Baked Egg in Avocado

Ingredients:

2 avocados

4 eggs

salt and pepper

Toppings: feta/goat cheese or pesto/salsa

Optional: fresh dill, smoked salmon, prosciutto  

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the avocados in half and carefully remove the pit. Put avocados open side up in a large baking dish.

Crack an egg in each avocado half and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Place in oven for 15-20 minutes or until egg reaches desired doneness.

Top with desired toppings while still hot.

Enjoy!!

Paleo Thanksgiving Sweet Pototo Gratin

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, sliced thin
• 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 1 can coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons coconut butter
• 4 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut nectar/ raw honey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional: enough bacon to cover the top OR cook and put inside 

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (Coconut oil, ghee, bacon fat, etc.)
3. Use mandolin to slice sweet potatoes thinly. If you don’t have one, you are going to have to thinly slice 2 sweet potatoes, so you can come read the rest of these directions in an hour
4. Use the mandolin as well to thinly slice your onions.
5. Now you’re going to start the layering process. Layering the sweet potatoes so you can’t see the bottom on the dish. Then layer with a little onion and a little almond meal.
6. Keep on layering until all your sweet potatoes are gone.

Sauce Instructions:

1.  Pull out a saucepan and put over medium heat.
2. Add your coconut milk, coconut butter, almond butter, coconut nectar, and spices to the saucepan and stir until the coconut butter and almond butter have cooked. Don’t boil. We don’t need caramel.
3. Once everything is mixed together, pour the mixture over the sweet potato layers. Then top off everything with a little bit more almond meal.
4. Cover the rest of the dish with strips of bacon (unless you chopped and cooked it to add into your gratin).
5. Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and put in the oven for around 30 minutes.
6. Once the 30 minutes are up, pull out the dish, remove the aluminum foil, and put dish under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes, or until bacon is nice and crispy 

Flora Farms- San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

After years of hearing about Flora Farms, we finally made it to the ten-acre organic farm in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. We pilled in the car after an amazing day on the East Cape, and headed over excited as ever.  The desert all of a sudden became surrounded by a hill range surround by greenery. We had arrived in paradise!

We were kindly greeted by our farm tour guide. We had a 45 minute tour of the property and farm where we learned a lot about this incredible operation. It takes a team of 300 to successfully run the farm, restaurant, grocery store, cooking school and cottages. The day starts at 2am every morning with the bakery staff stocking the wood fire oven in order for it to be 700 degrees. By dinner the oven is hot and ready, making the pizza light, fluffy and amazing. Once its hot they start baking the breads consisting of whole wheat, olive and walnut, and rustic italian. They also have a outdoor grocery store where they sell their homemade scones, bran muffins, breads, sauces, pestos, honey, desserts, eggs, pickled foods, flowers, and of course freshly picked fruits and veggies.

Everything found at the restaurant and  the outdoor grocery comes from their property. They also have a 150 acre ranch where they raise their meat down the way. They have chicken, rabbits, and pigs running around eating organic and that are raised without any hormones or antibiotics.

The  land was bought in 1996 by the owners Gloria and Patrick Greene who are from Santa Barbara. They have spent the last 10 years making it into what is it today. They grow 90 heirloom vegetables, many of which are pulled from the ground the day they are served.

Our tour guide said, "It's like eating out of your grandmother's garden, what we are growing here is what there was before the time of pesticides and GMO's." Once the tour ended we were greeted by a good family friend and  Cabo local, Janet who we quickly came to find out is best friends of the owner Gloria. We were sat at a large table in the back corner. There were no walls in the entire place, but it was sectioned off by greenery, metal star lights, or hanging mason  jars filled with candles. The vast open air  restaurant is perfectly positioned in the middle of the lush organic farm so that you are surrounded by what you are about to eat.  The scene was a mix of locals, both Mexicans and Gringos. The atmosphere was what made it so special. The moon was full, stars were bright and not a cloud in the sky. This was a night i will never forget.

( Hibiscus flowers pictured above laying out to dry) These amazing flowers are used traditionally in Mexico in a juice called Jamaica. You have probably seen it before in a big glass container, served next to the Horchata.  They are also used to make bitters, used in cocktails and  most often mixed with a little honey and lime for an afternoon refreshment.

A small acoustic band played outside the U shaped bar filled with people sipping cocktails made of farm ingredients such as homemade bitters from their Hibiscus mixed with Makers Mark, watermelon and mint rum drinks, and plenty of tequila.

The fat kids had been saving up all day and it was finally time to eat. We of course started off with drinks and I had to order the famous Farmarita, which is served in a mason jar and is made up of heirloom carrot juice, orange juice, lime and of course Tequilla.

