Salted Caramel Cookies with Bacon Bites

I know I am slow on getting back to a regular schedule...but what is regular, right? Right now K-man is installing my back splash in the kitchen and I am so excited because it looks so nice! Don't worry pictures will come.

I am on class number 8 for grad school...pretty excited about that. The last two classes get done simultaneously.  I don't know how that will pan out but thank god it's over the summer! I should be done in September!

We had a little scare with our fur baby Bikini- one night we noticed she was slobbering like a Saint Bernard and knew that wasn't normal. K-man thought the worst because he had a kitty from his past that was slobbering and found mouth cancer was the issue.  However, we took her into the vet and she looked all over her mouth that she could see (looking into a wriggling cats mouth is no easy chore) and found no, sores, redness, oozing....anything.  She had not been outside for supervised play lately nor had any new plants been added in the house.  We could only speculate that perhaps her bug hunting got the best of her somehow and she was on 24 hour watch. Before any other invasive methods were going to be used next. Luckily it dissipated that night and she was back to normal by the next night. Phew! So now, she is all updated, weighing in at 13.8 lbs and on a "less treats" plan.  LOL. Yeah, me too. Next week Scooter's turn for his yearly visit....K-man and I have wagers on HIS weight...I say under 10, Kirk disagrees.

Onto my product review.  You may remember in my last post when I blogged about Primal Bake shop and their products? Today, I am trying out the Salted Caramel and adding bacon. I am going to use two types of bacon and test which tastes best.  I have noticed that when cooked bacon get added to something baked it loses it crispiness and/or bacon flavor disappears.  I noticed this phenomena when I made a frittata.  So I am adding to half of my cookies, chopped Paleo bacon and the other half with Epic Bites Bacon (both are uncured with no nitrites).

1.  First, this cookie rocks! For me being a chocolate lover. I am really surprised when I like a cookie better than a chocolate one.  

2. The salt on top REALLY makes a difference. Do NOT leave it off.

3.  The real Paleo chopped bacon tasted better and remained crispy. You can also see it.  The Epic Bites didn't add any smoky goodness as the paleo bacon did.  I did a taste test with K-man and gave him half a cookie of each and asked him if he tasted any difference. He tasted the Paleo bacon difference.

4. I did not conduct myself in a true scientist way and leave some cookies without bacon but oh well, I will have to order more to try them again!

5. The batch made roughly 18 cookies all that is needed to make the cookies is one stick of butter and 1 egg. You need to brown the butter first and you can make it with ghee but I will try the next batch with ghee. Although ghee doesn't really brown, it's the milk solids that brown and ghee has all milk solids removed. Then, I haven't tried to brown ghee, perhaps that is my next assignment?

6. You do have to chill the dough before you bake it and the 350 degrees for 9 minutes didn't seem long enough.  I don't know if my dough was too cold but I had to cook them more than 9 minutes because they didn't seem cooked enough. These were slightly crispy edges and VERY chewy.  Loved them. Although, they were "harder" the next day yet still chewy, let me explain why I LIKED this....Paleo cookies made with almond flour are very difficult to get that crispy chewy affect to last. After 24 hours all almond cookies tend to be soft, losing their crispy edges. I enjoy how these are staying firm.



7. Would I make these again and suggest you buy them too? Heck yes and yes.  These mixes are great to have on hand in the cabinet for when you want a quick treat and don't want the hassle of dragging tons of ingredients out. Especially when you find out that you thought you had tapioca flour and it was coconut....grrrrrr.

8. The ingredient list on this cookie bag was pretty simple: almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut nectar sugar, baking soda and Himalayan pink salt.  I would love to make more types of cookies with simple list of ingredients like this! Simple is better.

9. Be glad this mix only makes 18 cookies. More would be bad.  I ate 3 on the first night.

10. Here is the video of the Civilized Caveman-George making these cookies. Hence, who introduced primal bake shop to me. Thanks George!

#hugsandbacon
#primalbakeshop


You want a cookie?

Still Whole30 with Paleo Parts

Seems so long ago when I was starting Whole30 and it was such a struggle....Really? Maybe the first few shopping trips and all that reading of labels....

Eating "Whole30 with Paleo Parts" so let me explain what THAT means. If you are STRICTLY Whole30, you are not allowed to do things like make pancakes (the Paleo egg and banana ones) or make pizza crust (out of cauliflower and cheese) and slicing potatoes and frying them in oil (fries or chips). Taking Whole30 compliant foods and putting them together to make processed foods we are addicted to or should be avoiding are NOT Whole30 compliant (this being your first initial undertaking of it). Keeping with eating Whole30 all day is not difficult or a struggle anymore. But my Paleo parts consist of....making Paleo Banana Bread and eating that for breakfast. Making my favorite Chebe/Cheenies Bread and adding NO cheese. (It worked and I can't wait to post about THAT soon!) Made some Paleo Cookies and ate a small sliver of Against All Grain Pesto Pizza.
No sugars at all, ate a few GMO, GF tortilla chips...Very doable....very happy. Here's a chocolate bar I made:

Coconut Chocolate Bar

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup ghee
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla (I make my own)
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut.

