Nutrition
Challenge
Recipe Book
Table of
Contents
Truffles..................................................................................... 9
Chocolate PB/Almond Butter/Coconut Molds...................... 10
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Cake.............................................. 10
Paleo Brownie....................................................................... 10
Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies............................................. 10
Resources................................................... 4
Abbreviations.......................................................................... 4
CrossFit Connex..................................................................... 4
Websites.................................................................................. 4
Breads, Sweets + Snacks...................... 5
Paleo Onion Bread.................................................................. 5
Grain-Free Sandwich Bread.................................................... 5
Carrot Banana Muffins............................................................ 6
Chocolate Muffins................................................................... 6
Sweet Potato Date Muffins..................................................... 6
Homemade Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Milk............................ 6
Apples in a Bag....................................................................... 7
Slow Cooker Apple Sauce...................................................... 7
Lindy’s Paleo Fruit Crisp......................................................... 7
Guacamole-Topped Bacon Bites............................................ 8
Grapefruit Guacamole............................................................. 8
Paleo “Corn” Chips................................................................. 8
Meat Candy............................................................................. 8
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies............................................... 9
Chocolate Avocado Pudding.................................................. 9
2
Chunky Monkey “Ice Cream” Bon Bons............................... 11
Paleo Peanut Butter Cup...................................................... 11
Clean Cookies....................................................................... 11
Raw Raspberry Bliss Bars ................................................... 12
Walnut Red Pepper Dip......................................................... 12
Cranberry Salsa..................................................................... 12
Sides + Salads......................................... 13
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts................................................... 13
Balsamic + Honey Green Beans........................................... 13
Curried Almond Roasted Cauliflower Recipe........................ 13
Curry-Roasted Squash......................................................... 13
Garlic Lemon Green Beans................................................... 14
Parsnip Fries......................................................................... 14
Quick Green Beans .............................................................. 14
Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts..................................... 14
Couscous Confetti Salad...................................................... 15
Paleo Tabouli......................................................................... 15
Turkish Green and Purple Salad............................................ 15
Zesty Quinoa......................................................................... 15
Kale + Brussels Sprouts Salad.............................................. 16
Asparagus Salad................................................................... 16
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Main Dishes................................................ 17
Mac n Cheeze....................................................................... 17
Faux-lafel with Tahini Sauce.................................................. 17
Tofu with Pineapple Mango Jerk Sauce................................ 18
Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce....................................... 18
Sweet Potato Chowder......................................................... 18
Asian Meatballs..................................................................... 19
Meatballs............................................................................... 19
Paleo Chocolate Chili............................................................ 20
Swedish Paleo Meatballs...................................................... 21
Ginger Pineapple Shredded Pork......................................... 21
Paleo Cajun Breaded Pork Chops........................................ 21
Sausage + Brussels Sprouts................................................. 22
Pork Butt............................................................................... 22
Slow Cooked Pork Shoulder................................................. 23
Paleo Gyros........................................................................... 23
Lamb Burgers........................................................................ 24
Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers............................................. 24
Curry Chicken + Vegetables.................................................. 24
Buffalo Chicken Mini Meatloaf.............................................. 24
Paleo Spicy Tuna Salad........................................................ 25
Baked Salmon with Dill......................................................... 25
Salmon Olivada..................................................................... 25
3
Resources
Abbreviations
tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon
oz = ounce
lbs = pounds
CrossFit Connex
Websites
The websites listed below have recipes, articles + information regarding eating clean, paleo, whole food + vegan. Some were the
inspiration for the recipes in this collection.
Civilized Caveman Cooking
Everyday Paleo
Fast Paleo
Stay connected with CrossFit Connex online or at the box.
Fat Free Vegan
Facebook
Nom Nom Paleo
Recipe sharing Facebook page
Motiveat
Twitter
Oh She Glows
Website
Paleo Foody
PaleOMG
Paleo in PDX
Paleo Plan
The Vegan Stoner
The Yummy Life
Thug Kitchen
Whole 9
4
crossfitconnex.com | Nutritional Challenge Recipe Book
Breads, Sweets
+ Snacks
Grain-Free
Sandwich Bread
From Zell
Ingredients
•1 cup smooth raw cashew butter at room temperature
•4 large eggs, separated
•½ to 2 tbsp honey
•2 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Paleo
Onion Bread
From Dave + Maria
Dry Ingredients
•2 cups almond flour
•1 cup arrowroot powder
•½ tsp salt
•1 tsp baking soda
•2 tsp cream of tartar
•1 tbsp dried onion flakes
•¼ tsp finely ground black pepper
Wet Ingredients
•4 eggs (preferably at room temperature)
•½ cup olive oil
•4 stalks of green onions, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a bread pan (or a 2 inch shallow pan if you don’t have one)
with parchment paper. Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl (either sift the cream of
tartar or break up the chunks with your fingers). Mix well.
Add the wet ingredients to a second bowl. Mix well with a whisk (the more bubbles you
make the fluffier your bread will be, so really give it hell). Pour the wet ingredients into the
bowl with the dry ingredients and incorporate (mix gently). Make sure you don’t have any
dry pockets.
Pour the mixture into the bread pan, and bake for about 30 minutes. It should form a hard
crust on the top, and if you skewer the middle with a toothpick, it should come out clean.
•¼ cup almond milk
•¼ cup coconut flour
•1 tsp baking soda
•½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300℉. Place a small dish of water on the bottom rack.
Line the bottom of an 8.5×4.5 glass loaf pan with parchment paper, then spread a very thin
coating of coconut oil on the sides of the pan.
Beat the cashew butter with the egg yolks, then add the honey, vinegar, and milk with
either electric hand beaters or a stand mixer.
Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until peaks form.
Combine the dry ingredients in another small bowl.
Make sure your oven is completely preheated before adding the egg whites and the dry ingredients to the cashew butter mixture. You don’t want your whites to fall, and the baking
soda will activate once it hits the eggs and vinegar.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and beat until combined. This will result
in more of a wet batter than a dough. Make sure to get all of the sticky butter mixture off of
the bottom of the bowl so you don’t end up with clumps.
Pour the beaten egg whites into the cashew butter mixture, beating again until just combined. You don’t have to be gentle with this, but don’t over mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then immediately put it into the oven.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Don’t be tempted to open the oven door anytime before 40 minutes, as this will allow the
steam to escape and you will not get a properly risen loaf.
Remove from the oven, then let cool for 15-20 minutes. Use a knife to free the sides from
the loaf pan, then flip it upside down and release the loaf onto a cooling rack. Cool rightside up for an hour before serving.
Wrap the loaf up tightly and store in the fridge for 1 week.
