I have never been much of a stuffing fan but this recipe is making me a bit of a convert!  It has all the great flavors of stuffing but none of the guilt if you are gluten or grain free eating.  I was really impressed with this meal and I can see it becoming a holiday staple at my house.

1lb ground pork sausage or ground beef
1/2 Sweet Potato, Chopped
5 pieces of bacon, diced
5 stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 apples, diced
2 cups walnut pieces, very finely chopped/ground and soaked overnight (rinse several times before using)
or 1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup cranberries dried
1 container of mushrooms, diced
2 teaspoons sage leaves, freshly chopped
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped fresh
¼ teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped fresh
½ tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
⅓ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil, throw diced sweet potatoes/yams on it, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or u...

These were a big hit with everyone!  I would have added in a few shallots to mix up the flavors a bit but we used parsnips, turnips and butternut squash (yeah, I know, not really a root but it added a different color and flavor to the dish).

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs assorted root vegetables, peeled and diced
• 1 c apple cider (no added sugar)
• 3 tbsp Ghee or butter, melted
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix together cider, 2 Tbsp coconut butter, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Add root vegetables, mixing until coated. 
4. Transfer to a baking dish
5. Bake 20 minutes, uncover and stir vegetables. Leave uncovered and continue cooking, stirring every 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender – about 1 hour more.
6. While the vegetables are cooking, place the nuts in a cast iron skillet and cook over low heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching walnuts. 
7. Re
...

It has officially started!  The season of gluttony, late nights, early mornings and way too much sugar and stress.  Thanksgiving is a mere 4 weeks away and keeping true to the diet is next to impossible.  So, I thought that I would take the next couple of months and post paleo/primal meals that can help mitigate some of the damage done by the normal holiday staples.  Here are some of the better paleo holiday Thanksgiving side recipes I've prepared:

1.  Paleo Stuffing - I have never been much of a stuffing fan but this recipe is making me a bit of a convert!  It has all the great flavors of stuffing but none of the guilt if you are gluten or grain free eating.  I was really impressed with this meal and I can see it becoming a holiday staple at my house.    

2.  Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole - I really couldn’t tell the difference between non-paleo and this paleo casserole.  It really did taste amazing!      

3.  Paleo Green Bean Casserole - This makes a great substitute for t...

Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breast with Balsamic sautéed asparagus

This was an amazingly easy primal meal that we threw together last week.  I loved the Gorgonzola stuffed chicken and the combination between pan frying and baking.  You have to be very careful when you make the sauce, which was amazing by the way, because the handle is going to be really hot!  Hope you enjoy this primal meal. 4 chicken breast.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 pound chilled Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• 4 tbs. butter or ghee
• 4 tbs garlic
• 3 tbs Onion Toasted and dried (Penzey’s)
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 lb asparagus spears  

Preparation:
Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breast

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. 
2. Cut a deep pocket in the chicken breast.
3. Mix 2 tbs Garlic, 2 tbsp Onion, and Cheese.
4. Fill each pocket with one-quarter of cheese mixture.
5. Season chicken all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
6. Heat ½ of the butter in an ovenproof heavy skillet over medium-high hea
...

We made the parsnips with and without the nutmeg and I have to say that I personally like the ones without much better.  I could still taste the parsnip but other than that the texture and consistency were the same as regular mashed potatoes.  If you are looking to avoid nightshade vegetables (potatoes) then this is a great option! 4 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into small chunks

3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cream, optional
butter and salt to taste
optional: 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

Combine parsnips with chicken broth and 3 cup water. With a lid, simmer until very tender (about 20 minutes).

Drain off broth. Mash parsnips with a fork or potato masher (a stick blender or food processor save time and effort).
Add enough broth back to the parsnips, and cream if you’re using it until desired consistency is reached.
Add salt and butter taste.  Enjoy!

This makes a great substitute for the typical ho-hum green bean casserole that we all grew up eating at the holidays.

