Heyo Paleo

Hey everyone! Welcome toooooo.....

So I'm going to let you all in on a little secret.
Sometimes I call it Paleo like PA-LAY-OH and sometimes I call it Paleo like PAY-LEE-OH.
Depends on how I'm feeling.
In reality it's the second one because it's short for Paleolithic, which was a prehistoric period in human history.
BAM. I'm an educated son of a bitch.
Anywho.
Before I get into my recipe reviews I wanted to explain the Paleo diet in simple terms because I have gotten a lot of questions about it.
There are PLENTY of resources, and some of them are very contradicting. In the most simple terms while eating a Paleo diet you cut out
Dairy, Grains, Legumes, Sugar, and Processed Food.
It's similar to eating clean just a little more strict.
Here are some graphics that I found really helpful. 

 Here's another good one that showcases lots of veggie and fruit options

 I like this one a lot because it reminds me I can eat Kangaroo, I was really worried about giving that up....

It seems overwhelming and intense and pretty much like you can't eat anything, but just remember this
Build your plate around a source of protein then add a little fat, and then fill in veggies and colorful starch.

Example  of a quick meal plan
Breakfast- Omlet
Protein- Eggs
Fat-Bacon...yup thats right
Veggies- tomatos and spinach

Snack- Apple with Almond butter

Lunch- Taco Salad
Protein- Ground Turkey cooked in taco seasoning
Fat- Avacado
Veggies- Lettece, tomato, pico de gallo

Snack- Bell peppers or carrot sticks

Dinner- Marinaded Chicken with Veggies
Protein-Chicken
Fat- Marinade
Veggies- Asparagus, and Sweet Potato

BAM!

See it's not that crazy when you break it down.

Alright. Now lets get to the good stuff.

The first two recipes I tried was this Marinaded Chicken Salad, and this Pumpkin Fudge.

Source

 The marinade for the chicken was amazing, and I'm lazy so I didn't make the salad dressing. Next time I will.

 For the marinade:
juice of 1/2 lime
1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, add in raw chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min

 I took out the jalapeno and doubled the lime. I also used Cilantro paste, because...well. I wanted to.

I was the only one who ate this in my house, but I will be making it again because I am sure everyone will like it. I used it for meal prep and will be having it throughout the week. I even snacked on a few pieces because it's that yummy!

Verdict: KEEPER 

Now onto the sweet.

Pumpkin Fudge
1 cup pumpkin puree
5 medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
pinch of salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

 In a food processor combine all the ingredients for the pumpkin layer other than the coconut oil. Blend until very smooth. With motor running, slowly add coconut oil. Process until combined.

 So a few things...
The original recipe calls for a chocolate layer, which looking back I should not have skipped.
I added more dates because.. again.. I wanted to. I also used unsalted butter instead of coconut oil. Unsalted butter is considered paleo, and I'm cheap. Sooo yeah.

Here is the picture of the original... next to a picture of mine.

It kinda speaks for itself.

It was okay but I am still used to super sweet fudge which this was NOT. It also did not have a fudge texture, more like a cold semi solidified baby food.

My kids would not eat it, my husband said it looked like diapers, and I wasn't going to choke it down.

Verdict: TOSS...for now.. maybe revisit!

Next Time on Heyo Paleo I will talking about a Coconut flour pancakes and Honey Meringues.