Line pan with foil. Stir all of the above together, pour in lined pan and chill in fridge until set.  YUM!

Did some more research on Dairy....so I have been following the many FB live posts of Civilized Caveman and he talks a lot and eats only RAW dairy.  Now, "Paleo-purists" do not use dairy at all, other "Paleo-ists" do only raw dairy, and "dairy-don't-care  Paleos"....eat all dairy (that is what I used to do). As I did my research many states allow for the sale of raw dairy and many states like mine (dang you Virginia) do not allow the sale of raw dairy or milk. I can get raw cheese but not raw milk, cream or butter in VA. Some states sell raw dairy for "pet consumption only" and the people drink it.

The theory is when milk is pasteurized for the fear of bacteria, it kills about 90% of the nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin C from the milk leaving it relatively as good source of water and over 80% people who suffer from lactose intolerance do not have the symptoms anymore when they switch. Lastly raw dairy, boosts the immune system and protects again allergies. I ate some raw cheese on my burger and none of my allergies were triggered.

Here are some good sites to read about raw dairy:
http://www.drdeborahmd.com/health-benefits-raw-milk
http://draxe.com/raw-milk-benefits/
https://chriskresser.com/raw-milk-reality-benefits-of-raw-milk/ 

Of course, the CDC doesn't agree....lol-- but they don't want their butts in litigation if they said it was totally safe....there is a risk to everything...I could fall off my chair during this post and sue the furniture company who sold it to me....but somethings aren't worth it.


I am so very excited about my next products I am trying....
Again, Civilized Caveman George, made some cookies and spoke about this company Primal Bake Shop who makes a line of products called "Pread." Now, I am no newbie to baking Paleo products but sometimes you just don't want to bother making it from scratch, you want some convenience of less measuring, quicker but STILL WHOLESOME! and it's P-A-L-E-O!!!!!

When I went to buy the cookie mixes online, I VERY hesitantly purchased some pumpernickel bread. I ordered Paleo bread online from Julian's Bakery twice....hated it.  So dry. Used to make my own....meh....it was okay but it never rises very high for me. Got the pumpernickel because that was new...never seen it anywhere....risky Jenny....

Got my box today....Toasted a slice with my baked chicken and mixed green salad dinner and OMG...with some ghee on it....this is when you start singing a little song as you chew (inaudible) and wiggle in you chair as you eat it...nom, nom, nom...Winner!  So getting this again....Even K-man liked it. He was jealous that I had bread with dinner and he didn't....Bah....eat your potstickers K-man....you got your wheat in there somewheres...lol. Primal Bake Shop Sliced breads $13.00








Here is the ingredient list to the bread if you don't believe me....
















Me want....COOKIEEEEEEEEE!!!!
From left to right: Chocolate chip, Chocolate Brownie and Salted Caramel.  I have made plenty Paleo CCC and this I am excited about.  Then, when I make the salted caramel....I am gonna add BACON.  Just you watch. This was the Cookie Monster Mix $34 Order it online, fast delivery. Quality product!!

Thanks George for enlightening me about Primal Bake Shop!

Thanks Dana if that pumpernickel is that good...can't wait for these cookies to make me fall off my chair!

Paleo it's Good!

Whole30 Reintroduction Dairy Day 7 and shocking UPDATE

Before I get to the cheesy stuff.  I want to follow through on my non-gluten grains stuff.  So the point of the reintroduction is to isolate one type of food for a day while being compliant with meat and veggies, fruit and wait 3 days to see if it had any effect. I did, in an interesting way.  You are supposed to eat (new food) with a compliant breakfast, lunch and dinner, (if you want) and wait for 3 days.  I ate only one thing (GF stuffing) for dinner BUT for two nights in a row.  No other GF foods though.

After the first dinner, I just didn't feel right.  Not badly, but I just wasn't feeling my norm from the past whole30 days of "happy full." I know it's not very descriptive but "ugh" is all I can give you. I moved around after dinner and that ugh feeling went away.  I slept fine.  Dinner with stuffing day TWO....no 'ugh' feeling BUT I was having a fitful sleep.  Kept waking up and changing positions, was hot in bed even though the AC was on....we had the windows closed and when I woke up and my sinuses were all swollen as though I needed to take my decongestant. 😳 The past few days we've been sleeping with the windows open during this pollen season and I was not taking any meds for it.

Conclusion? Perhaps have something GF grains is not something I should be eating on a daily basis.  That is why doing Paleo makes so much sense now...Once in a while....but NOT definitely back to back. Make enough for just K-man and I .....no leftovers unless he is going to eat it all.  No, he has a two day limit on leftovers.

In preparation for dairy day.....I made Cloud Bread....made two batches, one with greek yogurt and the other with cream cheese.  Fluffy but too delicate for me. I am sticking with my cheenie, chebe breads...

