add ground beef and entire mix of Taco Seasoning. Brown the meat until it is completely cooked. Put meat/onion/pepper mix on top of a bed of lettuce, and garnish with tomatoes and olives. Add as much or as little guacamole, and enjoy!
As usual, if you want to add a non-dairy cheese, daiya makes a great cheddar that you could add on the meat and it will melt.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Taco Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Salad ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb grass fed ground beef
3 peppers (I usually do one red, one green, one yellow - they sell packs of them)
1 large onion diced finely
2 large tomatoes - diced
1 bag of lettuce (whatever kind of lettuce you want to use, we usually use romaine)
1 container of quacamole (make sure the guacamole is Paleo compliant, but most is)
1-2 cans of organic/non preservative black olives
In a large Saute pan, saute olive oil, peppers and onions. when onions are clear-ish, add ground beef and entire mix of Taco Seasoning. Brown the meat until it is completely cooked. Put meat/onion/pepper mix on top of a bed of lettuce, and garnish with tomatoes and olives. Add as much or as little guacamole, and enjoy!
As usual, if you want to add a non-dairy cheese, daiya makes a great cheddar that you could add on the meat and it will melt.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Paleo Lasagna
We eat this delicious wheat/grain/dairy free lasagna often. This is an incredible meal and really isn't too hard to make (once you get past slicing the zucchinis!) Whenever we make this, the whole family was asking for seconds!! Even baby Blake, who is 10 months now, devours a ton of it! For those who are carb counting, this is also a good one for you! Check it out!
2 lbs ground beef (I get grass fed)
1 lb italian sausage (Applegate farms brand is a good one- no preservatives)
1 red onion - diced
4 cloves of crushed garlic (you could used pre-crushed in the jar, but make sure it's not preserved with garbage)
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
small can tomato paste
1 cup organic black olives sliced (I put more in though - I LOVE me some olives!)
4-6 zucchinis sliced thinly, lengthwise (these act as the 'noodles')
In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add in the ground beef and sausage to brown. I added all of the dry ingredients at this point too so the flavor was evenly distributed. Once browned, add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well.
In a large lasagna pan, line the bottom with a layer of sliced zukes (I made my bottome layer a little thick in order to be able to 'scoop' better). Top this layer with the meaty heaven, and then top that with as many or as little olives as you'd like (for me that means an entire can!) Throw another layer of zukes on top as you would lasagna noodles, and then top off with the meaty heaven again. Top with the olives, cover tightly with tinfoil, and bake it at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
This fed our entire family of 4, and I had some left over for lunch today, so it's ALOT of food. The kids don't miss the cheese because it's so delicious, but once in a while, we will buy Daiya brand shredded non-diary cheese - it's actually pretty good for non-dairy! You can find it in the cheese area at Whole Foods. As always, Live.Love.EAT!
2 lbs ground beef (I get grass fed)
1 lb italian sausage (Applegate farms brand is a good one- no preservatives)
1 red onion - diced
4 cloves of crushed garlic (you could used pre-crushed in the jar, but make sure it's not preserved with garbage)
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp of sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
small can tomato paste
1 cup organic black olives sliced (I put more in though - I LOVE me some olives!)
4-6 zucchinis sliced thinly, lengthwise (these act as the 'noodles')
In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add in the ground beef and sausage to brown. I added all of the dry ingredients at this point too so the flavor was evenly distributed. Once browned, add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir well.
In a large lasagna pan, line the bottom with a layer of sliced zukes (I made my bottome layer a little thick in order to be able to 'scoop' better). Top this layer with the meaty heaven, and then top that with as many or as little olives as you'd like (for me that means an entire can!) Throw another layer of zukes on top as you would lasagna noodles, and then top off with the meaty heaven again. Top with the olives, cover tightly with tinfoil, and bake it at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
This fed our entire family of 4, and I had some left over for lunch today, so it's ALOT of food. The kids don't miss the cheese because it's so delicious, but once in a while, we will buy Daiya brand shredded non-diary cheese - it's actually pretty good for non-dairy! You can find it in the cheese area at Whole Foods. As always, Live.Love.EAT!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Buffalo Wings are my Weakness!!
