Root + Savor

Connecting with food in a healthy way

Karis Alex

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Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice

Low carb Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice is a great weeknight dinner and easy meal prep option for the week!

Cauliflower is definitely the “in” food right now. Cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower smoothies, roasted cauliflower, cauliflower “cream” sauce, and of course cauliflower rice to name a few. I love plain old frozen cauliflower for an easy vegetable side dish with my wild caught salmon for a great weeknight dinner. But sometimes it’s fun to get creative and think about all the fun ways you can use cauliflower!

If you’ve never tried cauliflower rice before, it’s a great alternative to white or brown rice. You can substitute it for topping with curries, stews, sauces, really anything you’d serve with rice. Even though I don’t specifically eat low carb, I’m always in for sneaking veggies into dishes! Plus you are basically making a veggie stir fry but with that comforting, savory, take-out-style fried rice.

If you have a food processor then I’ll tell you how to make the rice. If you don’t, most grocery stores like Trader Joe’s will sell a frozen bag of riced cauliflower. So, all you need is a head of cauliflower and then you cut the stem off and cube the rest of the pieces like pictured. It’s really just a rough chop so it can fit in your food processor.

 You’ll see here that the cauliflower rice will get very fine and so depending on the size of the “rice” that you want you can process it for 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want to over process it because then the rice will get mushy (same thing with cooking, it really just needs a light steaming if you are using fresh cauliflower).

If you are a fried rice fan then don’t forget to add fresh garlic and fresh ginger! I’m telling you it really makes the difference here in flavor. Plus you are getting awesome benefits from the garlic and ginger (read more about why here!) And here is an introduction to coconut aminos if you haven’t already heard about it. Coconut aminos is made from coconut tree sap and salt. It’s great for those who are avoiding gluten (in traditional soy sauce) or soy in general. The flavor is very similar to soy sauce or tamari, with the same umami flavor.

You might be wondering, what is umami? Well, I’m sure you know how there are the flavor notes sour, salty, sweet and bitter. But did you know there is a fifth basic taste? In the early 1900’s, a Japanese professor discovered a component in chicken stock or broth called glutamate and found this flavor to be called “umami.” So there you have it! And if you are curious about the science behind umami, you can read more about it here.

What I love about this recipe is that is doesn’t take a lot of time to make. If you want to save a step, buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables like I did here. But, if you need to use up the veggies you have in your fridge, definitely dice them up and sauté them with onions at the beginning! I like finding a blend of carrots, peas, corn and green beans. If they are frozen make sure that you don’t over cook them or else they will get mushy! Yea, I have no idea how I know that….

If you have some shredded chicken on hand, then go for some extra protein and add that in too! I didn’t have any chicken on hand, but of course I added in some eggs which will give the rice the fluffy texture you want! Make a well in the center of your pan then add the eggs and stir until fully cooked. Then mix the eggs together with the rice after they are done cooking which makes sure the rice doesn’t get mushy.

It’s best served right away, but if you’d like to save for meal prepping for the week, add in the riced cauliflower at the end when you are re-heating things up. This will keep the texture of the cauliflower rice more firm. Alternatively, you could cook the cauliflower rice more “al dente” and then re-heat for your lunch or dinner!

Happy cauliflower fried rice making!

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Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 299 kcal
Author Karis Alex

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower or 12 oz frozen bag
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 oz frozen veggies i.e. carrots & peas
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop up a head of cauliflower so that it fits in the food processor. Blend it until the cauliflower is approximately the size of rice. 

  2. Peel the fresh ginger with a spoon (so easy!) and finely chop. Peel and chop garlic cloves. Dice up onion.

  3. Heat a large cast iron pan on medium heat with olive oil. Once hot, add onion, garlic cloves and fresh ginger. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until onions are transluscent. Then add frozen mixed vegetables and cauliflower rice and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

  4. Make a well in the center of the pan and crack 3 eggs into it. Cook until the eggs are fluffy and then mix everything together. Turn heat to low and add coconut aminos and season with sea salt & pepper.

