Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

So, we just celebrated Thanksgiving. In an effort to eat clean, I experiment with the traditional stuffing and came up with this:

1 onion
1 green apple
1/2 cup walnuts
3 stalks celery
3tbs butter
12 portobello mushrooms (medium)

Dice everything up, and scrape the insides of the mushroom out to prep them for stuffing, Rub the outside of the mushrooms with olive oil and set on baking tray. In a pan heat butter then add, onion, apple, celery, and the insides of the mushrooms, saute' for 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and sage to taste. Stuff mushrooms and bake at 160c for 10-15 minutes.

Yum!

Tangy Italian Chicken in Bacon

Recipe from Girl Gone Primal!

Serves two hungry primal eaters.

Ingredients:

4 free-range chicken thighs

4 slices of middle bacon

3 spring onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2T butter, diced

8 stalks asparagus, halved

1 tomato, diced

Fresh basil, finely chopped

1t chili powder/flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. On a wooden board, lie out bacon strips and chicken thighs. Flatten the thighs with a rolling pin if they are on the small side.

2. Excepting the asparagus, combine all other ingredients in a bowl, mixing thoroughly. If your home is a bit chilly, you may wish to soften the butter first so that it will take up the spices.

3. Being the layering process: place the flattened thigh on the eye of the bacon, then add one quarter of the filling mixture in the centre of the thigh. Place asparagus across filling, perpendicular to the bacon.

4. Carefully roll the bacon, from eye to tail, pressing down the outer edges of the thigh as you go to secure the fillings in place.


5. When all thighs have been filled and wrapped, place into your grill (or barbeque, or onto a tray in a hot oven) and cook until chicken is completely done - around 15 minutes on my grill. Watch out for signs of burning bacon - reduce heat if the bacon is done before chicken is finished.

6. Serve with fresh salad or roast veggies - it works both ways!

Eat your Veggies

Here is a List of what veg is in season in New Zealand.

Grilled Chicken with rosemary

Ingredients

• rosemary stems or wooden skewers, soaked in cold water
• 500g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut in 1.5cm cubes
• olive oil spray
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
• 1 medium red capsicum, halved, de-seeded, cut in 2cm cubes
• 1 medium green capsicum, halved, de-seeded, cut in 2cm cubes

Step 1 Thread chicken and capsicum on stems or skewers.

Step 2 Preheat a barbecue or chargrill to medium. Spray chicken with oil and brush with pesto. Grill skewers, turning occasionally, for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through and brown. Transfer skewers to a plate. Cover with foil and stand for 5 minutes.

Pork Tenderloin with something Green

2 pork tenderlions
1/2 cup Olive Oil
3tsp Lime Juice
4 cloves crushed garlic
fresh cilantro

Slice pork and flatten into equal thickness. Mix next 4 ingredients and marinate pork for 4 hours, the longer the better. Cook in pan with olive oil, 2-3 minutes each side. Serve over roasted green beans and wilted spinach.

I washed and cut the ends off of the green beans, drizzled in olive oil, salt and pepper then roasted at 160 for 15 minutes. The spinach was wilted in the same pan as the pork.

Asparagus is in Season in New Zealand

Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto

Asparagus is back and delicious. Bake at 160c for 20 minutes, or Slice up stalks and prosciutto and saute with olive oil.

Grilled Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa

From Scott Hagnas, Performance Menu

Aah, summertime. Time to fire up the grill! Here is a quick and easy dinner.

Time: 20 minutes

· 500gms flank steak
· 2 tsp olive oil
· 1 tsp chipotle powder
· 4 slices of pineapple or pineapple rings
· 1 1/4 C chopped red bell peppers
· 1/2 C chopped red onion
· 1/4 C chopped cilantro
· 2 Tbsp lime juice

Get the grill ready! Meanwhile, mix oil and chipotle powder in a dish. Apply to both sides of the steak, then grill for around 5 minutes on one side. Flip and continue to grill for around 3 minutes more. (remember that grassfed beef will cook faster than conventional beef. If you use conventional beef, you may need to grill it for a few minutes longer) Remove to a plate and cover for 10 minutes. The steak will continue to cook.

Meanwhile, grill the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side. Dice the pineapple, place in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients.

Slice the steak thinly, serve with the salsa.

A Great Cookbook

I just bought this cookbook and it is fantastic! MaD will have some available if you're interested in purchasing one, please let me know. Here's a description of what's in it from Mark's Daily Apple.