The  menu depends on what is being grown on their property at that time. We walked through an herb garden, every variety of lettuce you could imagine, fruit trees, corn, wheat, berries, cucumbers, squash, carrots, things I have never heard of…

Now for the fun part, Dinner… If you have ever eaten with my family you would know that when we go out, we go big. Besides that, we share so that we are sure to taste a little bit of everything. My mom and I discussed the appetizers we wanted and our waiter informed us that the owner was  already sending out her favorites for us to start with. We looked at each other surpassed but of course thrilled to see what was coming. In our family you try  everything, life is too short for picky eaters or to not try and branch out. Thank god because soon enough the waiter brought out charcuterie platters on  2 huge pieces of rustic wood filled with rabbit rillettes, crispy torchone ( I still don't know what this was), chicken live mousse, duck with a poached quail egg, pickled carrots and cauliflower, homemade mustard and berry compote; accompanied with house made bread and balsamic and olive oil. Next a house made burrata (which is a wet, light mozzarella type cheese that melts in your mouth) with olive tapenade. Roasted beet carpaccio with forage blanc.

Then came out 2 wood oven thin crust pizzas that I will be dreaming of. The first one was house cured procuitto topped with arugula. The 2nd was squash blousons, house made ricotta and pancetta.

My sister and I were so full, but we decided to share a couple things.  We started with the pork belly confit with a mango marmalade and garden veggies. The meat melted in your mouth! Then we had an Arugula Salad with marinated eggplant and these bread crusted ricotta balls of heaven.

As for the rest of the gang...

Ricky took our waiters favorite and went with the Pork Chop that was incredible.

Abel got the Rabbit that was cooked in hay and served with a curried cauliflower puree.

Davy got the Cappellini with oysters in a sage brown butter sauce. All of their pastas are made in house that day.

I could go on, but I do not want to bore you with my food obsession and honestly it makes my mouth water as I sit here and dream about that amazing meal.

Visit their website and plan a trip down there, its well worth the voyage!

http://flora-farms.com

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Halloween Detox

Did you indulge during this long Halloween weekend?? I will be putting up a juicing Detox guide this week on www.skinnyfatkids.com to help you get back on track! It's Monday, so it's a perfect day to start your week off the right way!

Quick Tips!

1. Hydration is crucial- it helps to flush our organs. Make sure you start your day with a large glass of water with lemon. Split your body weight in half and drink that # in ounces of water! Get rid of soda, fruit juice, and coffee for the week!

2. Get moving and sweat it out. Even if it's a walk on your lunch break, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, fitting in a 20 minute run before dinner, just move !

3. Eat every couple of hours! As soon as you skip meals or go long periods of time without eating, our body's will store fat!

Example of a good snack would be an apple with a handful of raw nuts!

4. Load up on fiber! Fiber helps remove the built up toxins we have in our systems.

5. Eat at home - not only will you eat less, but you know what is going into your food. Restaurants add salt, butter, oils and things that quickly add large amount of unnecessary calories!

6. Incorporate detoxifying herbs!

Here are some I love:

Dandelion: Dandelion one of the greatest liver herbs known. It stimulates the liver to detoxify poisons. Promotes healthy circulation, strengthens weak arteries. You can buy it in tea bags at any health food store.

Capsicum: also known as cayenne pepper is an alterative, antioxidant, antiseptic, and circulatory stimulant. It is rich in vitamin C and helps improve metabolism, thus contributing to weight loss.

Ginger: is a great herb for restoring digestion. When toxins impair the process of digestion and when the digestive enzymes have been weakened, they need assistance to restore their functioning. Ginger will stimulate the digestive system and help with your metabolism.

Chlorella: Most of you know how much I love chlorophyll in my water! Chlorella is an power-packed whole food source provides over 19 amino acids including all 8 essential, plus beta-carotene, potassium and other valuable vitamins and minerals, and enzymes. Contains natural antioxidant phytonutrient source, also a great detoxifier, cell enhancer, and blood cleansers. This green stuff is an internal deodorant to reduce body odors originating in the digestive tract.

Turmeric: The health of our digestive system affects our immune system. The mucus membrane of the gut, a part of the lymph system is compromised by digestive imbalances. These imbalances which can be caused by toxins, diet choices, stress and lifestyle manifest either as constipation or diarrhea depending on whether the imbalances are drying or creating congestion. Seasonal factors can add to the imbalances.

7. De- stress Constant stress is bad for your entire body. Give yourself a break by taking five to 10 minutes every day to do something that helps your mind and body relax. Whether it's sitting in a park or on the beach and being quiet and breathing, if it's taking a yoga class, reading a book, writing in your journal, or taking an Epsom salt bath... Find your way to release your day, everyday! Concentrate on how your body sounds, moves and feels. Your bodies should be your temple.

