Clean Eats Archives - Page 2 of 12

Tuna Salad Cucumber Bites // Whole30 + Paleo

Fun fact - I used to own a restaurant. “Used to” being the key to my life right now. Anyway, it was super quaint, located in a really small town, in an old historic house. The front of the house held our little gift shoppe. We had one dining room upstairs and one down. I always tell folks, to get a good idea of what it was like, imagine Lorelai Gilmore’s Dragonfly Inn mixed with a Cracker Barrel… Although, due to it’s size, it was more like a Cracker Bucket.

While we quickly became well known for our chicken salad recipe (which I will have to feature here another day) the close runner up was my tuna salad. Like most of you know, when I cook or create, I don’t necessarily have a plan - I just throw things together and if it works, hooray. If not, eh… there’s always next time. That’s what happened with this Tuna Salad. Surprisingly people (other than just myself) loved having olives in their tuna! #iheartolives.

I’ve been eating clean foods for the past 2-ish years. But it wasn’t until a few months ago that I decided to start making my own ranch and mayo. (Apparently I am a crazy person for waiting this long!) So last week when I had a batch of Whole30 Mayo to use, I thought what better an opportunity that this to make the Carriage House Tuna Salad (Whole30 compliant)?!

And since I do not eat bread, I paired the tuna salad with little cucumber slices. How cute are these? I cut the cucumbers to all different heights and then, to make them even prettier, I went ahead and cut slices into the outside. These would be a perfect appetizer for a party or a high tea, never mind the fact that they are a great no-bread paleo lunch option!

Whole30 Paleo Tuna Salad

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Suz from www.2catsandchloe.com

Ingredients

1 - 2 TBSP Whole30 Approved Mayo
1 can of tuna
¼ cup of sliced olives
½ small chopped onion
¼ cup of sliced carrots
¼ cup of chopped celery optional
Salt + Pepper to taste
1 large english cucumber

Instructions

Cut up your olives, onion, carrots and celery.
In a bowl, mix everything together except the cucumber. (Salt + Pepper to taste)
If you are skipping the bread and want to serve on cucumber - cut your cucumber into bite size pieces. I made mine vary in height. Cut out a bit of the core, making it a little tiny "bowl" for the tuna salad. If you want to make them even prettier, cut slits in the cucumber skin.
Put a spoonful of tuna salad on the cucumber slices. Plate and serve.

2 cats & chloe: Tuna Salad with Cucumber // Whole30 Tuna Salad

So what do you think? Are these party worthy? Maybe worthy of joining the Celebrate Southern Soiree Linkup??

This week our co-host is Jenn from What You Make It! I am so excited that she is hosting with us, as she is one of my oldest blog-friends. She is a new mommy who writes about her life, her loves, parties, recipes and travels! So now, when you linkup below, you are not only showing up on my blog and J’s blog, but you will also be present on Jenn’s blog! Haven’t you always wanted to be in three places at one time??

Now grab a button and join the linky party about the party! We want to see your recipes, parties, home decor and DIY posts! Feel free to have fun with this and dust off a couple of your old posts to share!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.2catsandchloe.com/celebrate-southern" title="Celebrate Southern Soiree"><img src="http://www.2catsandchloe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/celebrate-southern-soiree-linkup.png" alt="Celebrate Southern Soiree" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

If you would like to have some fun, gain a little more visibility with your blog and be a party hostess in the future, please fill out this form: http://goo.gl/forms/IHXJ7Nxyxq

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The Soiree: Paleo Margarita Mocktail

by Susan

Yay! Welcome to another Celebrate Southern Soiree! I’m really beginning to LOVE Thursdays because it’s all about the party! If you’ve been following along, you know that J and I opened up this linkup, asking for other gals (and any guys out there too) to be party hostesses!

I’m super excited to introduce you to Brita this week! She has opened up her blog for the Soiree today!

If you haven’t heard of her or checked out her blog B.Britnell before, let me just say that I was extremely flattered she wanted to join this fun. Brita’s blog is one that I oogle over every day. Her recipes are amazing and her photography is outstanding. So go show her some love on her blog or on instagram! Then link up for today’s Celebrate Southern Soiree - because you will be visible on not just one, but three blogs today!

Now on to the show! Last night I went out with my sister and my BlogFriend-turned-RealFriend, Heather, for our photography class and margaritas. You know, I’ve been trying to cut bad things out of my life (I’m not currently on a Whole30, just trying to live the paleo life to it’s fullest) and honestly, I’ve kinda decided that if I am going to be drinking - it better be something that I really love. And while I used to love a good margarita… after a night of full of margs, wine and cigars with J a couple years ago, margaritas have just never been the same.

So when I was pondering our dinner and how I kinda wanted a margarita but not really… I decided I wanted to create a Margarita Mocktail to get me through.