Shaved Beef over sauteed asparagus, mushrooms and onions....Note to self: Shaved beef doesn't need a marinade....or don't add marinade while cooking....I moved too fast while I was thinking this and dumped into pan.  Dry beef, not wet beef next time. Yes, don't send me comments that it looks like a vomit pile.  I realize this, I have eyes. 😖 But I am human and not all my dinner or food pix turn out like a magazine layout, no one's do....except for those food stylist people. I am sure all their meals are photo ready and they look at food blogs to get their critique on....Move on...

All day I dream about cheese......I miss cheese.  The gooey, chewy-ness of it....I really miss cheesy goodness.  I am gonna get cheese wasted...

-The Reintroduction Day 7- Dairy

Breakfast: egg salad sandwich on cloud bread (link above)

Lunch: Roasted chicken and veggie salad with cheese chunks
Dinner: Sausage Spaghetti sauce on spaghetti squash topped with Parmesan.

Noteable Notes:

-I was so excited to eat cheese and it wasn't a thrilling as I thought it was.  Meh. No Angels going "ahhhhh!" around me....no eyes rolling in the back of my head. Then I got a cold.  Was eating dairy responsible?  UPDATE!!!! YES!... Here I sit Sunday suffering from what I think is a cold. I blow my nose....all clear.  I am congested yet can breath with difficulty. I am sneezing. I am coughing up gunk from my lungs and yet my nose stuff runs clear. I started taking my allergy meds then I start to feel better in the nasal area. 12 hours later....congested and blowing out clear stuff. Then I occurred to me...AM I SO STUPID TO NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COMMON COLD AND MY ALLERGIES COMING BACK? I am typing this after I took some allergy meds again and I feel absolutely fine.  I did NOT EAT DAIRY, one DAY....I did THREE DAYS in A ROW. I. AM. AN. IDIOT. So- did some research online about nasal allergies aggravated by dairy products and....BINGO! I told K-man I feel like I discovered the cure to cancer!(I wish) but I had no idea that my eating dairy was why I have suffered with allergies for SOOOOO long.  Just. WOW. Mind blown!!!

-I am going to to let you know that I am NOT going to do the gluten portion of the whole30.  Reintroduction is done to me. Why?  I just don't miss or need wheat.  And I was eating way too much bread.  Don't get me wrong but I love bread but I wasn't missing it like cheese. Wheat to me is just as bad as corn, GMO'ed to death. If I want a burger, I will ask for no bun if there is a GF option or just wrap it in lettuce if possible. These days restaurants are pretty used to all sorts of requests, "dressing on the side, can I get it without cheese?", etc. Burger places are pretty saavy now with GF buns or lettuce wraps. 

-BIGgest News?!?!?- Do you remember my disappointment with only losing 3 pounds from the original 30 days? AND ....that I said that I would devote my reintroduction week to eating less fruit, and nuts, nut butters and potatoes?  WELL I WAS RIGHT!!!!! I lost more in this week alone that those original 30 days! 6 FREAKIN' POUNDS! And I ate some grain foods for two days and a margarita and some cheese foods for two days and a homemade paleo Butterscotch coffee with a Tbsp of maple syrup!!!  😳 Yes, I know I overused the "ands" but I was happy for myself.

Tune in next time for my overall whole30 evaluation and future plans and recipes!

Whole30- The Tiger Blood Days 18 and 19

Here you go, wait for it....my tiger blood video!

Hahahahahha! Thought you'd enjoy that....that was many hours of retakes and editing I hope you know! (jk)

Some of you have asked me some questions about this and that....and I am so excited that my silly little food pictures and commentary is of some value to some of you.  Whether entertainment, nosiness or because you are doing whole30 as well....I am glad to know that my work here is not floating in hyperspace on some alien's Facebook page title "what stupid earth people do...."

First: Here is the almond butter I use:

Got it on one of my first whole30 grocery trips. I got the crunchy.  The crunchy bits are cashews! Remember: cashews, macadamia nuts and hazelnuts are the preferred nuts.  Almonds are suggested not as often. Raw is better because the lack of roasting keeps more of the nutrients in the nuts.  So next time I refill my nuts from TJ, I am getting the raw.  Being a rookie who not fully read the books yet,  I got unsalted, roasted, not raw.  But I use this maybe once, twice a week.  Needs to be refrigerated.

Next- Do not walk, RUN and go buy this....from the gods....Raw Cashew Butter....omfg....

 

So, my friend Jessica went to My Organic Market (MOM's -my new home) one day and found some sampler butters to try. She ripped it open and tried it with me,  her eyes rolled into her head and said it tasted like white chocolate. Now, I had to try.  White chocolate isn't my first thought but is it soooo dreamily smooth unlike the coarseness of the other butters.  Because it is raw, it has such a natural sweetness that you keep looking at the ingredients on the jar, swearing it has some kind of sugar in it. I am afraid during a moment of stress I could sit on the kitchen floor with a spoon and do some serious damage here.  Lovely.  MOM's ....it's not located in the thick of the other butters...it's off up a few shelves and to the left....I don't know why ....but it certainly deserves to not be below with those other peon butters HA!  And it doesn't have to be refrigerated!!! I like this because my sensitive teeth doesn't like cold foods anyway and room temperature foods have better flavor I think.

