Aw Nuts! So many euphemisms where do I begin?

Ever wonder what to snack on?  Chips? No... Candy?  No... Chocolate? Nnomaaybe :)  Before we go crazy, lets go 'nuts!'  What are you craving, I may have something to get that fix!

Sweet and Salty: 

1lb almonds
1/2 lb of walnuts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1-1 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
1/2-1 tablespoon Rosemary
Salt

Heat oven to 350.   In large pan heat up the nuts, flipping occasionally. In small pan heat butter and syrup, once butter melted add in cayenne and rosemary.  Pour mixture over the nuts, mixing them so they all get coated.  On foil lined baking sheet spread nuts.  Place in oven and cook for 15min.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt while still warm so it sticks.  Let cool and pace yourself.  Mmmmbutter and maple syrup. Excuse me while I wipe my chin.

Salty and crunchy:
Salt
Squash Seeds
Oil of choice

Now that its fall there are lots of squashes to be eaten and they are filled with their own snack packs.  As you carve your pumpkins, hollow out the squash to stuff or whatever you are doing. Remove the guts from the seeds and place them in a bowl of salt water, let soak for as long as you want.  Heat up the oven to 350. Drain seeds and spread onto a baking sheet. Lightly coat with your oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place in oven and bake for 20-25min. Remove and crunch away!

Sweet and comforting:
Strawberries sliced
Coconut Milk
Honey (optional)

This is one of my FAVORITE snacks!  Slice strawberries into bowl.  Coat with coconut milk and try to keep from licking the bowl.  Add a little honey to sweeten the deal.

Chicken, Squash, Yam and Curry

I experimented with this recipe last year for my first attempt at a paleo Thanksgiving.  I was nervous because I had never made a curry before, and thought it was an odd combination of foods and flavors.  This is now one of my FAVORITE recipes!  Hope you like it!

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2-3  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground pepper
• 2 pounds acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large yam , cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 2-3 chicken breasts, cubbed
• oil and spices again at half the original amounts

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, add onion, and cook until golden-brown. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in 1/2 the curry powder, salt, and pepper. Add squash and yams and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the rest of the spices. Pour in broth and raisins, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 15 minutes remove cover and continue to cook until squash and yams are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes more. While squash and yam mixture cooks, in separate pan heat half the amount of oil and add chicken cubes and spices.  Cook until chicken is done.  Add to squash and yam mix when both are done cooking and enjoy!  This is another one of those recipes that the left overs get better the next day. 

*original recipe called for pumpkin, if you want to skin a pumpkin you can go right on ahead. 
*the golden raisins are interesting if you are unsure, leave them out.  I like them, expect to see them again soon.
*it is also good without the chicken if you want to do it more as a side instead of main course

Soup is on!

Now that fall is here (I can’t believe it either!), with the cooler weather means soup season is here!  From a comfort food standpoint, I love this season!  I am a big soup fan personally, and I especially love this one because its easy, it utilizes my handy dandy crock pot and it freezes well.  This makes a huge batch for just one person, so I divvy it up and keep it for those rainy days, when I don’t want/have time to cook or its rainy and I want some soup!

1lb ground beef
1lb ground pork
1 medium sliced red onion
2 cups of sliced carrots
2 cups of fresh green beans
2 cups of chopped celery
1 can of diced stewed tomatoes
1 box of chicken broth
2 tsp of Italian seasonings
2 (or more!) cloves of garlic minced. 
Fat of choice – Butter, Olive, Coconut, or palm oils
Salt and pepper to taste

There are two ways you can role with this recipe depending on time.  Method one is the fastest and works well for the most part.  Method one is coat bottom of crock pot with fat of choice.  Add remaining ingredients (except tomatoes), cover and cook.  Low if you are going to be gone all day, high if you are going to go shower and come back. If you are going to be gone all day I would recommend mixing up the pot contents so your beans don’t turn brown and shrivel.  Add tomatoes just before you are ready to serve.   
Method number two is for those that enjoy the cooking process a bit more.  I also find it comes out a big more flavorful when done slowly.   Its still super fast, but you get to ‘play’ with your food a bit more.  In large pan heat up fat of choice and add onions.  Cook until onions start to go clear and add pork and beef.  Cook until meat is fully browned.  In crock pot mix meat and onion mix, with all other ingredients except the tomatoes.  Cook until veggies are desired texture.  Just before serving add tomatoes and let simmer for just a few minutes. Then enjoy!


*try Italian pork for a little jazz
*my soup pictures do not include the can of tomatoes - they hurt my belly
*why wait to add them?  They are already cooked so they don't need to simmer. 
* if serving immediately I would add some fresh squash, like zucchini, or maybe even some yams.  I didn’t add them in this recipe because I freeze it and they get too soft and over cook.
*feel free to use frozen veggies too, if you have access to fresh I say why not
* I liked to use the foofoo tomatoes like ‘in olive oil and basil’ or garlic