I hate admitting that I have missed having bread in my diet.

I would love to say we were above that. That we have evolved to a higher food plane where the simple thought of bread is unfathomable, but, let’s face it folks… I would be a big, fat liar.

Now, even though I have bared my soul to you, I also cannot erase the knowledge that Jake and I have gained over the years… the truth that traditional bread is sugar-spiking, insulin-jumping, gut-irritating, cancer-causing and nutrient-lacking.

So what’s a former bread-addict to do?

Find a solution!

I have invented a truly delicious and indulgent nutrient-dense loaf of bread. It is a bit more carbohydrate dense than recipes I typically post, but it consists of whole food ingredients and I truly cannot find anything to feel guilty about when baking and eating this most-perfect-loaf.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe Bananas
• 6 Medjool Dates
• 6 Eggs
• 2 tbsp. Maple Syrup, Grade B
• 1 tbsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup grass-fed Butter, melted
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Peel the bananas and break them up into equal-sized pieces (I did mine in thirds). Place them in a food processor with the pitted dates, and mix until well-blended. (You will notice the brown date bits become smaller and smaller.)
• Next, add the eggs into the food processor and combine with the banana-date mixture.
• Throw the rest of the ingredients (Coconut Flour, Maple Syrup, melted Butter, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, and Baking Soda) into the food processor and combine.

• Pour into bread pan. This recipe makes one large loaf (8.5” pan), or 2-3 mini loaves).
• For one large loaf, bake for 50-60 minutes.
• For mini loaves, bake 40-45 minutes.
• Test with a toothpick & when it comes out clean, the bread is baked.
• Cool completely on a cooling rack.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR GRAIN-FREE BANANA BREAD!

Happy eating!

Joey

The name doesn’t lie.

Gather your ingredients today and bake this pie as soon as possible for some delicious and immediate soul-healing gratification.

I invented each of these recipes myself, and baked the pie 3 separate times before getting all the details just right. I absolutely love this recipe, and I hope that you will too!

First, let’s bake the Gingerbread Pie Crust.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups Whole Pecans, ground  (or 2 cups Pecan Meal)
• 7 Medjool Dates, pitted
• 2 tbsp. Maple Syrup, Grade B
• 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325.
• If working with whole Pecans, chop them in a food processor until fine.
• Add 6 pitted Medjool Dates to the food processor and grind with the Pecan meal. Mixture will become darker and slightly sticky.

• Add in the Maple Syrup, Pure Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, and Baking Soda, mixing until well-combined. (The mixture will start to separate into large chunks of dough in the food processor.)
• Gather pie dough into one large lump and place it in the center of a 9” glass pie dish.

• Using your hands, spread the dough around as evenly as possible, pushing it up the sides as well. This will take a good 5-10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky – try using the back of your hand for an easier time moving it around.

• Bake for 10-15 minutes, until it is a toasty brown color. Let cool completely on a wire rack before adding the pumpkin pie filling and baking.

While you Gingerbread Pie Crust is cooling, put together the ingredients for the Pumpkin Pie Filling.

Ingredients

• 1 Gingerbread Pie Crust, baked and cooled
• 1.5 cups solid-packed Canned Pumpkin
• 3 whole Eggs
• 2/3 cup Maple Syrup, grade B
• 1 tsp. fresh ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp. fresh ground Ginger
• 1 whole Vanilla Bean pod, seeded (or 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract)
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 cup Heavy Cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• With a mixer, combine the Canned Pumpkin, Eggs, and Maple Syrup until smooth.
• Next, add in ground Nutmeg, ground Ginger, Vanilla Bean seeds or extract, Cinnamon and Sea Salt. Mix until everything is well-combined.
• Lastly, add in the 1 cup of Heavy Cream (do this last to avoid buttering the texture).
• Make sure your Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust has completely cooled.
• Place the Cinnamon Roll Pie Crust on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour pie mixture into the center of the pie crust and allow it to spread evenly.

• Place some foil around the edges, covering any visible pie crust (if any) to prevent burning.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until all but the center of the pie is set. (The center should jiggle when done.)

• Let pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Texture may fracture slightly as it sets.

No pie would be complete without some whipped cream!

Last, but certainly not least, whip up a batch of our Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream to top off the pie!