Next: Sugar-free bacon is hard to find!

 

I think I should keep buying these in groups of FIVE, that perhaps if they think it's super popular they will buy more and always have tons of it.  The bad news...there are only 8 slices per package, maybe nine if you won the lottery this week. But the price is $5.49 but if you are the only one doing Whole30, you will become a miserly witch over each 68 cent slice and give the rest of your family the organic uncured, nitrite-free, OTHER bacons WITH sugar and SAVE this stuff for YOU! Strips of gold.  Okaaaayyyyy, if your whole family is doing Whole30 you better buy five packages at once too! I get out my griddle and do two packages at once, put in a ziploc....good for two weeks. Two package for one family for one meal, easy. Personally, I have no desire to being making bacon every day.  But batch frying makes my soul happy to have days off from greasy messes. I should go buy stock in this company....

Last product review for today: GHEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Hello, lovahhhhh. (I visualize Sarah Jessica Parker saying this while she's oogling designer shoes)

GIANT JAR.  At Mom's the largest jar they have is Organic Valley Ghee, 13 oz. jar is $12.99.  At Amazon.com this baby comes 32 fl. oz ...TWO for 35.00 (free shipping if you have PRIME, like me) for a price of 17.00 buck. *take calculator out* ...Unit price of Organic valley- 99 cents per ounce.  Ancient Organics- 53 cents.  No refrigeration unless been open for over 2 months.  Beautifully packaged, all paper, boxes can be repurposed for holiday time. Can be used as lotion but I am afraid that I'd start licking myself like the cats or they'd start on me....

Day 18:

Breakfast: Nuts and Berries, felt like a light day watching the SNOW fall for 1/2 hour on April 9!!! WTH!
Lunch: Leftover sausage, onions & peppers and fried eggs! Few berries...Love!

Dinner: Chicken Nuggets (organic chicken coated in coconut flour, egg wash , coated with seasoned unsweetened coconut and ground almonds), sauteed Kale and roasted carrots in ghee, raspberries and homemade mayo and Tessemae's ketchup to dip. (note: going to try another time with only coconut, by the end of dinner, the coating falls too easily off the nugget).

Day 19:

Breakfast: Cashew butter on bananas with raspberries & lil bit of cinnamon sprinkle. Coconut cream in my coffee.

Lunch: Spinach, bacon and tomato frittata (with enough leftover for next week's breakfasts!)

Dinner: Ribeye steaks, grilled asparagus with ghee, balsamic beets and strawberries (picture to come)

Additional notings: Some of you have asked me "Is K-man doing Whole30 too?" The answer is yes and no.  Kinda, is not a proper answer.  Yes, with me. No, away from home. At dinner he eats whole30 with me and expresses no whining about not having bread/rolls as we used to. During the day away at work, K-man eats what he's craving.  While he is still working his last days before retirement of 35 years from his devoted service to our city, he will enjoy eating what he does with his coworkers at his favorite haunts until the end of this month. 

K-man is a man-boy who likes his peanut butter, sandwiches, oatmeal and ice cream (cakes and cookies too). I'd like him to experience Whole30 to see first hand (not from ME telling him) how food choices (diet) can really have a positive effect and NOT make you pine and crave for crap. (Two hours after dinner he's searching around for treats and snacks- he has a HUGE Sugar Dragon in him and doesn't think it's a problem. 2 hours after dinner I am content and ready for bed. This is still very scary for him because he can't disassociate 30 days of discipline from a lifetime of denial. I try to explain that under Whole30, you go through an amazing change of not CRAVING empty calories foods. But when I start to get on my soap box, he reverts backs to the rebel teen who doesn't want to be told what to do and I begin to feel like that dog owner who is pulling their dog into the bathtub who hates getting wet.

The man who is controlled by his wife either doesn't know it or is okay with it.  The man who free to do whatever he wants, can eat what he wants and has no children to take care of anymore, the moment something new is suggested by their wife they think their freedoms are threatened and they begin to buck. I am willing to admit that I did not help myself at all by having/making tempting things around the house and buying those favorites of my husbands to contribute to his sugar delinquency. I am "fixing me" and when K-man wants to do Whole30 correctly and not partly, I will be here. So all I can do now is keep on truckin'....and me do me!


*clawing gesture* Rawr!

Whole30 Day 2

Those of you who are saying "who cares that JennyMac is going on a food plan for 30 days, Meh!"

Let me tell you why...this book's author (Melissa) has a great sense of humor (like me😜) and she took the time to include in the book a timeline compiled of thousands of the physical and emotional challenges of people who had underwent the Whole30 plan.  I wanted to blog my journey to see how I compared to those people.  Do I have a big bad sugar dragon lurking within me or is it just a eensie-weensie one?

The book says that most people will be either excited or overwhelmed on day 1 and some people may ask 'what have I gotten myself into?'  My first day (I am on spring break) was uneventful emotionally and physically although I was preparing more foods than normal.

