PALEO breakfast biscuits

These are great if you want to make an egg mcmuffin- a sandwich hour of your bacon and eggs :) but it would also go well with chilli's and soups for dipping!
 
You will need:
3 egg whites
1/3 cup blanched almond flour
A little less than 1/4 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil, chilled

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
2. Mix almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl.  Cut in cold coconut oil with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.  
3. In a medium bowl whisk egg whites until they are very frothy.  Fold the egg whites into the chilled flour mixture until well combined.  
4. Scoop about 1/4 cup of dough onto the baking sheet and smooth the top to form each biscuits, an ice cream scoop works well in this step.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.  Serve warm.


Should make about 4 or 5 small biscuits!

PALEO Stuffed Mushrooms

These could work as an appetizer, but I ate them as a meal with some grilled zucchini (and then saved the extra ones for snacks!). These are super yummy, and soothe any salty craving you may have :)

You will need:
Approx 16 medium-small mushrooms
1 cup of fresh or frozen shrimp
1/4 cup of cilantro
2 cooked bacon slices, sliced and diced
1 tsp of hot sauce (optional)
1 1/2 tsp of fish sauce
salt and pepper

Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 450F

2. Clean, and de-stem your mushrooms. Place the mushrooms on a aluminum-foil lined baking sheet, and in the oven for 12 mins.

3. Remove from oven, and flip them. Roast for another 6-10 mins, or until all liquid has evaporated.

4. While the mushrooms are in the oven, remove tails from shrimp and place them in the food processor, along with your cilantro, bacon, hot and fish sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend these ingredients until a chunky, coarse paste develops.

5. When paste is done, scoop out small portions with a spoon and fill each cooked mushroom with shrimp paste.

6. Return the stuffed mushrooms into the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the shrimp is lightly browned. Then remove from oven and enjoy!

PALEO Pumpking Pancakes

I love pumpkin pie, and I love pancakes. This recipe is almost like the two combined! So yummy, and super filling.

You will need:
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup almond milk

Prep:
1.Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
2. Then whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl: eggs, coconut oil, almond milk and pumpkin puree.
3. Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Heat the pan with coconut oil medium low heat. Spoon the batter into the pan in whatever size you wish. Use a spoon to flatten and shape the batter to about 1/3 inch. They will not bubble like regular pancakes so keep your eyes on them until they are done. Flip them over to the other side when the bottom is golden brown. Also, you can check the edges to see if they are ready.
5. Serve with 100% pure maple syrup, or berries and nuts! 

PALEO Lemon Squares

It was my sisters birthday this weekend, and she came to visit so I could throw her a little party. She also knows me for my baking, and was expecting a tasty treat! She thinks this whole pale thing is stupid, and generally refuses to try any paleo baking I make. So I tricked her with this yummy recipe; I told her it was none paleo so that she would eat it. She absolutely loved it, and was amazed when she found out there was NO dairy, NO processed sugar, and NO grains.
Try it out! Paleo or non-paleo lover, I think you'll like it. Zesty, and a little sweet :)

For the crust you will need:
2 cups of almond/coconut flour¼ cup of honey½ cup of coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla pod extract
2 eggs

To make the crust:
1. Heat up the oven to 160 degrees.
2. Mix together the honey, melted coconut oil, vanilla and eggs and whip till well mixed.
3. Pour the flour in a bowl and mix the wet ingredients in till well blended.
4. Line a 8 x 12 baking dish with baking paper and dump your mixture evenly over the pan and press it down till the crust is uniformly distributed over the pan and tucked in all nice.
5. Pop in the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly brown. Set it aside to cool.


For the lemon filling, you will need:
5 eggs
1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup of honey
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted

To make the filling:
1. In a small sauce pan whisk together all the ingredients but the coconut oil over medium heat. While whisking, slowly pour in the melted coconut oil till well blended.
3. Keep whisking till the filling becomes a nice pudding like texture. Remove from the heat and let it cool, whisking occasionally.

4. Once cooled pour into the crust and place in the freezer to harden.
5. Take it out and cut into squares while frozen. Keep in the freezer as they are a bit gooey when they get warm!

