Paleo Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad

I am a big proponent of salads.  Breakfast salad, lunch salad, dinner salad, salad as a side dish, main dish, appetizer, whatever.  They are great.  Probably what I eat for dinner most nights of the week.

But a salad doesn't always have to be your standard, run of the mill lettuce and tomato and carrot boring combo.  In fact, I eschew lettuce most of the time altogether.

A great example is this incredibly simple but colorful cucumber and bell pepper salad.  It's exactly what it sounds like- except this one has grape tomatoes as well.

With some EVOO and ACV you are good to go.

This is a huge quantity, as I had intended to bring it to a BBQ.  This would serve 5-6 easily.  Adapt as you will!

Some great additions to this would be:
Basil
Feta cheese, if you are primal
Pine Nuts
Greek Olives
Celery
Artichokes
Green onions


Here is the quick recipe- so next time you are sick of your usual salads, or want a fresh, raw and colorful side to bring to a potluck, try this out!

Paleo Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad
2 organic english hothouse cucumbers, cut into bite sized chunks
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper
1 red pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 tbs EVOO
1 1/2 tbs Bragg's ACV
Salt and pepper to taste

This salad keeps pretty well.  The following day in the fridge it is still crisp and not soggy.

Busy Week Eats- Paleo Garbage Salad, Chicken Hearts and Brussel Sprouts

We had a fairly normal week chez GFG.  Normal meaning crazed, chaotic, frantic, and maybe a little bipolar.  But that's ok!  It's Friday, and the forecast looks positively delicious.  You know what else is delicious?  Garbage salads.  So satisfying and yummy, but also a fantastic way to clean out the fridge/pantry.

Garbage salads never contain the exact same ingredients but do always contain a few key items- two kinds of protein to keep you full, flavorful greens, some roasted veggies, and a simple dressing of EVOO and red wine vinegar.  This week's salad was arugula, shrimp, pepperoni, black olives, avocado, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke, and cucumber.  If I have some laying around, I like to throw in a little broccoli too.  I will usually go for arugula because I find it lasts longer in the fridge and I really prefer the taste to plain old lettuce.

Some other great ideas for your big ol' pile o' garbage salad-

• Hard boiled eggs
• cauli
• sweet potatoes
• green onions
• tomato
• roasted eggplant
• carrots
• salami
• chicken
• spinach
• nuts (if you aren't allergic, obvy)
• basil, or other fresh herbs
• asparagus
• zucchini
• kale

And the list goes on.  The secret to having a garbage salad at the ready at any time is all about what's in your pantry.  Yes fresh veggies FTW always but sometimes you just aren't that prepared.  So I like to keep olives, artichokes, red peppers, and capers around as much as possible.  With a protein or two and some greens you are good to go!  I have a feeling as summer approaches this will become more and more a part of our weekly menu.

We also had a quick meal of chicken hearts and brussel sprouts.  I know- chicken hearts EWWWWW I can hear you all collectively saying.  But don't knock it til you try it.  They are really good and cook up in a flash.  They have a taste slightly reminiscent of chicken liver but nowhere near as overpowering.  They are leaner and more muscly so won't make you feel full in 2.4 seconds like liver.  The best part is I roasted everything, the hearts and quartered brussel sprouts all together on one baking sheet at 425.  No messy pots and pans to deal with.  Just some olive oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper and you are good to go.  Chicken hearts are dirt cheap and crazy good for you.  You can buy enough for two or three people for like, $2.  Keep 'em in the freezer for emergency protein.  You'll thank me some day!

In other news, we are planning a little weekend getaway to Santa Fe, NM in October.  Anyone have hotel recommendations?  What else.... oh yeah... we are getting ready for a very large, and depressing purchase... a minivan...  Please excuse me while I go vomit/sob in the corner.  So some car shopping will probably take place this weekend.  After doing some exhaustive research on SUVs with a third row, I came to the conclusion that we really have no choice but to get a minivan.  We take quite a few road trips with the dog, and once you've got the stroller in, and the dog, and the luggage, and the kiddos, well- you get the picture.  So yeah.  Wish us luck!  

Have a great weekend GFGs! xoxo

Paleo Thai Crab Salad

How is everyone doing this fine January day?  The days short enough for ya?  Cold enough?  How's the $$$ situation?  Do you sometimes wake up (while it's still pitch dark no less) and do a little face palm and blurt out a big GAHHHH?  Yeah.  It's that time of the year folks.  May be time for a little attitude readjusting.

