Asian Stir Fry with Zucchini Noodles

I am so lucky to have a friend who loves eating Paleo as much I do. Check out her awesome blog for great meal ideas http://www.paleomadepainless.com/2012/09/day-11-12-13.html, but before you do that, take a look at my latest creation. Being the genius she is, Aubrey made noodles out of zucchini for chicken parm the other night. I have attempted these noodles in the past, but didn't even realize I had the proper tool to make em (I'd tried using a knife in the past)! Once I figured that out, I was inspired to make a yummy Asian stir fry, and use the zucchini noodles as a base. So here's what you need:

Stir Fry:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
2 large zucchinis washed and dried
1 medium bell pepper julienned
1/4 large onion diced
Salt to taste


Sauce:
1/4 rice wine vinegar
1 inch piece fresh ginger diced
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves diced
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp red curry paste
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tsp sriracha 
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.


I heated some coconut oil in a large pan on medium heat. Then I added the chicken and topped it with a little sea salt, allowed the chicken to brown for about 5 minutes, and then added the onions and peppers. While those cooked down I prepped the zucchini (see below). Just before the chicken was finished cooking, I added my sauce and allowed everything to simmer for about 5 minutes. I then turned off the heat and added my zucchini noodles.

So easy!

So yummy!

Stuffed sweet potato

I haven't been feeling particularly inspired in the kitchen lately. More often than not, we end up eating the same dishes repeatedly. While using the same ingredients is fine, I like to add variety by using different cooking methods, and adding new flavors. Last night I had no idea what to make, when suddenly a light bulb came on. I was inspired by twice baked potatoes, though my dish is certainly a loose interpretation, but a definite nod to this classic favorite. Here's what I did:

Your will need:
1 medium sweet potato, 1 small sweet potato
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 large bell pepper diced
1/2 small onion diced
1 small jalepeno diced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
S&P

I began by cranking the oven up to 400 and letting the sweet potatoes bake until soft. In the meantime I sauteed the onions, bell peppers, and jalepeno in coconut oil and then added the ground turkey and spices. I browned the turkey until thoroughly cooked and then removed from the heat. When the sweet potatoes were cooked through I removed the flesh from the small one and the part of the center of the larger one, and added it to the ground turkey. I mixed it until smooth, but with a few chunks of sweet potato remaining. I then piled the mixture into the medium sweet potato "shells" (see below). I served the sweet potato along with some grilled asparagus. This dish is a definite hit!

Paleo "oatmeal"

Good morning! Here is an egg free paleo recipe that is a great option for breakfast. One of my favorite foods used to be a big bowl of slow cooked steel cut oats with lots of cinnamon. This paleo version gives you that same warm, yummy consistency but is grain free. I'm really excited to have this go-to option next week when I eliminate eggs from my diet for 3 weeks. So here it is:

1/4 cup almond coursely chopped or pulsed in the blender
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp ground flax
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
splash of vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

You can either combine all the ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer together on the stove, or just put them in a bowl and stick them in the microwave. I topped mine with fresh blueberries. This makes a large bowl, so you can certainly scale back. I'll be avoiding nuts for the rest of the day, since this was a hefty serving (we'll see if this really happens). This recipe would be awesome with pumpkin or sweet potato puree added as well. Oh the possibilities!