Roasted Turkey Breast with Golden Beets & Japanese Yams

I was exhausted after today's CrossFit Wod with all that running!!! I really just wanted to come home and go to bed! BUT.... I have a family who likes to eat, and it was a big homework night for the kids. So my solution was an easy, don't have to think too hard, but will still be tasty and nutritious dinner! And I am so hooked on golden beets lately! They are just delicious!

This was super easy to make, just allow for the cooking time! (about 1 1/2-2 hours). While it was in the oven, I worked on my book report (errrr, I mean my SON worked on HIS book report).... I hope we get an A+++

(I'm just kidding all my teacher friends out there) :-)

Ingredients:

about 2 lbs. turkey breast

garlic

oregano

poultry seasoning

black pepper

course celtic grey salt

1 tsp. olive oil

3/4 C chicken broth (low sodium)

2-3 golden beets

1 small Japanese yam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season turkey breast with olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, poultry seasoning and black pepper (and a little course sea salt, if desired). Place in baking dish. Pour chicken broth in pan as well. Put in oven for about 45-50 minutes. Meanwhile, peal and quarter golden beets and Japanese yams. After the turkey breast has been cooking for the 45-50 minutes, add the quartered veggies around the turkey breast and finish cooking for another 40 minutes (or until turkey reaches that internal temperature of 175 degrees).

Slice turkey and serve with veggies. We also enjoyed this with steamed artichokes! YUM.

This meal (about 4oz. turkey) was only a 3 block Paleo meal!

Hope you enjoy!

*Paleo-Zone 3 Month Challenge!!!

Sign-ups are this Sunday at 12:30!

We will take the "before" pictures, so come prepared! Ladies... Jog bra and shorts; Men... shorts! This is not optional!

Cost is 20.00.

See you Sunday! :-)

email Kelly with questions: skgreco@comcast.net

Pistachio Baked Rouphy

Scott came up with this recipe! Which is pretty impressive because he is not a HUGE fish fan. (He tolerates it because I love it)! However, this was great! And I did LOVED it!

Recipe:

8 oz. white fish (I used a "white" roughy from Trader Joe's)

2 T pistachios

1/2 C white wine

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 lite coconut milk

1/2 tsp. arrowroot powder

seasonings: (about 1/8-1/4 tsp. each)

Celtic grey sea salt

ground pepper

Thyme, dried flakes

ground ginger

ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season fish with seasonings, and place in a baking dish (coat with olive oil cooking spray).

In a small saute pan, toast pistachio's in 1 tsp. olive oil. Add white wine, and reduce by half, at medium heat. Add 1/2 C coconut milk. Mix arrowroot powder with about 1/8 C white wine, and slowing whisk into the coconut milk/pistachio mixture. It will thicken the mixture nicely, then pour mixture over fish and bake for about 15 minutes! We served with a side of steamed zucchini and a salad.

Hope you enjoy!! :-)

*Paleo-Zone Challenge... Take II !!!

Hope to see you Sunday! Sign-ups, weigh-ins, and before pictures!

... Lots of great info! :-)

Paleo Cream of Broccoli & Chicken Soup

Nothing says 'comfort' like soup on a cold & rainy day!

I have to admit, I have NEVER made cream of broccoli soup in my life, and I never thought I would, let alone a Paleo version! I would also like to say... this was DELICIOUS! The kids had their own opinion on how it looked... (some colorful descriptions that I do not care to repeat). But I thought it looked good! It's BROCCOLI soup... It's going to be GREEN!

I was very happy with how it turned out, and it was pretty easy to make, too. I would definitely put this on the menu again! Hope you give it a try! :-)

Recipe:

about 1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts, I used a package of chicken tenders that I accidently bought

16oz broccoli florets, or about 8 cups

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 T olive oil

1/4 C chicken broth (organic, low sodium)

1 14oz can Light Coconut Milk (Trader Joe's)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. celtic grey sea salt (optional)

3 1/2 C chicken broth

In your crock pot or stock pot, pour in the 3 1/2 C's chicken broth and add chicken pieces.

Cook on high for about 1 hour. While that's cooking... in a large pan, saute garlic, onion, celery in olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add broccoli. Saute some more and add the 1/4 C chicken broth. Steam for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly and add to a blender or food processor. Puree all the ingredients together, and add to the crock pot. Season with the salt and pepper, and cook on high for about another hour. Turn down to low for the last 2 hours of cooking time. Add the coconut milk during the last hour of cooking.

