Side of Dis and a Side of Dat

I know how to make meat paleo, its meat, 'nuff said!  I battle with getting my veggies in for the day without dreading to eat them. Plus upon finding my stomach is not so tolerant of nightshades, my veggie count has gone down even more.  So in an attempt to branch out and broaden my pallet here are 2 recipes from foods I wouldn't have touched with a 10ft pole a year ago.

Beet Salad
6  large or 12 small beets
1/4 to 1/2 sweet onion
2 oranges
1/4-1/2 cup sliced black olives
10 mint leaves coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
olive oil

sea salt

Heat up the oven to 350 F.  Chop tops off of beets and wipe any dirt from skin.  Place on baking sheet and lightly sprinkle olive oil and sea salt on beets, cover with foil.  Place beets in heated oven and cook for 30-40 minutes.  When done the beet's skin should peel off easily.  When done remove from oven let cool, remove skins, and chop into chunks.  While waiting to cool.  Peel oranges with a knife.  This way all white is gone and will be juicy.  cut orange into cubes.  In bowl mix solid ingredients together, and top with olive oil, lime juice and salt.  Dish up and enjoy!


*If upon going to the bathroom in the next 4-48 hours, and you think you are dying, stop and ask yourself, "Was it the beets?"
*Beets - I thought they only came pickled.  Still not my 'favorite' but nice to have something new.   

Yam Patties:
2 Cups Yam
1/4 cup Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
2 Tablespoons Coconut milk
1/2 cup Almond Flour
2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Cook yams so that the skins peels off and insides are mash-able.  Mix and mash remaining ingredients except coconut oil.  In pan heat coconut oil.  Form yam mash into patties and place in hot oil.  Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown, and serve. 

This wasn't the potato cake salty creation I thought it was going to be, but did taste a bit like Thanksgiving in my mouth.  It reminded me off pumpkin pie a little bit, or maybe even French toast.  I think the next time I make these I will leave out the cilantro add some cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cook and serve with plain and simple Maple syrup!  I think this could be my new fix for French toast!


*Yams - I never liked these at Thanksgiving, put all the marshmallows, brown sugar, and butter you want on them I just have never like them. I am looking for a new way to enjoy them.  Because if I don't like them covered in 'crack', am I ever going to like them?
*I lovingly refer to sugar, gluten, bread, etc as 'crack.' As I find they are just as addicting, and when trying to quit you sound like a crack addict, "I don't have a problem, I can quit anytime.  I am just looking for a little taste.  Its ok it won't hurt. Tomorrow, I"ll be good again. I can have just little....." Shake, shake, twitch, twitch.
*The original recipe called for sweet potatoes which are more yellow in color and not quite as sweet as the yams, hence why I think maple syrup would be oh so good on it. 
*What is the difference between sweet potatoes and yams.  I am not really sure, aside from yams are less starchy, and have more color, and more vitamins.  However I also read that our American yams are actually sweet potatoes, and our sweet potatoes are also sweet potatoes.  You can only find 'real yams' in Mexico, Central and South America?  I don't know so I just went back to calling the orange ones yams and the yellow ones sweet potatoes.  Sometimes ignorance is bliss.  :)