Paleo Pumpkin Bread

It must be Fall!  Like every other 20-something female on the planet, I love anything pumpkin in the Fall.  One of my favorite things to make and eat has always been pumpkin bread.  Growing up, we always had some fresh baked pumpkin bread in the house this time of year, and we would all gobble it up.  So, I guess it wasn't always in the house, because it would go so fast! Regardless, I love love love pumpkin bread.  Since I already make Paleo Pumpkin Muffins, I figured I could easily make Paleo Pumpkin Bread too!  I found this recipe, probably via Pinterest while searching for everything pumpkin I could find. Well, I tried it out and it was fantastic.  The biggest difference between this bread and traditional pumpkin bread is probably the density.  It is not quite as thick or filling, which only means you can eat way more without feeling full, obviously.  You can decide whether or not to include chocolate chips- I have never added them with traditional pumpkin bread, but for some reason I was really craving it, so I added them.  Definitely a delicious choice, but either way will be great.  Here is what I did:

Paleo Pumpkin Bread
(makes 1 loaf)

• 1 1/2 c almond flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 T cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t ginger
• 3/4 c canned pumpkin
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1/4 c raw honey
• 1 t vanilla
• 3 T coconut oil, melted
• OPTIONAL: 1/2 c chocolate mini-chips (I use the Enjoy Life brand)

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl (I used my kitchen-aid), combine the dry ingredients.  In a medium/small bowl, combine all the wet ingredients together.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips (if you are using them).  Grease a bread loaf pan (I used coconut oil) and pour the batter into the pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Wait until the loaf is cool to slice it- it will taste better.  Serve and enjoy!  And try not to eat too much in one sitting...

Paleo Frittata

I love egg dishes, and I really love frittatas!  They sound and look very fancy, but really- they are one of the easiest dishes to make.  I made my frittata for dinner actually, though most people would do this for a breakfast.  We love breakfast for dinner in my house though!  This is something you can personalize and make however you choose- any meats, veggies, toppings, etc.  Just like an omelet, you can do whatever your heart desires! It's a great healthy breakfast crowd-pleaser that you can eat any time of day.  Here is what I did:

Paleo Frittata
(serves 3-4)

• 4 slices bacon, chopped (use sausage too if desired!)
• 2 T onion, finely diced
• 2 T bell pepper, finely diced
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 6 eggs
• splash almond milk
• OPTIONAL (not-Paleo): cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook the bacon (or sausage) until crispy.  Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.  Remove the fat (or keep it if you want more flavor), and pour in a splash of olive oil.  Saute the veggies until cooked.  Add the bacon back to the pan and stir it around.  Turn the heat down to medium-low.

In the meantime, get your eggs whisked together in a bowl with a splash of almond milk, salt, and pepper.  Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir it all around to get the eggs fluffed up.  Let it sit on the stove for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to get it cooking.

If you are being a cheater like me (because you can't live without cheese), sprinkle a wee little bit of cheese on top of the eggs.  If not, skip that step.  Place the entire skillet into the oven and cook until it is all puffed up, about 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the skillet, slice it up, and serve!

I would also recommend adding mushrooms, spinach, or whatever else you like.  This is quick and easy and tastes great!  (Especially if you use cheese... oops).  Regardless, a tasty breakfast meal!  Enjoy!

Paleo Coleslaw

Since I decided to make Slow Cooker Pork Barbecue the other night, I definitely needed a good Paleo version of coleslaw to accompany it.  What good is pork barbecue without coleslaw??  This is a great, healthy alternative to your typical coleslaw because it has no mayo/cream/milk or any kind of dairy product.  Of course, it has a slightly different taste than you might be used to, but it worked great with the barbecue.  I got my inspiration from this recipe, but I changed it up a bit to my liking.  Here is what I did:

Paleo Coleslaw
(serves 3-4)

• 1/4 cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 T raw honey
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1T olive oil
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1/4 t mustard powder
• 1/4 t celery salt/powder
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t ground black pepper

Preparation
In a bowl, combine honey, vinegar, oil, salt, mustard powder, celery power, garlic powder, and pepper.  Toss in the cabbage and onion slices until well coated.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, or overnight is best.

Serve alongside Slow Cooker Pork Barbecue and enjoy!  A great side for a great Paleo meal.

Paleo Slow Cooker Pork Barbecue

So this was a really busy week, and because of that, I wanted a slow cooker meal for at least one dinner.  I love slow cooker meals because you can prep them in about 15 minutes the night before, and they are pretty much ready to eat the next night when you are ready for dinner.  I bought a big pork shoulder at the store last weekend, so I wanted to make pork barbecue (plus, I was having a craving for it!).  After checking out some recipes online, I decided to just use one of my other meals as inspiration- my Paleo Ribs.  I figured, they are both pork and cooked in the crock pot, so they could definitely use a similar rub.  Well, I think it worked out perfectly!  This was so fast to prep and tasted so delicious.  Make it for a small family or a big crowd- it will be sure to please.  Here is what I did:

Paleo Slow Cooker Pork Barbecue
(serves 3-4)

• 2 1/2 lb pork shoulder, cut into chunks (I cut a 5 lb shoulder in half, but use it all for more servings!)
• 1 T paprika
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 3/4 t cumin
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper (or more if wanted) 
• optional: homemade Paleo barbecue sauce

Preparation
The night before (or even the morning of), combine rub ingredients in a small bowl: paprika, salt, cumin, and peppers.  Rub all over the chunks of pork to coat them completely.  Place in slow cooker bowl and refrigerate overnight or until ready to use.  The next day, cook in the slow cooker on LOW for 7-8 hours, or as long as you want.  Or, you can cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours.

Right before you are ready to serve, take two forks and shred the pork right in the slow cooker.  This will keep the shredded pork in the juices and keep it all warm too.  If you want, feel free to add some Paleo Barbecue Sauce for some extra sauciness.  Serve with Paleo Coleslaw and any other delicious Paleo side you might want.

Again, this was SO easy and fast, and my husband and I both gobbled it up.  It would be a great Paleo option for a gathering or party too (great for football season!).  Enjoy!

Paleo Zucchini Hash Browns

This week I had a major craving for zucchini and summer squash, but I was looking for new and different ways to make it.  I saw a post a while back about making hash browns with squash instead of potatoes, and I had to try it.  I found this recipe, and it was already good to go to be Paleo, so I went with it.  I made slight adjustments, mainly by using a mixture of zucchini and summer squash, and it was wonderful.  Of course, it would also be great with just one or the other.  This was a really easy and yummy side dish, and it could work for any time of day, breakfast to dinner, which is awesome.  Here is what I did:
 
Paleo Zucchini Hash Browns
(makes about 6)

• 1/2 large zucchini, shredded
• 1/2 summer squash, shredded
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• sea salt & pepper
• 1 T olive oil

Preparation
To prep the squash, toss the shredded bits into a colander and toss with a sprinkle of salt.  Let sit for a few minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture.  (This makes them crispier when you fry them up).  In a large bowl, mix the zucchini/squash, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of salt & pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop the zucchini "batter" by spoonfuls onto the hot skillet.  (This is a lot like making pancakes!)  Brown on one side, then flip to brown on the other side (about 2 minutes per side).  Add more oil to the pan between batched if necessary.  Eat them up!

These were delicious.  Like, one of my favorite side dishes in a while.  I served these with some spiced tilapia, and it was a great meal.  I think these would be wonderful with breakfast too, since they are basically your typical hash browns, just a LOT healthier. I will definitely be making these again and I recommend you try them out.  Enjoy!