Breads, Sweets + Snacks
5
Carrot
Banana Muffins
From Olivia
Sweet
Potato Date Muffins
From Gillian
Ingredients
Ingredients
•2 cups almond flour
•3 cups (300g) almond flour, blanched preferred
•2 tsp baking soda
•1 cup cooked sweet potatoes
•1 tsp sea salt
•12 dates, chopped
•1 tbsp cinnamon
•1 tsp apple cider vinegar
•1 cup dates, pitted
•1 tsp baking soda
•3 ripe bananas
•½ cup coconut oil or olive oil (if using coconut oil, microwave for 30 seconds to liquefy)
•3 eggs
•3 eggs
•1 tsp apple cider vinegar
•zest of 1 orange (optional)
•¼ cup coconut oil, melted
•1 ½ cups carrots, shredded
•¾ cup walnuts (or nuts of choice), finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a food processor, combine dates, bananas, eggs, vinegar and oil. Add mixture from
food processor to dry mixture in the large bowl and combine thoroughly. Fold in carrots
and nuts.
Instructions
Preheat over to 300℉. Mash the sweet potatoes, then mix in remaining ingredients. Place
in muffin tins and bake for 20-30 minutes (check at 20 and 25, looking for a knife inserted
into a muffin to come out clean).
This works without the eggs for a vegan option, but they will have a denser, brownie like
consistency. The flavor of the oil does come through, but the olive oil is a bit easier to
work with. I also found that the “If You Care” brand of baking cups worked better than the
regular paper cups.
Spoon mixture into paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
Homemade
Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Milk
From Alyse
Chocolate
Muffins
From Michelle
Ingredients
•1 banana, mashed
•2 eggs
•⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
•1 tsp baking powder
•⅓ cup organic protein powder
•⅓ cup pure maple syrup
•½ tsp salt
•⅓ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
•⅓ cup of strong, cooled coffee or ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Mix all wet ingredients, including banana, together and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly combine into the wet ingredients, making sure to incorporate fully until adding more. Don’t over-mix! Pour into sprayed muffins
tins and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.
6
Ingredients
•1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water
•3 ½ cups filtered water
•2-4 pitted Medjool dates, to taste
•1 whole vanilla bean, chopped
•¼ tsp cinnamon
•small pinch of fine grain sea salt, to enhance the flavor
Instructions
Place almonds in a bowl and cover with water. It’s preferred to soak them overnight (for
8-12 hours) in the water, but you can get away with soaking for 1-2 hours in a pinch.
Rinse and drain the almonds and place into a blender along with filtered water, pitted
dates, and chopped vanilla bean. Blend on highest speed for 1 minute or so.
Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the
bag. Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to release the milk.
Rinse out blender and pour the milk back in. Add the cinnamon and pinch of sea salt and
blend on low to combine. Pour into a glass jar to store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Shake jar well before using.
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Apples
in a Bag
From Jenn
Lindy’s
Paleo Fruit Crisp
From Lindy
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
•1 small apple
•1 cup fresh blueberries
•1 packet of sweetener, or a spoonful of sugar
•1 cup fresh raspberries
•¼ tsp cinnamon
•1 cup fresh strawberries-sliced 1-2 fresh nectarines, sliced
•¼ tsp cornstarch
•1-2 fresh plums, sliced
•1 tbsp water
•juice from 1 lemon
•small handful of raisins, optional
•2-3 tbsp honey
Instructions
Peel or don’t peel apple, core and slice or dice. Place in freezer-quality plastic zippered
bag along with remaining ingredients. Seal bag and shake well to mix ingredients.
Reopen bag just a touch to vent. Microwave on high for 2 minutes – longer if you use a big
apple.
Carefully (it will be HOT and steamy) open bag and pour over plain or cinnamon-sugar pita
chips, flour tortilla chips, oatmeal or ice cream.
•1-2 tsp of cinnamon
•½ tsp grated nutmeg
Topping Ingredients
•2-3 cups coconut flour
•½ cup coconut oil (soft)
•4 eggs
•1 tsp vanilla extract
•2-3 tbsp almond milk (unsweetened)
Slow
Cooker Apple Sauce
From Emily + Kief
•2-3 tbsp honey
Ingredients
•½ tsp grated nutmeg
•2 tsp cinnamon
•20 medium apples
•½ cup pecans
•1 ¼ cups water
•½ cup macadamia nuts
•½ tsp salt
•½ tsp sea salt
•½ cup honey (adjust to your taste)
•½ tsp baking soda
•½-1 tbsp lemon juice (adjust depending on how sour the apples are)
•1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Peel, core, and slice the apples. I used an apple slicer to speed things up. Just make sure
to keep a paring knife close by in case it misses any seeds.
Place all of the slices in a crock pot and pour water over them. Sprinkle with salt, cover,
and set your timer to 6 hours on low.
Instructions
Gently mix all filling ingredients and pour into a casserole dish
Mix all dry topping ingredients and slowly add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and honey. Also feel
free to add fresh blueberries and fold into mixture. Bake crumble topping on a baking
sheet alone for 10-15 minutes to get a good crisp before pouring onto fruit filling.
Add baked crumble to top of fruit filling, bake for 15-20 minutes at 400°F or until fruit is
very soft. Drizzle top with honey and enjoy with a glass of unsweetened almond milk or a
bottle of hard cider.
After 6 hours, stir in the honey, lemon juice (if necessary), vanilla and cinnamon. Most of
the apples will have broken down, but there will still be some chunks. If you like your apple
sauce really smooth, run a immersion blender through the sauce or put it into a blender
and pulse until smooth.
Breads, Sweets + Snacks
7
Guacamole-Topped Bacon Bites
Ingredients
•parchment paper (for baking the bacon)
•1 pound of bacon strips
•3 ripe avocados
•⅓ cup chopped sweet onion
•1 jalapeño finely diced (optional)
•¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
•1 chopped plum tomato
•½ tsp sea salt
•juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Cut bacon strips into thirds and arrange them on a baking
sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the bacon for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.
Remove and place on paper towels to blot grease.
Cut the avocados in half and discard the pit. Using a knife, cut the flesh of each avocado
half in a cross-hatch pattern, careful not to break through the avocado peel. Use a spoon
to scoop out the avocado pieces and put them in a medium bowl. With a fork, stir in the
remaining ingredients, using the back of the fork to mash the avocado, leaving plenty of
large chunks intact. Taste for seasoning - adding more salt and lemon juice as needed.
Put a spoonful of guac on a piece of bacon and top with another piece of bacon. Repeat
until all bacon has been guac-ed.
Grapefruit
Guacamole
From Alyse
Ingredients
•5 ripe avocados
Paleo
“Corn” Chips
From Alyse
Ingredients
•1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced small
•3 small parsnips, peeled and diced small
•4 cloves of garlic
•½ red bell pepper diced small
•1 cup flax meal
•3 tbsp chia seeds
•1 tbsp cumin seeds
•1 tsp smoked paprika
•1 tsp sea salt
•2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Pre-heat oven 325℉. Place your raw diced sweet potato, parsnips, bell pepper, garlic
and olive oil in your food processor and blend until into a fine mash. Add the rest of your
ingredients and blend in your food processor until well combined.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your counter. Place your mix on your plastic wrap. Wet
your hand and spread it out as well as possible into a square shape. Place another layer
of plastic wrap over the top. With a rolling pin softly and evenly roll your dough out into a
rectangle shape. The thickness would be slightly thicker than your average corn chip.
