Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

...might sound like a good idea, but they're really not.

Almond Chicken with Spinach Strawberry Salad

(for two)

2 chicken breasts
2/3 C almonds, chopped
Red pepper flakes
Other spices to taste
1 egg, whisked in a bowl


Mix together the chopped almonds, red pepper flakes, and whatever seasoning you decide to use. Dip the chicken breast in the egg, then in the almond mixture. Bake on a foil-lined sheet for 30 minutes at 350, or until chicken is done and the almonds are toasty.

Had here with a spinach strawberry salad with the extra almonds thrown on top.

The Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge | Mark's Daily Apple

One of the main sources of primal knowledge for this blog is another blog, Marks Daily Apple. Today is the start of the 2nd annual 30-Day Primal Challenge. Each day there will be a contest that will require a post on the blog, or any number of tasks; there will be prizes ranging all the way to an entire cow. So clear some space in your deep freezer and give primal eating a chance for 30 days.

The Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge | Mark's Daily Apple

Pecan-Coconut Crusted Tilapia

(for two)

2 Tilapia filets
2 eggs, beaten
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Chopped pecans
Red pepper flakes

Mix together the coconut flakes, chopped pecans, and red pepper flakes. One by one, dip tilapia filets into the beaten egg, then into the coconut mixture. You may have to press extra coconut mixture onto the filet if it doesn't stick as well as you'd like. Lay the filets flat on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and pecans are toasty.

We served ours over a mango and broccoli slaw salad with a lime juice-olive oil vinaigrette.

Chipotle-Marinated Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cilantro Relish

(for two)

2 mahi mahi filets

Baja Chipotle marinade (we bought ours, but you could make it too)

Pineapple Relish:

Pineapple

Cilantro

1/2 a lime

Jalapenos

Red pepper flakes

Geoff shows proper cilantro-chopping technique:

Bake for 15-20 at 400, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

It's the End of Cherry Season

If you can get your paws on fresh cherries right now, you should. It's the end of cherry season.

Lamb Chops with Cucumber-Basil-Mint Salad

Shoutout: My gal pal Elizabeth Pawlicki is the BEST at making lamb chops. Everything I know about lamb chops I learned from her.
This dinner is obviously Greek-leaning. I think the trick to achieving good Greek flavors is to use the freshest herbs you can get. Oh, and using real Greek yogurt.

Here are some shots of my mother's beautiful but wild gardens, from whence I snagged most of the fresh herbs you'll see in this post.
Spearmint:

Basil:

Tomato Plants:

Rothhaus Front Garden:

Yogurt is not really allowed on Paleo, but Geoff let me make an exception and we used the yogurt sauce here as a dipping sauce for the lamb.

Lamb:
Some chops
Olive oil
Freshly ground cracked black pepper

Get a hot sear going on all sides of the chops. If you have quality chops, it's okay to eat when the insides are hot pink. If you don't have quality chops, wait until you can get your hands on some. Come on, this ain't no dog and pony show!

Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1 small container greek yogurt
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh dill
(This one isn't rocket science... mix the ingredients together.)

Cucumber Salad:
Diced cucumbers
Diced tomatoes
Fresh spearmint, finely chopped
Fresh dill
Fresh basil (we used the green and purple varieties you can see above)
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Olive oil

Optional: Top with feta cheese.

Verdict: We both LOVED this one! We'll be making it again.