Category Archives: Healthy

Instant Pot Bone Broth

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I have been making bone broth for a few years now, but I had only used my IP as a slow cooker and that took 16 hours (some recipes call for 24). This was my first attempt at adding this much liquid to my IP, but I trust Michelle at Nom Nom Paleo, (she hasn’t steered me wrong yet). I read through the recipe, and you can cook this at high pressure for 30 to 120 minutes. I decided to try 90 minutes, and it is the best bone broth I have ever made. I have made what I thought was bone broth several times, but it didn’t quite gel as much as this version. I was really pleased with the clean, rich flavor! The Instant Pot proves its value every time I use it. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Instant Pot Bone Broth – adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

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  • 2.5 pounds bones – I used chicken
  • 2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut crosswise, and rinsed well
  • 1 medium carrot, cleaned and cut
  • 8 cups of filtered water (I use my Berkey for this)
  • 2 TBSP fish sauce

Directions –

Rinse the layers out
All the grit

**Be sure to clean the leeks well – there is grit trapped in the layers.

  1. Toss the veg and the bones into the pressure cooker, (mine were frozen). Pour in filtered water and fish sauce. Cover and lock the lid and cook for 30-120 minutes at high pressure.
After some fridge time, it’s perfectly gelled

2. Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid, and let cool. Strain and store in the refrigerator or the freezer.

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Spaghetti Squash Bake

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This recipe makes a huge batch and gets better over time. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Bake – Mom-Makes original 

  • 1 large spaghetti squash, baked and shredded
  • 3-4 cups roasted veggies – I used zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper and mushrooms
  • 3-4 cups marinara sauce – I used this recipe
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
  • Parmesan cheese

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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread out the spaghetti squash into the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish. Combine the marinara sauce and the roasted veggies in a pot to warm slightly, then pour the mixture over the top of the squash. Top generously with the cheeses. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Glowing Green Smoothie

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The easiest way for me to make sure I’m getting more fruits and veggies into my diet is blending lots of them all together. This blend seems popular among the green smoothie believers; and it does taste better than it looks thanks to the banana and all the other fruit. You can add some coconut oil to the mix or chia seeds if you’d like. I keep mine pretty simple 🙂 Thanks for reading, enjoy!

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Glowing Green Smoothie – adapted from Kimberly Snyder

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 a lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 apple, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 pear, cut into chunks
  • 1 small banana
  • ice
  • chia seeds (optional)
  • coconut oil (optional)

Directions –

Liquids first, followed by the softest/lighter produce and top with ice. Blend until it’s perfectly smooth – about 30 seconds.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

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These are so yummy and you wont miss the gluten 🙂

Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes – adapted from Paleo Grubs

  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 3 tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus additional for pan
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
Directions –
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – the coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Then in a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – the pumpkin puree, almond milk, honey, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir together until just combined.
  2. Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with coconut oil. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the bottom is cooked through, and then flip. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm and enjoy!

No Bean Turkey Chili

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Pinterest has saved the day several times in my kitchen. I had some produce that was passed its prime in my fridge, along with ground turkey that had to be used; and I even had a can of fire roasted tomatoes that I didn’t know why I purchased in the first place. I love how forgotten ingredients can become something so satisfying! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Paleo Turkey Chili – adapted from Turtlewoman

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 – 28 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 TBSP DIY taco seasoning (*recipe below*)
  • 1/2 cup water or stock
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Avocado for topping

Directions –

  1. Add ghee or cooking fat of your choice to a 5 quart soup pot over medium/high heat. Saute the onions for about 3-5 minutes, then add the bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and chopped zucchini. Continue cooking for about 3 more minutes. Set the cooked veggies aside.

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2. Add more fat to the pan and brown the turkey over medium heat, stirring to break up. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Once the meat is cooked through, add the veggies back into the pot and pour the tomatoes, water and seasoning over all. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 more minutes.

3. Stir periodically while it is simmering. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with chili toppings of your choice – I added diced avocado!

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DIY Taco Seasoning – adapted from Against All Grain

  • 2 1/2 TBSP chili powder
  • 1 1/2 TBSP sea salt
  • 1 1/2 TBSP ground cumin
  • 1 TBSP dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1-3 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions –

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly blended. Makes 1/2 cup.