I pulled some “ingredients” out and decided to play. And now I’m obsessed with this drink. It was a trillion times more refreshing than a real, sugary margarita.

Paleo Margarita Mocktail

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Cuisine: Beverage

Serves: 1 glass

Ingredients

1.5 small limes
½ medium lemon
1 tsp light agave
a glass full of sparkling water
ice

Instructions

Squeeze the juice of 1-2 small limes into the glass, then pull out the pulp and add it to the glass.
Add half a lemon and it's pulp to help balance out the sweet/sour ratio.
Add your light agave.
Use a spoon to smash the pulp and mix the juice with agave.
Add your sparkling water, to taste. If you want it less sweet, add more.
Pop a few ice cubes in there and watch the beverage froth up!
Enjoy!

I was really surprised at how frothy this Paleo Mocktail became. It was a great twist to my normal sparkling water. When I totally forgot I was just sipping on water I decided that this would be perfect for a summer soiree!

While I normally prefer cocktails to mocktails… sometimes a girl just needs a break. Before my Whole30 followers jump on board with this, let me say that this IS NOT Whole30 compliant. Because of the agave. But, if you want to leave out that teaspoon of sweetener, this mocktail does become Whole30 approved! Try adding some mint or other fruit to this beverage to mix it up even more!

And for those of you who want to make it “stronger” and more adult? Add some Agave Tequila to keep it clean and paleo!

Paleo, Whole30 Lemon Lime Mocktail

I cannot wait for my mid-afternoon pick me up later today so that I have an excuse to make another paleo margarita mocktail!

Join the fun and linkup below! And don’t forget to go back to yesterday’s post to WIN LIFE CHANGING SHAMPOO!

Be-te-dub. If you want to open your blog up to get a bit more visibility as a Celebrate Southern Soiree Party Hostess - please fill out this form! It’s a first come, first serve thing! We are looking forward to partying with you in the coming weeks!

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The Soiree: Burger Bar Party + Giveaway

by Susan

I really wanted to do a post this week about a super fun spring party. I also wanted to take pictures of my food in manual mode (since I’m rocking my photography class with Heather!) I also had to go out of town to meet with a client for a few days. I also have a dog that still cannot be left alone without supervision. (Dear God, please heal my border collie. I cannot keep up with her, but this forced-slow pace is killing us both!) All of that being said - today we are going to talk about burgers. Because what really screams “shindig” better than burgers? (Well, other than booze of course!)

The problem with burgers + shindigs? My family. 2/5 of us eat beef. 1/5 of us will not eat ANY meat. And the remaining 1/5 will only eat meat that comes from animals that walk on two feet or less. Weird right? The solution? A burger bar! Give everyone options! Serve up beef patties, chicken patties and as much as it breaks my heart and all my soy-hating rules, Boca Burgers. Then chase your beef options with tons of toppings! I used this burger bar idea a few years ago as an impromptu birthday party and it was a hit!

Now, to combine all things I love into this one post (party ideas, photography, whole30 food and grilled pineapples) I give you these burger inspiration images for the Soiree Linkup this week! Don’t they just make you drool?!

Junk-Free Burgers!

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

If you are looking for an easy, go-to burger that is Whole30 compliant and still have flavor - you will love this recipe!

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Whole30, Paleo, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Junk Free

Cuisine: American

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound of grass-fed ground beef
½ TBSP of minced garlic
1 TBSP of coconut aminos
½ TBSP of onion powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Lettuce for the wrap
Toppings that you love

Instructions

In a bowl, mix your beef, garlic, coconut aminos, onion powder, salt and pepper. Use your hands and be sure the seasoning is blended well.
Form patties with the meat. One pound should make 3 or 4 patties.
Cook on the grill for 10-ish minutes or until burgers have reached desired level of doneness.
Use the lettuce as a wrap and add any and all toppings that you love. The more the merrier!

2 cats & chloe: Paleo Burger Bar for a Party

Lifehack: When I was complaining once about how tough it is to know how much seasoning is too much seasoning for burgers (since the meat is raw until it comes off the grill!) one of my friends told me that she takes a small spoonful of seasoned burger meat and pops it in the microwave for a minute or two, obviously until its cooked, to sample it! If you think it needs more seasoning or flavor - go for it! (This also works for meatloaf!)

Some of my favorite burger bar toppings include, but are definitely not limited to: fresh grilled pineapple, sugar free bacon, sautéed onions, pickles, guac, tomato, jalapeno peppers, lettuce and mushrooms!