Convenience: Save time with intuitive recipe steps, easy navigation, and great visual support. Find recipes quickly in the following categories: Meat, Offal, Fowl, Seafood, Vegetables, Eggs, Primal Substitutes, Marinades, Sauces and Dressings, Desserts, Beverages.

Effortless Weight Loss: As detailed in the Primal Blueprint, losing excess body fat is all about insulin. Regulate insulin production by eliminating grains and sugars and you will lose weight, even if you don't exercise much or are cursed with the "fat gene". Easier said than done, right? Well, the Primal Blueprint cookbook shows you how to transition from great American grain-based diet to a Primal Blueprint diet featuring meat, seafood, fowl, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. All of these Primal recipes have a naturally low glycemic impact, keeping your insulin levels—and thus your waistline—in check.

No Pasta, No Bread, No Rice, No Beans, No Kidding!: As you build momentum for Primal eating, you'll find that you won't even miss the bland, boring, low-fat foods that previously were the central focus of your diet. How can you argue with a menu that includes Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Garlic, Salmon Chowder with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes Stuffed with Ground Bison and Eggs, and Baked Chocolate Custard? This isn’t a crash course diet. These and the other Primal recipes provide the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating, high energy and protection from common health problems that arise from eating SAD (Standard American Diet).

Salmon and asparagus

For dinner tonight:

Just foil wrap salmon and asparagus, drizzle olive oil, squeeze a bit of lemon season with salt and pepper, pop in the oven on 160c for about 20min....and Done! Simple and delicious.

Omelet Muffins

From Marks Daily Apple

Make your breakfast portable

* 6 eggs
* 1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked meat, cut or crumbled into small pieces
* 1/2 cup diced vegetables
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/8 tsp ground pepper
* 1/8 cup mayonnaise
* 1/8 cup water
* Optional Ingredient Idea: Make a Mexican Omelet Muffin by adding 1/4 cup shredded cheese, onions, and lightly drained salsa to the eggs.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 6 muffin tins with butter or coconut oil or for easier removal line with paper baking cups. The baking cups also help the muffins hold their shape.

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add meat, vegetables, salt, ground pepper, and any other ingredients and stir to combine.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of an muffin/omelet comes out almost clean. The omelets will continue to cook for a minute or two after removed from the oven. Remove the omelets from the muffin cups and serve, or cool completely and store for another day.

Chocolate Chicken

Thank you! CrossFit LA Sweet Cheeks Food Blog

1/2 kg chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 ounce dark chocolate
Fresh chives, chopped

Pour vegetable broth in a medium sized skillet and bring to a simmer. As the broth simmers, rub the salt, pepper and oregano into the chicken breasts. Add the chicken to the skillet, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is done, 8-15 minutes depending upon the thickness of your chicken.

As the chicken simmers, pour the balsamic vinegar in a small pan and cook over medium high heat. Stir constantly. You want to cook the balsamic until it is bubbly and just very slightly thickened. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Then turn off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring everything together until the chocolate is melted.

Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the balsamic chocolate to the skillet. Turn up the heat to high, mix everything together and continue cooking until the sauce bubbles, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chicken.

Slow Cook Chicken and Cabbage

Ingredients:

1/2 Cabbage shredded red & green & 3 carrots diced
1 apple diced (I used green/granny smith)
1/4 cup raisins
1kg boneless chicken
Apple Cider vinegar

Method:

I don't like to measure, so I made up the amounts. I add as much cabbage as the crock will hold. Chop cabbage, dice carrots and apples and put them in the crock pot, toss some raisins in. Spread the chicken out on top, and poured in about 2 Tbs of apple cider vinegar.

Cooked on Low for 6 hours, mix it up and serve in a bowl. Feel free to experiment and add your fav spices.

Meat Bikini

Please cook before eating.

Slow Cooked Pollo Con Salsa Roja

From Everyday Paleo

3 lbs boneless skinless organic free range chicken thighs
1 yellow onion sliced
7 celery stalks diced
2 cups baby carrots
28 oz can of El Pato Salsa Para Enchiladas (or good organic salsa)
Juice from 1 lemon
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 bunch of cilantro chopped
2 avocados diced

In the bottom of your slow cooker, layer the carrots, celery, and onions and top with the minced garlic. On top of the veggies layer your chicken, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken, and pour the entire contents of the El Pato sauce on top. Cook on low all day (6-8 hours). Serve topped with the diced avocado and cilantro.

I also made baked summer squash. I cut the zucchinis into large chunks, placed them in a glass backing dish and drizzled the squash with this mornings bacon grease and seasoned with plenty of garlic powder, dried oregano, and black pepper. Bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes.