Day Two:
The book says some people will feel headache-y, sore or foggy. Like a hangover.  I don't.  I am more anxious for all my body pains to go away....what day will that start?  I think for a food to really get out of the system will take at least 3-4 days.  I mean, I did eat some chocolate cake 11:45pm the day before I started...lol.  My motto has always been "life is uncertain, eat dessert first." Technically eating that cake at before midnight wasn't first...but it certainly was the last thing I was eating before my big day...

Breakfast: Just a few cantaloupe cubes, small grab of roasted, unsalted CAM (cashews, almonds and Macadamia nuts) mix and black coffee.

I got up late because I can, whilst on spring break....I didn't want too much because I will have to eat lunch earlier due to K-man going to the eye doctor today at 3 and he wants me to go so I cannot have a late lunch (this is probably better because I don't eat a late lunch when I go back to school- we have to gobble it down between 11:30-12 noon!)

The cool thing about this plan is that many of the meals can rollover unto the next day for another meal and that means LESS cooking!

Lunch: On a bed of spinach leaves is my leftover sausage and peppers, and another egg muffin (sauteed peppers and onions, garlic, herbs in ghee placed in a Texas-sized muffin cup with scrambled egg and unsweetened coconut milk) cut up with shredded carrot.

Tonight's dinner will highlight one of my purchases that I purchased beforehand on Amazon.com (same price but I get free shipping from Prime) as an approved product of Whole30 - Tessemae's All Natural (from Baltimore).

From left to right: Buffalo, Lemon Chesapeake, Ketchup, Lemon Garlic, Cracked Pepper, Balsamic, Southwest Ranch, Matty's BBQ Sauce.

Dinner: Bed of mixed organic greens. Drizzled Tessemae's Southwest Ranch onto greens. Added chopped poblano and onion (we always have this chopped in a container in the fridge 24/7) into roasted chicken.  Tablespoon of homemade mayo mixed with tablespoon of Tessemae's Southwest ranch mixed in chicken. Half and avocado and a few black olives. Lemon squeezed all on top and drank lemon water with dinner.

Late night note: So it's been an hour after dinner and you know you are NOT hungry.  You start to listen to your insides and you say things...."something sweet would be good right now"  Just a little candy, a cookie, a COFFEE WITH TRUVIA AND CREAM!  I immediately go look how to stave off a sugar craving....says to eat fruit.  However the Whole30 book says "why are you eating it? If you're reaching for a banana or grapes to prop up your sugar cravings, we'd ask you to rethink that strategy. You don't want to end up with the same cravings after your program, and continuing to feed your brain the sweetest stuff allowed every time it pitches a tantrum isn't really changing your habits." 

So I caved and had a really small banana cut up with a small drop of almond butter on each.  Even though I fed the sugar dragon, I am proud that at least I was compliant. There is chocolate around, Kirk isn't on the plan....he needs to eat up that stuff.  LOL. 
So now I know....although I don't feel hungry or stark raving mad for sugar....THAT was definitely my sugar dragon calling.  I gotta train him to go.....that dinner was huge....I didn't even finish it....Eating when you aren't even hungry is soooo stupid!

I've got this!

Chicken a la Mexican

I make this little dish at least 3-4 times a month.  It's very versatile hence it's generic name.  It could have been Chicken tacos but why make you think you have to eat it with a shell/bread?  It's not a casserole because usually that has some kind of rice or pasta.  I named it Chicken a la Mexican because it's got Mexican type spices, peppers and onions.  But here is the fun part. You decide how/where you want it.  Put it on soft tortillas with shredded cheese.  Or put a giant spoonful on rice or pasta.  Top it with cheese or sour cream or both.  Put it on crushed tortilla chip on a green salad.  Slop it in a long crusty sub roll....Have you figured out how you want yours yet?


Chicken a la Mexican
a JennyMacLipsmack creation

4 chicken boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut into strips
1-2 jalapeno peppers cut into very thin strips
1 large onion, sliced, rings separated
1-15 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
cilantro for topping/garnish
oil for coating pan
shredded cheese, optional
sour cream, optional
Chicken seasoning:
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

1.  Sliced chicken into strips, coat with seasonings, set aside.
2.  Slice and prep all veggies.
3.  Heat pan medium high with oil of choice about 2 Tbsp.
4.  When pan is hot start with chicken and constantly stir with wooden spoon.
5.  When chicken is half pink and white (about half cooked) add sliced veggies and tomatoes.
6.  Keep cooking until chicken it totally cooked through and no pink remains.
7.  Serve on soft flour tortillas, rice, pasta or sub rolls or a pupusa (as seen below)

Cook's Notes:
1.   Feel free to add a whole green pepper instead of jalapeno if you can't stand the heat.
2.  Feel free to use a pre-prepared Mexican seasoning that is your favorite.  I won't mind.
3.  Taste while you cook to add more of something.  I didn't add on the list an ingredient I don't know if you have available.  I found some Smokey chipotle dried peppers at Home Goods.  I better start looking to see where I can find more.  They are smokey and spicy.  I love them.  But I didn't want you to not make this because you couldn't find them.

