Food Archives - Page 2 of 4

Bacon Mushroom Egg Rollup

December 12, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food 1 Comment

It’s no secret around here that we are really into eggs. We all tolerate them well. They fill us up and are a convenient, cheap meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There are many, many ways to make them, and we like them all–poached, over easy, scrambled, you name it.

So naturally we are very into omelets. They feel fun. They feel individual (well, ‘cuz they are). You get to do whatever you like with your filling. It’s a good time. However, it’s hard to sit down as a family to a meal of omelets, because you can really only make one at a time. So, one person’s is getting cold while the other person’s is cooking, and we are a family of four, so that’s a lot of cold eggs which are not as good.

But, alas! I have a solution to this problem now! You get all the omelet-y goodness, but everybody eats at the same time. And it is found in this here egg roll up! Think of it as a giant omelet that you can slice into individual pieces. It is still fun, and no one is slaving over the omelet pan while everybody else eats in shifts. [Read more…]

Pork Tenderloin & Roasted Veggies

October 31, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

You guys, I love fall food. I really love it. In the summer, I am all salads and grilling and berry picking, and in the fall, I am all soups and baked goods and really anything roasted. Because, I mean, who wants to heat up their house with the oven during the summer? But in fall, oh yes. Let’s get cozy with some warm, yummy food, and fires, and candles.

So, I bust out the roast chicken again, and I start back into making soups, but sometimes you need something a little quicker for a weeknight meal or just different but still want all the cozy feeling of fall. Enter, this pork tenderloin recipe. [Read more…]

Chocolate Date Brownies

October 18, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

It is no secret around here that I like chocolate. I eat some just about every single day of my life. I think I come by it genetically. The ladies in my family can get down with chocolate. I could probably live without ever eating candy again in my life, but plain chocolate? No way, Jose.

Now, unfortunately, chocolate generally comes with a whole bunch of sugar which makes me feel not-so-great and can lead to increased body fat around the mid-section for me. Bummer. So, I am picky about my chocolate because darker, richer chocolate has less sugar, (no dairy!), and is much more satisfying for me.

Before I get to the recipe, let me just take a minute and vouch for the benefits of raw cacao (used in this recipe rather than cocoa powder), because it is pretty dang good for you! [Read more…]

Grain Free Fish Sticks

September 10, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

Whenever Matthew is out of town (not very often…maybe a couple days every two or three months), I try to plan a special few days with the kids. It keeps us busy so we’re not sitting around just feeling sad that he’s not with us. We go to fun places (think pet stores and parks…maybe the kids’ museum), read extra stories, maybe watch a fun movie, etc. These days end up often being some really, really special days for us.

Another thing I like to do is make my own version of “kid food” for us to enjoy while he’s gone. Admittedly, I often say that I don’t believe in kid food. Our babies eat what the rest of the family eats as soon as they have enough teeth for that. We give them ethnic foods, and even spicy foods from the get go, and I think it helps them have a very broad palate. (Not to mention starting our kids off with lots of fat and protein rather than carbs as their first foods.)

Still, sometimes “kid food” is just kinda fun! I loved fish sticks as a kid, and my kids, being the sardine-eating babies that they were, really like fish. I wanted to make some fish sticks for a fun dinner for them (because anything that’s dip-able in a sauce is just winning big time at our house; we are a sauce family!). I definitely had to make these fish sticks gluten-free so that we all felt well, and then they ended up being grain-free, too! Sweet! [Read more…]

Mexican Cobb Salad

July 25, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

There is just something about Mexican food in summer time. It is just perfect for every occasion. And then there is also something about salads in summer. Of course we don’t want something big and heavy when it’s hot out. I am in love with this salad because it combines Mexican and salad into something more interesting than the traditional taco salad which I don’t really love that much. Maybe this is more southern Californian than Mexican, but it’s fun for a lunch or easy dinner. Great for throwing into a cooler for an evening at the pool (which is exactly what we did when I took the pictures for this post). [Read more…]

Gluten Free Fluffy Pancakes

July 13, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again: I am into breakfast carbs. There’s just something absolutely delightful about a sweet-but-not-too-sweet baked something and a cup of coffee to start the day. Reading should also be involved. And silence. Or really beautiful music. (Think Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach’s Cello Suites.) I digress. You get the point. I love mornings, and I love baked goods!

As I kid, my dad made pancakes for us every Sunday morning. Just plain and simple Bisquik pancakes, but I loved this rhythm in our week. I ate mine plain, no syrup. Kinda’ weird.

I remember distinctly noticing how hungry I felt shortly after eating these pancakes, as much as I loved them. Weren’t pancakes supposed to be kind of a hearty breakfast? Even as a small child, I think I was noticing/experiencing significant blood sugar drops as a result of eating a lot of simple sugar for breakfast (and that was WITHOUT all the syrup!).

