Lemon Pepper Halibut with Olives

This super fast lemon pepper halibut was very well received by Aidan and Ava; they both cleaned their plate. The best thing is that it's fast and easy to make and with the weather being fairly nice I don't want to be spending time in the kitchen. We devoured this then went for a bike ride. Granted we were in winter jackets but at least it was a bike ride.

I served the fish with a simple sauteed spinach with organic butter and a little sea salt; so delicious. This recipe looks a little random but to be honest that is usually how I do things in the kitchen. No rules, very rarely follow a recipe and never time anything. Don't take cooking too seriously. Seriously.

Lemon Pepper Halibut with Olives

• 1 large fillet wild halibut (not farmed...yuck)
• generous sprinkle of lemon pepper
• season with sea salt
• drizzle with olive oil
• cover with lemon slices
• pitted kalamata olives

1. Place the fish in a shallow baking dish. Season with lemon pepper, sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with lemon slices and olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or more depending on the thickness of your fish. Turn the oven off, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and squeeze a lemon slice over the fish.

Grain Free Pecan Shortbread

As you know the Easter bunny is coming this weekend so I decided to make these cute little treats for the kids. In the days before clean eating my favourite cookie was Pecan Shortbread from the Barefoot Contessa. My mom and grandmothers also made lots of shortbread when we were kids.  There's one particular shortbread recipe from my grandmother that uses cornstarch to lighten the texture of the cookie so they almost melt in your mouth. I avoid using cornstarch and corn products so I thought I would use tapioca starch and see what success I had with the texture. It worked perfectly.

I used coconut sugar, also called palm sugar, and the flavour is unbelievably good. For sweeteners coconut sugar has one of the lowest glycemic indexes (GI) on the market. In fact, in comparison to honey with a GI of 55, coconut sugar has a GI of 35 while cane sugar is 68. Coconut sugar comes from the juices or sap of the coconut palm blossoms and has nutritional benefits that are greater than any other sweetener and has a caramel undertone flavour. What about the fructose content? Well, the good news is that while agave syrup is very high in fructose, coconut sugar is very low, varying between 3 and 9%. There have been many studies on how fructose effects the body and it is something that I am aware of.

Ava always asks for crunchy cookies and Aidan will take them however he can get them but neither really love icing so I won't be icing these. I made carrots, bunnies and flowers and they are so cute.

Pecan Shortbread

• 2 1/4 cups almond flour
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca starch
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup organic butter (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add the butter and coconut sugar. Blend at medium speed until the butter forms a creamy consistency and is well blended with the sugar. Scrape down the sides and add the egg and vanilla. Continue to mix until well combined.
2. In another bowl add the almond flour, chopped pecans, arrowroot or tapioca starch, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. 
3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Remove from the bowl. Split the dough in half and flatten into a disk. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for a half hour to chill.
4. Remove one package and roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack.

On another note I have decided that I need to get out running again and have a little adventure. Since I will not be competing in a CrossFit competition anytime soon I thought The Blitz Adventure Run sounded fun.  Plus it's a great goal to work towards for spring. I grabbed a partner and we are going to have some fun with it. Grab a friend and come out and train with us. For information on our training email me by hitting the contact button.

Stilettos, Poker and Bacon Wrapped Dates

They may not look like much but these highly addictive little bundles are the best appetizer ever. They happen to be so seriously simple to make its ridiculous. I put them in the oven as I was getting ready for my girls night out. Everyone was meeting at my place before heading off for the evening and its always nice to have something to nibble on before going out.

I had a great night and as it happens I am pretty good at Texas Hold'em. Poker nights soon to be in effect at my place! Who's in? I promise to make these. Stilettos are optional but highly recommended.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

• 1 pkg bacon (look for one with no added sugar)
• dates - as many as required

1. Pit the dates and set aside. Cut the bacon in half lengthwise so you have 2 piles of bacon. Wrap each date with a slice of bacon. Place the wrapped date on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 20 minutes turning when they are brown on one side. Remove when the bacon is crispy and allow them to cool slightly. Devour.

Traveling Paleo Style: Breakfast

I asked Kris to keep us posted on what he is eating on his travels in Europe and he has kindly agreed to do a post from time to time. Here is his first.

