No Bake Chocolate Paleo Cookies

I feel a little sinful posting yet another cookie recipe so soon after ending whole 30, but a girl needs her chocolate! A friend of Chocolate no bake paleo cookie this weekend and I am really hoping this is the recipe. Will test it out today!

No Bake Chocolate Paleo Cookies

http://www.unrefinedkitchen.com/2012/03/03/no-bake-cookies/ 

 

Fried Egg and Brussel Sprout Skillet Breakfast

I am a creature of habit, and my new go-to easy breakfast is a Fried Egg Brussel Sprout Skillet creation.  YES, I eat brussel sprouts for breakfast and I love them - just try it!! This takes about 10 minutes to whip up and it provides my protein vegis and fat and fills me up.

Fried Egg Brussel Sprout Skillet Breakfast

Ingredients:
about 8 brussel sprouts - end cut off and chopped
2 slices bacon (try to use good quality since you are leaving in the fat)
salt and pepper
2 eggs
1/2 avacado

Cut up bacon into bite size pieces and cook in skillet until about half way done.  Add brussel sprouts, salt and pepper and cover, stirring occasionally for about 5 min. When bacon looks done and sprouts are soft crack two eggs on top and recover.  Turn off heat after 1-2 min and leave covered until eggs are set to your liking. I serve with avacado on top.

Dare I tempt you with a couple of Paleoish yet non-whole 30 recipes to get back into a little more relaxed eating?  Maggie passed a great chocolate chip cookie recipe to me that I just whipped up and it is super easy.  Yes, chocolate chip cookies are on my "Worth It" list because they make me happy, so I thought it would be best to find a recipe that is somewhat paleo and makes a relatively small batch so I am not tempted to scarf down large quantities.

GAPS Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ almond flour
• ¼ cup vanilla honey or (¼ honey + 1 tsp vanilla)
• ¾ cup chocolate chips 
• ¼ cup clarified butter or coconut oil (softened)
• ¼ tsp unrefined sea salt 
• ¼ tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cookie sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
3. Mix all ingredients together in one bowl (except chocolate chips).
4. Add in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop out 1 tablespoon cookie dough with a spoon (I use a measuring spoon) and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Keep 3 inches of space between each cookie. Press down slightly to flatten the cookie.
6. Bake for 6-10 minutes. The cookie should just be a little golden brown on the bottom. Do not over cook!
7. Cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet (or else they will be too soft to pick up). These cookies should stay soft when cool.
8. Eat with a smile! Yum 

Another great recipe that was passed along by Karen is a Spaghetti Squash Lasagna.  This one has cheese, but spaghetti squash takes the place of the pasta.  If dairy is what you plan to reintroduce first this sounds like an excellent choice.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

  http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/09/21/seasonal-fall-recipe-spaghetti-squash-lasagna-paleo-grain-free/

For some of you that are wrapping up Whole 30 you are probably wondering where do you go from here?  Hopefully this has been a great experience and you have gotten rid of a lot of poor food habits as well as picked up many new good ones.  The Whole 30 website has some great advice on their wrap up page as well as in the "It Starts With Food" book about how to reintroduce foods to your diet gradually so you can figure out what foods are making you feel cruddy and which ones are can be put back on the table so to speak in moderation without too much distress.  In looking through their website I stumbled upon the forum topic of  the Worth it and Not Worth it List.  Brian just finished his Whole 30 journey and sent me a wrap up summary that he said I could share.  Take some time and write up your own summary and send it to me!
**Brian is restesting soon and I will make sure to post his weight, inches, and performance stats.

Brian's Wrap Up

Worth It:

Ice Cream

Martinis

Oreos

Vanilla Lattes (but only from Kaldis)

Ghirardelli carmel squares (only candy worth it)

Apple or Blueberry Pie

Not Worth It:

Cheese

Chips

Fries

White Potatoes

Café Mochas

Candy

Vending machine Items

Hamburger buns

Cheesecake

Soda (regular and diet)

Any pie that’s not apple or blueberry

And for the Good, the Bad, and the Amazing:

Good:

Don’t ever really feel bloated.

Don’t feel guilty about having seconds or thirds of broccoli soup.

Snacking tendencies have dropped off to only what I bring to work.

I know how to cook turnips successfully.

Kombucha is a reasonable drink alternative.

Bad:

Sex with your pants on credo is stupid.

Found out TJs discontinued my favorite Pico de Gallo.  So much for “fast quacamole”!

Meat is expensive.

Amazing:

Watching people freak out about a bowl of peas as if it’s a bowl of macaroni and cheese.

Discovering the Local Harvest store.

Catching grief from my “larger” co-workers about what I eat.

Didn’t cheat ONCE!

Recipe thoughts:

Favorite Recipes

Seafood Chowder

Sweet Potato/Turnip Casserole

Salsa Italiano

Smoky Bacon Chili

Butternut Squash Soup

Least Favorite Recipes

Parsnip Fries – never turn our right

Egg Casserole – sorry Steph, your only miss J