eggnana pancakes

On the weekends I usually whip up some pancakes, eggs and bacon for the family since we have a bit more time to make them and enjoy them.  I however never ate the pancakes because of the gluten and dairy that were usually involved.  I have tried a few "paleo" pancakes but haven't quite found the right ones, in the meantime I discovered this easy peasy recipe.  Super simple.

• 1 banana (preferably on the ripe side)
• 2 eggs
• vanilla extract if desired
• coconut oil

Blend the banana, eggs and extract in a blender or food processor until completely blended into a puree.  Melt a little coconut oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat when the skillet is good and hot, but not too hot, pour the batter into about 4 inch pancakes.  *note if you pour them too big flipping can be trickier, so I really suggest smaller.  When small bubbles form on the surface and the edges are slightly golden then flip em already...they cook kinda fast so babysit them.  This makes quite a bit which is awesome because you will want to eat all of them, and you should!  Top them with some nut butter or maple syrup or some yummy blueberries.  Bon Appetit! 

Macro-Mix Lunch

So lunch time is the meal I know I need to eat enough macro-nutrients to get me through the next half of the day and enough to fuel my weight training in the evening.  I make sure to have a lean protein, lots of veggies, a fat source, and a carb source.  Today's lunch happens to be a perfect example of this, and I am still full from it 3 hours later. 

Chili-Lime Carne Asada Lettuce Wraps

Never underestimate the power of a lettuce wrap.  Who needs a tortilla?  I mean seriously the flavors of the meat stand out so much better when not surrounded by a thick padding flour.  These lettuce wraps are my new favorite.  Super easy to make on a weekday just make sure to marinate the carne asada at least an hour prior, but a few hours is even better!

Cauliflower "rice"

I like to whip up a batch of this when I make "Mexican" food, or South-westerny types of food.  I say "Mexican" in quotations because I clearly am not Mexican so its just my valid attempt to make something that tastes "Mexican."  I am not really a big rice person to begin with, but for those who like to have rice as a side dish this is a nice alternative.  For me its just another fun way to prepare cauliflower, because steaming it just gets boring after awhile.  This recipe is so darn easy you might just want to make it a staple in your weeknight meal planning.

Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup

This recipe is courtesy of our local Abundant Harvest Organics box, they deliver (weekly) local fresh produce and sometimes meats, nuts and other goodies straight from the farmers around the region, all the way to Edwards AFB.  This is so wonderful for those who want organic, fresh, seasonal produce and not have to drive into town more than necessary.  Anyways I usually like to try out the yummy recipe they include in the newsletter so this one is Albondigas Soup, which I have honestly never even had until now, even though it is on virtually every Mexican food menu I have ever seen, and I have lived in the Southwest my entire life.  I guess it was one of those menu items that scared me, which is dumb you should always try things at least once right?

Kids in the Kitchen

Getting kids in the kitchen is so important in order to pass on life-skills and weekends are the perfect time to do just that.  This morning I had my boys help out with browning the sausage.  They love to eat it so they might as well know how to cook it.  They seriously love helping out and when kids are involved they are very likely to eat what they have helped cooked.

Slow cooked Tri-Tip

Many nights of the week I rely on my crock-pot to get the job done for me as the evenings can get really hectic shuttling two out of three of the kiddos to their karate lessons, basketball practices, and AWANA meetings at church.  Four out of the five weeknights are booked with activities, but I know that is the norm for the majority of families out there.  That is why most of my food posts are simplistic in nature and with the busy family in mind.  This is one of my go-to recipes these days.  The Tri-Tip roast is a big California thing, many people from other parts of the country have not a clue what Tri-Tip even is, but trust me it is the bomb for a few reasons A: It is relatively inexpensive 2: it is tender to perfection and C:  You can use the leftovers in sooooo many ways, my favorite is a Tri-Tip salad.  Anywho...here is my simple Tri-Tip recipe Enjoy!

Start the day with Eggs

Let me just start out by saying I love Eggs!! Enough so that I want to capitalize them in a sentence when it is not grammatically necessary.  Just a quick glance at the nutrient profile of an egg:

70 calories
4.5 grams of fat
6 grams of protein
less than a half gram of carbohydrate