We served this with a side salad, and decorated the top of the soup with a few broccoli florets (my daughter's idea)!

Enjoy!

*Don't forget!!! Paleo-Zone Challenge Take II sign ups.... THIS Sunday at 12:30!

We had SO much success the first time around. Physical appearances as well as HUGE performance improvements! This is a great opportunity to get the most out of your CrossFit while building healthier dietary habits!!! Come join us on Sunday! :-)

Paleo Skillet Frittata

Yep... we had breakfast for dinner! ...AND packed in a lot of leftovers for the week. I got this recipe from our friends at NorCal Strength & Conditioning. It was delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 package sliced mushrooms

10 oz. frozen spinach, thaw before cooking

12 eggs

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

sea salt (optional) & fresh ground pepper

This was prepared in a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In skillet (cast iron OR oven safe) over medium, heat cook Italian sausage until crumbly. Remove from pan. Add onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and saute in sausage drippings. Add spinach to pan. Cook thoroughly for about 8 minutes. Add sausage back to pan, and mix well over medium-low heat. While that's cooking, in a separate bowl, whisk eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet, DO NOT MIX, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Then place skillet in oven for another 6-10 minutes to lightly brown top of the frittata. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Carefully cut into 8 slices.

We enjoyed the frittata with a side of fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries).

You can wrap up the leftover slices, and freeze them for snacks and lunches!

Hope you enjoy! :-)

Honey & Tarragon Glazed Chicken

This was a blast from the past! I use to make this dish in college... I changed a couple things, and whola... Paleo! :-)

This is an easy and tasty meal to make... it won't take up a lot of time (but it will seem like you did). :-)

Recipe:

6 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, trimmed of fat, and slightly pounded

3 T organic, raw, unfiltered honey

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

3 tsp. paprika

3 T lemon juice

2 T fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

2 T olive oil

pinch sea salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. After trimming and "slightly pounding" chicken breasts, place in a baking dish. Combine glaze ingredients, and brush both sides of chicken breasts generously with glaze. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn chicken breasts over and brush other side with more glaze. Cook for another 10 minutes. Brush with more glaze, and bake for 5 more minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees.

I served this with broccoli and salad.

Zone blocks for 3oz serving of chicken is approximately: 2F, 3P, 1 C ... so, add avocado or slivered almonds to your salad for some more good fats! With the additional broccoli and salad, you're looking at a pretty balanced 3 block meal! Hope you enjoy!

** Don't forget!!! Mark your calendar!!! Paleo-Zone Challenge, Take II starting March 1st!

Intro meeting, Sunday, February 28th, at 12:30!

Got questions? Concerns? Go ahead email mail me: skgreco@comcast.net

See you soon!

Crock Pot London Broil with Rosemary Roasted Celery Root

Well, my crock pot was still out from yesterday, and I had a busy day planned, so I decided to use it again tonight! This time for a London broil.

I've also been really wanting to use this celery root I bought (also known as celeriac). And I'm so glad I did! What a fun exchange for a potato! It packs some great texture and flavor (if you can get past it's ugly exterior). Nutritionally speaking, celery root boasts good amounts of potassium, magnesium, fiber, and B6! It's got an earthy sweetness, with definite celery and parsley flavors. I highly recommend you give it a try!

Trying new things went right along with today's CrossFit WOD... Can you say, "sledge hammers" and a "Hammer-Gone-Bad" workout! ... I have to admit, it was so much fun! :-)

London Broil Recipe:

about a 3 lb. London broil

olive oil

fresh rosemary

garlic powder

onion powder

mustard powder

and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 Cup red wine

Trim the London broil of all visible fat! Combine dry ingredients (about a tsp of each) and rub over roast. Then rub the fresh chopped rosemary into the meat. Heat about 2 T olive oil in a pan on medium heat and really sear those flavors onto the meat, about 5 minutes on each side. Then add to the crock pot, with red wine. Cook on low for about 5 hours.

Rosemary Roasted Celery Root:

2 medium sized celery roots

1/2 C baby carrots

Fresh rosemary

6 large cloves garlic, pealed, but left whole

about 2-3 T olive oil

black pepper

celtic grey sea salt (optional)

1 tsp. organic vanilla extract

Peel celery root, and cut into quarters. Put in a baking dish, and drizzle with about 2 T olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and 2 T chopped rosemary. Toss well and place in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Mix baby carrots with a little olive oil and the vanilla extract. Now add the carrots, and garlic cloves, to the baking dish with the celery root. Toss everything together well. Put back in the oven for another 1:15 minutes. Vegetables should be crispy and roasted on the outside, but still have a little bit of an al dente, tender crunch to them!

