Paleo Balsamic Grilled Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Sauce

This week has been all about eating healthy when you are limited in your choices of markets. I shopped at Target on Sunday and have been able to make meals for this whole week from that one trip. All of the meals have been Paleo, Gluten Free and fit for the Whole30 Plan. We feel great. We sleep great. And there are some other great benefits that are of a more personal nature. You'll figure that out if you think about it. 

This may look a little time consuming but it's a really quick meal. Good enough to serve to you're friends that aren't even Paleo, Gluten Free, or Whole30er's! It's rich and hearty looking and tasting. 

I am loving Cauliflower Mash! This makes an awesome pillowy bed for your beautiful protein. 

I was making this with a bit of Plain Greek Yogurt, but we are not having dairy, so no yogurt! 

1 head of cauliflower

salt and pepper

grated nutmeg, whole nutmeg has the best flavor

Just steam or boil the cauliflower until tender. Then puree with your food processor. Or you can mash with a potato masher. I have done this many times when I didn't want to dirty up the whole food processor. 

Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

For the Balsamic Grilled Chicken:

4 skinless bones chicken breasts 

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and cracked black pepper

1 cup of Simply Balanced Organic Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce (We'll be using this sauce in a couple of other meals as well)

I poke a few holes in the chicken breasts with a fork. Kind of like piercing potatoes before baking. This helps the marinade get all down and dirty in the chicken. 

Mix the balsamic and extra virgin olive oil together. Pour over chicken breast. Let marinate for about 15 minutes. 

Preheat your grill or grill pan to a moderate high heat. Not smoking hot. And not medium high. Somewhere in between those worlds. 

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill for about 3 minutes per side. Just to get some grill marks and a sear on the meat.

Preheat a sauté pan to medium heat. Add the roasted vegetable sauce to a sauté pan along with chicken breasts. Now cover and lower heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. 

While this is simmering away, grill the asparagus. 

1 lb fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Lemon juice 

Salt and pepper 

Just trim the ends. Toss them in a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, squeeze a little lemon juice over. Grill for about 5 minutes. Turning halfway through. 

**if your asparagus is thicker, just cook longer.**

Serve the chicken on top of Cauliflower Mash with a side of fresh grilled asparagus! Perfectly simple dinner party food. Or just a quick weeknight dinner. 

Have a Fantastic Friday! 

Melody

Cabbage Patch Bacon Turkey Burgers

When I made these and snapped this picture I thought of Cabbage Patch Kids. 

Oh come on it's not that odd! 

I can't stress enough how being prepped for the week makes eating healthy so much easier. Just having a few frozen items, like these turkey burgers, that can transform into a fast and delicious lunch or dinner is more than helpful! 

Or maybe you can use this idea for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. It's a super cute way to serve a bunch of burgers on a platter! 

Remember our trip we made to Target prepping for the Whole30 Plan? 

That's where we found these frozen turkey burgers with 2 ingredients! Turkey and Rosemary extract! 

These go from frozen to in your mouth in about 15 minutes. Thats perfect for a quick lunch! 

Wrapped in bacon, topped with grilled peppers, and simply served in fresh cabbage leaves.

It's Funtastic!

Serves 2 

I start these in a cold cast iron skillet. Just trust me. 

2 Simply Made Turkey Burger patties, frozen

4 strips bacon, (make sure it's Whole30 approved if you're on the plan)

Grilled bell peppers

4 cabbage leaves 

Wrap the bacon around the turkey patties. 

Place on the cold cast iron skillet so that the ends of the bacon are on the bottom. 

Heat skillet to medium-high heat and when bacon is crisp on the bottom flip them over. It should take about 6-7 minutes. 

Starting them seam side down ensures the bacon won't fall off. Cook on the second side until the bacon is crisp, about 6-7 minutes. Add the grilled peppers to the pan to heat them through. 

Place the burgers in the cabbage leaves and top with the grilled peppers. 

Serve with a big green salad...because you just can't have enough greens! 

Simple, fast and delicious! 

And that's how we get lunch done in 15 minutes or less. 

The Workout for the Day! 

20 Minute Fat Burning HIIT Cardio Blast

Happy Thursday Friends! 

Melody

Chicken and Apple Sausage Breakfast Hash...plus a Simple Salmon Dinner Recipe!

Let's Hash it Out!

This is how you can use up some of the leftovers you have in your fridge to make an easy breakfast or brunch hash!