PALEO Egg Muffins

Paleo breakfast foods mostly involve eggs, and alot of them, so I'm always looking for new ways to make them! Do you miss your muffins? Here's a paleo substitute, that I really enjoyed!

You will need:
tbsp of olive oil
handful of chopped onion (either green or white onion works!)
handful of green and red pepper, finely chopped
handful of chopped cilantro
2-3 large eggs, whisked
Salt, pepper, paprika to taste

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Saute onions in olive oil over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add peppers and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

3. While onions/peppers are cooking, whisk eggs in large bowl.
4. Once onions/peppers are cooked, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Dump peppers/onions in egg bowl (once cooled), and uncooked cilantro and combine well.  Sprinkle in salt & pepper.
5. Coat a large muffin pan with olive oil spray or coconut oil.  Using a 1/4 cup (60mL) measuring cup, fill each muffin cup. I opted out of using oil, and instead used muffin paper cups to put my eggs in- less grease, and it looks prettier! But up to you :)

6.  Place in oven for 15 minutes (or more).  Remove once the tops get high, fluffy and golden brown.  Pop them out with a butter knife or thin spatula.

Goes well with salsa, avocado, hot sauce, or fruit! Enjoy :)

PALEO Zucchini-pasta stirfry

Yes my friends, we can eat pasta again, I discovered a way to recreate it in a paleo friendly manner :) Check this recipe out, you won't be disappointed. Even all my non-paleo friends love it!


You will need:
1 large zucchini
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1 carrot peeled or shredded
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 lime squeezed
1 and 1/2 cup of shrimp
Freshly chopped cilantro to taste
Olive oil for cooking
1 and 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
pepper to taste

Prep:
1. Heat oil in a large wok or sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Once pan is warmed add minced garlic and ginger, then add red bell pepper when softened and sautee until it begins to soften. Add the carrot and continue to saute for about a minute or two.
3. Add shrimp and let sit in pan until meat is warm, then turn the heat to medium high and add the curry powder and zucchini noodles. Continually stir to avoid burning.
4. Add the lime juice and toasted sesame oil, black pepper and a little bit of the cilantro.
5. Toss the pan and keep it moving fast over the heat until everything is thoroughly coated with spice.
Continue this until your zucchini noodles begin to turn slightly translucent, once they are translucent your dish is done.
6. Add cilantro as a garnish. Should serve two! Or one, if you're really hungry :)

 

PALEO Chocolate banana protein muffins

So I FINALLY had a successful Paleo baking recipe. After much trial and error- I'm talking grainy-textured cupcakes, lumpy cakes, and cardboard-tasting cookies- I finally made a Paleo recipe that tasted GOOD. Paleo baking is really hard without flour, milk, or butter- the usual ingredients that are involved when it comes to baking something yummy. So if you miss baking, or want a post-workout snack or breakfast, try this! So yummy, and it's a treat you can enjoy without guilt :)

You will need:

Muffins:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 large ripe bananas

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, at room temp (not melted)
• 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350  and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners
2. Place the coconut oil, eggs, honey, and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth
3. In a separate bowl stir together the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt, then pour in with the wet ingredients and beat again 
4. In another bowl mash the bananas together with the protein powder and water until a mush is formed, combine with the other ingredients and beat on medium until well combined
5. Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes. Insert a toothpick or fork into muffins- when it comes out clean, they are ready to remove from the oven.
6. Prepare the frosting by combining all ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. If the frosting is a little runny just place it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up.
7. Once the muffins have cooled completely you can frost them.

Enjoy with a glass of almond milk! Yummmmmy :)

Paleo Sandwiches

So I really miss sandwiches.
No, not bread. Just sandwiches. My friend found this fantastic link that has fifteen, yes, FIFTEEN different sandwiches you can make, all Paleo. And they are so good too. You won't miss grains after you try these (I know, I've tried several of them!).
Here's the link, let me know what you think!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/15-mouthwatering-no-bread-sandwiches

Homemade Salsa

One problem with Paleo is that you tend to loose alot of "toppings" that make food taste "better." Salsa, fortunately, is a topping that you are not only allowed to keep, but is actually good for you!!!
And you can literally put it with anything- you can dip fresh veggies in it, or serve it with your morning eggs or omelette, or mix it with avocado to make a guac-salsa type spread. The possiblities are endless. You can buy the Tostitos one, it's safe! But if you want to make your own, here's the recipe I use :)
Here's my own yummy breakfast- fried eggs in bell peppers, with a side of salsa.