Ingredients

• 1 cup grass-fed Heavy Cream
• 2 tbsp. Maple Syrup, grade B
• 1 Vanilla Bean, seeded (or 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract)

Instructions

• First, get the seeds out from inside the Vanilla Bean. Do this by carefully taking a sharp knife, and cutting one of the ends off.
• Next use the knife to split the vanilla bean in half. Use your hands or knife tip to pry open the vanilla bean, cut side up, and use the dull side of the knife to scrape out the seeds.
• Using a chilled mixing bowl, combine the Heavy Cream, Maple Syrup, and Vanilla Seeds.
• Mix at a high-speed until soft peaks form. Careful not to mix for too long, or it will become too thick, like butter.
• Serve immediately, and save any extras in an air-tight container  in the refrigerator.
• (Also goes great in a hot mug of Coffee in the morning!)

Click below for printable recipes:

GINGERBREAD PIE CRUST

KICK-ASS PUMPKIN PIE

VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

Happy eating!

Joey

When flipping through our new copy of Practical Paleo, we couldn’t believe our good fortune. Pancakes? For real? After tasting our first batch, Jake and I agreed that this recipe alone is worth the cost of the book. And that we definitely needed to increase the batch size next time. (We’ve done so here for you!)

These savory little griddle cakes  are packed full of cozy spices and will ooze Autumn all over your taste buds. The texture is so smooth, they melt in your mouth. They’re slightly thinner than traditional pancakes, but don’t let that hold you back. Paired along with a giant batch of baked bacon and a steaming mug of coffee, they are our new favorite weekend treat. Well, okay, I confess… sometimes we even make them for dinner :)

Please enjoy another one of Diane Sanfilippo’s recipes, with just a few minor tweaks from us. (See Diane’s original recipe here.)

Ingredients

• 6 Eggs
• 3/4 cup canned Pumpkin
• 3 tbsp. Maple Syrup, grade B
• 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 3 tbsp. Butter, melted + more (solid) as needed for cooking and topping

Instructions

• Mix the Eggs, canned Pumpkin, Pure Vanilla Extract and Maple Syrup together. Make sure everything is well-blended and as smooth as possible.

• Sift the Pumpkin Pie Spice, Cinnamon, melted Butter, and Baking Soda into the wet ingredients.
• Heat your skillet to medium-high heat (we cook ours on the Griddle at 375).
• Melt a tablespoon of butter on your cooking surface, and spoon your pancake batter onto it for pancakes of your desired size.

• When the pancakes start to bubble, flip them over and continue cooking for about 2 more minutes. Mmm. Don’t those look good?!

• Pancakes will be thinner than traditional pancakes. We recommend stacking them in stacks of 3 or 4, smothering them with butter, sprinkling with cinnamon, and devouring instantly.
• Go great with a giant side of bacon and giant mug of hot coffee!
• Makes approximately 18 3” diameter pancakes.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Happy eating!

Joey

These tasty little treats make the perfect breakfast muffin. Egg-dense, they’re packed full of protein, and the cinnamon/apple combo has them tasting just as great as they smell.

This is one of two full recipes I am posting from Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. (See my full review here!)

We’ve been whipping up a double batch of these every Sunday, and having them for breakfast during the work week. Try some!

Ingredients

• 3 large Granny Smith Green Apples
• 9 Eggs (pastured if you can get some!)
• 3 tbsp. Coconut Milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Coconut Flour
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon, divided
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Butter, melted
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• 3 tbsp. warm Water

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a medium skillet, saute the apples, water, and 1.5 tsp. of the cinnamon until the apples are the consistency of chunky applesauce or apple pie filling. Allow the mixture to cool before combining with the egg mixture.

• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the Eggs, Coconut Milk, Coconut Flour, 1.5 tsp. of Cinnamon, Baking Soda, and Sea Salt until well-combined.

• Add the cooled apples,.
• Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into lined muffin tins. (Muffins will not rise very much, so feel free to fill the muffin cups up with as much batter as possible).

• Bake for 35-40 minutes. Makes one dozen.

• Due to the high egg content, we recommend storing remaining muffins in the refrigerator.

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR APPLE STREUSEL EGG MUFFINS

Happy Eating!

