Bacon Sweet Potato Soup

I am interrupting the usually scheduled "heart-on-her-sleeve" post to bring you THIS.
Because I love you and want you to be happy in this life and the next.

Next week I am embarking on a 21 day allergen cleanse, and the very thought of having
all traces of dairy stripped from my gut makes me a tad weepy. But I know that the challenge
will shed more light on which foods are directly contributing to my issues. So carry on.

I've been experimenting in the kitchen with all the foods I CAN eat so that come next
week I don't break down and swing through the nearest drive-thru and order something,
anything, to eat my cares away. Because food is addicting. Withdrawal is no fun.

This recipe isn't technically paleo since it has kidney beans in it. But they are organic
and full of fiber -- so tone down, my cave people, tone down. I really find the whole term
"paleo" a bit funny myself. I feel like everyone acts like it's the diet from the dark ages,
but really, I think people were eating more "raw, fresh, gathered, unprocessed" just 3-4
generations ago. Like great-great grandma wasn't tempted by Twinkies, ya know?

I digress.

Please love this recipe tenderly as it is like a tropical island oasis to me here in Chiberia.
Also, please be patient. It is INVOLVED. But beginner chefs can totally apply. If you can
chop, follow a timer, and turn on a crockpot you're in business.

I should also mention that this soup is like a high-maintenance girlfriend. The kind that you
just don't want to quit. Because after all the crazy gets out, she's really a beautiful thing
in your life. Hold on to that. Hour 4 gets rough.

|| BACON SWEET POTATO SOUP ||
(Please note that bacon comes before sweet potato because I think more people
will want to eat this soup if it's worded that way. Am I right?!)
Use 5 qt. crockpot // turn heat on HIGH

FIRST:
2 large sweet potatoes, diced
4 C. of chopped cauliflower
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbls. of sea salt
Add enough water to cover and float veggies.
Let cook for about 2 hours or until veggies are soft, but not falling apart.

SECOND:
In separate skillet, fry 1/2 pd. of bacon - crumble when cooled + save grease (yea)
3 C. cooked + shredded pork roast (put leftovers to great use!)
6 C. of green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 leeks, thinly sliced
Add this, including bacon grease (channel your inner Pioneer Woman) to crockpot.
Pour in more water to cover everything if needed. Let cook for 1 more hour.

THIRD:
2 cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 bag of frozen green beans
Add this to crockpot, stir, and continue to let cook for about another hour.

FOURTH:
Taste and see the goodness of the crockpot. You will most likely need to add salt.
Add 1/2 tsp. at a time and see where you are at. It's tricky when using bacon and
pork roast -- so much saltiness there. Don't overdue or underdo. Be perfect. Like me.

Ha. That's a joke.

Get your bowls out, my friend!!! You just made bacon sweet potato soup and you
need to eat it. You could always leave it in the crockpot on "warm" for another
hour or two, but then we cannot be friends. And get this. DAY 2 of this stuff is
even BETTER. Because the longer those flavors mingle, the happier it all becomes!!!

Shut the front door.
YEA. BACON.

Paleo "Spaghetti" and Meatballs

My grandma makes spaghetti like it's nobody's business. It's just better than the best bowl
of noodles you've ever had; in my humble, biased opinion of course. For years I've followed her
around like she's the Obi-Wan of red sauce, but apparently the force is just not with me.
I'd rather her cook for me anyway.

I don't often try to make my own sauce anymore. I usually just buy a jar of whatever organic,
certified gluten-free redness I pass in the aisle while grocery shopping and call it a day. We all
can't be Luke Skywalker. I've been putting more effort into my meatballs lately and it's paying off!
I feel like I at least have a chance with them! Since we are 100% gluten-free over here and try to
keep it as paleo-ish, posh, hipster as possible for our palates - I decided to incorporate my Grandma's
secret sauce weapon into my meatball recipe... and you guys: it works! And it's good.

Ready for this? Secret weapon: shredded carrots.

The shredded carrots add a subtle sweetness while at the same time act in place of the notorious
sidekick to the meat, breadcrumbs. Forget the breadcrumbs. Forget the cheese. Listen to me.
I'll tell you all the things you'll ever need to know. Just kidding. But check this out...

PALEO "SPAGHETTI" & MEATBALLS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, mix together:
1 pd. of grassfed beef
1/2 pd. of Italian sausage
1 C. finely shredded and drained (use a dish towel) carrots
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
sea salt and black pepper to your liking
(I go heavy - it's a lot to season!)

After you have those ingredients thoroughly incorporated, form mixture
into 2 inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet. I line my baking sheet
with parchment paper and extra virgin olive oil for easy clean up!

Bake for 45-60 minutes (or until cooked through). Flip once or twice.
Not you, the meatballs. They brown better that way.

We top ours with some marinara sauce the last 10 minutes of baking.
Fresh, chopped basil is nice too!

Yields 16-18


For the "spaghetti", slice lengthwise and de-seed as many spaghetti squash as your heart
desires. Drizzle the inside flesh with olive oil and generously sprinkle sea salt, pepper,
and garlic powder over that. Place skin-side up on a parchment lined baking sheet and
bake for 45-60 minutes (or until the skin slightly gives way when you press it).

*DO NOT be confused by the picture above. Flip them over, cavity side down, to bake*

The beauty of this: you can place the whole sha-bang (meatballs AND squash) in the oven at the
same time - and it will be ready at the same time! I love easy. Easy AND delicious?! Makes me happy.

Use a fork to scrape out the inside flesh, leaving the skin, of the squash and voila...

Spaghetti and Meatballs!!!

PALEO || Turkey Sausage + Eggs Benedict-ish

Gluten-free, dairy free, sugar free, MSG free, antibiotic free, no added hormores -
you will drop a pretty penny, or a good 1,000 of them, at your local health food store
to pick up a pound of sausage with that label.

The good news is, you can make your own darn-spankin' good sausage at home for half the
cost! Have your meat and eat it too. That's what I'm talking about!

This recipe is P A L E O. I know, soooo hipster. Pull this out of your freezer and let your
non-health-nut friends swoon. Let them take a bite, and they'll be back for breakfast
every day there after. You have been warned.



It's really not revolutionary or anything.

TURKEY SAUSAGE

1 lb. free range, happy, ground turkey
(I have also used lamb and pork with great success)

2-3 tbls. shallot / minced
3 cloves of garlic / minced
2-3 tsp. of gray sea salt
1 tbls. rosemary
1 tbls. oregano
(We also enjoy scallions, celery, thyme, sage... the possibilities are endless!
I mean don't go pouring in Cheerios or anything, but a squeeze of lemon might be nice.)

Mix all together, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping into balls.
Using a scoop, form sausage into balls and place in tupperware for later use or freezing.

Yield // 14-16 sausages

I make a big batch of these every 2 weeks and put in my freezer to pull out as desired.
Just use a skillet with a slick of olive oil over medium heat to cook these babies through.
Scroll down for a fan-cy breakfast idea that uses this sausage!!!




Eggs Benedict-ish

This sausage is great in place of the bread that is traditionally LOVED with eggs benedict.
I also am currently crushing on leeks. Like, hardcore. Roasted?! Mmmmmm... yea.

Stack it up:

Roasted asparagus // toss in EVOO + sea salt - 400 degrees for 10 minutes

Leek sauce // toss 2 leeks + 2 cloves of garlic in EVOO + sea salt - 400 degrees for 20 minutes
Let cool - then puree in blender with 1/4-1/2 C. EVOO until smooth. It's good, people.

Turkey sausage patty (cooked)

Egg (I prefer mine scrambled)




Cavemen have never had it so good!!!