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Warm Lemon & Bacon Kale Salad

I have been trying to embrace being conscious of my sugar intake lately. The struggle is real since most processed food has a ton of sugar in it. Once you start reading the labels on your pre packaged food it is an eye opener. One of those processed foods I have been keep a close eye on is salad dressing.

The dressing can take away from what you are actually trying to accomplish when you pick a salad, and that’s eating healthy. Since there aren’t a whole lot of options out there I have opted to start making some of my own that are super easy and very good.

If you have never had a warm salad dressing over Kale you are missing out, so I wanted to share this favorite with you.

Salad Ingredients:

  • 1 16 oz Bag of Chopped Kale
  • Goat Cheese Crumbles (to taste)
  • 6 Cooked Bacon Slices (Crumbled)
  • 1 Red Onion (Chopped)
  • 8 Cherry Tomatos halved (omit if needed)

Salad Directions:

Combine all salad ingredients and set aside until dressing is heated.

Salad Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Shallot (Minced)
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1/8 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Liquid Amino’s
  • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Dressing & Salad Directions:

Combine all dressing ingredients and heat to simmer. Once complete pour over Salad and you are ready to eat. Serve Immediately.

Enjoy!

Go To Side Dish Recipes

One of my favorite things to do is entertain family and friends. Obviously the past year has put a bit of a damper on that situation, but now that things are starting to open up I am so excited to cook for and with our family and friends.

I don’t know how you typically get recipes, whether it’s on pinterest or from a friend, but I love to source from friends and family. Sharing recipes has always been so fun because I like to take a recipe and create my spin on it based on what my palette tells me to do. To me cooking is a form of art, the smallest change can impact the entire dish. It keeps it interesting and you never know what you are going to get. Side dishes typically are where I add the most impact to our dinner parties.

I am really lucky to have a husband that loves to use his Big Green Egg and make all of these delicious smoked meats. Since a lot of our parties center around our smoked meats. My responsibility typically comes down to the side dishes. I have a few easy recipes that have become my go to’s when I want to keep it simple, but feed a group.

Feel free to take them and over time create your spin on things, and let me know what you do to them. I’m also adding in some of my favorite cookware that would be helpful to have for these recipes! (The pan is SOOOOO good)

My Favorite Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Broccoli (Paleo & AIP Friendly)

Serving Size (4)

Ingredients

  • 1 Head of Broccoli (Prefer Organic)
  • 1 Cup Coco Amino Acids
  • 1 Shallot Minced
  • 1 Onion Diced
  • 4 Cloves of Garlic Minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
  • 1/8 Cup Lemon Juice
  • 1/8 Cup Olive Oil (Love to play around with flavored olive oils here)

Directions

  1. Combine all seasoning (omit broccoli) and let marinate for a few hours (best if done over night)
  2. Preheat Oven to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit
  3. Cut the broccoli into florets and place into a bowl
  4. Once you have cut the broccoli into florets add the marinade to the same bowl and toss until broccoli is fully coated
  5. Pour broccoli onto baking sheet (with sides) and place in the oven
  6. Cook broccoli for approximately 15 minutes (please check broccoli frequently as some ovens cook hotter than others)

Warm Lemon Kale & Bacon Salad

Serving 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 Bag of Kale (Organic Preferred)
  • 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup of Lemon Juice
  • 1/8 Cup Coco Aminos
  • 1 Shallot Minced
  • 1 Granny Smith Apple Diced
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 1/4 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Lemon Sliced
  • 1 Packet of Bacon Cooked & Crumbled

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients omitting the Kale, Bacon, & Apple for now

2. Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on stove top until heated through

3. Place Kale, Bacon, and Apple in a bowl

4. Once sauce is heated go ahead and pour over the Kale Mixture

5. Serve Immediately

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

This recipe is pretty special to me because as the original version came from an amazing cook that knows how to put a party together. It’s definitely changed over the years as I have made it more of my own. I wouldn’t say it’s a healthy recipe, but it is AMAZING.

Ingredients

  • 1 Block of Smoked Gouda Cheese
  • 1 Pint of Whipping Cream
  • 1 Stick of Butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Worsheshire
  • 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 2 Tablespoons of Texas Pete
  • 1 Shallot (Minced)
  • 4-6 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
  • Italian Bread Crumbs
  • Cavatappi Pasta (Cooked)
  • 9 x 13 Casserole Dish

Directions

  1. Shred entire block of cheese
  2. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
  3. Heat Butter over medium heat and toss in Garlic, Onions, and Shallots
  4. Once butter is melted go ahead and SLOWLY start to add in whipping cream whisking the entire time
  5. Aggressively & Continuously whisk until sauce thickens
  6. Once Whipping cream is thickening add in the gouda cheese and stir until completely melted
  7. Add in Smoked Paprika, Garlic & Onion Powder, Salt, Texas Pete, & Worsheshire
  8. Pour Ingredients into the Casserole Dish
  9. Top with the Italian Bread Crumb (Just a thin layer) across the top
  10. Go ahead and place in the oven and cook for 15-30 minutes (until bubbly)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! XOXO Katie

Raised Garden Bed DIY

This past weekend we had a DIY day and built a raised garden bed with legs and a ledge for our daughter Chloe to plant vegetables this spring and summer. The design is a culmination of a few I found off of Pinterest that Blake put together because he is awesome like that!

It’s a small design that fits nicely in a small space in our backyard. You should also be able to move it from one location to another because it is on legs. The legs also mean you are not going to have to bend down which is awesome!

Our first preference on wood for this project would 100% be cedar, but we had to go with treated wood. Treated would is still a good choice and will withstand weather conditions and if you decide to stain it like we did it should hold up for a long time. If you use the treated would we recommend using garden fabric to line the interior of your garden bed.