Remove the top layer of plastic wrap then cut the rectangle shaped corn chip mix in half
with a knife (plastic wrap still under). Flip cut dough over onto a greased cookie sheet with
plastic wrap now on the top. Remove the second piece of plastic wrap.
Cut dough into corn chip shapes with a knife on my oven tray. Cut down rather than slice
through. Place “corn chips” in the oven. After 7 minutes flip them over. Then turn chips
every 3-4 minutes for approximately 20 minutes (ovens will vary). Then turn oven down to
lowest temp to dry them out further. Check and turn as needed until crisp.
•2 medium grapefruits or 1 big son of a bitch
•¼ cup chopped cilantro
•¼ cup chopped red onion
•juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)
•¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Take the pit out of the avocados and scoop out all the green flesh into a large bowl. Mash
it up with fork.
Cut the grapefruit up into segments like you would cut an orange. Remove the peel and
cut the segments into pieces about the size of a nickel. Put all the grapefruit into the bowl
with the avocado. Add the cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and salt and mix it all up. Serve
immediately or chill it for a bit.
8
Meat
Candy
From Dave + Maria
Ingredients
•Italian sausage
•dates
•1 lb bacon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Use the sausage to form meatballs around a date. Each ball (teehee) should be about 2 inches in diameter with one date in the middle. Wrap the meatball
with a strip of bacon and use a toothpick to hold it in place. Place on a shallow pan or
cookie sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, until the bacon is crisp.
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Carrot
Cake Breakfast Cookies
From Sarah
Chocolate
Avocado Pudding
From Olivia
Ingredients
Ingredients
•½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
•1 medium avocado
•¾ cup ground flax
•½ cup coconut milk (homemade or store-bought), or any milk you like
•1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
•¼ cup almond butter or whole almonds
•½ cup regular rolled oats
•4-6 tbsp pure maple syrup (more or less depending how sweet you want it)*
•¾ tsp baking powder
•3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
•¼ tsp kosher salt
•2 tsp pure vanilla extract
•2 tsp ground cinnamon
•2 pinches sea salt
•⅓ cup raisins
•2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes (optional; for garnish)
•1 cup lightly packed shredded carrots (use finest grate)
•3 tbsp coconut oil
•½ cup pure maple syrup (other liquid sweeteners should work)
•¼ cup applesauce
•1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 ℉ and toast the pecans for 10-11 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare
the batter. In a large bowl, mix together the flax, flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,
and raisins.
Grate the carrots and ginger using the finest grate. In a smaller bowl, melt the coconut oil
in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds. You want the oil hot so it doesn’t clump up
when adding the cold wet ingredients. Now add in the maple syrup, carrots, applesauce,
grated ginger, and vanilla. Stir well.
Remove pecans from the oven and add to the dry ingredients. Increase oven temp to
350℉. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. The dough will be very sticky,
so not to worry.
With a spoon, scoop about 13 cookies onto a lined baking sheet. They don’t spread much
so you can put them an inch apart. Bake for 14-15 minutes at 350℉ and allow to cool on
baking sheet.
*Instead of maple syrup, you could play around with other sweeteners like honey or stevia.
Adjust the amount to taste.
Instructions
Put all ingredients except the unsweetened coconut into the bowl of a food processor
and process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Transfer to individual serving dishes, top with coconut if desired, and serve immediately.
Truffles
Truffle Ingredients
•2 cups dates, pitted
•2 cups pecans, soaked in water for 8-10 hours
•¼ cup pine nuts
•1 vanilla bean, guts only
•2 tbsp unsweetened, soy free cocoa powder
•pinch or two of sea salt
Coating Ingredients
•½ cup of almond meal
•2 tbsp unsweetened, soy free cocoa powder
Instructions
Place dates, drained pecans, vanilla, pine nuts, and 2 tbsp cocoa powder in a food processor. Pulse until creamy, making sure to scrape the sides so there are no large chunks.
Depending on your food processor, this may take 2 minutes or 20 minutes.
Mix your almond meal and additional cocoa powder together in a small, shallow bowl.
Take a spoonful of the date/pecan mixture and roll it around between your hands until
something that looks like a ball is formed. Roll your date ball around in the almond/cocoa
mixture (no need to press) so that it’s coated all the way around, then place it on a plate.
Repeat until the mixture is gone. Chill the truffles for 20 minutes (they’re best served cold).
Breads, Sweets + Snacks
9
Chocolate
PB/Almond Butter/Coconut Molds
From Michelle
Paleo
Brownie
From Libby
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 cup dark chocolate or carob chips
•2 cups ground walnuts
•unsweetened shredded coconut, or peanut butter or almond butter
•2 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted
•non-stick cooking spray
•1 cup cocoa powder
•small molds (they come in heart shapes, etc) or muffin pan with cupcake liners
•¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Melt chocolate or carob in a heat proof container, either in the microwave or on the stove.
Carefully fill molds halfway with your melted chocolate with a small spoon. Give the mold a
tap on the counter to settle the chocolate and fill any bubbles.
Place a small drop of peanut butter, almond butter and/or a pinch of your coconut in the
center of the molds. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
You can use any extra chocolate and dip strawberries in it.
•Honey or agave to taste (optional)
Instructions
Add ground walnuts to a food processor. Add the cocoa and salt. Pulse to combine.
Add the dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it is running.
You should end up with is a mix that appears like cake crumbs, but that when pressed, will
easily stick together (if the mixture does not hold together well, add more dates).
In a large bowl (or the pan you plan on putting the brownies in), combine the walnut-cocoa
mix. Press into a lined cake pan or mold. Place in freezer of fridge until ready to serve (it is
also easier to cut these when they are cold). Store in an airtight container.
Cinnamon
Swirl Banana Cake
From Emily + Kief
Ingredients
•4 bananas, divided
•1 cup almond flour
•¼ cup coconut flour
•1 tsp vanilla
•1 tsp baking powder
•1 tsp baking soda
•3 eggs
•½ cup walnuts
•1 banana
•1-2 tbsp cinnamon (to liking)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease 8x8 Cake pan with coconut oil. (Put a chunk of coconut oil
in the bottom of the pan and put it in the preheating oven for a 1-2 minutes. This will liquefy it enough to just coat the pan well, plus it makes a nice crispy fried edge to the cake.)
10
Paleo
Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Kari
Ingredients
•12 eggs
•4 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips
•3 cups almond flour
•1 ½ cups Nikki’s coconut butter
•1 ½ cups coconut flour
•1 ½ cups honey
•3 tsp vanilla
•1 tsp baking soda
•1 tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Mix together all cake ingredients, folding in the walnuts last. Pour into cake pan.
Scoop out coconut butter and coconut oil and heat for about a minute in a microwavable
container. Add in honey, vanilla and eggs. Mix well with a spoon or beaters.
Mash 1 additional banana with cinnamon. Dollop swirl mixture onto top of cake and cut in
with a knife. Bake at 350℉ for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly
Add in coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Fold chocolate chips in.
Roll dough into small balls and place onto baking sheet.
Enjoy plain or slathered with additional coconut oil.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes.
