Apple Blackberry Crisp

I made this for a group of friends over the weekend. Four of us finished off the 13x9 pan of goodness. It was REALLY delicious. Summer is here and this is the perfect way to celebrate. MMmmmMmm, fruit!

Apple Blackberry Crisp


Ingredients:

5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (Gala, Braeburn or Honeycrisp)

1 pint fresh blackberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1 cup blanched almond flour

¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons agave nectar

Directions:

1. Place apples and blackberries in a large bowl
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice, vanilla and arrowroot, tossing to incorporate all ingredients
3. Place apple-blackberry mixture in an 8x8 inch baking dish and set aside
4. To make topping, in a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, oil and agave
5. Crumble topping over apple-blackberry mixture
6. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350° for 60 to 75 minutes until fruit is juicy and bubbling
7. Remove from oven and uncover
8. If topping is browned, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes
9. If topping is not yet browned place in oven uncovered for 5 minutes, or until browned
10. Serve and enjoy!

Suuuuuuuummertime!

Nothing like grilled meat and veggies!

Asian Beef Kabobs

Marinade:

• 1/4 tsp red boat fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• Black pepper

Skewer Ingredients:

• 1 lb flank steak, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• 1 yellow onion, chopped into chunks
• 1 zucchini, sliced and halved

Process:

1. Marinate steak and vegetables for 1-4 hours in a Ziploc bag.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Skewer the meat and vegetables on large metal skewers.
4. Grill 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes until evenly cooked.

Asparagus Basil Salad

I'm not sure why, perhaps it's because summer is coming, but I've been having cravings lately for foods that are fruity, tangy and sour. Smoothies, anything sauteed in lemon, crispy fresh watery veggies... you name it. Maybe I'm just dehydrated and need a glass of water, who knows. Whatever the reason, it led me to this salad recipe from elenaspantry.com and it is sound exactly like what I'm in the mood for. The tomatoes, lemon juice and dijon mustard will definitely give it that extra kick. Enjoy!

Asparagus Basil Salad

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and halved
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, cut into cubes
1 cup sliced basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Steam asparagus for 5-7 minutes until fork tender

Place asparagus, tomatoes, avocado and basil in a large bowl

Stir in olive oil, lemon juice and mustard

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Serve

Avocado Goodness

I found this recipe at everydaypaleo.com. It's perfect considering how many avocados we get in our market orders. A simple and tasty snack. Enjoy!

Avocado Goodness

2-3 avocados, cut in half and the pit removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Black pepper to taste

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and fill each avocado half with the dressing, eat the avocado and the dressing with a spoon.  

The Great Bacon Debate

If you've been eating paleo or zone for awhile you should know by now how popular it is among your crossfitting peers. It's undeniably delicious. I, for one, get super excited over any dish containing bacon. But, as the world turns, so does your diet. My paleo diet is constant but there are definitely things that seem to come and go. I get hooked on foods, like bacon, and tend to overdue it. After reading these articles, I am beginning to question my love for bacon. Is it an item that is super unhealthy or something that is fine in moderation? Awhile ago I found myself having this same debate over dairy. In the end I decided to listen to my body. My stomach ultimately said "no, thank you."

Anyway, read up paleo kids. I don't know A LOT about this topic, but these articles give enough insight to make me want to further educate myself. I hope it does the same for you. I'd love to hear your thoughts, post comments!

1. Bacon: Health Food or Devil in Delicious Disguise? (by Diane Sanfilippo)

2. http://whole9life.com/2011/05/the-bacon-bummer/