Joey

I have only been to confession once, but after reflecting upon the last few weeks, I am considering the need to purge my sins for the second time.

In prepping several new recipes to share with you, I have found vast photographic evidence that I have, in fact, committed several culinary acts that the die-hard paleo community may consider sinful.

It began with good intentions. I swear!

It all started with our purchase of Practical Paleo. A beautiful, informative book with over 120 beautiful recipes. I discovered recipe or two inside with the word “muffin” in it, and another with the word “pancake,” and it’s all been a fast downhill ride from there.

After successfully baking a couple of Diane’s baked goods, I was inspired to create a grain-free pumpkin pie from scratch for Thanksgiving. I tried a recipe that I had found online, and while the flavors turned out fantastic, the texture completely bombed. Really, it was the saddest little pie you’ve ever seen. Goo all spilled out on your dish like it needed a straight jacket to hold it together. So, like any good chef, I came home from Thanksgiving dinner, head down, shoulders slumped, and decided the only cure would be to seek culinary revenge upon my pitiful Thanksgiving pie. The next weekend, I created a second grain-free pumpkin pie from scratch. And it. was. awesome. Perfect, actually. Really, the best pie we’d ever tasted.

But I forgot to write down the recipe.

Did I mention it was custom? Baked from scratch? Never before invented? 

Sigh.

So… I had to recreate it. My third pumpkin pie in 2. 5 weeks. But I did it. And it was a huge success. (And yes, I wrote it down.) Phew!

Sigh – of – relief.

So, after the third pie, I had some extra dates on hand, and noticed some old bananas, and I was feeling all mad-brilliant-kitchen-scientist after the whole pie fiasco, so I thought I’d invent yet another paleoesque baked good. Banana bread! And it was another surprise score. I cannot wait to share this one with you!

The recipes are not necessarily “good for you” nor are they really “bad for you”… so I’m feeling guilty because for years we’ve avoided baked goods, but I’m knowing I shouldn’t feel so bad because the ingredient lists consist of simple, whole, natural, grain-free ingredients.

I’m torn. And confused and dizzy. And drowning in deliciousness. And feeling loads and loads of youth-induced Catholic guilt.

So, my plan, you see (insert maniacal laugh here), is to lure you down the rabbit hole with me one

recipe

at

a

time.

Perhaps you can join me on the journey and release me from my Paleo Purgatory :)

Coming soon to Sleep Love Eat…

• Apple Streusel Egg Muffins
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Gluten Free Banana Bread
• Kick-Ass Pumpkin Pie with Gingerbread Pie Crust & Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

Fasten your seatbelt folks. It’s gonna be one delicious ride.

So… what do you eat?

And what… don’t you eat?

….. not even quinoa?

What about when you go out?

Can you drink?

How do you even know how to cook that?

Oh my gosh – you eat BACON? And cook with BACON GREASE (gasp!)?

And… you really eat that much steak too?

You feed your meat… grass? What?

And… you’re not worried about your cholesterol.

This is good for you because… ?

But, my doctor says…

If you, or someone you know, has these questions, this post is for you.

It’s rare that Jake and I find something that we wholeheartedly agree with. We’re discerning, but for good reasons. In regards to diet, food quality, and overall well-being, after years of continuous research, we know what we like and what we recommend. We’re confident, though still evolving, and were so excited when Practical Paleo, by Diane Sanfilippo, BS, NC, was released this summer. Finally, a book exists that combines all of our favorite points about living healthy, complete with really awesome recipes, and even a cooking guide for those who have become strangers to their own kitchen.

We consider the Practical Paleo book the Gold Standard of paleo information offered today.

Buy it for yourself, and buy it for someone you love. The recipes will draw you in, but all the great info is there in a friendly, fun format. It’s a paleo encyclopedia that makes learning about yourself and your health FUN!

(And no, this is not a paid endorsement – we bought the book and simply felt the need to share!)

We’ve cooked up several of Diane’s recipes (many more than once). Please enjoy a few photos to see what you, too, could be enjoying!

First up, we made her Mustard Glazed Chicken Thighs. (Sides of mashed sweet potatoes and sauerkraut.)

We made lots of extra chicken to have for leftovers. It travels just as pretty to work the next day!