I know I am definitely guilty of doing the January-Poor-Me routine from time to time.  This year is no different.  So today, I think, in addition to a bright and summery tasting Paleo Thai Crab Salad recipe, it's time for a little 'tude reset.  Join me, won't you?

It's dark out.  It's cold out.
Yes.  We know.  It's January for f*cks sake.  But let's turn this frown upside down shall we?

• Dark and cold means lots of opportunities for sipping on nummy warm things.  Some organic decaf, chai tea, or homemade bone broth.  Curl up with your handy dandy e-reader and a steaming mug of tea or paleo hot chocolate, and all will be right in the world.  Or better yet, take a hot bath and light some candles!  Sounds delightful doesn't it?
• Augment your workouts to take advantage of the sunlight.  Does your schedule afford you any flexibility?  Can you workout in the later morning or afternoon?  If not, there are other ways to spice up your workouts.  Download some fresh new tracks, get spotify on your iphone, buy some fun new workout clothes, a cute new waterbottle, or even just a cute headband.  I know I enjoy my workouts more when I am wearing fun accessories!
• No Money Mo Problems.  Wait, that's not how it goes?  Mo money mo problems?  Whatever.  The same is true of the inverse.  There are about a zillion web sites now offering huge, crazy discounts on whatever you could possibly need.  Zulilly, and haute look are two of the sites I've recently begun browsing.  But if you truly are doing the no spend thing, or even partaking in #nospendmonth, then here are some suggestions for you:  1) Write every single thing you want down on a piece of paper to be evaluated in February.  Let's see how badly you really want that ironic monogrammed upcycled coffee cup sleeve with a smiling fox on it from Etsy after a few weeks.   If you are really and truly still dying for it, take the plunge in February.  Odds are most of the items you'll no longer want.  (Or maybe they'll be on sale by then!)  2) Take this time to do a little budget rejiggering.  What are you spending all your dough on?  Are you hoarding stuff unnecessarily?  Have a little addiction to sneakers, or shampoo, or socks, or something?  Get into the nitty gritty of it and see what you are really spending your pennies on.  Can you part with starbucks for a few weeks?  Maybe cut back on the Artisana coconut butter and macadamia nuts?  Paleo goodies can be pretty costly.  Instead, make your own coconut butter, and eat carrots instead of nuts.  How many gym memberships do you have?  How many are you using?  Do you have junk from the holidays that needs to be returned?  Do you have a freezer full of frozen meat and veggies you can eat up to same some $$$ at the grocery store?  Stay in for a few nights instead of eating out if you can.  Go to the library and stock up on some good books and DVD's and you'll be set.  Finally, take advantage of free trial offers and new client specials.  
• Lastly- and this one has nothing tangible to it, but lets play opposites.  Often we get so accustomed to our usual, basic reaction to things.  So turn your reaction on its head.  I catch myself often thinking to myself, "why didn't so and so do this differently?  Why did he/she do it that way?  That makes no sense/is mean/hurtful/crappy.  While this is a natural tendency, it's also not very productive or proactive.  How can I help get the desired outcome in this situation?  What if instead of automatically getting upset about this situation, I think about it from the opposite perspective?  Maybe that won't be right either, but at least it's different, and it's retraining my brain to have a different default.  Something bothering you?  Someone bothering you?  What can I do to help that person NOT bother me?  How can I proactively change what's bothering me?  And if I can't change what's bothering me, how can I attempt to change how I feel about what's going on?  I might not always like what's going on in my life, sometimes you have to just get through things, but I certainly can try to change my perspective, and think about things in a more positive way.  Is there something eating away at you everyday?  What is it?  What about it is TRULY bothering you?  What is hurting you?  Why is it hurting you?  What advice would you give a friend that was going through what you are going through?  Can you think about it objectively and try to remove yourself from the situation?  Can you be unbiased and think logically about the best way to deal with it?  We get so wrapped up in our own problems and obstacles, we often forget that that's all they really are.  Obstacles and problems.  They aren't our whole life, they aren't our whole day.  They are small parts of our day.  We can't let them take over every waking moment.  

So go workout, preferably during the daytime hours, maybe somewhere you've never been, a new box, gym, or studio, try a new form of exercise, buy a fun pink sparkly headband (or make one if you're doing #nospend) or start thinking in opposites.  Try it for 2 weeks and see how you feel!

