30 Days complete and Easter Brisket

Hi!

Wow..the past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind! Im finally able to sit down for a blog update! It was nice going home to visit family and friends but definitely nice to get back home into the swing of things. Another fun update is that Patrick and I have officially made it to our first "no cheating" 30 day paleo challenge. I was so excited that I made this commitment and stuck to it. I feel like with a lot of 'diets' it's so easy to break for the oreos in the break room or the starbucks white peppermint mocha during my cold walk to work in the city, but I did it! I think for a number of reasons I was able to be successful -- First and foremost my blog partner in crime Patrick. Honestly having someone to check in with on a daily basis and make meals with and just get excited about food with makes life MUCH easier when it comes to sticking to eating right. Next -- this blog. I feel like even though I may be talking to absolutely no one other than my mom or dad (hi mom and dad) I feel like if I cheated before day 30 I would be cheating on everyone! So thanks for keeping me in check :) The last major reason I feel like I stuck to my paleo lifestyle the past 30 days is because I believe in it. I believe in the science behind it and I can truly say I FEEL better in every way!

After day 30 I of course had a cheat meal or 2 and when I came back from NC Patrick and I chose our 'cheat' meal to have together. I'm not even going to talk about what we had so that I don't torture anyone who may be also doing some type of diet challenge, but after the couple of days...I felt slower, bloated, and just plain gross. So Patrick and I jumped right back in to our diet. This time we're trying a more Primal approach. Both Patrick and I have some fun recipes to share soon for sure! I've already seen a preview of some of the things he's cooked or planned to cook.

Meanwhile I figured I would share the Paleo Easter I prepared for my family. I really feel like when I went home I wanted to prove that "paleo food" tastes just as good as "normal food". The funny thing about this is Paleo food IS normal food. Its just better ingredient, less processed, more from scratch, which has the potential for better flavors! One of my favorite things to cook for my family holidays is Brisket. I'm half jewish and though I've always celebrated the Christian holidays with my family I always like to bring a recipe that my dad is proud of especially since we didn't celebrate passover.
Paleo Easter Brisket Recipe
4 lbs Beef Brisket (not corned)
2 Sweet Yellow Onions (thin Sliced)
5 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp Paleo Ketchup (tomato paste + red wine vinegar salt/pepper)
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Place onions in bottom of slow cooker. Add the brisket (fat side up) on top of onions. Rub garlic on top of the brisket. Combine ketchup, vinegar, and maple syrup in small bowl and then rub into beef. Add enough water to coat the bottom of the cooker. Cover crockpot and cook on Low 8-10 hours. The meat literally falls apart and melts in your mouth ughhh!

Once its done I took the broth and used arrow root to make the gravy. The steps were taking a sauce pan add 2 Tbsp Grass-fed butter melted and then added arrow root -- enough to make a roux. Once it was golden brown i started adding the leftover broth from the crock pot until it was the consistency I wanted. I added some salt pepper and rosemary to finish it. 

The final dish was Brisket with a side of Roasted Green beans (with garlic) and super creamy and garlicy cauliflower mash !!

 -Kim

Quick Monday Night Meal

Hello again!

What a busy first half of the week! Thankfully I've been able to find time for cooking meals. My monday I got home and wanted to make something that was quick because I got home so late! I have a few "go to" meals for days like these, and if my refrigerator is stocked properly before the start of the week these meals are a cinch! My monday evening meal was a Spicy Mayo Baked Salmon with a side of Green beans tossed with toasted almonds and coconut oil and some of my left over paleo coleslaw that I made over the weekend.

Spicy Mayo Recipe 

Paleo Mayo
Siracha (use with caution)
Rice vinegar
Lemon Juice
Garlic powder
Salt/Pepper

So I can't make this dish without my Spicy Mayo so I start with my already made paleo mayo, depending on how much you want to make..I like to make extra for later days or just to add to the side to my Salmon. So lets start with 1/2 cup of Paleo Mayo and 1 tsp of siracha (these are total guesses)..remember the more siracha you use..the spicer its going to be, so definitely use caution when you're making this and also remember that you can always make it more spicier (or add more mayo to lessen the heat) . I blend that together and it should give the mayo a very orangey/pink color. Then i squeeze 1/2 of a small lemon, and around a tablespoon of rice vinegar. I finish the Spicy Mayo with some garlic power (duh) and salt and pepper. Taste test when done to make sure you have the flavor you want!

Now the fun part, preheat the oven to 375. I usually buy the precut 6oz portions without the skin (personal preference) salt and pepper...and garlic powder..spray the pan with a little olive oil to avoid sticking. Once the salmon is placed on the pan I smothered it generously with my spicy mayo. It's okay..don't be shy! When the oven is preheated stick that baby in! I usually have it in for about 20-25 min.

While your salmon is cooking I take green beans and steam them for 3-4 min. During that time I throw some almonds in a pan and lightly toast them. I then melt coconut oil to the pan with some minced garlic and add my steamed green beans and toss them together for a few min.

Once everything is done and put on the plate I like to drizzle more spicy mayo on top, maybe some more siracha if you like the heat!

Kim