Next up were two of Diane’s recipes: Grilled Garlic Flank Steak and Baked Beets with Fennel. I had never worked with beets nor fresh fennel before – YUM on both accounts! The Garlic Flank is also a new staple in our house!

I even stepped way out of my comfort zone to try the Nori Salmon Handrolls. It was my first time ever having salmon as a meal. The lemon slice and fresh avocado make this recipe super fresh and fun. Yay adventure!

These Chinese 5-Spice Lettuce Cups were awesome. Flavors I wouldn’t have though to put together on my own were an instant hit. Loads of flavor in just one little cup! We paired it with the Cilantro Cauli-Rice and it was a perfect combination.

Beef and Mixed Veggie Stir-Fry was a warm, flavorful use of really simple ingredients. Our first time experimenting with coconut aminos too!

This next one is a true new favorite of ours. Just thinking about it makes me smile. The flavors will transport you to a sunny, sapphire-watered, windmill-adorned Greek Isle where only good things can happen. We give this recipe for Lamb Lettuce Boats with Avo-Ziki Sauce five stars.

Okay. Are you done drooling? What are you waiting for?

Order your copy of Practical Paleo today!

Happy eating :)
Joey

I’ve been on a HUGE lemon kick lately. Over the last few months, I’ve purchased lemon hand cream, lemon lip gloss, a lemon-mint scented candle, and even mixed up a lemon-flavored cocktail for guests the other night that included - wait for it - lemon sorbet.

It’s a problem people. A lemon addiction. And I think I need help.

Ever since trying some new citrus-based recipes, I cannot seem to get enough of their mouth-puckering, sunshine-colored flavor bursts. So what’s a girl to do?

I took an old favorite cut of meat, the fabulous pork tenderloin, and drenched it in a little spice, a little savory, and a whole lot of citrus. This is a very simple, fresh recipe that will make your taste buds dance with joy. Marinating the pork the night before also means coming home to dinner almost done – just cook up and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 Pork Tenderloin
• ½ cup fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice
• ½ cup fresh-squeezed Lime Juice
• 1 tablespoon ground Cumin
• 1 tablespoon Sea Salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground Black Pepper
• Bacon grease or Coconut Oil as needed for searing

Instructions:

• Generously season the pork tenderloins on all sides with the Ground Cumin, Sea Salt, and fresh ground Black Pepper.

• Place your pork tenderloins in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware, and drench with the fresh-squeezed Lemon and Lime juice.

• Marinate for at least one hour, up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator.

• When it’s time to cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat a pan over medium-high heat, and add your bacon grease or cooking oil of choice.
• When the pan is hot, sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. (About 2 minutes per side).

• Place the sauté pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10-15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees at the thickest part.
• Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes.
• Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it’s just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done.

{CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR CITRUS PORK TENDERLOIN}

Our Citrus Pork Tenderloin alongside a small serving of mashed sweet potatoes.

Curious as to what we’ve been up to since our last post?

Well, since you asked, Jake and I…

Crossed the Golden Gate Bridge…

Visited Napa for the first time (and certainly not the last)…

Tried espresso…

Celebrated our birthdays…

Experimented with new colors of nail polish…

Played with the nephews…

Played lots of tennis….

Also played some putt-putt…

Watched the sunset…

Attended a really, really awesome concert…

Hung out with the fam…

Hung out with these guys…

and visited Lake Chelan… 3 times…

Through it all, we’ve also still been eating great and trying out new recipes. We purchased a couple of new cookbooks awhile back and have been having lots of fun trying out some new flavor combos. I fully intend to share the deliciousness here, so please stay tuned!

If you’re in the mood, drop a comment here and let me know how you’re doing :)

Happy eating, Joey

For those of you who think Jake and I are that crazy couple that stopped eating grains, sugar, and processed foods (gasp!) years ago, you’re going to think we really fell of our rocker this time.

Please allow us to introduce you to our new favorite and deliciously decadent treat, Hot Buttered Coffee.

Until today, we’ve been happily drinking our coffee with grass-fed heavy cream, but, based on a recent post Jake discovered by Dave Asprey (aka the Bulletproof Executive), we decided to give his Bulletproof Coffee a try.

