Primal Chili

When my mom used to make chili when I was young, I would pick out all of the meat and only eat the beans. Time has thrown those beans in the trash where they belong.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
1/2 Yellow onion
1 Can diced tomatoes
1 cup Fiesta blend shredded cheese (*Once again, I eat dairy. This ingredient is optional.)
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Cinnamon
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, melt the butter. Chop the onions and add to the pot, stirring until clear. Add in the ground beef and continue to stir, breaking the beef into small pieces. Add all spices, then the can of chopped tomatoes. Allow to simmer for about three minutes, then stir in half of the cheese. Spoon into bowls. Top each bowl with the remaining cheese.

Broiled Feta Shrimp with Greek Salad

I know that my photos aren't always the most appetizing things in the world, but trust me on this one: these pictures will have your mouth watering once you've tasted the recipes.

Ingredients (salad):
1 Cucumber (peeled)
1 Can black olives
1 Red, orange or yellow bell pepper (or a little of each for color)
1 Vine-ripened tomato
1/2 Yellow or red onion
1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Chop cucumber, onion, tomato and peppers into small chunks. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator to serve alongside Broiled Feta Shrimp (recipe below). *This salad is best after sitting in the fridge and allowing the flavors to blend. Be sure to prepare it a few hours before the main dish, or even the day prior if possible.


Ingredients (shrimp):
20 Large shrimp (*Buy them raw and peel/de-vein them yourself; it's worth it!)
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
4 Vine-ripened tomatoes
1 Vidalia onion
1/3 cup Dry white wine
1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp Light olive oil
1 Tbsp Minced roasted garlic
Coarse salt to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel/de-vein the shrimp, toss with lemon juice and set aside. In a large saucepan, lightly heat the olive oil. Chop the onion and tomatoes. Add the onions to the pan first, and when they become clear, add the tomatoes. Allow to simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn up the heat to a boil and add the wine, allowing about thirty seconds for the alcohol to cook off before reducing the heat to medium. Add salt and garlic, continuing to stir. Put the shrimp into a glass baking dish (or oven-safe bowls). Remove the sauce from the heat and pour on top of the shrimp. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then broil for 1-2 minutes until the feta begins to brown. (This happens very quickly, so you will need to watch it closely. Feta won't really melt...it'll just burn.) Serve with chilled Greek salad.

Apple Baked Chicken

I love this one because I can prep it in the morning, my husband can pop it in the oven when he gets home, and it's done by the time I get home. It also makes the whole house smell fantastic.

*Serves 2-4*

Ingredients:
1 Whole chicken
1 cup Chicken broth (*Look for a box with no sugar added and low sodium.)
1 Large gala apple
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Dried rosemary
Garlic Powder
Coarse salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place whole chicken in a square glass baking dish (be sure to remove giblets first). Cut the apple into small slices, saving six for later, and arrange them in the baking dish all around the chicken. Put the apple core and any larger slices that don't fit into the baking dish into the chicken cavity. Cut three deep slices into each side of the chicken breast. Insert an apple slice into each. Cut one Tbsp of the butter into small slices and put under the skin all over the chicken. Soften the other Tbsp of butter in the microwave, then spread it on the outside of the chicken. Lightly pour the chicken broth on top of the chicken, allowing it to run off into the baking dish to partially submerge the apple slices. Cover the chicken with the coarse salt, garlic powder and rosemary. Bake for 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours (until chicken is well browned and crispy).

After the chicken has cooled and been served, remove any leftover meat from the carcass (especially the dark meat) and set aside in a storage container for use in a future recipe...

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

When my husband and I do breakfast for dinner, this is our staple carbohydrate. They're easy, fast and a great companion to eggs and bacon.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
1 Large sweet potato
3 Tbsp Organic coconut oil
Coarse salt to taste

Directions:
Peel the sweet potato, discarding the skin (this is very easily done with an apple peeler). Slice into thin circles, then slice those circles into sticks. In a large saucepan or pot, melt the coconut oil and add sweet potato. Turn the temperature to medium high. Stir the sweet potatoes so that they are all covered by the coconut oil. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then stir. Repeat until sweet potatoes are lightly browned and crispy. Add salt to taste. Serve with eggs and sugar/nitrate-free bacon or sausage.

Almond Flour Meatballs

Meatballs sound simple; they're just balls of meat, right? Unfortunately, most of them are jam packed with random, boring fillers to help them keep their shape. Try these instead!