K-man smiles real big when he sees this dinner.  He always puts his on a soft flour tortilla.  I prefer the corniness of the tortilla chips on a salad is my favorite.  If you have pre made pupusas in your ethnic section, this is a great topping as well.  Find yours!

Fiesta!

Flourless Almond Cake (Gluten Free!)

The holidays killed me and it's been a struggle to get back to my Paleo lifestyle.  But I swear that bread and sugar is like a crack to me....lol....Anyhow, I saw this cake recipe and had to try it.  I tweaked it a bit and it really turned out awesome.

Flourless Almond Cake
adapted by Jenny Mac's Lipsmack

1 1/2 cups whole almonds, toasted
5 large eggs, at room temperature, separated 1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping: 
Peach Preserves
1/4 cup almonds, toasted (they used sliced, I had only slivered ones to use up.)

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper. (they suggested a springform, I used a regular cake pan with the parchment  and it popped right out).
2.  Beat 5 egg whites in large bowl with the electric hand mixer on medium speed until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold peaks, 1 to 2 minutes (they said to not over whip which will cause it to sink).
3.  Process whole almonds in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Beat 5 egg yolks, 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an hand mixer. Add the ground almonds and beat on low until combined.
4.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
5.  Bake the cake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Cake should pull from the sides and be easy to pop out of pan.
6.  To serve, glaze the top of the cake with peach preserves (or whatever you have available or more honey) and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Cook's Notes:

1. I loved how lightly sweet this was.  Not a sickening sweet like some Paleo stuff can be.  When you think about the 1/2 cup honey and how the cake sliced into 6 pieces...that is Tbsp and 1/2 of honey.  The topping is ridiculously thin (just to make the almonds on top stick really.).

2.  I've noticed something....I read alot about food 'stuff'.  I've been a Diet Coke drinker my WHOLE life.  Never a regular soda has touched my lips (unless by a careless server mixed up my drink order with my husband).  They say...Sugar Free drinks are just as bad....for it still makes your body crave sugar.  At work, I drink nothing but seltzer water.  I have no cravings and will make cookies with the club after school, no desire to eat them.  However when I go home I will allow myself a diet coke (trying to taper off) and will notice I am hunting around after dinner for something sweet....I really think there is something to this theory.  I am beginning to see this....OH HOW CAN I GIVE UP my FRESCA, DIET COKE and CRYSTAL LIGHT??  The TORTURE!!!

3.  Very light and spongy.  Great for breakfast too.  I passed some out to my Paleo Pals at work....still waiting on their opinion!

Enjoy!

Paleo Snickerdoodles and a Surprise?

I am on my holiday cookie treat making adventure.  It's an adventure because there is NO SUGAR and no FLOUR....aka Paleo Holiday Treats!  WOOHOO!!!
I am posting my Snickerdoodle Recipe first and a warning!  It's fun....once you get over the scary part....First recipe then explanation...lol.

Paleo Snickerdoodle Cookies
by JennyMac's Lipsmack

1/2 c. almond butter (I used sunbutter-part of the surprise)
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. maple syrup
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 c. almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda (second part of the surprise?)
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. truvia
2 Tbsp cinnamon

1.  Beat together almond butter, shortening, syrup, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
2.  Combine flour, soda, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a separate bowl.
3.  Slowly add dry mixture until combined with wet mixture.
4.  Mixture will be wet and sticky, drop tablespoons several inches apart (8 per cookie sheet) and use a circular motion to spread cookie out into a flat disk, about a 1/2 inch thick, onto parchment covered cookie sheet.
5.  In a separate bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over cookies.
6.  Bake cookies at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges, centers should be slightly wet but will be spongy and bounce back if you press on them.
Now read on for the SURPRISE?!?

Baker's Notes:
1.   I made these they are spongy....ok, no worries they won't get dried out too soon.  I turned one over and it looked funny.  I shrugged it off but I kept looking underneath the cookies as they were cooling....'why are they looking funny?'  
I finally opened one up.  This is what I found....

Perfect for the HOLIDAYS!!!  Green Interior.  Or St Patrick's Day...What the heck is going on....GREEN?  Never in my life has this happened to me and I have a Cookie club after school for 15 years and NEVER seen a green interior in a cookie.  So I googled it.
2.  Phew, nothing evil.  Apparently it has to do with the alkalinity of the sunflower seeds and especially the use of baking soda.  Here's a link to more.
Problem solved if you don't use Sunbutter but in fact use Almond Butter.  It's what I had on hand so I used it.  Freaky scary if you don't know why it's happening...but if you take the time to research it....it's safe, no need to throw out perfectly good cookies.  Tomorrow will be fun when I give them to my Paleo Pals....

Stay Tuned for more Paleo Treats:
Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Mint Truffles
Apple Caveman Bars

And two NON Paleo Chocolate Mint cookies for Neolithic cookie Eaters!


Enjoy!