But before we get to the leftovers...a simple dinner recipe.

For dinner the other night we had some wild caught Sockeye Salmon with Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.

Thaw the Salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a cast iron skillet to high heat. Add some ghee or olive oil to the pan. Coat the fish fillets with a little olive oil.  Salt and Pepper the salmon. Place flesh side down in the skillet. Don't move the salmon for 5 minutes. Flip over to skin side. Top with a small amount of homemade mayo and chopped almonds, squeeze of lime, lemon and orange juice.  Place in oven heated to 450 degrees and cook for about 5 minutes. Wild Salmon is much leaner than farm raised. 

Cut potatoes and toss in olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15-20 minutes in a 450 degree oven. 

Steam your broccoli and serve with Sweet Potatoes and Almond crusted Sockeye Salmon. 

Let's get our Hash on!

I usually try to make some extra potatoes to use in dishes like this. It saves so much time. And let's face it. When you're trying to eat right, being prepared is one of the biggest keys to success.

Here is the how to get your Hash On!

Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat

1 tbsp ghee (you can use coconut or olive oil)
2 Aidells chicken and apple sausage, sliced
1 cup baby portabella mushrooms
1 cup grilled bell peppers (from the other day)
2 cups organic baby spinach
(I had some leftover asparagus that I added as well)
leftover roasted potatoes, chopped, red and sweet potatoes are what I had leftover

2 eggs, free range organic if possible

Add the ghee to the skillet. Cook the sliced sausage until it's browned as much as you like.
Add the mushrooms, saute until the mushrooms begin to brown.
Add the chopped potatoes. Let them crisp a bit, then turn.
Next add the bell peppers, toss to heat through.
Add the spinach and toss to wilt.
Season with some salt and pepper if needed.
Push these ingredients to the side of the pan.
Add a little more ghee if necessary and crack your eggs in the pan. Cook the eggs to the consistency that you prefer. I like mine over-medium. So let them sit for about 1 minute. Flip, then cook another minute. Place on top of Hash. And Eat!

Super quick and incredibly flavorful!
Here's what Action Hero Husband had to say, "I thought you said this Whole30 thing might be hard?!"

I think we could have licked the cast iron skillet. Yum!

Today's Workout is a Quick 33 Minute Endurance Kettlebell Workout from Fitness Blender

Happy Hump Day!

Melody

Tuna Salad with Homemade Mayo #Whole30 Lunch

This uses the Mayonnaise recipe from yesterday's post to make some simple tuna salad. This is a Whole30 compliant, Paleo and Gluten Free lunch option.
Nothing terribly fussy. A fast lunch that takes just a little planning ahead.

Remember this is about getting in some real whole foods. But at the same time making sure it's simple. If it's too complicated it's harder to stick with the program. 

Get your groceries. Boil some eggs. Make your mayo. 

Go here for the Mayo Recipe

This is easy!

2 eggs, boiled, peeled and chopped

2 cans Tuna, canned, wild caught

2 tbsp Homemade Mayo

1/4 fresh avocado, diced

kosher salt and pepper if needed

4 leaves Romaine Lettuce

Mix all of the above, except for the Romaine Lettuce. Serve in lettuce leaves with a side of fresh vegetables and fruit of your choice. 

Kid Option

I don't have a picture of what we did for our 12 year old. He doesn't like Tuna too much. So we went with a straight egg salad.

2 eggs, boiled, chopped

1 tbsp homemade mayo

2 leaves Romaine Lettuce 

Mix egg and mayo, serve on lettuce boats.

Fresh vegetables, such as sugar snap peas and carrots, fresh fruit and raw nuts.

The homemade mayo has quite a bit of flavor so adding extra salt or other flavors wasn't really necessary. Add any herbs and spices that seem good to you. 

Helpful Tips

When you start eliminating things out of your diet, you might find yourself in a bind when you get hungry. Try carrying little snack size sandwich bags with some raw nuts. If you have access to some unsweetened dried fruit, that's great to add in there as well. 

I like to have plenty of raw nuts, fruits and fresh vegetables ready to go. 

But it's also a good idea to go ahead and boil a few extra eggs. The protein is going to fill you up and they're a darn near perfect food. Just maybe don't take them back to your office and peel them. That is usually frowned upon. My 3rd grade teacher used to do that in class. It took me a while to ever want a boiled egg. She was sort of a version of Mama from Throw Mama from the Train. In fact when I first saw that movie...I thought it was her for a second. Third grade was not my best year. 

