Category: Paleo

‘Paleo’ is a style of eating mirroring the diet of Stone Age hunter-gatherers that has a focus on real, whole foods, including meats, nuts/seeds, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, and limits or omits starch from grains, beans, starchier vegetables and dairy. At Leaves of Life, we often use what we call a “Modified Paleo” plan. In general, we believe most Paleo recipes are a bit heavier on meat and too light on veggies (which promotes an acidic pH) for most, though we may start someone out with a pure Paleo plan initially and observe for changes in body composition and reported symptoms. Some patients require more starch and/or fiber to regulate bowel movements and maintain an ideal weight, so we may include certain types of grains or beans to adjust the plan to fit the patient.

We find patients respond well to Paleo and Modified Paleo, in part because two of the main dietary offenders are eliminated (grains and dairy).

Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Healthy Desserts, Paleo, Recipes, Uncategorized

Chia Fruit Muffins

Posted on September 2, 2019September 20, 2019

*Photo and recipe courtesy of Leaves of Life*

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour
2 tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 tsp baking powder
Stevia to taste
6 eggs
1 cup milk (pea protein adds 8g protein per cup, but any milk will do)
1/4 cup maple syrup, coconut nectar or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup fruit of choice (peach is pictured here)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another (reserve fruit for now)
After thoroughly blending dry and wet ingredients in their separate bowls, add the dry to the wet slowly while stirring continuously, until thoroughly incorporated
Gently stir in fruit
Grease muffin pan with coconut oil
Spoon in mixture to just below the top of each cup
Bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean

A fresh fruit garnish is the perfect complement!

Dairy-Free, Detox, Elimination Diet, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Healthy Desserts, Keto, Keto Dairy Free, Paleo, Recipes

Coconut Chia Pudding

Posted on August 19, 2019

*Recipe and photo courtesy of Leaves of Life*

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (I use pea protein milk to add 8g protein per cup, but any milk will work)
2-3 tbsp full fat coconut cream (from the top of the can of whole fat coconut milk), warmed to liquid
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-3 tsp honey, maple or agave syrup
Stevia to taste (optional)
3 tbsp chia seeds
1/4-1/3 cup shredded coconut

Instructions:

Blend first 5 ingredients
Stir in chia seeds and shredded coconut
Shake thoroughly
Agitate for 5 minutes
Allow to sit on the counter for several hours or overnight so the pudding thickens properly

Top with berries and shredded coconut and enjoy!

Healthier People, Paleo, Recipes

Creamy Paleo Chicken Soup with Mushrooms and Kale

Posted on February 5, 2019February 8, 2019

Creamy Paleo Chicken Soup with Mushrooms and Kale

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cooked
3 Tbsp ghee grass-fed butter, or refined coconut oil
2 leeks white and light green parts only, chopped – You can sub in chopped onions, if preferred
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups white button mushrooms sliced
2-3 large handfuls kale roughly chopped (it should look like a lot since it cooks down so much)
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp arrowroot starch or tapioca
2 2/3 cups chicken bone broth
2/3 cup organic coconut milk full fat
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (this is for flavor)
1/2 Tbsp brown mustard
2 sage leaves minced
2 tsp fresh minced rosemary
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Melt the ghee, butter, or refined coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and cook until softened, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir to coat, then continue to cook another 2-3 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, whisk arrowroot into the broth until dissolved. Add the kale to the saucepan over the other veggies and gently stir (it’s a lot, it will cook down quickly though!) then pour in the broth and coconut milk. Whisk in the nutritional yeast and mustard until combined.

Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Lower the heat just a bit to avoid overflow, and continue to boil and stir until thickened, then turn heat to low.

Add in the chicken, fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Allow soup to simmer another few minutes before serving.

Dairy-Free, Detox, Elimination Diet, Garden Gluttony, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Recipes

Hamburger Salad

Posted on August 12, 2018August 23, 2018

Ingredients:

Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Onion, chopped
Crumbled hamburger, cooked (turkey, grass-fed beef, or bison)
Bubbie’s fermented dill relish
Dijon or yellow mustard
Salad dressing of choice

Instructions:

Assemble salad
Top with warm burger
Dress the salad and enjoy!

