Paleo Bacon Coleslaw

I had SO much fun cooking tonight's dinner. If you can... make an evening out of it! Sip some wine and enjoy the process! ... Gourmet & Paleo!!! Enjoy! :-)

Recipe:

1 head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

OR you can cheat and buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage w/ carrots! :-)

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

6 strips bacon, cut into 1" pieces

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T honey

1/2 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch sea salt & pepper

Combine cabbage, onion and carrot in a large bowl and set aside. Cook bacon pieces over medium heat until throughly browned and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer bacon to a dish lined with paper towels... to drain. Set aside. Reserve bacon grease for later. Combine mustard, honey, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add about 2 tablespoons bacon grease and all but 2 tablespoons bacon. Mix well and pour over cole slaw. Sprinkle remaining 2 T bacon over slaw and serve!

I used whatever remaining bacon grease for the sweet potatoes side! Use 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, add to a baking dish. Saute 4 cloves minced garlic in the bacon fat. Do not let the garlic burn! Add about 2 T fresh rosemary (chopped finely) and continue to saute slightly and quickly. Pour mixture over chopped sweet potatoes. Toss well and bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees!

I served both these delicious sides with an old recipe favorite: "Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops with Rosemary"! Everything complimented each other nicely! Yum.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Shallots and Garlic

I have been a little MIA lately, and I apologize! I also really appreciate those of you who keep checking the site and posting on older recipes! This is still very much a passion of mine... the cooking, creating, eating Paleo and blogging about it! However... life has thrown us a curve ball. (Which it does to us all from time-to-time). Personal issues and illness within our family have drawn immediate attention and priority! I know we ALL have experienced times in our lives when "life" simply overwhelms us.... Pain, suffering, bad luck, sadness, unfortunate circumstances, injuries, heartache... the list goes on! It's times like these when our foundations for good health come to test and really kick in! All of a sudden a great recipe, creative cooking or simply eating for that matter, do not seem important! But... we have the foundations and the experience to make good choices in non-desirable situations. This is who we are now: CrossFitters, Paleo enthusiasts, health aficionados! It is also times like these when we realize what "good health" actually means (visually & internally)!

People: Do not take for granted your health! Get out there and move! Eat well! Enjoy the pleasure (and luxury) of pushing your limits! Live well. Stay challenged. Eat well. Live smart. Eat smart. Stay active within your means. and...CrossFit!

I've heard this quote a lot lately from various sources, and it keeps playing in my mind: "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans" - John Lennon

Recipe:

20 oz. chopped butternut squash or 1 butternut squash peeled and diced

4 large shallots, peeled and halved

10 cloves garlic, peeled

1 C olive oil

1 heaping T red wine vinegar

1 large tsp. dried thyme

pinch sea salt & pepper

dash allspice & cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine olive oil and spices. Put butternut squash, shallots and garlic in a baking dish. Add olive oil and spices and toss all ingredients well. Bake for 30-40 minutes... until butternut squash is tender and shallots start to caramelize. That's it!

Hope you enjoy this simple (delicious) side! :-)