Keep it Simple

World Class Fitness in 100 words

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstands, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.

Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. ROUTINE IS THE ENEMY. Keep workouts short and intense.

Regularly learn and play new sports!

Roasted Fish and Veg

This is a take on a recipe from the latest DISH magazine.

FISH

I used Terahki......use a mild white fish. I have no idea if I spelled it correctly.

4 Fish steaks about 200grams each
2 tbls olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbls each of crushed sage and rosemary
finely grated zest 1 lemon
sea salt and ground pepper

Combine the ingredients in a bowl to make a thick paste. Season and spread over fish. Bake at 200c for about 20 minutes.

Seasonal Veg


Brussel Sprouts
Yams (the funny red ones)
Carrots

Dice and chop drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper,
cook at 200c for about 25 minutes.

Caper Sauce (to drizzle over veg)
1/2 cup of home made paleo mayo
2 tbls capers, roughly chopped
1 tbls brine from capers
4 anchovies finely chopped
1 tsp oil from anchovies
1 clove crushed garlic
2 tbls finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Drizzle Caper Sauce over veg and serve immediately.

DELISH!

DIY

What happens if you can't buy spaghetti squash in New Zealand? Oder some seeds and grow them yourself. We are looking forward to having heaps of our favorites this year. I'll let you know when it's harvest time.



Order your seeds from King Seeds, order as a group and save on shipping.

Leek and Pumpkin Soup

Leek and Pumpkin soup topped with roasted sweet corn


1 Kilo Chopped and Peeled Pumpkin
2 Leeks Washed and Trimmed
1 Clove Garlic Crushed
2 T Olive Oil
3 C Chicken Broth
1 t Ginger
1 t Cumin
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

Slice and wash Leeks, Chop pumpkin into cubes and place in slow cooker. Crush one clove of garlic and put in the pan with your olive oil and chopped leeks. Cook gently on medium/medium high heat until softened but not discolored. Heat chicken broth to almost a boil.

Season the leeks and garlic to taste with ginger and cumin. Cook one more minute with spices on. Put spices on top of pumpkin cubes and pour broth over the top. Add Sea salt and Pepper to taste. Cover and cook LOW 6-8 Hours.

Place in food processor or blender, puree and put back in slow cooker for one more hour. I like my soup spicy so I added a bit of hot pepper.

If you want to add roasted sweet corn, spread on a pan and grill just before serving.

Rissoles

LAMB RISSOLES

500g any type of prime grass fed mince
1 egg
1/4 cup almond meal
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt, pepper, to taste (cayenne if you like it spicy)

Mix together and make meat patties the size you like. Bake at 200c for 20-30 minutes depending on the size. You can also scoop them into muffin tins to keep them all the same size.

Try with chicken, lamb, beef or a mixture. Rach gave made these last night, she said they are great for left over lunches as well.

Paleo Crumble

From Nick Linton, CFNZ

2 apples cut into thin slices
1 x 500g bag mixed berries
8-10 dates chopped
...Handful of walnuts
Handful of almonds
Handful of macadamias
Handful of pecans
Handful of barzil nuts
A tablespoon of love
A cup of enthusiasm
A 'can-do' attitude

Preheat over to 150-175 Celsius ish.

Place apples and berries into a baking dish.
Mix all other ingredients in a food processor.
Top the berries and apples with the crumble.
Bake for approx 20-25mins, keeping an eye on the top of the crumble in case it starts to burn. If this happens, turn it down a bit...

Serve with warm coconut creme with a smile :)

Grilled Steak and Sweet Potato Latkes

It's what's for dinner.

Sweet Potato Latkes with Sour Cream

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup almond flour (or coconut flour)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 springs fresh sage, (chopped)
salt and pepper
2 Tbs sour cream

Preheat oven to 210c.

Combine sweet potato, scallions, flour, eggs, 2 chopped sage leaves and salt and pepper. Use your hands to form the mixture into patties 5cm in diameter – they will be pretty loose at this stage, but will hold together better once they are baked. Arrange on a baking sheets that had been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a silicon baking sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Then combine sour cream and remaining sage in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve latkes topped with sage cream.

I didn't post the 'recipe' on how to grill a steak, if you don't know, I am sorry.

Meatza!

This is from 'Free the Animal'


"Crust"
1 Kilo Prime Mince (go to your local butcher and get the good stuff)
1/4 Cup Almond Meal
2 eggs
Salt, pepper and Italian spices



Mix well, use your hands! Preheat oven too 200c and spread meat on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. The meat will shrink a bit, and you want to drain the liquid before you put on your toppings.