Hope you enjoy something a little new! :-)

Paleo Pork Carnitas with Spanish Cauliflower Rice

Mi Amiga, Katie, was kind enough to share her pork carnitas recipe with me!!! It is so delicious and wonderfully paleo! I decided to create a spanish cauliflower rice recipe to accompany it! Muchas gracias, Katie. We loved this dinner, almost as much as I loved doing deadlifts with you today!

...Get your crock pot out!

Pork Carnitas Recipe:

Pork shoulder

about 1 tsp of each spice:

garlic powder

onion powder

cumin

oregano

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 bay leaves

1-1/2 C low sodium chicken broth

olive oil

Trim pork of as much fat as possible. Cut into pieces, and season with spices. Brown meat in olive oil. In crock pot, put 1-1/2 C chicken stock, and the two bay leaves. Add pork and cook on low for 6+ hours! YUM... Shred pork before serving.

Cauliflower Spanish Rice:

1 head cauliflower

1 tsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

3 T cilantro, chopped

2 T tomato paste (no added salt)

1 T water

1 4oz. can diced green chilies

Rice the cauliflower in a food processor, set aside in a microwavable bowl. In a saute pan, heat olive oil and saute onions, garlic and bell pepper. When onions are translucent, add tomato paste and green chilies and Tbsp. water. Turn heat down low and add cilanto... and maybe a little salt and pepper to taste (optional). Mixture will be slightly paste-like. Add to cauliflower, mix well, and heat in microwave for about 5 minutes (covered) and about 80% power.

Serve with Carnitas and a side salad! Very very tasty! Hope you enjoy! :-)

** NEW Paleo-Zone Challenge starting MARCH 1ST!!!! Get your fitness ON by summertime!!! Introductory meeting and sign ups, Sunday, February 28th at 12:30!

Requirments:

20$ buy-in

Before picture (women, jog bra and shorts; men, shorts)

Workout requirements:

1. "Jackie" (1000m row, 50 thrusters [33/45], 30 pull-ups)

2. Run OR Row for time.

3. Deadlift, one rep max

You will have 1 week to complete these 3 physical requirements. You may chose the Zone diet, Paleo diet, or a Paleo-Zone combination. This challenge is for 3 months! At the end of the 3 month period, you will be required to repeat the initial challenge requirements (weight, pictures, and WODs).

This is an incredible way to improve your personal bests in the gym, get prescribed on wods, lose some weight, increase muscle, get stronger, get a handle on health and eating habits, get more energy, and simply "feel better"!!! Not to mention, winner gets the pot! $$$$

Winner will be the one who showed MOST physical change AND MOST performance gains in the gym!

See you FEBRUARY 28TH @ 12:30!!!

Paleo Shrimp Scampi, Italian style!

Hope everyone enjoyed a nice long weekend! The sun was out, the air was warm ... it was absolutely beautiful! The winter doldrums were hitting me hard, so this was a weekend to warm the heart! My little Valentine's even came though with their special homemade cards... a mother's favorite for sure!

To top it off...CrossFit did not disappoint with its "Overhead Fran" WOD today. Who doesn't like to start their week off with overhead squats and pull-ups???

Tonight's dinner was a very enjoyable, and celebratory finale to the extended weekend! Hope you enjoy! :-)

Recipe:

1 lb. Shrimp, I used extra large tiger shrimp

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/4 C white wine

2 T lemon juice

1- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, no added salt

3 T flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped

fresh ground black pepper to taste

pinch celtic grey sea salt (optional)

2-3 tsp. olive oil

Heat olive oil in skillet, and saute garlic and shallots. When shallots are translucent, add celery and saute a couple minutes more. Add shrimp to skillet and add a tsp. more olive oil, if needed.

Cook at medium heat until shrimp is pink. Add wine and lemon juice. Keep at medium temperature and let the liquid cook down a little. Add canned tomatoes and Italian parsley, let simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little ground black pepper and grey salt.

I served this with some steamed broccoli, and a side salad. Serves about 4.

This is a satisfying, but pretty light meal! 1-1/2 C serving (about 5-6 shrimp) is only about 3 Zone blocks. Make sure to add some avocado, or almond slivers to your salad to keep that healthy fat content! :-)

*New paleo-zone 3 month challenge to start March 1st!

More information on the way! ...Just in time for Summer!