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Chunky
Monkey “Ice Cream” Bon Bons
From Michelle
Clean
Cookies
From Sarah
Ingredients
Ingredients
•3 medium ripe bananas, frozen and cut into 1-inch pieces
•1 large banana, mashed (or ½ cup pumpkin)
•1 tsp vanilla extract
•½ cup natural peanut butter
•7 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), finely chopped
•½ cup honey
•¼ cup coconut oil
•1 tsp vanilla
•Pinch of salt
•1 cup old-fashioned oats
•3 tbsp almonds or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
•½ cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
Toss the frozen banana chunks and vanilla into a blender or food processor and blitz until
smooth and creamy. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until solid
but scoopable (about 2 hours).
Once your ice cream has firmed up, scoop it into tsp-sized balls. Place them on a parchment lined tray. Work quickly—you don’t want your ice cream to melt.
Place the tray in the freezer and chill until the scoops are solid. Really solid. If you can
stand the wait, I recommend letting them sit overnight in the freezer.
When you’re ready to finish assembling the bon bons, throw the chocolate, coconut oil,
and salt in a heat-proof bowl and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the
chocolate mixture constantly until completely melted.
•¼ cup dry milk powder
•2 tsp ground cinnamon
•¼ tsp baking soda
•1 cup dried ingredients (I used walnuts, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, stir the mashed banana (or pumpkin) together with the peanut butter,
honey and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon and baking
soda. Stir the oat mixture into the wet mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries or
raisins.
Take the chocolate off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. It should stay liquid for
several hours as long as your house is above 70°F.
Using a scant ¼ cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread
each mound of dough into a 2 ¾ round, about ½ an inch thick.
Remove the solid scoops out of the freezer. Stab a skewer into the flat bottom of an ice
cream ball, and quickly dip it in the melted chocolate or just spoon it on.
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire
racks to cool completely.
Before the chocolate shell hardens, sprinkle on the chopped almonds. You can keep your
bon bons in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a couple of months.
Store in an airtight bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Paleo
Peanut Butter Cup
From Kari
Ingredients
•¼ cup coconut oil
•2 tbsp cocoa powder
•1 tbsp honey (or sweetener of choice)
•½ tbsp of almond butter
Instructions
In a small bowl, heat coconut oil and honey in microwave until liquid. Stir with a small
whisk until blended. Mix in cocoa. Mix in almond butter.
Place bowl in freezer for 1 hour. Grab a spoon. Enjoy!
Breads, Sweets + Snacks
11
Raw
Raspberry Bliss Bars
From Mandy
Walnut
Red Pepper Dip
from Emily
Base Layer Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 cup dried coconut
• 2 cups raw walnuts
•1 vanilla bean scraped, or ½ tsp vanilla
•1 tsp ground cumin
•½ tsp cinnamon
•½ tsp salt
•pinch sea salt
•1 jar of roasted red peppers
•1 cup raw walnuts
•2 garlic cloves
•9 Medjool dates, pitted (about 1 cup)
•4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Raspberry Layer Ingredients
•1 ½ cups frozen raspberries, thawed, drained
•4 Medjool dates, pitted
•2 tbsp chia seeds
Topping Ingredients
•⅓ cup dried coconut
•⅓ cup raw walnuts
•2 tbsp fresh parsley
•2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
In food processor process the walnuts, cumin, and salt until walnuts are finely ground
Add peppers garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice. Whirl until smooth,
looking for consistency of hummus.
Serve with raw veggies.
•pinch cinnamon
•pinch sea salt
Garnish
•2 tbps raw cacao nibs
Instructions
Blend coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, & sea salt together in food processor for 30 to 60 seconds. Add in walnuts, blend. Then add in 9 pitted Medjool dates. Press mixture into a wax/
parchment lined pan. Set in fridge to firm up.
Blend only raspberries and dates until dates are well combined. Pour into a bowl, and stir
in chia seeds. Let set for 15 minutes, stirring on occasion. It will thicken into a nice raspberry “jam”. If not thick enough after 15 minutes, stir in a little more chia until you have the
right consistency. Spread over base layer.
Pulse topping ingredients together until a nice crumble is formed. Sprinkle over raspberry
layer. Garnish with cacao nibs, set in fridge to firm up.
Cranberry
Salsa
From Alison
Ingredients
•1 12 oz bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
•1 bunch cilantro, chopped
•1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths
•1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
•2 limes, juiced
•⅓ cup sugar
•salt to taste
Instructions
Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in
the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency.
Refrigerate if not using immediately. Serve at room temperature.
12
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Sides
+ Salads
Curried Almond Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
•1 head cauliflower, cut into medium pieces
•½ cup almond butter
•2 tbsp olive/nut oil
•2 tbsp curry powder (more if you like a strong flavor of curry)
•pinch of sea salt
Balsamic
Brussels Sprouts
From Dave + Maria
Ingredients
•about 40 Brussels Sprouts, cut into quarters
•3 strips of bacon
•3 green onions
•6 dates
•¼ cup balsamic vinegar
•1 cup shaved almonds
•salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Instructions
Chop the bacon and place in a large pan over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Then add all
other ingredients and cook uncovered over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat
to low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels Sprouts are tender.
•½ cup almonds – coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat your oven broiler. The oven rack should be placed on the top slot so the cauliflower is about 4 inches from the heat while roasting.
In a large bowl, whisk together almond butter, curry powder, oil, and salt. Toss the cauliflower and chopped almonds in the curry mixture until well coated.
Spread out the cauliflower pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast the cauliflower
under the broiler for 8 to 12 minutes until tender crisp and golden brown. Check halfway
through and flip cauliflower if necessary.
Remove roasted cauliflower from the oven and serve!
Curry-Roasted
Squash
From Libby
Ingredients
•2 large butternut squash (5 ½ lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
Balsamic
+ Honey Green Beans
From Michelle
Ingredients
•1 lb fresh green beans
•1 tbsp honey
•2 tbsp olive oil
•1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
•1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
•pinch of kosher salt
•¼ cup onion, thinly sliced
•2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Steam green beans for 10 minutes until firm (not mushy). Warm all other ingredients
except sesame seeds in skillet for 1-2 minutes. Add green beans and sauté for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Breads, Sweets + Snacks
•1 19 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried (optional)
•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1 tbsp curry powder
•½ tsp cayenne pepper (add more if you like spice)
•kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
•¾ cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
•3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with the chickpeas (if
using), olive oil, curry, cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash cubes
and chickpeas on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, or until tender.
Remove from oven, drizzle with lemon juice and cilantro (if using) and serve. Optional addons include goat cheese, yogurt, or chopped bacon.