8. Get enough sleep Aim for seven to eight hours of good sleep every night. Hit the hay before 11 p.m... According to Chinese medicine, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. is key for the gallbladder and liver, which help detoxification.

9. Probiotics: are microorganisms which promote good health and digestion. Optimizing your gut flora is critical to staying healthy. The purpose of a detox is to eliminate toxins from the body, it is vital to support your gut during this cleansing process. Probiotics help break down substances in your diet to enable better digestion & detoxification, they aid the absorption of vitamins & minerals essential to your body, and they boost your immunity by limiting growth of harmful bacteria. If you’re only going to take one vitamin or supplement this year, make it a probiotic.

10. Don't wait till the new year to make a resolution! You can do this!

Whats in season NOW in California?

Spring is here... and so are some delicious fruits and veggies!! Artichokes, asparagus, beets, cherries, kohlrabi, spinach, mushrooms, parsley, tangerines, raspberries, and strawberries are all in season. Shop at your local farmers market and find organic, local and in season produce. Artichoke

Considered the true artichoke, the globe artichoke  is cultivated mainly in California's midcoastal region. It's the bud of a large plant from the thistle family and has tough, petal-shaped leaves. To eat a whole cooked artichoke, break off the leaves one by one and draw the base of the leaf through your teeth to remove the soft portion, discarding the remainder of the leaf. The individual leaves may be dipped into melted butter or some other sauce. Once the leaves have been removed, the inedible prickly choke  is cut or scraped away and discarded. Then the tender artichoke heart and meaty bottom can be eaten. Globe artichokes are available year-round, with the peak season from March through May. Buy deep green, heavy-for-their-size artichokes with a tight leaf formation. The leaves should "squeak" when pressed together. Heavy browning on an artichoke usually indicates it's beyond its prime, though a slight discoloration on the leaf edges early in the season is generally frost damage and won't affect the vegetable's quality. Store unwashed artichokes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; wash just before cooking.

Health Benefits  Artichoke is a rich source of dietary fiber; provides 5.4 g per 100 g, one large artichoke contains a quarter of the recommended daily intake of fiber. A medium artichoke has more fiber than a cup of prunes. Artichoke is an excellent source of folic acid provides about 68 mcg per 100 g. It is also rich in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, and pantothenic acid that are essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions. Artichokes help the digestive system. They are a natural diuretic, they aid digestion, improve gallbladder function and, as mentioned above, they are of great benefit to the liver.  A study done by the USDA found that artichokes have more antioxidants than any other vegetable and they ranked seventh in a study of the antioxidant levels of 1,000 different foods. Some of the powerful antioxidants in artichokes are quercertin, rutin, anthocyanins, cynarin, luteolin, and silymarin.

Thanks to their positive effects on the liver, many people swear by artichokes as a hangover treatment. Instead of the hair of the dog, try the leaves of an artichoke.

Asparagus

A favorite vegetable of the ancient Greeks, asparagus was highly regarded for its cleansing and healing properties. Rich in the diuretic asparagine, asparagus is thought to benefit the kidneys, although too much can be an irritant. Modern alternative medicine cites asparagus as beneficial for vascular problems, arteriosclerosis and cleansing the arteries of cholesterol. The high folic acid content in asparagus is crucial to blood cell formation and growth, and aids in the prevention of liver disease, and birth defects such as spina bifida.

Tall and slender, asparagus shoots up like a blade of grass. It is a member of the lily family and not a grass at all, even though asparagus is often referred to as “grass” on the docks of the produce market. To keep your “grass” in peak condition, remove the band, clip the ends & store upright on a wet paper towel. It’s important to note that asparagus keeps growing after harvest, drawing water away from the lower stalk. Without water, your grass could get tough and fibrous. Too much moisture will cause rot, but just a little will keep it tender. As always, it is best to use your fresh spears within a few days. Look for firm, fresh, spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter – this will ensure that all spears will cook in the same amount of time.

Rich in Vitamin K which helps promote strong, healthy bones as well as potassium, a terrific blood-pressure regulator, asparagus offers you more than just a reminder that warm weather and baseball season are on its way. And there are a multitude of ways you can prepare it, so you won’t get bored before the season is out.

Beets

Foods belonging to the chenopod family — including beets, chard, spinach and quinoa — continue to show an increasing number of health benefits not readily available from other food families.Commonly known as the garden beet , this firm, round root vegetable has leafy green tops, which are also edible and highly nutritious. Small or medium beets are generally more tender than large ones.