What a nightmare that was.

Things I listened to this week

I ran across a podcast the other day called The Hey Eleanor Podcast. It's all about  how she challenges herself to do something each day that she's scared of doing each day, based on the famous quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, "Do one thing that scares you every day." It doesn't have to be huge. Maybe it's talking to someone in line at the grocery store.
Sadly for the human race, this does not frighten me!
But I like trying new things. Especially things that make me a little afraid. Adrenaline junky? Maybe. Just look at the Action Hero holding my hand in the picture above. That's kind of how we try to live. Running through the challenges of life holding hands. It's a beautiful adventure.

You know what else is a beautiful thing. Naps. Naps are a beautiful thing. Luke the Goldendoodle loves them. 

But I'm starting to think that he needs a Life Alert button or a girlfriend. 

Have a Terrific Tuesday! Maybe take a nap after you do that one that for the day that scares you. 

Here's our workout for the day.
Bender Fitness Full Body Sculpt and Sweat 1 round
5 Minute Body Weight Challenge 1 round
Make sure you add a warm up and cool down stretch.

Melody

Dinner was pan seared, wild caught, sockeye salmon (purchased at Target) with a dollop of homemade mayo, a squeeze of lemon, lime and orange juice with chopped almonds on top. Roasted sweet potato, and steamed fresh broccoli. We will get to that tomorrow.

Beginning the Whole30 Program with a Shopping List and Recipes

A simple start... 

Scroll down to find these recipes, a simple shopping list and a few extras! 

Lately I have seen a lot of information on the Whole30 Program. I've tried to figure out a reason to not do it. The only reason I can see is that I really like pancakes. Whoa! That is eye opening.

We already eat fairly clean around here. I would say that we have about an 80-85% clean eating record on any given week. But! I am seeing that we are still using more natural sugar than I would like. I'm talking about honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar, etc. And because I have this background as a Pastry Chef...I try to recreate things I love to make with healthier ingredients. I've done this for years. Back in the late 90s I was the family member that would bring black bean brownies or grain free this or that cookies to a gathering. It's like the country singer Barbara Mandrell sings, "I was country, when country wasn't cool."  

At least in my circle it wasn't cool. It all started when I met Marilu Henner. My family thought I was a "health nut." No dairy, no sugar, no red meat. I did not even eat chicken. The worst...no caffeine. But information and attitudes about certain foods have changed. I am having my coffee. Really good French Pressed, dark roast, delicious coffee. 

So, my house is getting ready for the Whole30 plan. It's really not a crazy idea. When you think about it like this...would you pour gasoline or water on your beautiful plants and green lawn? It's really the same idea for your body. We would be concerned about a person that put gasoline on their lawn. It needs the right food and fuel to grow properly, be healthy and thrive! That's like your body. It needs the right source of fuel and nutrients to grow and thrive. Or as my action hero husband put it, "would you build your house with the worst materials you could find or the best? This is your house." 

And it's really something, possibly the one and only thing, that you have FULL control over. What you feed your body. 

So with that said. I hope to part ways with my new love of coconut flour pancakes for a while. Oh, and maple syrup. 

We are going to share triumphs and failures. Successes and ideas. I will be referencing some fantastic blogs that I've discovered and trying their recipes and ideas to share with you. We will try to find kid approved ways to enjoy this program as well.  For now we will start with a shopping list. A fail to plan is a plan to fail. So here we go!! 

Shopping. Get your shopping done. You can make this work almost anywhere! 

I did all of my shopping at Target. That's the closest store to my house. It's not even a Super Target. You can do this. 

Here's a list of typical things to get started. 

Meat, Fish and Poultry

Sirloin steaks

Chicken breast, they have some good choices. (Some are a little pricier. But worth it)

Ground turkey 

Aidells chicken and apple sausage

Wild caught sockeye salmon, frozen

Wild caught mahi mahi, frozen
Turkey burgers, frozen, check the labels. Target has turkey burgers that have 2 ingredients, Turkey and Rosemary Extract
Canned Tuna, wild caught is best

Fruits and Vegetables

Berries, all kinds~blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries

Apples

Bananas

Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Organic Spinach
Romaine Lettuce
Cabbage

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Asparagus
Snap peas
Carrots

Bell peppers
Frozen Organic Chopped Spinach
Mushrooms, Baby Portabella 
Organic grape tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes for the adults
Red Potatoes for the kids...I bake these and then mix into mashed cauliflower so they don't notice the cauliflower.