Isabel's Scallops with Bacon

This is a dish I have been envisioning in my head for a few weeks now. Tonight I took the daring plunge and tested it out on my family. I am very happy to report that it was a hit! My kids asked me what it was called... ? I had no response! Scott suggested I call it "Isabel" after today's CrossFit WOD. That worked for me! It's a lot easier to devour 30 small scallops for dinner, than it is to complete 30 snatches for time!

So, I hope you get a chance to enjoy Isabel... both in the gym and on your plate!! :-)

Recipe:

Scallops, 1 pound (I used wild bay scallops 40-60 count from Trader Joe's)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 T fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

3 strips bacon

spinach, about 12 cups raw (or about 9 oz.)

4 tsp. olive oil

fresh ground black pepper

Cook bacon strips and set aside. In 2 tsp. olive oil, saute onion. When onion is translucent, add garlic and red bell pepper. Remove to a dish, and set aside. In same skillet, and another tsp. olive oil and saute scallops. While scallops are cooking, saute spinach in another pan with about 2 tsp olive oil. Add the onion-pepper mixture back to scallops, and then add parsley and bacon pieces, too. Cook a tad more. Put cooked spinach on a plate, and top with the scallops! Add a little fresh ground pepper, if desired.

This was pretty easy to prepare, and turned out quite tasty!

Kale Chips

Want a great crispy, crunchy Paleo snack? This sure worked for me! Even the kids ate 'em up! ... Like potato chips, you won't be able to stop at one! Hope you enjoy this new, healthful, fun, and different snack option!

Recipe:

1 bunch kale, washed and dried

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt or course grey salt or not

garlic powder and onion powder work well, too!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove leaves from thick stems, and tear into evenly bite-sized pieces. Spread out over a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper). Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings of choice! Bake for about 10-15 minutes... until edges start to brown, but do not burn! You'll want to keep a close eye on the kale chips as they start getting close.

Pork Chops with a Golden Raisin Sauce

I had a bunch of leftover cauliflower rice from last night. So... I wanted a dish that was saucy! The cauliflower is perfect for sopping up extra juices! This fit the bill perfectly and had a nice sweetness to it that was a real treat! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm so pleased to have leftovers for lunch! Hope you enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:

5 pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick and trimmed of all visible fat

pepper and sea salt (optional)

2 T olive oil

1/4 C yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 C chicken broth, low sodium

1/2 C white wine

2 T dijon mustard

1 tsp horseradish

2 T agave nectar

2 T parsley (dried flakes, or fresh minced)

1/2 C golden raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, heat olive oil to medium heat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over trimmed pork chops, and brown on both sides, then place in baking dish and put in oven. In same pan with same oil, saute onions and garlic. Add chicken broth, wine, parsley, mustard, horseradish, agave nectar, and golden raisins. Cook on medium heat until liquid reduces in half. Remove pork chops from oven and pour mixture over pork chops. Put back in oven for about 30 more minutes.

I served this with some steamed asparagus on a bed of cauliflower rice.

I love how the golden raisins plump up so juicy! Mmmmmm, tasty. :-)

*We are gong to start another Paleo/Zone Challenge!!!... Looking at a start date of March 1st ! It will still a 3 month challenge, very similar to our last, but with a few minor changes. Just in time for summer! Details are coming soon! Post thoughts, interests, or requests to comments!

Chicken Cordon Paleo Bleu

Monday after the Superbowl!?! Great crossfit WOD (check), great paleo meal (check), and lots of water (check)! ... Let the week begin!

This dish actually turned out really well. I wish I had made more! They would have made great lunches. I really didn't miss the Swiss cheese at all. I tried to make up for it with a garlic, red bell pepper and parsley mixture! Hope you like it! :-)

Recipe:

3 medium-large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts

ham slices, about 6 thin slices (less that 1 oz. each)

3 cloves garlic

1/4 red bell pepper

1 T fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 C almond meal

2 T dried parsley flakes

1 tsp black pepper

pinch Celtic grey sea salt (optional)

paprika

3 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pound chicken breast pretty thin. In a mini food processor, blend garlic, parsley, and about 1/8 C red bell peppers. You could also just finely mince them and mix them together well. Sprinkle chicken breasts with a little black pepper and salt. Then spread the minced mixture over the top. Finally place ham slices on top and put some thinly julienned red pepper slices over the breast. Roll chicken breast up as tightly as possible and secure with tooth pics.

Now dredge rolled chicken breasts in almond meal (mixed with parsley flakes, black pepper, and grey salt). Sprinkle with a little paprika. Heat olive oil to medium heat and brown chicken on all sides. When chicken in browned evenly, place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes.

I served this on a bed of cauliflower rice along with some sautéed zucchini. Don't forget to remove the tooth pics before dining!!!

Hope you enjoy this Paleo friendly version of Cordon Bleu!!

New York Strips!

Hey, you just completed the "Filthy Fifty", what are you going to do now???

How about... Eat a steak!

I picked up a couple steaks to grill after our 4 o'clock CrossFit torture session and headed home! However we were totally rained out, so Scott pan seared the steaks instead. And... Scott made some tasty sauteed red chard to go with it. Hmmmmm. What did I do? Oh yea... I made a salad and drank a glass of wine! DID I MENTION we did the Filthy Fifty???

Recipe:

2 New York strips about 1 1/4 inch thick

pepper, grey salt and olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees! Heat cast iron pan with olive oil to medium high heat. Season steaks with salt, pepper and a tad of olive oil. Sear steaks for 1 minute and 20 seconds on each side. Put entire pan in oven for 4 more minutes. THAT's it!!!

Scott sauteed the red chard in 1 T olive oil with 3 cloves garlic.

This was a simple, quick, and yet totally decadent and rewarding dinner!

Thanks for the night off, Scott! :-)

Enjoy!

Pistachio Chicken with Coconut Chili Ginger Sauce

I am so sore from yesterday and today's WOD's. WOW... what a great couple of days! I wish I could say this meal was a magic cure for the muscles, but I think we just have to endure! I will say that this was a delicious dinner, and that it should take your mind off your unpleasantries for a little while!

I hope you enjoy... we did! :-)

Ingredients:

3 chicken breast, cut in half and pounded

1/2 C Dry roasted, unsalted pistachios, ground in food processor

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 T fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 tsp. black pepper

2 T olive oil

Sauce:

1/4 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T olive oil

1/2 C white wine

1/2 C chicken broth, low sodium

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 T Lemon grass herb blend

1 tsp. chili pepper spice blend

2 T Italian parsley, chopped

1 C coconut milk (I used low fat)

fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grind pistachio's with garlic powder, parsley, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Coat chicken breasts with the pistachio mixture. Brown chicken, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to baking dish.

In a sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. When onion is translucent, add lemon grass and chili paste. Stir in white wine. Reduce slightly, and add chicken broth, and ground ginger. Reduce a little more, and add coconut milk and parsley. Season with fresh ground pepper.

Poor over chicken breasts and bake for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and chicken is done.

I served this with some sauteed spinach and steamed zucchini. It was very satisfying, flavorful and paleo! Hope you like it!

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite some time. It's a recipe from our friend, Paleo Steve, and it's just wonderful, tasty comfort food! It was a recipe from his September '09 blog post. (I've included his site on my list of links). Comfort was just what I needed after today's "fractured crippler" WOD. This was a killer Monday, and a hearty, comforting shepherd's pie is a great way to kick off a paleo-strong week! Thanks for the recipe, Steve! It's another great one!

Yum! :-)

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. Ground turkey or ground beef
4 Parsnips - pealed and grated
1 Zucchini - sliced
1/2 C mushrooms - sliced
1/2 C Red Onion, chopped
1/2 C Cilantro, chopped
1 stalk Celery, sliced
1 Slice Bacon
8 egg whites
1 Tbl Olive Oil
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. Celery Salt or celtic grey salt
1 T Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 450F.
Peal and grate the parsnips. Add onion powder, pepper, olive oil and set aside.
Slowly cook the bacon slice, remove bacon strip and leave bacon fat in the pan.
Pan fry the onions, ground turkey, with Italian Seasoning, do not over cook. We're gonna cook it some more.
Add zucchini, mushrooms, and celery and saute in the bacon fat. Combine with meat ingredients and mix thoroughly. Let cool down a couple minutes.

Mix 4 egg whites with the cilantro and mix into the meat & veggies. Take the other 4 egg whites and mix with parsnips.
Spray the bottom of a baking pan with olive oil. Add the meat and veggies, then cover with the parsnip mixture.
(Don't smooth the tops of the parsnips too much, it browns better if you don't).
Bake for 25 minutes or until top start to brown, and dish bubbles. Sprinkle with the chopped bacon.

Steve divided this into 4, 5 block portions... I divided it into 6, 3 block servings. Either way... It's Paleo-zoned well!

Hope you enjoy! It's delish....