What you will need for a 2′ x 4′ Raised Garden Bed:

  • 2: 4”x 4”x 6’ #2 Grade Boards
  • 2: 2” x 2” x 8 #1 Grade Boards
  • 2: 2″ x 4″ x 8 Treated Top Choice Boards
  • 1: 2″ x 12″ x 16″ Top Choice Board
  • 8 Spindles
  • 8: Heavy Straps 6″to Attach Corners1
  • 1: 3’x15’ roll galvanized chicken wire mesh (1”)
  • 1: Large box 2 ½” construction screws
  • 1: Small box 1 ¼” construction screws
  • 1: Small Box of 1/2″ Wood Screws
  • 1: box 8mm staples1
  • 1 Pint of Non Transparent White Stain
  • 1 L Bracket for Ledge Support
  • Level for Ledge
  • Garden Fabric
  • Paint Brush
  • Painters Tape
  • 5/16” Drill Bit
  • Tape measure
  • Pencil
  • Power Drill
  • Circular Saw
  • Staple Gun
  • Light Duty Wire Cutters

Optional:

  • Swivel caster wheels w/ screw holes (can be w/ or w/o brakes)

Raised Garden Bed Directions:

  1. Cut your 4”x4”x8’ posts to get four 32” sections(you will have about 2/3 of one post left over). These will be your garden bed legs.
  2. Cut both of your 2″x12″x 8’ boards into 48” and 24”. These four boards will be your garden bed side boards.
  3. Use the extra length on the 2′ x 12″ to cut a 24″ piece for the ledge
  4. Cut your 2”x2” boards into 2’ lengths. Create a total of seven 2’ boards.
  5. Cut your 2” x 4” x 12’ into 2 66” pieces (these will form the backing with Chicken Wire for the raised garden bed.)
  6. Cut your piece of trim to 48” (this will form the top piece of the backing)
  7. With the wheels turned up in the air, set each of the four corner posts on a level surface.
  8. Optional: Attach one swivel caster wheel onto the bottom of each of your four corner posts using a power drill and the 2 ½”construction screws.

Sides

  1. Line up one of the side boards flush against one of the corner posts. Place a Heavy Strap brace on the corner post (towards the top of the side board) and attach the side board and corner post together with the steel brace using 1 ¼”construction screws. (Measure where you attached the steel strap to the boards. Use that same measurement on all of the other corners so the straps appear at the same level on all sides.)
  2. Repeat Step 6 the on the other side of the post
  3. Repeat Step 6, lining up the side boards with the corners and attaching them at the top of the side boards using the heavy straps and 1 ¼”. Attach all corners and sides until you’ve built a 2’x 4’ box. The 48” boards form the sides and the 24” boards form the ends.

Bottom Braces

  1. Once you’ve built your box, lay a 2”x 2” board across the box, up against the corners, making the ends flush with the side boards. These will form the bottom braces. Pre-drill two holes, one on each end of the board, and attach the board to the bottom using the 2 ½” screws
  2. Equally space the spindles across the bottom (about 2”-3” apart on center), until you have them equally spaced along the bottom. Put the last brace up against the other two corners like the first brace. Attach the rest of the spindles along the bottom, pre-drilling the holes and spacing them evenly.

Top Corners

  1. With someone’s help, carefully flip over the garden bed and set it on its legs. Pay careful attention not to twist or torque the box too much while flipping it over.

Ledge for Potting

  1. With the help of someone else, take the ledge piece and have them hold the ledge in place and using the level make sure the piece is on straight to the left side of the box.
  2. Once the piece is level, take 2 1 3/4″ screws and drill from the top into the side on each end to secure the pieces.
  3. Take the L Bracket for added support and 2 1/2″ screws and secure the bracket.

Backing

  1. Take the 2 66” pieces and attach them to the back of the raised garden beds using 2 1/2″ Screws. You will be attaching the chicken wire to these two pieces to form the backing. 
  2. Place your piece of trim across the top part of the two backing pieces to form a square for the wire mesh to attach too. 

Painting

  1. Go ahead and paint the entire raised garden bed BEFORE putting the Wire Mesh on. 

Wire Mesh

  1. Using the wire cutters, cut a piece of chicken wire to cover the bottom of the box. Make sure that there’s enough chicken wire to come up a little bit on all sides. Lay the wire in the box and staple it into place, placing staples along the bottom braces and sides.
  2. Repeat step 1 with the Garden Fabric (If using treated lumber go ahead and put the garden fabric all the way to the top of the box and staple in so it does not move.
  3. Place the Wire Mesh across the back and staple to the two backing boards and across the top on the trim board.

Soil:

  • 6 bags of organic Container Bed Soil from Scott’s
  • 1/3 bag of Peat Moss
  • 1 Bag of Top Soil

Happy Gardening! XoXo Katie

Paleo Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 Stick (½ Cup) Organic Butter
  • 3 Large Ripe Bananas
  • 2 Large Organic Cage Free Eggs (For AIP Sub in Vital Proteins Gelatin)
  • 1 teaspoon Organic Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Cups Tiger Nut Flour
  • 1/4 Can of Organic Puréed Pumpkin
  • 2 Tablespoons Whole Whipping Cream
  • 1/2 Cup of Organic Maple Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Organic Baking Soda
  • ½ teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Organic Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside. (I use coconut oil spray)
  • Add the stick of butter to a microwable safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until melted.
  • Add the bananas and Pumpkin to the same bowl and mash together.
  • Add the vanilla extract, egg, and whipping cream to the bowl stir until thoroughly combined.
  • In a second bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula until combined.
  • Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

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