1.5 lb. green beans
2 Tbs. Ghee
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic
8 oz mushrooms chopped
18 oz Coconut Milk
1 – 1/2 Tbsp Tapioca Starch (Flour)
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh pepper
3/4 cups of Almond Meal

Clean and steam green beans.  Boil green beans for 1-2 min then quickly strain and put in cold water to stop cooking once al dente
Put green beans in medium size baking dish arranging them neatly (makes serving easier)
Cook the onions, mushrooms and garlic until soft in the ghee or grass fed butter.  Add to the green beans and arrange evenly
Mix Coconut milk and Tapioca Starch
Pour the mixture over green beans, which should cover them about halfway
Add salt and pepper to whole dish

Bake on 350 for 30 min, add almond meal to top then heat for 3-5 more min.  I turned the broiler on to brown and crisp the Almond Meal
Let dish cool 10 min before serving

I am sorry to tell you that, no, there is not any safe meal replacement shake, powder, or bar out there that I have ever found.   These "meal replacements" are highly processed and fractionated “foods” - if you can really call them that.  Also, in my experience, they're usually laced with heavy metals, food allergens, and artificial sweeteners.  

In 2010 Consumer Reports noted significant levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in these powders.   In some of the powders, it was tested to be above the “safe” limits established by the pharmacopeia. 

Granted these are naturally occurring, but literally, those things will kill you, make you sick, and/or crazy! Even if you can find an absolutely pure protein that is tested to be free of heavy metals, these powders are still highly processed, fractionated proteins and during the processing, an isolated formation of MSG is produced. 

This formation of MSG causes a cascade of inflammation that most people don’t need in their lives!  I...

This was amazing! It was one of the tastiest and simplest meals we've done.  I had the entire meal from prep to table in less than 30 min.  The pecans added to the fish filets.  Erin typically doesn't like things crushed in nuts but was pleasantly surprised by this recipe.  She kept asking what else I added the nuts and was shocked when I told her it was simply salt and pepper.

Paleo Pecan Halibut

• 4- 6 oz. Halibut filets (can substitute Cod)
• 1/2 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Cups pecans
• 2 Eggs beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauteed Spinach

• 3 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 pound of baby spinach

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Coat a baking dish with butter. 
3. In a blender or food processor chop the pecans and place on a plate or bowl. 
4. Dredge the halibut in the beaten eggs and coat with the chopped nuts. 
5. Place each piece of fish in the baking dish and bake for 18-20 min.
6. While the fish is baking heat the butter and garlic.  Once the butter is hot a
...

Seared Lamb Loin Chops and Fennel, Avocado & Grapefruit Salad

I love lamb loin chops so I was really excited to try this.  The lemon really brought out the flavor of the lamb.  This is the first recipe that I have to warn you about, be careful with the salad, the grapefruit really takes over the taste.  So I would only use 1/2 to 1/4 of the grapefruit.

Seared Lamb Loin Chops

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 (4 oz) lamb loin chops
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt,
• 1 teaspoon pepper

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat.
2. Rub lamb chops evenly with parsley, lemon rind, salt and pepper.
3. Cook chops, in batches, 4 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness.

Fennel, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 large grapefruit, peeled and divided into sections
• 1 teas
...

Balsamic Chicken Thighs and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

This was a great meal! It was really fast, simply started the marinade before I went to the office and threw it on the grill when I got home.  I did this with both boneless, skinless and bone in, skin on chicken thighs.  I have to admit the boneless picked up the marinade better and had a better flavor. This will make a great appetizer at any party or get together.  The hardest part of this meal was wrapping the asparagus with the prosciutto. Hope you enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken Thighs

• 2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1. Combine balsamic vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Brush half of mixture evenly over chicken thighs (reserve remaining balsamic mixture). 
3. Let stand 30 minutes. 
4. Heat a large grill pan over high heat. 
5. Cook chicken in batches, 6 minutes per side or until done. 
6. Brush occasionally with reserved bals
...