Keto-Friendly Chicken Fried Steak

Keto-Friendly Chicken Fried Steak Recipe [paleo, primal, gluten-free, keto]

Heather and I are doing a great job eating well to kick off 2018. That means we’ve avoided most fried foods, and definitely avoided ordering in junk food. We feel great, and are fitting into clothes better, and that says a lot considering we’re also sleep training our almost nine (!##@!) month old son. Despite our good habits, we still have the occasional craving.

Chicken fried steak wasn’t a big staple for either of us growing up, but let’s be honest—it sounds amazing. Amazing in that it sounds like it’s too unhealthy to really be something you should eat. We didn’t let that stop us from making a low-carb friendly version. I’ve been strictly keto for the past 2 months, and eventually I’ll write more about my results either here or elsewhere, but for now, here’s a recipe for your keto kitchen. If you want to hear more about what I’ve been doing (and how I’ve lost about 30 pounds) let me know in the comments.

Enough yapping, on to the recipe…

Quick Spinach and Mushroom Sauté

Do you struggle to get enough vegetables into your day? I have been following a pretty strict ketogenic diet for the past 6 weeks, and vegetable intake has been a struggle. My appetite has been low and I’m feeling great, but I haven’t been hungry for vegetables. That said, the need for mushrooms hit hard and fast this weekend.

In turn, we decided to put together a super easy side dish that would satisfy my craving. The ghee we used is Salted White Truffle from 4th & Hearth. The combination of truffle, spinach, and mushroom makes for an umami explosion you won’t want to miss. This didn’t last in the house long enough for us to serve it as a standard side, but I bet it would go great with just about any protein you choose. Enjoy!

Caesar Marinated Chicken Thighs

Caesar Marinated Chicken Thighs Recipe [paleo, primal, gluten-free, keto]

Over the past 6 weeks, Heather and I have been trying to focus more on eating real food and making straightforward recipes. There’s something about having an eight-month-old at home, and working on sleep training, that makes one want to minimize any extra work outside the essentials. In that vein, we’ve always been a big fan of batch cooking, and sheets of chicken thighs (or other cuts of chicken) have always been a standard. In a pinch, we’ll bake chicken thighs with just salt and pepper, but usually we prefer more flavor.

Last year we cooked up a delicious, mayonnaise based Caesar dressing that knocked our socks off. We figured it would make a good marinade as well, and we were right. This adds a nice flavor and a thin crust to the thighs that take the flavor up a level. You can eat these on their own, or slice them up and add them to a chicken Caesar salad! However you choose to eat them, you won’t be disappointed.

Gluten-free Granola for Breastfeeding Moms

Grain-Free Granola for Breastfeeding Moms Recipe [paleo, primal, gluten-free]

Breastfeeding can be a challenging experience at any stage. If you’re also a working mom, pumping adds another layer of (possible) complications. Some weeks, my supply seems just fine. Other weeks, I feel like I just can’t pump enough breastmilk and I worry my dwindling freezer stash will run out before Otto is ready to completely wean. Sure, we’re introducing solid foods (we started doing that two months ago, when Otto turned 6 months old). But, he’s still unsure. So his primary source of nutrition is, and will likely remain for some time, my breastmilk.

We crafted this granola recipe during one of those weeks I was feeling insecure about my milk supply, and it seemed to help! It’s specially designed with ingredients that help breastmilk production—nuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed—and uses only minimal added sugar (maple syrup) along with cinnamon (known to help regulate blood sugar) in the hopes of preventing that sugar high and crash that can happen after eating super sweet snacks.

Even if you’re not breastfeeding, this gluten-free granola is a quick and easy way to satisfy that craving you might have for a crunchy topping to your non-dairy yogurt (or regular yogurt, if you tolerate dairy well). We hope you enjoy it!

Sheet Pan Chicken, Artichoke, and Olive Bake

Sheet Pan Chicken, Artichoke, and Olive Bake Recipe [paleo, primal, gluten-free, keto]

We’re nearing the end of January, and like many others, we’ve refocused on healthy eating habits this month. Although we spent the past few days on the west coast for a work meeting, that didn’t get in the way of eating within our game plan. It’s been busy at work for both of us, so easy recipes have been really important.

This sheet pan bake is a big hit for us because it took so little time to get together and it was ready to eat within an hour. As you look to plan your food for the week, we hope you’ll add it to the shopping list. We were able to pick up everything we needed from our local Costco, although you could easily do the same thing at the grocery store.