Health Benefits

Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. Betanin and vulgaxanthin are the two best-studied betalains from beets, and both have been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. What's most striking about beets is not the fact that they are rich in antioxidants; what's striking is the unusual mix of antioxidants that they contain. The combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory molecules in beets makes this food a highly likely candidate for risk reduction of many cancer types. Lab studies on human tumor cells have confirmed this possibility for colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular cancers.

Recipe for Roasted Beet Salad with Mint and Feta Serves 2-3

Ingredients

•  1 bunch organic beets, trimmed (about 5-6 medium beets)
•  cold pressed organic olive oil
•  course sea salt
•  1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
•  1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
•  2 teaspoons minced preserved lemon rind (or substitute lemon zest)
•  1 tablespoon olive oil
•  1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean under water and cut off any thick skin pieces. Chop the beets into bite-sized pieces. Cover the beets all over with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast for 1 hour.

In a medium bowl, mix the chopped beets with the mint and the feta.

Add the preserved lemon rind, the olive oil, and the honey. Mix well to combine.

Garnish with additional fresh mint, if desired. Kohlrabi

This vegetable is a member of the turnip family and, for that reason, is also called cabbage turnip . Like the turnip, both its purple-tinged, white bulblike stem and its greens are edible. The kohlrabi bulb tastes like a mild, sweet turnip. Those under 3 inches in diameter are the most tender. Choose a kohlrabi that is heavy for its size with firm, deeply colored green leaves. Avoid any with soft spots on the bulb or signs of yellowing on leaf tips. Store tightly wrapped up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Kohlrabi's best steamed, but can also be added to soups and stews as well as used in stir-frys. It's rich in potassium and vitamin C.

Roasted Kohlrabi recipe

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh kohlrabi, ends trimmed,  diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Bragg's or coconut aminos

(lemon zest and turmeric are also good on top)

Set oven to 450F. Toss the diced kohlrabi with olive oil, garlic, aminos, and salt in a bowl.  Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and put into oven  and roast for 30 - 35 minutes, stirring every five minutes after about 20 minutes.

Strawberries 

Red, and juicy the strawberry is a member of the rose family and has grown wild for centuries in both the Americas and Europe. The Romans valued the fruit for its reputed therapeutic powers for everything from loose teeth to gastritis. However, it wasn't until the late 13th century that the plant was first cultivated. Choose brightly colored, plump berries that still have their green caps attached and which are uniform in size.

Health Benefits Many foods commonly consumed in the U.S. are valuable sources of antioxidants. But researchers have recently ranked the 50 best antioxidant sources among commonly eaten foods and found strawberries to be quite exceptional. When total antioxidant capacity was measured against a uniform amount of food (100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces), strawberries ranked 27th best among U.S. foods. In addition, when only fruits were considered, strawberries came out 4th among all fruits (behind blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries). Improved blood sugar regulation has been a long-standing area of interest in research on strawberries and health.

Given their unique combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, it's not surprising to see strong research support for strawberry health benefits in three major areas: (1) cardiovascular support and prevention of cardiovascular diseases (2) improved regulation of blood sugar, with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, and (3) prevention of certain cancer types including breast, cervical, colon, and esophageal cancer. In this section, we'll review the outstanding research-based benefits of strawberries in each area.

 Strawberry Arugula Salad

2.5 oz fresh arugula (about half a tub)

1 cup spiced pecans

½ pound fresh strawberries, sliced

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

lemon Vinaigrette

1.    Toss arugula, strawberries and pecans.

2.    Top with crumbled goat cheese

3.    Drizzle dressing over salad immediately before serving.  Enjoy!

Cold Sweet Potato Salad (Paleo)

The sweet potato salad is a super easy dish that is dairy and gluten free. It is great because not only is it filling, but it is packed with nutrients. This dish is awesome for taking to picnics, potlucks, or even just as a side dish. Adjust the quantity of potatoes according to how many people you are going to feed.

Ingredients:

• 6 sweet potatoes cubed
• 3 yams cubed
• ½ bunch cilantro chopped
• 4 organic cage free hardboiled eggs diced
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• ½ cup organic full fat coconut milk
• 1 red onion either chopped fine raw or you can caramelize the onions
• ½ tsp curry powder & cumin
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
•  sea salt and pepper to your taste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil for roasting
• optional: 1 Tablespoon mayo (find a homemade recipe on the web or use store bought if you want).

Directions:

Roast the sweet potatoes in coconut oil at 400 degrees for at least 30 minutes--toss a couple times during the cooking. Let them cool a bit. Put potatoes, celery and onions in a bowl. In another bowl mix plain coconut milk, lime and 1 Tablespoon mayo. Add curry powder, turmeric, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper adjust to suit your taste. Pour this mixture over the potatoes and mix well. Top with cilantro and or pumpkin seeds!! This recipe lasts in the fridge for  a couple days, and gets better with time!