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Creamy Broccoli Soup (Paleo)

Wholesome, creamy broccoli soup roasted in the oven and then blended!

This past year I’ve been totally into soups. I’ve found them so fun to make, adding in all sorts of spices to get the most incredible flavors. I’m also totally into one-pan meals and crock pots and pressure cookers. Easy-peasy but healthy kinda cooking.

So in walks this Creamy Broccoli Soup which happens to be paleo! Plus it’s a roast-all-the-things-on-the-pan and then just blend it right up kinda meal. Told you I was into this stuff.

I’m not joking you. Just frozen organic broccoli I bought from Costco, several garlic cloves, chopped onions and bacon all on one pan and roasted in the oven. Then it gets blended! But not the bacon. No, definitely keeping those as bacon bits please. Because all the fancy “Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup” gets bacon crumbles on top. And I’m also all about the garlic plus when it gets roasted and then you don’t even need to chop it because the blender does all that work for you.

Maybe I’m also just a major fan of my Blendtec blender and I’m making all the things in it. Guys, it’s such a powerful kitchen tool! And I even got rid of the food processor because I use this for everything. If you have a smaller blender then just maybe do two different batches of blending so you don’t overfill it. Also, pro tip, do not add super hot liquid to the blender unless you want an explosion…all over your white kitchen walls 🙂

And, if you don’t have a blender, a food processor would work or an immersion blender. I’ve always wanted to try an immersion blender because it does require one less step since you can just blend it up straight in your soup pot!

This gets all the creamy texture but without the dairy. Yes, you guessed it! Coconut cream. The difference between coconut milk and cream would be very similar to heavy cream/cheese and whole milk. Adding in the coconut cream, well, will get it extra creamy. But if you have coconut milk on hand, that would be fine, just add less of the broth at the end. Also, if you want your soup to be less thick/more thick you can determine how much chicken or vegetable broth you’d like to add.

This soup would also be perfectly acceptable to serve with a thick slice of sourdough bread and melty grass fed butter or ghee. And if you have fresh parsley on hand then sprinkle away!

Mmmm, crispy bacon, seriously don’t leave this one out.

And like I always say with soups, “They get better with time.” Meaning, don’t be afraid if you have leftovers in your fridge or if you feel like freezing half in a mason jar (best “canned” soup!)

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Creamy Broccoli Soup (Paleo)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Karis Alex

Ingredients

  • 4 slices uncured bacon
  • 1 pound broccoli florets (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 can coconut cream
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp oregano, thyme, turmeric optional

Instructions

  1. Turn oven on to 375.

  2. If broccoli is fresh, cut into bite size florets. Peel onion and dice. Peel garlic cloves and leave them whole.

  3. Arrange bacon slices, broccoli, onion and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven for 20 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. 

  4. Add can of coconut cream, 1 cup broth, onion, garlic cloves and half the amount of roasted broccoli to a blender on high speed until creamy. 

  5. In a dutch oven or large soup pot, add 1 cup broth on low-medium heat on the stove, with the rest of the roasted broccoli. Then slowly pour in the blended broccoli soup to the pot.

  6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crumbled bacon pieces and garnish with parsley!

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How To Make Vanilla Extract

Learn how to make your own homemade vanilla extract with only 2 ingredients!

I don’t know about you, but if I can find something to make from scratch, I really want to try it. Okay, and that sounds crazy, because, well, everything you can make from scratch. But I’m talking about the things that are in my life, like the basics. Think of my recipe for easy paleo mayonnaise or how to make bone broth or maybe making my sunflower butter instead of buying a jar from the store. One of the first “make it yourself” recipes I used was homemade chocolate. And you know what? They were sooooo good. The difference between me making chocolate or buying from the store is really not about time (cause it’s so easy!) but about convenience or because I want to try a new flavor.

