Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

 Tonight we decided to make Patty Melt's for dinner, on the way to get the ingredients we decided homemade sweet potato fries would be a PERFECT side for this meal.... And maaaaannnn we're we right!!! These were AMAZING!!!!!! (And perfect addition to a paleo diet or meal).

 Ingredients:
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
1/2 Tablespoon of paprika
1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Chop sweet potato into slices

-In a large bowl, mix all the spices together with the coconut oil and then toss the sweet potato slices with the oil mixture until they are all evenly coated

 -Line a large cookie sheet or two medium sheets with tin foil and evenly spread the slices in the foil

-Bake for 30-45 minutes, turn the slices over halfway though the cooking time

Paleo Meal: Breaded Baked Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

One of the hubby's Marines puts on a Paleo potluck about once a month. In an effort to try out a few recipes prior to and seeing which one might taste best we have decided to dig into a few of our Paleo cookbooks and give some meals a try. (That and the hubby is a health nut, we are getting pretty bored with a number of meals, and I am attempting to eat healthier while exercising as well.) This particular meal turned out wonderful and was actually extremely filling!!! I got the recipes out of the book Everyday Paleo that you can get HERE if interested. It has great meals and a cool meal plan for an entire month written out weekly with a shopping list PLUS workouts to do with your kids, workouts for kids, by yourself and with a partner!

~Chicken~
Ingredients:
3 eggs (we use egglands best because they have a lower amount of fat and are much healthier)
1 cup almond meal
1 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Black pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
Coconut oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs in one dish and in a separate dish mix almond mean, coconut flour, garlic powder and black pepper.
2. Dip chicken pieces one at a time into the egg. Next, roll the chicken in the breading mixture until both sides are covered.
3. Place the chicken in a glass baking dish that has been lightly greased with coconut oil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the chicken juices run clear.

~Butternut Squash Soup~
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
2 garlic cloves
1/2 white onion
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cook in a pressure cooker for 20 min. (We steamed it for 30 min because we don't own a pressure cooker)
2. Scoop the squash out of its skin and into a food processor (we have an attachment to our blender and used that).
3. Add the garlic and onion into the food processor with the squash and process until completely smooth.
4. Transfer to a large soup pot and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. Turn down to low and let the soup simmer, stirring often for 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Chow Time!

Our little sweet pea tried actual sweet peas for the first time last night in his bog boy highchair (his big brother's old one)! He devoured them! This is now the 5th food item he has had. We slid bananas in there a week and a half ago, of course those were highly enjoyed as well. Between frozen breastmilk, formula, and pureed food and cereals he is one hungry beast! This morning he enjoyed his morning bottle (which he's holding more and more on his own) and then his next feeding was a bowl of iron fortified rice cereal mixed with formula. We plan on introducing oatmeal and whole array of new pureed food this next month. It is so much fun seeing his facial expressions and excitement with new and old flavors.

I tried letting him hold his own spoon after the feeding last night, since he grabs at it when feeding, but he wanted nothing to do with it because it didn't have anything yummy on it. :)

This mornings feeding was conducted by daddy..... It is one of the most precious and hilarious sights to see these two guys feed and be fed by.... The baby looked like Santa Clause most of the time and they were both just laughing and growling at each other.... Yes Mikey has now discovered how to "Growl"... The funniest sound ever!

Dirty Rice

Ingredients:

3 Cups White or Brown Rice
6 Cups Water
1 lb 97/3 Hamburger meat
Garlic Salt

Directions:

Place 3 cups rice in rice cooker or pot via stove top, pour in 6 cups water.
Cook rice
Brown meat while adding garlic salt to taste. I usually do 3 good shakes into the meat while it cooks.
Once both rice and meat are done mix them together in a bigger pot.
Add more garlic salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt.

Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Yummy Mac & Cheese Quick Lunch

Ingredients:
1 Box Kraft Deluxe 4 Cheese Macaroni & Cheese
1 12.5 oz Can Chicken Breast in water
1 Small Can diced mushrooms  in water
Black peppercorn grounder

Instructions:
Cook Noodles per instructions
Drain and add cheese
Drain chicken breast meat
Cut meat into smaller pieces with a spoon
Drain Mushroom slices
Add chicken and mushrooms- mix together
Pepper to taste

***Green Chili Cheese Chicken Enchiladas***

Ingredients:

1 large can green chili enchilada sauce or two 10oz cans
Corn Tortillas
2-3 cups Vegetable Oil (depending on size of pan)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kraft Mexican Four Cheese Shredded
1 4.5 oz can Chopped & Peeled Green Chili's
Large 10X13 glass baking pan

Instructions:
Bake chicken at 350 for 40-45 min until fully cooked.
Place chicken in large bowl and shred with 2 forks into smaller pieces
Put 1/2-1cup of cheese in with shredded chicken and mix

Put Green Chili Enchilada Sauce in a separate large bowl

Put Vegetable Oil in frying pan (make sure you have a splash screen so hot oil does not pop back at you)
Heat oil
Using tongs in one hand and screen in other, place Corn Tortilla in heated oil for 5 seconds, flip to other side for 5 seconds
Remove from oil and place tortilla in large bowl with green chili sauce covering both sides (You can do this one at a time or stack tortillas on top of each other).
Remove tortillas one at a time from sauce and place in baking pan
Place chicken with cheese in tortilla and place Chopped Green Chili's on top of chicken
Roll tortilla and repeat with others

Pour remaining green chili enchilada sauce on top of enchiladas
Sprinkle cheese on top to liking

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted (be sure not to burn cheese on top)

ENJOY! :))

Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

Ingredients:

12oz bag of whole wheat extra wide pasta
1 bushel spears asparagus
2lbs of chicken breast, bone and skin removed
1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, pieces or slices
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  

6oz of feta cheese, crumbled
1 medium tomato
Pinch of pepper, regular, red or cayenne

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-sized cubes and place in skillet with olive oil.
Cook until partially done.
Add asparagus (chopped in half) and mushrooms, continue cooking until chicken is done.
Add chicken broth and cover pan, cook until asparagus is crisp tender.
Add pasta, red pepper flakes (to taste), and feta cheese. Remove from heat.
Serve with fresh diced tomatoes to garnish.

Serves: 4