Ground Bison Vegetable Mix Up

Seriously did not know what to call this post.  Really all I wanted to do was to cook the bison and add a bunch of vegetables to it.  Keep it healthy.

Ground Bison Vegetable Mix Up
2 pounds ground bison
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 package of button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes (no salt kind)
1 small zucchini, sliced and then each slice sliced again
1 small can of sliced black olives
Small handful of brown rice pasta (gluten free), cooked
Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Heat a coconut oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions and cook until slightly soft, add bell pepper and cook.  Add bison and chop up into small pieces as you incorporate it into the onion and pepper.  Cook until bison is no longer pink.  Add tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini.  Stir to incorporate.  You may need to put the heat on high to help cook off some of the liquid, however be careful to not burn it.  Once the zucchini becomes soft, about 10 minutes, add black olives and pasta to incorporate.  Add some salt and pepper to taste.  Serve

Along with this dish we had a side salad packed with a mix of greens (swiss chard, spinach, arugula, and baby lettuce), tomatoes, cucumber and a few pieces of red pepper.  Add a little bit of olive oil and red wine vinegar for the dressing.

Grilled Chicken with Tomato Feta Salsa

I will keep this post simple and sweet.  Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Tomato Feta Salsa
2 grilled chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
1/2 package of small grape tomatoes
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/8 cup cilantro, minced finely
Small amount of olive oil
For the chicken sprinkle each breast (both sides) with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Place on a 450 degree Fahrenheit grill.  Cook for about 15 minutes, turning twice.
For the salsa.  Cut tomatoes in half, lengthwise and place into a small bowl.  Add feta cheese and cilantro, mix well to incorporate all ingredients.  Add a small amount of olive oil to add just a little bit more flavor.
Top each chicken breast with salsa and serve.

To this meal I cooked a whole grain rice from a company called Lundberg.  The rice is called Jubilee and it contains a mix of Sweet Brown Rice, Short Grain Brown Rice, Long Grain Brown Rice, Whole Grain Wehani Rice, Whole Grain Japonica Rice.  I cooked it to the package directions which actually will feed a small army.  Plenty of rice to have with several more meals.  The next time I make this rice I plan on using a broth (either chicken or vegetable).  This rice has a nice nutty flavor.

Also served this with a small green salad with tomatoes and avocado.

Steamed Black Cod

This was actually dinner the other night.  I am behind on my posts due to so many things going on at once.

Steamed Black Cod
2 black cod filets (these came from SeaBear)
2 lemons, 1 lemon sliced in half and half of it sliced thinly the other lemon (juice)
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
1 small chunk of ginger peeled and cut into large chunks
1/8 cup coconut aminos
In a small bowl place juice of one lemon, coconut aminos, some of the finely minced ginger and green onion (reserve some of both for on top) mix together, set aside.

To steam the fish I use an electric wok with a bamboo steamer.  In the wok add some water, making sure that steamer will fit into the top of wok but not touch the water.  Add the large chunks of ginger, one half of a lemon, squeezing the juice into water, and some of the green onions.  Place lid on wok and heat water until it is steaming.  In a small pie plate, place in cod filets, pour over top with lemon-coconut amino mixture.  Add a few slices of lemon to each fillet, topping each with the remaining ginger and green onion.  Place pie plate into steamer, add steamer lid, place steamer onto wok.  Don't open the lid of the steamer to check on fish, you will lose all of your steam.  Cook for about 15 minutes (this is how long it took for the fish filets I had).  Serve.

Cooked Beets
5 beets that have been rinsed and cleaned of dirt
In a large pot add water and beets. Cook for about 45 minutes or until beets are tender.  Remove beets to a large bowl.  Using a silicone mitt (the beets will be extremely hot and you also want to protect your hands from turning red) hold the beets and slice off each end, now take the mitts and work around the beet holding it, the skin will just slip right off.  If you are having trouble take a paper towel and use it against the skin. Slice or chop beets how you want and serve.

Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes
In a crock pot add sweet potatoes, turn on high and cook for about 5-6 hours or until potatoes are tender.  Serve with a little salt and pepper.

Lamb Burgers with Feta Cheese and Mint

The weather for us comes in waves of one day it is warm, the next day it is cold, the next day it is windy.  This goes on all the time during the spring and this year is more unusual than most.  That being said it really isn't the perfect time to grill when it is really cold, however we decided to forget about the cold and grill out.

This is also the time when farmers markets are starting back up, so don't forget to buy local whenever possible.  The lamb and the feta cheese were from local sources.

You will probably notice first from the picture that there isn't any bun to eat this burger on.  We are trying to go without wheat or any type of gluten, so it is a bun-less burger.

Grilled Lamb Burgers with Feta Cheese and Mint
1 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
Fresh ground pepper
Place lamb, feta cheese and mint into a bowl, using hands mix together all ingredients.  Separate meat into four equal sections and pat them into burgers.  Place on a heated grill over high heat and cook for 15 minutes.  Flipping once.  Add a little bit of fresh mint on top for a garnish.

Grilled Cauliflower
Place cut cauliflower into foil and create a pocket that you want to pinch closed on all sides.   Add a small amount of coconut oil to the packet.  Place packet onto grill and cook for 15 minutes.  Serve

Wilted Spinach
1 large package of fresh baby spinach
Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add spinach, tossing to cook.  Cook until the spinach just begins to wilt.  Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and serve.

Also served with this a little bit of the cabbage pineapple salad.

Detox Diet

DISCLAIMER:  The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

I am sure that from the title that you are wondering what in the world is a detox diet.  Let me explain...I have food allergies and while away I ate things that I don't normally eat, not necessarily things I was allergic to, just things outside our normal diet.  I spoke to my doctor about it and she suggested a detox. It is where I eliminate foods and introduce more vegetables.  This would help clear all of those things from my body as well as cleanse it.  I convinced my husband to do this with me, his biggest concern was the giving up of caffeine, mainly coffee.  He did decide to do this with me after talking to him about the importance of eliminating caffeine.

Below you will see what the plan calls for as well as what we ate for the last 7 days. 

This is what the plan calls for:

Foods to Eat:

Fruits:

fresh or frozen fruits

unsweetened, natural juice

dried fruit, unsweetened, in limited amounts, such as cranberries, dates, raisins, goji berries

Vegetables:

Vegetables thought to be particularly good detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, and dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, and swiss chard.

sea vegetables, including kelp, nori sheets, wakame

Grains and Starches:

rice, especially brown rice

quinoa

buckwheat

millet

amaranth

wild rice

oats

whole grains are preferred, but products made from the above may be allowed, such as brown rice pasta, pure buckwheat noodles, rice crackers, and bread

Beans and Legumes:

split yellow and green peas

lentils

adzuki beans

Nuts and Seeds:

almonds

cashews

walnuts

sunflower seeds

pumpkin seeds

sesame seeds

chia seeds

hemp seeds, hemp nuts

coconut, especially young coconuts

tahini

nut and butter made only with allowed ingredients

peanuts and peanut butter - usually not recommended

choose unsalted, raw nuts and seeds

Oils:

cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil

hemp oil

flax oil

chia oil

almond oil

avocado oil

coconut oil

safflower, sesame, and sunflower oils in limited amounts (due to omega-6 fatty acids)

Beverages:

"milks" - made from allowed foods, such as rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk

coconut milk - except canned coconut milk

water

herbal teas

green tea

lemon water

unsweetened juice made from allowed fruits and vegetables

mineral or seltzer water - in limited amounts

Sweeteners:

honey

xylitol

stevia (liquid)

Condiments:
apple cider vinegar
miso - small amounts
black olives
lemons and limes
fresh and dried herbs and spices
cacao powder and cacao nibs
carob powder
sea salt
mustard
wheat free tamari - in limited amounts

Animal Protein:
organic turkey
organic chicken
wild, cold-water fish, such as Alaskan salmon
lamb
wild game, such as venison, buffalo, ostrich

Daily Detox Do's:
Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day
Take the time to chew food well

Top Detox foods: Pomegranate, arugula, lemon, seaweed, cabbage, quinoa, blueberries, wheat grass, beets, ginger, cauliflower, green tea.



