Mediterrean Slow Cooker Chicken

I have been again trying some new recipes.  This one was simple and yummy.  As with most the recipes I try, they are milk free, gluten free, and paleo. I really did follow this recipe, which is unusual for me.  I made a few changes, as I didn't have everything in the house.  Here is the origional link.  I love there recipes.  https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/slow-cooker-mediterranean-chicken/

Mediterranean Slow Cooker Chicken

2 pounds of chicken
2 peppers sliced (red and yellow)
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary

I put everything in the crock pot on low for 6 hours.  Served with chopped fresh mozzerella sprinkled on top.

Fried Cauliflower Rice

Tried this new recipe the other day. Was so so yummy!!! Super easy!!! Super filling!!! Super healthy!!!

If you know me I don't use recipes. I read one and then try my hand at it. I have had a few fails but usually works out for me. The only problem is I don't always remember what I used, so started this blog to keep track my recipes and to share if anyone wants it. 

Fried Cauliflower Rice

1/2 cup diced carrots

4 chopped green onion

1 1/2 cup cooked diced chicken

2 bags riced cauliflower

Soy sauce

Pepper

Ginger

Sesame oil

Put a little olive oil in the pan to start cooking up the carrots and onions. Add already cooked chicken and the riced cauliflower. I had a plain riced bag and one herbed bag, so I used both. The pepper and ginger I probably used 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each. I put soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.

Salsa

                                 Homemade Salsa

Our garden has been ridiculous this year. We are giving away lettuce, tomatoes and zucchini on a daily basis. We had so many tomatoes, even after giving it away, that we needed to do something with them. Salsa it was!!!  My husband makes amazing salsa, but I decided the girls and I should try our hand at it.  It was a fun time, used our tomatoes and was pretty good at the same time.

Salsa

• 10 fresh tomatoes
• 18 tomatillos
• 2 onions
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 3 Tablespoons cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• Salt to taste

Take out as many seeds as you can from the tomatoes.  Chop everything to smaller sizes and blend in the food processor.  The sugar and salt are to taste. It also is dependent upon tomatoes you use.

It is fun any easy to do. Healthy as well. Get the kids involved.  Make a mess and make memories. 

Was of course great with chips, but we also put on soft tacos that night.  We didn't need to add tomatoes or onions like normal.  The salsa gave us the flavor that was needed. 

Enchilada Casserole

I haven't posted in awhile or cooked this recipe in awhile. Trying to get back on focus with now working part time.  Life is full of changes right now for us, but we got a needed night at home as a family, so I went back to one of our favorites.  This is one of my husband's favourite recipes, but even my picky girls love it. It is easy and yummy. You can personalize it to your families taste. Start chicken in the crockpot in the morning and it only takes 25 min when get home.

Enchilada Casserole 

In crockpot: 

4 large chicken breast
1 can red enchilada sauce
Homemade taco seasoning
1 cup chicken broth (add more if need more)

Cook on low all day.

Shred chicken and put in glass baking sheet. Add following ingredients.

I can black beans rinsed
I can total
I chopped yellow pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped pepachinies
1 can green enchilada sauce
Mozzarella cheese if desired

Other possible ingredients:

Olives, jalapenos, onion

Cook on 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese melted. Top with salsa or verde.  Can serve with chips.

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

Growing up I hated sweet potatoes. I have learned to love them as I have gotten older. I especially love how good they are for you.  Sweet potatoes are my go to, before races to carb load. I mainly like sweet potatoes with a little salt or parmesan and garlic on them.  I have always hated sweet potatoes with brown sugar or marshmallows, I think they are sweet enough, but I know many like them that way.  A couple years ago my grandma brought a new sweet potato casserole to Thanksgiving.  I had a crumble on top with nuts.  I loved it.  Well actually everyone did.  This Thanksgiving I thought I would try something new but old at the same time.  My grandfather has become diabetic and we try to eat as healthy as possible, so I tried a paleo version of this casserole.  Because I used coconut sugar the glycemic is lower for my grandpa.  

Well it was a hit.  He loved it and begged for the recipe and my husband loved it to, which is a win as well.  I will be making this again for sure.

I read several recipes and mixed them together to make my version, as I didn't like certain things in each one.  Go figure! The reason for this blog. 

Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole

-about 3 pounds of Sweet Potatoes (I had a couple big ones and a lot of small ones, so just a guess)

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-3/4 cup Almond Milk

-1/2 cup coconut sugar

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

-1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

-1/2 cup coconut sugar

-1/2 cup coconut flour

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-6 tablespoon coconut oil softened

Bake sweet potatoes in foil at 450 for about an hour to hour in a half or until till soft, but you could boil if wanted.  I put the softened sweet potatoes in a 9x13 glass baking dish and used fork to mash them.  I then added the salt, almond milk, coconut sugar and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl mix the topping ingredients till it makes a crumble mixture.  Then spread on top of the sweet potatoes.  Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.  Let cool little and serve.  

Dream Big

I was hoping to get this posted earlier, but jet lag, my friends is real.  I have finally got back into a normal sleeping and eating schedule, but the tiredness drags on.  I can't imagine how my 13 year old feels, as two days after we got back she went off to camp. Next week will be sleep catch up for her, for sure.  I thought I would share some of our journey to the Mediterranean and the yummy fresh food we ate!  Read all the way to the end for a very exciting new journey I am starting in my life!

One of my lifetime dreams was to travel to Europe.  I loved the architecture, the history (even though not my favorite subject), the different life and slow culture intrigues me.  I promised I would take my daughters one day.  I absolutely love to travel.  I love to be home on my little farm with donkeys, chickens and doggies, but I love to experience the world and the culture.  Most of all I love to dig into the real culture outside of the tourist area.  I only got to do this just a little on this trip, but most of all my husband and I got to watch our girls faces light up, as they experienced the world. 

We had a stop in Marseille, France.  We were exhausted from flying and lack of sleep, so we just took a taxi to Notre-Dame de la Garde.  I am not Catholic, but I wanted to light a candle and leave it burning. For those close to me, you will know the circumstances that have been going on in my life and my heart's burden. Notre Dome and the taxi ride was a great first experience for the girls, although really it wasn't their first experience of different cultures.  The ship alone was a crazy experience for them.  My girls can make friends with anyone, but they found it is hard if you don't speak the same language.  My biggest wish is to speak another language and it sucks learning as an adult.  Luckily, they both met friends from Northern Ireland and they are continuing to pen pal with them, so looks like a trip to Ireland is in our future.

Our second stop was in Villefranche, France.  This was the French Riveria and oh my goodness, it was amazing.  I ran outside on the track on deck 12 of the ship and just was amazed at the beauty of the place. We just stayed in the port town and walked around shopping and exploring, playing on the beach and smelling the sweet flowers that were everywhere.  We at the best "fresh" being the key word pizza there.  The highlight of it all was my daughter was able to eat both ice cream and pizza in Europe.  They process their dairy different, which she can deal with.  The whole time she was there she had no issues, but has already eaten something since we came home that made her sick.  Now she wants to move there.  I am game!

The next day was the Tower of Pisa in La Spezia, Italy. It was lots of fun.  Little smaller in person then in movies and pictures, but lots of fun for the kids to take crazy pictures.  The best was turning your back to the tower and watching 60 people be in funny stances of all kinds to a picture.  Oh what we humans do for fun!

Then it was Rome.  We didn't have time for everything, so we just did a sight seeing tour and then walked around the outside of the Vatican, which was massive.  The girls are itching to go back and it was fun, as my husband has been there and done tours before, so he gave us some background info.  We got these little sandwiches there and I thought they were amazing.  Again my daughter was scared to eat cheese, but was great!

Our favorite place was Sorrento and Pompeii, Italy.  Sorrento was so beautiful, quaint and full of life.  We had real pizza from a little locals place my husband had found 8 years ago when he was there.  We were the only people there and the food was again key word "fresh."  I love the moped in the restaurant lol  Love European life!!!

We had gelato twice and the look of my kids faces when we walked down the street and there was live Italian music playing smell of fresh pizza and Italian flag everywhere.  My oldest looked at me with a huge grin and said "we are really here, aren't we?"  I loved the farm house that overlooked Sorrento.  They showed us how to make fresh mozzarella and how they make extra virgin olive oil.  We got to try test all these foods, which were amazing and drink this amazing house wine.  Was so amazing and beautiful. Oh and the lemoncillo was amazing too.  Made fresh on this farm.

I ran 3 different times, all on the running track. On the last day at sea, everywhere I could see was the Mediterrian Sea and I wanted to pinch myself. 