13
Garlic
Lemon Green Beans
From Jenn
Quick
Green Beans
From Michelle
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 ½ pounds green beans, cleaned and trimmed
•1-2 cups fresh green beans
•1-2 tbsp olive oil (will need enough to cover pan and coat green beans)
•1 tbsp olive oil
•4 tbsp, butter, salted
•⅓ cup water
•4 tsp fresh lemon juice
•2-3 cloves garlic
•½ tsp garlic powder (if you really like garlic, add more)
•juice from half a lemon
•salt and ground black pepper to taste
•fresh or dried thyme
Instructions
Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook green beans for about 3 minutes. Drain beans
and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Allow beans to cool completely. Once cool,
drain beans, and proceed to next steps. Or store covered in refrigerator for up to a couple
of days until ready to finish cooking.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and butter to pan,
tossing to coat with oil and butter. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue to toss, cooking for about 3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper as needed to taste.
Parsnip
Fries
From Libby
Ingredients
•4-5 parsnips
•3 tbsp of olive oil
•½ tsp of sea salt
•½ tsp of pepper
•½ tsp of garlic powder
Instructions
Wash and peel the parsnips. Cut them into french fry like slices. Try to make them all pretty
similar in size so they bake evenly. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and toss parsnip
slices into mixture making sure to coat them all evenly.
•salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Sauté green beans in olive oil over medium heat until they start to turn brown. Add water
and cover pan until most of the water is gone. Uncover, add garlic, and sauté until all water
is gone. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Variations:
Make with asparagus instead of green beans
Roasted
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
From Michelle
Ingredients
•2 cups Brussels Sprouts
•2 shallots
•1 tbsp olive oil
•splash of balsamic vinegar
•salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut Brussels Sprouts in half and thinly slice shallots and toss
with olive oil. Roast Brussels Sprouts (with the cut side facing down) and shallots for 12
minutes with the pan covered tightly with aluminum foil. Remove foil and stir sprouts and
shallots. Roast uncovered for 10 more minutes or until done to your liking.
Mix shallots and sprouts with a splash of balsamic dressing before serving. Add salt and
pepper to taste.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (easy cleanup) and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Turn them once while baking. After 20 minutes check on them. A little crispy brown
texture is what you are looking for. If they look done before 30 minutes is up take them out.
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Couscous
Confetti Salad
From Alison
Turkish
Green and Purple Salad
From Jessica + Alperen
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 ½ cups dry whole-wheat couscous
•lettuce (about 10 leaves)
•2 cups boiling water
•3 scallions
•3 to 4 green onions, finely chopped, including tops
•1 mini cucumber
•1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
•1 tomato, cubed small
•1 carrot, grated
•2 cups parsley, minced very very small, including stems
•1 to 2 cup finely shredded red cabbage
•3 small radish, grated not chopped (variation- grated carrots)
•½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
•2 cups red cabbage, sliced paper thin
•½ cup golden raisins or chopped dried apricots
•3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
•1 juice of 1 lemon
•lemon
•¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
•6-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
•1 tbsp olive oil
•sea salt
•1 tsp curry powder
•pepper
•1 ½ tsp salt
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine couscous and boiling water. Stir to mix, then cover and let stand
until all the water has been absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add green onions,
bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, parsley, and raisins or apricots.
In a small bowl mix lemon juice, vinegar, oil, curry powder, and salt. Add to salad and toss
to mix. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Paleo
Tabouli
From Dave + Maria
Ingredients
•3 bunches of parsley, chopped fine
•4 green onions, chopped fine
•¼ cup fresh mint, chopped fine
•2 large tomatoes, diced small
•1 ½ tsp salt
•¼ tsp pepper
•⅓ cup lemon juice (or to taste)
•¼ cup olive oil
•⅓ cup crushed almonds (or any nut)
Instructions
Mix it all together.
Sides + Salads
Instructions
Chop whatever veggies you want into a large bowl.
Massage the red cabbage slices with apple cider vinegar in a small bowl, and then let it sit
to soak in the vinegar for 5-10 minutes. After soaking just squeeze the cabbage to wring
out the excess vinegar. Do not rinse cabbage. Put it on top of the salad.
Salt and pepper your salad according to taste, preferably fresh ground sea salt and fresh
ground quality black peppercorns. Squeeze half a lemon over the salad and drizzle olive
oil on top.
Note: layer the veggies in the bowl in the order of the ingredient list because the dressing
will drain down through the veggies and make them delicious without a need to toss.
Zesty
Quinoa
From Michelle
Ingredients
•½ cup quinoa, cooked
•Juice of ½-1 lemon (depending on taste preference)
•1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
•2 tbsp dried cherries or cranberries
Instructions
Cook quinoa. When finished, remove from heat and let chill for 15-20 minutes. Add in
remaining ingredients.
15
Kale
+ Brussels Sprouts Salad
From Sarah
Asparagus
Salad
From Alison
Ingredients
Ingredients
•¼ cup fresh lemon juice
•1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
•2 tbsp Dijon mustard
•1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
•1 tbsp minced shallot
•¼ cup red onions, diced
•1 small garlic clove, finely grated
•1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
•¼ tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning
•1 tbsp red wine vinegar
•Freshly ground black pepper
•1 tsp minced garlic
•2 large bunches of kale (about 1 ½ lb total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced
•1 tsp Dijon mustard
•12 oz Brussels Sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
•½ tsp kosher salt
•½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•¼ tsp black pepper
•⅓ cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
•1 cup finely grated Pecorino
Instructions
Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper in a
small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded
Brussels Sprouts in a large bowl.
Measure ½ cup oil into a bowl. Spoon 1 tbsp oil into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about
2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.
Instructions
Place the asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a tablespoon of water. Cover and
microwave 5 minutes. Stir and microwave 2 more minutes, until just-tender. Drain into a
serving bowl and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and the onion. Place the dressing ingredients in a small jar,
seal well and shake until well-blended.
Add the tomatoes and the onion to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing on top and gently
mix. Serve immediately, or cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon juice mixture. Season dressing to taste
with salt and pepper.
Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.
Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Garnish with almonds.
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Main
Dishes
Faux-lafel
with Tahini Sauce
From Olivia
Faux-Lafel Ingredients
•1 cup raw cauliflower, pureed
•½ cup ground slivered almonds
•1 tbsp ground cumin
•½ tbsp ground coriander
Mac
n Cheeze
From Alison
Ingredients
•1 ½ cups raw cashews or almonds
•3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
•¾ cup water
•1 ½ tsp sea salt
•¼ cup nutritional yeast
•½ tsp chili powder
•½ clove garlic
•pinch of turmeric
•pinch of cayenne pepper
•½ tsp mustard (dijon or yellow)
•3 sweet potatoes
•freshly ground black pepper
•paprika, for garnish
Instructions
To get the half-moon/macaroni shape, you need to first slice your peeled vegetable down
the middle, but not all the way through. Then, spiralize the potato using Blade B, since it
makes a thicker macaroni-like noodle. In a large skillet, coat with cooking spray and add in
the sweet potato noodles. Cook, tossing frequently, until cooked, for 5-7 minutes.
•1 tsp kosher salt
•½ tsp cayenne pepper
•1 clove garlic, minced
•2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
•2 large eggs
•3 tbsp coconut flour
Tahini Sauce Ingredients
•2 tbsp tahini paste
•3 tbsp water
•1 tbsp lemon juice
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 tsp salt
Instructions
Blend all tahini sauce ingredients in a bowl. Thin with more water if you like a lighter consistency.