You will need:
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 small cloves garlic, minced
3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped
2 hot chile peppers, finely chopped (if you don't like it tooooo spicy, I suggest using only one pepper)
2 to 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
salt and pepper

Preparation:
1. Put chopped onion and garlic in a strainer; pour 2 cups boiling water over them then let drain throughly. Discard water. Cool.
2. Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors.
Makes about 2 cups of salsa.

I find that the salsa tastes better the longer you let it sit and marinate in the flavors. So even wait a day if you can to eat it! So yummy.

PALEO Green Smoothie

Need a new breakfast? Need a pre or post workout snack? On the go, and need a meal to sustain you through the day? Look no further, I have the best smoothie EVER. Not exaggerating.

You will need:

1 large handful of kale

1 kiwi

1 small avocado

1 green apple3/4 cup of almond milk

1 banana

*optional: chia seeds

Steps:

1. Diced and slice all the above ingrediants and throw it into a blender or food processor!

2. Once as smooth to your liking, pour into a cup, mason jar, or thermos, and enjoy! Perfect for on the go, or breakfasts. Such a power food and so much protein :)

Taylor's Starter How-to on Paleo

So you want to go Paleo my friends?
I'm telling you, it's no easy feat. I thought gluten free was hard. But this is HARDER. This is not for the weak of heart. BUT, if you are super determined, and think you can do it, here is my guide and how-to on how to start. I'm only a couple weeks in, but I've discovered a couple good tricks to help you stay on track and actually enjoy yourself along the way.

First, what is Paleo? I'll give you the short and short of it.  Basically, it's like going back thousands of years to when humans were basically cave men, and ate like cave men. They would eat whatever was available to them- meat, fruit, nuts,  and veggies. All natural, straight from the earth. This is what Paleo is- no refined, processed bullshit. You want to be eating things that only have one or two ingredients in them- when you pick up something off the shelf, take a look at the ingredients. Does it have over 10 ingredients? Are at least 3 of these ingredients things you can't pronounce or you don't even know what they are? Well put that item down, it's not Paleo.

Alright, so far Paleo isn't sounding fun. So let's get the REALLY un-fun stuff out of the way, that way we can start talking about all the good stuff. Alright, here goes, all the food you can't eat:
- Grains. And I mean any kinds of grains- not just bread and pasta, but no rice either. Yah, I know some of you are crying right now
- Legumes. This means beans like black beans, kidney beans, chick peas AND peanuts/peanut butter etc. Yes, I know this double sucks. It was really hard for me to let go. I cried at the funeral of my peanut butter. 
- Refined sugars. The sugar you put in your morning coffee? The Chips-Ahoy cookies you love? Candy-canes and Gummie Bears? All no's. 
- *Dairy products. I put a star beside this one because some Paleo-dieters DO eat dairy. It is up to you to decide if you can live without dairy. Just remember, no other animal but humans drink milk except when they're babies from their mothers. Milk is not really a necessity for the human body. But it is up to you!

Okay, so that was a bit painful, wasn't it? I know. But trust me, it gets better, it really does. Why don't I comfort you with the things you can eat? Paleo foods include:
- Fruits and veggies. Fruit, dried fruit, green vegetables, orange vegetables, frozen vegetables.... anything that comes from the ground, off a tree or bush is accepted. These are your main source of carbs in this diet. They are complete carbs, fill you up, and do wonders for your body. And they taste amazing. So that's a total bonus. And guess what? You can eat as much of these as you want on Paleo.
- Meat. Literally any kind of meat. Chicken, fish, beef, pork, shrimp...if it's an animal, you can eat it. Everyone is always so concerned about the high fat content in beef and pork, but the fact of the matter is, your body NEEDS fat. And this is good fat, so enjoy as much of it as you want.
- Natural sugars. This includes fruit. But it also means you're not completely giving up sugar- you can have honey! And I am telling you now that nothing tastes better than a cup of tea with honey and almond milk in it. Which brings me to the next food...
- Nuts. Almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pecans, etc, etc the list goes on. Nuts are high calorie, so people tend to stay away from them. But nuts are necessary! They are full of protein you need, and in moderation, are so good for you. And this means you have a replacement for your beloved peanut butter- almond butter. SO. FUCKING. GOOD.
- Spices. Like flavouring in your food? Who doesn't! You can keep your garlic, coriander, paprika, chilli powder, cinnamon, vanilla extract, etc. All allowed!
- Sweet potatoes and quinoa. You know how much I love sweet potato so I was STOKED I could still eat it.

