Greek Meatzza

Greek Meatzza
Meat Crust:
2 lb Ground Beef
1 Clove Fresh Garlic
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Parsley
2 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tsp Paprika
1 tsp Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Egg

Topping:
1 Can Artichoke Hearts
1/2 C Sun Dried Tomatoes (Sliced)
Crumbled Bacon
Feta Cheese
1 Tbsp Oregano
Olive Oil

More Optional Toppings:
Marinara Sauce
Greek Olives
Onions
Splash of Balsamic

Preheat oven to 350. Place Meat Crust ingredients in the food processor and pulse it till all ingredients are equally incorporated.

 Spread meat evenly into a raised side cookie sheet (mine is 17.25x11.5).

Top meat with the toppings of your choice, ending with the remaining oregano and olive oil sprinkled on top. (I did 1/2 Feta and 1/2 Mozzerella for my kids because Feta can be a bit of a strong flavor for them.)

Place in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. If needed, use a turkey baster to remove excess liquid that may gather in the pan.

Once meatzza is cooked through, turn broiler to low for 2-3 minutes to brown cheese slightly.

 Enjoy with a side salad.

Banana Nut Balls

These are a snack I threw together last week. They are super rich (even without added sweetener) and are a great treat when the sweet tooth hits. I have these in the freezer to indulge on every now and then. I hope you enjoy!

Banana Nut Balls
1 C Cashews
1 C Pecans
1 C Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 C Dried Banana Chips
3/4 C Coconut Oil
Honey (Optional)
8 oz Dark Chocolate

In the food processor, pulse nuts, seeds and banana chips to a pea size texture.

Add in coconut oil (not melted) and process until it comes together into a sticky dough.

Using a bit more coconut oil, grease your hands and form dough into balls.

 Place balls into the freezer to set up for at least an hour. When ready to dip, melt chocolate in a double boiler.

Remove balls from the freezer and dip into the melted chocolate. Allow to sit out in room temperate for a bit so the centers soften slightly. Enjoy!

Grass Fed Bison for $6/lb!!!

I don't know about all of you, but finding Grass Fed meats is important to me, but is sometimes unattainable on my budget. Because of that, when I do find a good deal I will generally stock up! This is the case today. Tropical Traditions has an awesome deal going on right now for 60% off Ground Bison. This is 100% Grass Fed, Grass Finished Bison, for about $6/lb, shipped to your door! We decided to use some of our Christmas money from family to get 48/lbs of this and it came out to about $5.94/lb! How awesome is that?!?!
You don't have to buy as much as I did to get the great deal either.
Here is the link!
GF Ground Bison about $6/lb

Mexi-Spiced Salad Dressing

One of the ways we maintain Paleo on our busy days/nights is by making large amounts of protein ahead and using it in simple salads and other meals. This is a great example of that. I cooked a 5 lb roast over the weekend and we are able to eat off of it for a couple days. This dressing changes up the flavor enough to give you a unique meal, but without making a separate protein each night. You can use this same idea and mix up the seasonings.

Mexi-Spiced Salad Dressing
1/2 Mashed Avocado
1/4 C Avocado Mayonnaise
1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Dried Cilantro Leaves
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Mix it all up and enjoy it on a fresh salad.

 (Ours included spinich, tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon crumbles, and leftover roast shredded.)

Spinach Artichoke Meatballs

While these were great last night when I made them, the leftovers today were AMAZING! After sitting in the sauce overnight and being reheated for my breakfast (umm, and maybe my lunch as well) they were just fantastic. Great flavor and texture! Perfect to make a big batch of as stand-by protein in the fridge!

Spinach Artichoke Meatballs
3 Good Size Handfuls of fresh Spinach
1 Egg
1 Clove of fresh Garlic
4 Tbsp Dried Sweet Basil
2 Tbsp Dried Italian Seasoning
2 Tbsp Dried Chopped Onions
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Can Artichoke Hearts (drained)
3 lb Ground Meat (I like a combo, so I used 1/2 Turkey and 1/2 GF Beef)

Place spinach, egg and all seasonings in the food processor. Allow spinach to breakdown to a paste and all seasonings to be distributed evenly.

Add in ground meat and combine until it is evenly dispersed.

Add in the can of artichoke hearts and pulse till they are broken up and distributed, but not completely chopped.
You want some bigger chunks of artichoke.

 Allow mixture to sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours to let the flavors meld.

 Form meat into desired size balls and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are almost completely cooked through. The time will vary depending on the size you make, as well as the type of meat.

 Place in a large pot and add in tomato sauce of your choice and allow them to finish cooking in the sauce.

 Serve as is or on top of spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles. Enjoy!

Thai (NO) Peanut Beef and Veggies

I got the inspiration for this recipe from my friend Tovah who brought a delicious sauce to our house for dinner a couple months back. I used her recipe as a jumping off point and this awesome creation was made. The 4 (and 1/2 counting Colton) were raving about how great this was, and there are no leftovers. Next time I will double this recipe!!

Thai (NO) Peanut Beef and Veggies
Marinade:
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Almond Butter
Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)

Sauce:
3 Tbsp Almond Butter
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp Sesame Oil
3 Tbsp Coconut Aminos

Stir Fry:
2 lb Beef Steak
10 oz Broccoli
10 oz Cauliflower
10 oz Baby Carrots
Sesame Seeds for garnish

In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients with a whisk.

Slice beef into thin stir fry slices.

Place beef to marinade, stir till coated and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up to 8.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and allow it to sit in the fridge for at least an hour prior to serving.

Par cook broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in a steamer basket prior to stir frying. Once steak has marinaded and veggies are par cooked, heat a couple Tbsp of oil in a large pan.  Add in beef and cook through.

 Add in veggies and allow them to warm back up to temperature.

Serve stir fry topped with sauce and a sprinkled with sesame seeds.

 Enjoy!

Merlot Braised Beef Roast

My brother and his fiance are in town for the week, so I wanted to make a nice Sunday Dinner to enjoy with them. We were all raving about how wonderful the flavor was on this dish. The Merlot really created a depth of flavor, along with the great seasoning mix on the roast.  I will be trying this in the pressure cooker soon to see if I can get the same result without as much time.

Merlot Braised Beef Roast
4 lb GF Rump Roast
2 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tbsp Ground Mustard
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp Chopped Dry Onion
1/2 tsp Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1 Medium Onion, chopped
4 Celery Stalks
2 C Baby Carrots
2 C Merlot
Oil to sear (I used bacon grease)

In a small bowl, combine all spices.

Rub the seasoning mix generously onto the roast being sure to cover all sides.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom oven safe pan, preferably cast iron. Once oil is hot, sear roast on all sides till golden brown.

 Remove roast from pan and add in a couple tbsp of additional oil and add in onion, celery and carrots. Coat the veggies in oil and allow them to brown slightly.

Add roast back into the pan on top of the veggies. Pour Merlot over the meat and veggies.

Cover pan tightly with foil and place in a preheated 300 oven for 3 hours.

Remove roast from pan, slice and return beef and juices to the pan.

Allow the meat to sit in the hot juices for several minutes prior to serving.

 Enjoy!