So I’m telling you here, making vanilla extract might not be about because it’s so quick, since it takes time to sit on the shelf, but more about the process and the flavor. The “I-just-made-that-vanilla-extract-in-the-cookies!” and you are so proud because the cookies are just incredible. Or when you are adding this concoction to my caramelized banana steel cut oats and to my gluten-free chocolate chunk skillet cookie and everyone tries it you can tell them, ” I just made that vanilla extract 6 months ago.”

Wait a second, 6 months? Yea, at least.

Okay, get me on this. Time will tell. The longer you let the vanilla bean pods sit in the vodka, the more the flavor will be extracted! That’s why we start making it now, so it can be ready…errr…um…in 6 months.

Now let’s get to the variety of vanilla bean pods. I bought Tahitian vanilla beans on Amazon online because they were a bit cheaper. However, I’ve heard that using the Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans are excellent for a deeper, richer flavor. I’ll have to try that next time around! Also, there is a difference in grade A vanilla beans (used for cooking) or grade B (used for extracting). Compare and contrast, or just spend the few extract dollars and buy the grade B vanilla beans and see for yourself that the flavor is higher quality! Either way you are saving money by making your own vanilla extract.

Then you’ll choose your vodka, which I bought mine from Costco. Obviously, you don’t need a large amount, so if you have a different kind of alcohol on hand, like brandy, rum, or bourbon, then go ahead and use that. Just make sure that it’s not flavored!

Slice the vanilla bean pod lengthwise, then place them in your tall, brown, glass jar. And now you’ll have vanilla extract to use in your favorite baked goods, coffee, pancakes, smoothies, shakes, creamers…

I could go on.

Just be patient, and wait for 6 months (or longer!) I promise you, it’s worth it!

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How to Make Vanilla Extract

Servings 8 ounces

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce glass tall jar preferably dark
  • 4-5 vanilla bean pods
  • vodka

Instructions

  1. Split the vanilla bean pods by slicing lengthwise. Scrape out the flecks of seeds into the jar (I love the seeds in my baking!)

  2. Place the vanilla bean pods into the jar (tall jar is best so they fit, if not just cut in half). 

  3. Pour the vodka into the jar, place the lid on top and let sit in the back of your cupboard for at least 6 months!

Recipe Notes

I like to add 4-5 vanilla bean pods for every 8 ounces of liquid. You can also try out using rum, brandy, or bourbon instead of vodka. Just make sure that the alcohol isn't flavored!

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Turmeric Bone Broth Latte

Make this warming, golden Turmeric Bone Broth Latte for all the health benefits!

Would you believe me if I told you that this is one of my favorite drinks? Because it’s totally true. I didn’t think a turmeric bone broth latte would be a dreamy source of comfort and joy. But look at me now. Caught with a mug of blissful, golden frothiness and nothing can stop me from drinking this all year ’round.

And you better believe all the benefits of turmeric. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory spice, contains antioxidants, beneficial for the gut lining and supports probiotic growth, and can be taken as a natural painkiller. You already know how much I love bone broth and if you haven’t already done so, go check out my post on how to make bone broth!

This drink is incredible for boosting your immune system, aiding in healthy digestion, beneficial for heart health, and so much more. Curcumin is the active ingredient found in turmeric. It’s also fat soluble which makes it great to add in the coconut oil or grass fed butter for full absorption in this drink. You’ll want to make sure that when you are taking turmeric/curcumin supplements or just adding to your favorite dishes, that you find black pepper in the list of ingredients so that you can reap all the benefits! It’s best to take it with black pepper, containing the compound piperine, which enhances the absorption of turmeric/curcumin.

And now you know why this drink is not only so tasty, creamy, frothy but also so nutritional awesome for you! I hope you enjoy making this golden beverage!

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Turmeric Bone Broth Latte

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 1 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup bone broth*
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or grass fed butter or ghee
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/8 tsp of black pepper aids in turmeric absorption
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp other spices like ginger, rosemary, thyme optional

Instructions

  1. Pour a cup of bone broth in a sauce pan on medium heat. Take it off the stove just before it boils. 

  2. Add bone broth and coconut oil/butter to a blender until frothy. Pour into a mug and then stir in turmeric (don't add to the blender because it stains!) Add a dash of sea salt and my personal favorite a pinch of cayenne pepper and ginger!

  3. *Make the bone broth ahead of time and then in freeze cubes so you can use for the future!

Recipe Notes

Check out my post to make bone broth (or you can buy from the store)!

How To Make Bone Broth (2 Ways!)

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Coconut Butter

Make this delicious 2 ingredient coconut butter for all things toast, lattes, curries, chocolate and the list goes on!

Have you heard of coconut butter? The fancy stuff in jars that sometimes describes it as manna? Because, well, it might just be that.

Creamy, buttery, coconut spread…really what’s not to love? It’s so versatile used in cooking for sauces like curry or placed spoonfuls in your matcha lattes or fruity tropical smoothies. And definitely paired with peanut butter on toast and have you even tried mixing it into a homemade chocolate bark?

And all you need is a food processor/blender and unsweetened coconut shreds. There are a few other ingredients like a bit of coconut oil for getting a more creamy consistency and some almond/vanilla extract for a hint of nuttiness and sea salt because that’s gotta happen.

The first time I heard about coconut butter I knew I needed to have it. But I couldn’t find myself to buy the jars when I could make it. So, I literally had this giant bag of coconut flakes for months waiting to be made into butter. I just thought it was so daunting and put it off for so long. You know, but you are totally up to making a fancy soup and chopping up all the things and braising and sautéing but no, coconut butter is just too advanced.

Finally, I pulled out the bag and mustered up the courage to pour two cups of shreds into the food processor. And then I just pressed the button. And the only babysitting was scraping down the sides every few minutes. And it was so easy! And so delicious not to have in your pantry/fridge.

How cute would this be for a gift? Plus, you could step it up a notch and make chocolates for Valentine’s Day and add this to the mix! Or add to your favorite chocolatey brownies. Maybe make my chocolate chunk skillet cookie and spread a layer of this on top? Possibilities, guys, just never ending.

Coconut butter might just be your new favorite spread. I dare you to go make it! Just find out for yourself that this is creamy, delicious, coconutty straight up manna.

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Coconut Butter

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened coconut shreds
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract optional
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Add unsweetened coconut shreds to a food processor and blend for about 10 minutes, scraping down the sides every several minutes. It can take about 10-15 minutes to blend and get a creamy consistency. I've found that adding 1 tablespoon of coconut oil helps to get it smooth, but leaving it out is optional. 


  2. You can also add almond or vanilla extract and some sea salt to taste!

  3. Store in a mason jar in the fridge, or if using within a couple weeks the cupboard is fine. 

  4. Enjoy spreading on toast, in your lattes, or mixed into your favorite homemade chocolate bar!

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Paleo Broccoli Cabbage Coleslaw

Make this crunchy, healthy paleo broccoli cabbage coleslaw for a lunch or a side dish with tacos, bbq chicken or any of your favorite meal!

When I think of coleslaw I think of crunchy, light on the cream, and bright shredded vegetables. I think of coleslaw as the perfect topping for fish tacos and barbecue chicken and the best salad topper (or salad itself). I think of coleslaw as packed with flavor, yet subtle, and bold enough to stand on its own.

This coleslaw is going to be all the best things that coleslaw is. And if you’ve ever had any bad experiences with it, this recipe will not be the case here. Because I don’t mess around with coleslaw. There isn’t a coleslaw that’s like, “yea, I suppose I could eat it.” For me, I’m either ALL in or all out.

Guess which one this is?