See? Feel a little better now? And you don't have to give up baked goods either! Theres almond and coconut flour, which make great substitutes in baking, once you learn how to use them. And there is so many Paleo recipes out there to help you out- I'll posting lots :)

So. The real question is, how do you go Paleo? And how do you STAY Paleo? Well, here are a few tricks for me that have worked so far:
- try not to eliminate all the no no foods at once. Do one at a time. One week eliminate grains, the next week eliminate legumes, the next week refined sugars, etc. By letting go of one thing at a time, it won't feel like total torture. I was able to go cold turkey on grains, sugars, and legumes. But I had to ween myself off of dairy... I love cheese and greek yogurt. Wahhhh. So one at a time.
- Don't have non-Paleo foods lurking around your house. Trust me, after two days, you're going to want a cookie so bad, and if you have some hidden away in your cupboards and closets, you are going to eat them. Give your food away to food banks, to friends if you feel like it's a waste to throw it out! But don't keep it. Too much temptation.
- when you are craving those foods, don't sit there and do nothing. Have a glass of water, make a yummy cup of tea with honey, munch on ANY veggie/fruit you like, go for a run, go for a walk: do something to distract yourself. Your body will stop craving these things in about two weeks once you're completely cold turkey, and then it will come much easier. ]
- you did a rally hard work out? You had a really bad day at work? This is not an excuse to go binge eat on chocolate because "you deserve it". Do something nice for yourself- a hot bath, a movie night, or some Paleo baking....but don't comfort or reward eat. You don't deserve it after all the hard work you are putting into Paleo.
- don't beat yourself up when you do fail or cheat one day. We're not perfect, it happens, and it's okay. Recognize what you did wrong, so that you can stop yourself next time
- allow yourself a cheat day or meal. Some people like to do this once a week, others once a month, and some only on special occasions (like Christmas or thanksgiving). Gauge yourself, and see what works best for you. I like to allow myself a cheat meal bi-weekly. But once you're on the Paleo diet long, you'll come to stop missing old foods, and really enjoy what Paleo has to offer :) I promise!


That's all for now, except I'm attaching a picture of a yummmmmmy Paleo dinner I made tonight- grilled steak, steamed brussel sprouts and chopped tomatoes. If you have any questions, comments, or requests, message or comment! Happy eating!!! :)

PALEO Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Buns

Paleo proves to be no easy task, especially when it comes to steering away from all grain products. So, combining my creativity, and paleo-okay foods, I devised a burger that we can eat! Honestly, I have to say these paleo burgers are better than those other burgers. Flavourful, healthy, and fully of protein and fats, this was the perfect post-work out dinner. 

For the sweet potato buns you will need:
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
A sprinkle of dried onion flakes
Salt to taste

For the turkey burgers you will need:
(I personally prefer to buy my own, grass-fed ground turkey/beef, instead of buying pre-packaged, pre-made burgers. It is a much healthier option and it also means that you can add all your own spices and flavouring!
1 package of ground, grass-fed turkey
Paprika
Garlic powder
Parsley
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Serves one

Prep: 
1. Put sweet potato into a pot of water, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the sweet potato is soft (you can stick a fork or toothpick through it easily).
2. While sweet potato is cooking, remove you ground turkey from its package and on to a cutting board (its a good idea to limit the surfaces the raw turkey touches to prevent salmonella). Sprinkle as much paprika, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, and salt +pepper as desired on top of meat. Then, mash the meat and spices all together with a fork or bare hands until mixed well.
3. Make the spiced ground turkey into a burger shape. Place one aside and freeze the rest (you can save these burgers for a future dinner!).
4. Preheat oven to 325F
5. Once your sweet potatoes are cooked, put them on a plate, add spices, and mash the mixture together. The finished product should look like mash potatoes.
6. Form the mashed potatoes into round burger  bun shapes, and place them on a parchment paper covered tray. Put in the oven and bake for 45 mins.
7. When the buns have 20 mins left to cook, grill or fry your burger (I prefer grilling).
8. Remove buns from oven (will still be soft and fall apart easily, so careful moving them around), and combine with your burger!

