You can never have too much bacon

 I think we all know how much my family loves the bacon and this month we have tried to find different ideas in using, so far so good. Early we did the bacon muffins and those are now a common staple in our breakfast routine. This recipe I think would be better with apples but still very tasty and the kids love it!

This one is quick and easy, and it's bacon so of course its good!

INGREDIENTS:
1 package uncured bacon (Pilgrams has a good brand that is thick and tasty and super one carries the white
                                        label uncured as well)
6 boneless chicken thighs
2 sliced peaches (I think this recipe would have been better with apples or pears, give it a try)
diced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:
place a pinch of clintro and a slice of fruit in the center of the boneless chicken thigh. Roll it up, wrap with a whole slice of bacon and stab through with a toothpick to hold it together.

Place all the wraps on a baking dish that is lightly grease, bake on 375 degrees for about 30 min or until the chicken juices run clear

We served it with our all time favorite potato salad. The kids liked them but we all agreed the apples or pears would give it a better overall flavor.

Morning Hash

This is another morning winner at our house and with the basics of this one you can add anything and make it a new meal every morning.

INGREDIENTS:

3 yam and/or sweet potatoes

your choice of vegys (broccoli, asparagus, spinach, onions, peppers, mushrooms, the list is endless)

2 apples diced

small dash of olive oil for the pan

meat of your choice (bacon, sausage, hamburger, again endless list here)

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare all the ingredients by dicing or cubing. heat oil, cook meat 1st. Add the vegys from hardest to softest (since the hard items need to  cook longer, and serve warm. Easy, quick and filling what could be a better breakfast.

BROWNIES!

This recipe is similar to the chocolate zucchini bread that was posted awhile ago, although I think this one is more chocolatey and has a better texture. This one would also be great with a little less zucchini for that true brownie flavor. I have also used a new sweetener and please remember like all added sweeteners we are moving our insulin respond outside of that good middle ground and slightly defeating the purpose of a true paleo. But as will everything life is best with moderation, so it's not going to kill us if it's every once in awhile.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 C applesauce

2 small bananas mashed

1/2 C raw coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 C shredded zucchini

1 3/4 C flour (I used 1/2 almond and 1/2 coconut)

1/2 C walnuts 

Preheat oven 350 degrees, grease and flour pan. Mix applesauce, bananas and sugar. add cocoa and vanilla.  Add everything and mix well. Pour into pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean. 

Bacon MMMMMMuffins

 I have found the perfect breakfast for my family and possibly for yours! So who doesn't love bacon, um nobody right, this is the only egg recipe Katie will eat thanks to bacon. MMMMMM

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (uncured) bacon
6-7 eggs
any vegy of your choice diced (We used spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and asparagus)

DIRECTIONS:
Beat the eggs and add the diced vegys. We made a few different varieties of mixed vegys and even added some with a little clean sausage which turned out great!)

Cut your bacon strips in half. Lay one strip across the bottom of the muffin tin cup and around to one side. Use the other half to wrap around the rest of the cup lining to make a homemade muffin shell.  Pour your egg mixture into each cup filling about 3/4 full. The eggs don't expand much when they cook but the bacon will curl around the top making a crisp outer shell, if you leave some of it exposed.

Put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 min or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin when it's still warm and serve. Hallelujah bacon muffins!!!

Balsamic Chicken

I love crockpot options expecially with our busy schedule. It so nice to come home after a hectic day to a hot ready made meal. This one actually turned out better as leftovers the next day, the flavors were really evident after being refriderated and reheated.

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 garlic cloves diced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
sliced onion
1  tbsn olive oil
1/2  C balsamic vinegar
package of chicken thighs

 DIRECTIONS:
Put olive oil and onions in the bottom of the crockpot. Put the chicken on top and cover with the vinegar. Cook on high for about 6 hrs.

Paleo Porridge

We used to be big cream of wheat fans and sometimes on those cold winter morings, you know like the ones we have in the middle of April, I miss a hot bowl of cereal. While I was cruising the net looking for ideas I came across this gem. thanks to Paleo Spirit for this starter. I didn't use all of the ingredients and we really liked the consistency and flavor. Although the kids have asked for a little less banana taste, we're trying 1/2 dates next time. We also halved the recipe and it worked out perfect for 2 bowls.

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe bananas mashed

2 C coconut milk (we used the carton kind but the true canned kind would be so much better flavor and consistency)

3/4 C almond meal (the original recipe also asks for 1/4 C flax meal)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger (we omitted)

1/8 cloves (we substituted with nutmeg)

1/8 salt (we omitted)

honey (just a dash although its not needed its pretty sweet from the bananas)

berries for topper, or raisins, or coconut flakes, really the options are endless.

Add all ingredients in to a saucepan, cook on med low until it thickens, (about 5-10 min) stirring often to make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Spoon into bowls top with your choice and yum. 

Crepes!!!

Crepes are a family tradition for birthday breakfast in our house and it was always expected that we would have to do un-clean. I have found this wonderful blog "against all grains" this women is amazing!!! check her out here http://www.againstallgrain.com, she has everything and anything you would ever want to know about cooking clean.  She has provided us with an amazing alternative to clean crepes. They taste a little more egg-y then un-clean crepes but with fruit and the coconut whipped cream (below) they're amazing in their own right. Even my nieces and nephew liked them. My nephew, who calls our food "that weird stuff", even had 3rds. 
I have altered the recipe just slightly, I like the flavor of vanilla in my breakfast "breads", but other than that this is all from against the grain blog.

INGREDIENTS:                                                         
For the Crepes
6 eggs 
1 cup almond milk
3 tbln coconut flour, sifted
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp arrowroot
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
coconut oil for the pan

For the filling:
frozen strawberries and blueberries
1 fresh sliced banana

For the whipped cream:
1 can whole coconut milk
honey (optional)
vanilla (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all ingredients until completely blended, let sit about 10 minutes for the flour to absorb the liquid. I continued to whisk the batter before I poured it into the frying pan to keep it well blended and avoid clumps.  
heat a flat skillet on med, lightly cover in coconut oil to grease the pan. Pour the batter slowly onto the pan. the batter is very runny, but if you want to spread it out you can, just very carefully and slowly move the pan around by the handle. I found you don't really need to spread it out, the batter will spread mostly by itself, plus it will keep its pretty round shape if you just let it be. Let the crepe cook until the sides are slightly brown and the top is no longer runny, carefully flip the crepe, lightly brown the other side and remove to a plate to cool. this recipe makes about 8+ crepes. 

We used frozen blueberries and strawberries and sliced fresh bananas for our filling along with a coconut whipped cream (again from "against the grain" blog).  Take a few scoops of each of the frozen berries and put inside a pot and turn on med. I added a small spoon of honey, but it's really not necessary if you don't want it. I let that boil and melt until we had a running hot syrup, than I set aside to cool. 

Whipped cream: Put the cans contents in the fridge overnight. Carefully remove the top layer of the coconut milk (all the yummy fat looking topping) and put in a bowl, whip with a hand blender until peaks form add a small amount of honey and vanilla if you want. 

After all your ingredients are made and the crepes are slightly cooled (they will rip easier if they are warm) place a crepe flat on the plate put your fruit filling inside, roll, cover with a dollop of fruit and whipped cream and enjoy! Yummy!!!!