2 Cats and Chloe

Healthy Food, Great Views and Creative Living!

Whole30, Paleo Tailgating with Coleman

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Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Coleman but the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. #TailgateWithColeman

Summer is winding down. My heart just shed a tear. Like a huge, crocodile tear. (Guys, I live 30 minutes from the beach and I didn’t make it to the ocean ONE.SINGLE.TIME this summer. Life is so different these days.)

Coleman Kabobs 6

That being said, fall is my season. Our season. I love summer but fall is for camping, grilling and being outside. This is even more true now that I am living the life as special-needs-mom (every time I type it or say it, it still makes me step back and go ‘whoa’). Lorelei’s mitochondrial disease makes it a bit tougher for us to fly by the seat of our pants. Everything takes planning. And then canceling of those plans. Then being open minded about the whatever happens-happens kind of plans.

I cannot wait for Fall. I used to love it - but now I long for it. The season when the temps crisp and cool and my child can go outside! We don’t have to worry about the heat. We have one less component to plan (or worry about). We can feel a tad bit more normal… until it gets too cold. But that’s another story.

Coleman Kabobs 2

Today I am sharing my go-to fall, grilling, tailgating, festive, whole30, paleo recipe. You can’t beat Kabobs these days (unless you realllly need to keep things simple in which case just grab some whole30 compliant, paleo spicy chicken sausage from Trader Joes and call it a day!) We are “tailgating” and kicking off the season with our essentials from Coleman (and our new camper)! Gotta love an excuse to set up your camper and gear in the backyard right?!

You can shop the entire Coleman collection at Walmart.com (or in-store) here!

I purchased my Coleman Roadtrip LXE grill online at Walmart.com. Walmart makes shipping easy for those of use who don’t get out much - or pick up even easier for those who need an excuse to get out!

Coleman Kabobs 1

Whole30 Kabobs on the grill are easy to pack ahead of time (if you’re traveling or tailgating away from home) and allows you to be creative. Grab the bites you like best (chicken, beef, veggies or even fruit!) stick them on a skewer, pop them in your Coleman cooler and go. When you get to your tailgating site or your campground, use your Coleman grill (or the open fire) and cook up your dinner!

Whole30 Kabobs
 
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Great for tailgating or backyard grilling!
Author:
Ingredients
  • Protein of choice (we use chicken, steak or shrimp)
  • Veggies of choice (peppers and onions are a must, but consider mushrooms and zucchini too!)
  • Fruit of choice (loveeee me some pineapple and tomatoes!)
  • Marinade of choice (Tessamae's BBQ or a simple coconut aminos, garlic, salt and pepper combo)
Instructions
  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for a couple of hours before grilling so they do not catch on fire.
  2. Cut up your proteins, veggies and fruit into smaller, bite-sized pieces and put in individual piles or bowls.
  3. Let your family members 'build their own' skewers with their favorite paleo 'toppings'!
  4. Grill on medium heat until meat is cooked to desire doneness.
  5. Enjoy!

Life Hack for local folks: Harris Teeter (one of our local grocery store) sells kabobs pre-made and decently priced. They make life so much easier when you need a quick dinner full of veggies and protein but you don’t really feel like cooking. (Or when you’re on your way to tailgate or camp!) Yes, they have some with a marinade - which truth be told, I haven’t checked to see if it’s compliant, but I assume it’s not. So buy them “naked” and add your own seasonings and marinades. (Please try ordering “Naked Kabobs” from your butcher and tell me what happens! LOL!)

Coleman Kabobs 5

coleman kabobs 4

Pair these whole30, paleo kabobs with my tomato and cucumber side dish, and a salad mason couple of mason jars and you’re good to go! (Wine for those who are NOT on a whole30…) Happy camping y’all!

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Whole30 Chicken Nuggets: Ready for the Super Bowl!

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You know what is crazy, last year, Super Bowl Sunday was the last “normal-ish” day of my life. It was the last time I went out with my husband and carelessly hung out with friends, despite feeling sluggish, before the storm and mandatory bedrest hit the next day. I still blame that odd “puppy, monkey, baby” commercial…

Food wise, I have two goals in 2017. 1 - Eat out less often. 2 - Make non-paleo foods paleo and/or whole30 compliant. Last week, my mom and I were driving home from yet another doctor appointment for Lorelei, when my mom said “Let’s just stop at Chic-fil-a!” I knew if I stopped, I would be terribly tempted to drink a frozen lemonade and inhale their crazy delicious waffle fries… but this would’ve broken both of my 2017 food rules. And I knew I had a few chicken breasts at home that needed to be cooked. It also, just so happened to be the day that my thrive order was delivered! Hello Chipotle Lime Paleo Mayo and Paleo Ranch! I NEEDED something to dip into these sauces!

Ergo……. Paleo, Whole30 Compliant Chicken Nuggets - in time for Super Bowl Sunday!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Paleo Chicken Nuggets

I will be the first to tell you, I really don’t understand football. But I’m an absolute marketing junkie so I love rating the commercials and hidden branding throughout the Super Bowl. I also love the food. It’s the first time after a month and a half of eating clean since the holidays (usually) where you are tested. Decisions have to be made. Do you eat the junk or eat healthy food?