And now that I found this amazing stuff, that's okay!! My husband was perusing the Whole Foods in our town, and he came across this company that they were pushing, Tessemae's. The make all types of sauces and dressing, some Whole30/Paleo compliant, some not. But this buffalo sauce is INCREDIBLE! It comes in hot and mild - the hot is pretty darn hot, so I stick with the mild. It amazes me that something with such simple ingredients could be so incredible!
There is no real recipe to these gifts from God. Just get a pack of chicken (you could do this with actual wings or chicken breast - I know some people don't like chicken on the bone). Season your chicken however you want (a little salt and pepper will do just fine), and grill them up. If you don't have a grill, baking them is fine...I just happen to like mine crispy. Put the wings in a bowl and cover with the wing sauce - that's it. It's that easy, and seriously amazing! We usually pair the wings with grilled asparagus - just grill them with olive oil, salt and pepper and you're good to go!
Sorry for the ghetto picture from my iPhone, but this is what you're looking for in Whole Foods. I'm sure it's carried in other stores too, but it's fairly new and I'm not sure what stores.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
There is no real recipe to these gifts from God. Just get a pack of chicken (you could do this with actual wings or chicken breast - I know some people don't like chicken on the bone). Season your chicken however you want (a little salt and pepper will do just fine), and grill them up. If you don't have a grill, baking them is fine...I just happen to like mine crispy. Put the wings in a bowl and cover with the wing sauce - that's it. It's that easy, and seriously amazing! We usually pair the wings with grilled asparagus - just grill them with olive oil, salt and pepper and you're good to go!
Sorry for the ghetto picture from my iPhone, but this is what you're looking for in Whole Foods. I'm sure it's carried in other stores too, but it's fairly new and I'm not sure what stores.
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Thursday, April 18, 2013
And the results are in...
Yesterday morning, bright and early, I rushed to the scale! I never thought I would be SO excited to hop on a scale! I know, I know, you don't care...You just wanna know the final results:
While I wasn't disappointed AT ALL, I did think it was a little bit more than 18 since I FEEL 100 times better, and and fitting so nicely into my clothes! I went from a size 12 to a size 10 (the 12s are SWIMMING on me - I have to give them away!). I went from 185 pounds to 169 pounds. I have so much further to go, but I am on the right track!! I'm so proud and excited for myself and my husband (who, by the way lost....wait for it.....FORTY FOUR POUNDS in THIRTY DAYS! How is that even possible?) Neither of us have any desire to go back to our poor eating habit ways - we're happier, and feel incredible!
Here is my comparison picture:
I still have the kangaroo pouch, but I vow to get rid of it! I'm so excited to see how much further I can push myself, and how much better I can feel! I have started Yoga classes and will try to get to them 3 times per week. I also will begin to go to the gym that I've been DONATING my money to for almost two years now! I hope they enjoyed my donations for that time!
Now, the upcoming days, as promised to many of my friends, I promise I will be posting recipes!! I am only posting the ones that we actually enjoyed (because there were a few that ended up in the garbage they were so bad!)
Until then...
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
While I wasn't disappointed AT ALL, I did think it was a little bit more than 18 since I FEEL 100 times better, and and fitting so nicely into my clothes! I went from a size 12 to a size 10 (the 12s are SWIMMING on me - I have to give them away!). I went from 185 pounds to 169 pounds. I have so much further to go, but I am on the right track!! I'm so proud and excited for myself and my husband (who, by the way lost....wait for it.....FORTY FOUR POUNDS in THIRTY DAYS! How is that even possible?) Neither of us have any desire to go back to our poor eating habit ways - we're happier, and feel incredible!
