RECIPE: Fresh Kale Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch kale, remove the center stem
• 1 medium size fresh lemon, for freshly squeezed juice
• 1/4 cup Certified Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, you can also you lemon flavored olive oil
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon or to taste sea salt
• 1/4 cup slivers, chopped or sliced unsalted almonds
• 1/4 cup fresh aged Asiago, Parmesan and Romano Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash kale leaves thoroughly, dry or use salad spinner, then remove center stem and chop up.
2. Using a medium size bowl , add lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic & salt, mix well.  Add kale leaves to the marinade/seasonings.  With your hands work all the marinade into the kale. Massaging the kale leaves ensures coverage and helps to tenderize.  Let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Before serving add almonds and cheeses and toss...  Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. 

 Nutritional information on Kale:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale

RECIPE: Lemon Bar Cake (Not Paleo)

Okay, so we are hosting a gathering of divers in July, so I'm trying out recipes well in advance. I know, I know ... Just a wee bit ahead of myself, aren't I? Well, I'm like that! I've already made several decisions and we haven't even decided on the date yet! I LOVE to entertain, and I'm told I throw a helluva party, so we shall see! Either way, I'll be blogging as I try recipes. I'm all about simple, flavorful, WOW recipes!
So, my first attempt is for a quick and easy dessert. Granted, it's not Paleo, but I figured one or two dishes to satiate sugar cravings might not be such a bad idea. Well, it just doesn't get any easier that this recipe, I assure you! After all, how can you top TWO ingredients???
LEMON BAR CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Box Angel Food Cake Mix
1 can Lemon Pie Filling (15 ounce)
Powdered Sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 9X13 pan.
3. Mix angel food cake mix and lemon pie filling together, but don't over-mix them.

4. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly, then bake for 20 - 30 minutes depending on your oven. 25 minutes was perfect in my oven.

5. Let cool completely. If you'd like, sprinkle a little powdered sugar on it while it's cooling. 
6. Cut. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Lemon Bars

One of Conrad's most favorite treats is lemon bars. My mother has always made exceptional bars, but in her elder years she just isn't able to make them as often ... Be sides that fact that we live 2400 miles apart! So, I was looking around on the Internet (Primal Women In The Kitchen) and came across some Paleo Lemon Bars. Well, you guessed it ... I HAD to give them a try! They taste fantastic! Tart and fresh, sweet and nutty! 

INGREDIENTS:

Filling:

6 whole Eggs
1/2 cup Honey
1 cup Lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1/2 cup Coconut oil

Crust:

1 cup raw Almonds
1 cup raw Pecans
1/4 cup Honey
1/2 cup melted Coconut oil
2 Eggs

DIRECTIONS:

Filling:

1. Whisk eggs, honey, and lemon juice together in a medium sized sauce pan.
2. Heat on medium/high and add coconut oil. Stir until the coconut oil has melted.
3. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles.
4. Remove from heat and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to cool and thicken further.

Crust:

1. Place almonds and pecans in a food processor or blender until finely chopped, do not puree. They should be in tiny pieces but not as fine as almond flour.
2. Mix the nuts with the remaining ingredients until they are well combined.
3. Spread over the bottom of a well greased 8 x 12 pan. I used olive oil spray.

4. Heat oven to 400* and bake for 15-18 minutes. The crust will be done when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

5. Cool crust completely before layering the filling over the top. Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

RECIPE: Cool Whip Cookies ... So NOT Paleo!!

Okay, so it's the Christmas Eve eve and I thought I'd share a recipe that's NOT Paleo ... In the least! As I mentioned before, it's just not possible to be 100% 24/7/365, so here's a splurge. I made these in multiple flavors for gifts to my friends this year and everyone seems to love them.
They are called Cool Whip Cookies. They are light and fluffy and down right delicious! I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com. Here's the link: Cool Whip Cookies
Try them for yourself!
INGREDIENTS:
1 - 8 ounce container of Cool Whip topping
2 large eggs
1 box cake mix (I chose Spice Cake)
1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
3 tsp ground ginger (separated)
DIRECTIONS:
Break eggs into a medium to large sized mixing bowl and beat well. 
Add Cool Whip topping and beat again. 
Add 1/2 cake mix and 2 tsp ground ginger, blending well. Then add remaining cake mix and blend well. Batter will be quite sticky and that is normal. 
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put powdered sugar in a bowl and mix in 1+ tsp ground ginger to taste. (Only for ginger cookies, not other flavors!)
Lightly grease cookie sheet.
Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll to coat.
Place cookies on the greased cookie sheet and bake for 9 - 11 minutes. 
Cool cookies on racks.
I usually get 5 dozen cookies from one batch.

Mixing Cool Whip and eggs

 Adding cake mix and extra ginger

 Adding ginger to powdered sugar

 The batter and sugar

 Ready to go into the oven

 9 minutes later

Here are some photos of different batches I've made. From upper left: Ginger, Triple Chocolate Fudge, Lemon, Red Velvet

Lemon

 Triple Chocolate Fudge

Ginger 

  Red Velvet (I added a little extra Hershey's cocoa powder to add more chocolate flavor!)