I am fortunate to be traveling in Europe on business for a while. Clean eating on the road can be challenging, especially on business trips where hectic schedules and meetings with cookies and pastries come together in a perfect storm. But I'm here to tell you eating clean can be done. A little planning, a little strategy and some discipline is all you need.

Breakfast is as important as any other meal in the day, if not the most important. So first things first, don't skip breakfast! It sets you up for failure when you bump into the donuts next to the office coffee machine or the pastry tray shows up at your morning meeting.

Now most hotels will at least have a continental breakfast. Call ahead if you can to find out what your options are going to be.

Fortunately for me I am staying at a very nice hotel in Germany right now that has a great selection of hot and cold breakfast items.

I have quite a few options even when you take out the breads and cereals. Quality protein is key in the morning. Don't believe me? Try it and pay attention the fact that your mental acuity is higher through the morning- this is especially noticeable if you have a 4 hour meeting to start your day. In other words you aren't doing the head bob and then reaching for that next cup of coffee, or that pastry to pick you up again.

Today I went for it all: smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage with some cashews thrown in for quality fat. I'll add some fresh fruit and be good to go.

Paleo breakfast at the hotel

Now I don't always have it this easy (or delicious). But even at continental breakfasts at US hotels it's possible to eat clean. To start, look for the hardboiled eggs, usually kept in a small fridge. Grab a few of those and a piece of fruit and you are good to, even if you are running out the door. Add a handful of nuts for some healthy fat if you have packed some. Not the most exciting breakfast but hey, you got it done!

Spicy Seafood, Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Is spring here? I'm not sure with all the snow we've had but I am taking full advantage of the sunshine and today was a perfect day for a run. I must say I have been a little lazy in the kitchen this week. I have been super busy working on a few new projects so I have been cooking the basics and eating simple other than a few dinners and lunches with the girls. Lets just say my VitaMix has saved my life. It has been a very productive week so I thought I would cap it off with a recipe I have wanted to try from my sister Shara. I'm glad I did.

For protein I used chicken, shrimp and spicy Spolumbos sausage. Shara's recipe called for crab meat instead of chicken and I'm sure that would be great too. I did not have creole spice mix so I made my own; I used this recipe I found from Emeril Lagasse. If you like it spicy, and I do, be brave and add more. Spice it up I say. I served this gumbo with a cauliflower puree and it was great. I do sometimes miss creamy mashed potatoes and this puree satisfied my craving.

Enjoy your weekend. I am praying I don't wake up to snow tomorrow.

Spicy Seafood, Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 each, red and green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup organic butter or olive oil
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups bottled clam juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 tbsp creole seasoning blend
• 3 spicy Spolumbo chicken sausage, cooked and sliced
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 1 lb large uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley

1. In a large pot add the butter and onions and let cook over medium low heat until the onions are translucent. At this time add the coconut flour and arrowroot and let it cook for a few minutes. It will be pasty. Add the peppers and garlic and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add to the onions and peppers, the tomatoes, clam juice, seasoning and bay leaf and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the sausage, chicken and shrimp and season with salt and pepper if required. Cook until the shrimp are pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley. Discard the bay leaves.

Gumbo with yummy cauliflower puree

Green Protein Bar

I have been making these green protein bars for a while but adapted the recipe this time to find a substitute for dates. I used lucuma powder instead to sweeten the bars and I found them just right.

This recipe can be adapted to your likes and dislikes but I made them nut free by using sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, and coconut for the fat. If you have someone with a nut allergy leave out the almond milk and use coconut milk. I topped it all of with a little chocolate ganache made with raw cacao powder. Cacao powder is high in antioxidants and has many health benefits; the greens powder I added is extra insurance. They do not taste like greens at all.

I use Dream Whey protein and Greens First in this bar because I find both of these products' flavour exceptional and the protein is clean. Note that I have also used different greens powder with comparable results.

