health food shoppe's sweet potato salad

dressing:

1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt

2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)

1 tablespoon fresh lime with zest

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

salad:

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup chopped pecans

directions:

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl. For the salad, peel and cube potatoes.  Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 min. In a separate bowl, combine celery, pecans, cooled potatoes and dressing. 

s.s. chicken club - avocado boats

ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless free range chicken breast - cooked and cubed

2 avocados

5 strips of nitrate and nitrite-free bacon - cooked crispy and chopped

A few slices of red onion - diced

8 grape tomatoes - halved (You can use any kind of tomatoes - This is just what I had in the house) 

4 Tbs. of mayonnaise

1 Tbs of minced garlic 

salt and pepper

directions: 

Cook the chicken in any manner you desire. I cut the chicken breasts into tender size pieces and pan-seared them in butter. It made for a slightly crispy outside and an extremely juicy inside. Let cool and cut into cubes

Scoop out all 4 avocado halves. You will use three of them to make the guacamole and the other one - Cut into pieces to go into the chicken club salad. 

In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, bacon, tomato, red onions, avocado, mayo and salt and pepper. Stir until completely mixed

****For the guacamole**** I mashed up the remaining 3 avocado halves, 1 Tbs Minced garlic, a pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 Tsp minced onion flakes, kosher salt, pepper, lemon juice, and 1 Tbs of salsa. These are not included in the ingredient list above. If you mash up the avocados with some garlic and lemon or lime juice and salt, it will still taste really great under the chicken club salad.

Divide the guacamole among the 4 avocado shells, top each one with a heaping mound of the chicken salad.

brussels sprouts with bacon, avocado, and lime

ingredients:

1lb brussels sprouts

2 slices nitrate and nitrite-free bacon 

1 garlic clove, minced

juice of 1 lime

1 avocado, sliced

a pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

olive oil

salt and pepper

directions:

While you are slicing your brussels, cook the bacon until crispy in a large skillet.

Remove from pan.

Add a little olive oil to the pan (depending on how much bacon drippings were left over), and add your shredded brussels, garlic, and crushed red pepper.

Cook for just a few minutes on medium heat, until brussels start to get tender.

Mix in lime juice and crumble bacon into the sprouts. s&p to taste.

Scoot your sprouts over to the side of the pan, and add avocado slices--just to quickly warm each side. You don't really want to stir them around into the sprouts or they will mash right in. 

When they are heated through, mix everything together and enjoy!

paleo pizza

crust:

2 cups almond meal

2 eggs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

toppings:

1 pound mild grass-fed Italian pork sausage

2 crookneck yellow squash, diced

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 small tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, diced

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1 cup organic, gluten-free marinara sauce

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a spoon, mix all crust ingredients together until it becomes very thick. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball.

Lightly grease a pizza pan or a cookie sheet with extra-virgin olive oil.  Place the ball of dough in the center of your cookie sheet or pizza pan and using your hands, push and pat the dough down into the shape of a circle, making the dough as thin as possible.  Your pizza will about 12 inches across.

Bake just the crust in your preheated oven for 20 minutes. While the crust is cooking, prepare your toppings. Brown the sausage in a large skillet and chop all veggies.  

After the crust is done, remove from the oven and evenly spread the marinara sauce over the crust.

Add the sausage and all remaining toppings evenly over the sauce and bake again for additional 25-30 minutes.

Get creative and use whatever toppings you might like-I also suggest trying chicken, artichoke hearts, and broccoli!

Adapted from Everyday Paleo from Sarah Fragoso

great balls of dates

ingredients:

20 medjool dates, seeds removed

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup coconut flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cinnamon

finely shredded coconut flakes

directions:

In a food processor, process together all ingredients except for the coconut flakes. The mixture will be very thick. Make sure it's not chunky-should be as smooth as possible.

Using your hands, smash together teaspoon-size portions of the mixture. Roll into small balls, and then roll in the shredded coconut flakes to coat. 

Adapted from Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso