Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

Yes, bacon! The combination of bacon and sweet potatoes make this unlike any stew you have ever had! The best part? There is no precooking like the Paleo Chili, you just dump the ingredients and go!!

What you need:

• homemade, paleo bone broth (check out THIS easy way to make it!), approximately 28-32 oz
• 2.5 lbs of stew meat
• 2 carrots, cut @ 1/2"
• 2 celery sticks, cut
• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cut to 1" half circles (any smaller and they will fall apart)
• 5-6 pieces of bacon, cut @ 1/2" chunks
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tsp each, salt and pepper

What you do:

1. Turn crockpot on low. 
2. Pour in homemade bone broth. 
3. Add half the meat, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and bacon. 
4. Add thyme, salt and pepper. 
5. Add the other half of all ingredients. 
6. Mix well to combine. 
7. If your ingredients are too high up over the liquid, you can add a little water. 
8. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 
9. If you like a thick stew, you can add 1 tbsp coconut flour at the end. 

Yes, we like sweet potatoes! 

Homemade Broth

Nutrient dense, homemade broth is very easy and inexpensive to make! It's also a great way to use the bones from whole chickens, steaks, turkeys, etc. There are a lot of benefits to making your own broth, especially from a health perspective. It is a great source of the amino acids needed for healthy connective tissue.  The Paleo Mom has a great article on these two amino acids. It's also great to have on hand for when someone is sick.

There are several places to get good, quality bones:

• Save them from when you roast or bake chicken, turkey, goose, duck or when you grill steaks. 
• Go to the market and purchase neck bones, marrow, and any other leftovers that the butcher may have on hand. I know at Kroger, they prepackage them and are in the beef section. 
• Online at Tropical Traditions or US Wellness Meat. 

What you need:

• 2 lbs or more of bones from chicken, cow, turkey, lamb, bison (any healthy source)
• 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
• 1 onion, cut in large cunks
• 2 celery sticks, cut in large chunks
• 1.5 tbsp bay leaves
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• water

What you do:

1. Start by collecting bones and carcasses from meals. You can also purchase them at any of the above mentioned places. 
2. Place bones/carcasses in crockpot. 
3. Add chopped up veggies. I noted to cut them up in large chunks because you will have to spoon them out later. 
4. Add enough water to cover bones and vegetables. 
5. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper. 
6. Stir or mix with hands until well combined. 
7. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. I have never experimented with cooking on high. You want this to sit for a long time so that the nutrients from the bones have time to simmer. 
8. Once finished, scoop out vegetables and bones/carcasses. 
9. If I am making this well in advance of using, I pour the broth into ice cube trays and once frozen, store in a ziploc bag. If you make it the day before you are using it, you can store in an air tight container and keep in the refrigerator.

Fruit & Nut Bars!

I love Lara Bars and Kind Bars. I do not love paying over a $1 an ounce for one...especially when we go through several a day in this house! So, after testing out a few recipes, here is my version (plus a few extra flavors) of the fruit/nut bar. These only took about 15 minutes from start to clean up. I will be adding more flavors once I try them out!

Raisin Crunch

What you need:

• 1 1/3 cup pitted dates (roughly 10 dates)
• 1 cup salted almonds
• 1 cup salted cashews
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 raisins
• 1/4 craisins (can omit and use additional 1/4 cup raisins)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp water

What you do:

Sorry for the lack of pictures...these didn't last long!

1. In a food processor (I use a Ninja BL700 Kitchen System 1200 (Google Affiliate Ad)), blend dates, vanilla, and water. 
2. Scoop out date mixture into a large mixing bowl. 
3. In food processor, pulse almonds and cashews until chopped fairly small (not so small that it turns into flour/meal). 
4. Add nuts to date mixture. Toss in sunflower seeds, raisins, and craisins. 
5. Knead together with your hands until fully mixed. 
6. Depending on how thick you want your bar, you can press the mixture into an 8x8 baking dish, pie pan, or a bread pan. 
7. I lined my pan with foil so that it would be easier to get out (...and so I wouldn't have to clean another dish!)
8. Freeze for 2 hours. 
9. Cut and enjoy! 

 Coconut Almond

• 10 pitted dates
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp water
• 6 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup salted almonds
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (if you don't have these, add 1/2 c of whole almonds)
• 3 tbsp honey (add at the end when kneading)

Chocolate Cherry Chunk

• 10 pitted dates
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp water
• 1.5 cup almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup dried cherries (I cut mine in half) (add at the end)
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (add at the end)

Almond Chicken Bake

 What you need:

• 2 lbs chicken breasts or tenderloins 
• 1 cup almond meal
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning
• 1.5 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne 
• salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 400*. 
2. Grease or line a 13x9 baking sheet.
3. Mix all dry ingredients on a plate.
4. Beat eggs in a shallow dish.
5. Dip chicken in egg and dredge in dry ingredients. Hold onto dry ingredients until chicken is done.
6. Bake for 8 minutes each side (chicken breasts) or 5 minutes each side (tenderloins).

When I flipped the chicken, I sprinkled some more dry ingredients on there so it would get crispy.  Also, this comes out spicy, so if that's not your thing, only use 1 tbsp of chili powder.


Keeping a food journal: Paleo Almond Chicken Bake