Green Protein Bar

• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 cups coconut, finely shredded
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp flax powder
• 1/4 cup protein powder
• 2 tbsp lucuma powder
• 2 tbsp greens first powder
• 1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sunflower butter

1. In a food processor pulse together all the dry ingredients 8 to10 times. Add in the milk, vanilla and sunflower butter and pulse again until everything is combined. Press the mixture into a 8 x 8 baking dish.

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 tbsp coconut or almond milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until everything is melted and smooth. Spread over the green bars and refrigerate overnight.

Ahi Tuna with Mango Chutney

My lunch today was this tasty mango chutney that I have been making for years. The original recipe came from The Barefoot Contessa cookbook, but I cannot be too sure which book. Her original recipe has mint in it I think but I had cilantro so that is what I used. This mango chutney I serve warm or room temperature and its great with shrimp or other fish.

Start by chopping the peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro and mango. It seems like a lot of chopping but it's worth it in the end.

Mango Chutney

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 2 - 3 mangoes, peeled, seeded and small diced
• 1/3 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed (can use orange juice if you don't have enough lime)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Saute the olive oil, onion, ginger and garlic in a large saute pan over medium low heat for 8 - 10 minutes, or until the onions are tender.
2. Add the peppers and cook for another minute.
3. Add the chopped mangoes and lime juice and cook until the juice has reduced.
4. Remove from the heat and add the fresh cilantro.

Serve warm, chilled or at room temperature.

Spring and Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Pudding is so simple to make and it's so warm and comforting on a chilly day. The air is crisp in Kelowna right now but there are signs of spring popping up everywhere. It's so nice to be outside, enjoying the fresh air with the kids. They are loving every minute of it and getting really dirty every chance they get.

This morning I made this pudding for a treat later when the kids come in from outside. I don't have a lot in stock because we are going back to Calgary in a few days so I made this pudding with what I had. At home I use coconut milk, a few tablespoons of cacao powder and add vanilla and sometimes a shot of espresso. 

Chocolate Pudding

• 2 cups chocolate almond milk
• 1 bar 85% organic chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp organic butter 
• pinch of sea salt

1. Chop the bar of chocolate into small pieces and set aside. 
2. In a small saucepan heat the almond milk until hot but not boiling. Add the maple syrup and stir. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and stir to melt.
3. In a small bowl add the yolks and whisk. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks and whisk the yolks continually while you slowly add the milk.
4. Pour the mixture back into the pot and place over medium low heat.  Cook the pudding until it coats the back of a spoon and is thick. 
5. Divide into individual dishes and place in the fridge for at least four hours. I serve this pudding with toasted coconut and a few banana slices.

Makes 3-4 servings.  It's very rich so a little goes a long way.

 Spring is here....

 I will try and bring it back to Calgary.

Guacamole

Everyone has their favourite recipe for guacamole but this is mine. I make it a lot to serve on the side of roasted chicken or eggs or just as a dip for fresh vegetables. I like it chunky, crunchy and full of flavour with extra cilantro and no tomatoes.

Stacey's Guacamole

• 5 large avocados, ripe
• 2 large limes, juiced
• 4 green onions, sliced white and green parts
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut avocados in half and slice and chop into chunks. Scoop out into a medium bowl and immediately squeeze the lime juice over the avocado and mix.
2. Add to the avocado: onion, garlic, pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro and salt and pepper and mix to combine thoroughly.

Goat Feta Stuffed Chicken

I am all about simple suppers and this tasty chicken breast is easy to prepare but makes an elegant dinner. Although I don't consume dairy on a daily basis I do have goat cheese every so often. Kelowna has the most amazing goat cheese farm that I like to visit when I can. It's spring break for the kids so we came to hang out in Kelowna this week. I picked up fresh goat feta from Carmelis and used it to stuff chicken breasts.

While the chicken was baking I added another pan of sweet potato wedges and a little later added asparagus and pepper wedges. This was a tasty dinner and the kids loved it.

If you ever get the chance to visit Kelowna stop by Carmelis Goat Farm and try their goat milk gelato, you won't regret it.