That's enough of that.  Let's make some Paleo Thai Crab Salad already.

1 head of napa cabbage

1 orange bell pepper

1 cup of sliced grape tomatoes

1/2 cup of cashew pieces

1 avocado

3 sliced green onions

2 cans crab meat

1 cup snow peas

Dressing:

1/2 cup light coconut milk

2 tbsp gf/wheat free tamari or coconut aminos

juice of one lime

6 drops alcohol free liquid stevia

Chop all your veggies and toss in a large salad bowl and serve in your salad bowl.  Top with cashew pieces and crab meat, and drizzle your dressing over the top.  Hard to stay in a funk with such a fun, flavorful, and bright salad like this!

Here is my #selfie of the day.  Why am I posting selfies?  Because they're fun, because they make going to work a little less mundane, and they get me excited about coming up with new outfits to wear. And they make me smile.  So why the hell not?  

Love you GFGs!

Lemony Kale Avocado Salad, and DIY Legwarmers

I waffled about posting this recipe because it's so darn easy- but hey, when searching for it, I couldn't find anything like it, so maybe this will be helpful to someone looking for an easy kale salad!

Lemony Kale and Avocado Salad
1 bag washed and chopped kale (TJ's has a great product)
juice of half a lemon
kosher salt
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 avocado
EVOO

In a very large salad bowl, dump your kale and pour about 3 tbsp of EVOO in and start massaging with your hands.  This will take probably 3-4 minutes until the kale has wilted a bit and is bright green.  Do not skip this step!  Then squeeze your juice from the half lemon and massage for another minute.  Sprinkle liberally with sea or kosher salt, then toss in cubed avocado and your pine nuts.  This is a delish salad that you CAN make ahead of time, as the kale is quite firm and won't get soggy very quickly.

In other news, I finally tried the DIY legwarmers for under your boots as seen on Pinterest.  DO IT!  Cut off the sleeves of an old ratty sweater and put them on under your boots for extra cuteness and extra comfort.  It's fun!  I have to careful I don't get carried away cutting up all my sweaters.

Spicy Cinnamon Roll Cookies- Lower Carb Recipe

A few months back I posted this recipe, for reaalllly yummy pecan cinnamon roll cookies.  They were sooooo yummy.  But, a bit too carby for me these days unfortunately.  So, back to the drawing board.  These new and improved cinnamon roll cookies have the same yummy smell and taste as a cinnamon roll, with none of the guilt (or mess/time in the kitchen) and would be great with coffee.  It makes four hefty sized cookies, and they are super low carb.  So diabetic folks out there, don't you worry!

Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Spicy Cinnamon Roll Cookies

1/2 cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup preferred liquid sweetener
2 tsp vanilla

Mix your dry ingredients, and in a separate bowl, mix your wet.  Add wet to dry and form into balls.  Bake at 325 until golden brown.  Like I said, these get better after a day or two.  But you can't beat this recipe in terms of carbs and ease of preparation that's for sure!  As usual, I suggest baking on a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet.  Of course you could add pecans or another nut to this, or even top with some coconut cream icing.

What else is new chez GFG?  Well one of our favorite weekends of the year, KU Homecoming, was last weekend.  We had a blast enjoying the homecoming parade friday night, and even better was our trip to THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH, The Burger Stand at The Casbah in downtown Lawrence.  OMG.  Get yoself to The Burger Stand immediately if you are anywhere in the midwest region.  You will not be disappointed.  Want some delicious, local, 100% grassfed organic burgers?  With like, totally original combinations like avocado and habanero cactus jam, or brie, barbecue sauce, and bacon?  Or a to die for falafel burger?  This place is crazy.  They have duck fat fries people.  'Nuff said.  Here is a piccy of my amazing protein style kobe burger on a beet salad.

S thoroughly enjoyed herself and has been talking about "big floats" all week. 

Lastly, a no-recipe recipe for green bean salad. Pictured here. 
Throw green beans, grape tomatoes, blanched sliced almonds, chopped red onion, mayo, dijon, salt and pepper together, and you've got an awesome side dish, best served cold.

Adios gfg's!

Massaged Kale Salad with Avocado, Mango, and Almonds

We have an overabundance of kale right now- four different varieties to be exact!  And while that's nothing to complain about, I was eager to try something other than sautéed kale, and kale chips.  I've had some stellar kale salads, but was weary of the whole "massaging" thing.  I mean, a salad is supposed to be easy- right?  Massaging?  That sounds like a chore.

