Just because we are at the end of our nutrition challenge month, doesn’t mean you have to quit!  Keep up the good work.  Talk to eachother.  Share recipes.  I think you’ll find that making these choices is a lot easier than you once thought.  I have stayed true to my no wheat goals, with a few cheat days here and there.  The days I am on, I certainly see the difference in my abbs.  The days I am not…hello bloating!  I would have had no idea I bloated this much unless I did some self tests.  Though the flour tortilla taste delicious, its almost not worth the way I feel after.   Take a look at the recipes below for some great ideas.  If you were there, you know they were yummy!  Enjoy!

Crockpot Carnitas

Don’t let the seemingly long ingredient list keep you from trying this recipe! There are really only 3 steps to the process and they are all simple. The end result is a huge portion of well-seasoned meat you can eat all week.

adapted slightly from Paleo Eats

1 (6-8 pound) pork butt, also called pork shoulder (you can also use country style ribs, bone-in or boneless. I think these cook a little quicker)

2 tablespoons coarse salt (if using fine grain salt, use 1 1/2 tbsp)

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

8 whole cloves garlic, smashed

4 chipotle peppers (canned or dried) or 1 tsp chipotle powder

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup orange juice

Step 1 – combine all ingredients except for pork. If you want, you can do this in a small blender, such as a Magic Bullet. Just make sure the garlic is crushed, pressed, or chopped well.

Step 2 – put the pork in the crockpot, pour the spices over it and make sure it’s well coated.

Step 3 – cook it until the pork is fall-apart tender. The total time will depend on the size of the cut of meat you started with and whether you set your crockpot on high or low, but between 6 and 8 hours is average. I generally use boneless country style ribs and cook it for 6 hours on high.

Step 4 – this step is optional since the meat will be delicious and well-seasoned right out of the pot, but if you have the time it’s worth doing. Carefully remove the chunks of meat from the pot and allow them to cool until they won’t burn your fingers. Using a fork, separate most of the fat bits from the meat bits and put the chunks of meat in a large container. When you have separated all of the meat, use a measuring cup to add some of the melted fat and cooking liquid back to the meat. 2/3 cup is usually enough. Shred the meat with 2 forks and serve.

Serving ideas: traditional carnitas is cooked twice before serving. This recipe doesn’t follow a traditional cooking method, but to acheive a similar result you can cook the pork a second time. Fry the pork in an oil of your choice over medium high heat (I would recommend ghee first, but coconut oil or reserved pork fat also work well) until it is browned and crispy on one side, then flip and brown the other side. You don’t need to use much oil to do this, a tablespoon or less should be fine.

Try serving the pork as tacos using lettuce leaves as the wrap and your favorite taco toppings. It also goes great with cabbage or veggie slaw, or think beyond lunch and dinner and top the pork with fried eggs, avocado, and hot sauce for breakfast.

Paleo Brownie Bites

Ingredients:
1-1/3 cup pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup raw almonds ( you can use any nut you want)
Unsweetened shredded coconut, for topping

Other variations-

Add honey to the recipe( just a dollop)  this will make them sweeter and stickier ( more of the topping will stay on)

Use sea salt as a topping- sprinkle some flaked or course sea salt on them after you form the balls

Instructions:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine dates, vanilla and cocoa powder. Process until the mixture forms a paste. Add the pecans and process until they are finely chopped and fully incorporated (but don’t let them turn into dust). Form the “dough” into bite-sized balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll half the balls in coconut.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Paleo BBQ Sauce

• One can of quality pure tomato sauce (i.e., no sugar or salt or garbage added)
• 2 T of red wine vinegar
• 1 T honey
• 1/2 T cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 TB chili powder
• 1/2 TB chipotle powder
• 2 tsp sea salt
• A dash of garlic powder

Pancetta-wrapped asparagus

Pretty self explanatory…

Nutty Beet Salad

1 Bunch Roasted Beets (see below)
1 large navel orange , peeled, with each segment cut in half
2 tbs chopped roasted filberts (hazelnuts)
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large avocado, cut into 8 slices
3 cups mixed greens

To roast beets, preheat oven to broil. Use 1 bunch beets, remove leaves,
peel, and quarter. Toss with 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs dried basil,
and 1 pressed garlic clove in glass or ceramic baking dish. Broil for 30
minutes, stirring once at the halfway point. Top with fresh ground pepper to
taste.

In a medium bowl, combine roasted beets, orange, and hazelnuts. In a smaller
bowl, mix allspice, orange juice, and olive oil. Place beet mixture on top
of greens, spread avocado slices, and drizzle with dressing.

Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

12 whole tomatoes, any variety, halved cross-wise(not through the stem end), or 1 pint cherry tomatoes or berry tomatoes, halved)

6 to 8 garlic cloves, skins on

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

1 tablespoon coarse salt

Fresh ground pepper, to season

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Place the tomatoes and garlic in a non-reactive bowl and pour the olive oil over them.  Gently toss with your hand to coat.  Turn the tomatoes and garlic out onto a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet.  Season with the thyme leaves, salt and fresh ground pepper.  Roast until the tomatoes are fragrant, and their skins are shrinking, about 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.  Remove the loosened skins (from whole tomatoes; not necessary for cherry or berry tomatoes) and transfer to a bowl with any juices that have collected.

Gently squeeze the garlic from the clove and store with the tomatoes, or store separately for another use.

Don’t forget to come to the Paleo Pot Luck, this Sunday at 5:00pm.  6:00pm Crossfit class will be cancelled.

Bring yourself and your food to share!  Celebrate the end of the Crossfit Games Open and get some great ideas for your nutrition habits.  Email me your recipe, so we can share it with everyone!  Kids are welcome, but as usual, no one is to be unsupervised on the equipment.

See you Sunday!  Come hungry!