Paleo Recipes

Salted-Chocolate Brownies

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They are the quintessential American treat that we simply can’t live without. They being Brownies of course! So, as I live my American Dream, I felt it was my duty to concoct a Paleo Brownie recipe that rivaled the traditional wheat-flour and refined-sugar based treats. Thankfully, it worked!

This brownie recipe is absolutely indulgent and is 100% gluten-free.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 shakes sea salt
Half a slab of organic dark salted-chocolate
1/3 cup organic dark chocolate chips
7 dates, pitted
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon coconut oil for greasing

RECIPE

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pulse the flour, baking soda and sea salt in a food processor.
Add all the chocolate and the dates and pulse until gritty.
Add the eggs, coconut oil and vanilla essence and pulse until well combined.
Scoop the mixture into a greased baking dish; 6 x 6 makes thicker brownies, 8 x 8 makes for thinner bites.
The mixture will be slightly spongy from the coconut flour, so press down firmly until evenly spread.
Place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For an added indulgence and a perfect finish, top with Chocolate Sauce and then place in the refrigerator to set for about an hour.

These brownies can be enjoyed once cooled, or kept for days in the refrigerator (if you have the willpower to make them last!)

Enjoy this guilt-free indulgence,

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Property of ThePaleoPact.com
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Whether you’ve just started Paleo or you’ve been at it for a while there is nothing you’ll probably miss more that a good traditional pasta dish. This is a great alternative for the traditional spaghetti and meatball dish, it’s Paleo, GF and Egg Free. The best part is that it’s simple and fast to make.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs grass-fed, ground beef (you can use ground turkey or chicken also)
1 spaghetti squash
1 1/2 tbps italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
pasta sauce (optional)

RECIPE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine meat, italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Roll golf ball sized meatballs and place in a pyrex or glass baking dish.
Bake meatballs for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked fully.
While meatballs are cooking, cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop the middle out.
Place squash cut side down in a microwave safe dish and cover half way with water. Microwave for 7 -10 minutes. Using a fork pull the inside of the squash out, it should separate and look like spaghetti.
Mix meatballs, squash and pasta sauce together.

I hope you enjoy this home cooked, traditional pasta dish!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

Coronation Salad

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Springtime is just around the corner and the warmer the weather gets the more appealing a light and warm salad becomes. This protein topped green wonder is drizzled in a subtle-curry dressing and takes just a few minutes to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

5 shrimp or 5 thin organic chicken strips (hereafter referred to as “protein”)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder (makes a mild curry sauce)
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups tossed greens (baby spinach and kale make a great, healthy combination)
1 peach, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon organic dried blueberries (can be substituted with cranberries or goji berries)

RECIPE

In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil at medium heat.
Add your protein choice and cook until well done and slightly browned.
Add the coconut milk, curry powder and garlic and stir together with the protein until well blended. Allow to simmer for 2-4 minutes; the sauce will thicken slightly.
Place tossed greens on a plate and arrange peaches for presentation.
Place the cooked protein on the salad bed and top with the curried dressing.
Sprinkle with blueberries and serve while the protein is still warm.

And there you have it–a super easy yet tasty and pretty fancy-looking spring salad to impress yourself and your guests. Simply pair with a crisp glass of Riesling or fruit-infused water and toast to the spring sunshine!

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

Awesome Appetizer Demos at Natural Grocers

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This March we so enjoyed hosting two Paleo Appetizer Events; one at the brand new Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Store in downtown Denver and one in the Littleton Store we love so much.

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to all you wonderful Paleo fans who joined us for these events. From the filming at the first location to the great discussion over steamed vegetables at the second–we had an absolute blast and hope you did too!

Here are a few pics from these events:

March Demo

Camilla - March Demo

Melissa - March Demo

March Demo

Melissa - March Demo

Camilla - March Demo

And just incase you need another copy of the Recipes from these March Demos–click here.

We look forward to next month’s Demos on Paleo Breakfast and we hope to see you there!

Camilla and Melissa

thepaleopact.com

Chocolate Sauce

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/01/smell-chocolate-boosts-sales-romantic-books
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Chocolate sauce gives life to just about everything. It can turn a berry bowl into a romantic dessert, a brownie into a work of art and a banana into a dipped delight. But the question you are no doubt asking is–doesn’t chocolate sauce have huge quantities of refined sugar and dairy? Traditionally, yes, but not this Paleo version, and yet it’s equally tasty!

INGREDIENTS

3/4 of a cup coconut milk
3/4 of a cup organic coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup organic dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegan shortening

RECIPE

In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk, sugar, chocolate and agave to the boil.
Allow to boil for about 30 seconds and then reduce the heat to let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the shortening and mix continuously until the shortening dissolves completely into the mixture.
Let simmer for another minute or two.
Serve hot or pour over fruit or desserts and allow to set in the refrigerator.

If you enjoy nuts, crushed walnuts are a tasty additive. Simply sprinkle a few on top of the chocolate sauce when serving hot, or allow to set with the sauce in the refrigerator for a gourmet topping to dessert favorites, like brownies.

…I promise I won’t judge if you want to eat it as is out of a bowl! Yes, I may just be guilty of that…

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

Paleo Post Workout

Property of ThePaleoPact.com
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I know that cavemen wouldn’t have had post workout drinks but for anyone who is an athlete, sometimes you need one. Here is a recipe for a Paleo post workout drink.