*Serves 2 to 4*

Ingredients:
1 lb Lean ground beef
1 Egg
1/4 cup Almond Flour
1/4 Yellow onion
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Dash of paprika
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Light olive oil
1 cup Tomato sauce (*I use Earth Fare brand organic garlic tomato sauce.)
4 Slices Provolone cheese
1/2 Ball Fresh mozzarella

Directions:
Place the ground beef into a mixing bowl. Crack the egg into the bowl, then add almond flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and paprika. With a flat cheese grater, grate the onion on top of the mixture so that it looks a little like applesauce and doesn't leave any large pieces. Mix with your hands (you can try to use a spoon, but it doesn't work too well, and you have to use your hands to form the meatballs anyway). Once fully mixed, form into 1.5 to 2 inch balls and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large pan on low to medium heat. At the same time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the meatballs to the pan and allow to brown on one side (approximately three minutes) before attempting to flip. Once browned on all sides, transfer the meatballs from the pan into a square glass baking dish (be sure to include all pan drippings; these are essential to the flavor of the sauce). Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the meatballs. Place the provolone slices on to of the meatballs and sauce, then break the mozzarella ball into pieces and add on top of the provolone. Bake for twenty minutes. These are extremely filling all by themselves, so side dishes are not recommended.

Balsamic Chicken with Avocado Salad

This is one of my personal favorites. It's quick and easy, and it tastes like something you spent a long time on. For those of you who don't like vinegar normally, give this a try; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients (chicken):
2 Thinly sliced chicken breasts
1/4 Head green cabbage
1/2 Yellow onion
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper

Directions:
Chop cabbage and yellow onion and saute in a large pan with 1 Tbsp butter until onions become clear. Tenderize the chicken breasts and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Move the onions and cabbage to the edges of the pan, place the remaining Tbsp of butter in the center and add the chicken breasts. Keep on medium heat until cooked through (approximately three minutes for a thin chicken breast). Pour balsamic vinegar into the pan all over the chicken and cabbage, and turn the heat to high for thirty seconds. Lower the heat to a simmer, flip the chicken and stir the cabbage. Serve with avocado salad (recipe below).

Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1 Large vine-ripened tomato
1/2 Fresh mozzarella ball
1/2 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt to taste

Directions:
Peel the avocado and discard the pit. Chop into small cubes and set aside in a mixing bowl. Chop tomato and mozzarella into similar sized cubes and mix with avocado. Drizzle olive oil into the bowl while stirring mixture. Add coarse salt to taste.

Shrimp Scampi with Roasted Vegetables

On a night when you're not absolutely starving, this meal is perfect. If you need to fill yourself with calories, then I wouldn't recommend it. (Although I would rarely recommend doing that anyway...)

*Serves 2*

Ingredients (vegetables):
Asparagus
Small assorted sweet peppers
Carrots
Any other desired vegetables
Light olive oil
Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange vegetables on an oven-safe tray and coat with a small amount of light olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder and roast for 15-20 minutes or until tender and slightly crispy. Begin cooking shrimp about ten minutes after the vegetables.

Ingredients (shrimp):
1/2 lb Large shrimp (*They're ALWAYS better if you peel and de-vein them yourself, but you could always be lazy and buy the pre-prepared kind.)
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Minced garlic (preferably roasted)
1 Shallot (*Onion will work too, but shallots will turn out better.)
1/8 cup Lemon juice
1/2 cup Dry white wine
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pan, melt the butter. Finely chop the shallot and add to the pan. When the shallots begin to turn clear, add the shrimp. After the shrimp turn orange, add lemon juice and salt and pepper, followed by the roasted garlic. Stir for about twenty seconds. Turn up the heat and add the wine, boiling off alcohol for approximately thirty seconds. Reduce heat to a simmer. Serve with vegetables.

Bacon Guacamole

How do you make something that's completely delicious even more delicious?

Add bacon.

*Serves 1-2*

Ingredients:
2 Avocados
1 Small vine-ripened tomato
1/4 cup Chopped yellow onion (a little less if your avocados are small)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Coarse salt
3 Strips bacon

Directions:
In a pan (or on a panini press as mentioned in previous recipes), cook the bacon. Meanwhile, peel and pit the avocados, then mash them in a bowl (easily done with a fork if the avocado is ripe enough). Cut the tomato in half and remove the seeds. Chop the remainder of the tomato and add to the bowl with the avocados. Mix in the lemon juice, garlic powder and salt. When the bacon is crisp, break it into small pieces and stir into the guacamole.

Crock Pot Beef

I used to associate crock pots with old ladies and overcooked meat. Now I associate them with heaven.

*Serves 4-8 (or 2 for several days, in our case)*

Ingredients:
1 Eye of round roast (approximately 2.5 lbs)
1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 Large sweet potato (peeled)
1 Yellow onion
2 Carrots
1 Can unsalted green beans
Garlic Powder
Coarse salt and pepper

Directions:
Chop all vegetables aside from green beans into large pieces and layer them in the bottom of the crock pot. In a medium pan, melt the butter and briefly brown all sides of the roast. Place the browned roast on top of the vegetables in the crock pot. (Some recipes would call for you to trim the fat off of the roast first; we don't do that here. The fat melts in your mouth like butter when this is all said and done, and I wouldn't have it any other way.) Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Seal the lid and walk away for eight hours. Come home to a delicacy that should pull apart with the touch of a fork. It really is that easy.