Here is my comparison picture:
I still have the kangaroo pouch, but I vow to get rid of it! I'm so excited to see how much further I can push myself, and how much better I can feel! I have started Yoga classes and will try to get to them 3 times per week. I also will begin to go to the gym that I've been DONATING my money to for almost two years now! I hope they enjoyed my donations for that time!
Now, the upcoming days, as promised to many of my friends, I promise I will be posting recipes!! I am only posting the ones that we actually enjoyed (because there were a few that ended up in the garbage they were so bad!)
Until then...
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Changing your life in 30 days
Really, you can. You can get yourself on the road to health, fitness and happiness in THIRTY DAYS! Whole30 is a plan that is based around The Paleo way of eating. It's very similar, but perhaps just a bit more strict (but only for those 30 days!) I call it a plan because it is not a diet. It revolves around real foods - meats, fish, veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, and healthy oils (note the word healthy). Pretty much any plants/veggies/fruits that were grown naturally, and any meats and fish that were fed and raised naturally are what you want to aim for. These foods are nutrient-dense, and contain boatloads of vitamins and minerals without you having to pop those pills!! (because let's face it, who likes horse pills?!) Oh, did I mention NO ALCOHOL AT ALL?! FOR 30 DAYS?! How I accomplished this one, I'll never know, but my friends...I did it, and so can you! I also had to cut all additive sugar out of my diet. Fruits (in moderation) are fine, but I couldn't have my beloved sweetened almond milk in my coffee - whomp whomp!
I can't stress to you enough that this is a way of eating, or a plan and NOT a diet. By the end of the 30 days, I will guarantee you'll feel better, more energetic and what everyone wants to hear - you will LOOK better. Not only your body, but your skin too!
The Whole30 was started by a husband and wife team, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. Guys, if you're reading this, thank you! You truly have changed my life, and my way of looking at food! I realized that I can still ENJOY food like I always have, but I now have the ability to be healthy about it while still keeping my happiness! How could you not be excited about that? For those of you who are interested in this journey - I urge you to get this couple's New York Times bestselling book, It Starts With Food. EYE-OPENER. Those are the words that come to mind when I think of how to explain the book. Also, when you have a chance, head over to the website: I don't claim to be an expert by any means, so please do yourself a favor and go peruse over there for a while!
Now, onto my PERSONAL Whole30. Today, my friends, is my 30th day!!! When I began this journey, I was very unhappy with myself. Not myself as a person, but just what my body had become, how I looked, and how my energy level plummeted. Playing with my kids was a tough feat when I got home from work. Likewise, getting out of bed in the morning was more painful than a root canal with no Novocain (okay - maybe not, but you get the point) I would never admit to anyone in public how much I weighed. Shit, I wouldn't even tell my MOM how much I weighed. Simply said, I was embarrassed. Completely and utterly embarrassed of what I had let my body slip into. It was almost like I had dug myself so deep into a hole that I couldn't get my whole body out, but my head would bob in and out, just to tease me enough to think I was getting somewhere!! Well - I'm a changed person now. I'm ready to reveal that at the beginning of this journey, the scale read 185.3. ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE POINT THREE POUNDS! How did I get there? When did I get there! I feel like I just snapped my fingers one day, and boom, I was fat.
So now that you know what I weighed (ahhh that felt good to let off my chest), here are some before pictures that I'm not to proud of:
And the picture I had my husband take on Day 1 of the Whole30:
And just for shits and giggles, here are two comparison pictures - one at day 8 and one at day 22. Tomorrow I will post a final, along with my current weight/weightloss. And I must add that I did this WITHOUT an ounce of exercise. I'm not happy or proud of this fact, but I just want to prove that this WILL work for you! You WILL feel good! (exercise to follow, I promise myself)
Oh, did I mention it is MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW? I can't think of a better present than to step on that scale, and see those number decrease! I'm thinking 20 lbs, but we shall see!