For the cauliflower you should end up with a cup of the puree. It takes about 1 medium
head (florets only) to get that much. First chop it up with a knife, then add it to a food
processor or magic bullet and pulse until it’s blended but still has a grainy texture. You can
grind the almonds in a similar manner – just don’t over grind them, you want the texture.
Combine the ground cauli and ground almonds in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the
ingredients and stir until well blended.
If you have a high-powered blender, making this sauce is easy. Throw the first ten ingredients into the blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soak your cashews or almonds for at least 1 hour (or overnight) in water
before blending.
Heat a half and half mix of olive and canola (or any other light oil) oil until sizzling. While
it’s heating, form the mix into 8 three-inch patties that are about the thickness of a hockey
puck. Fry them four at a time until browned on one side and then flip and cook the other
side. Resist the urge to flip too soon – you should see the edges turning brown before you
attempt it – maybe 4 minutes or so per side.
Return the sweet potato noodles to the pot and mix with the cheese sauce. Serve immediately.
Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil. Serve with tahini sauce
and a tomato & parsley garnish if desired.
Sides + Salads
17
Tofu
with Pineapple Mango Jerk Sauce
From Alison
Sweet
Potato Chowder
From Jessica
Ingredients
Ingredients
•½ cup chopped fresh mango
•2 tbsp cooking oil
•2 green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
•1 large onion, chopped
•2 tbsp rice vinegar
•1 tsp red curry paste or 2 to 3 tsp curry powder
•4 ½ tsp reduced-sodium tamari
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tsp ground allspice
•3 lbs sweet potatoes (5 to 6 large), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
•½ small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
•2 14 oz cans chicken broth
•1 14 oz package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
•1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
•1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
•1 2-inch piece fresh lemongrass or 1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
•1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
•2 tsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
•1 ½ cup (1-inch) pineapple cubes
•¼ tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
Prepare a grill for medium-high-heat cooking. In a blender or food processor, blend mango, green onion, vinegar, tamari, allspice and jalapeño until smooth.
Thread tofu, peppers and pineapple onto skewers. Brush with sauce and grill about 4
minutes per side or until warmed through and tender. Serve with any remaining sauce.
Creamy
Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
From Alison
Ingredients
•8 large cloves garlic, minced
•⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook for 3 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add curry paste and garlic; cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender,
stirring occasionally. Stir in sweet potato, chicken broth, coconut milk, lemongrass, and, if
desired, ginger.
Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until sweet
potato is tender. Cool slightly. Discard lemongrass.
Transfer half of the potato mixture (about 4 cups) in small batches to a blender or food
processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to the remaining mixture in Dutch oven. Stir in white pepper and salt. Heat through. Makes 10 servings.
•2 tbsp dairy-free butter
•5-6 cups cauliflower florets
•6-7 cups vegetable broth or water
•1 tsp salt (more to taste)
•½ tsp pepper (more to taste)
•½ cup unsweetened almond milk (more to taste)
Instructions
Sauté garlic and butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Cook for several minutes
or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook,
covered, for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Do not drain.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to the blender. Add 1 cup vegetable broth or cooking liquid, sautéed garlic/butter, salt, pepper, and milk. Blend for several
minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth or milk depending on how thick
you want the sauce. You may have to do this in batches. Serve hot.
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Asian
Meatballs
From Steph
Ingredients
•¼ red onion, minced
•¾ cup finely minced sweet potato
•3 tbsp minced cilantro
•2 pounds ground beef
•1½ tbsp Red Boat fish sauce
•2 tbsp tomato paste
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•sea salt
•freshly-ground black pepper
•2 tbsp coconut oil
•¾ cup minced other vegetable(s) (spinach, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, etc)
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with foil, and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Finely mince the vegetables, onion, sweet potato, garlic, and cilantro and toss it all into a
large bowl. Add the ground beef, fish sauce, and tomato paste to bowl, and season with
salt and pepper. Thoroughly combine the ingredients.
Melt the coconut oil, and brush it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to roll out
three dozen meatballs, and arrange them on the baking sheet. Each meatball should be
about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Bake for 15 20 minutes.
I eat them straight up or sometimes make zucchini or carrot noodles & sauce to put them
on top of.
Meatballs
Meatball Ingredients
•2 lbs ground beef
•5 garlic cloves, minced
•½ cup diced cilantro
•½ tsp sea salt
•½ tbsp garam masala or two of cayenne pepper
•black pepper to taste
•2 tbsp coconut oil
Sauce Ingredients
•1 6 oz can tomato paste
•1 can coconut milk
•5 green onions, diced
•1 ½ tsp garam masala
•½ tsp sea salt
•Pan drippings from meatballs
Ingredients
Using your hands, mix together the meatball ingredients except for the coconut oil. In a
large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Make sure the pan is nice and hot before you start adding your meatballs. Once the oil is hot, form golf ball size meatballs and
add to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove the meatballs
and set aside.
To the pan drippings add the tomato paste, onions, and spices and using your whisk,
blend these ingredients together with the pan drippings. Slowly add the coconut milk,
whisking as you pour. Once the sauce is well mixed, bring to a simmer and let it cook for 3
minutes.
Add the meatballs back to the sauce, cover the pan and cook for three minutes. Turn the
meatballs over so that they are coated with sauce, cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
Serve with a few diced green onions on top.
Main Dishes
19
Paleo
Chocolate Chili
From Kari
Ingredients
•2 tbsp coconut oil
•2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
•4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp)
•2 pounds ground beef
•1 tsp dried oregano leaves
•2 tbsp chili powder
•2 tbsp ground cumin
•1 ½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa
•1 tsp ground allspice
•1 tsp salt
•1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
•1 can (14 ½ oz) fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes
•1 can (14 ½ oz) beef broth
•1 cup water
Instructions
Heat a large, deep pot over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. When the oil is
melted, add onions, stir with a wooden spoon and cook until they’re translucent, about
7 minutes. Add the garlic and as soon as it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds, crumble the
ground meat into the pan with your hands, mixing with the wooden spoon to combine.
Continue to cook the meat, stirring often, until it’s no longer pink.
In a small bowl, crush the oregano between your palms to release its flavor, then add the
chili powder, cumin, cocoa, allspice, and salt. Combine with a fork, then add to the pot,
stirring like you mean it. Add tomato paste and stir until combined, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef broth, and water to the pot. Stir well. Bring to a
boil, then reduce the heat so the chili enjoys a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for at
least two hours. Do not skimp on the simmer! Serve in deep bowls with big spoons.
Variations:
Try a meat combo by mixing ground beef with ground turkey, pork, or bison.
Make a double batch and freeze half so you have chili-on-demand.
Top with sliced olives, diced onions, and/or avocado slices.