Tips: Try different dressings and toppings to mimic the same flavors you enjoy on a burger. A sun-dried tomato vinaigrette can help approximate ketchup, and a creamy Annie’s Goddess dressing helps to stretch the mustard flavor without over-salting. If these options won’t work for whatever reason, olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper are remarkably tasty. If you prefer a cheeseburger and you tolerate cheese, top with some shredded, grass- fed cheddar.

Dairy-Free, Detox, Elimination Diet, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Uncategorized

Baked Chicken “Wings”

Posted on July 23, 2018August 27, 2018

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 3-4 breasts split in half)
1/8-1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot (aged cayenne pepper sauce)
Salt and herbs to taste (rosemary, pepper, garlic, thyme are all great choices)

Instructions:

Spread chicken out flat in baking dish
Evenly coat with Frank’s Red Hot sauce
Sprinkle salt and herbs on top
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until cooked through

Tip:

Take advantage of the hot oven to roast some cauliflower or other veggies at the same time, and maybe a sweet potato, too!

Reserve the extra juices to drip over fresh veggies when you plate it up!

Dairy-Free, Detox, Elimination Diet, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Healthy Desserts, Low Fat Low Sugar, Paleo, Recipes, Uncategorized

Chia Pudding

Posted on February 12, 2018August 23, 2018

Photo Courtesy of Leaves of Life

1 cup milk (coconut, hemp, almond, etc, or pea protein milk to boost protein content)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1-3 tsp honey, maple or agave syrup

3 tbsp chia seeds

Blend first 3 ingredients, then stir in chia seeds and allow to sit overnight.

Top with berries and enjoy!

Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Recipes

Multi-Seed Crackers

Posted on April 22, 2016August 23, 2018

Fantastic snack! Photo courtesy of Patty Shipley.

Recipe courtesy of Bistro One Six

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Raw Whole flax seeds
½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Whole Seed chia seeds
½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Simply Raw sunflower seeds
½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Simply Raw pumpkin seeds
½ teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Your choice of seasonings such as black pepper, chili, onion or garlic powder, oregano, rosemary, or thyme.

Tip: When choosing your seasonings, pay attention to labels to keep the recipe totally gluten free.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together plus whatever additional seasonings you might want and stir until combined.
Let sit 10 minutes to allow the flax and chia seeds to become somewhat gelatinous.
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment and spray with cooking spray. Spread mixture out, pressing until the sheet is less than ¼ inch thick.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and slice into crackers (a pizza cutter is super-handy).
Carefully turn the crackers over and put them back in the oven for an additional 20-30 minutes.
Stored in an air-tight container they will stay fresh for a week.

Dairy-Free, Detox, Elimination Diet, Garden Gluttony, Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Recipes

Sassy Summer Salad

Posted on July 21, 2015September 2, 2018

Salad Ingredients:

Mixed greens
Your favorite summer berries
Pecan pieces
Crumbled coconut crisps (suggestion – Dang from Whole Foods, found in or near the bulk aisle)

Salad Instructions:

Combine salad ingredients in whatever ratios you prefer.
Toss with the dressing and serve immediately.

Tip: If you need to put your salad together in advance, put the dressing on the bottom of a salad bowl, next add your berries, then put the greens and crunchies on top. Toss only when you’re ready to serve. This buys you time and avoids soggy greens and coconut crisps!

vinegar and oil — Infused vinegars and oils add flavor depth!

Dressing ingredients:

Persian Lime infused olive oil (2 parts)
Coconut infused white vinegar (1 part)
Honey ginger infused white vinegar (1 part)
½-1 tsp cinnamon (to taste–optional)

Dressing instructions:
Combine dressing ingredients in a sealed jar and shake thoroughly.

Tip: Remember, you can always add more cinnamon, but you can’t take it out!

Tip: I have found the most important part of the dressing recipe is the flavor-infused vinegar. Just mix equal parts plain olive oil with a fruit- or other flavor-infused vinegar and shake!