But, with a huge plastic bag full of kale in the fridge, I thought- what the hell.

Some helpful tips- if your kale is homegrown- refrigerate for a day or so first.  It will crisp up nicely in the cold in case its gotten a bit wilty outside.  Make sure you de-stem them carefully.  Kale stems= yuck.  Use more kale than you think you need.  The massaging reduces it greatly.  Finally, use a good quality EVOO for the massaging, as that brings out a lot of flavor in the kale.

Massaged Kale Salad with Avo, Mango, and Almonds
big bag of kale- if you're buying kale bunches at the store, get at least 3 big ones
1 avocado, diced
1 mango, diced
3 tbsp good EVOO
juice of half lemon
kosher salt or sea salt, to taste
1/3 cup slivered almonds

In a large, deep bowl, pour your EVOO over your kale.  Work the kale with your fingers, like you're scrunching up the kale.  After a bit you'll see the color of the leaves have darkened and they've shrunk down by quite a bit.  This took me perhaps three minutes total.  Then add your diced avo and mango, almonds, and salt.  Squeeze half a lemon over and then toss well.  I did not find this needed additional EVOO, with the avocado and EVOO coating the leaves I thought it was perfect.

I would not recommend eating raw kale, un-massaged.  First of all- it gets much more palatable with some TLC.  And second of all, it reduces the amount of phytic acid, if i'm not mistaken.  someone speak up if so!

This salad is a great source of vital nutrients, healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamin k.  Enjoy!!

Shrimp and Tilapia with Lime

This is becoming an easy summer routine- grilled/broiled/baked protein of some kind on top of a salad.  Easy, yummy, light, and fast.

Shrimp and Tilapia with Lime
1/2 lb raw shrimp, shells off
2 tilapia fillets (roughly 6 oz each)
favorite lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
2 limes, juiced
kosher salt
3 tbsp EVOO, plus a bit more for coating the fish and shrimp
sprinkle of cayenne
sprinkle of black pepper

Throw you raw shrimp in a bowl and marinate in the juice of half a lime, and a dash of EVOO and salt.  On a foil lined baking sheet, place your fillets and coat with a little EVOO, then squeeze the other half lime over.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and cayenne.  My baking sheet had enough room for the fish and shrimp.  Spread your shrimp onto the baking sheet and bake everything together at 350.  Your shrimp will be done quickly, so check after 8 minutes or so, depending on how big they are.  Remove them and place onto a plate with a spatula.  At this point, set your oven to broil just to crisp the fish up.

While the fish finishes cooking, take your remaining lime and juice it in a bowl, then add your EVOO.  I like dressings tangy but if this is too acidic for you, add a bit more oil.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper and cayenne and whisk or mix with a fork.  Throw your lettuce and chopped tomato and cucumber into a bowl, and top with shrimp and fish.  The whole process start to finish is like, 25 minutes.  Super fast dinner for any night of the week.

Garden Goodness

In late April we set out to create a simple raised garden.  We didn't have super high expectations, and honestly had no idea what we were doing.  But in about 8 weeks, we went from this...

 …to this!

Pretty cool huh?!  The kale was finally getting so crowded I had to harvest some.  I filled up an enormous shopping bag full of greens, and it barely looked like I had even picked anything!

Dinner on Sunday night consisted of probably the simplest, but most amazing and delicious salad I have ever had.  Mixed lettuces with homegrown basil, tomato, and some mozzarella.  I don't think I have ever eaten tastier, fresher, or better veg in my life.  I'm sure much of it is due to the pride factor, and this being our first harvest ever, we were sure feeling proud of ourselves.

Besides the awesome salad, we enjoyed some sautéed kale and fabulous baked chicken.  The chicken was pretty incredible- maybe my new favorite way to bake up a big batch of it.  Just marinate chicken thighs in raspberry balsamic vinegar with salt and pepper for 4-6 hours, then bake it at 475 until cooked through with some S&P, and rosemary.  Simple, easy, delicious, and pesticide/GMO/chemical free, totally organic.

Yay for Team GFG!  Now here's hoping our tomatoes spring to life one of these days.

Do you garden?  What have you been your successes thus far?  Any tips or suggestions?  How do you store all the veg you can't eat right away?