FOODS TO AVOID:

Dairy Products and Eggs:
milk
cheese
cottage cheese
sour cream
yogurt and kefir
butter
ice cream and frozen yogurt

Wheat:
wheat products containing wheat, such as pasta and bread

Sweeteners
refined sugar
any white sugar
any brown sugar
high-fructose corn syrup
evaporated cane juice
artificial sweeteners

Gluten:
All gluten-containing grains, including wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut, couscous, bran, and farina

Soy:
tofu
soy milk
soy yogurt
soy sauce
soy protein powder
tempeh

Coffee and Caffeinated Beverages:
coffee
tea
soft drinks

Here are the foods that we purchased to supplement what we already had in the freezer:
cauliflower
cabbage
pineapple
beets
sweet potatoes
ginger
arugula
spinach
lettuce
avocados
cucumbers
tomatoes
almond flour
unsweetened coconut
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
silvered almonds
gluten free tortillas (we used a brown rice tortilla made by Food for Life)
chickpeas
green tea (I am allergic to green tea but my husband drank this)
hemp hearts

Day 1: Actually ate out for lunch but had a salad from the salad bar with lots of greens including spinach, all vegetables that are allowed and some oil and vinegar.  Dinner was the Chicken Noodle Soup.

Day 2: Breakfast - Oatmeal (steel cut oats) with nuts, a little honey and some raisins, Lunch  - a big salad, Dinner  -  Chicken with tomatoes, artichokes with quinoa and asparagus.

Day 3: Breakfast - leftover oatmeal with nuts, a little honey and some raisins.  Lunch - ground turkey cooked and placed on a tortilla with hummus, arugula, tomatoes.  Dinner - Tortilla wrap with salmon, arugula, hummus.

Day 4 - Breakfast  - Paleo breakfast bars.  Lunch - huge salad.  Dinner - chicken sausage (no sugar added), baked sweet potatoes and salad.

Day 5 - Breakfast - paleo breakfast bar. Lunch - huge salad. Dinner - we ate out at a asian restaurant where we ordered chicken with vegetable (no sauce) mine actually came with rice noodles.

Day 6 - Breakfast - paleo breakfast bar with almond butter. Lunch - huge salad.  Dinner - cabbage pineapple salad, and green salad.

Day 7 - Breakfast - paleo breakfast bar with almond butter. Lunch - tortilla with turkey, hummus, adzuki beans and greens. Dinner - Baked salmon with roasted cauliflower and salad.

I apologize for not having pictures of everything.

Paleo Breakfast Bars
1 cup blanched almond flour

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup hemp hearts
• ¼ cup blanched slivered almonds
• ¼ cup raisinsIn a food processor combine almond flour and salt.  Pulse in coconut oil, honey, water and vanilla. Pulse in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins.  Press dough into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish, wetting your hands with water to pat dough down. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.  Make sure that you cool them completely before cutting otherwise it will make them crumbly. 
• 

Baked Chicken with Tomatoes and Artichokes

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 can unsalted, chopped tomatoes

1 can plain artichokes, drained

Dried basil, garlic, parsley

Add chicken breasts to casserole dish, dump can of tomatoes and artichokes over top.  Add herbs to the amount that you would like and bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit  oven for about 30 minutes or until done. 

Lunch/Dinner Turkey Wrap
1 brown rice tortilla, warmed in microwave for about 30 seconds.  Spread with homemade hummus, top with spinach, arugula and some lettuce (be generous), top with a cooked ground turkey patty (place a spoonful of ground turkey into a skillet (no oil) and cook until done, pressing flat to help cook.  Slice turkey patty in half and add to tortilla.  I also added when cooking turkey one day a little bit of cumin, and curry.  Add 1 sliced avocado.  Sprinkle with some salt and pepper.