While waiting for the meat crust to cook, prep your topping, get creative! Anything you like on a regular pizza. You can also use tomato base, pesto or sun dried tomato.

Once meat is done, prep your toppings then grill until everything is crunchy and golden, about 5-10 minutes. Slice and server with a big salad.

YUM! Matt could not stop eating this!

Margarita Shrimp

1 tbl olive oil

1 medium yellow onion (diced)

3 cloves of crushed garlic

1lb raw large shrimp (prawn) peeled and deveined

¼ cup tequila

2 ripe tomatoes (chopped)

½ cup shredded carrots

Juice of 2 limes

1 ripe avocado (diced)

Salt and pepper

In a medium sauté’ pan, heat the oil and sauté’ the onion over medium heat until it begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté’ until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the tequila, away from the heat (you don’t want a flame). Add the tomatoes and carrots and sauté’ 2 minutes. Add the lime juice and cook another minute, or until shrimp is just cooked through. Add the diced avocado, toss to warm through, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chicken Paleo Piccata

From Everyday Paleo

3 – 4 chicken breasts

2 tbsp ghee (or butter)

3 green onions diced

6 garlic cloves minced

3 tbsp capers

¼ cup white wine

½ cup chicken stock

3 tbsp olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting in half lengthwise. Place the butterflied chicken pieces in between two pieces of parchment paper and with the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken until it’s approximately ¼ inch in thickness. Cut the pounded pieces of chicken in half and set aside. In a large sauté pan heat the 2 tbsp of ghee over medium high heat. Your pan should be really hot. While your pan is heating lightly sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the sea salt and black pepper.

Place the chicken into the hot skillet and cook on both sides for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle but still tender – do not overcook. Remove the chicken from the pan and add to the same pan the olive oil, garlic, and onions. Using a wooden spoon, quickly sauté the garlic and onions for 2 minutes, scraping any of the chicken drippings off the bottom of the pan. Add the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice and capers and bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Eat Local and in Season

Matt and I have been getting Food from Simply Food for a few months. It makes is easy to eat organic local veggies and fruit. It also forces me to try new foods. If anyone would like more info, check out their site. If we get 4 deliveries weekly, we can have them delivered right to MaD CrossFit each Thursday.

Welcome to Simply Good Food Online Shop

ALL members are able to choose from a selection of quality fresh produce items each week, with optional “extras” offered on a seasonal basis. All of our fruit and vegetables are available for purchase as individual items, so you can tailor your order to meet your weekly needs.

The online shop opens each week on Friday at 5:00pm and orders are taken until 11:00am on Tuesday morning. Members can access the shop during these times via the website.

Egg Cupcakes

From Sarah at Everyday Paleo

Egg Cupcakes

10 -12 eggs whisked well

1 green onion

2 zucchini

3 big handfuls of spinach

1/2 a jar of roasted red and yellow peppers

6-8 slices of COOKED bacon

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 160c and grease with olive oil two muffin pans. Whisk all your eggs in a big bowl. In a food processor throw in the green onion, zucchini, bacon, and peppers and process until finely chopped but NOT smooth (yuck…). Add this mixture to your eggs. Throw your spinach into the processor and finely chop and also add to your eggs. Mix the egg mixture well and using a 1/4 measuring cup, fill the muffin pans (you’ll be able to make 18-20 cupcakes). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle. These are great to take on the go and I like mine with some sliced avocado and green salsa.

Paleo Spaghetti

From Crossfit El Paso

Sauce:

Start with this item first and leave it simmering while you prepare the rest of the meal.

2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)
½ onions (chopped finely)
1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. crushed chilli powder (depending on how spicy you like food)

¼ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste (add near end of cooking)

Begin with a large pot (big enough to fit sauce and later on, meatballs as well). With the olive oil, make two turns of the pan or so. Begin to heat the onion, when the onions are almost transparent, add the garlic. Allow to cook for about another minute or so. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomato, and tomato paste. Then add all spices. Stir together well. Leave the sauce at a medium high heat until it begins to boil. Upon light boiling turn the heat down and allow simmering for as long as possible before you are just waaayyy to hungry!

