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Power Balls (a la Walker)

If you google “power balls” you will find a ton of recipes. Here’s an easy adaptation:

• 1/2 c unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 c something “dry” (recipe typically calls for oats – instead i used a mixture of almond meal and protein powder. Could also use flax meal, almond flour, etc)
• 3/4 c dried dates
• 1/4 c honey (or agave)
• 1/4 c nut butter
• 1/4 c sesame seeds

In a food processor, combine sunflower seeds and dry ingredient. Then add the dates and process. Next add the honey and nut butter and process until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency (it may begin to ball up/jam up on you in the processor).  Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and roll in sesame seeds. Store in fridge (or even freezer – yum).

Feel free to go crazy – the proportions above are just to get you started, feel free to experiment with the flavor and consistency you prefer. Use dried apricots or other fruit in place of dates. I threw in flax seeds and some walnuts I had on hand. Roll in nuts or coconut flakes instead of seasame seeds (you can also press into a pan or onto wax paper to cut into bars, but these babies are pretty sticky so i recommend rolling them in something). Add cinnamon, or cocoa. Or bacon. You get the idea.

PS. While these can be adapted to be paleo, make no mistake that these balls pack quite the sugar punch. Not really recommended for those trying to lean out…at least, don’t eat half the batch in one sitting. (<– I of course have no experience with this, I have just *heard that it can happen)

Meatloaf for Meat Lovers

Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef
1 pkg spicy Italian Sausage (I tried to buy the sausages with the least amount of ingredients possible.)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 c white onion chopped
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
1 c almond meal
5 garlic cloves chopped
1 4oz can organic tomato paste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the Italian sausage from the casing, and place the meat into a bowl with all of the other ingredients. Mix all of the ingredients by hand. Spray a baking dish with Pam and place the meatloaf mixture into the dish. I used a 9×9 pan and I had to mold my own “loaf” in the center of the pan, if you have a smaller pan, you can probably just smush the ingredients into the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 hour and serve.

**I used jalapeno/ bison sausage from whole foods and 6 oz of Central Market’s tomato paste which only contains tomatoes.

Paleo(ish) Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond meal/almond flour
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup honey
½ tsp baking soda (I usually leave this out)
1 egg

Mix the dry ingredients (Almond meal, 60% cacoa choc chips, honey. Add all other ingredients and mix throughly. Use the mixture to form small “dough balls” on a greased baking sheet. Use around 1 large kitchen spoon (1tbsp or so) for each one. The batch should make around 15. Obviously if you make the individual cookies too big, they won’t cook correctly.

Bake at 350F (preheated) for about ten minutes, until they start to brown well. They won’t look like they’re done. Touch them with you finger to check if they have hardened. It will be obvious (by touch) when they’re done. Eat! (cooling optional)

**They’re also really good frozen.

Stir Fried Beef/chicken with Vegetables

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
12 ounces boneless sirloin steak, trimmed of all visible fat, thinly sliced (I used chicken)
¼ cup burgundy wine (I didn’t have or use this)
1 yellow onion cut thinly into wedges
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into slender strips
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
4 ounces thinly sliced carrots
4 onces chopped broccoli
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Sauté the beef/chicken in the oil with garlic and half of the red wine until the beef/chicken is browned. Remove from skillet. Heat the residual oil in the skillet. Sauté the onion, celery, red pepper, carrots,until the onion is tender – about 4 minutes. Add the remainder of the red wine. (if you use it) Add the mushrooms; then the broccoli the stir-fry everything together for about another 3 minutes. Combine the vegetables with the meat.

Cinnamon Apple Paleo Muffins

Ingredients
2 c almond flour
2 c unsweetened finely shredded coconut ( I omit this )
4 eggs
2 large apple, cored, peeled, and diced (I omit this)
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 tsp almond butter
1/2 c blue agave sweetener (I use honey instead)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
a dash of nutmeg
I usually add in 1 c of blueberries or a mashed up banana.

Mix all dry ingredients first, then add the wet ones and divide evenly into a muffin tin. Bake 15 minutes at 375F. Makes 1 dozen.

The recipe can easily be halved, but fill the 6 unused muffin cups halfway with water so the pan heats evenly. I usually have enough to fill a large muffin tray up and they are good sized muffins. Yummo!

Some Bonus Variations

Blueberry Muffins:
substitute 1/2 to 1 cup of blueberries for the apples
You could omit the cinnamon or swap it out for another spice

Peach Muffins:
substitute a cup of chopped peaches for the apples
could be really good with local Colorado peaches in the summer!

Nut Muffins:
omit apples
increase olive oil to 3 Tbsp
add 1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans
maybe add a little unsweetened applesauce too, if they are too dry