As toppings, I liked to use tomatoes, mashed avocado, and cilantro- some of my favourite veggies, and they make up for the cheese that I normally like on a burger. Enjoy!

Poached Eggs How-To

So I've never had poached eggs before, but I've always thought they look so pretty. They also are a better way to cook your breakfast eggs- no added butter or fats in the process of cooking them! I loved them :)

You will need:

1 egg (or as many as desired)

Sprink of paprika, salt, and peppeer

Prep:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

2. Crack an egg into a ladle, and slowly lower the egg into the hot water.

3. Allow the egg to cook in the water until it is completely cooked. Use a spoon to gather the white together with the egg- it likes to float around alot in the water.

4. Remove egg from water with a spoon, and add paprika salt and pepper for some flavor (they're my favorites for any egg dish!). I served with some sliced bell peppers, but they would go just as well with toast.

Christmas Baking: Cadbury Creme Eggs

Alright, I know these are considered more of an Easter treat. But my friend Anne-Marie absolutely adores these things, and I thought it would be a great gift to include in her secret Santa gift this year. She was very surprised, and absolutely loved them! Better than the originals, if I do say so myself. Warning: these are definitely not healthy, but everyone is allowed a treat once and awhile. Also: these were not easy to make. Took me a whole morning because they are so meticulous! So make sure you book a few hours off if you want to take this project on.

You will need:

½ cup corn syrup

6 tbsp butter, melted

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 cup powdered sugar

4 or 5 drops of yellow food coloring

1 bag of bitter sweet chocolate chips

Prep:

1. Place the butter in the bowl  and add the corn syrup, salt, and vanilla extract. Using an electric beater, mix on medium-low. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is mixed well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. 

2. Place 1/3 of the mixture into a small bowl and add enough yellow food coloring to obtain your desired color. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and put into the freezer for at least 15 minutes; your mixture must be very cold while you work with it. 

3. When the yellow sugar mixture is thoroughly chilled, remove from the freezer. Working quickly, take about 1/2 teaspoon of the yellow mixture and roll it into a small ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.Once the yolks are complete, place them on a plate or a sheet tray covered with parchment and then put that back into the freezer.

4. Now, scoop out a tablespoon of your whites mixture and roll it into slightly bigger balls. Repeat with the rest of the white portion of the sugar mixture. If the whites are too soft to work with, place back into the freezer for a few minutes.

5. Remove the yolks from the freezer. Place a white in the palm of your hand and gently flatten it a bit. Create an indent in the center to rest the yolk in. Place the yolk in the center of the white, then cover it up and roll the white into an egg shape. If at any point the sugar mixture gets too soft, quickly put it back into the freezer.

Continue this process until all your eggs are complete. Return them to the freezer.

6. While your eggs are chilling, temper your chocolate or microwave it in 30 second intervals, stirring very well in between. 

7.Working with one egg at a time, remove the egg from the freezer and cover it with chocolate. I ended up dipping the balls into the chocolate and spreading it with my fingers, but you can also get the same effect by sticking a toothpick in a ball, and then the ball in the mixture. Once covered with chocolate, place the the ball on a parchment-covered tray.

8. When all the balls are covered in chocolate, place tray in the freezer to set the chocolate, for about 20 mins. Keep the eggs in the refrigerator so that they hold their shape!

9. When serving, take them out of the fridge 20-30 mins ahead of time so they are a bit soft. Enjoy!!!

Christmas Baking: Shortbread cookies

It's December which means baking! And lots of it. 
Being a student, it's hard for me to afford presents for all my loved ones. So I try to make up for it with some Christmas treats. Anyone remember warm shortbread, fresh out of the oven from grandmas? I recreated the recipe for you to try- only 4 ingredients, and your family will love them!
Unfortunately, I can't eat them because they aren't Paleo :( so you will have to let me know how they taste! My friends only have good things to say so far!