Nuts and stuff...
Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

Raw mixed nuts

Raw almonds

Freeze dried strawberries, Only one ingredient! Strawberries!  (perfect for a crunch in your salad)

Eggs and Milk (dairy free)

Eggs, organic free range 

Egg whites
Coconut Milk, Full fat, canned

Oils and Flours

Olive oil, light and extra virgin 

Coconut oil 

Coconut flour

Almond flour

My Target did not have organic Ghee, I purchased that a while back at my local Publix. 

They have plenty of spices and seasonings and also fresh herbs in the produce section.

I prepped a little when I got home from the store. Using my indoor grill, I tossed my sliced bell peppers in olive oil and just grilled them. Now, these are ready to go to add into eggs, on top of any meat...really anything.

I made some Mayonnaise. It's not hard.

1 egg
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup light olive oil, not extra virgin
lemon juice

Use your blender or an immersion blender. Bring all ingredients (the egg) to room temperature.
Blend the egg, garlic, mustard powder, salt. Then stream the olive oil while the blender is running until you have a thick emulsified mixture. Add the lemon juice. Whisk. Check seasonings. Now you can add more of any of the seasonings that you like.

This is a great base for chicken salad, tuna, to make a quick sauce. It has no added sugar and no restricted oils...nothing weird. It tastes amazingly better than any store bought mayo you will ever buy. Store in an airtight container. The best way to know how long it will last is to use the date on your eggs. That tip comes from The Clothes Makes the Girl...and it's just a good culinary rule that's normally practiced. When they expire, so does you mayo.

If you use an immersion blender. It takes all of 30 seconds. Just place all ingredients in a clean wide mouth jar or bowl. Let it come to room temperature. Blend. Store. Enjoy.
I always whisked my mayo together by hand. Old chef rules die hard. I feel like my mayo-elbow whisking induced pain made a silkier mayo, but I can embrace convenience.

Here is our meal from last night.

Grilled chicken, marinated with a little lemon juice and olive oil.
Seasoned with dill, garlic, lemon zest, lime zest, kosher salt and black pepper

Grill the chicken for about 6 minutes per side. You will know when to turn them over when you see the juices start to push through the top.

Grilled bell Peppers and Asparagus.
This is simple!
Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, grill. You can also Roast for 10 minutes in a hot oven. 450 degrees.
Squeeze a little lemon juice over the Asparagus when it come off the grill.

The leftover Sliced Sweet Potato Buns became a cold potato salad
Sweet Potato Lime Salad

Chop the sweet potatoes, toss in a spoon of homemade mayo and lime juice. The amount for the mayo will depend on how creamy you want your salad. Start with a little and taste as you go. Kosher salt and black pepper.
Add a little lime zest over the top.
The sweet potato and the tangy lime are fantastic together.

If this is all new to you too...check out the website, maybe get the book. Look into some of the associated blogs for more recipes and ideas. But above all, just try to focus on good whole foods.
I started by eliminating one thing at a time. I started with refined white sugar, white flour, and packaged foods. Just by eliminating one thing at a time, you will notice a difference in how you feel.
We all know sugar is hard to avoid. But it can be done. Reach for a banana, orange, or whatever is the most fragrant and beautiful piece of fruit you can find. If it's not organic, just wash it.
Just eat Real Food!

Do something kind for someone today. That makes you feel really good too!

Have a Marvelous Monday!
We are! 
Melody

Sweet Potato Bun Turkey Burgers

You may have heard of these...Paleo, Gluten Free, and Whole 30. Three eating lifestyles that aren't really new...I would just call them rediscovered. Why? Because each of these somewhere along human history have been practiced just because that was how things were. Some eat gluten free just because. I know for many, it's a must due to the obvious effect of gluten on their system.  So whether you are Paleo, Gluten Free or on the Whole30 program, they all have one thing in common. They tend to focus on eating whole foods. You know, those foods without labels, conscientiously avoiding the ones that you have to pronounce slowly because they have more syllables than supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

This is a simple burger recipe that will help you get your body on track. Nothing to complicated. All whole foods. Nothing to spike your blood sugar. And it's easy on the wallet and on the eyes. 

It's pretty darn good for a bun-less burger.

Here's how we get our burger on. 

I love burgers. I know I've said that before. But it's worth the repeat.