And before the Whole30 Police jump all over me… Technically, unless you have a crazy addition to Chic-fil-a nuggets outside of the whole30, this isn’t SWYPO. If you ate KFC every single day last month before you started the Whole30, yes, this is SWYPO. This is clean, breaded chicken bites and a perfect option for game day!

Whole30 Chicken Tenders Whole30 Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets

Whole30, Paleo Chicken Nuggets
 
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Author:
Serves: Serves 4-5
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of Chicken
  • ¼ cup of Almond Flour
  • ¼ cup of Arrow Root Flour
  • 2.5 tsp of Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp of Salt
  • 1 tsp of Pepper
  • ½ tsp of Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp of Onion Powder
  • 1 TBSP of Coconut Cream
  • 1 Egg
  • Coconut Oil
Instructions
  1. Cut your chicken up into small bite sizes (or if you want to make these into tenders, cut them a bit longer/larger) and set aside on a plate.
  2. Mix all of your dry ingredients into a bowl, blending them together.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix your egg and your coconut cream. (Unlike a lot of recipes, I recommend using warm coconut cream. Straight out of the can in the pantry!) Mix these together so that the cream blends in with the egg and is a eggy-creamy mixture.
  4. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture. Make sure it is covered completely.
  5. Using a fork, move the eggy-chicken into the dry ingredient bowl. Roll it around and cover completely. Once covered, set it aside on a separate plate.
  6. Once your chicken is all covered, drop a spoonful of coconut oil into your skillet on a medium heat. Once hot, place your chicken nuggets into the skillet. Let cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip and do 2-3 minutes (or until cooked) on the other side.
  7. ProTip: Don't over crowd the pan. These nugs will burn fast. I cook mine in 3 groups.
  8. Wanna make them spicy nuggets? Add a dash of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and/or chili powder! So good!

These Whole30 Chicken Nuggets are legit. If I had kids that ate food by mouth, this would be a go-to in our house. Hell, it’s a go-to now for the adults. My mom thought I was crazy when I told her I was dying for some outstanding paleo nuggets - she then went back for seconds and thirds! This was an easy meal to make and will be perfect for keeping game night healthy!

Whole30 Paleo Chicken Nugget Dipping Sauce

I paired these Gluten Free Bites of Awesomeness with steamed broccoli in my favorite Circulon Momentum Lock and Strain Steamer (you can find it a Kohls, Amazon and Macy’s - you can cook and drain all in one!!) and my husband’s favorite Whole30 Sweet Potato Fries. I didn’t have any whole30 ketchup available, and I desperately wanted an excuse to eat my Paleo Ranch and Paleo Chipotle Mayo. These all paired perfectly with the paleo chicken nuggets.

2 cats & chloe: Super Bowl Whole30 Food

Looking for other ideas for a Whole30 (or paleo) Super Bowl Sunday? Your friends will never know my wings are healthy. These Whole30 Deviled Eggs taste great and could easily be thrown at your ex-boyfriend’s car (or the television if your team doesn’t win). And who can say no to Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus?!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Chicken Nuggets

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The Soiree: Burger Bar Party + Giveaway

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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?!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Bunless Burgers

Junk-Free Burgers!
 
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If you are looking for an easy, go-to burger that is Whole30 compliant and still have flavor - you will love this recipe!
Author:
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
  1. 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.
  2. Form patties with the meat. One pound should make 3 or 4 patties.
  3. Cook on the grill for 10-ish minutes or until burgers have reached desired level of doneness.
  4. 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!)

Creative Paleo Burger with pineapple and guac

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??

2 cats & chloe: portobello mushroom bun

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!

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

katespadedeskYour workspace should always inspire and these dreamy, rose gold supplies and notepad definitely do the trick. Enjoy the stapler and tape dispenser (with fun idioms) to dress up any desk place. And use your cute pad for any kind of note.deskThese ladies joined me to giveaway these great Kate Spade items!theladiesAmanda | Suz | Liz | Brooke | Kerri
Kristyn| Kasey | Daisy | Faith | Nina

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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The Soiree: Whole30 Summer Tomato Salad

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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
 
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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
  1. 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.
  2. Cut up your tomato and cucumber into bite size pieces.
  3. Chop up your onion.
  4. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a small dollop of Mayo. A little goes a long way!
  5. 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 Salad

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?

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Whole30 Thai-Inspired “Pad See Zoo”

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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.

2 cats & chloe: Whole30, Gluten Free Thai Food

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!

2 cats & chloe: Whole30 Thai 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
 
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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
  1. 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.
  2. Steam your broccoli. (I steamed mine in the microwave while I was cooking the chicken on the stove but steam it however you prefer)
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Add the eggs to your wok with all other ingredients.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.

2 cats & chloe: paleo whole30 pad see ew

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

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