Ok, so we get down to the ingredients here. If I’m feeling up for it, I’ll shred my own carrots, cabbage, broccoli or another crunchy veggie. But, if you go to the store and you find one of those already prepared, ready for you bags of goodness, go ahead and grab it. Cause then you’ve got one less step. I found a great organic super blend with kale, carrots, cabbage and broccoli for the win! I also know that Trader Joe’s has a nifty package of shredded vegetables.

If you have apple cider vinegar in stock then use that, otherwise I’m sure that a white vinegar or even red wine vinegar would work great! Then we just need 1/2 cup of my easy paleo mayonnaise or another favorite mayo you have. For the seasoning we use sea salt, pepper and onion powder and then you mix it all together and you’ve got a slaw.

And if you are feeling adventurous, add fresh chopped parsley, or some slices of red onion, or avocado cubes because why not?!?

There you have it. The cole to your slaw.

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Paleo Broccoli Cabbage Coleslaw

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 8.5 oz package of mixed carrots, cabbage, broccoli, kale
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise* see notes
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

  1. If you bought a package of shredded veggies go ahead and put them in a bowl. Otherwise, use a cheese grater and get to shredding! 

  2. Add the paleo mayonnaise, acv, sea salt, cracked pepper and onion powder to the bowl and mix it all together. 

  3. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If making your own mayo, follow the directions on my recipe for "Easy Paleo Mayonnaise."

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How To Make Bone Broth (2 Ways!)

How to make bone broth in a crock pot and pressure cooker!

Yes, believe all the hype. Bone broth truly is an elixir of life. People are drinking it left and right, making it homemade, buying it in the store, finding powder potions. It’s almost replaced coffee!

Ok, that was a bad joke not to be joked about. Coffee still stands first place in my book.

But really, get on the bone broth train/wagon/horse…ALL THE THINGS. Because it’s at the station and the steam engine is a rollin.’

Yea, I don’t know if I’ve ever been good at those whatever you call them. Anyhow, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. BONE BROTH.

You probably want to know all the secrets and benefits of the broth so I’m going to tell you just that.

Bone broth is incredible for gut health. Did you know that 70% of our immune system lies in our gut? So by drinking this you are building up your immune system. This is why we all hear that chicken noodle soup is the best when you are feeling sick because back in the day, they knew the benefits of the slowly, simmering chicken stock! So kick the canned soup to the curb cause it ain’t got nothing on this stuff.

Your gut will thank you as bone broth helps break down proteins making it easier to digest food and build up good bacteria called probiotics.

Another popular word you may have heard is collagen. That is a protein that makes up the lining the GI tract which is important so that food particles are digested and won’t cause acid reflux, IBS and leaky gut syndrome. Another important word is gelatin (hello gelatinous bone broth!) which is the breakdown of collagen. The gelatin in bone broth contains amino acids arginine and glutamine which is beneficial to your skin rebuilding connective tissue, improves muscle building and keeps your immune system strong!

As the bone broth slowly simmers (or cooks in the pressure cooker!) minerals are extracted from the bones such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and other essential nutrients (source). Bone broth has over 19 essential and non-essential amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins (source). What we get is amazing gelatin to protect our joints, repair cartilage, promote heart health and bone density. Also, many people report back saying how amazing their skin and hair looks due to the collagen forming elastin, which is what keeps our skin looking young!

I’ve made the bone broth two ways. The first way you can make it in the crock pot. I like to leave mine low and slow for at least 30 hours. Another way is using a pressure cooker. You can obtain the same results in two hours. It’s just a personal preference on which electric pot you have!

After you let the bone broth cool, make sure you keep the fat from the top because you can use that in cooking. Just put it in a small mason jar and refrigerate it using it up within a few days. There will be some moisture in the fat so if you want a longer shelf life you’ll have to render it (similarly to making ghee). Otherwise, I’ve skimmed the fat off, melted it down and poured it into silicon ice cube trays (see below pink tray!) and then stored it in the freezer. When I want to cook with the fat I just pop one container out and use it in the pan.