Now that I am dealing with a gluten intolerance, I can’t even imagine how awful those original pancakes would make me feel, but I still want a fun pancake experience for my kids and me. Just like my banana bread experience, I feel like I have made every single recipe out there when it comes to paleo or gluten free pancakes. It’s taken me a while to land on one that I really love. [Read more…]

Not Soggy Paleo Banana Bread

June 18, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

I am, what you might call, a recovering carb-ivore. In my younger years I lived on carbs! Because, you know, runners. They “need” carbs. (Not really.) So, I ate bagels for breakfast, and sandwiches for lunch, and pasta for dinner, and pretzels and animal crackers in between.

And then I started learning about nutrition, and I started eating more protein (and it no longer took a week to recover from a weight workout!). And then I learned even more about nutrition and my body’s unique needs, and I started eating more fats. Not only do I feel a ton better, have more energy (3:00 slump, anyone?), and have exponentially better digestion, but I noticed my body’s cues for food have changed, too. If I am really, really hungry, I will crave something with fat and protein to actually make me feel full and satisfied.

However, some things just don’t change, and this girl loves breakfast sweets! Now, I do really love eggs for breakfast most days because they are yummy AND keep me feeling satiated until my next meal, but I have never stopped loving breakfast baked goods. They are my VERY favorite–scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins, bread. I LOVE them all! I know that a “normal” sugar and flour laden scone will leave me feeling lousy for the day (or catch up with me later), so oftentimes I don’t have a problem saying “no” to something like that, but there are plenty of other times when I want a baked good that tastes great AND doesn’t leave me falling asleep standing up. Also, sometimes we don’t have leisurely breakfasts because we have somewhere we need to be, and I need something I can throw at my kids that I know is still nutrient dense, real food.

Now, I kinda’ feel like I have been around the block when it comes to paleo recipes. [Read more…]

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Blondies

May 30, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

Sometimes I wish I didn’t like to bake. I mean, I started baking somewhere around the time I was big enough to sit on the counter and stir with my mom. (So we are going on, what, like 30+ years?!) Sometimes maybe it would be nice if all the things my family loves for me to make weren’t recipes loaded with gluten. We are talking about homemade pizza dough, chocolate chip cookies, scones of all varieties, cinnamon rolls, and, my latest creations, chocolate croissants! Beyond the fact that all but one of these things have a sizable portion of sugar in the recipe, they all pack a pretty decent gluten punch.

Not only does a fair amount of research support the gluten-thyroid dysfunction connection, but it just plain makes me feel terrible. I can’t even fathom going back to my life as a teenager or college student. I lived on [Read more…]

Actually Easy Roast Chicken

May 11, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

So it is finally spring where we live. Hooray! Yes, spring doesn’t quite come to stay until about May. My family in Pennsylvania appears to be about a month ahead of us–all blossoming trees and lilacs and already over tulips and daffodils, but it is okay! I will take these 50 and 60 degree temps and sometimes outside playing days and daffodils still at Mother’s Day. I will take what I can get here in the Mitten! (That’s Michigan speak for Michigan which is shaped like a mitten–just FYI if you don’t live here. The things I have learned in three years!)

We have survived our polar vortex with comfort foods and friends that we love. One meal that, I think, transitions us really nicely from winter comfort food to spring is roast chicken. Of course it is great in the dead of winter, but it can be really nice in spring, too. It’s still comforting and cozy, but you can pair it with spring vegetables or just a nice, crisp salad. It really has a million uses and accompanying sides.

I love to make food that looks fancy but really is super easy to make. Like, Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, or Barefoot Contessa’s affogato sundaes. Or doctored up, pre-packaged gnocchi (this is my favorite!). And, this one surprises people: roast chicken. Looks super fancy, but it’s super easy.

Often when I don’t know the level of adventurousness of my dinner guests, I make roast chicken. I think about 98% of my friend population would like it and enjoy it. Kids usually eat it. It’s gluten free. A lot of people who don’t do dairy will do butter, but even then you could use ghee or olive oil (although, if you can, please, please use butter here…this chicken skin is ridiculous). So, crowd pleaser that feels fancy and is oh so comforting, but super easy and didn’t dirty every pot and pan I own? Uh, yes, please. [Read more…]

Thai Chicken Curry

February 18, 2019 by Stacey Filed Under: Blog, Food Leave a Comment

Have I mentioned that it is COLD in winter where I live? We moved to Michigan just over three years ago from warm and sunny Denver, Colorado. Most people that we mention that to are totally shocked that we call Denver “warm.” They don’t understand the idea of a dry cold and how much different that is. They can hardly believe it when we say that we don’t wear coats all that often in the winter. Sure, it gets cold from time to time, but mostly the winters are mild. We sometimes bike in January. I used to run in shorts at least one day of every month of the year. It snows sometimes, and then it melts in a few hours when the sun comes out again. It is AMAZING!

But, those days are no more. Now we live in Michigan. It is not sunny in the winter. Ever. It is SO COLD! I stocked up on boots, warm coats, and gloves. I became a hat person. Additionally, we are still trying to find some things to do in the winter. In Colorado, there was always something fun to do outside year round (snow or no snow). In Michigan, we are trying to find some things to love. [Read more…]

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