20
Paleo Curry Meatballs
Meatball Ingredients
•1 lb organic ground beef
•2 eggs (include yolk)
•½ finely chopped medium yellow onion
•1 finely chopped garlic clove
•⅔ cup almond flour
•3 tbsp curry powder
•½ tsp ground ginger
•½ tsp sea salt
•½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
•⅛ tsp cinnamon
•2 tbsp coconut oil (for frying)
Sauce Ingredients
•1 can of full fat coconut milk (must be canned)
•1 cup of organic chicken broth
•½ finely chopped medium yellow onion
•2-3 tbsp curry powder
•1 tsp of ginger
•½ tsp of cayenne pepper
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, combine meatball ingredients (except for the coconut oil, as it will be
used to fry meatballs) well. Using your meatball mixture, create medium sized (1×1 inch)
meatballs to have them prepared before we heat the skillet.
Place skillet under medium heat and add coconut oil. Once coconut oil melts, add in all
your meatballs and your finely chopped onion (ingredient from the sauce). Let meatballs
brown on one side for about 4-5 minutes, and then turn around to brown on the other side
for another 4-5 minutes.
While you wait for the meatballs to brown, combine your sauce ingredients together and
set aside.
Once both sides have been browned, add in your sauce and cover skillet with a lid. Let it
simmer for about 5 minutes, until meatballs have cooked through and sauce thickens.
Serve hot and enjoy.
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Swedish
Paleo Meatballs
From Zell
Ginger
Pineapple Shredded Pork
From Kari
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 lb ground beef
•3 lbs pork roast
•1 lb ground pork
•2 tbsp minced ginger
•1 large red onion
•8 oz broth
•1 egg
•1 can of pineapple
•1 tbsp heavy coconut milk
•2 tbsp cinnamon
•½ tsp sea salt
•½ tsp ground black pepper
•½ tsp ground allspice
•bacon grease or coconut butter for frying
Instructions
Mince the onion. I mean it. Any big chunks of onion will dramatically undermine the structural integrity of the finished product. Mix all the ingredients (except the frying grease) well
in a large bowl. I use a Kitchen Aid, but honestly hands & fingers and a bit of muscle works
at least as well.
Instructions
Add first three ingredients to a Crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours (or until you can shred
it with a fork). After you have shredded it put in the can of pineapple and cinnamon. Let
simmer for 1 hour. Let cool and serve!
Paleo
Cajun Breaded Pork Chops
From Dave + Maria
Ingredients
Form the meat mixture into scrumptious little 1” spheres by rolling it between hands. A bit
of water on your palms helps keep things from getting sticky. Place these raw meat balls
on a plate.
•5-7 thin cut pork chops
You will be tempted to make them larger than 1”, because this part is a little boring and
you’ll want to speed it up. Resist the temptation. A smaller meatball has more relative
surface area, and the surface is flavorful and crispy. In fact, you can make them as small
as 3⁄4” if you have the patience (but beware that’s nearly twice as many).
•1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Heat a heavy frying pan to medium high, add the grease, and gently toss in your prospective meat balls. Don’t crowd them! They need to be able to roll around. If there are more
than the pan can handle, fry them in separate rounds.
Keep going like this, on medium high, shaking the pan occasionally, until the meat is nicely
browned all over, and then an additional 3-5 minutes, until they are cooked through. You
can take a sacrificial meatball out and cut it in half to make sure.
Don’t worry too much about overcooking these. They should have a nice deep brown
surface, and the ground pork will keep them from getting dry.
Transfer to a plate and enjoy! As part of a buffet, these would be served as-is; as the main
course of a dinner you’d typically make a gravy from the leavings in the pan and serve with
potatoes (maybe substitute sweet potatoes).
Main Dishes
•2 cups almond meal
•3 tbsp Cajun seasoning (or more to taste)
•3 eggs
•about ½ cup of olive oil
Instructions
Put about ¼ of an inch of olive oil in the bottom of a pan, and put on the stove on medium
heat (not too hot or the olive oil will burn).
While it is warming up, mix the almond meal, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper and
put it on a large plate. Crack the eggs in a bowl, and scramble them.
Next, dip the pork chops in the egg wash, then the “breading.” Make sure both sides
get well covered with the “breading.” It is easier if you use one hand on the wet side (the
eggs), then the other on the dry side (breading).
Put the pork chops in the pan and sauté until they start to turn golden brown.
21
Sausage
+ Brussels Sprouts
From Emily + Kief
Pork
Butt
From Andy
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 cup Brussels Sprouts, cut into fourths
•5 lb bone-in pork butt
•1 Applegate Chicken Apple Sausage, sliced
•kosher salt
•1 piece of bacon, cut in half
•ground white pepper
•1 garlic clove, minced
•garlic powder
•4 tbsp Tessamae’s zesty ranch
•ground cumin
•salt and pepper, to taste
•chili powder
Instructions
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 4 tbsp of zesty
ranch to the pan along with the minced garlic clove. Then toss in your Brussels Sprouts.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the Brussels Sprouts and let them sit for a couple
minutes until they begin to burn just a bit. Use a spoon or a flip of your wrist to turn the
Brussels Sprouts over to cook on the other side.
Once the Brussels Sprouts have been flipped, add in a tbsp of water and cover the pan
with a lid. Keep an eye on them, being sure to move them around once more so the little
guys don’t stick to the pan.
While the Brussels Sprouts finish cooking, add a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
Add your piece of bacon that has been cut in half to the pan. As soon as the fat begins to
render out into the pan, add the sliced chicken sausage. Once your bacon is ready to flip,
flip the bacon along with the sausage to cook on opposite side.
When your Brussels Sprouts are soft enough to stick a fork through, remove from heat,
salt and pepper once more, then place in bowl. Top with your cooked bacon and sausage.
•ground black pepper
•2 tbsp canola/vegetable oil
•1 poblano pepper
•1 serrano pepper
•4-6 cloves of garlic
•stout
•coconut milk
Instructions
Heat a cast iron casserole or stock-pot with a lid over medium heat with canola oil. Trim
off any unwanted bits of the pork butt. Coat the pork butt evenly with salt and spices and
press them in. Brown every side of the pork butt, about 8-10 minutes per side. (Don’t
worry too much about browning the sides)
While the pork butt is browning, char the poblano pepper on all sides using a burner. Cut
into 4 pieces longitudinally. Cut the serrano into 4 pieces. Crush garlic, leaving the skin on.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Pour coconut milk and stout over the pork butt. Put in ancho (poblano) pepper, serrano,
and garlic around pork butt. Put on lid and put pot into oven to cook for 4 hours.
Rest pork butt in pot or aluminum foil for 15 minutes. Shred!
Serve as a salad on romaine with pico, jicama tossed in chili powder, etc. or make tacos
with corn tortillas, pico, etc.
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Slow
Cooked Pork Shoulder
From Olivia
Ingredients
•1 ½ lb pork shoulder roast
•2 tsp grass-fed ghee
•¾ tsp cumin
•¾ tsp chili powder
•¾ tsp oregano
•½ tsp smoked paprika
•sea salt and pepper to taste
•½ cup chicken broth
•2 tbsp fresh lime juice
•1 onion, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•3 stalks of celery, chopped
•4 large carrots, chopped into ½-inch pieces
•½ head cabbage, chopped (use more if serving more than 2 people)
•avocado slices, optional
Instructions
Combine spices, sea salt and pepper, and coat all sides of the roast. If you have extra
spice mixture leftover, set it aside. You will use it later. If you use it all, that’s fine too.