I like to store my bone broth in these silicon molds because it makes for easy storage in the freezer. Then, once they are solid frozen, I pop them out and store in baggies in the freezer. I’ll take a few out at a time and heat them up in a pan on the stove top for some yummy sipping bone broth! Or you can put a few in your veggies to steam and also have amazing stock for soups and sauces!

If you are planning to use up the bone broth within a week, just store in a medium size mason jar in your fridge. Don’t worry about getting all the herbs out of the stock you’ve made, it continues to add flavor! You can buy your bones at a local grocery store, but make sure they are organic grass-fed beef or chicken bones that you are using. Or what I do is buy a whole organic chicken and cook it, then debone the chicken and save the bones in the freezer and use them when I’m ready.

And if you are making beef or lamb broth, it’s a great extra step to roast the bones to enhance the flavor. If you are making chicken, turkey or fish stock then it’s ok to just put it straight in the pot. And remember, don’t be afraid to use those necks and wings from the chicken!

You can add vegetables into the mix like an onion, garlic, celery, or carrots to boost the flavor and extra nutrients. Then a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and filtered water into the mix and you are good to go!

Just look how beautiful this full jar is. And how beautiful it could be sitting in your fridge! I know it sounds intimidating to make bone broth all by yourself, but now you know, it’s easy and really so much cheaper to make than to buy.

Here’s to your new days of sipping this golden elixir of life!

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Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker Bone Broth

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lbs meat bones, feet, neck
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 onion cut in half, skin on
  • enough water to cover the bones
  • other vegetables like carrots, celery, garlic
  • fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley

Instructions

Pressure Cooker

  1. If using chicken bones, put directly into the pot with apple cider vinegar. If using beef bones, roast at 400 for 30-60 minutes until golden brown. Add desired vegetables and fill with filtered water right above the bones.*

  2. Follow the directions on your pressure cooker by placing the lid on and locking it securely. Cook on high for two hours. Strain broth in a colander and allow to cool. Remove fat from top layer. Store in mason jars or silicon molds.

Slow Cooker

  1. Follow first step*

  2. Cook chicken broth for 24 hours. Cook beef broth for 48 hours. 

  3. Strain broth in a colander and allow to cool. Remove fat from top layer. Store in mason jars or silicon molds.

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Ginger Coconut Smoothie Bowls

Are we still on a smoothie kick? Can we transfer it to bowls? Cause sometimes ya just need a spoon with your smoothie when it’s SO thick and then why not just pour it into a bowl…aka smoothie ice-cream. Ok, ok maybe greens in your ice-cream is going a little far but I’m telling you smoothie bowls are just the best to eat! Creamy, thick, and even better when you let it sit in the freezer for several minutes.

What I love about smoothie bowls is I tend to load them up so they are filling enough for a meal. I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m just drinking a liquid smoothie out of a cup, I don’t feel like I’m really digesting a meal. Taking the time to sit down with a spoon and a bowl and have breakfast is one of my favorite things (hello to Caramelized Banana Steel Cut Oats).

One of the biggest differences between regular smoothies and smoothie bowls is just the texture. I don’t add as much liquid, and generally only milk instead of water (i.e. coconut milk or cream, almond milk, full fat grass fed cow’s milk). I also combine various veggies + fruits + fats + protein in the smoothie bowls. My all time favorite is peeling fresh ginger (use the spoon to scrape off the skin!) and grating it right in the smoothie.

When I think about veggies to add in, I want them to be hearty, leafy greens like kale or spinach. I love finding them at the grocery store in power green blends because I can use it during the week for my salads, sautéed with eggs, and I can freeze some for later prepping smoothie bowls! Getting a thick smoothie is all about freezing your veggies + fruits before hand. What I like to do is make extra cauliflower and zucchini for dinner and then chop it up to freeze for breakfast smoothies. These are the perfect thickening agents (and I promise you that you won’t taste them!) plus you aren’t loading up on tons of fruit.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to tell you to leave out the fruit in your smoothies. I’m not crying about frozen bananas because there is too much sugar in them. I actually love chopping them up and putting them in the freezer for smoothies (also banana nice cream anyone?) But what I am saying is think about how to cook a meal. Think about making a green salad–you probably wouldn’t add piles and piles of fruit. We are building a balanced meal bowl full of veggies + fruits + protein + fats.