Cabbage and Pineapple Salad
1 small head of cabbage cut into chunks
1 fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized pieces

Salad with all kinds of vegetables, adzuki beans and some of the cabbage, pineapple salad.

Baked Salmon with Roasted Cauliflower
1/2 head of cauliflower cut into small pieces
olive oil
salt, pepper, garlic powder
2 salmon filets
Place cauliflower onto a baking sheet.  Drizzle with a little but of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.  Place in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake for about 15 minutes.  Turn cauliflower over and bake for another 15 minutes.

Place salmon onto a cookie sheet, sprinkle with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into oven to cook while the cauliflower is cooking.  The salmon will not take very long to cook at this oven temperature so keep an eye on it, you don't want it over cooked.

Snacks:  For snacks we found that a handful of nuts, a couple of dried figs, or one date rolled in unsweetened coconut satisfied a sweet tooth and satisfied the urge to snack.


Personal notes:  We both thought that we would be excited to add certain things back into our diet.  This morning I had an egg (omelet with hummus and arugula) but it didn't satisfy me like I thought it would and it seems to be just sitting in my stomach.  My husband had a cup of coffee after having a mug of green tea and told me that he realized that he was drinking coffee just to drink it, he never tasted it.  So now he said that he will sip and enjoy the flavor of his coffee each morning.  We will continue to eat more vegetables, cut out bread (gluten) and probably sweets.  Also with this just being a week long, we will continue to eat this way.  We both feel good (more energy) and I lost a little bit of weight.  The weight part was an added bonus but not the point of this whole detox.

Chicken Noodle Soup (gluten free)

Where we live in Virginia we are having Winter weather instead of Spring weather.  All of our flower bulbs that had popped up are covered in about 4 inches of snow, more is expected tonight.  Like for most cold winter snowy days you feel the need to make a big pot of soup.  Tonight was no exception.

I decided to pack the soup with a ton of vegetables.

Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
3 large chicken breasts, cut into small bite sized pieces
8 cups of chicken broth (I used my homemade chicken broth)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bag of broccoli florets
1 bag of spinach
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 bag of gluten free pasta
salt and pepper
Place chicken broth into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Add chicken, making sure to stir it.  Add carrots, sweet potato and onion.  Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add broccoli and dried herbs.  Cover.  Let cook for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add pasta and cook until tender.  When you are just about ready to eat, stir in the spinach and let wilt.   Serve.

Spiced Rubbed Tuna Steaks with a Balsamic Reduction and Kale Salad

I am still trying to get used to cooking tuna on my grill pan in the house.  I end up cooking it for a little longer than I want, I like it to be more on the rare side.  Tonight this was juicy in the middle but a little more done.

I found this recipe online on a blog called The Paleo Prize and it sounded fantastic, so I had to make it.

Spiced Rubbed Tuna Steaks 
1 tablespoon sea salt (I used an Hawaiian Black Sea Salt)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tuna steaks, patted dry
Coconut oil
Mix all ingredients together and pat them onto tuna steaks, making sure you get the edges as well.  Place tuna steaks into a hot pan coated with a little coconut oil and sear on each side about 2 minutes.  But like I said before it is really how you like your tuna.

Balsamic Reduction
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
juice from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
Place all ingredients into a saucepan and place over medium low heat.  Reduce the liquid by half.  Serve over cooked tuna steaks.

Kale Salad
2 bunches of baby kale
a little bit of water
1/8 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoons sesame seeds or a little bit more if you would like
Place kale into a microwave safe bowl add water.  Place plastic wrap on top of bowl (making sure that plastic wrap doesn't touch the kale) and place in microwave for about 3 minutes or until wilted. Drain water, add olive oil, tamari and sesame seeds.  Toss and Serve.