Life Could Be Better…But The Food Couldn't!

No lie…these recipes I've been trying for this gosh awful Paleo diet are incredible! I wish I could convey the true deliciousness of these dishes to you…the wonderful smell of Chicken Curry that's been cooking all day in your slow cooker is beyond words! Especially when you've been working all day and probably had the busiest day ever in the history of the shop! Go figure! I took so many things to read…I took my laptop to catch up on blogs…I thought I'd re-decorate some of the shop…Oh, no!! Not today! So it was an extra added bonus to walk in to the wonderful smell of Chicken Curry cooking in the crockpot! Dinner was basically ready and all I had to do was roast some broccoli in the oven. Thankfully, I had taken the advice of the author of Everyday Paleo and made my Cauliflower Rice the day before.

When I drove in my drive way at 4:15…yes, I shut her down at 3:58…I was greeted by the best smelling dish you can ever imagine! The best part was that Jim drove in right beside me! He had been to therapy…not for our marriage! LOL! But for his very bothersome muscle issue! I hate it for him because he loves to run and this is killing him! Anyway, we walked in together and it was glorious! You know, that home cooked smell…something cooking in the crock pot which is now called the "slow cooker" smell! It was music to my nose!! The smell of my dreams…my day got a lot better when I walked into my home and realized that yes, even a Paleo meal can be THAT good!!! I'm sharing these recipes with you only as a food lover! I do not claim Paleo yet…I have not fully embraced it yet as I feel I'm fighting it with everything in me…I have not cheated since that time at La Paz with Mitch and Layton…that didn't count because I'd only been doing it for one day…I was very weak!

But let me tell you this…the dishes I have made so far would make any cookbook I would ever think of doing..they are truly delicious! They are just a lot of trouble! Especially if you are short on time! I'm learning though! You can cook ahead and do all kinds of things to make it easier when you actually do prepare these meals. I think the thing that is bothering me the most is that I'm cooking more than I did when my kids were at home! This is when I want to relax! But, if cooking healthily is what it takes..then so be it!

Let me know your thoughts and if you have any other wonderful recipes to share!

Have a great rest of your week!

Paleo Chicken Curry
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion sliced
5 carrots, peeled and diced in large chunks
4 ribs celery, diced
1 T minced garlic
2 T curry powder
1 T paprika
2 t sea salt
1 t black pepper
1 3/4 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
1 3/4 Cup chicken broth

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Mix all dry seasonings together and sprinkle over the chicken. Turn and coat on both sides. Place the cut up veggies on top. Mix the coconut milk and chicken broth and pour over the entire mixture. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Thicken if desired with cornstarch. Serve over Cauliflowered Rice!
You can see the recipe for the rice on this blog HERE!

How Do You Feel About Paleo?

Ok…this is really sad but it's been EXACTLY one month since I posted anything on here! I know I told you I was really wanting to only have one blog…and I know that I have to put more time into my shop's blog to promote my shop but I'm glad I finally have something else to share with you on this one! 
I appreciate your reading it and your interest! After eating out to our heart's content at the beach this past week for Jim's 50th birthday, we came home really wanting to revamp our eating habits and get right back into the habit of running for Jim and Pure Barre for me. 

We also discussed Paleo with our friends at the beach so I decided to go full throttle, wide open into this way of eating. We bought the cookbook that Danny and Melanie recommend and I studied it the entire 6 hours it took us to get home! ( It usually takes 4 1/2!) After closing the shop for a day I've done nothing but cook and get ready for the next few days of being able to truly eat in the Paleo way! I want you to see this dinner we just enjoyed! I would never have thought I would love it this much! The day started out quite early for us as we've been loving sleeping in at the beach! Jim was up and at em and I finally dragged myself out of the bed to make it to class at 8:15. I was super glad that I did but it was also super hard! 
( makes you realize what happens with just a week off!)

Then, I came home and eagerly started this fabulous sauce for our dinner! I hope you will stick with me through this recipe because even if you aren't doing Paleo..and I can't promise you that we will do it faithfully simply because one would need a personal chef to truly enjoy meals like this while doing the Paleo diet! 
However…this was truly divine and I would recommend it to anyone!

The main thing I hate about starting a new eating plan is all of the ingredients one has to buy to get started…they aren't cheap and they aren't super easy to find! My mom had already been telling me "tales" of coconut oil but apparently, it is VERY important to the Paleo way of eating! I opted for the $6.99 tub as opposed to the $22.00 jar at Publix! Let me try it out first!

It sure did heat quickly which I liked…it also cooked extremely evenly and I was VERY pleased at the outcome of the veggies in this recipe! And NO…it absolutely does NOT make things taste like coconut!
 Go figure!

I sautéed the onions and the zucchini squash just like the recipe told me to.

In a separate pan I browned the ground turkey. Yes, this was the first time I had ever used ground turkey…I loved it!!

Even though the recipe didn't say to drain it…I just couldn't help myself! I guess old habits die hard!

Once that was done the recipe tells you to mix the turkey with the vegetables and then add the seasonings….

and then the tomato sauce and the water….

So, that's exactly what I did!

Then I added the sliced, fresh mushrooms and let it simmer for about 30 minutes or until I felt like the mushrooms and the zucchini were done.

As the sauce simmered I decided to show you exactly what the spaghetti squash looked like before it was cooked!

It's a bit like a pumpkin in that you have to slice it in half and scrape out all of the seeds! After that, you just put it in a pan, drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil around the edges and sprinkle with a tad of kosher salt. Let it bake for a good hour to an hour and a half at 375 degrees.

So, you see it bakes quite easily…and then you just shred it with forks until it is all scraped out. Season it with pastured butter and kosher salt and pepper if desired.

And it shreds even easier than it cooks! It looks and ACTS just like Pasta! I promise! If  you need a pasta fix as often as I do then this is the recipe for you! Even if you don't, it was truly delicious!

This dish is now one of my new faves and will most definitely make the next cookbook! If there ever is a next one! But trust me on this one…I would eat it for a week straight and never get tired of it! And I consider myself to be a food snob!
Pair it with this salad and this luscious Raspberry Vinaigrette from 'Make It Paleo' as well and you have your meal for the night!

Bon Appetit! 

Let me know your thoughts on Paleo or just a low carb diet! 
I'm just trying to get ready for St. Lucia! 
So, here are the recipes!

Spaghetti Squash With Turkey Tomato Sauce
1 T coconut oil
1 Vidalia onion, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
1- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t garlic powder
 1 t onion powder
2 Cans Muir Glen Tomato Sauce
1/2 Can water
1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms, rinsed well
Baked spaghetti squash
*melt coconut oil in a good frying pan and sautee onions and zucchini until soft. In a heavy stock pan brown the ground turkey. Drain turkey meat well on paper towels and replace in pan. Add the veggies. Add the seasonings and mix well. Add the tomato sauce and the water and bring to a low simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until all veggies are done. Serve over the spaghetti squash.


For the salad:
Mix baby romaine or spring mix with spinach leaves
sliced strawberries
toasted almonds
sunflower seeds if desired
sliced avocado
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 C raspberry vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
2 t dijon mustard
dash onion powder
pepper to taste
mix well in a jar and serve over the salad

I truly hope you enjoy these great recipes! Let me show you the Chicken Salad that I made as well…and it's Paleo approved!
If it's a hit I will share it as well!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!