Roast Chicken

Best Chicken Evah!  A-MAY-zing!  I've certainly done a few roasted chicken before but this one is different.  You've seen the Beer Can or Beer in the Butt Chicken recipes?  We went to a craft show and found the Chicken Roaster.  You put in your own 'liquid' and herbs, maybe some veggies in the base.  DINNER!  What I enjoyed most about this is that when I've done the Beer Can chicken it was so wobbly, afraid it would tip over.  Not even an issue with this ceramic roaster.  There is so much liquid involved in this there is no way you can have dry chicken meat.  We ate chicken for 3 days after this roast and with each 'reheat' the chicken was still moist. (we didn't reheat the whole chicken each day.  I cut it up into parts-breast, wing, thigh and leg and reheated the part that was going to be eaten) Give this recipe and roaster dish a try....you'll be eating more chicken for sure!

Orange Thyme Chicken
a JennyMac's Lipsmack creation

3-4 pound (or larger)chicken
1 cup your favorite wine (or 2-3 cups and forgo the broth)
1-2 cup chicken broth
Several sprigs of thyme
1 orange sliced
1 clove garlic, slightly mashed.
olive oil
salt and pepper
onions, carrots, potatoes (or other vegetable to roast of choice)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Pat chicken dry.  Rub the outside of chicken with olive oil and salt, pepper and some thyme leaves remove from their stems.  Put remaining sprigs of thyme in the chicken cavity.  Line the inside of the cavity with the orange slices, reserve one.

3.  Place the one orange slice in the roaster cylinder with the garlic clove.  Pour the wine in the cylinder.  It's okay if it over flows into the bottom of the roaster.

4.  Place the chicken on the cylinder.  Add veggies beneath chicken on bottom of roaster.

5.  Add enough of the broth/wine to the bottom to fill the base by 1/3.  Not putting enough liquid can cause hot spots and break or crack the roaster dish.

6.  Roast chicken until internal temp reaches 170 degrees.  You can follow your packaging directions per pound for time to know when to 'test' your chicken temperature.

I made a little pan gravy with this "just in case"....but it really wasn't needed.  I was just enjoying the gravy with the chicken just because the flavor was awesome.

If you have an artisan festival coming by your town soon look for one of these to purchase.  If you don't have a source, you can order one online from the people who made mine:  Wizard of Clay, mine was $50, because we bought it there at the booth.  Not sure what shipping will cost you to inflate the amount. 

Well worth the purchase....gonna try next time how I can put a turkey breast on this!  Some butcher's twine may be involved!

Enjoy!

Paleo Burger, but mostly Ketchup. HAHA

First some Paleo for you, then some Ketchup.  Err, I mean catch up. 

Paleo Mushroom Burgers 

by JennyMac's Lipsmack

4 portabello mushroom caps

1 pound organic ground beef

1/2 onion, finely minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh herb of choice (I used oregano)

salt and pepper

cheese

raw or precooked bacon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pop off mushroom stems and use a spoon to remove the mushroom 'gills' underneath the cap (this will make the mushroom render a lot of water and make it 'weepy').

• Mix ground beef with onion, garlic, herbs and S/P.
• Divide beef with hands into fourths.
• Pack each mushroom cap with one fourth of the ground beef mixture.
• If bacon is raw, criss cross top with two bacon.  If bacon is leftover and already cooked save it for later to garnish.
• Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes (until it is rare, medium or well done as you like)
• Cover with cheese and or bacon or both.

After my vacation post, life got crazy....

1.  When we returned from Va Beach, my friend told us that a neighbor had kittens that she was fostering that could be adopted.  It was about a year now that we put our 20 y.o beloved Tricksy to sleep.  We felt it was time and this was our sign...
There was only one left to adopt, the other two were spoken for.  We wanted two, for them to be companions, playmates.  They didn't necessarily have to be from the same litter.

 Here is a sample of her "Bikini" spots hence her now namesake.  So Gina our Foster Kitty Mom and neighbor found us another. 

He was two weeks older was black with ghost stripes like "Bikini" and he had a white spot underneath his belly between his hind legs...OMG.  His name has to be "Speedo"  So it was...

Bikini and Speedo.  Our lives were now changed.  Um....we had no idea....

I am now a week out of Hernia surgery and Speedo started to get sick.  Long story, short.  He had a kitty condition we never heard of- FIP.  Feline Infectious Peritonitis.  Rare. yet fatal.  He had him for only 3 weeks and now faced with decisions about putting him down.  Talk about devastation.  Now, Bikini was alone.  BUT our plan was to have TWO kitties.  We needed to do something fast.  We didn't want Bikini to get un-used to having another kitty in her life or cats in general.

We could have gone back to DC for another adoption (easier I am sure, having already adopted 2 but a pain to drive to) so we went online hunting...when the place heard 'Kini was not tested for Feline Leukemia (which was DC's protocol - kittens often get false negative from Mommy cat's immunities).  We got "Kini tested and went to Petsmart while we waited for the results.  Almost didn't get approved went they heard about Speedo's passing from FIP....thank god that the director was smart on FIP it's exposure it not necessarily passed especially since he and Bikini weren't siblings.  So we found....