Meatballs:

1 (1/2 kg) lb lean ground beef, turkey or bison

1 egg

1tbsp of water

½ cup almond meal

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp garlic powder

Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash it together with clean hands (no ripped calluses in here please!) After well roll sections of meat into balls and set aside. When ready add meatballs to a large frying pan and brown on all sides (no oil needed). When all are well-browned, drain the meat and add to the sauce. This will add a great flavor to the sauce. Let the meatballs mix with the sauce for at least 30 minutes if you are impatient. (FYI meatballs can be used for all sorts of recipes, even on the side by themselves- this a great item to have in your paleo arsenal!) Also- before consuming any meatballs- open one up and make sure that is browned all the way through, ground meat should only be consumed if cooked thoroughly.

The Noodles:

Finally, This serves 2, so double the recipe depending on family size.

2 Zucchini

2 Squash

Salt& Pepper (to taste)

Garlic Salt (to taste)

Olive Oil

Begin by holding the squash or zucchini from the top, using the vegetable peeler push down slightly more than you normally would to peel the vegetable. Continue to do so on all sides of the vegetable until you reach the seeds. Repeat with all zucchini and squash you are using and set “noodles aside”. In a warm pan, add about 2 tbsp of Olive Oil. When hot add the zucchini and squash and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt to your liking. Only cook for about 3 minutes so that the noodles are cooked but still firm.

When your noodles are all done you can plate them and top with spaghetti sauce and meatballs.

Pumpkin Fries

This recipe from Girl Gone Primal

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin (I like Kent since it's available locally from an organic farmer, but most kinds work.)
2T or so lard, coconut oil, or olive oil
Spices such as paprika, chilli flakes, cinnamon, garlic power, and cumin
Dried herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, and sage.

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil.

1. Peel and chop pumpkin into fries - I go for a 1cm x 1cm thickness, but shoestring would still work (be gentle!) as will bigger wedge-style cuts.
2. In a medium bowl, toss fries with oil.
3. Sprinkle with selected herbs and spices, tossing to coat.
4. Place fries on tray in a single layer, and bake in oven until golden and slightly crisp on the outside.

Serve hot!

Grass-Fed Steaks with Kalamata-Olive Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons fruity olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves; 2 thinly sliced, 2 pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, broken in half
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• 2 14- to 16-ounce 2-inch-thick grass-fed New York strip steaks
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic, red pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shallots and sauté until just translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, olives, and vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon water. Add more water by teaspoonfuls to thin as needed. Season chimichurri with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Rub steaks with 1 tablespoon oil and pressed garlic. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, cayenne, and generous amount of black pepper. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush heavy very large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) with oil. Heat over high heat until almost smoking. Add steaks. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn steaks and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into steaks registers 110°F to 115°F for rare, about 10 minutes.
• Let steaks rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice crosswise. Spoon chimichurri over.

Recipe from bon appetit

Roast Veggies

Eating well does not have to be complicated. The new work week start's tomorrow. Go to the store, buy your favorite veggies that are in season. Cut them up, spread on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper then bake at 200c for 20-30 minutes. Now just add some lean meat and you have lunch or dinner. I used mushrooms, zucchini, onion, kumara, carrots and yellow squash. I cooked the carrots, onion and kumara for 15 minutes before adding the rest.

Keep it simple and make a plan for the week. It's the best way to stay on track.

Minced Beef, Zucchini, and Onion

Ingredients:

• 250grams ground beef
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 lb zucchini (courgette), sliced
• 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
• Seasonings of choice (i used garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes)

Directions:

1. Heat skillet to medium-high heat with olive oil
2. Add zucchini and onions. Mix in garlic and seasonings. Cook until they become translucent and start to caramelize.
3. Remove from skillet and place on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil place in oven on grill setting. Cook for approx 10 minutes, or until at desired crispness.
4. Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until there is no pink left.
5. Add onions and zucchini back to skillet with ground beef and mix everything together.

Recipe from 'Tasty Paleo'

(I use 500 grams of mince since we love meat!)

Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips
• 1 medium onion, cut in wedges
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 mild green or red chile peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in strips
• 1 zucchini, trimmed, cut in strips
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat if you eat dairy)
  
• guacamole
• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; cook the chicken strips over high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and serve.

Add the onion, garlic and chile peppers to the oil in the pan and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and zucchini; cook over high heat for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables have begun to have a blackened look around the edges.

Return the chicken to the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Serve right away, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and chopped tomatoes.
Serves 4.

Double Double Protein Style

In-N-Out Burger has an very interesting history.

And you can order burger "protein style" wrapped in lettuce (no bun) their fries are gluten free. Not bad when you're in a hurry. Gotta go at least once while in California.

