Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial day weekend was a great weekend for us.  We didn't go much of anywhere, and I unplugged for most of it.  No Facebook, no Twitter.  It was pretty lovely.  

I had my first attempt at making Bone Broth out of marrow bones!  I have been reading so much about the healing affects on Bone Broth, I had to give it a shot.  Broth from marrow bones is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids!  For those of us suffering from autoimmune disease it can seriously reduce inflammation and help areas of your body that need healing.  I need as much help in that department as I can get.  All I did was get 2 lbs of marrow bones, and threw them in the crock-pot with some garlic, onions, celery, cilantro, salt and pepper. 

Covered ingredients with water and cooked it slow for 10 hours.   Now, it had a huge layer of fat on the top, and Hubs came up with a great idea that worked.  We put it in the fridge overnight to cool, and the layer of fat hardened on top.  We were able to lift that sucker right out the next morning.  We strained it and now I have two Mason Jars full of goodness.  I will be doing bone broth shooters all week.  Yummy!  

For dinner on Memorial Day... We had ribs, watermelon, and Mediterranean Broccoli.  Broccoli is always a go to veggie since everyone in our household likes it.  I am always looking for new ways to prepare it.  Let me know what you think.  I served it warm, but had it cold for lunch today!  I think I like it better that way.  Note to self though... Do not take ribs as leftovers... Ribs are not easy to eat at your desk.  Not very lady like I must say!  

Mediterranean Broccoli

3 Broccoli Crowns

1 package of Grape Tomatoes

1 can sliced black olives

2 cloves of garlic

1 Lemon (Juice and Zest)

4 Tbsp Capers

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Line a baking sheet with foil (makes clean up a breeze) and place cut up broccoli, minced garlic and tomatoes in a layer on pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake on 450 until desired crispiness has been achieved.  While these are baking, zest your lemon into a bowl, juice the lemon and add remaining ingredients.  Once your broccoli mixture is done, add to the ingredients in the bowl and toss!  Yum Yum!  

Zucchini Noodles and Avocado Pesto... OH MY!!

It's really hard to believe what happened this week in Oklahoma.  It's sad that such tragedy could happen in such a short amount of time.  I look at the devastation and realize that out here in California it could just as easily happen to us with an earthquake.  I don't think that anyone could ever be prepared for something of that magnitude.  I only pray that they will recover as quickly as possible.

Here in California, the weather has been getting warm and our garden is starting to take off.  I absolutely can't wait to have fresh zucchini whenever I want it.  In anticipation of that event... I cracked out my zucchini noodle maker (its really called a Zyliss Julienne Peeler) but I like zucchini noodle maker better.  That in combination with some Avocado Pesto...  OMG!  I seriously could eat this everyday.  So easy to make, and so refreshing!  We made this as a side to Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs!  You can find recipes for Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs all over the Internet.  Probably because it's just so dang easy to do.  You simply get boneless chicken this, beat out the thighs so you have room to roll some goodness inside, wrap with bacon and bake on 375 until done.  We stuffed ours with peaches and cilantro (wish I could remember where I found that idea to give them credit... but I don't... Sorry!)  I'm thinking some basil and tomato wrapped inside might be a tasty variation to give a whirl too!   Give a try... let me know what you think!

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

As many Zucchini that your heart desires

1 Avocado

2 Cloves Garlic

8 to 10 Basil Leaves

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Avocado or Olive Oil

Salt 

Crushed Red Pepper

Use your ZNM (Zucchini Noodle Maker, AKA Julienne Peeler) and create your yummy noodles.  Place noodles in colander and add a tablespoon of salt, mix well.  This will sweat out the moisture of your Zucchini.  (Hint... I usually sit my colander on a plate or in a Pyrex because that moisture has to go somewhere right?)  I usually let them sweat for at least 30 minutes.  (Good time to make the Avocado Pesto listed below.)  Rinse noodles well.  Place noodles in a towel, I use a potato sack towel, and ring out the excess moisture.  Place in a bowl and toss lightly to separate.   Top with Pesto and voila!  The pesto is really rich, so only a small dollop does the trick!  

Avocado Pesto

Peel and Pit the avocado.  Place the avocado innards in a food processor along with Basil, Lemon Juice, and Garlic.  Give a few quick pulses to combine.  Turn on processor and Start drizzling oil of choice until it reaches desired consistency.  I like mine thick, but others might like it thinner like a salad dressing.  It's your pesto... make it your own.  At this point, once again... use your taste buds and decide how much salt and Crushed Red Pepper you want to add.  That's it!  Easy as Pie.  Pie?  Why do people say "Easy as Pie" anyway?  I just wrote that and thought... Pie isn't easy to make... geesh!  

Paleo Pablano Peppers!

Happy Monday Everyone!  Does anyone have any ideas on how to make the weekends last longer, because I need to know!!!!

Autoimmune disease sucks by the way!  Have I told you that lately?  Ever since my gluten experience a few weeks ago, I just can't get my body back to good.  I think it did a little more damage than just the tummy woes.  I am having skin troubles, tummy troubles and just not myself.  I couldn't imagine if I wasn't eating Paleo.  I remember those days, all too well.  Misery, and knowledge of every bathroom in town where I would be comfortable dropping a #2! So before I get back to that point... this week will contain no Alcohol, and lots of gut healing food!  Food, is absolutely in my mind, natures best medicine.

Well, the Pepper experiment was a thumbs up!   I think I was more impressed with my Spanish Cauliflower Rice-alike, it turned out to be the shiz-nit.  If you are like my family and not interested in trying yet another cauliflower dish, trying to be rice... just please give this one a try.  I think you will be pleasantly Surprised!  I started the cauliflower rice first, and let it cook while working on the peppers.  It all ended up being done at the perfect time!

Stuffed Paleo Pablano Peppers 

4 Pablano Peppers

1 lb of Ground Bison

2 Links of Aidells Chorizo (Diced)

1 Sweet Onion

1 Heirloom Tomato

Salt

Pepper

Hot Sauce (Tapatillo is what I used)

Heat Oven to 400 degrees.  Slice Onions and saute until they are caramelized  set aside.  In another brown the Bison, Chorizo and Tomato.  Salt and Pepper meat mixture and add hot sauce until desired spiciness has been reached.  Add onions to mixture and mix well.  Wash Peppers, cut of top, clean out seeds and make a slice down the pepper, not all the way to the end... this will give you more room to stuff.  Fill peppers with meat mixture and bake in the oven until pepper gets soft and insides are bubbly.  This took about 25 minutes.

Spanish Cauliflower Rice-Alike

1 Head Of Cauliflower

1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1/ 2 an Onion Diced

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

2 Tbsp Cumin

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1 cup Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt 

Pepper

Clean Cauliflower and use food processor to chop up the cauliflower into a rice like consistency.  In a skillet, soften onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent.  Add Cauliflower and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add Tomatoes, juice and all, spices and chicken stock to pan.  Let simmer, uncovered, until liquid is no longer present.  

May... Celiac Awareness Month!

With May being celiac awareness month, I thought I would write a quick little post from a Celiac's point of view.  This article popped up the other day... not sure where... maybe Facebook or twitter, and really got me thinking on the subject.  Click here to read! 