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. Then cut up a big 'ol sweet potato into 1/4 in thick slices. These may be a bit thicker than that. I'm not a carpenter so I didn't even measure. 

Next put a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Brush each potato slice with a little coconut oil and sprinkle salt and cracked pepper over these little guys. 

Bake for 12 minutes then...

Flip them over and bake another 12 minutes. 

Mix up the burger while all of this craziness is going on. 

1 lb ground turkey (I prefer 93% lean 7% fat)

1 carrot, grated

1/2 cup chopped red onion 

1 baby bell pepper, any color (I used yellow)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

All the mix ins.

Add the turkey and mix it all up.

Form into six patties and place on parchment lined baking sheet. 

We are baking these. Because I was lazy and didn't want to dirty a skillet. You can do it either way. 

Your potatoes should be done. So take them out. Reduce your oven to 400 degrees. The potatoes need to cool off so that they will stay together. Plus, I heard John Tesh say on the radio once that potatoes which are room temperature actually burn more body fat because of the resistant starch. He got it from Prevention magazine...so we will run with this information. 

Put the burgers in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.  

Turn your broiler to high. Broil for 3 minutes on the first side. Flip the burgers and broil for 2-3 minutes on the second side. They should get a little color. 

Now put it all together. A little spring mix on the bottom bun (sweet potato slice), add the burger and top with another sweet potato slice!

And there's your sweet potato bun turkey burger! 

Let's see if you can pick it up and eat it...

Yes you definitely can! 

I did have to resort to using a fork at the end. But I usually do that with a traditional burger too. No big deal. 

This fits all three of the eating lifestyles that were mentioned. So if you are Paleo, Gluten Free or on the Whole30 program. This works for you! 

Enjoy! 

Melody

Of course here is the workout for today. 

Better Booty Workout for Glutes, Thighs, and Hamstrings

Mango Salsa Lime Chicken in Pilar Rum Sauce

This simple chicken has so much flavor. By taking advantage of sweet ripe mango and tart juicy limes it's a fresh and light weeknight meal. 

The pan seared chicken is perched on top of sweet baby bell peppers that are sautéed in a splash of Pilar Blonde Rum, honey, lime juice, and a little coconut milk. 

You might close your eyes and feel a slight tropical breeze. 

Here's how you get that tropical breeze on your plate...

I suggest using a stainless steel sauté pan for this dish. It creates a good golden color on your chicken. 

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tbsp canola oil 

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 tbsp Ghee or grass fed butter 

1 cup baby bell peppers, julienned 

1/4 cup Pilar Blonde Rum (If you don't have Rum, just use some chicken stock)

1/4 cup full fat coconut milk 

Squeeze of lime

2 tsp honey, raw

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper 

Place chicken breasts in a gallon size plastic bag. Flatten them out if they are really thick. You want them to cook quickly.  They should be about 3/4 inch thick. 

Squeeze lime into the bag, add the canola oil. Close the bag and just smush it around to coat the chicken. 

Preheat your skillet now to medium high heat. Add your Ghee, (you can use whole butter or olive oil. I used ghee) 

Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Place in hot skillet. 

Let the chicken cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side.

While it's cooking, get your peppers, rum, honey, lime, and coconut milk ready. 

Now flip the chicken over. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan to a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm. 

Add the peppers to the pan. Sauté for a minute. Take the pan off of the heat and add the rum. It will smoke a bit. 

Add the juice of one lime. 

Next add the honey and coconut milk. It will thicken a bit. 

Stir and toss the peppers in the sauce. Add the chicken back to the pan to coat. 

Mango salas recipe

1/2 mango, diced

1 tbsp chopped red onion

1 tbsp jalapeño, diced 

1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Squeeze of lime

1 tsp honey, raw

Kosher Salt to taste

Add all of these ingredients together, toss and let them set for flavors to develop while you are preparing your chicken. 

This is how I cut my mango...if you haven't Googled the mango peeling video that uses a glass. Do it!

The Pilar Blonde Rum has great cherry and citrus notes that make the sauce so perfect! 

This is right before I ate it! The pictures aren't super great because I was super hungry!!

Workout for the day is from Bender Fitness

30 minute Home Dumbbell Workout

Happy Friday! 

Melody

Pan Seared Sirloin

Where we live right now, I don't have a fabulous butcher shop where I can get a great cut of meat. (Sigh)

That fact makes me sad. 

So you work with what you've got right?!  In my case...some simple petite sirloins. 