The food on the ship, honestly wasn't that great.  Spain on the other hand was amazing.  We had an amazingly long wait in Barcellona, Spain airport and so we ate Tapa.  Which was so good.  Even my kids tried Calamari, which they both loved, even my picky eater.  I got this amazing Caesar salad, that wasn't really a Caesar salad.  The chef made it all fresh right by us and it was beautifully presented. 

Three hours later, we where still in the airport, don't even get me started on this airport, and hungry again.  So this was our snack.  Love Europe, can't say it enough.  I would move there today if I could.  Coming home was nice, I missed my donkeys and puppies and my own bed, but the food is nasty and going to work not as much fun!  Plus my car broke down so we had to find me a new one.  Thanks to my sweet husband he makes it not stressful at all. 

I am excited for the next step in my life though. On July 24th I officially start my Doctorate program through North Central University.  I will be pursing my Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy.  This has been my silent dream for a long time.  Something I thought I could never do, but God has laid it on my heart a few months ago that the dreams He puts in our hearts are for a reason.  This is the only AAMFT certified that I can do, as there is nothing close to me.  I am excited to start this journey and to see where God takes me in the future with my career.  Please pray for me as this is a journey that will take me 4 plus years to finish, but in the end I will be Dr. Meg.  My daughter asked if she will have to call me Dr. Momma. lol

Thanks for taking the time to read this extremely long post and hopefully I put the itch in you to travel the world or at least pursue your dreams, no matter what they are.  You live only one life, live it to the fullest!

Paleo Lemon Bars

This week’s recipe is one that has been requested for a while. We all need something sweet now and again.  I have been looking for Paleo friendly desserts.  The number one approved by many dessert are these Lemon Bars.   I found this recipe on  this blog

http://www.paleorunningmomma.com/paleo-lemon-bars-coconut-whipped-cream/

I made very few changes to this recipe. Which is actually amazing, as I normally find something I don't like about a recipe, especially Paleo recipes.  I did add a bit more lemon to the coconut topping. I also learned to pay attention to the Coconut Milk and make sure you buy full fat version.  It won’t cream up otherwise.  It is an easy recipe to make a day ahead of time and bring to a potluck, or party.  You can easily make it nut free as well, but using sunflower butter instead if you want.  Can you imagine a dessert with no milk, nuts and gluten free?  It can happen. 

This time of year lots of easy sweet and healthy recipes are nice to have on hand for BBQ’s or parties or family get togethers.  The one thing you will run into is people being cautious of healthy food.  I know that sounds absolutely crazy, but it is true.  People are scared of something new and something they don’t know about.  It is sad that our culture is so use to processed, high in sugar and horrible for your health food, that they are scared of the clean, healthy food.  I am scared to death to eat all the crap that is out there.  I said scared to death, because it could bring on death.  Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol will have life time effects of your life.  It isn’t worth it by any means.  Be an advocate for positive eating.  Bring a healthy choice to those BBQ’s or family gatherings this summer.  Encourage and educate others to try them.  Baby steps are better than not steps at all. 

Paleo Lemon Bars

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 egg
• ¼ cup organic coconut sugar
• ¼ cup creamy nut butter or sunflower butter 
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (the original recipe is half a tbsp, I didn't feel like enough
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

For the Filling

• 4 eggs
• 6 Tbsp honey
• ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp tapioca flour
• 1 tsp coconut flour

For the Coconut Whipped Cream

• 1 can full fat coconut milk (make sure to buy the right one, separate and only use the full fat)
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (the original recipe says you can use honey too, but the maple gives a wonderful flavor.
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp fresh lemon juice*

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, whisk the egg, coconut sugar, nut butter (you could use sunflower butter if want a nut free version), lemon juice, zest and vanilla until smooth. Then stir in the coconut flour. Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking dish to prevent sticking, or line with parchment paper on the bottom and up the sides. Spread the crust out evenly on the bottom of the dish and just slightly up the sides. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until just set, then remove.

While the crust bakes, whisk together the tapioca and coconut flour in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, combine the honey and lemon, then slowly add the flour mixture to incorporate until well combined and smooth. Whisk in each of the eggs one by one. I found to mix well so that the egg white doesn't separate after cooking. Pour this mixture over the baked crust, then bake another 20 minutes in the preheated oven until the lemon layer is set and just beginning to turn light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temp before refrigerating to prevent the lemon layer from cracking.

To make the whipped cream layer, in a large bowl, beat the coconut cream (or thick part of separated canned coconut milk) until light and creamy, then beat in the maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon juice. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to use. Once the lemon bars are totally cooled, spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the bars, then cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.