INGREDIENTS

1 liter of water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons agave or honey
2-3 tablespoons of orange, lime or lemon juice

RECIPE

Put it all in a large water bottle and shake until combined. It’s that easy.

Some reasons why the ingredients are helpful post workout: Baking soda is great for counteracting the lactic acid that builds up in your muscles from exercising. The sugar from the agave or honey will help give you back some energy. The salt and juice are great for replacing some of your electrolytes that you may have lost during your workout.

This is a lot of fluid. Please take your time drinking this, consuming too much liquid at once can have negative health effects.

One more thing I really love about this…It has a really mild taste! I’m not a fan of most post workout drinks so this was a nice change.

Have a good workout!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

Oscar Party Appetizers!

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The 2014 Academy Award Weekend is upon us and we thought we’d share some great Paleo Appetizer ideas from the Paleo community to help you prep for the big event!

Mango Salsa from Elana’s Pantry

Bacon and Guacamole Sammies from Nom Nom Paleo

Butternut Squash Chips from Things My Belly Likes

Cranberry Spiked Sausage Balls from What I Gather

Endive Salmon Poppers from The Paleo Plan

Shrimp Cocktail from The Paleo Plan

Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps

Sweet Citrus Chicken Wings

Chocolate Date Squares from The Paleo Mom

Chocolate Chip Cookies and other delicious cookie flavors

Plus, stay tuned for our March Event schedule and join us to learn about two other delicious Paleo Appetizers: Cauliflower Hummus and Devils on Horseback!

May your Oscar picks win!

Melissa Van Dover and Camilla Carboni

Sweet Potato Brownies

Source: http://www.bigcitydreamer.com/2013/08/healthy-vegan-chocolate-mousse-cups.html
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Who doesn’t love brownies…seriously I have yet to meet a single person. One of the biggest challenges I had when I started cutting out my allergens and becoming Paleo was finding anything to eat as a desert. This recipe was what I needed, and for those of you wondering it did pass “my husband test”.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups shredded sweet potato, about 1 medium sweet potato (I prefer the orange sweet potato for this recipe)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (make sure you get real vanilla extract)
1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (you want this heaping so don’t make it exact)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons coconut flour
coconut oil

RECIPE

Heat oven to 365°F. Mix sweet potato, eggs, agave, olive oil and vanilla in a bowl making sure they are combined well. Add baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powered and coconut flour to wet mixture, incorporate throughly. Grease a 9×9 baking pan with coconut oil and add mixture so that it is roughly 3/4″-1″ thick. Bake for roughly 30 minutes or until you can insert a pick tooth and it comes out clean.

For anyone new to gluten-free baking, I’ve learned that you should try to keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If you open it regularly, you tend to get baked goods that fall flat.

Happy Baking!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com 

Yam Fries and Spicy Aioli

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Just because we’re Paleo doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in fries, especially healthy homemade yam fries. They make a great little (but filling!) snack and an excellent side to just about any dish, plus they are incredibly easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

1 yam
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup paprika

RECIPE

Set the oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel the yam and slice it into thin strips.
In a medium sized pot, bring water to the boil and cook the yam strips on high for a few minutes (they should still be firm when you remove them from the pot).
Remove the yams from the boiling water and lay out on a foil-lined baking sheet.
In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil until liquid.
Drizzle the coconut oil over the yams and then sprinkle with paprika.
Place in the oven for about 15 minutes (or longer if you prefer them crispy).
Remove from the oven and serve hot!

SPICY AIOLI

For a quick and tasty dipping sauce combine the following in a small bowl (or blender if you prefer it pureed):

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons coconut milk
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped
1 teaspoon raw agave nectar

Spicy Aioli

Snack time should be satisfying! Enjoy,

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com

Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

Property of #thepaleopact.
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This is another great “week night” recipe. It takes roughly 30 minutes, you need only 1 pot and it is absolutely amazing. It passed what I call “my husband” test, essentially if my husband likes it, most people will like it. He’s not super adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, so I consider him liking this recipe a mini-victory.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground, sweet pork sausage (most natural food stores have great Paleo, organic options)
32 ounces organic, natural chicken stock
24 ounces water
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
2 cups chopped organic kale
2 medium sweet potatoes ( I used white sweet potatoes for this recipe)

RECIPE

Wash and peel sweet potatoes, slice into 1/4″ slices. Place water, chicken stock, potatoes, salt and pepper into a pot and cover. Bring to a boil and remove cover. Add sausage too boiling mixture, breaking it up with your hands. Reduce to medium-high heat, stir occasionally. Test potatoes with a fork, see if you can easily push the fork through the sweet potatoes (about 20 minutes). When you can easily poke through the sweet potatoes add chopped kale to the mixture and stir in. Cover and let stew for 5 minutes. It’s ready to serve!

This is a great savory & sweet recipe. As a note of caution, let the soup cool down for a bit before you try to eat it. Otherwise you’ll end up burning your tongue a bit, and for those of you who are curious, yes I know this from personal experience.

Hope This Keeps You Warm!

Melissa Van Dover

@mvandover | melissavandover.com