Polish Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

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Whenever it’s even a little cooler here, I like to take advantage. This winter has been so mild that it feels more like spring/early summer. Sometimes I wish for cooler air, but then I see the pictures of what Northerners are dealing with. I’m a lightweight when it comes to temperatures below 75!

This is a dairy-free, “creamy” soup but you can substitute unsweetened coconut milk with heavy cream or half and half. In my experience, the coconut milk doesn’t make the food taste “coconutty”. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup – adapted from The Candid Appetite

  • 1 pound Polish sausage
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  • 2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped
  • 1 pound red potatoes, sliced
  • 8 cups homemade chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream

Directions –

1. Heat a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Once the pot has heated through, add the sausage, which you removed from the casing. Using a wooden spoon, begin to break up the sausage and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it has fully browned. Remove the crisped sausage from the pot and transfer it to a plate or bowl. Set aside.

2. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter or oil and throw in the onions and garlic. Stir, scraping down the bottom of the pot picking up the browned bits of sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until soft and translucent about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Continue to sauté until the onions have caramelized. Add the chopped kale in batches, allowing it to wilt down as it cooks.Cook the kale for another 3 minutes until it has turned bright green and completely wilted down. Throw in the sliced potatoes and cooked sausage.

3. Pour in the chicken stock or broth and bring it up to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender and soft. Taste the soup for seasoning, at this point you may add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes, if desired. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, stir in the heavy cream. Serve right away with some bread on the side. Enjoy!

Paleo Pancit

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After making this, I learned – one: I love fish sauce, and two: more cabbage, please! I was worried about using both but this recipe just looked and sounded so good. I’m glad I didn’t let apprehension get the best of me, because this was so perfect! It was savory, sour and had just enough saltiness; and textures in each bite of this pancit, (which I had never tried or heard of before), that I am on the look out for more Asian recipes that might hit all those notes again. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Chicken Pancit – adapted from Everyday Paleo

  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 6 green onions, sliced thin
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 carrots, sliced thin
  • 1 small bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 6 – 8 cups shredded green cabbage
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos or Tamari wheat free soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Lemon wedges

Directions –

In a large wok or skillet heat the coconut oil over medium to medium high heat.  When the wok or pan is nice and hot, add the chicken, green onions and garlic and saute for about 6-7 minutes or until the meat is done all the way through but still tender. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.  Add the bell pepper and carrots to the wok or pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the cabbage and cook about 4 more minutes. Add the chicken back to the veggies and pour in the coconut aminos or soy sauce, chicken broth, and fish sauce. Season with lots of black pepper.  Stir well and cook for another minute or two.  Serve in bowls with a lemon wedge.

Avocado Super Smoothie

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This is amazing! It’s thick and creamy without the dairy and even my kids couldn’t detect the “green” in this smoothie. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Avocado Super Smoothie –

  • 1 cup kale, washed and stems removed
  • 1 cup baby spinach, washed and big stems removed
  • 1 medium banana
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 small apple, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water, or more depending on how thick you prefer
  • Ice

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Directions –

Place all your ingredients in a blender carafe – starting with the liquid and topping off with the heavier items. Process for about 30 seconds until well blended. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

I Bought A Juicer!

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I bought a juicer! I wasn’t sure how this would turn out because I haven’t tried beets since I was a kid…and those were the gross canned kind that you find in salad bars. The finished juice was the most gorgeous magenta color, and I hoped that it would taste as good as it looked! The first taste of anything new is usually off-putting, but as I continued to sip it, it tasted better and better. It’s not my new favorite, but I know I will make it again. The other recipe is a great starter juice, especially for kids. My daughter enjoyed this one, but I didn’t add the ginger because she wouldn’t have appreciated the spiciness of it. Thanks for reading, enjoy! 🙂

 

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Ginger Beet Juice – adapted from Wonky Wonderful

  • 1 small beet, peeled and trimmed
  • 2 apples, washed and cut
  • 2 carrots, washed and trimmed
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled

Directions –

  1. Put all of the ingredients into the juicer according to the manufacturer instructions.
  2. Serve the juice cold over ice.

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Carrot Apple Ginger Juice – adapted from The Roasted Root

  • 3 carrots, washed and trimmed
  • 2 apples
  • 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled (*optional*)

Directions –

  1. Put the ingredients through the juicer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  2. Drink immediately, or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Keeps for about 2 days.