If you want to mix it up a bit, while staying gluten free - consider using a roasted portobello mushroom cap as a “bun!” This is beyond easy and the flavor is excellent! You simply scrape the gills out of the mushroom (they totally freak me out anyway!), cover both sides with your fat or oil of choice (I use coconut oil, olive oil or bacon grease) then season with your favorite herbs. Last week I used Jane’s Krazy Seasoning and it was awesome! Roast the mushroom caps for 10 minutes at 400*F on one side. Flip them over for another 10, and then you’re done! Easy peasy right??

We paired our burger bar with (Whole30 Compliant) Sweet Potato Fries and grilled zucchini with this steak seasoning on it! Man, it’s so, so, sooooo good y’all!

So tell me, what are your favorite burger toppings? Do you use anything special to replace a traditional bun?

Before you scoot out of here today, don’t forget about the Celebrate Southern Soiree Linkup! It’s a linky party about the party! Share a recipe, DIY, home decor or any entertainment post with us below! If you are interested in being a party hostess and having the linkup on your blog one week, please fill out this form! It’s a first come, first serve thing! So hop to it!

PS! As a “party favor” this week… don’t forget to enter this Kate Spade giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Soiree: Whole30 Summer Tomato Salad

by Susan

I’m so excited about today guys! Things are changing around this part of the blog! J and I have decided to make a shift in the Celebrate Southern World. Yes, the Monday linkup will still exist but it is going to be fashion focused. You will find that linkup live on Monday mornings at 6AM on J’s fashion blog Bless Her Heart Y’all. I will also continue to post our Celebrate Southern Podcast episodes on Mondays too.

But on Thursdays… y’all, we are having a party! Actually, it’s more than a party, it is a Soiree! Welcome to the first ever Celebrate Southern Soiree! This is a linky party about the party! We want y’all to share recipes, home decor and projects, DIY, home entertaining and party posts! I’m so excited to see what everyone has to share!

2 cats & chloe: Celebrate Southern Soiree Hostesses

We are also doing this linkup a little bit differently than the original Celebrate Southern linkup… for the Celebrate Southern Soiree, each week we will be looking for two other blogs that would like to be party hostesses with us! The more the merrier right? All we ask is that your blog fits the niche of this linkup. Interested? Fill out this form and we will reach out to you with the date you will be a hostess!

Now on with the show!

Today I wanted to share a light and easy, Whole30 compliant Summer Salad that is perfect for any shindig or soiree! It is also perfect to make at the beginning of the week and then munch on as part of your healthy lunch!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30, Healthy Tomato Cucumber Salad

The back story behind this salad: My godmother Lou loves her summer, home grown tomatoes. Often times when we are all together at the river, everyone brings a bunch of their garden tomatoes along. We had to get creative in how to eat all these delicious tomatoes. This is her go-to dish. My only problem? I can’t eat the mayo that my fam does. It’s full of crap, sometimes gluten, and it makes me feel bad. So! Let’s make it our own!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Mayo

The recipe I used for my homemade mayo is straight from the Whole30 site. It always amazes me because it take so few, clean ingredients and just a couple minutes to make your own homemade mayo. Really makes me ponder why I have spent years and years buying Hellman’s…

2 cats & chloe: Homemade Mayo + Lemon

2 cats & chloe: Summer Homegrown Tomato Salad

This post really doesn’t need this many pictures, as it is so easy even a caveman could make it (paleo humor anyone?) but I was having a great time playing with my camera so you just have to deal.

2 cats & chloe: Tomato, Cucumber, Onion Salad

Tomato Cucumber Summer Salad

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Paleo // Gluten Free // Sugar Free // Whole30 // Soy Free // Dairy Free

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup of Light Olive Oil
1 Organic Egg
½ Teaspoon of Mustard Powder
½ Teaspoon of Salt
1 Lemon, Juiced
2 Medium - Large Tomatoes
1 English Cucumber
⅓ of a Large Onion
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Make your Mayo first: (this is straight from the Whole30 Site) Place the egg, ¼ cup of olive oil, mustard powder and salt in a mixing bowl, blender or food processor. Mix thoroughly. While the blender is running SLOWLY drizzle in the remaining cup of olive oil. After you've added all the oil and the mixture has emulsified, add lemon juice to taste, stirring gently with a spoon to incorporate.
Cut up your tomato and cucumber into bite size pieces.
Chop up your onion.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a small dollop of Mayo. A little goes a long way!
Salt and Pepper to taste.

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Paleo Salad with Homemade Mayo

Use just a “dollop” of mayo. It goes a long way, I promise! The amount of mayo that the Whole30 recipe yields is much more than you will need for this dish. So use the remaining homemade (clean) mayo for chicken salad tomorrow!

2 cats & chloe: Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Party Dish

So there ya have it! It’s easy peasy! If you have to go to a potluck or picnic, folks will love this dish! I’m in such a summer mood that I’m just pretending it’s June while I munch on this Whole30 Tomato Salad!

