Farro and Salmon

*inspired and creed from Skinnytaste

Ingredients
2 Tbsp honey
2 lemons, juice of
1 tsp garlic powder
4 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium, divided
2 lb salmon filets
1 cup farro
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 clove crushed garlic
1 Tbsp Sambal chili paste (I substitute with siracha sauce)
10 0z shitake mushrooms
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup snap peas
1/2 cup scallions, divided
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

Directions
1. Mix first four ingredients. Pour over salmon and refrigerate to marinate at least 30 minutes, turning once. I left the skin on.
2. Preheat oven to 450.
3. Cook farro according to package directions, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, once oven is preheated, add salmon and bake for 15 minuts.
4. To nonstick pan, add remaining ingredients, using 1/4 of the scallions and reserving the rest. Cook on medium for 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste
4. Add the farro to the vegetables. Serve the vegetables and farro in dish and top with salmon, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Serve the vegetables and farro in a dish and top with salmon, remaining scallions and sesame seeds.

Israeli Couscous

*adapted from Amanda's apron

Ingredients
1 Tbsp EVOO or coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 1/4 c vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp white pepper
dash curry
2-3 bay leaves
2/3 c Israeli / pearl couscous
1/2 c coconut milk
1/4 c fresh parsley

Directions
1. Heat oil, then add onion, carrot, garlic, bell pepper. Saute until carrots are soft but not browned.
2. Stir in broth and seasonings (except bay leaves and parsley). Increase heat to boil, then add couscous and bay leaves.
3. Reduce heat to medium-lo again, cover, and cook about 8 minutes. Once cooked, stir in coconut milk and parsley. Serve hot and garnish with parmesan if desired.

Red Bean Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp EVOO or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 cans/ 3 cups kidney beans (soaked overnight if using dry beans)
32 oz vegetable stock
water as needed
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 Tbsp oregano
1/2 Tbsp thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
cooked brown rice, warm
green onions to garnish

Directions
1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes
2. Add beans, seasoning, stock and amount of water for desired consistency. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until beans are tender (about 1 1/2 hrs for dry beans, 30 minutes for canned)
3. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, add salt to taste and parsley. Discard bay leaves and remove 1 cup of beans from pot. Puree this 1 cup of beans and return to pot, stirring well.
4. To servie, ladle into soup bowls over rice with green onions to garnish if desired.

Carne Bistec (Columbian Steak with Onions and Tomatoes)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs grass fed sirloin top steak, sliced thin
salt and pepper to taste
cumin to taste (about 2 Tbsp)
paprika to taste (about 1/2 Tbsp)
3 garlic cloves, chopped/minced
Coconut oil (or other oil)
1 onion, sliced or chopped
3 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced or chopped


Directions
1. Season meat with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika.
2. Heat oil over med. Brown meat and remove from pot to set aside.
3. Saute garlic and onion until soft and fragrant.
4. Add tomatoes and sauté a bit longer.
5. Return beef to pot. Nearly cover meat with water.
6. Cook on med for approximately 1 hour, until beef is tender. Add water as needed to keep enough for gravy. When close to done, taste and re-season as needed!
7. Served over rice traditionally. I like it over salad. I have even seen people eat it with an egg over easy for a paleo or low carb option!

Chicken "Tortilla" Soup the Paleo Way

Ingredients
4 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste for chicken seasoning
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and finely dashed
1 can diced green chiles
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (or equivalent of home roasted tomatoes)
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cilantro
40 or so oz chicken stock/broth
crushed plantain chips, or organic corn tortilla chips if not paleo

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Bake 20 minutes or so (depending on thickness of breasts). Once cook, cut or shred.
3. While chicken is baking, heat oil in large stock pot over med-high and add garlic to sauté.
4. Add onions, bell pepper, jalepeno, mix to coat in oil. Once onions translucent, add green chiles and tomatoes, plus remaining spices. Mix well.
5. Add chicken and stock. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
6. To serve, garnish with avocado, chips, etc

Beanless Chili

Ingredients
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced/minced
1/2 jalepeno, seeded and diced
2 lbs organic grass fed beef
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 box Pomi diced tomatoes/ 1-2 cans diced tomatoes
30 oz tomato sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp cinnamon (no more!!)

Directions
1. Saute onions, peppers, garlic, jalepeno in coconut oil until onions translucent. Add beef and season. Brown meat.
2. Once meat is brown, add in brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, cinnamon. Simmer about 30-45 min. Taste and re-season as needed.

Protein Smoothie (Without the Powder!)

Version 1: with fruit so slightly higher in carbs (about 53g protein)
1/2 c frozen wild blueberries
1/4 lemon with rind
1 1/2 c kefir or 1 c milk and 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1/4 c dried cranberries
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 walnuts
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut butter
1/4 avocado (optional)
3 Tbsp rolled oats
optional stevia and/or honey to sweeten

Version 2:  no fruit, but still pretty high in carbs (about 52g protein)
1 1/2 c kefir or 1 c milk and 1/2 c plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 walnuts
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp almond butter
1/2 Tbsp coconut butter
3 Tbsp rolled oats
dash of cinnamon and vanilla
optional 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder and/or stevia and/or honey to sweeten
*confession: sometimes I add a little coffee to mine in the morning ;)