Let’s get on to the fats. Don’t fear the fats! They are great for keeping you full longer, balancing hormones, boosting your immune system and are anti-inflammatory. Ideas include but are not limited to: ground flax, chia, or hemp seeds (richest in fiber too), full-fat dairy (like raw milk and Greek yogurt are the best!), kefir, nut butters, avocado (don’t throw away your about-to-go-bad-‘cados but dice them up and freeze them!), coconut oil and cocoa powder. I like topping my smoothies with coconut shreds and granola as well for an extra crunch!

Make sure you add a protein source! My favorite is using organic grass-fed whey protein which balances blood sugar, reduces cravings, strengthens muscles and burns fat. Another option is bone broth or collagen powder, pea, brown rice or hemp protein powder.

Now you can pretend that you are on a vacation, in the tropics and make these Ginger Coconut Smoothie Bowls!

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Ginger Coconut Smoothie Bowls

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-2 cups frozen fruit (mangoes and mixed berries are my favorite!)
  • 4 inch cube fresh ginger
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 cups spinach or kale best if frozen
  • 1 tbsp flax, chia or hemp seeds
  • 2 servings vanilla or unflavored protein powder
  • handful of ice optional
  • 1/2 cup yogurt or kefir optional
  • 1 tbsp coconut or MCT oil optional

Instructions

  1. Scrape the skin off of the ginger with a spoon and chop into 4 pieces. Combine all the ingredients in a blender on high speed for 1-2 minutes. 

  2. I like to add yogurt or kefir if I have on hand for probiotics! It will also add to the creamy texture of the smoothie. 

  3. Pour smoothie into bowls and pop in the freezer for 15 minutes for more "ice-cream" like texture! And enjoy 🙂

Recipe Notes

Pro-tip: If you have extra smoothie and just can't seem to finish it all, pour into ice cube trays and store them in the freezer. Then next time when you are making a smoothie, take the "smoothie cubes" out of the freezer and let them thaw a bit so you can pop them out and put them in your blender!

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Easy Paleo Mayonnaise

Jump to Recipe

Whip up this healthy paleo mayo in 5 minutes or less!

Some people are balsamic & olive oil dressing and others are creamy, dreamy dressing. The thing is, I am totally both! I know, I know, how can I be both? I think some people are secretly the EVO & balsamic because they think it’s healthier for you. Which, can generally be the case. But what if I told you that you can make healthy creamy, dreamy dressing?

Alright, so we need to get down to the basics. Aka the base of the creaminess of all dressings & dips & real deal sauces. Ready for it?

It’s called MAY-ON-NAISE.

See that luxurious, silky smooth mayo? I’m telling you that you’ll never go back to store bought again when you find out how ridiculously easy this is. All you need is light extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. You don’t want to use regular extra virgin olive oil because the taste will be too overpowering, that’s why we go with the light flavor! Then you’ll want to bring an egg to room temperature, which you can just do by taking it out of the fridge the night before or about 30-60 minutes before you make the mayo. I’ve heard that you can also put it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes (just not too hot because it might cook it).

easy paleo mayonnaise

Ok, so maybe you are thinking, why would I want to make mayo? Especially if you are the balsamic & EVO person. But here is the thing, with mayo you can make ranch dressing & dip, hollandaise sauce, chipotle bbq dip for you chicken fingers, slather it on your baked salmon, or a fancy garlic aioli for your fancy truffle fries.

