I am currently getting ready to complete the wods in the CrossFit Open 2016 *and* am training for Ragnar Relay. While I prefer paleo's de-emphasis of carbs as an energy source, this volume of work has me reaching specifically for some carbs a few times/week.

This recipe has a solid protein and fat source (yes, you do need to eat fat), and it has crunchy carby asparagus and is served over the starch of your choice. I chose RP Pasta's spinach fettuccine noodles. 

If your workouts are creating that special exhausted feeling in you, or if you are asking extra workouts of your body and want to be sure to have all different kinds of fuel in the tank, reach for this recipe, it's delicious and will leave you ready for a 10 mile run. Or 1 mile, wherever you're at.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (about 2lbs) chicken thighs or breasts or whatever you have thawed and ready
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped and crushed with the flat of your knife blade
• 1lb asparagus spears cut into roughly 2" length pieces
• ¾ cup canned full fat coconut milk 
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Arrowroot or 1 Tbsp tapioca flour, whatever you have on hand
• The juice of 1 lemon or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Starch of your choice (keep in mind that most gluten-free pastas are made from brown rice and so forth, so even gluten-free pasta will have a good amount of starch and thus carbs)

Directions:

1. Grab a deep frying pan (ideally 2-3" deep or more) and melt your coconut oil on medium heat
2. Place chicken pieces in one layer in the pan and cook about 3 mins/side, then set aside (chicken will not be cooked through)
3. Toss in your crushed garlic and chopped asparagus and saute until asparagus turns that vibrantly green shade and is cooked but still crispy (about 6-7 mins)
4. Return the chicken to the pan. Add in coconut milk (some of the fat and some of the liquid), and the lemon juice and stir everything together.
5. Add arrowroot to the pan and re-stir everything (air on the side of over-stirring because you don't want the arrowroot to clump)
6. With the burner on medium high heat, cover. Cook/simmer for an additional 4-5 mins until chicken is just cooked through. Do not overdo it or your amazing nutrient-packed asparagus will be mushy

7. Serve over starch of your choice, being sure to get a few scoops of the delicious lemony sauce over your plate

​Serves 4, or 2 athletes for dinner and then the same 2 later on for supper

This yummy recipe is great in both its nutritional content and its versatility. You can make it with beef, turkey, lamb, camel or whatever (I seriously saw ground camel at the store the other day so why not?) and while I like bell pepper and onion in the dish, you can add/substitute poblano pepper, spinach, leek, or whatever you like. It's the savory and slow heat that make the dish, so whatever you have thawed and ready to go will work.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of ground beef or ground meat of choice
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 onion, diced small
• 1 bell pepper, diced small
• chili powder
• black pepper
• paprika
• oregano
• thyme
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• olive oil in which to saute vegetables
  
  
  Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. Slice garlic and then smash it with the flat of the blade of the knife, then toss it in a large frying pan with your olive oil and saute for a few minutes
3. Sauté onions and peppers (or your veggies of choice) until just barely tender
4. Remove veggies from heat and place in a different dish to stop them continuing to cook
5. Put uncooked ground beef in a large bowl and add the eggs and almond flour
6. Once those are mixed, add the vegetables into the meat and re-mix
7. Grease 4 mini loaf pans (perfect portion size for filling dinners or lunches), 2 small loaf pans, or 1 regular loaf pan with butter or olive or coconut oil, and scoop your mixture into the pan(s)
8. Cover the pan(s) with tin foil and cook 35-40 mins in mini loaf pans, 50 mins in small loaf pans, or 65 minutes in a regular loaf pan
9. Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10 minutes before slicing

10. Add paleo BBQ sauce or munch as it. The loaf/loaves will be juicy and tender so no need for sauce, plus it might cover up the slow heat that comes in this dish

Makes 4 hearty meals, especially if served alongside some mixed greens

Today let's begin with a history of the brussels sprout:

A long time ago, someone somewhere really really ticked God off.
In retaliation He sent us brussels sprouts.
​The end.

Ok, I am somewhat kidding. I don't know how the brussels sprout came to be eaten by humans (^but I wouldn't rule out this explanation). I enjoy most vegetables but I have never been able to get alongside these vitamin-packed little morsels. So when someone mentioned to me that I should try this breakfast bake, my response in my head was, 'but my taste buds didn't do anything wrong.' 

But paleo-ers have to continually expand our horizons if we want to keep our meals interesting, and this dish promised bacon so I figured, let's go for it. Worst outcome is that I make a mess and have to pick pieces of delicious bacon out and consume them individually. Darn. 

So I ventured forth and made this dish and it was an instant classic. Nobody is more surprised than me.

I will say that this is a dish which will easily take 25-30 minutes, so you'll want to either get the chopping and dicing out of the way ahead of time, or you'll want to save it for a weekend morning or even for dinner.
​Breakfast for Dinner is the unofficial slogan of paleo, after all​

Ingredients:

12 ounces Brussels sprouts
4 thick slices of bacon (bonus if it's uncured and/or nitrate-free)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
3 large eggs
kosher salt
cracked black pepper

Directions:

2. Cook your bacon, then set it aside on a plate or paper towel but *do not* get rid of your bacon grease.
​3. Turn the burner to just under medium and toss your crushed garlic and chopped shallots into the still hot bacon grease and let it saute for 30 seconds-1 min. Savor the yummy aroma.

​

4. Put your sprouts in the pan, add the apple cider vinegar, and stir everything together, then let sizzle/saute for 4-5 minutes, depending how tender you want your sprouts (we enjoyed leaving them with a bit of fiber/texture to them rather than cooking them to the point of thoroughly tender).

​

5. Create a large well in the center of the pan and put the butter in it. Then crack your 3 eggs into it and put the lid on the pan.

7. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately. This dish is full of flavor and has a slight crunch and leaves you feeling full and ready to go. Enjoy!!