It wasn't lovingly wrapped in butcher paper by a skilled butcher handing it to me like it was his most prized possession. I've been there. It's a beautiful moment when that happens. 

But! You can make a regular store bought piece of beef reach its full potential by using this method, which I was reminded of seeing Nom Nom Paleo's post on cooking a perfect steak. Thank you Nom Nom Paleo! 

I had mine was over a heaping mound of Cauliflower Mash. I love that stuff! 

So here's how it begins. 

Preheat oven 275 degrees

Serves 2 

2 Sirloin steaks, petite cut 

Kosher salt 

Fresh cracked black pepper

1 tbsp Ghee

Pat the steaks dry and sprinkle salt and pepper over the meat. 

Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet. 

Like so...

Place in the oven for about 11 minutes for a steak cut 3/4-1 inch thick. 

While they are in the oven preheat a cast iron skillet to high heat. 

Remove the steaks from the oven. 

Put the tablespoon of ghee in the hot cast iron skillet. 

Place the steaks in the skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side. 

Don't move them around. They like to be left alone. 

This will get your house a little smoky so use that vent over your cooktop or maybe open a window. Or just pretend that you're in a cool 80's music video. 

Smoke! It smells so good I would bottle it and use it as a candle fragrance. 

When they are done take the steaks out of the pan and place on a clean plate.  Let them rest tented with foil for about 5-10 minutes. 

Then cut and enjoy your efforts. Perfect! 

Today was a Yoga Day! My favorite workout of the week. As I get older flexibility becomes more and more important to prevent injury. Working more stretching and yoga into my daily activities is a goal of mine. I did this one hour Yoga Flow this morning. There are some poses that are a little more advanced than my capabilities right now, but that's why it's called a yoga practice right? 

So do the best you can if you are new to this kind of workout. There are so many free sights that offer beginner yoga and stretching for flexibility. Try some out and share what you like! 

This is from Fightmaster Yoga. 

Total Body One Hour Yoga Flow

Have a Peaceful Day! 

Melody

Fudgy Zucchini Brownies

Be brave Friends! These are Paleo Friendly, Gluten Free...and full of veggies. 

I know I shared the black bean brownie recipe with you a while back. Yes, beans in your brownies is a little weird for some. But let's get a bit weirder! We are adding our vegetables to our dessert. Zucchini! It sounds like a word from a magician's vocabulary. 

Ah la Zucchini!
The zucchini makes these brownies extremely moist.

We are also going to use some Blackstrap Molasses as one of our sweeteners. (Doesn't that sound like a pirates name?! Argh! Blackstrap Molasses)

If you are Paleo, you may be aware that there's some different opinions on using Blackstrap Molasses. I use it every once in a while. I like the nutritional content. It has quite a lot of Iron and Calcium which is very interesting. You could try to substitute raw unfiltered honey or maple syrup. I wrote this recipe last night, so I haven't tried any variations yet.
So please leave a comment if you try a substitute ingredient and it works! 

Ingredients
Yield 9 large brownies or 12 medium brownies

3 tbsp coconut oil, organic unrefined virgin

2/3 dark chocolate chips, enjoy life brand 

3 eggs

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses, organic

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup almond flour

4 tbsp cocoa powder 

3 tbsp coconut flour 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt 

1 cup grated zucchini, organic

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

2.  In a mixing bowl add the coconut oil and the chocolate chips. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until melted.

3.  Beat in 3 eggs into the melted chocolate chips and coconut oil. Add blackstrap molasses, coconut sugar, and vanilla. Mix until combined.

4.  In a separate bowl mix almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until completely incorporated.

5.  Add the grated zucchini to the brownie mixture and stir until combined. Pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

6.  Cool before cutting. Enjoy! 

Adding the weird ingredient...Zucchini!

Pour into the parchment lined pan...it is a thick brownie batter...That's a good sign! You can barely see the Zucchini in there. Just don't tell anyone and they will never even know! 

Ahhhh...Just look at these right out of the oven. They look like Normal Brownies.

So fudgy and chocolaty. I need a moment.
Yes there is a brownie missing.
It would have been irresponsible to post this without tasting one first.
Oh and you are all clear to make this recipe!

Today's workout!

20 Minute HIIT Full Body Workout

We did one round with a warm-up and cool-down.
Also, we are adding a simple abdominal workout using a simple piece of equipment.
Add 2 sets of 10-12 roll outs at the end of this workout. This is a great core strengthening exercise!

Melody