Melt 1 tsp of ghee (or fat of choice) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork shoulder,
and brown a couple minutes on each side. Once all sides are browned, remove from pan
and set aside.
Paleo Gyros
Gyro Ingredients
•2 lbs ground lamb or chicken
•1 large red onion, divided (½ chopped, ½ sliced)
•2 cloves garlic
•1 sprig fresh rosemary
•1 tbsp dried marjoram
•4 large cabbage leaves (or lettuce or kale)
•1 tomato, chopped
Tzatziki Ingredients
•1 large cucumber (peeled and chopped) 2 garlic clove minced
•1 tbsp olive oil
•1 tbsp lemon juice
•2-3 mint leaves finely minced
•1 tbsp fresh parsley
Instructions
Sauté meat in skillet over medium until done. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add
chopped red onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic and sauté one minute longer.
Add rosemary and marjoram. Turn off heat, cover and let set a few minutes. Place meat
back in skillet and stir.
Combine Tzatziki sauce ingredients in food processor. Serve hot in lettuce, topped with
Tzatziki, chopped tomatoes, and sliced red onions.
In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tsp of ghee (add more if needed) over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté 4-5 minutes, until softened. Once done, pour
the mixture into the slow cooker.
Add carrots to the slow cooker and place the roast on top of the veggies. Add the chicken
broth, lime juice and any remaining spice mixture.
Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 8-10.
Once done, turn the slow cooker off or to warm. Remove the pork roast and cut off the
twine. Shred meat with two forks and add back to the slow cooker. Give everything a stir.
In a pan over medium heat, melt a little fat of choice. Add the chopped cabbage and season with sea salt and pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Serve the shredded pork mixture over the cabbage and serve with avocado slices, if
desired.
Main Dishes
23
Lamb
Burgers
From Emily + Kief
Curry
Chicken + Vegetables
From Gillian
Ingredients
Ingredients
•1 pound ground lamb
•1 tbsp oil
•½ cup red onion, minced
•1 tbsp Thai Kitchen® Red Curry Paste
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•1 can coconut milk
•1 tsp sea salt
•½ cup stock
•1 tsp black pepper
•1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
•1 tsp ground cumin
•1 tbsp fish sauce
•1 tsp paprika
•1 pound boneless chicken, beef, pork or duck, cut into bite-size pieces
•2 tbsp parsley, chopped
•3 cups assorted cut-up vegetables (bell peppers, onions, carrots, sugar snap peas, etc)
•2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
•2 tbsp julienne-cut fresh basil
•1 egg
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients by hand and form into palm-sized patties. Place in
refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Heat the grill to medium high and grill the lamb-burgers for 4 minutes on each side.
Indian
Spiced Chicken Burgers
From Olivia
Ingredients
•1 lb ground chicken
•1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
•¼ cup fresh cilantro (small handful)
•1 inch knob fresh ginger
•¼ of a large yellow onion,
•3 tsp garam masala
•1 ¼ tsp salt
•1 egg, lightly beaten
•⅓ cup almond flour
Instructions
Place the seeded jalapeño, cilantro, ginger and onion in the bowl of a small food processor
and pulse till finely minced. Alternatively, you could mince everything by hand.
Add the ground chicken, egg, almond flour, salt and garam masala to the vegetable mixture and mix well to combine.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat on the stove. Form patties out of the meat
mixture and place in the skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes per side, or until juices run clear.
24
Instructions
Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add curry paste; stir fry 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until
fragrant. Add coconut milk and chicken stock; bring to simmer on medium-high heat. Stir
in brown sugar and fish sauce until well blended.
Stir in meat and vegetables; simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until meat is cooked through and
vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove from heat. Stir in basil.
Buffalo
Chicken Mini Meatloaf
From Emily + Kief
Ingredients
•1 lb ground chicken
•1 egg
•3 tbsp coconut flour or ½ cup almond flour/meal
•3-4 tbsp hot sauce
•2 stalks of celery, diced
•¼ small yellow onion, diced
•1 tsp garlic powder
•½ tsp cayenne pepper
•¼ tsp celery salt
•salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375℉. Place all ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to mix thoroughly. Plop mixture into two mini loaf pans or one large loaf pan. You make the call my
friend.
Bake for 25-35 or until chicken is completely cooked through. I used the poke technique.
Poke the meat, if it sinks in, like it’s uncooked, it probably is. Let cool. Eat.
crossfitconnex.com | Nutritional Challenge Recipe Book
Paleo
Spicy Tuna Salad
From Dave + Maria
Salmon
Olivada
From Andy
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
•2 cans of tuna
•11 oz pitted kalamata olives, drained
•20 (about 1 cup) green olives
•11 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained
•2 green onions, chopped
•2-4 cloves garlic (depends on how much you like garlic!)
•1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (remove the seeds if you want less spice)
•olive oil (extra virgin if available)
•3 tbsp capers, rinsed
•½ tsp red chili flakes
•juice of ½ lemon
•olive oil
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl (yep, thats it).
Baked
Salmon with Dill
From Mark
Ingredients
•4 6 oz salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
•cooking spray
•1 ½ tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
•½ tsp kosher salt
•⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
•4 lemon wedges
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Place fish on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray;
lightly coat fish with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish with dill, salt, and pepper.
Bake at 350℉ for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until
desired degree of doneness. Serve with lemon wedges.
Remaining Ingredients
•salmon filet(s)
•peanut/canola/vegetable oil
•baby spinach
Instructions
In a blender, combine equal amounts of pitted kalamata olives and sun dried tomatoes
with garlic and a small amount (~1-2 tbsp) of olive oil.
Start blender. While the mixture is blending, slowly add olive oil until the mixture has a
smooth and somewhat creamy texture.
Refrigerate until ready to use. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
To make the salmon, drizzle just barely enough peanut/canola/vegetable oil in a cast-iron
pan or sauté pan to coat the surface.
Heat the pan over medium-high to high heat for several minutes – the pan must be hot to
have the desired effect on the salmon.
Once the pan is hot, place the salmon filet(s), skin side up, evenly spaced on the surface –
BE CAREFUL TO AVOID SPLASHING ANY EXCESS OIL, IT HURTS!
Cover the pan with a lid, leaving some space for a bit of steam to escape and walk away.
After a few minutes, remove the lid and take off the skin on the filet which should be loose
enough to remove easily with a metal spatula.By this time, the salmon should have a thick
crust on the bottom that is deep, golden brown. Carefully turn the filet(s) over and cook
until a similar crust forms on the other side.
Rinse and dry the baby spinach and make a small pile in the center of a large plate. Place
a Salmon filet on top and drizzle the olivada on top of the salmon to taste.
Chef’s notes: You can also lightly sauté the spinach with butter and diced garlic.
Pair with an oak-aged chardonnay, Cabernet or other light-bodied red wine
Main Dishes
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