You will need:
1 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
1/4 cup of corn starch 
1 and 1/2 cups of white flour
***Optional: colour candied sugar, icing

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. With beaters, blend together butter while slowly adding the rest of the ingredients.
3. Now here's the fun part. You can either:
a) Place the dough by spoonfuls on to the cooking sheet
b) OR you can use cookie cutters. I have an assorted bunch for every holiday/season of the year, so I use them any chance that I get to use them. Cut cookies into desired shapes and place on tray, evenly spaced apart. If adding candied sugar, make sure to sprinkle on the cookies before putting them in the oven.

4. Put in oven for 12 minutes, or until edges turn a VERY light brown. If desired, when they are cooled, you can decorate them with icing! Enjoy with a big glass of milk and this lovely Christmas playlist:
http://8tracks.com/alex4601/christmas-classics

PALEO Almond crusted baked chicken fingers

Okay, so I love chicken fingers. Who can resist those yummy chicken tenders at Wendy's, am I right?
Unfortunately, these things are absolutely awful for you. Fried and full of empty calories. I can't even be sure if they use real chicken...
SO! I am proposing a new recipe. I've recently gone Paleo (and when I say recently, I mean 5-days ago recently), so I've been trying to come up with all sorts of new ways to make food taste good. Gluten-free seems easy to Paleo- absolutely noooo grains (not even my beloved oatmeal) is allowed. 
BUT lots of protein and veggies are allowed. So here is where I came up with this protein-infused, paleo-friendly dinner! Hope you enjoy nearly as much as I did :)

You will need:
3/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of dried/powdered mustard
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
PAM
2 egg whites
2 chicken breasts

Serves two.

Prep:
1. First, cut the chicken breasts into strips. It helps the chicken cook faster and then when they're done, they'll slightly resemble your beloved Wendy's chicken tenders. Preheat oven to 475F, and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and spray it with PAM 
2. In a blender or food processor, grind your almonds, spice and salt and pepper. Once a grainy texture, add the oil and blend again until grainy/clumpy. Put this mixture in a shallow dish
3. Beat egg whites in a small bowl, and then add the chicken into bowl and mix until chicken is completely dowsed in egg whites
4. Take each strip out, and roll in the almond mixture. Then place on you wire rack and place in the oven. It should look like this:

5. Bake for 20 minutes, 25 tops- only until they are no longer pink in the middle and have a nice golden brown colour. Serve with a heaping, steaming plate of veggies (my personal favourite is lemon asparagus and green beans) and enjoy!

Cooked Veggies on Couscous (vegetarian!)

Simple, yummy, and meat free (for all you vegetarians!), this dish is a perfect post-work out dinner. It's packed with protein, and who doesn't love couscous?

You will need:

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of couscous

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

1 small zucchini

1 handful of mushrooms

1/2 cup of chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of crumble feta

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Serves 2 (or so).

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F

2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and lemon. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until ready.

3. In a large bowl, toss together all vegetables, chickpeas, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture in a large roasting pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender.

4. To serve, combine hot vegetables, cooked couscous, feta cheese, and fresh cilantro in a large serving bowl and toss well. Enjoy!!!

Avocado Fried Egg

This is simple, really tasty breakfast, full of protein and all your essential fats. Mel was making it when I got back from the gym this morning and just the smell makes my mouth water!

You will need:
1 egg
1 avocado
Salt, pepper, paprika

Prep:
1. Take an avocado and cut it length-wise down the middle until it is split in two. Discard the seed, and slice the avocado once more so that it is divided into two or three length-wise sections.
2. Cut a small hole in the middle of one of the sections.
3. Melt butter (or use PAM) on a pan over medium heat. Place the slice of avocado on the pan, and then crack an egg into the hole. Cook until desired.
4. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste, and serve with whole grain toast. I also like to use the extra avocado as avocado butter for my toast, simply by mashing it into a spread. So yummy! Enjoy!