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Ok, So this IS a tough read, so if you can't get through the book then read this. In the states we would refer to this as 'cliffs notes'....not sure if NZ had an equivalent...









Most of these books are available at the MaD CrossFit Library, or on order. EDUCATE yourself ;)

Slow Cook Beef w/Cabbage and Carrots

2 Kilos Prime Beef
1/2 green cabbage
4 Large Carrots

Place beef in slow cooker, then add sliced cabbage, and carrots. Slice the carrots thin so they cook all the way through. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. No need to add liquid when cooking on low. Makes enough for 4 with left overs.

If you like, you can use a cheaper cut of meat or purple cabbage. This is just how I prefer it. Prep time: 15 Minutes or less

Hot Chocolate

Play around with the measurements to get the right taste.

Use about 3 tbs of coconut milk
1 heaped tsp of cocoa powder
1 tsp honey
fill with hot water!

Thanks Imtiaz, today is a great day for a cuppa.

Chicken, Pear & Walnut Salad

Sometimes we have to make a quick meal, but I still want it to be super tasty.

Ingredients:

Pear
Mixed Greens
2 Boneless Chicken Breast
Goat Feta
Walnuts

Directions:

Slice chicken into small pieces and throw into a bowl with some balsamic. Heat fry pan with olive oil. Once the chicken is covered in balsamic put into the hot pan and cook chicken. While chicken is cooking make salad, greens, sliced pear, walnuts and feta, add warm chicken to the top and serve. I don't use any dressing because the balsamic adds plenty of flavor. Paleo, not quite, but primal yes!

Sunshine Chicken and Roasted Roots

Enjoy this recipe from Whole9

Sunshine Sauce

* 6 Tbsp Organic Sunbutter (no sugar added)
* 3 Tbsp lime juice
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1½ tsp chili-garlic paste
* 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
* 6 Tbsp coconut milk
* Grated fresh ginger, to taste

This can be made a few hours ahead of time. Mix in a glass bowl or food processor until creamy. (Do not mix in metal, as that can interfere with the lime juice.) Do not refrigerate.

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

* Four bunches of small to medium-sized carrots and parsnips
* 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
* Salt and pepper

Trim and wash the carrots – do not peel. They should be all about the same size – cut larger carrots in half. Place foil on baking sheet, add carrots. Heat coconut oil gently until it liquefies, pour over carrots on baking sheet and mix by hand. Sprinkle salt and pepper.

Cook at 400 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes, depending on carrot size. The skin should be slightly crisp and wrinkly, but the carrot should be easily pierced with a fork.

Chicken

* Three pounds of free range, organic chicken breast
* Chili powder (1 tbsp)
* Garlic salt (2 tbsp)

Combine the chili powder and garlic salt in a bowl, and sprinkle over chicken breast. Cook with coconut oil. Throw in a hot pan to sear in the juices, reduce heat and finish cooking.

Serves 4

Sesame Crackers

Ingredients:

3 C almond flour
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 C sesame seeds
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil* (olive oil would be fine also)
2 Eggs

Directions:

1. Oven to 180

2. Set aside 2 baking sheets, cut 3 parchment paper to the size of the
baking sheets

3. In large bowl combine almond flour, salt, sesame seeds

4. Separate bowl combine oil and eggs

5. Add wet ingredients to dry and combine thoroughly

6. Divide dough into two

7. Place one piece in between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll until
desired thickness for crackers. The thinner the more crispy.

8. Remove top piece of parchment paper and transfer to baking sheet

9. Cut dough into squares using knife or pizza cutter

10. Bake for 12 – 15 mins or until lightly golden

11. Repeat with other piece of dough

Thanks Sovita, they were delish with the guacamole!

Steak Mole with Cilantro

4 SERVINGS

* PREP: 25 minutes
* TOTAL: 25 minutes

Recipe by the Bon Appetit

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
* 1 16-ounce top sirloin steak
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup coarsely chopped red onion
* 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
* 3/4 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo or chipotle hot sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
* Fresh cilantro leaves


Preparation

Rub 3/4 teaspoon cumin on each side of steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak to 1 side of skillet and onion to other side. Cook until onion is brown and steak is medium-rare, stirring onion and turning steak once, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer steak to plate. Add tomatoes, broth, chocolate, chipotles, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin to skillet. Stir 2 minutes. Add orange peel; season with salt. Puree in blender.

Slice steak and divide among 4 plates. Drizzle with sauce; top with cilantro leaves.

Served here with asparagus and fennel salad.