Goat Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• 4 chicken breasts, tenderized (pound out to 1/2 inch thickness)
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat feta
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sea salt and pepper

1. Pound out chicken breasts so they are thin enough to stuff with goat cheese, about 1/2 inch thick.
2. In a small bowl mix together goat feta, basil, a little salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil.
3. In another bowl mix together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
4. Lay chicken out on your work surface and fill with a little of the goat cheese mixture and roll the chicken up. Place the rolled chicken in the bowl with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice and let marinade for a few hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment, place chicken on the sheet and bake until chicken is cooked through, approximately 30 minutes.

The Kris Breakfast

My good friend Kris left Calgary last week to work in Europe, lucky guy. I made this breakfast for him before he set out on starting a new chapter in his life. Kris and I became friends through CrossFit but really our friendship started through food. What better way to say goodbye than over a yummy breakfast. Kris happens to be the most carb tolerant human on the planet but there is a good balance in this breakfast of protein and carb and fat. He now has a workout named after him so I thought that a breakfast named after him was a great idea. Best of luck in Europe Kris and thanks for being a great friend and workout partner.

I started by making a warm sweet potato salsa, then steamed spinach in garlic and finished the plate with crispy bacon, perfectly poached eggs and a few slices of avocado.

Sweet Potato Salsa

• 2 tbsp organic butter or coconut oil
• 1 cups cooked sweet potato, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 green onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• sea salt and pepper

1. In a small frying pan add the organic butter. When it started to bubble add the sweet potato, green onion, peppers and garlic. Cook over medium heat for a 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Steamed Spinach

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large handfuls of spinach, washed 

1. In a large pot or saute pan add the garlic and olive oil and cook for a minute over medium heat. 
2. Add the washed spinach (still wet) to the pan and close the lid. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until it wilts down. Don't overcook your spinach, it should be bright green.

Banana Walnut Muffins

The best banana muffins ever!

I love baking, really love baking. These muffins are comfort for your soul when you have been living gluten free and eating clean. Next time you have a bad day make these muffins and there is no question your spirits will be raised. I was having a great day today but I had bananas that required immediate attention and I was recently asked for my banana muffin recipe so thought I would share it with all of you.

These muffins are out of this world good. Do I say that about everything? I have baked a lot of muffins and this one would rival any gluten and white sugar muffin out there. I used palm sugar which is a low glycemic and low fructose sugar. It is sometimes called coconut sugar. It has a caramel flavour and looks almost like brown sugar. If you can't find it, or don't have it, honey works just as well. I want to mention that it is important in baking to have your ingredients at room temperature. If your eggs are in the refrigerator place them in a bowl and cover with hot tap water for a few minutes to warm them. I used goat milk butter in these muffins, but if you are not "doing" dairy coconut oil works great.

Banana Walnut Muffins

• 3 large bananas, very ripe
• 3 eggs, large, room temperature
• 1/2 cup organic butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup palm sugar or 2 tbsp raw honey
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts plus a little extra for the tops

1. Mix with an electric mixer at medium speed: bananas, eggs, butter, palm sugar or honey. Mix until smooth.
2. Add to this mixture coconut flour, shredded coconut, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add in the chopped walnuts.
3. Divide batter into muffin tins lined with parchment or paper liners.  Bake at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins.

Steak, Eggs, Sweet Potato Hash

What is better than steak and eggs? My dad's favourite breakfast is fried eggs and fried potatoes. I very rarely have white potatoes anymore. We had this breakfast a lot as kids and my dad was really good at it. The best was fresh potatoes from the garden fried with green onion until they were crispy and golden brown.

I had made steamed sweet potatoes for sushi rolls a few days ago and decided to fry the leftovers to accompany the steak and eggs. A simple yet delicious substitution for the white potato that my dad made for us. It was a perfect combination.

There is no recipe for this, more just an idea. I fried the sweet potatoes over medium high heat with a few tablespoons of organic butter and added sea salt and pepper.  I grilled the grass fed steak and the egg is soft basted.

I love the yolks runny. 

Eggs and Avocado Cream

Perfectly hard boiled eggs with cream avocado and cilantro garnish

Hardboiled eggs always make a great snack; add avocado cream and you've got an amazing snack. I had leftover avocado cream from my fish tacos yesterday so I used them to top off the eggs. Finish with a leaf of cilantro and pop them in your mouth. Yum.