Ahi Tuna Poke

My take on a classic Hawaiian dish...

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
1 Sashimi grade Ahi tuna steak (you can get these at Asian markets or at grocers like Earth Fare)
1/4 cup Shelled pistachios (cashews also work well)
1 Tsp Sesame oil
2 Tbsp Wheat-free tamari
1/4 cup Finely chopped yellow onion
1 Avocado
1/2 Cucumber

Directions:
Cut the tuna steak into small cubes approximately the size of a nickel. Set aside in a mixing bowl. Pour the pistachios into a plastic bag and crush into smaller pieces with the blunt end of a meat tenderizer, then add these to the bowl, Peel the avocado, remove the pit, and slice into cubes a little smaller than the tuna. Peel and core the cucumber, then slice into tiny cubes. Add these to the bowl, mixing in sesame oil and wheat-free tamari. Stir until well blended.

"Breaded" Chicken with Mashed Cauliflower

Two things that I definitely don't miss on this diet are fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Why? Because I can have their significantly tastier cousins.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients (cauliflower):

1/2 Head cauliflower
2 Tbsp Unsalted butter
Coarse salt to taste

Directions:
Boil the cauliflower until tender. Drain and break into pieces small enough to fit neatly into the basin of a food processor. Combine all ingredients until smooth. Set aside to serve with "breaded" chicken (recipe below).

Ingredients (chicken):
2 Thinly sliced chicken breasts
2 Tbsp Coconut oil
1 Egg
1 cup Crushed pork rinds
1/4 cup Almond flour

Directions:
Combine pork rinds and almond flour on a large plate (add any extra desired spices to this mix; Italian seasoning works nicely). Break the egg into a separate shallow bowl, mixing the yolk and white. In a large pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat. After tenderizing the chicken breasts, dip them in the egg base and put directly onto the flour mixture plate. Flip over until fully coated, then put into the pan. Allow to cook for three minutes on one side, then flip and cook for an additional three minutes (or until the crust is browned and chicken is cooked through). Serve with mashed cauliflower. (*This dish can also be a great sub for chicken parmesan; just melt cheese on the top and add your favorite sugar-free spaghetti sauce.)

Arugula Salad with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

*Serves 1*

Ingredients (salad):
2 cups Baby arugula
3 Strips Bacon (sugar and nitrate free)
1/2 Cucumber (peeled)
1 Mini bell pepper (or about 1/4 of a large one)
1/2 Avocado (peeled and pitted)
1/8 cup Shelled pistachios
1/8 cup Crumbled goat cheese
(*The beauty of salad is that you can add or subtract just about anything and it will taste great. Throw in grilled chicken, shrimp, eggs, olives, etc. to mix it up a little.)

Directions:

Cook bacon on a panini press to ensure crispiness and to collect the fat drippings (a pan will work, but not as quickly and easily). Meanwhile, put arugula into a serving dish. Slice cucumber, avocado and pepper, then add to the bowl. Add the pistachios and goat cheese. When done cooking, break apart the bacon and crumble on top of the salad. Set aside the bacon drippings for use in the dressing.

Ingredients (base vinaigrette):
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Minced roasted garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard (*No sugar added)
Coarse salt and pepper
3/4 cup Light olive oil

(*This will make enough for several salads; the bacon drippings from the recipe above are to be added fresh to a small portion of this dressing, but not to the base, or it will not keep for as long.)

In a large bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Continuing to whisk, add oil slowly in a stream about the width of pencil lead. Pour mixture into a sealed container. When the recipe for the salad above is ready to be served, pour the desired amount of dressing into a small bowl along with the leftover bacon drippings and mix together (use a little less than half the amount of dressing used). Pour over salad.

Lemon Caper Chicken

If you need to make something for dinner or lunch quickly, but you don't want to sacrifice flavor, then this one is great. It takes less than ten minutes to cook, and it packs a tangy punch.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
2 Thinly sliced chicken breasts
1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
2 Tbsp Capers
1/4 cup Lemon juice
1/8 - 1/4 tsp Truvia (*A little goes a long way; obviously, adding more will make it sweeter.)
Garlic powder
Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium pan until lightly browned. Tenderize the chicken and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place the chicken into the pan with the browned butter. Flip after about three minutes. When the pan begins to dry out, deglaze with lemon juice and add capers. Sprinkle truvia over the chicken and sauce.

Orange Beef with Sweet Potato Noodles

My husband decided to surprise me with dinner tonight, and he produced this magical dish (this recipe is modified somewhat from his original version). Even though it wasn't my creation, it's definitely worth sharing.

