Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I adapted this recipe from HERE.  It is super yummy! My kids couldn't get enough.  

Serves 6

• 1teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon pepper
• 1clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2cup water
• 2pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/2cup coconut palm sugar
• 1tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca flour
• 1/4cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2cup water
• 2tablespoons soy sauce

1. Mix together the seasonings : sage, salt, pepper and garlic, and rub over the tenderloin.
2. Place 1/2 cup water in slow cooker, followed by the tenderloin, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. 1 hour before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan : coconut sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, and soy sauce.
4. Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.
5. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. (For a more caramelized crust, remove from crock pot and place on aluminum lined sheet pan, glaze, and set under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Repeat 2 to 3 more times until desired crust is achieved.)
6. Serve with remaining glaze on the side

My Favorite Hamburgers

Barbecue Burgers Recipe

adapted from Against All Grain recipe

http://againstallgrain.com/2013/08/28/dining-out-on-the-paleo-diet/

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Topping Choices
Bacon, Avocado, Tomato, or Red Onion

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands to combine.
3. Gently form into six 1-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.
4. Grill burgers until they are cooked through.  ( not pink )
5.  I serve this in a lettuce wrap to keep it grain free. 

Krisit's Fish Tacos

This was a big deal for me.  Fish and I do not have a good relationship.  Not because I have had a bad experience with it, mostly because I am scared of it. I may have to mention that I was so scared to smell fish that I made my husband put it in the bag of marinade outside just to make sure that didn't happen.  We were successful in not letting me smell fish so I was able to try the food.  I was surprised at how mild and yummy it was.  All the sauces made these tacos delicious.  ( I just ate mine with out a tortilla so it was more like a salad for me. ) The kids loved them as well. We will be making these again. The original recipe is found Here. 

 Kristi's Fish Tacos
Marinade
4-6 pieces of Tilapia

2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 lemon ( I did whole thing)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbs dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Marinate for 30 min then grill on high for about 3-5 min each side until it flakes.

Sauce:
I always add more garlic, lime, cumin, and cilantro

1/4 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt ( I use the yogurt )
1 Tbs of lime juice
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/3 tsp cumin
1 Tbs water

Serve with lime wedges and avocado

Salsa:
Tomatoes ( blender 3/4 full of them chopped in half )
3 cloves garlic
1/2- 3/4 red onion
cilantro ( as much as possible )
1 heaping tsp seasoning salt
1/2- 1 tsp pepper
cumin to taste

pulse to chop.

Sauteed Broccoli and Almonds

Broccoli is one of the very favorite veggies to eat at our house, except for my son.  He cries when I make it unless it is this recipe.  Then he gobbles it up.  We all love this delicious version.  

The original recipe is found  Here.

 

Ingredients

1 large head broccoli, stalks trimmed
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced in rounds ( I use minced )
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions

Cut stalk of broccoli from florets. Peel the stalk and cut the stalk into 1/4-inch rounds. Cut head of broccoli into florets.

In a large saute pan, toast almonds until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan. Add butter and when melted, add garlic and sliced stalks. Saute, until garlic turns golden and stalks start to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the florets and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cover pan. Cook broccoli until crisp tender, about 3 minutes more. Season with salt. Stir in toasted almonds and serve.

Over Stuff'd Avacado

Breakfast and Lunch are the hardest meals of the day for me.  I am constantly on the hunt for something good to eat.  This recipe was  good and easy.  Perfect to add to my menu.  The original recipe was found  Here.

Over-stuff’d Avocado
Ingredients:
1 medium Avocado
can tuna, drained ( I used canned chicken from Costco )
1/4 cup each:
        green pepper, red onion, cucumber - all diced  ( I used just a little of peppers.  They are good but I don't like a lot )
1/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt, plain
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 packet sweetener( stevia)
1/4 cup fresh orange sections, diced
How to Prepare
1. Slice Avocado in half, lengthwise. Split open and remove the pit.
2. Scoop out the center of the avocado, leaving about ¼ inch of the fruit all around, and put the scooped out fruit into a bowl. Set the halves aside.
 3. Add tuna ( chicken ), pepper, onion, cucumber yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, salt and sweetener to the bowl with the scooped out avocado. ( I mixed my sauce in a bowl, then I mixed the rest in a separate bowl.  That way I can control how much sauce is used.  I had some left over when I was finished.  )
 Mix all ingredients until very well blended.
 4. Add orange sections and mix gently.
 5. Scoop half of the mix into each of the Avocado halves.  ( I put mine inside romaine lettuce leaves for a sandwich. )
6. Put in refrigerator for approximately 10 minutes to slightly chill.
 7. Grab a spoon and eat up! 

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

This was a super yummy dinner.  It was a little different than what we usually have and sometimes that's a good thing.  The only thing that I would do different next time is to add some shredded chicken.  I think that my kids and husband would like them even more with the addition.  The jalapeno adds just enough flavor so I would definitely keep it in the recipe.  When you add cheese to the mixture it's not hot at all.  My kids ate it just fine. I can't eat the tortilla so I just put mine in a bowl and topped it with cheese and avocado.  It was very filling.  The original recipe is found Here

INGREDIENTS:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed small (about 3-4 cups)
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 red pepper, diced small
1 small red onion, diced small (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drain
1/4 – 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (depending on your taste)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6-8 burrito-size tortillas (whole wheat, white or other favorite variety)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, jalapeno, red pepper and red onion with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dump the coated veggies onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, tossing halfway through. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy at the end of cooking time.
Let the vegetable mixture cool. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and toss with the black beans, cilantro and lime juice. Taste the mixture and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to assemble the burritos or use immediately.
Place 3-4 tortillas on a microwave-safe plat and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds until the tortillas are pliable. Place 1/4 cup or so of the vegetable mixture in the center of the tortilla and top with a sprinkle with shredded cheese, a little of each kind.. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll up. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until you have all the burritos you need (the filling can be refrigerated and used for 3-4 days).
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, until heated through and the top of the tortilla is golden brown. Adjust the baking time as needed depending on if the filling has been refrigerated or not. For a softer tortilla, wrap each burrito in tin foil and heat through. Serve immediately.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Papers

I saw these I knew that I had to make them.  It was a little tricky finding some roast beef that didn't have any sugar but I found a Western Family Brand that was sugar free.  If that isn't something you are worried about get a good flavorful one and it will make it taste even better. The leftovers were really yummy as well. The original recipe is found Here

Ingredients
8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef

8 Slices Provolone Cheese

2 Large Green Bell Peppers

1 Medium Sweet Onion

6 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms

2 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Garlic – Minced

Salt and Pepper – to taste

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.

* I don't like super crisp peppers so after I cut them and seeded them I boiled them for 5 min in really salted water.  It makes them so they are still crisp and ready to go in the oven.  They are perfect when they come out, easy to cut and eat but still with a little bite. 
* if you don't boil them before you stuff them I do recommend pre cooking them a little otherwise you will end up with a bunch of water in the bottom of your pepper when you are done baking. 
 

Slice onions and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper. Saute until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized. About 25-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.

Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.

Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Serve and Enjoy!!

* The only thing I would change is to add cheese through out the mixture instead of just on top and bottom.  I love cheese.