Spice Matrix

Check out this spice matrix that helps me when I need to pull something out of the air! Got it from Adventures In Spice.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
8-12 slices bacon
1/4 tsp chili pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt & pepper
1 Tbsp honey (optional)

Supplies:
Small nonstick or glass baking dish
Toothpicks soaked in water (optional)
Brush (if using honey)

Serves: 3-4

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut chicken into strips about one inch thick. Season evenly with the spices and salt and pepper. Wrap each strip in bacon. Secure with toothpick if desired. Place strips in baking dish. Brush very lightly with honey. Put in oven on middle rack and cook for 45 minutes. At 45 minutes turn oven up to 400 and move dish to top rack. Cook for 5-10 more minutes.

This is pretty easy but you can't really go wrong with bacon. Serve with veggies (pictured with chopped spinach).

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
5-6 mushrooms, finely chopped*
1 bell pepper (any color), finely chopped
Left over chicken or pork or beef, finely chopped**
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
3 green bell peppers, halved and cleaned (best to use ones with four bumps instead of three)
Organic red pasta sauce (optional)

*the number of mushrooms is irrelevant - use enough to equal the same volume as the onion

**use enough of your leftover protein so the mixture is one part chopped onion/mushroom/pepper and two parts protein

Supplies:
Medium sauté pan
Mixing bowl
Shallow baking dish

Serves 3-6

This is a two part recipe (well technically three) because it works best with leftover protein (step 1) from another meal, and best if the filling is prepped and combined the day before (step 2) actually making the stuffed bell peppers (step 3). This time around I used leftover Cilantro Lime Chicken Breast, chicken slow cooked in taco seasoning, and Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork. You also can use different chopped veggies - increase the nutrition by chopping some zucchini instead of bell pepper, for example. Combine your protein and chopped veggies and toss in the herbs, mix well. Sauté the whole mixture on medium until you start to smell the spices and the whole mixture is warmed through well. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 325F. Cut the 3 bell peppers in half and clean out the seeds and membranes. Place the peppers in a shallow baking dish. Stuff the peppers with the mixture, top with your choice of red pasta sauce. Or top with a slice of white cheese (then it's not paleo). Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour.

Paleo Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 C puréed pumpkin
1/4 C almond butter
1/4 C honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C almond meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 C chopped nuts of your choice (I used macadamia nuts)
1/3 C unsweetened medium coconut flakes
1/3 C cacao nibs or organic dark chocolate chips

Supplies:
Medium and small mixing bowls
Measuring cup
Sturdy spatula
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper

Yield: 20-24 cookies

For this to be paleo, the ingredients all should be pure/organic. Preheat oven to 350F and line the cookie sheet with parchment. Mix dry ingredients in the small bowl, and the wet ones in the medium bowl. Add dry to wet and combine well with spatula. Scoop batter onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. Cool two minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

According to Butter In My Coffee, which is where I adapted this recipe from, this can be a breakfast biscuit as well. But as much as I love desserkfast, it feels too dessert-y and not nutritious (or filling) enough to be breakfast, even with the addition of an egg or two. Sure is a yummy treat though!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, whole
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic minced
Juice of two limes
1 tsp cumin
Salt/pepper to taste

Supplies:
Slow cooker

Serves: 6-8

You can partly make this ahead of time. In a ziplock bag combine: chicken breast, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, cumin. Don't put the lime - the acid might begin to cook the chicken. I did this the night before but if you want you can do this and freeze. When ready to cook, defrost if frozen, then place contents of bag into slow cooker and add juice of 2 limes and salt and pepper. Set on low for 7-8 hours. If possible, at 6 hours open the crockpot and pull the breasts apart into shreds with tongs. If not, shred before serving. Or serve whole or in chunks.

Serve with vegetable of your choice.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients:
1/2 C raw chia seeds
1.5-2 C milk of your choice
2 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp pure cocoa powder

Supplies:
Tupperware container
Measuring cup and spoons

Serves: 6-8

Mix the ingredients. Stir well every couple of minutes for about 20 minutes. Refrigerate. That's IT. That's how easy it is! I mix it right in the container I'm going to store it in because why create more cleanup?

Use almond milk or coconut milk. I adjusted the ingredient amounts adapting from about a gazillion chia seed pudding recipes on the Internet but its to my taste - if it's too sweet for you, drop some of the agave or coconut sugar. If it's not sweet enough, hey pile it on. But I mean, we're eating this type of food to mitigate insulin spikes so don't go too crazy.

Dessert? Breakfast? The chia seeds are filling and full of fiber so alongside an egg or some other small portion of protein I would not hesitate to call this breakfast. But it's yummy and sweet enough to satisfy those dessert cravings from my past life, so dessert fits also. You can't go wrong desserkfast! It's not the prettiest thing to eat but who cares it's going in your stomach, not the Louvre.

If you like this, you might also like Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Seed Pudding.

Bacon Onion Green Beans

Ingredients:
12-16 oz fresh green beans
2 slices organic bacon, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Supplies:
Medium sauté pan with cover

Serves: 4

Wash and trim green beans. Heat chopped onion and chopped bacon over medium high heat until sizzling, turn heat down to medium. Add green beans, stir and cover. Cook until beans are tender but still crisp when bitten, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

I mean, who doesn't love bacon?