XoxoGFG

Clothes Make the Girl Inspired Tropical Chopped Salad

I am definitely not going to take credit for this recipe- however, I tweaked it quite a bit until it became a much different recipe, and I feel it's worth sharing with you as it is easy, filling, healthy, yummy, and a toddler-approved version.

The original recipe is here- which I highly suggest you try too!

Tropical Chopped Salad
1 red pepper, chopped
1 orange/yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
1 avo, chopped/diced/sliced
2 small mexican/honey mangos, sliced, or 1 regular mango
8 ounces cooked shrimp, chopped
juice of one lime
your fave lettuce
salt to taste
chili powder, to taste

Throw all your chopped stuff in a big bowl.  Add your lime juice, and a liberal sprinkle of salt and chili powder.  Toss well- the avocado and lime juice will make a sauce/dressing.  Let sit for at least 5-10 minutes, then adjust seasoning accordingly.  This salad is crazy good.  Makes 4 servings if a side, or 2-3 large servings as a main.  Mel's version calls for red onion and cumin, which I'm sure would be great, but no way would S eat it with onion.  Great summer salad!  

Use What You Have- Salmon, Green Bean, and Cannellini Salad

Sometimes I hesitate to post a recipe because I feel it's too ordinary, elementary, run-of-the-mill, boring, etc etc.  But then I'll stumble on a recipe on another site that is equally ordinary, but either the ingredients or flavor profile will give me inspiration and/or a jumping off point for a new recipe of my own.  So what the heck- maybe this will inspire you too.  And if not- it is an easy, filling, and nutritious salad for any lunch or dinner.

Salmon, Green Bean, and Cannellini Salad
1 bag of your preferred salad mix, or one head of your fave lettuce, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans
2 green onions, chopped finely
2 cups green beans, cooked, (mine were those frozen steamer bag kind) and chopped
1 can of pink salmon (I get the large can that has skin and bones in it- the whole thing is edible and there are tons of extra nutrients in it)
juice of one lemon
3 tbsp Meyer Lemon EVOO, or plain EVOO
S&P to taste

Throw your lettuce, tomatoes, onion, rinsed and drained beans, and chopped cooked green beans in a large bowl.  Then add in chunks of salmon.  Salmon is a great alternative to tuna as it does not have high levels of mercury- look for wild salmon.  Do you have kitchen shears?  If not- get some! They make chopping veg way faster and easier.  I use mine daily.  They are especially useful for cutting things up into manageable toddler bite-sized morsels.  I didn't even bother cutting up the grape tomatoes.  Throw in some salt and pepper and squeeze your lemon over the top, then drizzle some EVOO on top and toss.  This will be better after an hour or two in the fridge.  This salad is definitely a meal.  Super hearty from the beans and a nice serving of protein.

What is your "go-to" salad?  I have to admit, many times "salad" is really just greens with some vinaigrette.

I'm also starting to think seriously about formulating my own, customized, grain-free all purpose flour.  I love almond flour- but it's just too dense.  I love coconut flour too, but I find I much prefer coconut flour baked goods when they are combined with another flour.  It's tough because a lot of grain free flours are too starchy for me- so it will probably entail a lot of experimenting and trial and error.  Any tips, suggestions, or ideas?  Anyone bake with chestnut, hazelnut, or quinoa flour?  What about using a small amount of chickpea flour?  I want to stay away from arrowroot, and tapioca.  Any ideas are much appreciated!
XoXoGFG

Use (up) What You Have Tuesday, or Kitchen Pantry Salad

Sometimes the only fresh ingredient you really need for a great salad is lettuce.  With a well-stocked pantry you can make a quick, easy, and delish salad in no time at all. 

Kitchen Pantry Salad
1 head of lettuce, chopped
1 can of tuna, packed in oil preferably
3 tbsp roasted red peppers, chopped (I like the ones in brine, not oil)
3 tbsp green olives, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 cup of Italian Gardiniere pickled veggies, I used Mezzeta, chopped
1 can of rinsed and drained garbanzo beans, or cannellini
Throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes if you have 'em!
3 tbsp red wine vinegar

I threw everything in a bowl as well as the oil the tuna was packed in, then drizzled some red wine vinegar over the salad for some acid.  This was a super fast, delicious, and healthy salad that was plenty filling.  The pickled veggies worked really well with the garbanzo beans and tuna.  With a bag of lettuce on hand you can throw this together in under 5 minutes.  Enjoy!