Just recently, in my last post, you will remember that I too was glutened at a restaurant.  That's why most of the time we don't even eat out. It's just not worth taking that risk for me.  When we took our trip to Monterey, I doubled up on probiotics and Kambucha, held onto my gut and hoped for the best.  Although I do get angry when this happens and that no one takes my requests seriously... it is my choice to eat out and take that chance.  People are just not educated on this matter, and don't understand the severity, and I don't like to risk my health based on peoples ignorance.  Now my biggest beef with this article was that she was waiting on a transplant and I'm sorry, eat out at that point?  Really?  And pasta to boot?  Even before I went Paleo, I wouldn't have eaten a gluten free noodle in a restaurant if my life depended on it!  You don't know how that pasta is handled, or if it's boiled in water that normal evil pasta is.  Eating in an Italian restaurant is risky anyway... in the picture of Jamie Oliver sitting by his kitchen there is bread and croutons all over behind him.  I'm getting a stomach ache just looking at it!  BLECK!

Well, now that I am jumping off my soapbox... I will plunge into planning weekend activities.  Goal 1... shop for a new bra (the girls need help), Goal 2... conquer a stuffed Paleo Pablano Pepper!  Doesn't' that sound delish?

Paleo-Fried Avocado's!

I still am looking back at our few days away in Monterey in awe! This last week home was our week back to reality and it was shocking to us after a few days of having no cares in the world.  Our daughter turned 21 and we had a big bash out where she could purchase alcohol on her own in front of her parents.  Freaking disturbing is all I have to say about that.  Not only did I watch my daughter get her drink on, but got glutened at the restaurant to boot!  The day after I couldn't even sit at my desk my stomach was cramping so badly.  It's been almost a week now and I am just starting to get regular poops and less pain.  Wheat is the devil !

Over the weekend I spent some down time on Pinterest.  Doesn't everyone just love Pinterest?  It's so very addictive.  I think most Pinterest people are the same way... It's comical!  We spend so much time pinning that we don't have time to do any of our pins!  

Pinning... I found a recipe for fried Avocado!  Ok... so first things first!  Avocado has to be one of the best amazing foods ever!  I honestly never thought about frying one though.  Once I went Paleo, and cut out cheese, avocado became my go to for a creamy anything, however, still never considered frying the darn things!  I took the recipe and Paleo-fied it.  Or should I say Paleo-FRIED it!  (Made my self crack up there).   

Paleo-Fried Avocado's

2 Avocado's

Coconut Flour

Shredded Coconut

1 Egg

Oil For Frying

Cut Avocados in half, clean out innards with a spoon, and slice in desired size of slices.  Coat slices with coconut flour, then in egg, and then a top coat of shredded coconut.  Fry until you reach desired crispiness!  

We happened to stumble upon Avocado Oil in Costco this weekend.  I used it for this recipe, but on a normal day probably would've reverted to my old faithful coconut oil.  I wanted a dipping sauce so badly, that I started scrambling.  I ended up using coconut milk with our blend seasoning, which is similar to Emeril's if you have that, and a little bit of hot sauce.  It was perfect.  Everyone loved these little gems... even Hub's.    

Vacation is Over!!!

I now know what Aerosmith meant by permanent vacation.  That's where I want to be!!!

This last week, me and the hubs packed up and headed for the coast for our wedding anniversary!  We had been anticipating this trip for so long, and it was over in a flash!  We had a room with an ocean view... breakfast brought to our room every morning... lot's of food and wine... needless to say... we ended up staying an extra day.  It was delightful!

My diet sucked!  However, I didn't gain back my 8 pounds, so this is good news.  We did walk
EVERYWHERE... so I think that helped!   I did give in to the diet devil, it was vacation after all!  I ate CHEESE and POTATOES and lots of them.  (I feel guilty so I crossed them out like it really didn't happen) Of course I had to stay gluten free... that's not an option, but the Paleo police would have had me by more short hairs!

We're home and back to the grind...back off the cheat foods but I have been off of my workout and I miss it!  Tomorrow is my daughters 21st birthday and then back to the Fire on Thursday!  Did you hear what I said?  21?  Seriously? Man on man how time flies!  I felt myself age just saying it out loud   I think my boobs dropped a little lower as well.  Oh well... what can you do?

This weekend I have some plans to try a new recipe idea... so you know what the next post will be.  So ta ta for now!