So, the moral of the story is that I DID THIS!! I made this change. The person who would marry cheese if marrying an inanimate object was legal. The person who used to guzzle beer like a frat boy (and a seasoned one at that!). The girl who would sell her SOUL to the devil for one of these bad boys:
I DID IT!! And I'm going to brag and boast as much as I want, because SHIT! I am proud of myself (and my husband too - can't forget my husband who was by my side, doing it with me the whole time!) And because I did it, SO CAN YOU! So, again, come take a walk with me on the wild side! No excuses. No "tomorrow I'll start". DO IT!! If you don't feel better - if you don't LOOK better - I will buy you your first shitty meal on the "other side!" Until tomorrow...
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
I can't stress to you enough that this is a way of eating, or a plan and NOT a diet. By the end of the 30 days, I will guarantee you'll feel better, more energetic and what everyone wants to hear - you will LOOK better. Not only your body, but your skin too!
The Whole30 was started by a husband and wife team, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. Guys, if you're reading this, thank you! You truly have changed my life, and my way of looking at food! I realized that I can still ENJOY food like I always have, but I now have the ability to be healthy about it while still keeping my happiness! How could you not be excited about that? For those of you who are interested in this journey - I urge you to get this couple's New York Times bestselling book, It Starts With Food. EYE-OPENER. Those are the words that come to mind when I think of how to explain the book. Also, when you have a chance, head over to the website: I don't claim to be an expert by any means, so please do yourself a favor and go peruse over there for a while!
Now, onto my PERSONAL Whole30. Today, my friends, is my 30th day!!! When I began this journey, I was very unhappy with myself. Not myself as a person, but just what my body had become, how I looked, and how my energy level plummeted. Playing with my kids was a tough feat when I got home from work. Likewise, getting out of bed in the morning was more painful than a root canal with no Novocain (okay - maybe not, but you get the point) I would never admit to anyone in public how much I weighed. Shit, I wouldn't even tell my MOM how much I weighed. Simply said, I was embarrassed. Completely and utterly embarrassed of what I had let my body slip into. It was almost like I had dug myself so deep into a hole that I couldn't get my whole body out, but my head would bob in and out, just to tease me enough to think I was getting somewhere!! Well - I'm a changed person now. I'm ready to reveal that at the beginning of this journey, the scale read 185.3. ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE POINT THREE POUNDS! How did I get there? When did I get there! I feel like I just snapped my fingers one day, and boom, I was fat.
So now that you know what I weighed (ahhh that felt good to let off my chest), here are some before pictures that I'm not to proud of:
And the picture I had my husband take on Day 1 of the Whole30:
And just for shits and giggles, here are two comparison pictures - one at day 8 and one at day 22. Tomorrow I will post a final, along with my current weight/weightloss. And I must add that I did this WITHOUT an ounce of exercise. I'm not happy or proud of this fact, but I just want to prove that this WILL work for you! You WILL feel good! (exercise to follow, I promise myself)
Oh, did I mention it is MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW? I can't think of a better present than to step on that scale, and see those number decrease! I'm thinking 20 lbs, but we shall see!
So, the moral of the story is that I DID THIS!! I made this change. The person who would marry cheese if marrying an inanimate object was legal. The person who used to guzzle beer like a frat boy (and a seasoned one at that!). The girl who would sell her SOUL to the devil for one of these bad boys:
I DID IT!! And I'm going to brag and boast as much as I want, because SHIT! I am proud of myself (and my husband too - can't forget my husband who was by my side, doing it with me the whole time!) And because I did it, SO CAN YOU! So, again, come take a walk with me on the wild side! No excuses. No "tomorrow I'll start". DO IT!! If you don't feel better - if you don't LOOK better - I will buy you your first shitty meal on the "other side!" Until tomorrow...
Live.Love.EAT!
Dana
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