Yea, I know, I got you on that. But for the time being we will stick to this basic, easy paleo mayonnaise. And then soon young padawan I will show you how to make all the ranch. And I will also sneak it in coleslaw which is coming up in a few blog posts 🙂

Now, get to making this stuff cause guess what else you can put this on? Sourdough grilled cheese!

Alright, already I’m done.

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Easy Paleo Mayonnaise

Servings 1 cup
Author Karis Alex

Ingredients

  • 1 egg room temperature*
  • 3/4 cup avocado oil coconut, macadamia or part EVO
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/2 tsp mustard
  • 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • salt & pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each)

Instructions

  1. In your food processor, add the egg, water, mustard and apple cider vinegar. Let sit 1-2 minutes. Turn on food processor for 30 seconds until everything is mixed.

  2. SLOWLY pour in the oil in a steady stream while the food processor is still on. You want to make sure that you are slowly pouring it in because that is the key to make the mayo thick & fluffy! This takes about 1 minute. 

  3. Use salt & pepper to taste. Store your mayo in a mason jar for up to two weeks! 

Notes*

  1. Make sure the egg you use is brought to room temperature. You can leave it out the night before (if you remember!) or like me, just take it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before making the mayo.

  2. I use my food processor to make this mayo. I've heard that a high speed blender also works (I haven't tried) or an emulsion blender as well. 

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One Pan Greek Lemon Chicken & Vegetables

Make this yummy and easy one-pan meal for a flavorful weeknight dinner!

Ok, so you know how you have those staple meals every week? The ones where you keep on repeat because they don’t fail you. The meal when you need to throw something together in the same pan because you just can’t have so many dishes this night. Well this is one of my go-to-no-fail-recipes. The one that can really incorporate a variety of vegetables, potatoes and meat. I’ve used chicken drumsticks because I think chicken tastes the best when it’s on the bone, but you could use chicken thighs too or a variety grill pack!

I love having these back pocket recipes because you can also mix it up! If you’d like to add some golden potatoes, just put them in the oven the same time as the chicken. Or if you’d rather use broccoli or cauliflower instead of zucchini, go for it! This recipe is very forgiving but packed with so much flavor. The best part is the pan juice from the chicken broth, olive oil, lemon juice and white wine. Sometimes I’ll take the pan out from the oven in increments and pour the juice on top of the veggies and chicken to get more of a glaze! I’ve also taken the juice and made lemon rice to go with the meal!

Seriously guys, pan juice, you don’t want to waste it.

The rosemary and oregano pair so well with the chicken and vegetables with just the right amount of spice! And don’t forget the fresh crushed garlic and lots of lemon juice that slowly cook with everything. Have I got your mouth watering yet? And keep that chicken skin on! Cracked pepper and sea salt help that chicken get a little golden crispy. Plus, don’t get me started on the leftovers. Sometimes I wonder if I should make all my meals the day before so they can sit in the fridge and gather up all the flavor. This is a great option to take to lunch the next day!

If you are feeling real “Greek” then you should probably serve this meal with a side of lots of tomatoes, olive oil and feta or go the whole way and make a big Greek salad. And don’t forget all the kalamata olives!

Kosta, my husband, will always try to get me to make 3 things every week: feta guacamole, Greek salad with feta, and this lemon chicken piled up with lots of feta. But even if I don’t have those things every week I know that feta will get him through because he puts that stuff on EVERYTHING.

So, I’ll leave you with this. Even though feta is not “technically” in this recipe, Kosta would say that it’s basically not Greek then because it has to have feta.

Feta = game changer.

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Greek Lemon Chicken

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tbsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp rosemary
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 1 tbsp oregano

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Place the chicken drumsticks, broth, olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, and crushed garlic in a cast iron pan or a baking pan. Top with sea salt, cracked pepper, rosemary and oregano. Bake for 30 minutes. 

  3. Slice zucchini in half then cut lengthwise. Add to the pan of chicken and pour the pan juice on top of zucchini to coat. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Enjoy!