*Serves 2*

Ingredients:
1 Twelve oz Top Sirloin
1 Orange, peeled and sliced (*Note: peel the orange with a knife to get large chunks of orange zest, then set these aside for use in the marinade!)
1/2 Yellow onion
1 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Minced garlic
1/2 tsp Grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp powdered ginger)
1 tsp Sesame seeds
4 Tbsp Wheat-free tamari
1/4 tsp Truvia
1/2 Bunch sweet potato noodles (*You can find these at Asian grocers. They typically come in large bags with three bunches bundled in each bag. They are made entirely from sweet potatoes, but they are fairly high in carbohydrates, so I would not recommend making this dish often if you're primal for weight loss purposes.)

Directions:
Create a marinade for the steak by mixing tamari, truvia, ginger and minced garlic. Tenderize the steak and cut into 1/8 inch thick strips. Place the steak into a bag and pour marinade in. Add orange slices and peels. Let marinate for two hours. After that time, boil the sweet potato noodles, then drain and set aside. In a large pan, saute the onions in butter. Remove the slices of orange from the marinade bag and place into the pan, stirring with the onions. Once the onions are caramelized, add the steak. Allow the steak to brown, then remove the orange slices and discard. Add the noodles to the pan. Discarding the orange peels, pour the remaining steak marinade onto the noodles. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and toss the noodles for 3-5 minutes.

Simple Deviled Eggs

Eating Paleo/Primal and wondering what to bring to a party? Thinking that Mark Sisson's idea for "bacon covered balls of bacon bits" sounds FANTASTIC but that people might judge you just a little bit?

Here's your answer.

Ingredients:
10 Eggs
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard (*Be sure to read the label; some mustard is made with sugar or brown sugar.)
4 Tbsp Heavy whipping cream
Paprika
Salt to taste

Directions:

Hard boil the desired number of eggs (if you don't already know how to hard boil an egg, then click here), plus an extra or two in case of mistakes (trust me; there will be mistakes). This recipe will make 20 deviled eggs (9 whole eggs + 1 extra), so assume that you will end up with 18. Allow the eggs to cool, then peel the shells off. Cut each egg in half lengthwise; set the whites aside on a serving dish and place the yolks in a mixing bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork. Add dijon mustard, heavy cream and salt and mix until well blended. Spoon a little bit of the mixture into each eggwhite half. Sprinkle a small amount of paprika on top.

Zucchini "Lasagna"

I neglected to take a picture of the one I made, but when I googled "zucchini lasagna," this popped up. Apparently the idea was not as original as I had thought...and theirs looks prettier. But mine was DAMN delicious. Note: this particular dish has lots and lots of cheese. I love my dairy, as long as it's full fat. You might want to wait for other recipes to be posted if you subscribe to the school of thought that dairy is the devil. Or you might just want to leave and never come back.

*Serves 4-8 (or 2 for several days in our case)*

Ingredients:
3 Large zucchini
1 lb Lean ground beef
2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups Whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Shredded parmesan cheese
1 Large egg
2 Tbsp Melted unsalted butter
Tomato sauce (*Sugar free! I use Earth Fare brand organic.)
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large glass baking dish with a small piece of unsalted butter. In a large saucepan, add ground beef and stir on medium heat until in small pieces and browned. Add tomato sauce and turn heat down to simmer. In a separate bowl, combine 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 cups ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 egg, melted butter, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well blended. Slice the zucchini down the length so that you get lasagna-sized "noodles." Form a single layer of these in the glass baking dish, covering the bottom entirely. Cover this with about one half of the cheese mixture. Spoon the meat sauce on top of the cheese layer, then cover with another layer of zucchini. Repeat the cheese and meat sauce, then add zucchini on top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top of the final zucchini layer. Bake for 45 minutes. (This dish is even better the next day, so leftovers are great!)

What the hell is on my arm?!

My name is Heather, and I used to be addicted to pasta.

A little over two years ago, I developed a completely random (or so I thought), persistent rash that popped up on my forearm. I tried every medication and ointment I could find, wrapped my arm in gauze and even stopped using my favorite purse because I thought that the metal clasp might have been irritating my skin.

A year into the confusion, rash still going strong, I went to visit my parents. My father had started another one of his "crazy" diets; it consisted of no grains, no processed sugar and was high in protein and saturated fat. Feeling up for a challenge and tired of my routine, I joined him.

After just three days, my rash started to disappear. I wasn't entirely sure that the two events were related at first, then after a slice of pizza, the rash came back. And so it went that every time I ingested gluten, the rash would reappear, only to disappear when I would return to my grain-free diet.

Finally, my father gave me his copy of The Primal Blueprint. Nothing has been the same since.

For those who have discovered this "diet" as well, this blog is filled with my recipes from the journey. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.