I was intrigued, but pretty nervous. I am used to salted grass-fed butter on our veggies, and couldn’t get the thought of that taste out of my head. The comments on Dave’s article were so positive, however, that I really wanted to try this for myself. I know that unsalted butter is more of a sweet flavor, but just couldn’t imagine how on earth the taste would blend with coffee. I ended up loving it. Don’t knock it ’till you try it!

The recipe is as simple as it sounds. Brew a cup of great-quality coffee. Blend in 1-4 tablespoons of UNSALTED, GRASS-FED butter (such as Kerrygold) based on your taste preferences. Our butter was hard – just out of the fridge, and we blended it with the hot coffee using a hand blender. It mixed together quickly and resulted in a very smooth, very velvety coffee. It’s a super luxurious treat for your taste buds!

Sprinkle with cinnamon, and enjoy!

(Click here to see Dave’s original article for some more great details of his bulletproof coffee!)

Slow cooked, one-pot meals are simply the best. Fresh ingredients, a variety of vibrant colors, and that slow-building aroma that fills the house all day long?? It’s priceless!

My Chicken No-Noodle Soup is a great weekend favorite of ours. Start it in the morning, and feel free to let it simmer super low all day long (though it can be ready in as fast as about 3 hours, including prep time). Or, more my style these days – start it at 7pm and treat yourself to a hot “tasters” cup around 10pm… it’s better than a hot toddy before bed!

If you have kids, this would be a fabulous recipe (the soup  - not a hot toddy) to cook with the whole family.

Here’s my idea…

I’ve heard that including your young ones (even toddlers) into the cooking process greatly increases food and nutrition awareness. Start with the grocery shopping – bring the kids and let them pick out the greenest celery, the most crooked looking carrots, and so on with all the ingredients. Teach them to look for local and organic, if available.

Once home, let the rotisserie chickens cool down to room temperature. (You can also cook the chicken yourself – I just prefer this version because it speeds things up a bit). Get the whole family around to help tear the meat off the carcass. It’s a completely messy, greasy, hands-on project that’s actually really fun. (And you can snack on some of the tasty chicken as you work.)

Have someone with good motor skills take care of the veggie chopping and straining (details below), and let everyone participate as you add ingredients into the soup pot. It’s a labor of love, and I guarantee that you’ll have a home full of eager eaters when the soup’s done simmerin’!

Ingredients:

• 2 Rotisserie Chickens
• 3 Quarts Vegetable Broth
• 1 Yellow Onion, halved
• 1 large bunch of Carrots (or 4 large Carrots), thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch of Celery, thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon Thyme (fresh or dried)
• 1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning (or similar seafood seasoning)
• 1.5 Tablespoons Sea Salt (use none, more, or less as desired)

Instructions:

• Have two large bowls and two large pots available.
• Separate the chicken meat from the carcass by tearing it apart using your hands.
• Place the torn edible meat pieces into Bowl #1, and the chicken bones, skin, and other spare parts into Bowl #2.

• On the stove top, have a large pot on medium heat. Place the chicken spare parts from Bowl #2 (all of them!) into the pot. Add the onion (peeled and cut in half), and the 3 quarts of vegetable broth.

• Allow this to heat up to a boil (may take 20 minutes or so). Once boiling, place the lid on the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Chop your celery and carrots into thin slices. If the slices are too thick, no worries, the soup will just take longer to make (you can taste them as you go).

• After your chicken soup stock has simmered for one hour, strain all contents of that pot over another empty large pot (using a colander) so that all that remains is the broth. Go ahead and toss the strained parts, they’ve done their job!

• Place the second large pot containing your soup broth onto the stove top.
• Add the torn chicken meat, sliced carrots and celery, thyme, old bay seasoning, and sea salt. Gently mix everything around using a ladle or wooden spoon. Should look something like this:

• Place the lid on the pot and simmer for 1 hour.
• Serve. Eat (careful – it will be HOT). Enjoy!
• When done, store in smaller airtight containers and store in the fridge. The soup will stay good in the fridge for a few days, but you can also freeze extras to pull out and heat up later :)

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE FOR CHICKEN NO-NOODLE SOUP!

I’ve scheduled this post for this morning hoping some of you will be inspired to make this recipe this weekend. If so, please share your experience! I would love to hear how it goes!