Have you ever made your own Mayo? (I am still amazed at how easy it is!) Do you have a favorite salad that you like to take to parties?

http://goo.gl/U46Um7

Whole30 Thai-Inspired “Pad See Zoo”

by Susan

As most of you know, I recently started yet another Whole30. I believe this is my seventh?! I’ve been given some grief by friends and family about this. In my opinion, to each their own. If I want to occasionally cut crap out of my life, that’s my own decision. I’m always open and ready to talk about my food intolerances and allergies. It just drives me crazy when people talk behind my back about my eating habits, like I can or cannot control what my body hates.

That being said - one of my new life rules (when I am not on a Whole30) is that if I cannot recreate it, I can cheat with it. Meaning, if I cannot make something in my kitchen that closely resembles whatever it is that I am craving (sans the gluten, sugar, dairy and crap) then I can consider cheating with it. Cheating while knowing all of the consequences and how incredibly ill I will feel. Surprisingly, I have been able to recreate almost everything I put my mind to… like Whole30 compliant Hot Wings!

One of the dishes I miss the most from my “past life” is a Thai dish called Pad See Ew. Traditionally it’s made with rice noodles and soy sauce. I’ve found that my body can handle some rice noodles, but why try to make this dish Whole30 Compliant? So I did.

Guys, this dish is totally YUM! It’s not quite Pad See Ew but it’s still a great dish. I’m lovingly calling it “Pad See Zoo.” Get it, Zoodle?! I will admit, the first time I made this, the night our house had a last minute showing and totally messed up my blog-cooking plans, it was much better. I’m not 100% positive what was different this time, other than the fact that I made it a lot less spicy so the husband would eat it. (When we have kids, they better join me on this spicy train. I just can’t handle cooking plain, spice-less food.) Now that I have discovered coconut aminos, I could happily live off of Whole30 compliant asian-inspired food!

Look delicious? Wanna give it a shot? I really hate to say that this is a recipe because this was one of those paleo projects that I just kind of winged. Use this “recipe” but feel free to add more seasonings to suit your tastebuds.

Whole30 Pad See Ew

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

Author: Susan {2 cats & chloe.}

Recipe type: Whole30, Paleo, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free

Cuisine: Thai-Inspired

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

¼ Cup of Vegetable Broth
½ Cup of Coconut Aminos
⅔ Can of Heavy Coconut Cream
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Pound of Chicken (cut into cubes or bite size pieces)
3 Eggs
12 Ounces of Broccoli Florets
1½ Medium - Large Zucchini
Coconut Oil
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

In your wok or large skillet, mix the veggie broth, coconut aminos, garlic clove and heavy coconut cream. Leave this on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
Steam your broccoli. (I steamed mine in the microwave while I was cooking the chicken on the stove but steam it however you prefer)
Season your chicken with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and red pepper flakes. Use desired amount of each. For example, if my hubby is eating, I will not use the red pepper flakes. Cook the chicken on the stove with a spoonful of coconut oil.
While the chicken is cooking, use a veggie peeler to "peel" the entire zucchini. I use this instead of my zoodler for this dish because I wanted them thin and not spiral.
Add the "noodles" (the zucchini) to the sauce in your wok. Once the chicken is cooked and broccoli is steamed, add them to the wok as well. Mix everything so that the sauce is thoroughly covering all ingredients.
Now you need to fry a few eggs. I used three because I really love the texture that the egg brings to this dish. I used the same skillet the chicken was cooked in. With a little bit of coconut oil in the pan, fry up your eggs and then cut them into bite sized pieces.
Add the eggs to your wok with all other ingredients.
The longer the "zoodles" are in the wok, the slimier they will get. I like mine pretty slimy because, IMO, it makes it feel more like the original pad see ew dish.
Allow everything to mix together. Make sure your sauce is covering all ingredients. Serve hot.

2 cats & chloe: gluten free, dairy free, sugar free pad see ew

2 cats & chloe: 2 cats & chloe: chicken, zoodle, thai food

So what do you think? Doable? I loved this sauce concoction. The “soy sauce” flavor from the coconut aminos mixed with the sweetness of the heavy coconut cream makes it a hit. Now I’m trying to think of a few more dishes that this creamy “asian” sauce would pair well with.

Let me stress one more time that this is not authentic in anyway to the traditional thai Pad See Ew. But it’s as close as you will probably get while a eating healthy, Whole30 compliant, Paleo dinner.

#paleo // #glutenfree // #dairyfree // #sugarfree // #soyfree // #crapfree

I’m linking up here!

Tuna Salad Cucumber Bites // Whole30 + Paleo

The Soiree: Paleo Margarita Mocktail

The Soiree: Burger Bar Party + Giveaway

The Soiree: Whole30 Summer Tomato Salad

Whole30 Thai-Inspired “Pad See Zoo”

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