Scooter.  They said he was about 4 months.  No way, to be only 3 weeks older than 'Kini, he def was older.  Shortly grew his canine teeth.  Kini still has her baby canines.  It's fine his age is 'off' but more sad to not know his actual Birthday like we know Bikini's...but Wow he is such a Lovebug.  Medium Short Hair.  Tuxedo markings.  Highly playful like Bikini is....Great match.

Tending to two little kittens or trying not to whilst recuperation from Hernia Surgery...not fun.  That was a long month.  Here it is almost the end of October and we are still trying to get them to stop sharing the same kitty cold.  We had a scare with Scooter's eye that got scratched and discovered his eye rimming with pus one day.   We've been to the emergency vet at least once a month (3 times) and 4 mobile vet home visits.  

Bikini has something going on with her eyes being 'weepy'....can't seem to shake that and her sneezing.  One of my school friends compared this to being a parent with a 'special needs' child...I said NO KIDDING.  Although I can handle a special needs kitty/kitties.  My fear is anything becoming fatal.  The calici virus Scooter showed up in his gums after I thought it was strange for him to have bad breath at a young age.

So our life is waiting for our two kitties to be healthy at once.  However since they seem to have NO MANNERS (lol) to NOT sneeze in the face of one another....it seems it will be awhile.  Bikini will be 6 months on Nov 22 and some of these viruses won't shed until they are no longer are kittens.  We just have to keep them happy, fed and stress-free.  Will keep you posted.

2.  As for me and my 'recup' from surgery.  It's so hard being independent and have to ask for help for something stupid like picking something off the floor or  looking if there is salsa on the bottom shelf in the fridge.  Going back to work was hard for I felt dumb asking for help pushing my classroom tables around the room.  Although I am past my 8 week- no activity lockdown...I am still sore internally...a severe tightness.  A lot was done inside and was told I may be sore for 6 months.  If I am busy and sitting, I feel normal...however when I move, bend over, lift things, close a window, anything using my abdominal muscles....coughing- sneezing.  I feel 'things'.  Weird.  It's nice to have a flatter stomach (my incisional hernia jutting out got me accused of 'pregnancy' TWICE) however don't hold your breath for any bikini wearing. HA!  Will keep you posted.

3.  To Trinda- you asked me about why legumes were not allowed on the Paleo way of eating.  Simply put by Living Paleo blog:

"Legumes have a similar story to grains; they weren’t consumed by the paleo hunter-gatherer because they needed to be cooked in order to be edible."

A more complicated explanation is:  "Legumes also have similar traits to grains in their make-up; they contain phytates which inhibit nutrient absorption and cause inflammation. They also contain lectins and play with healthy hormonal functions."

As for you thinking about missing legumes.  That is possible.  It depends what your 'thing' is.  The 'cheat' for me that I miss eating is breads.  The crunchy crusty outside and the chewy moist inside.  You can't get those two things together with Paleo breads.  I've tried.  So I make do....save eating the yummy crusty stuff on special occasions if available...it's a treat.  Not deprivation.  Remember not diet....lifestyle.

4.  We got a new stove.  I bought this house 6 years ago (in December).  It was a 'flipped' home with newly renovated kitchen.  However the stove was a bottom of the barrel GE stainless steel gas stove.  It did not self clean and no bells or whistles.  Worst, it heated up the upstairs so badly we could only use the grill and microwave in the summer.  Last year, the oven went 'cuckoo' before T-day so we had no oven for me to make a turkey.  We got a repairman who replaced the thermostat.  A few weeks ago the thermostat conked out again.  Didn't even make it a year.  I told K-man...that's it!!! We aren't fixing this crappy stove again.  This is what we got:

Yes,  the double oven!!! I was so excited!!!  I was a good girl and did my research to see WHICH I wanted.  This is a Whirlpool (hope she doesn't feel weird amongst all the other GE appliances) flat grate on the burners...no open space for a spoon rest (I don't miss it).  K-man was trying to talk me into the 5 burners and I told him MAYBE on a big cooking day I may use 3....I can't see needing 5 now.  And those griddles are a joke.  My electric griddle is much bigger and the reviews all said that pancakes took forever.  I like how the knobs are not vertical on the front nor horizontal on the surface of the burner.  They are at an angle so I won't get 'caught' on them.  I decided against spending the extra 1,000 for a convection oven.  It wasn't going to really make me a better or faster cook.  The good news is that the oven does not heat up the kitchen...therefore there is no heat to rise up to the upstairs.  Love it....stay tuned for our next appliance....Fridge on top and freezer on the bottom model.

Last Catch up...

5.  K-man and started dating 6 years ago in December.  We got engaged last December and so much harassment for a date....sheesh!....Since we are older we have no desire for the pricey pomp and circumstance of a formal wedding and reception.  We want it just us and special.  So finally we set a date: 12-12-12.  Just a formality downtown to make the date permanent- our more fun, emotional and spiritual part will occur this summer.  Will be nice to NOT have a last name that people ALWAYS mispronounce!  And my name Googled will cross reference with a celebrity.....HAHA!  

Consider yourself all Ketched up!